Defense`s Feeds

Latest updates: Total rises to 68.

Replacement required
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War takes its toll on equipment, as well as men. In some cases, it wears out. In other cases, enemy fire or accidents destroy equipment. The USA has recognized this fact by funding wartime replacement expenditures as supplemental funding, which is outside the normal budgetary process. The intent is that this money will be spent on replacing equipment that has been worn out, damaged or destroyed, or will be used to provide specialized capabilities like MRAP mine-resistant vehicles that are directly related to front-line demands.

Admittedly, this hasn’t always been true. Politicians are what they are, and so are large organizations like the military. One area where this ethic has undoubtedly been honored, however, has been the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter fleet. This article covers US Army Wartime Replacement Aircraft (WRA) AH-64D Longbow buys, which are the only truly new attack helicopters in the America’s inventory. That will change with the new Block III model, which is more advanced than the WRAs.

• AH-64D Program: Past and Present [updated]
  
• AH-64D WRAs: Program Contracts [updated]
  
• The AH-64’s Future
  
• Additional Readings [NEW]
  

AH-64D Program: Past and Present

AH-64A & AH-64D Longbow
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The current contract brings the number of war-replacement AH-64 aircraft (sometimes called WRAs) under contract to 68. These WRAs supplement the 720 or so AH-64s that survive as of October 2005, out of the 821 AH-64s originally built for the US Army.

Apache helicopters are in very heavy demand as escorts for other helicopters in the war zones, to the point that the AH-64 fleet had logged more than 2 million flight hours by April 2006 – nearly 1/3 of which had been logged after Sept. 11/01. Apaches have also taken losses in combat. Even armor rated to stop 23mm cannon shells may not survive a missile hit, and helicopters are relatively fragile war machines, that can be seriously damaged if they take enough fire in smaller calibers, or endure an unlucky strike in the wrong place.

That’s a problem, because with the collapse of the RAH-66 Comanche program, and re-dedication of its funding into the ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH, future now uncertain), the UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter (LUH), and other programs, the AH-64 Apache will remain the USA’s primary attack helicopter for several more decades.

While a small percentage of the coming Block III Apaches will be new-build machines, the WRA Apaches will be the only new-build AH-64Ds in the fleet for a little while. Most of the USA’s fleet was remanufactured from AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D Apache Longbow status over a 10-year period, under 2 multi-year contracts that ran for 5 years each. These helicopters received equipment upgrades, and were also rebuilt to “zero flight hours” condition.

• The first multi-year contract was for 232 helicopters, and covered Lots I-V. A total of 284 helicopters, which includes the Lot VI helicopters from the second multi-year contract, were built to the AH-64D Block I standard.

• Another 217 helicopters in Lots VII-X were built to the AH-64D Block II standard, which adds improved electronics and software. All were built during the second multi-year contract period.

• The lateness of the JTRS program, and other issues, have delayed the future Block III model, and so January 2007 saw a contract to convert another 96 American AH-64As to the AH-64D “Extended Block II” standard.

Note that Block II+ or “Extended Block II” Apaches are the same as the current retrofitted standard for the Block II aircraft fleet, except for minor hardware differences associated with advancing electronics and improved sub-systems. The “Extended” or “Block II+” simply denotes a Block II machine that was remanufactured or built outside of the 2 big multi-year contracts noted above. Most of these helicopters will eventually be remanufactured again under current plans, this time to Block III status.

The new-build WRA Block II+ helicopters are assembled on the same line as the remanufactured Apaches, which is located in Mesa, Arizona. That facility holds the distinction of being the first Boeing location to win a Shingo Prize for manufacturing excellence (2005), due to its work in process improvement and lean production. Williams informs DID that AH-64 remanufacturing rates are fairly stable right now at about 3 US Army AH-64Ds per month, plus another 1-2 under the UAE’s program. In contrast, annual WRA contracts are variable, and use spare capacity within the facility.

Boeing is currently delivering new-build AH-64D Block II+ WRAs within 28 months of contract issue, and total orders stand at 68.

AH-64D WRAs: Program Contracts

AH-64D Longbow
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Please note that the full fly-away cost of an AH-64D helicopter cannot be calculated from any of the contracts below. These contracts cover only AH-64D airframes and integration, or involve long lead-time items that must be ordered early. Expensive items like GE’s T700 engines, the Longbow radar mast, Arrowhead sensors, weapons, communications equipment etc. are bought separately as “government furnished equipment.” The contracts below provide for assembly and integration at Boeing, but they do not buy the equipment itself.

Unless otherwise noted, Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co. in Mesa, AZ is the contractor, and contracts are managed by the US Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL.

March 22/19: Qatar Boeing handed over the first of 24 AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters to Qatar last week. Qatar initially requested the helos in 2012, with the contract being signed in 2016. The Apache is a twin-turboshaft attack helicopter that features a nose-mounted sensor suite for target acquisition and night vision systems. The AH-64 was designed to perform in front-line environments, and to operate at night or day and during adverse weather conditions. Systems on the Apache include Target Acquisition and Designation System, Pilot Night Vision System, passive infrared countermeasures, GPS, and the IHADSS. The AH-64E is the latest version of the AH-64 and is also called the Apache Guardian. The gunship comes with new sensors, avionics and has improved night operation capabilities. Furthermore, the AH-64E helicopter can control a couple of UAVs. Weapons requested by Qatar in the original Foreign Military Sales notification included AGM-114R Hellfire laser-guided missiles, FIM-92H Stinger missiles with air-to-air launchers, and 70 mm Hydra air-to-surface rockets. The first Apache was handed over during a delivery ceremony at a Boeing plant in Arizona.

April 25/17: Singapore is to upgrade their fleet of AH-64D Apache helicopters. The Ministry of Defense announced that it the program aims to equip the country’s existing Apache rotorcraft with enhanced Helicopter Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems and updated satellite communication solutions in a drive to enhance their mission capabilities. While the government added that the upgrade program is expected to be complete within the next few years, they did not disclose an official date. Approximately 20 Ah-64D helicopters have been operated by Singapore’s 120 Squadron since 2006.

Nov 1/11: A $29.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 2 AH-64D Apache War Replacement Aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

This brings the total ordered so far to 68.

Feb 4/11: A $70 million firm-fixed-price contract for 14 new build AH-64D war replacement aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

July 29/08: A $79.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 5 war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow Block II+ attack helicopters. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by April 30/11. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was one bid solicited on Dec 20/07 and one bid was received (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

March 14/07: A $15.5 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by May 31/10. This was a sole source contract initiated on April 4/07 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Feb 7/07: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Co in Mesa, AZ received a $136.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract “for procurement of war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft.” Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by April 10/11. This was a sole source contract initiated on Jan 31/07 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Just before this contract was announced, a pair of Apaches were lost in Iraq. The causes were reported as 12.7mm machine gun fire and an SA-7 Strela man-portable missile.

Nov 1/06: A $152 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for war replacement AH-64D Apache Longbow Aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Nov 30/09. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 19/06 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

May 31/06: A $40.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Oct 31/08. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct 31/05 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

Sept 26/05: A $5.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for AH-64D Apache Longbow aircraft. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ and is expected to be complete by Oct 31/07. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 2/05 (W58RGZ-05-C-0274).

The AH-64’s Future

No sunset yet.

With the cancellation of the RAH-66 Comanche next-generation attack/scout helicopter in 2001, the US Army was forced to reconsider its plans for the AH-64 Apache. Instead of the Comanche, it will field the AH-64D Block III Apache, with capabilities that include improved communications, the ability to take feeds from or even control UAV drones in their area, enhanced engines and drive systems, a new composite rotor blade, and extended sensor range.

AH-64D Block III deliveries are currently scheduled to begin in 2011, under yet another remanufacturing program. This program is currently slated to begin by updating the 284 AH-64D Block 1 helicopters via a second remanufacturing process. If all goes well and no further versions are called for, they would remanufacture the Block II fleet to AH-64D Block III standard by 2020.

There are reports that the remaining 100 or so AH-64A attack helicopters in the Army’s fleet will be offered to foreign buyers, most of whom are likely to order AH-64D remanufacturing upgrades of their own.

Additional Readings & Sources

DID thanks Boeing’s AH-64D WRA Program Manager Travis Williams, and others at Boeing, who helped to put these purchases in context.

• DID – Boeing Remanufactures AH-64A Apaches to AH-64D Block II. This will also be the new-build WRA standard.

• DID – Apache Block III Program: The Once and Future Attack Helicopter.

EDA today launched ‘IdentiFunding’, an online tool which allows defence-interested stakeholders (industry - including SMEs, Ministries of Defence, research and technology entities, universities, etc.) to quickly and easily identify existing EU funding schemes available for defence-related projects. 

The new application, which is accessible via EDA’s European Funding Gateway for Defence and the SME corner, performs an instant scan of all existing defence-related EU funding opportunities based on a project’s topic, scope, objectives as well as the participants involved.

The application will thus considerably facilitate the task of defence-related project organisers wondering if their project qualifies for potential EU support.
The tool will be constantly updated to include also new funding opportunities arising under the EU’s upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027, such as the European Defence Fund and the InvestEU Programme, which will bring together under one roof the multitude of EU financial instruments currently available to support investment in the EU.

Americas

The US Air Force contracted Goodrich Corp. with $92.9 million to help develop ISR Sensor technology. The deal includes Hyperspectral Imaging, AgilePod®, Standoff High Resolution Imaging Next Era, and Multi-Mode Lidar research and development. The company will help the Air Force Research Laboratory examine and integrate electro-optical, infrared, radio frequency, multispectral and hyperspectral imaging, lidar and related Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) systems. Goodrich Corporation supplies aerospace components, systems, and services for the commercial and general aviation airplane, and defense as well as space markets. The company provides a range of actuators, including primary and secondary flight controls, helicopter main and tail rotor actuation, engine and nacelle actuation, utility actuation, precision weapon actuation, and land vehicle actuation products, landing gear systems, and aircraft wheels and brakes. Work for the contract will take place in Westford, Massachusetts and is scheduled to be completed by September 29, 2025.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Boeing a $326.3 million Delivery Order to develop, integrate and test Increment 3 Block capabilities into the P-8A aircraft for the US Navy as well as the government of Australia. The P-8A Poseidon is derived from Boeing’s 737-800 and designed for anti-surface and submarine warfare, broad-area maritime missions, littoral operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It features the Raytheon APY-10 multi-mission surface search radar. Work under the deal will take place in Washington, New York, Illinois, California, Maryland, Arizona, Missouri as well as Florida and is expected to be finished in March 2024.

Raytheon’s Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR) will begin live testing at Wallops Island Test Facility, the company announced on Tuesday. The EASR is the newest sensor in the US Navy’s SPY-6 family of radars. It is the Navy’s next generation radar for aircraft carriers and amphibious warfare that provides simultaneous anti-air and anti-surface warfare, electronic protection and air traffic control capabilities. The radar just recently completed subsystem testing at Raytheon’s Near Field Range in Sudbury, Massachusetts. Raytheon is building two variants of EASR: a single-face rotating array designated AN/SPY-6(V)2 for amphibious assault ships and Nimitz class carriers, and a three fixed-face array designated AN/SPY-6(V)3 for Ford class aircraft carriers and the future FFG(X) guided missile frigates. According to Raytheon, the radar will undergo system-level testing, tracking a variety of aircraft through the end of 2019 once it is up and running.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a series of interception tests with the David’s Sling weapon system. Israeli company Rafael carried out the experiments at a test site in southern Israel. During the trials, advanced capabilities of the David’s Sling missile system were tested in a new version developed for a number of scenarios to simulate future threats the system may face during a confrontation. David’s Sling is a joint Israeli-US project, with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems collaborating with US defense contractor Raytheon. The weapon system is also called „Magic Wand“ and became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, as well as cruise missiles fired with ranges of 40 to 300 km.

Europe

The US Air Force sent six B-52 long-range bombers to the UK for a series of training activities over Europe. The aircraft along with 450 airmen arrived at Royal Air Force Fairford on Thursday. The United States has deployed strategic bombers in Europe at least once a year since 2014. The current deployment marks the largest deployment of the bombers to Europe since Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. The Boeing B-52 is a long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber that has been utilized by the US Air Force since the 1950s and can carry conventional as well as nuclear weapons. The current training activities will test how the bombers can conduct missions out of Fairford and will familiarize aircrews with operations over Europe, including the Norwegian Sea, Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.

Asia-Pacific

KT Consulting won an $11.9 million firm-fixed-price task order for F-16 Weapons System support. The contract involves a Foreign Military Sale to Singapore. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter. Early fighters could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder, heat-seeking, short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), and radar guided AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range AAMs. The recent versions of the aircraft support AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Republic of Singapore Air Force operates 62 F-16 Fighting Falcons, all of which are advanced F-16C/D block 52 aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of the-art armament, including AIM-120 AMRAAM as well as presumably the Israeli Python 4 missile linked to a DASH-3 Helmet Mounted Sight. Work will take place at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and is scheduled to be finished by March 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,435,581 and Singapore National Funds in the amount of $34,969 are being obligated at the time of award.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $264.7 million modification for additional operation and technical services in support of the government of Korea’s F-35 Lightning II program. The stealth F-35A is supposed to provide the Republic of Korea (ROK) with enhanced capability to protect safety and security. The ROK signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance between the US and Korea for 40 F-35A Conventional Take Off and Landing variant jets with initial deliveries beginning in 2018. The first Korean F-35A made its debut in March 2018. It is expected that the aircraft will start to deliver to Chongju Air Base in spring 2019. Work under the modification will take place in Fort Worth, Texas and is scheduled to be completed in June 2020. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $264,655,025 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Today’s Video

Watch: Beijing to build another base in the South China Sea despite threats from American

David’s Victory
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David didn’t need high technology to defeat Goliath, just some stones and a sling. But in the modern world, David is getting some high-tech help from the likes of Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, who are developing a missile defense system called David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS).

