Defense Industry Daily

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $19.2 million modification for the acquisition of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Configuration 3.1 Part A Ground Modernization equipment to support the US government. The THAAD Configuration 3.1 Part A, and associated labor and equipment, will be procured under a firm-fixed-price contract line item. Expected completion date is January 1, 2027. Fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024 U.S. government procurement funds in the amount of $19,161,388 are being obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Japan will sell Patriot missiles to the US to help replenish its stocks following Ukraine deliveries. A handful of Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles will be sold to the $19 million, Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) announced on Sunday. The missile sale’s official quantity has not been disclosed. However, it is likely to be around 10, Nikkei revealed, citing a former Pentagon official. Middle East & Africa The United States sanctioned five people and seven companies in China and Iran on Tuesday, accusing them of aiding Tehran’s ballistic missile and drone programs. The sanctions targeted individuals and companies in China, Hong Kong, and Iran involved in procuring key components for “subordinates” of […]

THAAD: In flight (click to view full) The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It’s designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces, hence its previous “theater (of operations) high altitude area defense” designation. This capability makes THAAD different from a Patriot PAC-3 or the future MEADS system, which are point defense options with limited range that are designed to hit a missile or warhead just before impact. The SM-3 Standard missile is a far better comparison, and land-based SM-3 programs will make it a direct THAAD competitor. So far, both programs remain underway. The THAAD System THAAD operations concept (click to view full) An ideal multi-layered anti-ballistic missile system should have both land and naval options, as well as theater-level and point defenses backed by a 3rd tier of longer ranged midcourse-defense missiles (q.v. GBI) and/or space-based weapons that […]

Americas The United States Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor made its debut at Exercise Pitch Black, Australia’s largest air warfare exercise. Deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan, a contingent of six F-22s integrated seamlessly with a diverse array of allied aircraft, demonstrating the platform’s interoperability and combat capabilities. Lt. Col. Ryan Nickell, commander of the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, highlighted the exercise as an invaluable opportunity to operate alongside partners from both NATO and the Asia-Pacific region. The expansive Australian airspace provided an ideal environment for the Raptors to showcase their full performance envelope. Ottawa-based WR Davis Engineering has received a supply chain contract to support the development of Canada’s future River-class guided missile destroyers. The $21.6-million deal stipulates the design and implementation of the warships’ full engine intake and exhaust system and its corresponding infrared suppression capabilities. Middle East & Africa Northrop Grumman won a $50 million contract for F-16 System Program Office Foreign Military Sales support. This contract provides for the repair and return of F-16 radar (AN/APG-68 version 9) components for 11 foreign military sales countries. Work will be performed at Linthicum Heights, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2030. This contract involves […]

Americas Sikorsky Aircraft won a $120 million modification, which adds scope to procure additional long-lead time materials to support 21 full rate production, Lot Nine, CH-53K King Stallion aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in March 2025. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Army has demonstrated the capabilities of nine of its counter-small unmanned aerial systems (C-sUAS) against more than 40 aerial targets. Described by the service as its “most challenging counter-drone systems test to date,” the test aimed to evaluate the command-and-control capabilities of its available C-sUAS weapons. These systems include radio frequency scanners and jammers, electro-optical/infrared cameras, kinetic interceptor drones, and guided rockets. Middle East & Defense Elbit Systems has received a $190-million contract to provide its Iron Sting mortar munition to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The Iron Sting is a laser and GPS-guided shell developed for precision strikes in complex environments, minimizing collateral damage to a target area. The warhead is typically launched from 120-millimeter mortar for a range of up to 6.2 miles. Europe The United States on Monday announced new military aid for Ukraine valued at around $1.7 billion […]

CH-53K concept (click to view full) The U.S. Marines have a problem. They rely on their CH-53E Super Stallion medium-heavy lift helicopters to move troops, vehicles, and supplies off of their ships. But the helicopters are wearing out. Fast. The pace demanded by the Global War on Terror is relentless, and usage rates are 3 times normal. Attrition is taking its toll. Over the past few years, CH-53s have been recalled from “boneyard” storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ, in order to maintain fleet numbers in the face of recent losses and forced retirements. Now, there are no flyable spares left. Enter the Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR) program, now known as the CH-53K. It aims to offer notable performance improvements over the CH-53E, in a similar airframe. The question is whether its service entry delay to 2018-2019 will come too late to offset a serious decline in Marine aviation. The HLR Program Lifts Off [youtube:v=k_pAe8Gvua8] Sikorksy on HLR, 2011 The $25.5 billion, 200-helicopter CH-53K program will define the long-term future of the US Marine Corps’ medium-heavy lift capabilities – and may be needed to save Marine aviation in the medium term. On average, existing CH-53E aircraft are more than […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $19 million modification for the procurement of material modification kits, and special test and tooling equipment necessary to support F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft retrofit and modification efforts for the Air Force, Marines, Navy, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in August 2027. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. US Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 (VMFA-311) is close to declaring Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the F-35C Lightning II, marking a significant milestone for the squadron and the US Marine Corps. Based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, VMFA-311 is one of only two squadrons in the Marine Corps operating the F-35C variant, designed specifically for carrier operations. The squadron has successfully met the rigorous training, personnel, equipment, and aircraft number requirements to achieve IOC. The unit, boasting a rich history dating back to the 1940s and including notable figures like Ted Williams and John Glenn, is now at the forefront of naval aviation. Middle East & Africa The US State Department has approved a possible $2.8 billion foreign military […]

