Title: MC-12 Liberty
Description: Project Liberty
Description: Project Liberty
saver111 - June 15, 2009 04:51 AM (GMT)
MC-12 Liberty Flies First Combat Mission
The first MC-12 Liberty aircraft in-theater taxies out of an aircraft hangar for its first combat sortie June 10 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The Air Force's new manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform, the MC-12 is designed to directly support ground forces with real-time ISR capability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tiffany Trojca)
June 11, 2009
The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance platform, the MC-12 Liberty aircraft, flew its first combat sortie here June 10. JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Lt. Col. Phillip Stewart, 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander, conducts a pre-flight inspection of an MC-12 Liberty aircraft here June 10, prior to the aircraft's first combat sortie. A native of Silver Spring, M "This is truly a success story," said Brig. Gen. Brian Bishop , 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "Our mission here is to deliver combat airpower and overwatch to the joint fight in-theater, and the MC-12 brings a huge ISR capability to employ in support of the ground commander." The aircraft, which arrived in Iraq June 8, is assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, and took off from JBB at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time for a four-hour mission. "This is the first combat mission for the 362nd ERS, and it was a huge success," said Col. Mike Fantini, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander. "The milestone continues the extraordinary program to push more ISR capability to the joint-force commander." Landing at approximately 6:20 p.m. local time, the four-person crew was all smiles after completing the historic sortie. "It feels good being out here and doing something good for the warfighter," said Capt. Jason Goodale, the pilot. "The crew was great," the Sioux Falls, S.D., native deployed here from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., added. "We performed like we trained. It is great to be part of something that is bringing a unique feature to ground forces." Flying alongside Captain Goodale were Lt. Col. Phillip Stewart, mission commander, deployed here from Langley AFB, Va., and a native of Silver Spring, Md., and the two sensor operators: Senior Master Sgt. Bruce Hunter, deployed here from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and a native of Rock Springs, Wy., and Staff Sgt. Shaun Nelson. "It was a great mission," said Colonel Stewart. "It couldn't have gone any better." "It feels really good to validate the training we went through," he added. "I'm extraordinarily proud of (the Airmen of the 362nd ERS). They are a tremendous group of Airmen. All of them volunteered to come to a brand-new program not knowing what to expect because they believe in the mission and they believe in the men and women that we are protecting on the ground." Designed to augment information gathered by other intelligence-collection capabilities operating in-theater, the MC-12 provides real-time full-motion video and signals intelligence and allow military leaders to make battlefield decisions. "It's an awesome mission," added Sergeant Nelson, deployed here from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and a native of Lenox, S.D. "I think we are all excited to be a part of it. It's a big capability, and it's nice to be able to bring this capability to more and more of the troops on the ground." "The job satisfaction is amazing out here," he concluded. "You know you're making a difference, you know you're helping the guys on the ground. That's what we are here to do."
http://www.topix.com/content/prweb/2009/06...-combat-mission
The first MC-12 Liberty aircraft in-theater taxies out of an aircraft hangar for its first combat sortie June 10 at Joint Base Balad, Iraq. The Air Force's new manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform, the MC-12 is designed to directly support ground forces with real-time ISR capability. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Tiffany Trojca)
June 11, 2009
The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance platform, the MC-12 Liberty aircraft, flew its first combat sortie here June 10. JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq - Lt. Col. Phillip Stewart, 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron commander, conducts a pre-flight inspection of an MC-12 Liberty aircraft here June 10, prior to the aircraft's first combat sortie. A native of Silver Spring, M "This is truly a success story," said Brig. Gen. Brian Bishop , 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing commander. "Our mission here is to deliver combat airpower and overwatch to the joint fight in-theater, and the MC-12 brings a huge ISR capability to employ in support of the ground commander." The aircraft, which arrived in Iraq June 8, is assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, and took off from JBB at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time for a four-hour mission. "This is the first combat mission for the 362nd ERS, and it was a huge success," said Col. Mike Fantini, 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander. "The milestone continues the extraordinary program to push more ISR capability to the joint-force commander." Landing at approximately 6:20 p.m. local time, the four-person crew was all smiles after completing the historic sortie. "It feels good being out here and doing something good for the warfighter," said Capt. Jason Goodale, the pilot. "The crew was great," the Sioux Falls, S.D., native deployed here from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., added. "We performed like we trained. It is great to be part of something that is bringing a unique feature to ground forces." Flying alongside Captain Goodale were Lt. Col. Phillip Stewart, mission commander, deployed here from Langley AFB, Va., and a native of Silver Spring, Md., and the two sensor operators: Senior Master Sgt. Bruce Hunter, deployed here from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and a native of Rock Springs, Wy., and Staff Sgt. Shaun Nelson. "It was a great mission," said Colonel Stewart. "It couldn't have gone any better." "It feels really good to validate the training we went through," he added. "I'm extraordinarily proud of (the Airmen of the 362nd ERS). They are a tremendous group of Airmen. All of them volunteered to come to a brand-new program not knowing what to expect because they believe in the mission and they believe in the men and women that we are protecting on the ground." Designed to augment information gathered by other intelligence-collection capabilities operating in-theater, the MC-12 provides real-time full-motion video and signals intelligence and allow military leaders to make battlefield decisions. "It's an awesome mission," added Sergeant Nelson, deployed here from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and a native of Lenox, S.D. "I think we are all excited to be a part of it. It's a big capability, and it's nice to be able to bring this capability to more and more of the troops on the ground." "The job satisfaction is amazing out here," he concluded. "You know you're making a difference, you know you're helping the guys on the ground. That's what we are here to do."