The DSWS is a joint short-range ballistic missile defense program between the US Missile Defense Agency and the Israel Missile Defense Organization. The system is designed to defeat short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets and cruise missiles in their terminal phase of flight.

Raytheon received 2 contracts from Rafael worth more than $100 million to build DSWS components.

The 1st contract was awarded to codevelop the missile component of the DSWS called the Stunner Interceptor. Stunner is a hit-to-kill interceptor designed for use in the DSWS and allied integrated air and missile defense systems.

The 2nd contract was awarded for the development, production and integrated logistics support of the missile firing unit (MFU), the launcher component of the DSWS. The MFU will provide the DSWS with vertical interceptor launch capability for 360-degree extended air and missile defense.

Other joint US-Israel missile defense efforts include coproduction of the Arrow missile defense system interceptors and an initiative to provide Israel an upper-tier missile defense system. According to Defense Update, the United States and Israel have begun development of an upper-tier component to the Israeli Arrow 3 missile defense architecture. According to Arieh Herzog, director of Israel’s Missile Defense Program, the main element of this upper tier will be an exo-atmospheric interceptor, to be jointly developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing.

Updates

March 21/19: Interception Tests Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and the US Missile Defense Agency successfully completed a series of interception tests with the David’s Sling weapon system. Israeli company Rafael carried out the experiments at a test site in southern Israel. During the trials, advanced capabilities of the David’s Sling missile system were tested in a new version developed for a number of scenarios to simulate future threats the system may face during a confrontation. David’s Sling is a joint Israeli-US project, with Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems collaborating with US defense contractor Raytheon. The weapon system is also called „Magic Wand“ and became operational in 2017. It is designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets, as well as cruise missiles fired with ranges of 40 to 300 km.

August 10/17: Production of interceptors jointly-developed by US and Israeli industry for the latter’s multi-tiered missile defense system is being ramped up, as three interceptor programs transition from low-rate initial production (LRIP) to full-rate production. The Boeing-IAI developed Arrow-3, and the Rafael-Raytheon developed Stunner—used in the David’s Sling system—and Tamir—used by the Iron Dome—interceptors are built in a large part by US-based firms, with a network of contractors and sub-contractors stretching out across 30 of its 50 states. This is due to congressional mandates and government-to-government agreements which stipulates that at least 50% of the work is produced in the US. Potential exports are also being taken into account, as the Stunner—marketed abroad as the SkyCeptor—is currently being considered by the Polish government for its Patriot active defense system.

April 3/17: Another Israeli missile defense system, David’s Sling, has had its initial operating capability (IOC) declared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a ceremony on April 2. Deliveries of the system’s major components by Israel’s Missile Defense Organization and state-owned Rafael began in early March, followed by integration testing of all system components prior to gaining its IOC. The system was also put through multiple operational simulations as part of the US-Israel Juniper Cobra exercise, a biennial air defense drill aimed at honing interoperability between the two nations.

March 21/17: Israel will declare their multi-tier defense network operational from next month following the deployment of the David’s Sling interceptor system. Developed and manufactured jointly by Rafael and Raytheon, David’s Sling will be responsible for shooting down rockets fired from 100 to 200 kilometers away, such as projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. The network will include the IDF’s short-range Iron Dome and long-range Arrow missiles.

January 31/17: Israel and the US government have granted Israeli manufacturer Rafael permission to discuss the David’s Sling air-defense system with Poland as part of a wider export push for co-developed interceptor systems. The announcement comes as the anti-ballistic system was recently cleared during a fifth round of trials. Tel Aviv has been developing multi-tiered missile defense system with US and local industry for some years now, with their Iron Dome, Arrow and David’s Sling systems all being offered to foreign customers.

January 30/17: Israel and the US have completed a fifth series of tests on the David’s Sling missile defense system. The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) and US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) collaboration was tested at the Yanat Sea Range in Israel, with the system’s Stunner interceptors successfully engaging its targets. The David’s Sling project is for defense against large-caliber rockets and short-range ballistic missiles.

March 4/16: The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has begun to take possession of the David’s Sling Weapon System (DSWS). The first phase of the gradual delivery of components include multimission radar by Elta Systems; Stunner interceptors by Rafael and its US partner, Raytheon Missile Systems; and the Golden Almond Battle Management Center by Elbit Systems Elisra. Once these are in place, an integration testing of all system components will take place prior to a declaration of initial operational capability by the IAF. The DSWS has been developed to bridge the gap between the lower and upper tiers of Israel’s four-layer active defense network, deployed above Israel’s Iron Dome and below the upper-atmospheric Arrow-2 and exo-atmospheric Arrow-3.

RSAF F-16C/Ds
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In September 2013, Singapore confirmed its much-anticipated intent to upgrade its F-16C/Ds with improved radars and other changes. By January 2014, that was a published DSCA request. There’s no firm timeline just yet, but the proposal is part of wider-ranging military improvements underway in Singapore. It’s also seen as an early example to many other F-16 operators around the world, who respect Singapore’s as a discerning buyer and may wish to do the same thing.

That decision is expected to launch at least 2 fierce competitions. One will be between Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems. The other will be between Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.

RSAF: The Bigger Picture

F-5S on highway
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After the 2004 sale to Thailand of the RSAF’s initial handful of F-16A/B fighters, the RSAF became an all Block 52 force, built with fighters accepted between 1998 – 2004. Their planes aren’t entirely standard set. The long dorsal spine on many F-16Ds holds extra electronic countermeasures, and the planes reportedly carry a number of Israeli systems within, including DASH-III helmet mounted displays.

Singapore has about 14 F-16C/Ds based in the USA for training, and another 48 F-16C/Ds in Singapore at Changi AB and Tengah AB. Current plans indicate an intent to upgrade up to 60 planes at about $40.5 million per plane.

Basing will also change. In the near future, they plan to expand Changi and Tengah and consolidate around both facilities, while closing Paya Lebar AB. Paya Lebar’s F-15SGs, upgraded F-5S interceptors, and C-130 transports will go elsewhere, though the 40 or so F-5s are due for phase out in the near future.

RSAF F-16D-52
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There is some question as to whether the F-5s will be replaced, though a March 2013 announcement that Singapore would buy more F-15SGs seems to indicate at least partial near-term replacement. The rest of that question hinges on Singapore’s timeline for acquiring F-35s. If they’re bought soon, they’ll grow the fleet, effectively replacing the F-5S with some F-16C/Ds. If Singapore postpones their F-35 buy, they will pay less per plane, and the F-35s will become de facto replacements for the F-16+ fleet as they age out. Upgrading the F-16s might suggest to some that Singapore intends to delay the F-35s, especially since they recently elected to expand their F-15SG fleet instead of making an expected announcement about 12 F-35Bs. In his September 2013 statement, Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen would say only that Singapore continues to evaluate the F-35’s suitability “in meeting our long-term security needs to further modernise our fighter fleet and replace our older aircraft.”

Other Changes

Aster-30
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Singapore’s consolidation into just 2 main air bases adds operational risk to their future fleet, but protection is also being improved. Beyond Singapore’s confirmed F-16 upgrades and new F-15SGs, new IAI Gulfstream G550 CAEW jets have improved their advance airborne warning.

On the ground, new mobile Spyder air defense systems from RAFAEL offer a more modern, longer-range complement to the legacy Rapier systems from Britain. At the top tier, MBDA’s long-range Aster-30 missiles will soon replace Raytheon’s MIM-23 I-Hawks on land, offering Singapore the ability to intercept short range ballistic missiles as well as aircraft, cruise missiles, etc. Singapore’s Formidable Class frigates already use a combination of Aster-15 and Aster-30 missiles, so the land-based Aster-30 buy will draw on an existing support network.

None of Singapore’s immediate neighbors can match this array, and Singapore’s qualitative advantage is large enough that it’s very unlikely anyone would test it. The city-state is extremely serious about its defense, with a long history of strong spending in this area. That well-known commitment, and the visibility of its strategic position, ensures that Singapore’s defense choices get attention far beyond their immediate neighborhood.

The Competitions

RACR
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Singapore has a number of options with respect to their F-16s.

Contractor. First of all, Lockheed Martin and BAE can be expected to compete hard for the upgrade work. Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer, but Britain has picked up significant F-16 upgrade wins in the USA and around the world.

AESA. Then there’s the radar question. The new radars will use advanced AESA technology, improving range/ discrimination by 2x – 3x, offering entirely new modes of operation, and sharply reducing maintenance costs.

NGC’s SABR
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Lockheed Martin recently announced that Northrop Grumman’s SABR radar would be the cornerstone of its F-16V offering, which was unveiled at the 2012 Singapore air show. The F-16V can be bought as an upgrade, or as new fighters. Modernized American and Taiwanese F-16s will also use SABR.

On the other hand, South Korea picked Raytheon’s RACR radar for their advanced F-16 upgrade, and Singapore already flies with related Raytheon AN/APG-63v3 AESA radars in its 20 new F-15SGs. If Singapore also picks RACR for its F-16s, in order to take advantage of common software and radar mode development, it will give Raytheon a significant and much-needed boost in the global F-16 refit competition.

There’s also the non-US option of using the Israeli ELM-2052 AESA, but the US reportedly took protectionist measures and threatened to cut off F-16 support if Israel introduced that radar to its own F-16s. Export to Singapore seems unlikely.

Contracts & Key Events

RSAF F-16D-52
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March 21/19: Weapons System Support KT Consulting won an $11.9 million firm-fixed-price task order for F-16 Weapons System support. The contract involves a Foreign Military Sale to Singapore. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine, supersonic multirole fighter. Early fighters could be armed with up to six AIM-9 Sidewinder, heat-seeking, short-range air-to-air missiles (AAM), and radar guided AIM-7 Sparrow medium-range AAMs. The recent versions of the aircraft support AIM-120 AMRAAM. The Republic of Singapore Air Force operates 62 F-16 Fighting Falcons, all of which are advanced F-16C/D block 52 aircraft. These aircraft are equipped with state-of the-art armament, including AIM-120 AMRAAM as well as presumably the Israeli Python 4 missile linked to a DASH-3 Helmet Mounted Sight. Work will take place at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona and Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico and is scheduled to be finished by March 31, 2024. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,435,581 and Singapore National Funds in the amount of $34,969 are being obligated at the time of award.

December 3/15: The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded a $914 million contract to Lockheed Martin to upgrade F-16 aircraft for the government of Singapore. The work is to be carried out at Fort Worth, Texas. The number of aircraft to be upgraded is unknown, but the DoD notified Congress that they had approved the sale of upgrades for 60 fighters in 2014. The Singapore Air Force announced earlier this year that it was planning a major overhaul of its current fleet, with enhancements including laser-designated JDAM munitions, air-to-air weapons, datalink capability and helmet mounted displays, in addition to an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system.

July 6/15: Singapore’s Ministry of Defense (MINDEF) has released more information on its plans to upgrade the RSAF’s fleet of F-16C/D fighters. The upgrades will take place in phases from 2016 onward, with various capability enhancements planned. These include laser-designated JDAM munitions, air-to-air weapons, datalink capability and helmet mounted displays, as well as an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system, as per a previous DSCA request. The AESA system is thought to be the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) system. Singapore announced its intention to upgrade its F-16s in 2013, with Lockheed Martin seemingly tipped to win the upgrade contract.

March 19/15: Lockheed tipped to win. Singapore is reportedly close to signing a contract with Lockheed Martin to upgrade its F-16s, after a cancelled deal with BAE in November. The country initially confirmed its intention to upgrade the fleet in September 2013.

Feb 10/14: Boeing? Boeing DSS VP for business development and strategy Chris Raymond says that Boeing would be interested in bidding, if Singapore were to open their F-16 upgrade program to competition. Boeing is an unlikely competitor, given their thin record servicing and enhancing global F-15 fleets. Raymond cites their experience with the QF-16 conversion, and with other fighter and aircraft upgrades. They could also leverage an existing relationship with the RSAF, supporting their F-15SG fighters and AH-64D Apache helicopters.

Lockheed Martin has indicated that NGC’s SABR radar is their preferred choice for upgrades, and for new-build F-16Vs. BAE is tied to Raytheon’s RACR via their South Korean experience. Boeing doesn’t have an official allegiance, but their in-production fighters both carry Raytheon AESA radars, and there’s a RACR variant for F/A-18A-D upgrades. Sources: Aviation Week, “Boeing Could Bid On Singapore F-16s”.

Jan 14/14: DSCA. The US DSCA details Singapore’s official request to upgrade 60 F-16C/D+ Block 52 fighters to something like the F-16V standard, at a cost of up to $2.43 billion ($40.5 million per plane). That’s about 2/3 the cost of buying similar F-16E/F Block 60 aircraft new off of the production line.

Upgrades would include:

• 70 Active Electronically Scanned Array Radars (AESA). Note that no pick is being made here between Raytheon’s RACR (South Korea) or Northrop Grumman’s SABR (Taiwan, US ANG).
  
• 70 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
  
• 70 LN-260 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems (GPS/INS)
  
• 70 APX-125 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) Combined Interrogator Transponders
  
• 1 AIS Interface Test Adapters for software updates
  
• 1 Classified Computer Program Identification Numbers (CPINs)
  
• Site surveys and construction. Note that Singapore is busy consolidating its air bases after removing Paya Lebar.
  
