Defense`s Feeds

Super Tucano

Embraer’s EMB-314 Super Tucano trainer and light attack turboprop continues to rack up global orders, solidifying its position as the globe’s pre-eminent manned counter-insurgency aircraft. The latest order set of about $180 million expands the plane’s footprint into 3 African states: Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania. They join Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Indonesia as customers for this aircraft.

The Super Tucano is known as the A-29 or ALX in Brazil, but abroad, it’s the EMB 314 successor to Embraer’s widely-used EMB 312 Tucano trainer. A-29 is better for marketing, though, and Embraer is trying to shift the designation. The Super Tucano offers better flight performance than the EMB 312 Tucano, plus armoring and wing-mounted machine guns, weapons integration with advanced surveillance and targeting pods, precision-guided bombs, and even air-to-air missiles. This makes it an excellent territorial defense and close support plane for low-budget air forces, as well as a surveillance asset with armed attack capability. Brazil uses it this way, for instance, alongside very advanced EMB-145 airborne radar and maritime patrol jet platforms. Meanwhile, in Africa…

Contracts & Key Events

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In March 2012, Embraer announced that the total value of all 3 contracts to Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania comes to “more than $180 million” for around 10 planes. This includes “extensive” support, training, and replacement parts packages.

In April 2013, they announced a 4th customer: Senegal, and Ghana joined that list in 2014.

In January 2015, the United Arab Emirates committed UAE to procure a couple dozen Super Tucanos on behalf of Iraq in a deal that is not quite settled.

Angola

Angolan EMB-314
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Angola sits far down Africa’s southwestern coast. The regime maintains a sizable and advanced fighter force by African standards, at least on paper. Questions abound as to how many of the of those Soviet and Russian fighters are still operational. They have ordered 6 Super Tucanos for counter-insurgency roles, which will join 6 ex-Peruvian EMB-312 Tucanos that were bought in 2002.

Angola is an authoritarian regime, and the country’s economy would be in desperate shape if not for recent oil drilling activity off of its coasts. A 2010 report by the conservative US Heritage Foundation tabbed Angola as China’s #1 supplier of oil, passing Saudi Arabia. As is so often true in Africa, the next question involves how much of that oil wealth is ever seen by the population at large. The country went through a long civil war that lasted from the 1980s to 2002, and the northern enclave of Cabinda is still a focus of separatist activity.

Jan 31/13: The first 3 Super Tucanos are formally handed over to the National Air Force of Angloa, at a ceremony held in Embraer’s Gaviao Peixoto facility near Sao Paulo, Brazil.

These first 3 aircraft were to be delivered in 2012, so they’re a bit late. Angola is far from Mali’s headline making war, but as noted above, the country has its own problems. Embraer.

Burkina Faso

This landlocked country in West Africa had already received their 3 Super Tucanos by the time the arch 2012 announcement was made, and were using them on border patrol missions. Adding the Super Tucanos gives the country operational fixed-wing combat aircraft again, though they’re also an AT-802 Air Tractor customer. The AT-802U variant can easily be reconfigured for armed roles, or act as the locust sprayer the country’s AT-802 was purchased to be. In that part of the world, the locusts are a security risk that can easily measure up to any regional turmoil.

Burkina Faso has a good record of free and fair elections by African standards, and dealt with widespread spring 2011 protests through the political process. Its neighbors are Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, and Togo.

In March 2012, we wrote that “some of [these neighbors] harbor regional turmoil that risks spilling over. The Super Tucanos should help to keep an eye on things, and provide a low-key deterrent to trouble.” Things certainly have spilled over in Mali, and the conflict is not confined to that country’s borders. Burkina Faso is a member of the USA’s Trans-Sahara Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP), and its Super Tucanos are probably fairly busy at the moment.

Ghana

Ghana sits directly south of Burkina Faso, between the Ivory Coast and Togo. Until recently lauded as a model of development among its sub-Saharan peers, the country has been facing rising inflation and public deficits as of late. A mounting backlog of unpaid wages to defense and security contractors has been piling up. Piracy has also been booming in the Gulf of Guinea, with an oil tanker gone missing for a week off the coast of Ghana in June 2014.