Americas North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) conducted a series of intercepts involving Russian and Chinese military aircraft operating within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) on July 24. Two Russian Tu-95MS and two Chinese H-6K aircraft were detected, tracked, and intercepted by NORAD fighter jets from the United States and Canada. While operating in international airspace, their presence within the ADIZ necessitated a response from NORAD which dispatched F-16, F-35 and CF-18 fighter aircraft. Raytheon won a $325 million ceiling increase modification for the StormBreaker® Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II, GBU-53/B). The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract from $275,000,000 to $600,000,000. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2026. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Bell Textron has delivered five 505 Jet Ranger X (JRX) training helicopters to the Royal Jordanian Air Force, completing a contract signed in 2022. The tranche is the second half of a 10-unit deal ordered with corresponding flight training devices and a computer-based training […]

GBU-53/B, aka. SDB-II (click to view full) The 250 pound GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb gives American fighters the ability to carry more high-precision GPS-guided glide bombs, without sacrificing punching power against fortified targets. The initial award to Boeing was controversial, and the Darlene Druyun corruption scandal ultimately forced a re-compete of the Increment II development program. Whereas the initial GBU-39 SDB-I offered GPS-guided accuracy in a small and streamlined package, the goal of the GBU-53 SDB-II competition was a bomb that could hit moving targets in any weather, using a combination of guidance modes. For the SDB-II competition, Boeing found itself allied with Lockheed Martin, its key opponent for the initial SDB-I contract. Its main competitor this time was Raytheon, whose SDB-II bid team found itself sharing its tri-mode seeker technology with a separate Boeing team, as they compete together for the tri-service JAGM missile award against… Lockheed Martin. So, is Raytheon’s win of the SDB-II competition also good news for its main competitor? It’s certainly good news for Raytheon, who wins a program that could be worth over $5 billion. Raytheon’s GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb SDB-II: cutaway (click to view full) Raytheon’s GBU-53/B SDB-II is 7″ in diameter around […]

Americas Boeing has expressed interest in converting its F-15EX Eagle II fighter jet into electronic attack aircraft similar to the EA-18G Growler. Company official Rob Novotny said to Breaking Defense that internal discussions are currently underway whether to proceed with the proposed conversion or not. The F-15EX already boasts an electronic warfare (EW) capability, thanks to its Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System. Kratos has unveiled a small affordable engine intended for the US Air Force’s futuristic Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA). Developed in partnership with GE Aerospace, the GEK800 can reportedly generate up to 3,000 pounds (1,360 kilograms) of thrust, making it “ideally suited” for cruise missiles. But the two companies said it could still be scaled up to meet the requirements of the CCA program. Middle East & Africa According to Defense News, Israel Aerospace Industries, the maker of Germany’s future long-range antimissile system, has increased shifts and hired more workers to meet the deadline of setting up an installation in Germany sometime next year, a company executive said. The extra effort follows the national logic of outfitting the Israel Defense Forces as the priority, while also keeping international orders on track, Shay Gal, vice president for external relations, told Defense News at the Farnborough […]

F-15C over DC (click to view full) “Array of Aging American Aircraft Attracting Attention” discusses the issues that accompany an air force whose fighters have an average age of over 23.5 years – vs. an average of 8.5 years in 1967. One of the most obvious consequences is the potential for fleet groundings due to unforseen structural issues caused by time and fatigue. That very fear is responsible for the #1 priority placed on bringing new KC-X aerial tankers into the fleet to complement the USA’s 1960s-era KC-135 Stratotankers. It can also affect the fighter fleet more directly. Following the crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C aircraft Nov 2/07 (see crash simulation), the US Air Force suspended non-mission critical F-15 flight operations on Nov 3/07. While the cause of that accident is still under investigation, preliminary findings indicate that a structural failure during flight may have been responsible. In response, Japan suspended its own F-15 flights, which left them in a bit of a bind – even as Israel’s F-15s joined them on the tarmac. As the effects continue to spread and the USAF and others continue to comment on this situation, DID continues to expand its coverage […]