• Also included: flight test of the new configuration; aircraft ferry services with aerial refueling support; a Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS); Modular Mission Computers, a software maintenance facility, cockpit multifunction displays, radios, secure communications, video recorders; maintenance, repair and return, aircraft and ground support equipment, spare and repair parts, tool and test equipment; engine support equipment, publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support.

They also want a set of test weapons:

• 3 AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles. Singapore already fields AIM-9X on its F-15SGs.
  
• 3 TGM-65G Maverick Missiles for testing and integration. GM-65K is the latest standard.
  
• 4 GBU-50 Guided Bomb Units (GBU) for testing and integration (2,000 pound laser-guided bunker-buster)
  
• 5 GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions for testing and integration (500 pound GPS)
  
• 3 CBU-105 (D-4)/B Sensor Fused Weapons for testing and integration (GPS anti-armor cluster bomb)
  
• 4 GBU-49 Enhanced Paveways for testing and integration (500 pound GPS/laser)
  
• 2 DSU-38 Laser Seekers for testing and integration
  
• 6 GBU-12 Paveway II, Guidance Control Units (used in 500 pound laser-guided)

Contractors aren’t mentioned specifically, implying that they’re still to be chosen by Singapore. In terms of overall priorities, Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen said recently that the F-16 fleet’s condition and prospective upgrades meant that they were in “no particular hurry” to make an F-35 decision, though it’s a “serious consideration.” Sources: DSCA #13-67 | Defense News, “US: Singapore To Buy Upgrade For Its F-16 Fighter Jets”.

DSCA request: F-16 upgrades

Sept 16/13: Singapore’s Minister for Defence Dr. Ng Eng Hen’s Parliamentary reply confirms that Singapore has picked MBDA’s Aster-30 as its upper-tier air defense system on land, and will upgrade their F-16s. The planes will be refitted with new electronics and systems, and the RSAF also plans to extend their service lives. Sources: Singapore MINDEF, “Reply by Minister for Defence Dr Ng Eng Hen to Parliamentary Question on Relocation of Paya Lebar Air Base”.

Additional Readings

• YouTube – New Lockheed Martin F-16V Singapore Airshow 2012 HD. By LMCO.

• DID – South Korea Looking to Upgrade its KF-16 Fighters. They picked Raytheon’s RACR AESA radar.

• DID – Import or Die: Taiwan’s (Un?)Stalled Force Modernization. Taiwan’s F-16s will carry Northrop Grumman’s SABR radar, picked for them by the USAF.

• DID – Singapore’s RSAF Decides to Fly Like An Eagle. In April 2013, it became clear that Singapore would grow their F-15SG fleet again, instead of buying 12 F-35Bs.

News & Views

• Fort Worth Star-Telegram (June 11/14) – At Alliance, BAE Systems challenges Lockheed on F-16 upgrades.

• Aviation Week (Feb 3/14) – Fast-Changing Trends In Asia Fighter Market

• DID (Sept 18/13) – Singapore’s Steps: Long-Range Aster-30 Defensive Missiles on Land & Sea.

• Lockheed Martin (Feb 15/12) – Lockheed Martin’s Fighting Falcon Evolves With New F-16V

• Defense News (March 22/10) – [F-5] Retirement or Replacement?

• DTI (Jan-Feb. 2008) – Target Acquisition: MAST Highlights Missile Defense Concepts. Says that the Formidable Class carries both Aster-15s and Aster-30s, along with the Herakles active radar and Sylver A50 launchers.

Americas

The US Navy awarded General Dynamics a $2 billion contract modification to provide additional materials required to build the Virginia Class submarines from fiscal 2019 through fiscal 2023. The deal includes additional Long Lead Time Material and Economic Ordering Quantity items for SSN-802 to SSN-811 underwater vessels. The SSNs 802 -811 Virginia Class submarine hull numbers have not been named yet. The Virginia Class is the Navy’s newest undersea warfare platform. Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships, project power ashore with Tomahawk cruise missiles and Special Operation Forces, carry out Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, support battle group operations, and engage in mine warfare. The modification falls under a previously awarded sole-source contract. General Dynamics is the lead contractor of the Virginia Class submarine program. In February 2017, General Dynamics won an initial $126.5 million contract by the US Navy for long lead time material for the first two Block V Virginia Class submarines, SSN-802 and SSN-803. The Block V submarines built from 2019 onward will have an additional Virginia Payload Module (VPM) mid-body section, increasing their overall length. Work under the contract modification will take place within the USA.

The Naval Sea Systems Command tapped Raytheon Missile Systems with a $97.8 million modification to obtain materials needed for fiscal 2019 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 low-rate initial requirements. The ESSM is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile that is currently in service with the US Navy and some of the 12 NATO Sea Sparrow consortium nations. Consortium members include Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey and the US. The missile is equipped with a tail-control system to obtain high speed and maneuverability. It can operate in all weather conditions and has a length of about 3.64m, diameter of 254mm and a weight of 280kg. The Evolved SEASPARROW Missile program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test, and procure ESSM missiles. Work will take place in Canada, Germany, Australia, Spain, Netherlands, Mexico, Greece, Denmark, Turkey, Portugal as well as various sites within the US and is scheduled to be finished by March 2023.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $14.6 million contract modification in support of the F-35 Program. The deal provides for 62 low-rate initial production Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) Helmet Display Units and spares for the F-35 Joint Strike Aircraft. The contract caters to the US Marine Corps and Navy. The F-35 Lightning is a supersonic, multi-role fighter jet used by the defense forces of the United States and 11 other nations. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin’s largest program that generates more than 25 percent of its total sales. OLED panels are made from organic materials that emit light when electricity is applied through them. Since OLEDs do not require a backlight and filters, they are more efficient, simpler to make, and much thinner and in fact can be made flexible and even rollable. Work related to the deal is scheduled to be over by February 2020 and will be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas.

The US Navy ordered thousands of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) kits from BAE Systems, the company stated in a press release. The APKWS guidance kits are the US government’s sole program of record for 2.75-inch laser-guided rockets. They are available in all four military branches as well as to allied nations through Foreign Military Sales. The APKWS kits transform standard 2.75-inch Hydra rockets into guided munitions that provide warfighters with a precision strike capability with limited collateral damage. The APKWS II uses the Distributed Aperture Semi-Active Laser Seeker technology. This system allows a laser seeker to be located in the leading edge of each of the forward control canards, working in unison as if they were a single seeker. The company announced, it will continue to deliver APKWS guidance kits ahead of schedule and accelerate production rate to meet growing demand.

Middle East & Africa

According to reports, Egypt signed a $2 billion contract to buy more than 20 SU-35 multirole fighters from Russia. The delivery of the aircraft, including their weapon systems, will begin as early as 2020-2021. The deal is yet to be confirmed by official sources. The SU-35 is a single-seat, twin-engine, supermaneuverable aircraft. With 12 to 14 weapon hardpoints, the SU-35 is able to use K-77M radar-guided missiles that reportedly have a range of almost 200km. The jet is also armed with a 30mm cannon with 150 rounds for strafing or dogfighting. The SU-35 can reportedly carry up to 8,000kg of air-to-ground munitions. It is Russia’s most advanced operational fighter. Its first foreign customer was China, which ordered 24 aircraft in November 2015. Indonesia also signed a contract for the SU-35 worth $1.1 billion with deliveries possibly beginning at the end of the year. Egypt has one of the biggest Armed Forces in the Middle East. Between 1982 and 2013, the Egyptian Air Force received 240 Lockheed Martin F-16s from the US. Egypt ordered and received in FY 2015-2017, 24 Dassault Rafale fighters from France, followed by the MiG-29Ms, which are currently being delivered.

Europe

The US Naval Sea Systems Command awarded RAM-System, Germany an €81.4 million ($92.4 million) and $1.1 million contract modification for the German Navy’s requirements for Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK49 guided missile launching systems. The RAM is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile that together with the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and support equipment, make up the RAM Mk 31 Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS). It is designed to provide anti-ship missile defense for multiple ship platforms. The Federal Republic of Germany will fully fund the contract. The RAM MK 31 guided missile weapon system is an international cooperative development, production and in-service program between the U.S. and German governments. The participating governments operate under a series of memorandums of agreement/memorandums of understanding that establish the business principles for program execution along with contracting and financial agreements. The contract also includes associated shipboard hardware and spares. Work will take place in Germany as well as the US and is scheduled to be completed by December 2023.

Orbit Communication Systems received a $3 million order for Maritime TVRO Satcom Systems from a European Navy. Delivery of the spares for Orbit’s widely-deployed AL-7200 series of maritime TVRO is planned in 2019. Orbit’s maritime TVRO satcom systems provide uninterrupted reception of TV and data services for NATO and international naval vessels operating in extreme conditions. The framework agreement will extend the TVRO satcom system’s service life for multiple years. Orbit secured a well-stocked inventory of spares to allow the Navy to maintain its existing TVRO systems well into the future.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan requested more than 100 main battle tanks, designated as M1A2X, from the US. The M1A2X is a special configuration of the M1A2C, the latest variant of Abrams tanks in production. The M1 Abrams is a highly mobile main-battle tank for modern armored ground. Three main versions of the M1 Abrams have been deployed, the M1, M1A1, and M1A2, incorporating improved armament, protection, and electronics with each new model. These improvements and other upgrades to in-service tanks have allowed the vehicle to remain in front-line service. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense plans to acquire US-made Abrams tanks to replace some M60A3 Patton and CM-11 Brave Tiger tanks in service. Washington said it will make a decision on the tanks within 120 days of the application date.

Today’s Video

Watch: UK begins integrating next gen weapons for F 35

The European Defence Agency (EDA) today (19 March) published the three 2019 calls for proposals for the EU’s Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR).

The work programme includes the following calls/topics:

• Electromagnetic Spectrum Dominance: Combined radar, communications, and electronic warfare functions based on European Active Electronically Scanned Arrays for military applications (PADR-EMS-03-2019);
• Future Disruptive Defence Technologies: 

       o  Emerging Game-changers (PADR-FDDT-EMERGING-03-2019); 
       o  Challenging the future (PADR-FDDT-OPEN-03-2019);

• Unmanned Systems: Interoperability standards for military unmanned systems (PADR-US-03-2019).

Details about the calls and participation conditions can be found here. 

The Preparatory Action on Defence Research is funded by the European Union. The decision on the work programme for 2019 and on the financing of the 'Preparatory action on Defence research, authorising the use of unit costs under the preparatory action was adopted by the European Commission on 19 March 2019.
 

Info & Brokerage Day on 11 April 2019 

Following the publication of the 2019 calls and two successful editions in the previous years, EDA and the European Commission will organise the third Info & Brokerage Day on the PADR. The event will take place on 11 April 2019 in Brussels. 

The Info & Brokerage Day aims at providing industry, research entities and other interested defence stakeholders with first-hand information on the 2019 PADR calls for proposals.

EDA and European Commission experts will provide participants with detailed explanations of the 2019 PADR topics, the rules and conditions for participation in the calls for proposals, as well as with the modalities and access to the Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal. A brokerage session with b2b meetings will allow participants to exchange the views and find potential future consortia partners. 
 

More information:

• Preparatory Action on Defence Research (EDA project page)
• PADR Info & Brokerage Day 2019
• European Commission financial decision on PADR 2019 

On 13-14 March 2019, the first ad hoc meeting of the EDA Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies Working Group was hosted in Vienna by the Austrian Energy Agency, as coordinator of the Concerted Action on Renewable Energy Sources (CA-RES). 

The purpose was to develop further the deliverables on renewable energy as part of the second phase of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS II) including specific project proposals on hydrogen fuel cells, self-sufficient military bases, technology feasibility assessments, energy performance contracting, and energy storage. 

It was also an opportunity to strengthen civilian-military interactions through the relationship between CF SEDSS II and CA-RES, both of which are funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. CA-RES is a structured and confidential dialogue between national authorities responsible for the implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and is co-ordinated by the Austrian Energy Agency. 
  

About CF SEDSS II

CF SEDSS is a European Commission initiative managed by the EDA. It aims at bringing together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practices on improving energy management, energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy as well increasing the protection and resilience of defence energy-related critical infrastructures. On 20 October 2017, the second phase of the Consultation Forum (CF SEDSS II) was launched. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, and the agreement is between the EASME executive agency and the EDA. The contract was signed on 16 October 2017 for 22 months, expiring on August 2019. 

Based on the foundations laid during the first phase of the Consultation Forum (2015-2017), the second phase has been further expanded to cover the following interrelated subjects through three main working groups (including sub-working groups): WG 1: Energy Management including Energy Efficiency (Sub-WG1: Energy Management and Sub-WG2: Energy Efficiency; WG 2: Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies; WG 3: Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure and one cross-cutting theme: Finance.
 

More information:

• CF SEDSS II
• Concerted Action on Renewable Energy Sources

 

Americas

The US Air Force contracted Boeing $250 million to integrate the Long Range Stand-Off (LRSO) Cruise Missile on the B-52H bomber platform. This contract provides for aircraft and missile carriage equipment development and modification, engineering, testing, software development, training, facilities, and support necessary to fully integrate the LRSO Cruise Missile on the B-52H bomber. The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, large-payload multirole bomber. It is the Air Force’s strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform and supports the US Navy in anti-surface and submarine warfare missions. The US Air Force awarded a $750 million, ten-year engineering sustainment program contract to Boeing in June 2009 to provide engineering and technical support services for the B-52H and its components, as well as support and test equipment, and system integration laboratory. The LRSO is a nuclear-tipped air-launched cruise missile that is currently being developed to replace the subsonic air-launched cruise missile AGM-86 ALCM. It is being developed to penetrate and survive integrated air defense systems and strike its targets. Work under the contract will take place in Oklahoma City and is schedules to be completed by the end of December 31, 2024.

