Defence`s Feeds

American AIM-9G Sidewinder Air-to-Air Missile

Russian TOS-2 Heavy Flamethrower System

Americas

Boeing won an $11.6 million contract modification, which adds scope for engineering services in support of Next Generation Jammer software development. Next Generation Jammer, an external jamming pod, will address advanced and emerging threats alike, as well as the growing numbers of threats. NGJ uses the latest digital, software-based and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies and will provide enhanced airborne electronic attack capabilities to disrupt and degrade enemy air defense and ground communication systems. Work will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. Expected completion will be in December 2021.

The first Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) pod has been delivered to the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Kirtland Air Force Base. AFRL scientists and engineers can now begin the integration of the complete system, to include pod, laser, and beam control, and signals. The main subsystems will be integrated this month while the laser system and the beam control systems will be delivered in July. Testing is scheduled for FY24.

Middle East & Africa

US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on February 23 and one of the topics both men discussed was Egypt’s purchase of the Su-35 fighter from Russia. Blinken expressed his concerns over Cairo’s potential purchase of Russia’s Su-35 aircraft, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said. “The Secretary raised concerns over… Egypt’s potential procurement of Su-35 fighter aircraft from Russia,” Price said in a statement.

Europe

Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has signed a government-to-government agreement with the Israel Ministry of Defense (MoD) for Rafael’s Trophy active-protection system (APS) for installation in German Leopard 2 tanks, the MoD and Rafael announced in separate press releases. The Israel Ministry of Defense said the programme, which is led by its Directorate of Defense R&D (MAFAT) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, covers the supply of systems for a tank company, interceptors, spare parts, and operational and technical training. The systems will be delivered over the next several years, the ministry added.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan’s Oceanic Affairs Council has proposed to the government that the Coast Guard Administration set up a aviation unit. The proposal was to buy four C-130Js and eight Beechcraft King Air 350ER aircraft along with eight helicopters, Up Media reports. The news report said that the proposal was opposed by the executive yuan, the National Airborne Service Corps and Ministry of Transportation and Communications. All parties then decided to postpone the discussions for three months. It is expected to cost Taiwanese taxpayers $900 million to purchase and modify the fixed-wing and rotor-wing aircraft.

The head of Pacific Air Forces, Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach, told reporters during a virtual call that he is pushing to have E-7 airborne early warning aircraft procured immediately to replace the E-2 AWACS. Wilsbach said the E-3 is “harder and harder to get airborne” due to maintenance issues with the aging platform.

Today’s Video

Watch: Next Generation Jammer Mid Band takes to the skies for Growler flight testing

Golden Bodybuilding with Winstrol Steroids_that_You_opt_to_Know

EDA and the European Space Agency (ESA) have agreed to jointly explore, within their respective remits, all relevant technology and capability opportunities for the gradual evolution and development of Next-Generation Secure Satellite Communication (NGSSC) systems required for the benefit of their respective Member States, user communities and industry. To this end, a Memorandum of Intent (MOI) has just been signed by the two organisations.

The MOI will broaden up the existing ESA/EDA cooperation framed by the Administrative Agreement signed in 2011 and further substantiated by their joint efforts on Governmental Satellite Communications, subject of a dedicated Implementing Arrangement since 2017. Acknowledging the growing strategic importance of satellite communications in security and defence, including in support to Europe’s strategic autonomy, ESA and EDA take the view that additional cooperative steps should be taken to develop secure and resilient satellite communications which respond to Member States’ evolving needs, and also strengthen the competitiveness of the Europe’s industry. 

Secure Satellite Communications – NG SATCOM Infrastructure Exploratory System Studies 

Concretely, the plan is to coordinate both organisations’ activities with the aim of supporting ESA’s ongoing system studies on the Next Generation Satellite Communication solutions that aim in particular to identify systems architectures responding to a wide set of user requirements in the field of secure communications. EDA will be invited to take part in ESA’s study process to provide expertise, information, data and a channel to its user communities which may have a stake in ESA’s exploratory systems study.  Once the study results are available in the course of 2021, ESA and EDA will explore further coordinated steps related to towards the evolution and preparation of NGSSC systems. 

Both parties will also jointly look at how respective user communities may be best serviced, by exploring the relevance of user-segments such as EDA’s EU Satcom Market model and services, as well as EDA’s GOVSATCOM Pooling and Sharing Demonstration project. Furthermore, the two organisations will exploit this new framework to discuss relevant activities in support of EDA’s satellite communications work in the fields of security, guarantee of access and next generation of satellite communications requirements for EU defence, satellite communications training and standardisation. Considering the challenges and stakes, these activities will be synchronised and undertaken in full coordination and transparency with all relevant actors engaged in this domain. The Agencies will furthermore coordinate their views on proposals for GOVSATCOM-related projects in the framework of EU defence initiatives, such as PESCO and the European Defence Fund (EDF). Another objective of the new cooperation is to explore potential joint R&D efforts of relevance to the future implementation of a joint secured satellite communication vision and strategy. Finally, these joint activities will be supported by a security management plan that will cover future cooperation activities and high-level security objectives to be implemented in the context of this cooperation.

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý welcomed the enhanced cooperation with ESA, stating: “Nowadays, neither national nor multinational military operations are anymore conceivable without the support of space-based systems, especially secure and resilient satellite communication, and their importance keeps growing. The Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), which delivered a first ever comprehensive defence review conducted at EU level, specifically underlined the importance of cooperation in space and identified the ‘Defence in Space’ as one of the most pressing, most needed and most impacting areas for cooperation and future investment in EU defence. Therefore, increased cooperation between ESA and EDA in this specific domain will not only be beneficial for our Member States and industry but also contribute to strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities”.

ESA Director General Jan Wörner said: “Over the years, our two Agencies have undertaken no less than eight formal cooperation projects, ranging across most space domains. Our partnership is solid and will support ESA Member States and help ensure a resilient civil infrastructure and robust services for citizens”. 

 

Make the Transition to Civilian Life Easier

India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved new and lapsed procurement proposals for “indigenously designed, developed, and manufactured (IDDM)” military equipment...

The US Air Force (USAF) has selected three companies to develop military code (M-Code) Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies for the Pentagon.

Pan-European missile systems manufacturer MBDA signed a head of terms agreement with the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE’s) Tawazun to develop the SmartGlider family of...

The EU is set to expand its support for technological cross-fertilisation between the civil, space, and defence sectors, and will promote its plan with new policies,...

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on 23 February that work on the Republic of Korea Navy’s (RoKN’s) future next-generation...

The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Centre (AFLCMC) has awarded Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control a USD428.4 million contract for Lot 19 production of the...

South Korean company Hanwha Defense has completed delivery of a third batch of K56 automatic ammunition supply vehicles to the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA), according...

Australia’s Grollo Aerospace is set to finalise development in the next 24 months of what it describes as the world’s first low-cost, re-useable, supersonic air-launched...

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) is expanding partnerships with local industry and academia in support of efforts to develop hypersonic weapons capability and...

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) has secured a contract to supply the Indian Navy with six warships under the country’s Next Generation Missile Vessel (NGMV) programme.

US Naval Air Force Atlantic conducted a test of a logistics Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) prototype over Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, on 21 February, US Navy (USN)...

Boeing has started production of its US Air Force (USAF) T-7A Red Hawk jet trainer at its St Louis, Missouri, facility, and has developed roughly 90% of a static test...

Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has signed a government-to-government agreement with the...

The Halcon Systems guided weapons division of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE’s) Edge defence group has unveiled a surface-to-air missile (SAM) that will be used with...