Americas Canada has awarded GM Defense a contract to deliver 90 Light Tactical Vehicles (LTVs) for the army. The $25.9 million deal covers 54 personnel and 36 cargo variants of the LTV. It will also supply training, logistics support, technical manuals, and spare parts sourced from other local companies. Additionally, this agreement offers an option for up to 18 more LTVs depending on the army’s requirements in the future. The first five systems are expected to arrive in Canada this month. The US Air Force has conducted the final flight of the T-1 Jayhawk medium-range trainer jet, marking the aircraft’s retirement after three decades. The aircraft flew from Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph in Texas to Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona for the ceremony. Since its induction in the early 1990s, the Jayhawk has served as a pilot and aircrew training capability at multiple US military sites and covered thousands of preparations for platforms such as the C-17 Globemaster III, KC-135 Stratotanker, and the C-130 Hercules. Middle East & Africa Israel Aerospace Industries announced a new air-to-surface cruise missile dubbed Wind Demon, what the company says is a lightweight, reasonably priced munition. The weapon is “a new generation of air-to-surface cruise missile, combining new […]

Americas Northrop Grumman has received a $1.5-billion contract to deliver E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to the US Navy and Japan. A recent US Department of Defense announcement states that the company will produce nine new Hawkeyes – four for the navy and five for Tokyo. It will also provide associated support services to both customers. Most work for the contract will be performed in Florida, with an estimated completion date of March 2029. Bollinger Shipyards announced that its Pascagoula Mississippi shipyard now exceeds 1,000 employees, touting the milestone as it gears up to make the first heavy icebreaker in the US in more than 50 years – vessels Washington is keen to produce more of as it partners with Canada and Finland in a pact to bolster icebreaker fleets. The three countries announced the Icebreaker Collaboration Effort, or ICE Pact, in a joint statement during the NATO summit in Washington on Thursday. The trilateral agreement aims to build “best-in-class Arctic and polar icebreakers and other Arctic and polar capabilities in each of our respective countries by sharing expertise, information, and capabilities.” Middle East & Africa Turkiye and Niger agreed to boost cooperation on energy, mining, intelligence and defense, after the […]

Americas Raytheon has demonstrated a simulated missile interception using the US Army’s new missile defense radar and command and control system and the US Navy’s interceptor. The Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) simulators provided threat tracking data and the Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) engagement control software to the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) during a Valiant Shield 24 test. The Northrop Grumman IBCS subsequently initiated the transfer of the launch command data and guided a missile interception “successfully,” according to Raytheon. The US Air Force and Boeing have reached an agreement regarding the planned supply of E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters at an air show in England that the service finally “got a reasonable price point” for the jets after bringing in a brokering expert. Middle East & Africa Germany can no longer cooperate militarily with Niger because of a lack of “trust” in relations with the West African country’s military regime, German Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday. Germany already announced on July 6 that it will end operations at its airbase in Niger and pull out its remaining three-dozen troops by […]

E-7A Wedgetail over New South Wales (click to view full) The island continent of Australia faces a number of unique security challenges that stem from its geography. The continent may be separated from its neighbors by large expanses of ocean, but it also resides within a potential arc of instability, and has a number of important offshore resource sites to protect. Full awareness of what is going on around them, and the ability to push that awareness well offshore, are critical security requirements. “Project Wedgetail” had 3 finalists, and the winner was a new variant of Boeing’s 737-700, fitted with an MESA (multirole electronically scanned array) radar from Northrop Grumman. That radar exchanges the traditional AWACS rotating dome for the E-7A’s “top hat” stationary antenna. That design, and the project as a whole, have run into severe turbulence, creating problems for Boeing earnings, the ADF, and other export orders for the type. DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This one covers contracts, events, and key milestones within Australia’s E-7A program, from inception to the current day. Project Wedgetail: Program and Participants The Competition E-7A Cutaway (click to view full) In 1997 Australia’s AIR […]

Americas The US Navy Blue Angels successfully tested a Mobile Aircraft Arresting System (MAAS) for the first time at Camp Grayling Army Airfield on June 26th. This test and certification served as a crucial element in their participation in the subsequent National Cherry Festival Air Show held in Traverse City on June 29-30th. The MAAS deployment was a first for the Blue Angels at the National Cherry Festival Air Show. This system, typically used at military airfields, is a vital safety feature providing an emergency landing option for high-performance aircraft like the Blue Angels’ F/A-18 Hornets. The MAAS employs arresting cables and barriers to rapidly decelerate aircraft in case of an in-flight issue or missed landing. Regular testing and certification, such as the one conducted at Camp Grayling, ensures the MAAS is prepared for such scenarios. Lockheed Martin has delivered the first of eight C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Ohio as part of a project to modernize the installation’s aging military transport fleet. The plane incorporates a new configuration of aerial spray capability to secure large areas from disease-carrying insects and other pests as well as to disperse oil spills in water surface domains. […]