The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Raytheon $21.2 million to retrofit the F-15 fleet. The deal provides for retrofitting the F-15 fleets current Identity Friend of Foe Units. Identification Friend or Foe enables military and civilian air traffic control interrogation systems to identify aircraft, vehicles or forces as friendly and to determine their bearing and range from the interrogator. The Units offer Mode 5 capability for the APX-114 and APX-119 on the F-15 models C/D/E via a hardware retrofit and software upgrade. Per the terms of the deal, these units will provide National Security Agency approved cryptography and robust anti-jam interrogation and reply encryption capabilities. The F-15 is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. A multi-mission avionics system sets the F-15 apart from other fighter aircraft. It includes a head-up display, advanced radar, inertial navigation system, flight instruments, ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation system and instrument landing system.

The Navy awarded Pratt & Whitney a $71.4 million task order in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. The United Technologies subsidiary will mature the F-35 propulsion system ahead of service operational use of the fighter aircraft. The company will provide non-recurring services to help address safety and durability challenges, maintain technical performance and advance the engine technology of F-35 jets. The F-35 is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole fighters. The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a development and acquisition program intended to replace a wide range of existing, strike, and ground attack aircraft for the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Italy, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and their allies. Work under the order will take place in Connecticut and Indiana and is scheduled to be finished by December 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Sudan’s Military Industry Corporation revealed a new wheeled armored personnel carrier, the upgraded Russian BTR-70 8×8 called the Shareef-3, Jane’s reports. The new carrier replaces BTR-70’s original two ZMZ-4905 engines with a more fuel-efficient KAMAZ-7403 V8 water-cooled diesel developing 260hp at 2,600 rpm. This gives a maximum road speed of 80 km/h. The Shareef-3 has an amphibious water speed of 8- 10 km/h. The vehicle carries six dismounts seated on two bench seats in the middle of the troop compartment. Dismounts can exit via roof hatches or side hatches between the second and third road wheels. Additionally, Shareef-3 retains the launcher rail for the Russian 9M14 Malyutka anti-tank guided weapon.

The Israel Defense Forces Intelligence (IDF) Directorate inaugurated a new Targeting Center as part of the establishment of the General Staff Targeting Directorate at the Glilot base. The Center will serve as a focal point for all the units involved in the acquisition of emergency and routine targets in the IDF. The Directorate will enhance the connection with the operational edge in the various commands and branches. The goal is to enable an effective operational process alongside increasing the rate of target acquisition for all sectors according to their importance. The Military Intelligence Directorate’s technologies will be combined in the fields of data science and machine learning in order to acquire targets. The Targeting Center has been operating for about a month.

Europe

BAE Systems handed over the HMS Medway to the British Royal Navy. The HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River Class offshore patrol vessel. On November 6, 2013, the Royal Navy announced it had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River Class design. The Medway is the second Batch 2 River Class vessel to be commissioned. Meanwhile, the Batch 2 River Class HMS Forth and her crew are in the final stages to resume trials and training. Medway will be a couple of months behind Forth in going to sea for a second time. The River Class is a class of offshore patrol vessels. The Batch 2 ships are fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the 90.5 meters (296 ft 11 in) long hull, a top speed of 24 knots, Merlin-capable flight deck, a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating troops. The Batch 2 ships are the first Royal Navy ships fitted with BAE Systems Shared Infrastructure operating system.

Asia-Pacific

The US State Department approved the sale of air-to-air missiles to Australia. The proposed deal for AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and related equipment is estimated at $240.5 million. The Government of Australia has requested to buy up to 108 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAMs, six AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM Air Vehicles Instrumented as well as six spare AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM guidance sections and associated parts, hardware, engineering support and training. This proposed sale is in support of the Australian Defense Force project LAND 19 Phase 7B for acquisition of a ground based air and missile defense capability.

Today’s Video

Watch: The New F-15X Fighter Jet Will Complement the F-22 and F-35 in Aerial Battlefields

River Class
(click to view full)

The UK’s forthcoming Ocean Class 90m+ Offshore Patrol Vessels stem from a shipbuilding sector agreement that the UK MoD signed with BAE in November 2013. Britain needed to find an affordable bridge-buy that kept its naval shipyards running in-between completion of existing ships, and delayed construction of the new Type 26 frigates. Rather than paying termination and industrial costs to keep the shipyard idle, the UK government decided to buy 3 OPVs, for delivery by 2017. This would also allow the Royal Navy to retire or gift out the existing River Class OPVs HMS Tyne, HMS Severn and HMS Mersey.

As of August 2014, the contract for these new open-ocean patrol vessels is complete…

Batch 2 OPVs

The new British OPVs will be built at BAE Systems’ facilities in Glasgow, under a GBP 348 million contract announced on Aug 12/14. That brings the total to GBP 368 million, following a GBP 20 million long-lead parts contract announced on March 12/14.

The design based on vessels already sold abroad: Thailand’s HTMS Krabi, and the 3 similar Amazonas Class OPVs that Brazil picked up when Trinidad and Tobago cancelled their deal.

The new ships will be larger and more efficient than Britain’s existing River Class OPVs, with more room for embarked personnel, more storage space, and the addition of a flight deck capable of landing the Royal Navy’s AW101 Merlin medium-heavy helicopters. The Ocean Class are designed for a maximum speed of 24 knots, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles. Sources: UK MoD, “£348 million warship contract delivers Clyde jobs boost” | BAE, “New contract award for Royal Navy Offshore Patrol Vessels” | UK MoD, “£20 million contract for new Royal Navy ships” (March 2014) | UK MoD, “New offshore patrol vessels for Royal Navy” (Nov. 2013).

Update

March 15/19: HMS Medway on her way BAE Systems handed over the HMS Medway to the British Royal Navy. The HMS Medway is a Batch 2 River Class offshore patrol vessel. On November 6, 2013, the Royal Navy announced it had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River Class design. The Medway is the second Batch 2 River Class vessel to be commissioned. Meanwhile, the Batch 2 River Class HMS Forth and her crew are in the final stages to resume trials and training. Medway will be a couple of months behind Forth in going to sea for a second time. The River Class is a class of offshore patrol vessels. The Batch 2 ships are fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the 90.5 meters (296 ft 11 in) long hull, a top speed of 24 knots, Merlin-capable flight deck, a displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating troops. The Batch 2 ships are the first Royal Navy ships fitted with BAE Systems Shared Infrastructure operating system.

January 30/18: First Delivery The British Royal Navy has received its first River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMS Forth, from manufacturer BAE Systems. In attendance at the handing over ceremony at the firm’s Clyde shipyard in Scotland was the recently appointed Under-secretary of State for Defence Procurement at the Ministry of Defence (MoD), Guto Bebb MP. HMS Forth will remain at the Scotstoun yard in Glasgow for a short period to complete some additional work requested by the MoD and on departure will be the first complex warship to leave Glasgow since HMS Duncan in 2013. She will be commissioned into service later this year in Portsmouth. During his visit, Bebb also oversaw the progress in the production of the first vessel to be produced under the Type 26/City Class frigate program, the future HMS Glasgow.

December 9/16: BAE Systems has been contracted by the UK government to build two additional River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy. The $360 million deal adds two more manufacturing and support projects to the five-ship program, bringing the total contract value to $797 million. Work on the two vessels, named Tamar and Spey, will involve more than 100 companies from Britain. The designs build on existing River-class ships with variants already used by the navies of Brazil and Thailand.

On 9-10 October 2019, the annual EDA Military Airworthiness Conference will be held in Lithuania.

The conference will bring together key stakeholders from national military airworthiness authorities, industry, European agencies and international organisations to discuss the latest developments in the cooperation between National Military Airworthiness Authorities (NMAAs).

Initiated by the Ministers of Defence in 2008, EDA participating Member States started this cooperation with the establishment of the Military Airworthiness Authorities Forum aiming at the harmonization of national regulations on military airworthiness in Europe. Since that moment, under auspices of the MAWA Forum, a comprehensive set of European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMARs) has been developed and is now being implemented by the participating Member States The MAWA Forum is now focusing on increased cooperation in the area of oversight based on a new Airworthiness Roadmap that was approved last year.

The conference is an INVITE ONLY event. Details regarding the venue, conference agenda, registration and accommodation will be sent out in due time.

Inquiries regarding the event should be directed to: MAC2019@eda.europa.eu

 

Americas

The US Air Force received a KC-46 Pegasus on March 11 after the aircraft passed a Foreign Object Debris inspection at Boeing’s production facility. The Pegasus is a military aerial refueling aircraft developed by Boeing. The Air Force selected the Pegasus to replace the KC-135 Stratotankers. The first Pegasus was scheduled to be delivered in August 2017 but was delayed until January 2019. Deliveries of the jets were halted last month after foreign object debris was found in one of the aircraft. Boeing had offered to inspect all the aircraft that were accepted by the Air Force. Loose tools and other items were found inside a completed airplane. Subsequent deliveries will occur as Boeing successfully completes each aircraft’s inspections and actions assigned from the review. Boeing plans to deliver 36 of the aircraft this year and about a dozen more are nearing completion.

The US Air Force on Tuesday unveiled a nearly $166 billion budget request for fiscal 2020. The Pentagon plans to buy eight Boeing F-15EX fighters FY 2020 as part of a purchase of 144 total aircraft over an undisclosed number of years. According to the budget request, it will cost $80 million per airframe. However, that cost will rise to approximately $125 million for each of the eight jets to set up the line and account for non-recurring engineering costs in the first year of procurement. The total deal will be priced at more than $1.1 billion and covers production of eight brand-new F-15EX fourth-plus generation fighters. The F-15EX is the latest version of the F-15 Eagle fighter jet. The Eagle is a twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter aircraft that has an all-metal semimonocoque fuselage with a large-cantilever, shoulder-mounted wing.

The USS Zumwalt arrived in British Columbia, Canada on March 11 after it left its homeport of San Diego for its first deployment that includes a trip up the West Coast. Zumwalt is the lead ship of the next-generation multi-mission destroyers. It has stealth capabilities with a radar cross-section similar to a fishing boat despite the large size of the ship. The Zumwalt Class was primarily designed to support ground forces in land attacks, in addition to the usual destroyer missions of anti-air, anti-surface, and antisubmarine warfare. The ship is equipped with two Advanced Gun Systems, which are designed to fire the Long Range Land Attack projectile. During the scheduled port visit in BC, Zumwalt will host Canadian Forces, Marine Forces Pacific Commander, Rear. Adm. Bob Auchterlonie, and US Consul General in Vancouver Katherine S. Dhanani.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army Corps of Engineers awarded ExpFederal Inc. an $11.3 million firm-fixed-price contract in support of the US Forces-Afghanistan. The deal includes electrical safety assessments, repairs program, materials management and control services. ExpFederal operates as an architectural company that provides engineering design, construction management, interior, landscape, urban design, surveying, and master planning services. Work will take place in Bigram, Afghanistan and is scheduled to be finished by March 11, 2021.

Europe

Germany’s chief defense staff, General Eberhart Zorn, reported improvements in the readiness of the country’s military equipment to German parliament defense committee. According to the report, which unlike the past years will from now on be classified as secret, 70 percent of the most important weapon systems of the Bundeswehr, the Unified Armed Forces of Germany, were operational in the past year. The general added that the low availability of Luftwaffe CH-53 helicopters and Tornado bombers was stabilized at the 2017 level, despite the deployment of the former to Afghanistan and the latter to Jordan. In comparison to previous years, Zorn sees the equipment readiness of 70 percent as a positive development.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall anticipates more sales and operating result growth for 2019, the company stated in a press release. This increase is primarily driven by continued dynamic development in the defense sector. The trend toward stepping up the modernization of Armed Forces linked to the rising budgets is already leaving its marks in Rheinmetall’s order books. The Rheinmetall Group generated sales of $6.9 million in fiscal 2018, an increase of 4.3 percent. The defense sector achieved an operating result of $287.3 million, 46 percent above the previous year’s figure of $196.9 million. Sales growth in the defense sector was due to increased deliveries of trucks for the major project Land 121 in Australia and to the fact that series production was being utilized to full capacity for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle for the German Armed Forces. In addition, the start-up of the major project Future Soldier System – together with the German Armed Forces – contributed to a significant increase in sales in the Electronic Solutions division. However, the Weapon and Ammunition division suffered a year-on-year drop in sales of approximately 10 percent or $134.6 million in 2018, owing to the loss of trading sales.

Asia-Pacific

Indonesia’s Ministry of Defense is leaning towards a variant of the Danish Iver Huitfeldt Class in their plan to acquire two more frigates for the country’s Navy, Jane’s reports. Within the second phase of the Minimum Essential Force (MEF) modernization blueprint, Indonesia acquired two SIGMA 10514 vessels from Damen that now serve as the Martadinata Class. The country requires at least four more hulls in the longer term as part of wider MEF requirements. A piece of unclassified correspondence between the country’s defense minister, Ryamizard Ryacudu, and the cabinet secretary of President Joko Widodo made the case for the Iver Huitfeldt class. The Iver Huitfeldt Class is a three-ship class of frigates. Its main role is air defense. Most anti-air warfare sensors and equipment are similar to the German Sachsen Class frigates as well as the Dutch De Zeven Provincien Class destroyers. The Iver Huitfeldt class frigates have a modular mission payload system.

Today’s Video

Watch: AC-130J Ghostrider Gunship Upgrade gives AFSOC Its Most Lethal Aircraft

At the Single European Sky (SES) Award Ceremony 2019 which took place on Tuesday (12 March) in the margins of the World ATM Congress (WAC) in Madrid, an Italian project nominated by EDA and aimed at improving interoperability between civil and military air navigation service providers was rewarded with a ‘Special Mention of the Jury’. 