http://www.topix.com/content/prweb/2009/06...-combat-mission
raider1011 - September 25, 2009 03:17 AM (GMT)
Standing Up the IqAF: King Air 350s
but decisions to date have ensured that the Iraqi air force is still a long way from being able to secure Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While it continues to grow, its primary duties remain troop/medical transport, light supply duties, and surveillance of roads and infrastructure.
That kind of surveillance doesn’t require high tech, high-end aircraft. The USAF has been using F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft at $15,000 per flight hour, plus recapitalization amortization. Iraq’s solution offers a significant contrast to the American approach – and it would appear that armed variants are prepping for delivery.
Like other aircraft in their class, King Air 350s can operate on runways as short as 3,300 feet with a full load, and under 2,700 feet with a standard complement. This is very useful for businesses who buy these aircraft for fast, flexible transportation to a wide variety of locales and airfields. It is equally useful in Iraq.
Aimed specifically at the special mission market, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER has extended endurance thanks to overwing engine nacelle fuel lockers and other modifications. They are able to fly out 100 nautical miles, perform a low altitude surveillance mission for up to 8 hours and fly back 100 nautical miles, and still land with over 45 minutes worth of fuel on board. Range for the 350ER version extends more than 33%, to 2,400 nautical miles.
Defense Industry Daily; re: Bird Dogs for the Iraqi Air Force
350ER on YouTube!
but decisions to date have ensured that the Iraqi air force is still a long way from being able to secure Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While it continues to grow, its primary duties remain troop/medical transport, light supply duties, and surveillance of roads and infrastructure.
That kind of surveillance doesn’t require high tech, high-end aircraft. The USAF has been using F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft at $15,000 per flight hour, plus recapitalization amortization. Iraq’s solution offers a significant contrast to the American approach – and it would appear that armed variants are prepping for delivery.
Like other aircraft in their class, King Air 350s can operate on runways as short as 3,300 feet with a full load, and under 2,700 feet with a standard complement. This is very useful for businesses who buy these aircraft for fast, flexible transportation to a wide variety of locales and airfields. It is equally useful in Iraq.
Aimed specifically at the special mission market, the Beechcraft King Air 350ER has extended endurance thanks to overwing engine nacelle fuel lockers and other modifications. They are able to fly out 100 nautical miles, perform a low altitude surveillance mission for up to 8 hours and fly back 100 nautical miles, and still land with over 45 minutes worth of fuel on board. Range for the 350ER version extends more than 33%, to 2,400 nautical miles.
Defense Industry Daily; re: Bird Dogs for the Iraqi Air Force
350ER on YouTube!
raider1011 - October 8, 2009 02:09 AM (GMT)
US Army unveils five-layer strategy for airborne ISR
DATE:07/10/09
SOURCE:Flight International
Nearly four years after botching its attempt to replace its ageing signals intelligence platform, the US Army has regrouped with a new strategy to recapitalise all of its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ISR aircraft with a mix of five platforms anchored by a new design for a long-endurance, hybrid airship.
The strategy, revealed in newly published army planning documents, also proposes to revive the cancelled Aerial Common Sensor programme with a turboprop in the class of the Bombardier Q400, and launch a new programme to acquire more Beechcraft MC-12Ws.