Mark Owen Woyongo, at the time Minister of Defense, first said in March 2014 that the acquisition of 6 Super Tucanos was under consideration, for use at a flying school to be built in Tamale, Ghana’s 3rd city. President John Dramani Mahama then confirmed in November 2014 that the country would buy an unspecified quantity of Super Tucanos, along with Chinese Z-9 helicopters, more M-17 Russian helos, and an additional C-295 tactical transport. The Z-9s are expected to be delivered in June 2015 at the forthcoming Tamale training base. The Super Tucanos are meant to be used for training and attack.

Confirmation came on 18 February from President John Dramani Mahama, indicating that five Super Tucanos will be purchased, along with the Z-9s and other equipment.

December 14/15: Ghana is set to increase it’s fleet of Embraer Super Tucanos in 2016. The order of four more of the aircraft will see a previous contract increase to nine in total. The acquisition is also to include logisitical support and training for pilots as well as maintenance training for mechanics. The announcement comes as the Ghanaian government has been improving the capabilities of its air force to support troops participating in UN peace keeping missions in the region.

Mauritania

Mauritanian EMB-314
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This country, which sits on Africa’s northwest coasts, is simply mentioned as a customer that “chose the A-29 Super Tucano to carry out counter-insurgency missions.” The country has a very small air force, and its 3-4 ex-French EMB 312 Tucano aircraft are old. Given the overall order total given, and generally understood costs for the Super Tucano, they may have bought just 1 aircraft.

The country is active in the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom – Trans Sahara (OEF-TS), including operations across borders in cooperation with its neighbor Mali, and has fought a number of skirmishes in Mauritania with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. This has been a balancing act for the USA, which has also issued reports citing Mauritania’s Arab rulers for organized repression of its black population, up to and including slavery and human trafficking. That’s a very old pattern for the area, but it’s even more distressing to current sensibilities.

It wasn’t distressing enough to block sales, however, even in a racially mixed country like Brazil.

Oct 22/12: Embraer hands over “the first light attack and advanced training A-29 Super Tucano turboprops to the Air Force of Mauritania”, for use in “border surveillance missions.” The handover ceremony takes place at Embraer’s Sao Paulo facility, and their use of the plural form is interesting. Embraer.

Nigeria

April 11/17: The Trump administration is moving ahead with a plan to sell as much as $600 million worth of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and related equipment to help the Nigerian Air Force in their fight against the jihadist group Boko Haram. Initial permission had been granted under the previous Obama administration but was put on hold following Nigeria’s bombing of a refugee camp in January. Congress is expected to receive notification on the sale of 12 Super Tucanos and sophisticated targeting gear within weeks, and Trump plans to go ahead with other foreign defense sales delayed under Obama by human rights concerns.

May 9/16: Approval is being sought by the Pentagon for the sale of up to 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria in order to increase military support for the West African nation’s fight against Boko Haram militants. Congress, which needs to approve the sale, has not yet been notified of the foreign military sale. Increased support from Washington comes as new Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari moves to reform a government and military notorious for graft and corruption.

Senegal

April 10/13: The Senegalese Air Force signs a contract for 3 A-29 Super Tucano light attack/ advanced training turboprops. The order includes operation and the installation of a training system for pilots and mechanics (TOSS) within Senegal, which will create an independent national training capability – and possibly even a regional capability, if other A-29 customers nearby make arrangements. The cost isn’t revealed, but financing will be handled by Brazil’s BNDES National Economic and Social Development Bank (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Economico e Social).

Embraer’s release states that the planes will be deployed on “border surveillance and internal security missions.” Senegal is a former french colony that sits just below A-29 operator Mauritania, on Africa’s west coast. Its other neighbor is Mali, which was recently the subject of a multinational fight against salafist Islamists, led by the French. If you cross southern Mali, you immediately reach another A-29 customer in Burkina Faso. Embraer.

Mali

April 9/20: Crash One of the Malian Armed Forces’ four Embraer EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops crashed on April 7. The FAMa announced details of the crash later that day, saying it happened near Sévaré Camp in central Mali. The Malian Air Force’s Base Aérienne 102 is located at Sévaré Airport. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Brigadier General Souleymane Doucouré held a press conference during which he identified the aircraft (TZ-04) and the two Malian pilots who were killed.

Additional Readings

• DID – Africa: The Next Defense Market Opportunity?