Run by the Italian Air Force and the Italian air navigation service provider ENAV, the ATC Control System moving to i4D project is set to improve data sharing which is key to enhance civil-military interoperability and to achieve efficient and sustainable SES objectives. The project will introduce data link services based on air-ground point-to-point data communications and replace voice communication by standardised messages shared between the civilian and military controller in order to minimise voice communication and ensure consistency, availability and reliability of information flows across the civilian and military domains. 

EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq, who attended the Award Ceremony, said: “It is important that EDA works closely with all the European aviation organisations in view of integrating the military views into the Single European Sky. The fact that a civil-military project nominated by the Agency was rewarded with a ‘Special Mention of the Jury’ is an additional encouragement to continue to work for improved civil-military cooperation within the Single European Sky”.

With the Single European Sky Awards, the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport rewards stakeholders who contribute to achieving the SES which aims to modernise and harmonise Europe's airspace management. The ceremony was one of the highlights of the ‘Europe For Aviation’ event at the WAC 2019 in which all European aviation organisations teamed up to showcase the joint efforts they make to achieve the SES. 
 

More information: 

• Single European Sky Awards
• The Military in the Single European Sky (EDA brochure)

 

Americas

The US Navy contracted Northrop Grumman Systems $89.5 million in support of the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The deal provides for sustainment and engineering services. The Triton is a high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle that together with its associated ground control station is considered a UAS. The system provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions over ocean and coastal regions as well as continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions. They complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The drone can descend and ascend through harsh maritime weather environments in order of gaining a closer view of ships an other targets at sea. Last year the Navy announced plans to deploy Triton drones to Guam to assist with Surveillance in the South China Sea. The South China Sea is one of the most contested geopolitical regions on Earth. The current contract procures the technical expertise of field service representatives, logisticians and test support to ensure MQ-4C air vehicles and mission control and operator training systems are fully sustained and mission capable. Work under the deal will take place within the US as well as at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and is expected to be finished by March next year.

The Navy awarded General Atomics a $18.9 million delivery order to provide engineering and diagnostics support for the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). The deal includes test and evaluation effort for EMALS test site operations, Failure Reporting Analysis and Corrective Actions System, prototype and testing, environmental qualification testing and remediation, electromagnetic interference testing, and training efforts. The EMALS is a type of aircraft launching system designed to replace the steam catapult systems currently used on the Navy aircraft carriers. The USS Gerald R. Ford is the first carrier to use EMALS. John F. Kennedy and Enterprise are also scheduled to install and use EMALS. EMALS can launch a wide variety of aircraft weights and can be used on a variety of platforms with differing catapult configurations. Work will take place in New Jersey, Mississippi, and California and is expected to be finished in January 2021.

The US Special Operationa Command (USSOCOM) tapped Barret Firearms Manufacturing with approximately $50 million for the purchase of advanced sniper rifles. Barrett Firearms Manufacturing is an American manufacturer of firearms and ammunition. It was founded in 1982 by Ronnie G. Barrett to build semi-automatic rifles chambered for the powerful .50 BMG (12.7x99mm NATO) ammunition, originally developed for and used in M2 Browning machine guns. Work will take place in Christiana and is scheduled to be finished by March 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $387,234 are being obligated at the time of award.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey will start to deploy S-400 anti-aircraft missile defense systems in October this year. Turkey is acquiring S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia because of the urgent need to ensure the country’s security. The S-400 Triumf is a Russian anti-aircraft weapon system designed to destroy aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles, including medium-range missiles. It can also be used against ground installations. In June 2018, it was announced that Turkey assigned defense enterprises the task of completing the production of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems in May 2019 for their delivery to Turkey. Earlier this month, the United States threatened to cancel Turkey’s participation in the F-35 fighter jet program and also impose sanctions on it if Ankara persists on its planned purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems.

Europe

Raytheon partnered with German sensor specialist Hensoldt to provide integrated air surveillance radars to the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) and the Deutsche Flugsicherung. The Royal Netherlands Air Force will receive one system that will provide both advanced air traffic control and wind-farm interference mitigation at De Kooy airfield. The Deutsche Flugsicherung, which is a German air navigation provider, will receive three systems to replace aging radars as part of Germany’s airspace modernization efforts. The radars will combine Hensoldt’s next-generation primary airport surveillance radar, the ASR-NG and Raytheon’s Mode S monopulse secondary surveillance radar, the Condor Mk 3. Hensoldt’s multibeam 3D S-band solid-state approach control primary surveillance radar combines fully digital Doppler detection and tracking solution with highly flexible and self-learning clutter and site optimization capabilities.

Norway will house the world’s first licensed service center to service F-16 fighter jets. Lockheed Martin together with AIM Norway will jointly establish the so called „Falcon Depot“ center for the Royal Norwegian Air Force and other regional F-16 customers. AIM Norway provides maintenance, repair and modification services for fixed wing aircraft, helicopters and field equipment for the Norwegian Armed Forces. Lockheed Martin continues to grow its F-16 customer base and sees new F-16 production opportunities totaling more than 400 aircraft. There are approximately 3,000 operational F-16s in service today with 25 countries.

Asia-Pacific

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) successfully test-fired an indigenously developed range smart weapon from JF-17 multi-role fighter aircraft. The JF-17 Thunder is a single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed jointly by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation of China. The PAF inducted its first JF-17 squadron in February 2010. The Thunder was part of media attention during recent hostility between Pakistan and India. It was recently reported by CNN that a JF-17 fighter jet brought down an Indian warplane in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The report contradicted Indian claims that Pakistan used F-16s to down Indian planes.

Today’s Video

Watch: Say goodbye to the EA-6B Prowler — Here are 5 impressive facts about the EA-6B Prowler

‘Europe for Aviation’ is the theme around which civil and military European aviation organisations working to implement the Single European Sky (SES) gather for two days at this year’s World ATM Congress which opened today in Madrid. Speaking at the joint ‘Europe For Aviation Partners’ conference, EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq stressed the need to accommodate civil and military requirements in the effort to develop a modern and innovative SES, as civil and military aviation share the same airspace and conduct mutually supportive activities. 

‘Working together will allow us to remain innovative. We need to act jointly in making the European airspace a digital European sky designed to accommodate the needs of both civil and military stakeholders, all types of platforms, manned and unmanned, and all types of missions, roles and applications, in a balanced and proportioned way, in peace time and in crisis situations", Mr Domecq stated

Over recent years, EDA has achieved tangible results when it comes to military integration into SES. The Military Aviation Strategy in the context of SES is in place and €93 million of EU co-funding have been awarded to military projects relating to SESAR deployment. With the support of EDA, the defence sector is involved in SES activities from the outset, providing inputs into the regulatory, technical and operational efforts aimed to enhance the security and defence dimension in SES. A common civil-military roadmap for Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Air Traffic Insertion has been developed to enable seamless integration of certified RPAS alongside manned aviation from 2025. One of the eleven European Capability Development Priorities approved in the 2018 Capability Development Plan (CDP) is directly linked to SES: the integration of military air capabilities in the changing aviation sector. It will contribute to foster civil-military synergies notably through digital solutions benefiting from connectivity, automation, virtualisation and artificial intelligence in support of European industries.

The ‘Europe for Aviation’ stand and theatre (#849 and #1151) at the 2019 World ATM Congress is hosting a wide range of debates, presentations and guided walking tours, illustrating the collaboration in action between European aviation organisations working to implement SES, namely the European Commission, EUROCONTROL, SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU), SESAR Deployment Manager (SESAR DM), European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA), European Organisation for Civil Aviation (EUROCAE) and the European Defence Agency (EDA).
 

Background

The World ATM Congress is the world’s largest international air traffic management (ATM) exhibition and conference, bringing together the world’s leading product developers, experts, stakeholders, and air navigation service providers (ANSPs).

More information on the Europe For Aviation stand is available here. 

 

Americas

The US Navy awarded Bell Boeing a $85.7 million contract modification to update the MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The joint venture of Boeing and Bell Helicopter will convert four MV-22s into a new configuration. The Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft that combines the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop airplane. Bell Boeing will modify Block B MV-22 Osprey units into Block C vehicles and support a maintenance interval effort for one aircraft through the Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization program. Block C configurations provide mission enhancements and upgraded inherent features onboard the Osprey. The main difference between Block B and C is that it moves the aircraft from a combat-capable aircraft with upgrades to improve maintainability to an aircraft that can be used in multiple combat roles such as those assigned to special operations. In January, the Defense Logistics Agency awarded Bell Boeing a $143.8 million to engineer and provide logistics services to the Osprey. Work under the modification will take place in Pennsylvania and Texas and is scheduled to be finished in March 2021.

The US Air Force awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. a $23.7 million modification to install an Airborne Mission Networking (AbMN) Program on the MC-130J Commando II tankers. The Commando II is an improved variant of the C-130J aircraft and can be deployed for missions requiring clandestine, single ship, formation, low-level in-flight refueling for helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft of the US Special Operation Forces. The MC-130J features extended service life wings and additional elements to meet the requirements of special operations missions. Under the contract modification, Sierra Nevada provides additional hardware and labor necessary to support the AbMN program through flight test for the tankers used by Air Force Special Operations Command. Work will take place in Sparks, Nevada and is expected to be finished by November 16, 2021.

The US Air Force’s Valkyrie UAV demonstrator completed its first flight on March 5. The XQ-58A Valkyrie completed 76 minutes of flight time at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory and Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems developed the Valkyrie based on the „loyal wingman“ concept, which will have the drone accompany fighter aircraft in the future. The idea is, that the drone will fly next to a piloted vehicle that controls it. However, during the test flight, the drone flew on its own. The Valkyrie can carry a small payload of smart bombs, and has a range of just under 2,500 miles. This test flight was the first of five planned flights that will be carried out in two phases. The aircraft will be tested on system functionality, aerodynamic performance, and launch and recovery systems.

Middle East & Africa

Israeli defense electronic company Elbit Systems won a deal to supply combat suites and perform systems integration for three new patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard, the National Coast Guard of Greece. Systems to be supplied are electro-optic payloads, radars, navigation systems, Warship Automatic Identification System (W-AIS) as well as Remote Control Weapon Stations (RCWS) with full integration into a Command and Control software. The contract will be performed over a two-year period with warranty and logistic support continuing for an additional five-year period.

Europe

Dassault Aviation’s Rafale F4 will include an upgraded version of a Thales/MBDA Rafale Fire-Control Radar Protection and Avoidance System (SPECTRA) self-protection suite, Jane’s reports. The SPECTRA provides long-range detection, identification and accurate localization of infrared, electromagnetic and laser threats. It incorporates radar warning, laser warning and missile warning receivers for threat detection and a phased array radar jammer as well as a decoy dispenser for threat countering. In March 2017 the French government authorized development of the F4 configuration. Last month the French government awarded Dassault a contract to develop the Rafale F4. The F4 standard is part of the ongoing process to continuously improve the Rafale in line with technological progress and operating experience feedback. The Dassault Rafale is a twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter aircraft intended to perform air supremacy, interdiction, aerial reconnaissance, ground support, in-depth strike, anti-ship strike as well as nuclear deterrence missions.

Saab won a potential $10.1 million contract with the Finnish Defense Forces to deliver virtual simulators of marksmanship and basic combat training. Initial deliveries will take place this year and the simulators are scheduled to be in full-scale use in 2020. Saab’s newly developed Ground Combat Indoor Trainer is a modular and scalable system that is able to be combined in several configurations to cover a variety of weapons. The contract contains models of the weapons used in Finland, computers with software that creates the virtual environment and provides the basis for analysis after the training. Saab will also be responsible for maintaining the systems.

Asia-Pacific

The Japan Maritime Self Defense Force commissioned its second Asahi-class Guided Missile Destroyer last month. The new destroyer was christened JS Shiranui. The Asahi-Class is based on the Akizuki-class, but focuses on anti-submarine warfare. Its ships measure 151 meters in length and reach speeds of 30 knots. Armament includes Mark 41 vertical launch systems for self protection, 62-caliber naval guns, close-in weapon systems and two Mark 32 surface vessel torpedo tubes. The lead ship of the class, the JS Asahi, was laid down in 2015 and commissioned in March 2018. The Shiranui was launched in October 2017 and began sea trials in July 2018. The commissioning ceremony was held at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries subsidiary Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works in Nagasaki City.

Today’s Video

Watch: Northrop Grumman to Develop Next Generation Missile for Destroying Enemy Air Defenses

In view of the upcoming publication of the 2019 calls for proposals for the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR), EDA and the European Commission will jointly organise an Information and Brokerage Day in Brussels on 11 April 2019. The event is open to representatives from all types of companies (large, medium or small), industry associations, research organisations and universities from the EU and Norway.

During the event, which will run from from 08:30 to 17:00, EDA will provide participants with detailed information on the topics of the 2019 PADR calls, which are set to be published in the coming weeks. Participation modalities and access to the Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal will also be explained. Furthermore, as it was already the case in the previous two years, a brokerage session will be organized to help attendants in finding partners for potential consortia. The Info & Brokerage Day will thus again be a unique opportunity for participants to improve their knowledge about the context, the objectives and the participation modalities of the PADR and to network with potential partners. 

More information on the 2019 PADR calls for proposals as well as on the registration process for the Info & Brokerage Day will be published soon.
 

Background

The PADR has the objective to test the added-value of the EU budget supporting defence research, in view of a dedicated EU programme in the next EU Multi-annual Financial Framework. The PADR is implemented by the EDA through a Delegation Agreement signed between the EDA and the Commission in May 2017.

