Defence`s Feeds

Americas

Raytheon won a $243.2 million contract modification for one AN/TPY-2 Radar (Radar #13) to support Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery #8. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,244,567,329 from $1,002,297,329. The THAAD missile system is an easily transportable defensive weapon system to protect against hostile incoming threats, such as tactical and theatre ballistic missiles, at ranges of 200km and altitudes of up to 150km. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2024.

The future USS Mobile, the US Navy’s next Independence-class littoral combat ship, will be commissioned on May 27, the Navy announced. The ceremony, restricted because of COVID-19 concerns but scheduled to be livestreamed, will be held in Mobile, Ala., where the ship was built by Austal USA. The vessel will be the 13th Independence variant in the Navy fleet. Littoral combat ships are fast, agile, focused-mission platforms designed for operation in near-shore environments but capable of open-ocean operation, Austral USA said.

Middle East & Africa

AITC-Fice Domains won a $27.4 million contract from the US Army to provide train, advise, assist and mentor services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia with an estimated completion date of October 31, 2024. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales funds to Saudi Arabia in the amount of $27,375,117 were obligated at the time of the award.

Europe

The Polish Air Force will take delivery of two Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 2 aircraft in May and June, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reported. The service had placed an order for two BBJ 2s and one 737-800 in 2017. The 737 was delivered that year. The first BBJ 2 will arrive home in end of May while the other one is flying home in mid-June.

BAE launched Anson, the fifth of seven Astute Class attack submarines it is building for the British Royal Navy, at its worksite in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in Britain. The submarine was moved out from Devonshire Dock Hall and entered the water for the first time Tuesday, according to a press release from the contractor.

Asia-Pacific

An Indonesian submarine has gone missing with 53 crew members. The Indonesian government reported the disappearance of submarine KRI Nanggala during a torpedo live fire exercise earlier today, requesting search and rescue assistance from Singapore and Australia. The submarine, a 40-year-old German-built Type 209 boat, was carrying a crew of 53 when it went missing. An Indonesian navy task force has begun to search for the submarine, and Indonesia has called for assistance from both Singapore and Australia.

Today’s Video

Watch: Austal USA – USS Mobile (LCS 26) Sea Trials

EDA’s Steering Board in National Armament Directors’ (NAD) composition met today in VTC format under the chairmanship of Bulgaria’s Deputy Defence Minister Atanas Zapryanov. NADs’ discussion focused on the implementation of the 2020 CARD report recommendations and EDA’s roles in support of the European Defence Fund. 

After a presentation by Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý on the progress made on a wide range of EDA projects, programmes and activities, National Armaments Directors discussed the state of play and next steps to be taken as regards the implementation of the recommendations of the first CARD report presented to Defence Ministers in November 2020 - a topic that will also feature high on the agenda of EDA’s upcoming Ministerial Steering Board meeting on 6 May. Food for Thought There was a general understanding that particular attention must be paid to transforming the identified focus areas and collaborative opportunities into concrete projects. To support this process, EDA provided NADs with a Food for Thought paper (FFT) on how to implement CARD capability-related recommendations, focused on those which are within the Agency’s remit: defence spending, defence planning and defence cooperation.  In each of the three areas, EDA proposes achievable objectives for 2021 as well as options on how EDA could support the Member States in their efforts. The FFT paper was discussed today by NADs and, after the 6 May ministerial debate, will also be on the table of EDA’s Steering Board in Capability Directors’ (CAP) composition in June. Support to EDF

In the presence of Director-General Timo Pesonen of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), NADs also exchanged views on how and in what roles EDA can best add value in supporting the European Defence Fund (EDF). The debate led to further common understanding among participating Member States and was based on an Agency document on EDA’s potential roles in the EDF across the upstream, implementation, and downstream phases. 

Relations with partners

NADs also had an exchange of views on the Agency’s relations with OCCAR and NATO. For those two discussions they were joined respectively by OCCAR Executive Director Matteo Bisceglia and NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment Division, Skip Davis. 

The announced withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan will grant Iran one of its biggest wishes and lead to the departure of all foreign forces, which Tehran has long blamed for insecurity in the region.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's MQ-9 Program Office is moving forward with several fleet enhancement capabilities aimed at increasing the MQ-9 Reaper's effectiveness against near-peer adversary threats.

The amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) arrived at Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport (HMNB Devonport) for a maintenance and logistics stop, April 18, 2021.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says that the Biden administration is working with Congress to provide nearly $300 million in additional aid for Afghanistan in 2021.

The United Nations said Wednesday a multi-nation conference that the organizers had hoped would "add momentum" to the faltering peace talks between Afghanistan's warring parties has been postponed.

President Biden was clear that while the United States will withdraw military forces from Afghanistan, our support for the country will continue. As part of our commitment to invest in and support the Afghan people, we are working with Congress to provide nearly $300 million in additional civilian assistance for Afghanistan in 2021 from both the Department of State and the United States Agency

The U.S. administration says it is working with Congress to provide "nearly $300 million"" in additional civilian assistance for Afghanistan in 2021 to promote economic growth, help fight corruption, and support "women's empowerment," civil society, and independent media, among other initiatives.

Media reports say Germany is looking at a plan to bring forward the date for withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan to July 4.

President Hassan Rouhani has expressed Iran's readiness to promote cooperation with Pakistan in helping the peace process in Afghanistan.

Germany is planning to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan in early July.

Japanese lawmakers on Wednesday launched a parliamentary alliance aimed at "protecting Mongolian culture from assimilation policies of the Chinese government," Jiji Press reported.

The advanced stealth fighter, which had its debut flight a decade ago, may receive a critical upgrade likely to be the largest of a number of changes, media reports revealed on Monday.

The global media spotlight will be fixed Thursday on the leaders' climate summit, hosted by the US government via video link. This will be the first meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden since Biden took office in January.

The Hong Kong government's recent decision to restrict access to public records marks a huge blow to journalists and others who want to investigate official wrongdoing.

On April 20, the China Coast Guard (CCG), together with China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment, the Ministry of Transport, and the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, jointly launched a seven-month-long special maritime law enforcement campaign, coded "Blue Sea 2021", to enhance marine environmental protection.

Germany's conservatives have decided to pick Armin Laschet, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), as their candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor in the country's upcoming elections.

The Czech Republic has warned Moscow that it will expel more Russian diplomats unless Czech Embassy staff ejected from Russia are allowed to return to work by noon on April 22.

A court in Russia has upheld lengthy prison sentences handed down to a couple convicted on high treason charges that stemmed from a wedding photo that included an officer of the Federal Security Service (FSB).