Americas

Thales announced a series of measures to deal with the Covid-19 crisis, which include: significant reduction in discretionary spending; strengthening of actions to control working capital requirements; deferral of non-critical investments; maintaining the continuity of critical and strategic client services; and paid leave during the lockdown period, sharp reduction of temporary work. “This crisis is currently seriously disrupting production chains and project execution,” Patrice Caine, CEO, said. The Board therefore has decided to modify its 2019 dividend proposal. The dividend proposal will be limited to the interim dividend of 0.60 euros per share already paid in December 2019, allowing the Group to avoid a cash outflow of around 430 million euros. The AGM will take place on 6 May 2020 behind closed doors at the head office. Additionally, Thales announced the withdrawal of 2020 financial outlook. The company noted that, currently, it is impossible to quantify the financial impact of the crisis.

The US Air Force deployed over 120 medical personnel to New Jersey to help fight the coronavirus outbreak on 48 hours’ notice. Over 40 doctors, 70 nurses and 13 respiratory technicians left their home stations for Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, outside New York City. After processing at the US Northern Command’s Joint Forces Land Component Command, they headed to the Javits Center, where a coalition of military and civilian builders is constructing an emergency hospital which house 4,000 beds by Tuesday. The Reserves’ Force Generation Center, in use since 2010, is responsible for the quick deployment, the Air Force said in a statement on April 6. It serves as a deployment cell, a 24/7 air operations center and a crisis action team manager for the Air Force Reserve.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won a $68 million contract action for the F-15 Qatar program. The deal supports the Foreign Military Sales requirement for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. It also provides maintenance and logistics support for aircraft and training devices conducting pre-delivery training. In August 2019, Boeing was awarded a $500 million contract to provide aircrew and maintenance training for the Qatari Emiri Air Forces fleet of 36 F-15QAs. Qatar had signed a $12 billion deal with the US government for 36 F-15QAs in June 2017 in a deal widely seen to save the F-15 product line. The F-15QA is similar to Saudi Arabias F-15SA Advanced Eagle, which includes Raytheons APG-63(V)3 AESA radar, fly-by-wire control systems and 11 under-wing weapons stations. Work will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. Work its expected to be completed by December 21, 2021.

Europe

The UK Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Portland has become the first ship of its class to be fitted with the Sonar 2150 hull-mounted medium-frequency sonar. Ultra Electronics Command & Sonar Systems won a $33 million contract in 2014 by the UK Ministry of Defense to deliver the Sonar 2050 Technology Refresh (S2050TR) program. The S2050TR was established to address obsolescence in the legacy Thales Sonar 2050 system, reduce in-service support costs, and introduce a modern, sustainable commercial off-the-shelf-based architecture. The new system, subsequently given the designation Sonar 2150, is to equip the RN’s eight anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-roled Type 23 frigates. These ships are already fitted with the long-range Thales Sonar 2087 low-frequency active/passive variable depth sonar system.

Russia sent a transport aircraft with medical supplies to the United States. The country also dispatched a team of military virologists to Serbia to stem the spread of Covid-19, according to the country’s ministry of defense and top officials. An Aerospace Forces (VKS) An-124-100 transport delivered medical supplies and equipment to John F Kennedy airport in New York on April 1 to fight Covid-19. Russia’s UN envoy Dmitry Polyanskiy said the delivery comprised mainly of medical protective equipment, the costs of which Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova added were shared equally between the US and the Russian Direct Investment Fund. The aircraft returned to Russia on April 2. The country also begun assisting Serbia’s antivirus efforts, with 11 VKS Il-76 airlifters transporting 87 military medics and virologists, medical equipment, 16 vehicles, and medical protective kit to Batajnica airbase in Serbia

Asia-Pacific

Five Indian Army special forces personnel have been killed in hand-to-hand combat with five suspected militants in a forested and snow-bound area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Indian governments Press Information Bureau stated that the soldiers had been deployed in an operation along the LoC where they engaged “Pakistan-supported infiltrators in a close quarter battle in heavy snow, neutralizing the entire batch of five militants”. All five soldiers also lost their lives as a result of the engagement, three on the spot. The two others succumbed to their injuries as they were being airlifted to a nearby military hospital – said the PIB on April 6.

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Following calls for proposals launched by the European Defence Agency (EDA) in 2019, seven new defence research projects have been selected for funding under the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) for a total of more than €19 million.  

The seven selected projects focus on technologies with a high disruptive potential in the defence sector such as artificial intelligence and quantum technologies, as well as critical defence technologies for electronic warfare and interoperability standards for military unmanned systems.

The consortia that submitted the selected proposals consist of 65 leading-edge European system integrators, original equipment manufacturers, high-tech MidCap and SMEs and research institutes located in 15 EU Member States. EDA will now start Grant Agreement preparations with the consortia of the top-ranking proposals. The Grant Agreements are foreseen to be signed in the second half of 2020.