Americas

The US Navy contracted Northrop Grumman $322.5 million to develop new rocket motors for the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The deal provides for engineering and manufacturing development of the AGM-88G variant of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile. The AARGM is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile featuring an advanced, digital, anti-radiation homing sensor, millimeter wave radar terminal seeker, precise Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System guidance, net-centric connectivity, and Weapon Impact Assessment transmit. Work under the contract includes the design, integration and test of a new solid rocket motor for the AARGM-ER for use on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35A/C aircraft platforms. Work will take place in California and is scheduled to be finished by December 2023.

The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $23.9 million contract for support of the Black Hawk helicopter. The H-60 is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter. More than 2,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter variants are in service with the US Military. The Black Hawk operates in the US Army since 1978, and variants are operational or have been ordered by 25 international customers: the Argentine Air Force, Royal Australian Army, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombian Air Force, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan Self Defense Force, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, People’s Republic of China, Royal Saudi Land Forces Army Aviation Command, the Turkish Jandarma, Spain, The Philippine Air Force, Taiwan, and Thailand. Work under the contract provides engineering, logistics, tooling management support and technical data services for sustainment, operation, maintenance, and training in support of all domestic and foreign H-60 variants. Work will take place in New York and Connecticut, and is scheduled for completion in March 2024.

Middle East & Africa

The US Navy awarded Harris Corp. a $43.3 million contract modification for additional Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALQ-214 A(V)4/5 Onboard Jammer systems for the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter planes of the Royal Kuwaiti Air Force. AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures Onboard Jammer is a next-generation radio frequency (RF) integrated countermeasure system. The system is designed to counter RF guided threats with proven electronic countermeasure techniques that deny, disrupt, delay and degrade launch and engagement sequences. Each threat is identified, prioritized, countered and displayed to the aircrew for situational awareness as well as self-protection. The AN/ALQ-214 is currently deployed on the US Navy’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. Boeing was awarded a $1.5 billion contract under the Foreign Military Sales program for the production and delivery of 22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets for the Kuwaiti government. Work under the current modification will take place within the US and is scheduled to be completed by August 2022.

Europe

Thales will supply two Coastal Surveillance Radars for the French Defense Procurement Agency. The French company will manufacture two Coast Watcher 100 radars, which according to Thales offer optimal protection for tactical test areas, monitor maritime traffic in and around those areas and detect any intrusive threats. The radar is built around a Modular Solid-State Transmitter permitting high performances and availability. By performing a precise filtering of all environmental clutters, it allows for precise small target detection, discrimination and a low false alarm rate. About 30 of the systems are in service in several countries around the world. The company did not announce the terms of the contract.

Asia-Pacific

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will phase out its fleet of PC-9A turboprop training aircraft, Jane’s reports. The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat training aircraft. The PC-9A are 67 two-seat trainers for the RAAF, the first of which flew on May 19, 1987. Pilot training for Army, Navy, and Air Force aircrew began in 1989. Full retirement of the fleet is expected by the end of the year. It will be replaced by the Pilatus PC-21, which is a turboprop advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit. The RAAF’s acrobatic team undertook its final display in the PC-9A during the Avalon Airshow 2019.

India signed a $3 billion contract for the lease of an Akula-1 class nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia for a period of ten years. The submarine will be ready by 2025 and the contract includes refurbishment of the submarine with Indian communication and sensor systems, spares support and technical infrastructure for its operations. This submarine will replace INS Chakra, a submarine taken on a ten-year lease from Russia in 2012. The existing lease will be extended until the new submarine becomes operational. The so called Chakra III will not be equipped with long-range nuclear missiles because of international treaties and because it is not meant for deterrence patrols. In November last year, India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, completed its first deterrence patrol. A second nuclear submarine, INS Arighat, will be commissioned later this year, with two more currently under construction.

Today’s Video

Watch: HMS Duncan will be in the Mediterranean working alongside the French Navy.

US Army HH-60Ms
(click to view full)

In July 2012, the US military signed another huge contract with Sikorsky. With production of the Army’s HH/UH-60M, and the Navy’s MH-60S and MH-60R helicopters, all in full swing, there’s no question about the need for future orders. In that environment, multi-year contracts allow efficiencies in purchasing, and security of staffing, throughout Sikorsky’s supply chain. These new helicopter types are also available to Foreign Military Sales class customers, under the American contract’s advantageous pricing and terms. The UH-60M, MH-60S and MH-60R models have already inked export deals, and official requests indicate that more deals are in the pipeline.

The new multi-year 2013-2017 contract could be worth up to $11.7 billion, and follows a 5-year, multi-service “MYP-VII” contract in December 2007. Like its predecessor, it covers UH-60M Black Hawk troop transport and light cargo helicopters, Army HH-60M SAR (Search And Rescue) / MEDEVAC (MEDical EVACuation) helicopters, and the US Navy’s MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

MYP-VIII: Contract in Context

USN Heli Plan
(click to view full)

The US Army plans to order 956 UH-60M and 419 MEDEVAC HH-60M Black Hawks through 2026, a total of 1,375 H-60M models. By then, the US Army’s total H-60 Black Hawk fleet, including upgraded UH-60As and UH-60Ls, is expected to reach more than 2,100 helicopters. US Navy production will end much sooner, and beyond about 2018 the only Seahawks built will be for export.

MYP-VIII’s base award covers 653 helicopters from FY 2013 – 2017: 234 UH-60M and 120 HH-60M Black Hawks, 193 MH-60R/S Seahawks, plus 106 helicopters for Foreign Military Sales. Like its predecessor, The 5-year agreement also allows the Army and Navy to order as many as 263 more helicopters within the same contractual terms, either for the USA or for export sales. If exercised, the optional purchases could push the contract value from $8.5 billion to a maximum of $11.7 billion.

Note that this MYP-VIII contract is a price framework agreement, rather than a firm schedule. Orders are planned 5 years in advance at the Pentagon, but annual budgets can and do increase or decrease those numbers. Actual production orders will be determined year-by-year over the life of the program, based on American budgets and foreign orders. Under the terms of the contract, Sikorsky will provide helicopters, technical publications, and changes/upgrades within set terms, while its field service representatives provide technical guidance and on-site training.

The need for replacement is certainly clear. According to FY 2011 budget documents, the USA’s oldest UH-60As are now over 30 years old, and the average age of the UH-60A fleet is 23 years. New UH-60Ms have an 18 month lead time from order to delivery, while the more advanced HH-60M for SAR/ MEDEVAC duties has a 24 month lead time.

In the Navy, the helicopters being replaced by the MH-60S armed utility & mine-warfare helicopter, and by the MH-60R strike and anti-submarine helicopter, date from the Reagan years – or earlier. The MH-60S/Rs are replacing the US Navy’s remaining SH-60B/F Seahawks, HH-60 CSAR(Combat Search and Rescue), CH-46D Sea Knights, and HH-1N Huey SAR helicopters.

The minimum production rate to sustain the H-60 line is 18 helicopters per year, while the maximum is listed in FY 2011 US Army budget documents as 150 per year. American orders are large but don’t push that limit, leaving plenty of room for export production.

Contracts & Key Events

UH-60M
(click to view full)

Unless otherwise specified, all order are placed by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL to Sikorsky in Stratford, CT.

Note that a contract for helicopters is not the same thing as a contract for flying, ready-to use helicopters. Many contracts omit key “Government Furnished Equipment” items like engines, sensors, etc., which make the cost of a ready-to-use helicopter higher than the base contract. Sikorsky does sometimes buy items that are usually GFE when filling some Foreign Military Sales contracts. There are still some questions about FMS inclusions within MYP-VIII, and some buys whose structure is unclear. Australia’s Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the MH-60R, for instance, was signed in June 2011, and some contracts have begun. DID will attempt to resolve those questions and details going forward.

Finally, the naval MH-60R strike and MH-60S Seahawk utility/ specialty helicopters have a large array of unique features, and a central place within the USN. We will cover purchases under MYP-8 here, but full details regarding the helicopters, their foreign sakes opportunities, and all of their related contracts can be found in “MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters.”

FY 2015 – 2019

Orders: US Army, US Navy.

March 11/19: Engineering and Technical Data Services The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $23.9 million contract for support of the Black Hawk helicopter. The H-60 is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter. More than 2,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter variants are in service with the US Military. The Black Hawk operates in the US Army since 1978, and variants are operational or have been ordered by 25 international customers: the Argentine Air Force, Royal Australian Army, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombian Air Force, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan Self Defense Force, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, People’s Republic of China, Royal Saudi Land Forces Army Aviation Command, the Turkish Jandarma, Spain, The Philippine Air Force, Taiwan, and Thailand. Work under the contract provides engineering, logistics, tooling management support and technical data services for sustainment, operation, maintenance, and training in support of all domestic and foreign H-60 variants. Work will take place in New York and Connecticut, and is scheduled for completion in March 2024.

December 6/16: Sikorsky has been tapped to provide technical and logistics services for variants of the H-60 helicopter operated by the US Army. Valued at $93.8 million, work carried out by the company includes the provision of engineering services in addition to other weapon system supplies. Helicopters included in the deal include the UH-60 Black Hawk.

March 18/15: Mexico. The DSCA notified Congress of the potential sale of three Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawks to Mexico, in a deal potentially worth $110 million. That there are only three Black Hawks in the deal is surprising, as the application appears to have gone in with five requested.

March 18/15: Slovakia. Slovakia is also poised to receive nine of the same model.

March 18/15: Tunisia. Sikorsky saw a $93.3 million contract modification today for eight “Green” UH-60M helicopters for the Tunisian government.

Dec 15/14: Mexico. $56.4 million modification (P00217) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0008 to exercise an option for 5 UH-60M aircraft for Mexican Navy’s foreign military sales case MX-B-UEU. Estimated completion date is May 30, 2016. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut. Fiscal 2010 funds in the amount of $2,221,115 were obligated at the time of the award.

HH-60M
(click to view full)

Nov 17/14: FY 2015 USA. The US military buys 102 helicopters for the Army and Navy for $1.302 billion, as its FY 2015 purchases.

A $772 million contract modification buys 41 UH-60M helicopters and 24 HH-60M helicopters, plus associated support functions. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2015 Army aircraft budgets. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and is expected to complete in June 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0201).

At the same time, a $535.3 million contract modification funds 29 MH-60R and 8 MH-60S helicopters for the Navy, plus associated sustaining engineering, program management, systems engineering, provisioning, technical publications, other integrated logistics support. There’s also advance procurement funding for program years 4 and 5. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2015 Navy aircraft budgets. Work will be performed at Stratford, CT (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0202).

FY 2015 USA: 41 UH-60M, 24 HH-60M, 29 MH-60R, 8 MH-60S

FY 2014

Orders: US Army, Mexico, Saudi Arabia; Requests: Austria, Brazil, Mexico, Tunisia; Unmanned UH-60MU tested; US Navy wants to cancel MH-60R buy without destroying MYP-8 – can they?

UH-60M, Ft. Bragg

Sept 29/14: Mexico. An unfinalized $93.2 million not-to-exceed, undefinitized contract for 8 “uniquely configured” UH-60Ms and other support equipment and services for Mexico’s secretary of national defense. Mexico has now ordered 35 UH-60Ms, with confirmed customers in the Federal Police, Navy, & Air Force. This order didn’t mention the purchasing service, nor did the recent DSCA request (q.v. June 24/14).

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of June 7, 2015; this contract falls under the Foreign Military Sales program. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2010 other procurement funds are being obligated at the time of the award. With all modifications, the cumulative total of this contract is $7,035,259,311. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0171).

Mexico: 8 UH-60Ms

Sept 15/14: Mexico. Sikorsky receives a $203.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 18 “green” UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, plus their conversion to the Mexican Air Force’s designated configuration using contractor-furnished and government-furnished (and paid for) equipment. In other words, this is the entire FAM order mentioned in the April 21/14 DSCA request.

Estimated completion date is May 30/16 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 00179).

Mexico FAM: 18 UH-60Ms

Sept 9/14: Brazil. The US DSCA formally announces Brazil’s export request for 3 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, equipped for search and rescue. Brazil already has the Army 4th squadron and Air Force 7/8 “Harpia” air group at Manaus, whose H-60L and S-70 Black Hawks/ Pave Hawks perform a SAR/ counter-narcotics role, and are well-equipped for disaster response. These would be Brazil’s first UH-60Ms.

The full request involves 3 UH-60Ms, 8 T-700-GE-701C engines (6 installed and 2 spares), 12 M-134D 7.62mm gatling guns, 8 H765GU Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems, spare and repair parts, tools and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, and other US government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $145 million.

The principal contractors will be United Technologies’ Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT; GE Engines in Lynn, MA; and Dillon Aero Systems in Mesa, AZ. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 1 contractor representative to Brazil for up to 3 years to support fielding, maintenance, and personnel training of this new helicopter type for Brazil. Sources: DSCA #14-36, “Brazil – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Brazil (3)

June 24/14: Mexico. The US DSCA formally announces Mexico’s export request for 5 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters in standard US government configuration with designated unique equipment and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE), 13 T700-GE-701D Engines (10 installed and 3 spares), 12 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (10 installed and 2 spares), 10 M134 7.62mm gatling guns, 5 Star SAFIRE III day/night surveillance turrets, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, AN/ARC-210 RT-8100 series radios, 1 Aviation Mission Planning System, and 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit. Also included are aircraft warranty, air worthiness support, facility construction, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, site surveys, tool and test equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor technical and logistics support. The estimated cost is up to $225 million.

Mexico has previously ordered 9 UH-60Ms, with 6 going to Mexico’s federal police, and 3 to the Armada for use in land-based operations. These 5 would bring the Mexican Navy’s fleet to 8:

“Mexico intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its existing naval/maritime support in its efforts to combat drug trafficking organizations.”