The plan also includes fielding two different unmanned aircraft systems. Army briefing slides posted on 2 September show the AAI RQ-7 Shadow UAS representing a small class, and a General Atomics MQ-1C Sky Warrior representing a larger type.
The centrepiece of the army's envisaged fleet of imagery and signals intelligence collectors would be a 76.2m (250ft)-long hybrid airship called the long-endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV).
As proposed in army requirements documents, the LEMV is potentially capable of lifting a 2,270kg (5,000lb) payload up to 20,000ft (6,100m) for up to three weeks. An industry consortium has formed to deliver the first system within 18 months. The airframe could be supplied by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division, which demonstrated a roughly half-scale prototype called the P791 in 2006.
The army's space and missile defence command is expected to soon issue a request for proposals for the LEMV airframe supplier. The competitors include Lockheed and UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles.
The five-layer concept shows the army has revived its ambitions to recapitalise its airborne ISR fleet after the ACS debacle. The army cancelled the contract with Lockheed in January 2006 after the payload grew too large for the selected platform - the Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet.
But the new strategy also faces sharp criticism by the US Senate, which has voted to eliminate a $210 million funding request for fiscal year 2010 to launch the ACS competition. The final defence budget is still being debated by both houses of Congress.
The senate's version of the FY2010 defence authorisation bill also criticised the LEMV concept for being too premature, although the senators did not reduce the programme's funding levels.
Flightglobal
From jets to militarized commercial turboprops, UAVs and blimps. What a difference eight years of the War On Ter--er, 'Overseas Contingency Operations' makes.
DATE:07/10/09
SOURCE:Flight International
Nearly four years after botching its attempt to replace its ageing signals intelligence platform, the US Army has regrouped with a new strategy to recapitalise all of its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance ISR aircraft with a mix of five platforms anchored by a new design for a long-endurance, hybrid airship.
The strategy, revealed in newly published army planning documents, also proposes to revive the cancelled Aerial Common Sensor programme with a turboprop in the class of the Bombardier Q400, and launch a new programme to acquire more Beechcraft MC-12Ws.
The plan also includes fielding two different unmanned aircraft systems. Army briefing slides posted on 2 September show the AAI RQ-7 Shadow UAS representing a small class, and a General Atomics MQ-1C Sky Warrior representing a larger type.
The centrepiece of the army's envisaged fleet of imagery and signals intelligence collectors would be a 76.2m (250ft)-long hybrid airship called the long-endurance multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV).
As proposed in army requirements documents, the LEMV is potentially capable of lifting a 2,270kg (5,000lb) payload up to 20,000ft (6,100m) for up to three weeks. An industry consortium has formed to deliver the first system within 18 months. The airframe could be supplied by Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division, which demonstrated a roughly half-scale prototype called the P791 in 2006.
The army's space and missile defence command is expected to soon issue a request for proposals for the LEMV airframe supplier. The competitors include Lockheed and UK-based Hybrid Air Vehicles.
The five-layer concept shows the army has revived its ambitions to recapitalise its airborne ISR fleet after the ACS debacle. The army cancelled the contract with Lockheed in January 2006 after the payload grew too large for the selected platform - the Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet.
But the new strategy also faces sharp criticism by the US Senate, which has voted to eliminate a $210 million funding request for fiscal year 2010 to launch the ACS competition. The final defence budget is still being debated by both houses of Congress.
The senate's version of the FY2010 defence authorisation bill also criticised the LEMV concept for being too premature, although the senators did not reduce the programme's funding levels.
Flightglobal
From jets to militarized commercial turboprops, UAVs and blimps. What a difference eight years of the War On Ter--er, 'Overseas Contingency Operations' makes.
raider1011 - October 11, 2009 03:09 AM (GMT)
Lockheed seeks to export Shadow Harvest spy system for C-130s
DATE:09/10/09
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division is seeking clearance from the US government to export a roll-on/roll-off suite of intelligence sensors for the C-130 Hercules that is designed to identify targets concealed under camouflage or foliage.
Lockheed has quietly developed the C-130 Shadow Harvest system for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) with sponsorship from the Miami, Florida-based Southern Command.
According to DIA budget documents, the Shadow Harvest system leverages several “maturing sensors and relevant networking/data fusion/recognition technologies”, and can be deployed against both irregular and conventional operations.
The payloads include a hyperspectral camera made by BAE Systems called the spectral infrared remote imaging transition testbed (SPIRITT), DIA’s budget documents show. Another sensor included in the system is a “low frequency/multi-band synthetic aperture radar (MB-SAR)”, according to DIA’s budget documents.