Background  

PADR implementation is run by the European Defence Agency following the mandate of a Delegation Agreement between the European Commission and EDA signed on 31st May 2017. By this agreement the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects to be launched within the PADR. The first PADR calls for proposals were launched in 2017 for 25 M€, followed by calls in 2018 for 40 M€ and subsequently in 2019.

The Preparatory Action on Defence Research is a concrete step aimed at assessing and demonstrating the added value of EU supported defence research and technology (R&T). The relevant results are expected to further deepen European defence cooperation, addressing capability shortfalls, and to strengthen European defence stakeholders.

More information

• Factsheet on selected projects
• EDA Webpage on PADR
• European Commission | Press Release: European Defence Fund: EU funds new joint research and industrial projects 

Americas

Thales Defense won a $8 million contract for H-60 reel and cable assemblies. The UH-60 Black Hawk, developed by Sikorsky, has been operational in the US Army since 1978. Black Hawk helicopters have logged over four million flying hours, including a diverse range of combat missions in Grenada, Panama, in the liberation of Kuwait, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and numerous humanitarian and rescue missions including operations in Bosnia. The deal is a one-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Maryland, with a September 30, 2021, performance completion date.

BAE Systems has received a $200.3 million contract from the US Navy to drydock and perform nearly 18 months of maintenance and modernization work aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4). The USS Boxer is a Wasp Class amphibious assault ship. The drydocking of USS Boxer will be the first time the company’s San Diego shipyard will use its 950-foot-long Pride of California drydock to service a large-deck warship. BAE Systems’ San Diego shipyard will begin working aboard the 843-foot-long USS Boxer in June 2020. Under the awarded contract, BAE Systems will upgrade the ship to support and operate Joint Strike Fighters on-board; perform hull, tank and mechanical work; and make other shipboard improvements. The shipyard is expected to complete its work aboard the 25-year-old ship in December 2021. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $207.48 million.

Middle East & Africa

An F-15E on a combat mission over the Middle East encountered a rare emergency on both engines in January but the crew was able to fly the aircraft to an emergency divert location. Jonathan Kipp, weapons system officer, from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron led a two-ship of F-15Es on a close air support mission. Four hours into the flight, the crew experienced problems. The datalink and air-to-air distance measuring equipment that improve situational awareness on their wingman were both inoperative. Finally, coalition ground control radar was temporarily down, meaning they were not getting updates on where other aircraft were in the area. This left them with only one way to locate their wingman, their radar.

Europe

Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, the Netherlands, and Portugal have all committed troops to a new French-led special forces mission in the Sahel region called Task Force Takuba. The Takuba Task Force should reportedly reach its initial operational capacity in the summer of 2020 and its full operational capacity in early 2021. The Takuba Task Force will be able, by its structure, to act quickly and adapt to the evolution of the threat posed by terrorist groups. It will play a key role in the rapid empowerment of local armed forces. The taskforce will mainly consist of European special forces backed by the necessary support assets. It will be under the command of France’s Operation ‘Barkhane’ regional counter-insurgency mission, but will have a high level of autonomy. It will work closely with the G5 Sahel Joint Force that is made up of battalions from Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger.

Asia-Pacific

The 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Group of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has completed its move to Miyako-jima. The 7th Antiaircraft Artillery Group of the ground-to-air missile unit relocated from Takematsu Garrison in Nagasaki Prefecture. It operates a Type 03 medium-range surface-to-air missile (Medium SAM). The Japanese Ministry of Defense revealed on March 26 that the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force has deployed surface-to-air and anti-ship missile batteries along with about 340 troops to Miyakojima Island in Okinawa Prefecture to bolster the country’s defense capabilities amid China’s growing assertiveness near the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands in the East China Sea.

Kazakhstan is ramping up the involvement of its military in the fight against the outbreak of the coronavirus in the Central Asian country. In a statement the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Nur-Sultan said the Kazakh military is now “intensively involved in the maintenance of the state of emergency” in the country, adding that approximately 1,000 troops are being deployed to “disinfect facilities, man roadblocks, and carry out patrols” in Almaty – the country’s largest city – alone. On March 19 the Kazakh military also began setting up roadblocks in the streets leading in and out of both Nur-Sultan and Almaty.