The principal contractors will be Sikorsky Aircraft Company in Stratford, CT; and General Electric Aircraft Company (GEAC) in Lynn, MA. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 3 more US Government and 5 more contractor representatives in country, as full-time delivery and training support for approximately 2 years. Sources: DSCA #14-25, “Mexico – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Mexico (5)

Aug 19/14: UH-60M. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $30.3 million contract modification for 12 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, on behalf of the Saudi Arabian National Guard. All funds are committed immediately. This appears to be an initial award, with a follow-on to come that will finalize the buy, modify the helicopters for Saudi use (q.v. March 25/13, Dec 20/13), and bring total announced SANG UH-60M sales to 24 of 72 requested (US DSCA, Oct 20/10) machines.

The estimated completion date is Aug 31/17. Work will be performed in Jupiter, FL and Stratford, CT. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the order on behalf of its Saudi client (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0072).

July 24/14: Tunisia. The US DSCA announces Tunisia’s official request for 12 UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters, complete with Battlehawk kits that allow them to be used as attack helicopters. these helicopters will include surveillance turrets with laser designators, laser-guided 70mm rocket capability, Hellfire missiles, various defensive and communications systems, and associated support that may include an infrastructure build-out. The estimated cost is up to $700 million, or about $58.3 million per helicopter with weapons and support. Sources: DID, “Armed & Versatile: Sikorsky’s ‘Battlehawk’ Helicopters” for full coverage | US DSCA #14-23, “Tunisia – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA request: Tunisia (12 + Battlehawk kits)

May 20/14: +13. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $143.4 million contract modification for 13 Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 “other procurement” budgets. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0146).

13 UH-60M

May 29/14: A $24 million contract modification to “realign the funding between the fiscal 2014 advance procurement funds and the planned aircraft production funds for fiscal 2015, with no change to the UH-60 or HH-60 contract price.” All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Stratford, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0163).

April 22/14: MYP-8. Lockheed Martin ups the pressure on the US Navy, by reminding everyone that they also have a multi-year contract that involves termination fees. CFO Bruce Tanner says that work had already begun on cockpits, radars, and other equipment for the MH-60Rs. He recommends buying them and selling them to allies:

“That would probably be a better deal for the taxpayer than paying close to 100 percent and not getting anything for it…. The cost to terminate partially built helicopters is pretty significant relative to the cost to actually finish those helicopters.”

Sources: Reuters, “Lockheed says costly for Pentagon if it cancels MH-60 helicopters”.

Apr 21/14: Mexico. The US DSCA announces Mexico’s formal request for up to 18 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters and associated equipment, at an estimated cost of up to $680 million. The order could also include up to:

• 40 T700-GE-701D Engines (36 installed and 4 spares)
  
• 42 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (36 installed and 6 spares)
  
• 36 M134 7.62mm gatling guns
  
• 5 Aviation Mission Planning Systems
  
• 18 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
  
• 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit
  
• Communication security equipment including AN/ARC-210 RT-8100 series radios and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems
  
• Plus aircraft warranty, air worthiness support, facility construction, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, site surveys, tool and test equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support.

The principal contractors will be Sikorsky in Stratford, CT; and GE in Lynn, MA. If congress doesn’t block the sale, and Mexico negotiated a contract, implementation may require the assignment of an additional 3 US Government and 5 contractor representatives, who would be in country full-time for 2 years to support delivery and training. Sources: DSCA #14-10, “Mexico – UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters”.

DSCA: Mexico request (18)

April 15/14: MYP-8. The Pentagon is trying to find ways not to break their MYP-8 multi-year contract with Sikorsky, given the likely effects on the Army’s Black Hawk fleet. Defense News goes a step further, and reports that Sikorsky officials are saying that any cancellation of the Navy buy would cancel the entire contract, destroying multi-year procurement for the US Army. Sources: Defense News, “DoD Looking for Ways Not To Break MH-60R Helicopter Deal”.

Apr 11/14: Unmanned UH-60M. Sikorsky successfully demonstrates autonomous hover and flight operations, using a UH-60MU from the US Army Utility Helicopters Project Office (UH PO). The project is called MURAL (Manned/Unmanned Resupply Aerial Lifter), and uses technology from Sikorsky’s July 2013 Matrix research program and an advanced Ground Control Station (GCS).

Sikorsky began this work in 2007, but they only signed MURAL’s CRADA (Cooperative Research & Development Agreement) with the US Army Aviation Development Directorate (ADD) in 2013. Sikorsky has also been flying its own SARA (Sikorsky Autonomy Research Aircraft) helicopter since July 26/13. The long-term goal is to avoid conceding the unmanned helicopter resupply market to Lockheed Martin’s K-MAX, the MQ-8C Fire Scout, etc. Making their core H-60 helicopters “optionally manned” is a strong competitive position, if they can pull it off. Sources: Sikorsky, “Optionally Piloted Black Hawk Demonstrator Helicopter Takes Successful First Flight”.

April 9/14: MYP-8. Sikorsky director of maritime programs Tim Healy points out that the US Navy’s proposed cancellation of 29 helicopters within the current multi-year deal has consequences. One involves the likelihood of higher prices for US Army Blackhawks, which are still being purchased. The other is more basic:

“This is not a legal issue. This is a confidence issue…. If multiyear contracts are negotiated and then not followed through … industry is back to making year-to-year calculations and investments because you never know when the next year’s contract is going to be canceled.”

That would be the rational approach, but industry enters into these contracts in order to reduce the odds of program cutbacks and cancellation in an irrational political environment. In other words, the contracts are primarily political acts. Our take: cancellation will dent industry’s credence in these contracts, but won’t make much difference. Companies will still rush to sign them, until and unless they see a behavior pattern that destroys their belief in this strategy. Sources: Reuters, “U.S. Navy move to ‘break’ multiyear deal worries industry-Sikorsky”.

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The USAF and USN unveil their preliminary budget request briefings, but it takes another week to release detailed documents. FY 2015 orders are unaffected: 8 MH-60S will end production for the US Navy, and 29 MH-60R helicopters will be bought as planned. On the other hand, the planned FY 2016 close-out order for 29 MH-60R helicopters is gone.

The cut is linked to the planned removal of 1 carrier air wing (to 10) and cap in the number of LCS ships at 32. The problem is twofold. One, the air wing would have to be put back if the Navy does decide to fund USS George Washington’s mid-life RCOH in FY 2016. Two, the 20 subsequent LCS buys are supposed to be replaced by ships with frigate-like capabilities, and those ships will need ASW helicopters. Navy officials said that advance procurement funds for FY 2016 were still present in the FY 2015 budget, and the Navy could reverse course. They’re under a multi-year procurement deal, so unless there’s a resale of some kind that’s allowed within the terms, you’d have to think that the penalty fees for cancellations would be high. Sources: USN, PB15 Press Briefing [PDF] | Defense News, “US Navy Budget Plan: Major Questions Abound”.

Jan 9/14: FY 2014 USN. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $549.9 million contract modification, funding the base airframes and some integration for 18 MH-60S and 19 MH-60R helicopters, plus advance procurement for years 4 & 5 of the multi-year deal; and associated sustaining engineering, program management, systems engineering, and other support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and will be complete by Dec 31/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0126).

USN 2014: 18 MH-60S, 19 MH-60R

Dec 23/13: FY 2014 Army. A $724 million contract modification buys the initial set for program year 3: 33 UH-60M helicopters, 24 HH-60M helicopters, plus the associated associated program management, systems engineering, provisioning, technical publications, and integrated logistics support. Funding to buy long-lead material for the next year is also normal, but this modification includes long-lead funding for years 4 & 5 as termination liability. All funds are committed immediately, using US Army FY 2014 other procurement budgets.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, and the contract runs until June 30/15 (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0127).

33 UH-60M + 24 HH-60M

Dec 20/13: Saudi Arabia. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $105.3 million contract modification to contract “to modify 8 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters to a General Service Configuration in Support of the Saudi Arabian National Guard.” The contract number indicates that these machines are purchases under the MYP-8 multi-year deal. Essentially, they’re buying 8 UH-60Ms as an initial order under the Oct 20/10 DSCA request to export up to 72 machines.

One bid was solicited with one received. Work will be performed in West Palm Beach, FL and in Saudi Arabia. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL acts as the Saudis’ agent (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0089).

Saudi Arabia: 8 UH-60Ms

Dec 5/13: Austria. The US DSCA announces Austria’s formal export request for 3 UH-60Ms and associated equipment, worth up to $137 million. The principal contractor will be Sikorsky in Stratford, CT, with engines from General Electric in Lynn, MA. Austria already has 9 earlier model S-70A-42 aircraft in its inventory. The full request includes:

• 3 standard UH-60Ms with designated unique equipment and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE)
  
• 7 T700-GE-701D Engines (6 installed and 1 spare)
  
• 8 Embedded Global Positioning Systems with Inertial Navigation
  
• 8 AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles
  
• Communications gear including AN/VRC-92 SINCGARS, AN/ARC-201D, AN/ARC-210, AN/ARC-220, and AN/ARC-231 radios.
  
• 3 Aviation Survivability Equipment (ASE)
  
• 3 Aviation Mission Planning Systems
  
• 1 Transportable Black Hawk Operations Simulator (TBOS)
  
• 1 Aviation Ground Power Unit
  
• Plus Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, aircraft warranty, airworthiness support, tool and test equipment, spare and repair parts, site surveys, facility construction, support equipment, communication equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other US Government and contractor support.

Austria won’t need any additional foreign support personnel in country. Sources: DSCA 13-69.

DSCA: Austria request (3)

FY 2013

MYP-8 signed; USAF and US Army exercise options.

MH-60S
(click to view full)

Sept 27/13: Support. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a 3-year, $84 million cost-plus-fixed-fee indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for support services. They’ll provide incidental H-60 Black Hawk materials for foreign military sales and other government agency customers. Note that the award isn’t restricted to H-60M helicopters.

Funding and performance locations will be determined with each order. The contract was solicited via the Web, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal (Aviation), Redstone Arsenal, AL, is the contracting activity (W58RGZ-13-D-0177).

Sept 27/13: MH-60M DVE. The Technical Applications Contracting Office in Fort Eustis, VA issues 3 contracts to develop and field “the degraded visual environments (DVE) system.” DVE will “integrate information from [MH-47E/G and MH-60K/L/M helicopter] sensors,” in order to help aircrews perm their missions through rain, fog, sand brownouts, etc. Dust-driven brownouts are an especially prevalent killer in many operating theaters, and the advanced sensors already on board US SOCOM’s helicopters offer an interesting option for cutting through the clutter. See also: US Army, “Army acquiring ‘brown-out’ assistance for helos” for additional context regarding this area in general. This area is being pursued by a number of US military programs, and by a number of private companies.

The 60-month SOCOM DVE contracts were awarded from 5 offers received in response to the FBO.gov solicitation, and they will run until Aug 31/17. Winners include:

Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA wins a maximum $22.4 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost reimbursement contract, with $1.3 million in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0008).

Sierra Nevada Corp. in Sparks, NV receives a maximum $22.6 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee DVE contract, with $624,013 in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0010).

Boeing in Philadelphia, PA wins a maximum $23 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee DVE contract, with $2.1 million in FY 2013 research, development, test and evaluation funds committed immediately for task order 0001 (H92241-13-D-0011).

Aug 21/13: No CVLSP. The US Air Force cut their planned UH-1 Huey replacement program from the FY 2013 budget. Now they’re planning to refurbish their existing UH-1N fleet for another 10 years of service in securing nuclear launch sites, and ferrying people around Washington. The Hueys will add night vision compatible cockpit lighting, crash worthy seats, a helicopter terrain awareness warning system, and traffic collision avoidance. The USAF will also pick up about 26 used UH-1Ns from the US Marines, and have begun with 3 helicopters already.

Even the 10 year horizon isn’t fixed, and the service could choose to keep the helicopters running longer. Bottom line: replacement with H-60s is a long way away, unless a Huey crashes with a prominent member of an appropriations committee on board. Defense News, “USAF Planning Decade-Long Huey Extension”.

June 13/13: Army FY13. Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT receives a $244.9 million firm-fixed-price modification to by an unspecified number of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, using FY 2013 procurement funds.

It would appear that the $804.4 million Nov 16/12 buy didn’t fully fund FY 2013’s plan for 71 helicopters, which makes sense given Pentagon cost estimates of around $18 million per machine. $1,049.3 million / 71 = $14.8 million per, which is closer to the mark given the price of added engines, avionics, etc. (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0077).

May 8/13: Thailand. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT an $11.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, to buy 1 UH-60M base helicopter and related equipment for Thailand. The cumulative total face value of this multi-year contract is now $4.819 billion. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract on behalf of their FMS client (W58RGZ-12-C-0008, PO 0055).

Thailand: 1 UH-60M

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage.

The UH-60M/ HH-60M budget line is interesting, because it plans for 64 more buys than the base multi-year deal. Instead of 318 helicopters over FY 2012 – 2016, the total becomes 382. The framework is obviously able to handle those planned options, and MYP-8 overall has a top limit of 916 helicopters for the US Army, US Navy and foreign customers.

March 25/13: Saudi. Sikorsky in Stratford, CT receives a $49 million firm-fixed-price contract. This modification will provide engineering and configuration services to 4 utility helicopters for Saudi Arabia. The contract number indicates a MYP-8 purchase, and the amount indicates that there’s a base helicopter order still to come. There are ways that could be done outside the purview of standard contract announcements.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Saudi Arabia: 4 UH-60Ms?