Lockheed’s brochure advertises the Shadow Harvest system can be installed on any non-dedicated C-130 and requires no permanent modifications. The system includes a modular suite of optical and radar sensors contained in two, wing-mounted pods. The C-130 cargo bay also houses at least two “mission enclosures” for specialists to manage and process the sensor data.
Jim Grant, Lockheed’s vice president of air mobility and special operations programmes, confirms that Shadow Harvest has been developed for older-models C-130s, but the company believes the system’s capabilities can grow to be installed on newer C-130Js.
Lockheed is also awaiting approval to offer a sanitized version of the Shadow Harvest system to foreign C-130 operators, Grant says. The multi-intelligence payload is ideal for countries with border surveillance requirements, he adds.
DATE:09/10/09
SOURCE:Flightglobal.com
Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works division is seeking clearance from the US government to export a roll-on/roll-off suite of intelligence sensors for the C-130 Hercules that is designed to identify targets concealed under camouflage or foliage.
Lockheed has quietly developed the C-130 Shadow Harvest system for the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) with sponsorship from the Miami, Florida-based Southern Command.
According to DIA budget documents, the Shadow Harvest system leverages several “maturing sensors and relevant networking/data fusion/recognition technologies”, and can be deployed against both irregular and conventional operations.
The payloads include a hyperspectral camera made by BAE Systems called the spectral infrared remote imaging transition testbed (SPIRITT), DIA’s budget documents show. Another sensor included in the system is a “low frequency/multi-band synthetic aperture radar (MB-SAR)”, according to DIA’s budget documents.
Lockheed’s brochure advertises the Shadow Harvest system can be installed on any non-dedicated C-130 and requires no permanent modifications. The system includes a modular suite of optical and radar sensors contained in two, wing-mounted pods. The C-130 cargo bay also houses at least two “mission enclosures” for specialists to manage and process the sensor data.
Jim Grant, Lockheed’s vice president of air mobility and special operations programmes, confirms that Shadow Harvest has been developed for older-models C-130s, but the company believes the system’s capabilities can grow to be installed on newer C-130Js.
Lockheed is also awaiting approval to offer a sanitized version of the Shadow Harvest system to foreign C-130 operators, Grant says. The multi-intelligence payload is ideal for countries with border surveillance requirements, he adds.
raider1011 - October 20, 2009 02:43 AM (GMT)
US Military Orders More King Air 350ER Aircraft
19-Oct-2009 15:22 EDT
Despite all of the high-tech fighter hours flown in theater, Hawker Beechcraft’s twin-propeller King Air 350 continues to gain traction as an affordable, long-endurance option for light cargo delivery in remote areas – and effective manned battlefield surveillance and attack. Iraq’s Air Force was the first to order them, and an initial 6-plane order from the US Marines/Navy followed in July 2008.
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has pushed hard to improve ISR capabilities on the front lines, and one of those planned purchases reportedly involves about 30 King Air 350/ C-12 aircraft. The C-12s have proven to be very useful as a component of the Army’s Task Force ODIN, which has combined the respective advantages of UAVs and manned aircraft to improve aerial surveillance and response over Iraq. ODIN is credited with a number of successes on the ground, and the concept is being exported to Afghanistan.
Part of that process involves buying new and updated light aircraft. The USAF is now exercising its option for more, under the original contract…
Oct 19/09: Hawker Beechcraft Corporation announces [PDF] that the USAF has exercised a $45 million option for 6 additional MC-12W special mission aircraft in support of Project Liberty, per the original November 2008 contract. The company adds that the first 23 planes have all been delivered, on or ahead of schedule.
Sept 15/09: A comment at the US Air Force Association’s Air & Space Symposium helps clarify the price breakdown of an MC-12W. Lionel G. Smith, L-3’s director, Strategic Development Special Programs, is quoted as saying that:
“It costs about $7 million [per plane] from Hawker Beechcraft, and about $10 million in modifications. From [initial] contract to [deployment in] combat was about eight months.”
Defense Industry Daily
19-Oct-2009 15:22 EDT
Despite all of the high-tech fighter hours flown in theater, Hawker Beechcraft’s twin-propeller King Air 350 continues to gain traction as an affordable, long-endurance option for light cargo delivery in remote areas – and effective manned battlefield surveillance and attack. Iraq’s Air Force was the first to order them, and an initial 6-plane order from the US Marines/Navy followed in July 2008.