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Americas

The US Air Force has come to an agreement with Boeing for the final KC-46A Pegasus Remote Vision System design. Two agreements were reached on April 2 to be incorporated in the KC-46 contract. The first Memorandum of Agreement institutes the redesign and retrofit of RVS 2.0 in full compliance with the contract requirements at no additional cost to the government. This agreement addresses deficiencies that hindered safe and effective refueling operations. The other agreement is to previously withheld contract payments to help Boeing counter Covid-19 impacts. This amount is worth $882 million for 33 KC-46s delivered so far. Within 120 days, the Air Force and Boeing will conduct an expedited process to determine final specification compliance or non-compliance.

Huntington Ingalls Industries won a $1.5 billion contract modification for the procurement of the detail design and construction of Landing Platform Dock (LPD) Class 31 and the LPD 17 Flight II ship. LPD 31 will be the 15th in the San Antonio class and the second Flight II LPD. Ingalls’ LPD Flight II program vendor base consists of more than 600 manufacturers and suppliers in 39 states, including 387 small businesses. More than 1,500 shipbuilders work on each LPD. Ingalls has delivered 11 San Antonio class ships to the Navy, and it has three more under construction. The San Antonio class is a major part of the Navy’s 21st century amphibious assault force. Work will take place in Mississippi, Virginia, Wisconsin and Louisiana. Work is expected to be finished by February 2027.

Middle East & Africa

Tornado reconnaissance aircraft of Tactical Air Force Wing 33 returned to their home base at Büchel from Al-Asraq, Jordan, on April 2, the Bundeswehr announced. Their homecoming ended a four-year mission against the Islamic State, starting from Incirlik, Turkey, in January 2016, and continuing from Al-Asraq starting in October 2017. During that period, the four Luftwaffe Tornados clocked up 7,500 flying hours during 2,467 missions, including more than 870 from Al-Asraq, collecting about 114,000 images for Operation ‘Inherent Resolve’, according to the Bundeswehr.

Europe

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $512 million contract for F-16 Block 70 production for the Republic of Bulgaria. This contract value includes $4,185,516 of pre-priced options. The contract provides for the production of eight F-16 Block 70 aircraft. The F-16 Block 70 and Block 72 aircraft variants combine capability upgrades, most notably the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, with new avionics architecture and structural upgrades to extend the structural life of the aircraft. Nations like the United States, Belgium, Israel, South Korea, Poland, Portugal, Turkey and others have deployed this aircraft in their arsenal. Work related to the deal will be completed in Fort Worth, Texas, and Greenville, South Carolina,, Estimated completion date is January 31, 2027.

Boeing delivered the first of14 new-build CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to be built to the latest US Army standard to the Netherlands, the manufacturer announced on April 3. The helicopter, which is the first to be built for the Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) with the advanced digital cockpit, was formally handed over at Boeing’s production facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As noted by Boeing, delivery of the remaining aircraft is expected to continue into 2021. The Netherlands currently fields 11 CH-47D helicopters that it first received in 1995 and six early-standard CH-47F helicopters that began arriving in 2012. Boeing is also to temporarily suspend production activities at its Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, facilities – the location of the CH-47’s final assembly line – for two weeks after the end of the working day on April 3, due to measures adopted during the coronavirus pandemic.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea is working hard to prepare its RQ-4fleet for initial operations this year. An anonymous military source told Yonhap that work is progressing smoothly. South Korea brought in the RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in December and has been working to put it in operation. A reconnaissance squadron was established in charge of the asset that month. Under a 2011 deal with the United States, South Korea purchased four units. The remaining three had been expected to arrive here in the first half of this year, but the schedule is not fixed, according to officials.

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Americas

Lockheed Martin won an $818.2 million contract modification for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Lot 17 and 18 production. The deal provides for 360 Lot 17 JASSM-Extended Range (ER) missiles; 40 Lot 17 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) JASSM-ER missiles; and 390 Lot 18 JASSM-ER missiles. The JASSM is a long range, conventional, stealthy, air-launched ground attack cruise missile designed for the Air Force and international partners with a range of 223-621.4 miles. JASSM was designed to destroy high-value, well-defended, fixed and re-locatable targets. The threshold integration aircraft were F-16, B-52, and F/A-18 E/F. Work will take place in Orlando, Florida. Expected completion date is October 31, 2024.