Dec 11/12: +37 Navy. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a $563.8 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, which funds the Navy’s 2nd Program Year of the MYP-8 multi-year program. Sikorsky tells us that Year 2 buys 18 MH-60S Production Lot 15 helicopters for delivery in 2013-2014, and 19 MH-60R Production Lot 11 Helicopters for delivery in 2014. The contract also covers sustaining engineering, and the usual set of advance materials for the next production lots.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Nov 16/12: +71 Army. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT received an $804.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification. Sikorsky confirms that this fully funds Year 2 of MYP-8: 47 UH-60M and 24 HH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, plus associated engineering, program management, provisioning, technical publications, and support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT with an estimated completion date of June 30/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

FY 2012

MH-60R
(click to view full)

Sept 25/12: +22 Army. A $242.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy UH-60M Plus-Up Helicopters, which are over and above the yearly baseline buys under MYP-8. Sikorsky confirms that the contract covers 22 helicopters, but doesn’t include support.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT and will run until Sept 16/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Sept 25/12: +18 USAF. A $203.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, which Sikorsky confirms will buy 18 UH-60M helicopters for the USAF. This appears to be part of the USAF’s Operational Loss Replacement (OLR) program for their HH-60H Pave Hawk combat search and rescue fleet.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-12-C-0008).

Sept 18/12: UH-60 CPTD. Sikorsky announced the award of a Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration (CTPD) contract from the U.S. Army’s Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD). This program will builds upon previous work by Sikorsky Innovations to develop key technologies including: a zero-vibration system, adaptive flight control laws, advanced fire management, a durable main rotor, a more damage tolerant airframe, and better “full-spectrum crashworthiness.” Asked about the program, Sikorsky said that:

“We currently have nothing slated for the next two block upgrades that come from the Combat Tempered Platform Demonstration program. We are testing how components play together.”

Sikorsky Innovations will have more than 15 partnering companies, including Lord Corporation, Phyre Technologies, and Firetrace Aerospace.

July 18/12: #500. Sikorsky delivers the 500th H-60M helicopter since production began in December 2007, which divides up as 400 UH-60Ms (incl. 73 exported) and 100 HH-60M MEDEVAC helicopters. Most of those deliveries which were made under the MYP-VII contract, which ended this month.

Sikorsky adds that the US Army plans to order 956 UH-60M and 419 HH-60M aircraft through 2026, a total of 1,375 H-60M models. By then, the Army’s total H-60 Black Hawk fleet, including upgraded UH-60As and UH-60Ls, is expected to reach more than 2,100 helicopters. Sikorsky.

UH-60M #500

July 11/12: MYP-8. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT receives a firm-fixed-price umbrella contract to buy and provide initial support for up to 916 UH/HH/MH-60 Helicopters for the US Army and US Navy, with Foreign Military Sales options. The Pentagon announces the initial total as $2.828 billion, but Sikorsky puts the base contract’s total value at $8.5 billion. Sikorsky also breaks up the MYP-8 contract into an $8.5 billion base for 653 helicopters, plus options for up to 263 more that could push the contract as high as $11.7 billion. Interestingly, Sikorsky adds that:

“To reach the full baseline value of $8.5 billion, the services are ordering aircraft in the base agreement to be sold via the U.S. Government’s Foreign Military Sales program. These aircraft include Foreign Military Sale (FMS) UH-60M aircraft for several allied countries and MH-60R SEAHAWK anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopters for the Royal Australian Navy… BLACK HAWK and SEAHAWK aircraft deliveries under the new contract will begin this month.”

Those totals compare to $7.4 billion for 537 helicopters in MYP-7, plus 263 additional options that Sikorsky said could push the contract to $11.6 billion for 800 helicopters. Orders ended up falling well short of that total, but the options were there.

Recent DSCA requests indicate that interest in Sikorsky’s helicopters is rising, so MYP-8 looks set to produce more machines. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, but the helicopters themselves are made on 4 separate production lines located in West Palm Beach, FL, and in its Stratford, CT final assembly facility. The contract is announced by the Pentagon as running until Sept 30/16 (end of FY 2016). Sikorsky, on the other hand, cites December 2017 as the end date. Subsequent Pentagon documents continue to insist on FY 2012 – 2016, even though MYP-7 technically ended on Dec 31/12.

The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-12-C-0008). Since only Sikorsky can make those helicopters, it isn’t surprising that only 1 firm responded. See also Sikorsky.

MYP-VIII Framework

Feb 13/12: The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include a proposal for the next multi-year deal. Helicopters bought will be in basically the same configuration as MYP-VII machines, and overall savings vs. single year buys add up to $850.3 million:

“This proposed Multiyear Procurement (MYP) covers the purchase of 318 UH-60M/HH-60M BLACK HAWK aircraft and 193 Navy MH-60 helicopter airframes in FY 2012 through FY 2016 under a single, five year fixed price type contract. The MYP strategy is structured to achieve $850.3 Million (TY$) in cost savings over the five year period with $502.9M realized in the Army Aircraft Procurement Appropriation and $347.4M in the Navy Aircraft Procurement Appropriation. This proposed Joint Service multiyear contract for the procurement of Army UH-60M/HH-60M aircraft and Navy MH-60R/S aircraft follows a currently executing (FY 2007 through FY 2011) Joint Service MYP between the Army, Navy, and Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation for H-60 helicopters. The UH-60M/HH-60M,MH-60S, and MH-60R aircraft .being procured on the proposed multiyear contract are essentially the same configuration as those being procured on the current FY07-11 multiyear contract. The MYP will include a Variation in Quantity Clause allowing for minor fluctuation of aircraft quantity and provide baseline pricing for potential Foreign Military Sales. The U.S. Army and Navy met SECDEF certification requirements on March 1, 2011.”

Additional Readings

Readers with corrections, comments, or information to contribute are encouraged to contact DID’s Founding Editor, Joe Katzman. We understand the industry – you will only be publicly recognized if you tell us that it’s OK to do so.

• Sikorsky – UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter.

• Global Security – UH-60M [UH-60L+] .

• USAF – HH-60G Pave Hawk. Used for Combat Search & Rescue. The HH-60M is an Army variant with different equipment.

• Rotor & Wing (Oct 1/04) – Modern Medevac Mobilized. Covers experiences with the UH-60Q and HH-60L models, and planning for the HH-60M. A good illustration of what the new capabilities mean on the battlefield.

• DID FOCUS – MH-60R/S: The USA’s New Naval Workhorse Helicopters.

• Sikorsky – SEAHAWK(R) Helicopter. MH-60S and MH-60R naval helicopters, whose base airframe are also purchased under MYP-VII.

• Lockheed Martin – MH-60R. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the MH-60R’s unique equipment.

• Naval Technology – MH-60R Seahawk Multimission Naval Helicopter, USA.

• Naval Technology – MH-60S Knighthawk Multi-Mission Naval Helicopter, USA. Technically, it’s a Seahawk not a Knighthawk, though that was widely believed to be its distinguishing name when it was first fielded.

• DID – Sikorsky’s $7.4-11.6B “Multi-Year VII” H-60 Helicopter Contract.

• DID – Combat Rescue Helicopter competition. The 2nd attempt at replacing HH-60Gs, which will field CRH-60Ms that share many of the same limitations.

• DID – Armed & Versatile: Sikorsky’s ‘Battlehawk’ Helicopters.

Tags: myp-viii, myp-8

Americas

The US Navy contracted Huntington Ingalls Industries $118.4 million to perform modernization, repair and maintenance work on the USS Rushmore (LSD-47). LSD-47 is a Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship that transports and launches loaded amphibious craft and vehicles with their crews and embarked personnel in amphibious assaults by landing craft and amphibious vehicles. It can render limited docking repair service to small ships and craft. The Whidbey Island-class was scheduled to be decommissioned during FY 2013-2018, and the remaining ships of the class were scheduled to be retired before the end of their service lives. However, the Navy reversed its plan to decommission Whidbey Island and instead planned to modernize the ships to extend them each to a 44-year total service life. The current deal includes options, which could raise the total value of the contract to $154.2 million. Work will take place in San Diego, California, and is expected to be finished by May 2020.

The US Naval Warfare Center Weapons Division awarded Raytheon a $12.2 million for engineering test support services for the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) currently in development for the Navy EA-18G aircraft. The US Navy selected Raytheon’s ALQ-249 in 2013 to replace ALQ-99 systems used on the EA-18G airborne electronic attack aircraft. The Boeing EA-18G Growler is a carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft that entered operational service in 2009. The Growler is able to perform escort jamming as well as the traditional standoff jamming mission. Services provided under the contract include software support for NGJ pod and integration, including requirements analysis, design, development, integration, testing, training, and tools related to and in support of ALQ-249 and advanced electronic warfare initiatives. Work will take place in California and is expected to conclude in March 2024.

The Missile Defense Agency awarded Raytheon with a $14.2 million contract modification to provide continued support and engineering for the Standard Missile SM-3 Block IB program. The SM-3 is a ship-based missile system used to intercept short and intermediate range ballistic missiles as a part of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The SM-3 Block IB interceptor has an enhanced two-color infrared seeker and upgraded steering and propulsion capability that uses short bursts of precision propulsion to direct the missile toward incoming targets. It became operational in 2014. Work will take place in Tucson, Arizona and is scheduled to be completed by October this year.

The Naval Sea System Command awarded Bath Iron Works (BIW) a $10.9 million contract modification for Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class lead yard services, including engineering and technical assistance for new-construction DDG-51 class ships. The USS Arleigh Burke is a guided missile destroyer designed to be able to fulfill a land strike role with Tomahawk missiles, antiaircraft warfare role with powerful Aegis radar and surface-to-air missiles, antisubmarine warfare (ASW), with towed sonar array, anti-submarine rockets, and ASW helicopter, and anti surface warfare with a Harpoon missile launcher. The modification provides for continued lead yard services for the DDG 51 Class Destroyer Program. Lead yard services include liaison for follow ship construction, general class services, class design contractor services, class change design services for follow ships, and ship trials and post-shakedown availability support. Work will take place in Maine and other locations and is expected to conclude in July this year.

Middle East & Africa

Yesterday, Germany extended a temporary ban on arms export to Saudi Arabia until the end of March. Back in October the country froze sales of military equipment to countries involved in the Yemen Conflict, following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. About 10,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the Yemen war since March 2015. However, Germany’s arms export freeze faced criticism by EU partners, including France and Britain, because the ban has impacted joint defense projects such as the Eurofighter and Tornado jets. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas explained that not only will permits no longer be issued but products with permits already granted will not be delivered to Saudi Arabia. Maas said, the decision to extend the ban came after evaluation of the current developments in Yemen.

Europe

The US Air Force achieved full operational capability of the the MQ-9 Reaper at Miroslawiec Air Base in Poland. The General Atomics-developed remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) have been operating out of Poland since May. The UAV is capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. The Reaper is a larger, heavier, and more capable aircraft than its predecessor, the MQ-1 Predator. It is planned to be in service into the 2030s. Air Forces in Europe christened a new set of facilities at Miroslawiec Air Base, Poland on March 1 to help accommodate the Air National Guardsmen and contractors operating Reapers there. The Air Force chose Poland for the mission because of its strategic location in Europe. RPA aircraft are now operated by both contractors and US military personnel. The US military now shares control of the Reapers at Miroslawiec during takeoff, flight and aircraft recovery with the contractors.

The US Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $91.9 million option to a previously awarded contract for MK 44 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 guided missile round pack and spare replacement components. RAM is a ship self-defense weapon designed to protect ships of all sizes, ranging from 500-ton fast attack craft to 95,000-ton aircraft carriers. The lightweight, supersonic, quick-reaction, fire-and-forget weapon is designed to attack enemy helicopters, aircraft, and surface craft. RAM Block 2 has a large rocket motor, advanced control section, and an enhanced RF receiver, which is able to detect quiet threat emitters. It is more maneuverable and has longer range than its predecessors. The MK 44 guided missile round pack and the MK 49 guided missile launching system, which hold 21 missiles, comprise the MK 31 guided missile weapon system. An International Cooperative Program between the US and Federal Republic of Germany’s governments co-developed and co-produced RAM Guided Missile Weapon System. Work will take place in Germany as well as various locations within the US and is scheduled to be completed by November 2021.

Asia-Pacific

Northrop Grumman finished the 500th center fuselage for the F-35 Lightning II. Designated AU-18, the 500th F-35 center fuselage is for a conventional takeoff and landing variant for the Royal Australian Air Force. The center fuselage is a core structure of the F-35 and is designed and produced on Northrop Grumman’s integrated assembly line. While Lockheed Martin is the industry lead for the F-35 program, Northrop Grumman plays a key role in the development, modernization and sustainment of the F-35. Besides producing the center fuselage and wing skins for the aircraft, the company develops, produces and maintains several sensor systems, avionics, mission systems and mission-planning software, pilot and maintainer training systems, electronic warfare simulation test capability, and low-observable technologies. Northrop Grumman began production on the AU-18 center fuselage in June 2018 and completed work on February 21st.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) will likely adopt a land-based, mobile missile system, capable of firing Poly Defense’s CM-501GA precision-guided missile and CM-501XA loitering munition, a source told Jane’s. The system will reportedly be introduced into the Chinese military in two configurations: on a 6×6 armored personnel carrier, and on the CSK181 series of mine-resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicles. The 2 m-long CM-501GA is a non-line-of-sight missile. It is able to engage both stationary and moving targets at a distance between 5 and 40 km. The missile uses a combined TV/imaging infrared seeker for terminal guidance. The 2 m-long CM-501XA loitering munition is designed to engage stationary and moving targets at distances greater than 70 km.

Today’s Video

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