The work the two companies
are doing will enable the TANAN UAS to be integrated into the ship’s
combat system. This includes the definition of its mission system
and the improvement of situational assessment thanks to the data received
from the various sensors on board TANAN. The work likewise encompasses
the physical integration of TANAN onto the ship, including the positioning
and compatibility of the antenna system, the landing deck, the harpoon
and grid, the docking and securing of the UAS in the hangar, as well
as the related support.
Airbus Defence and Space will produce the entire certified unmanned
aerial system, the vehicle with its payloads, the datalink and the
UAS control station. DCNS will carry out the integration of the UAS
on the ship and into its combat system, from the definition of the
required functions and the interfaces with the combat system, to the
production of corresponding UAS modules that will enable operations
to be controlled via the ship’s command, to the on-board installation
and implementation procedures.
Airbus Defence and Space has been developing UAS for over 30 years
for a wide range of civil and military applications, from the heavier
Euro Hawk HALE and the Harfang MALE to the Tracker, DVF 2000 and Copter
4 mini-UAS, all the way up to the Atlante and TANAN tactical UAS and
the Zephyr high-altitude pseudo-satellite.
DCNS is currently the only prime contractor for military vessels that
is now able to offer a solution that is entirely in the hands of the
commander and that enables central operations to deploy surveillance
or armed UAS. Thanks to major ongoing investment in research and development
in this area, DCNS is continuing with the trail-blazing work it began
more than ten years ago, when it first aspired to integrate tactical
UAS onto its entire range of vessels, from off-shore patrol vessels
to highly armed frigates.
“This agreement underscores the high level of expertise associated
with our TANAN programme as well as our desire to provide the naval
market with a perfectly matched system, in collaboration with our
partner DCNS,” stated Jean-Marc Nasr, COO of Airbus Defence
and Space SAS.
“DCNS will be the only company to offer both its current and
prospective customers an integrated solution for operating a UAS that
can be armed from on board a combat ship. In partnership with Airbus,
DCNS offers reliable, functional and perfectly integrated solutions
for naval combat platforms and systems,” said Pierre Legros,
President of Surface Naval Systems at DCNS.
TANAN is a helicopter UAS with a maximum take-off weight of 350 kilogrammes,
and is designed for maritime operations. Its characteristics, including
extensive detection and identification capabilities, make it a considerable
asset for surface vessels. It is thus suited to highly intense missions
and combating asymmetrical threats alike. Flexible and versatile,
with a powerful tried-and-tested diesel engine and state-of-the-art
equipment, TANAN is a perfect addition to ship-based helicopters.
By integrating UAS onto combat ships, the latter’s detection
range and ability to accurately identify threats can be increased,
while simultaneously ensuring operational availability.
TANAN UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) exposed at DCNS stand at EURONAVAL
2014 