Americas The US Navy is evaluating the operability of the Expeditionary Medical Unit (EMU) aboard the USNS Cody (EPF 14) Spearhead-class fast transport vessel. The trial supports the service’s objective to improve medical care capabilities for combat and humanitarian missions from sea to shore. Being held at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, the evaluation focuses on the EMU’s Role 2 (R2) level healthcare function, which covers patient decontamination, biomedical repair, sterile supply, information technology, and command and control tasks. China said Wednesday it had suspended negotiations with the United States on nuclear non-proliferation and arms control in response to Washington’s weapons sales to Taiwan. The US and China in November held rare talks on nuclear arms control, part of a bid to ease mistrust ahead of a summit between leader Joe Biden and Xi Jinping. Further dialogue had not been publicly announced since, with a White House official in January urging Beijing to respond “to some of our more substantive ideas on risk reduction.” But China’s foreign ministry on Wednesday said recent US sales of arms to self-ruled Taiwan were “seriously undermining the political atmosphere for continued arms control consultations between the two sides.” Middle East & Africa French defense contractor Arquus has signed an […]

Dassault Rafale (click for cutaway view) Will Dassault’s fighter become a fashionably late fighter platform that builds on its parent company’s past successes – or just “the late Rafale”? It all began as a 1985 break-away from the multinational consortium that went on to create EADS’ Eurofighter. The French needed a lighter aircraft that was suitable for carrier use, and were reportedly unwilling to cede design authority over the project. As is so often true of French defense procurement policy, the choice came down to paying additional costs for full independence and exact needs, or losing key industrial capabilities by partnering or buying abroad. France has generally opted for expensive but independent defense choices, and the Rafale was no exception. Those costs, and associated delays triggered by the end of the Cold War and reduced funding, proved to be very costly indeed. Unlike previous French fighters, which relied on exports to lower their costs and keep production lines humming, the Rafale has yet to secure a single export contract – in part because initial versions were hampered by impaired capabilities in key roles. The Rafale may, at last, be ready to be what its vendors say: a true omnirole aircraft, […]

Americas Capella Space won a $14 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide Synthetic Aperture RADAR satellite system capabilities and integrate them into Air Force Research Laboratory’s Global Unification Environment. Work will be performed at Kirkland Air Force Base, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by December 1, 2026. The Air Force Research Lab, Kirkland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity. The US Army, in conjunction with NATO allies, has successfully conducted a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Rapid Infiltration (HIRAIN) operation utilizing an Airbus A400M transport aircraft for the first time. This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant advancement in the rapid deployment of HIMARS using cargo aircraft. Previously, HIRAIN operations were primarily conducted using C-17 or C-130 transport aircraft. The successful integration of HIMARS with the A400M expands the range of available airlift platforms and offers increased flexibility for future deployments. RTX subsidiary Pratt & Whitney has completed its preliminary design review of the F135 engine core upgrade (ECU). The completion of this stage affirms the ECU design is proceeding according to schedule and exceeding expectations, the company said. The upgrade increases the engine’s durability and performance, which will “fully enable Block 4 and beyond capabilities for all three […]

Americas Raytheon won a $14 million deal for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) development lab management and maintenance program. This contract provides for the development branch of the Air Intercept Missile-120 AMRAAM that will manage the design, development, integration, and testing of hardware and software improvements to the AMRAAM. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by February 28, 2026. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity. Lockheed Martin won a $70 million modification, which?adds scope to provide a redesign of the synchronous dynamic random-access memory for the Technical Refresh Three integrated core processor and panoramic cockpit display in support of the F-35 aircraft diminishing manufacturing sources and material shortages for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and non-U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in January 2029.?Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Kenya has taken delivery of the first batch of military helicopters promised by the US during the recent state visit of Kenyan President William Ruto. Two UH-1 Huey military […]

AIM-120C from F-22A (click for test missile zoom) Raytheon’s AIM-120 Advanced, Medium-Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) has become the world market leader for medium range air-to-air missiles, and is also beginning to make inroads within land-based defense systems. It was designed with the lessons of Vietnam in mind, and of local air combat exercises like ACEVAL and Red Flag. This DID FOCUS article covers successive generations of AMRAAM missiles, international contracts and key events from 2006 onward, and even some of its emerging competitors. One of the key lessons learned from Vietnam was that a fighter would be likely to encounter multiple enemies, and would need to launch and guide several missiles at once in order to ensure its survival. This had not been possible with the AIM-7 Sparrow, a “semi-active radar homing” missile that required a constant radar lock on one target. To make matters worse, enemy fighters were capable of launching missiles of their own. Pilots who weren’t free to maneuver after launch would often be forced to “break lock,” or be killed – sometimes even by a short-range missile fired during the last phases of their enemy’s approach. Since fighters that could carry radar-guided missiles like […]