Boeing won an $11.1 million contract modification for F-15C and F-15E Mission Training Centers (MTC) services on contractor furnished, high-fidelity simulation equipment. Contractor will provide the simulation capability to train pilots and weapons system operators for F-15C and F-15E aircraft platforms. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity.The F-15 Eagle has been the US Air Force’s primary fighter jet aircraft and intercept platform for decades. The Eagle’s air superiority is achieved through a mixture of unprecedented maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. Work will take place at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina; Mountain Home, Idaho; Langley, Virginia; Kadena Air Base, Japan; and Royal Air Force, Lakenheath, England, and is expected to be completed by December 31 2020.

Middle East & Africa

Ivory Coast Air Force has taken delivery of two second-hand Mi-8P helicopters. Their registrations are TU-VHL and TU-VHN. The country plans to use the helos to assist with coronavirus mitigation efforts. The aircraft were delivered to the Force Aerienne de la Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast Air Force) in mid-March and were seen transiting Palma de Mallorca Airport in Spain on March 14 during their ferry flight to Abidjan. The helicopters will be operated by the Groupe Aérien de Transport et de Liaison (Air Transport and Liaison Group), based at Abidjan-Port Bouet Airport. The Mi-8Ps were built before 1993 and are configured for VIP transport.

Europe

A pair of British Army Wildcat helicopters have been shuttling in and out of Derby on March 31. An army spokesperson confirmed that the helicopters were on “Covid-19 related tasking.” Derby Telegraph says the operation is given the code name Rescript. Aircraft from the Army Air Corps based at RNAS Yeovilton will provide assistance to the government where needed across the southeast and southwest UK. Additional helicopters from RAF Odiham and RAF Benson will also be mobilized. The twin-engine AW159 multirole helicopter has logged over 50,000 flight hours, with more than 70 being operated by the British Army, RN, South Korean Navy and Philippine Navy.

Asia-Pacific

The United States Department of State has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to South Korea for certain upgrades to the Republic of Korea Air Force’s (ROKAF) F-16 Block 32 aircraft. The approval covers the transfer of Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) packages and Link 16 Tactical Datalink (TDL) equipment. An IFF system allows military aircraft to use on-board radar to discriminate friendly aircraft; advanced IFF systems can also determine an aircraft’s bearing and speed. IFFs contribute to the prevention of friendly fire incidents and enhance command and control for large fleets of aircraft. South Korea is a US treaty ally and the US State Department noted that the “proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by meeting legitimate security and defense needs of one of the US’s closest allies in the INDOPACOM Theater.” The primary contractor on the sale will be Lockheed Martin.

Myanmar’s Armed Forces (Tadmadaw) have officially rejected calls from foreign governments and local ethnic rebels for a ceasefire to facilitate a response to stem the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus in the Southeast Asian country. Brigadier General Zaw Min Tun, spokesperson for the True News Information Team (TNIT), the Tatmadaw’s public relations wing, noted on April 2 that the ceasefire proposals were “not realistic,” adding that insurgent groups engaged in hostilities with the Tatmadaw “just have to follow the law”. The TNIT response came a day after the ambassadors to Myanmar of 10 European countries, the European Union, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States issued a joint appeal for a cessation of hostilities, the resolution of grievances through dialogue, and a lifting of Internet and media restrictions. The Rakhine conflict is underway in western Myanmar in the Rakhine and Chin states since 2015 between the ethnic Arakan Army and the Tatmadaw.

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Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $4.7 billion contract modification for the procurement of 78 F-35 combat aircraft (48 F-35A combat aircraft for the Air Force, 14 F-35B combat aircraft for the Marine Corps, 16 F-35C fighter aircraft for the Navy) and associated aircraft red gear. The contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD. The majority of the work related to the deal will be carried out in Fort Worth, TX. The F-35 is a fifth-generation single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole jet fighter-bomber designed to perform ground attack, aerial reconnaissance, and air defense missions. It is one of the most advanced combat jets in the world. The order involves 48 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jet aircraft for the US Air Force for operation from conventional long runways; 14 F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) jet aircraft for the US Marine Corps for operation from small ships and unimproved runways; and 16 F-35C reinforced aircraft with folding wings for the US Navy for aircraft carrier operations. Work will take place in Texas, California, the UK, Florida, New Hampshire and Maryland. Estimated completion will be by March 2023.

Lockheed Martin won a $90 million deal, which provides requirements development, technical analysis, engineering and integration support for the H-60 aircraft. The Sikorsky H-60 is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter. Variants of the Black Hawk 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 Defence 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. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Work will take place in Oswego, New York. Expected completion will be by March 2028.