US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has pushed hard to improve ISR capabilities on the front lines, and one of those planned purchases reportedly involves about 30 King Air 350/ C-12 aircraft. The C-12s have proven to be very useful as a component of the Army’s Task Force ODIN, which has combined the respective advantages of UAVs and manned aircraft to improve aerial surveillance and response over Iraq. ODIN is credited with a number of successes on the ground, and the concept is being exported to Afghanistan.
Part of that process involves buying new and updated light aircraft. The USAF is now exercising its option for more, under the original contract…
Oct 19/09: Hawker Beechcraft Corporation announces [PDF] that the USAF has exercised a $45 million option for 6 additional MC-12W special mission aircraft in support of Project Liberty, per the original November 2008 contract. The company adds that the first 23 planes have all been delivered, on or ahead of schedule.
Sept 15/09: A comment at the US Air Force Association’s Air & Space Symposium helps clarify the price breakdown of an MC-12W. Lionel G. Smith, L-3’s director, Strategic Development Special Programs, is quoted as saying that:
“It costs about $7 million [per plane] from Hawker Beechcraft, and about $10 million in modifications. From [initial] contract to [deployment in] combat was about eight months.”
Defense Industry Daily
raider1011 - October 29, 2009 03:57 AM (GMT)
Arizona start-up challenges major primes for King Air 350 market
DATE:28/10/09
SOURCE:Flight International
By Stephen Trimble
Aerial Surveillance Systems (ASSI) plans to demonstrate the SkyEye 350, a used Beechcraft King Air 350 that has been modified with two sensor payloads and processing stations, at a US Army exercise in mid-November, says Mike Long, the company's founder and chief executive.
The demonstration is critical for the company to be recognised by potential customers, Long says. In the near-term, it plans to upgrade used King Airs with FLIR Systems' Brite Star II electro-optical/infrared camera and a synthetic aperture radar. It also could shift to converting new-build King Airs after Hawker Beechcraft clears a 2.5-year order backlog, Long says.
Long acknowledges that his start-up firm faces a tough sales campaign against defence industry primes. L-3 Communications, for example, is converting King Air 350s into MC-12 Libertys for the US Air Force. Sierra Nevada is supplying up to 30 King Air 350s for the US Customs and Border Patrol under a contract announced in early October.
Even Lockheed Martin has expressed interest in MARRS-class surveillance aircraft. The company has said that systems designed for its Gulfstream III-based airborne multi-intelligence laboratory could be repackaged for the King Air 350.
The ASSI business strategy is focused on becoming a reliable supplier for a niche market for airborne surveillance platforms. The company is in talks with the US Missile Defense Agency, for example, to lease aircraft to monitor anti-ballistic missile and Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser tests, Long says.
It is also pursuing the international market. In late October, Long was scheduled to travel to brief the Panamanian government and the mayor of Juarez, Mexico, about the SkyEye 350's capabilities.
"If we sell five to six airplanes next year we'll be happy," he says.
DATE:28/10/09
SOURCE:Flight International
By Stephen Trimble
Aerial Surveillance Systems (ASSI) plans to demonstrate the SkyEye 350, a used Beechcraft King Air 350 that has been modified with two sensor payloads and processing stations, at a US Army exercise in mid-November, says Mike Long, the company's founder and chief executive.
The demonstration is critical for the company to be recognised by potential customers, Long says. In the near-term, it plans to upgrade used King Airs with FLIR Systems' Brite Star II electro-optical/infrared camera and a synthetic aperture radar. It also could shift to converting new-build King Airs after Hawker Beechcraft clears a 2.5-year order backlog, Long says.
Long acknowledges that his start-up firm faces a tough sales campaign against defence industry primes. L-3 Communications, for example, is converting King Air 350s into MC-12 Libertys for the US Air Force. Sierra Nevada is supplying up to 30 King Air 350s for the US Customs and Border Patrol under a contract announced in early October.
Even Lockheed Martin has expressed interest in MARRS-class surveillance aircraft. The company has said that systems designed for its Gulfstream III-based airborne multi-intelligence laboratory could be repackaged for the King Air 350.
The ASSI business strategy is focused on becoming a reliable supplier for a niche market for airborne surveillance platforms. The company is in talks with the US Missile Defense Agency, for example, to lease aircraft to monitor anti-ballistic missile and Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser tests, Long says.
It is also pursuing the international market. In late October, Long was scheduled to travel to brief the Panamanian government and the mayor of Juarez, Mexico, about the SkyEye 350's capabilities.
"If we sell five to six airplanes next year we'll be happy," he says.