Middle East & Africa

The US Air Force Life Cycle awarded a $91 million contract to Universal Propulsion for multiple national stock numbers for Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices. The deal provides for use in the egress systems of Air Force B-1, B-2, F-22, F-117, QF-16, and U-2 aircraft; Air Force, Navy, and Foreign Military Sales C-17, F-15, F-5, QF-4, T-37 and T-38 aircraft, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration aircraft. Universal Propulsion designs and manufactures aircraft ejection systems. The Company products include air crew escape systems, sequencing systems, ejection seats and related components. Aircraft Interior Products Propulsion Systems serves customers worldwide. The contract involves foreign military sales to Bahrain, Chile, Greece, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia and Turkey. Work will take place in Fairfield, California. Expected completion will be by March 1, 2027.

Europe

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $22.9 million deal that integrates the government of Belgium into the F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft enterprise. In October 2018, Belgium became 13th nation in the world to join the program when it picked the F-35A jet to replace its aging F-16s. Earlier that year, the US State Department approved a $6.5 billion deal to sell 34 F-35 fighters to Brussels. The F-35A beat Eurofighter in a close contest to win the deal, mainly owing to its ability to drop US-made B-61 nuclear bombs and superior stealth features. This is part of the government of Belgium’s $5.1 billion agreement with the US government for the procurement of the F-35 air system. Work is expected to be complete by September 2023.

The US Air Force Life Cycle awarded Lockheed Martin a $8.5 million modification for C-130J support. The deal is for long term sustainment for France’s C-130J aircraft. The Lockheed Martin C-130 is US Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The C-130J Hercules is the latest model, featuring a glass cockpit, digital avionics and a new propulsion system with a six-bladed propeller. Back in February the second of two Lockheed Martin KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refueling aircraft arrived in France. Work under the contract modification will take place in Marietta, Georgia and is expected to be finished by January 31, 2021.

Asia-Pacific

BAE Systems Land & Armaments won a $99.4 million contract modification or MK 41 Vertical Launching System canister production and ancillary hardware. This modification combines purchases for the Navy and the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program. A VLS canister functions as a missile shipping container and a launch tube when loaded into system modules. The branch initially awarded BAE a $954.5M contract in February to manufacture and update canisters as well as provide spares and support equipment. Work will take place in South Dakota and Minnesota. Expected completion will be by April 2022.

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Americas

General Electric won a $215 million modification for the procurement of 48 F414-GE-400 install engines and engine devices for the Navy Super Hornet F/A-18 warfare aircraft. The F414-GE-400 combines the proven reliability, maintainability and operability of its successful F404 predecessor with advanced technologies to provide the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with up to 35 percent more thrust and significant improvements in aircraft performance, survivability and payload. F414-GE-400 engines also power Boeing’s EA18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, also operational with the United States Navy. Work will take place in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Kentucky. Expected completion will be by August 2022.

Raytheon Missile Systems won a $17.1 million contract modification to exercise options in support of the fiscal 2020 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Block 2 low rate initial production requirements. The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile designed and manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems. The missile is currently in service with the US Navy and some of the 12 NATO Sea Sparrow consortium nations. It offers naval combatants reliable self-defense and high fire-power. The missile can be launched from surface ships to destroy threats that include high speed, highly maneuvering anti-ship cruise missiles, low-velocity air threats (LVATs), high-diving threats and surface-based targets. Work is expected to be complete by March 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Raytheon Missile Systems won a $146.1 million contract for Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2/2A Guided Missile Round Pack and spare replacement components. This contract combines purchases for the US Navy, Germany as well as the governments of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Turkey. The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense weapon against antiship cruise missiles. Work is expected to be complete by June 2025.

The US Navy awarded Marvin Engineering a $25.3 million modification to procure 428 F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G BRU-32 ejector bomb racks for the Navy and the government of Kuwait. The BRU-32 bomb rack is a gas operated ejector rack with dual ejector pistons. It weighs 76 pounds, incorporate 14- and 30-inch suspension hooks and can accommodate single stores or multiple carriage racks. The bomb rack features an electrical fuze safety interlock, automatic sway bracing and store sensing switches. Work will take place in Inglewood, California. Expected completion will be by July 2023.

Europe

Airbus has temporarily closed its operations in Spain in line with a royal decree limiting movement and industrial activity in the country. The company announced this on March, 30. The move will see all non-essential work at its Spanish facilities cease until April 9 as the country’s government battles the coronavirus. In terms of Airbus’ industrial footprint in Spain, this will most dramatically affect the Airbus Defence and Space (DS) CN235, C295 and A400M assembly lines in Seville in the south of the country, and the A300 MultiRole Tanker Transport (MRTT) conversion facility in Getafe, near Madrid. In addition, Airbus Helicopters’ NH90 and Tiger facilities will be similarly affected.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing won a $1.6 billion modification, which procures 18 Lot 11 P-8A maritime aircraft for the Navy, the government of New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea Navy and Royal New Zealand Air Force acquired the aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive the same P-8A Poseidon variant designed and produced for the US Navy. The Royal New Zealand Air Force is expected to begin receiving aircraft in 2022 and the Republic of Korea Navy is expected to begin receiving aircraft in 2023. The P-8 is a long-range multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations. It is a military derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation airplane. The procurement also includes a segregable effort consisting of unknown obsolescence for Lot 11, Class 1 change assessment and obsolescence monitoring as well as non-recurring engineering for the Republic of Korea. Work will take place in Washington, California, Arizona, Alabama and Texas. Estimated completion will be by October 2023.

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Americas

Raytheon Missile Systems won a $493.4 million contract, which provides for recertification and modernization of Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) Block IV all-up round missiles to include the integration of navigation and communication kits that result in a modernized TACTOM Block V missile. The Tomahawk is a mature missile weapons system. The current version, called the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk, or TACTOM, has a data link that allows it to switch targets while in flight. It can loiter for hours and change course instantly on command. The US Navy wants to recertify and modernize the missile, extending its service life by 15 years, and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series. Work ist expected to be complete in September 2023. Also, Raytheon Missile Systems, is awarded a $147,8 million contract for the full rate production and delivery of 90 Lot 16 Block V Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) All Up Round (AUR) Vertical Launch System missiles and other hardware and related services for the Navy. Additionally, this contract procures TACTOM Block IV AUR recertification AGR-4 Spares. Estimated completion date will be in August 2022.

Lockheed Martin won a $137 million contract for the US and UK and provides Strategic Weapon System Trident Fleet Support, Trident II Strategic Systems Programs, Shipboard Integration (SSI) Increment 8, SSI Increment 16, Columbia Class and UK Dreadnought Navigation Subsystem development efforts. Trident ist a submarine-launched ballistic missile. It is equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. Work will take place in New York, California, Florida and Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by November 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The Islamic State Central Africa Province claimed responsibility for a raid that overran security forces in Mocímboa da Praia in northern Mozambique, highlighting the growing strength of the Islamist insurgency in the north of the country. Mocímboa da Praia is a coastal town about 60 km south of the ‘Gas City’ that is being established on the Afungi peninsula to exploit the vast natural gas reserves recently discovered in Cabo Delgado, a comparatively poor and predominantly Muslim province. National police chief Bernadino Rafael announced at a press conference that “groups of criminals” had attacked the town and that “the defense and security forces are doing everything in their power to restore peace and order”.

Europe

Raytheon won a $104.7 million contract for radar system spare parts for the P-8 aircraft. The P-8A is a a militarized version of the Boeing 737 commercial aircraft. It has an active multi-static and passive acoustic sensor system, inverse synthetic aperture radar, new electronic support measures system, new electro-optical/infrared sensor and a digital magnetic anomaly detector. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated performance completion date is September 8. 2023. Using customers are Navy, United Kingdom, Norway and South Korea. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Navy working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds.

Russian plant Myasishchev has completed the modifications to a An-140-100 for aerial photography work, UAC Russia announced. The aircraft will soon undergo flight testing. The twin-engined aircraft has been adapted with specialized equipment for cartographic work. The modernized aircraft will soon have to undergo checks and begin test flights. A series of comprehensive tests is to be carried out under different conditions on the ground and in the air to confirm the safety and reliability of the structure and the operability of the installed equipment.

Asia-Pacific

Rolls Royce won a $14.3 million order, which provides for organizational level maintenance for AE1107C engines, parts provisioning, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force training as well as a field service representative, sustain engineering, logistics analysis and authorized military overhaul facility support for the government of Japan. The AE 1107C engine is a 7,000shp turboshaft. Work will take place in Indiana and Japan. Work is expected to be complete by June 2023.  Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

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Americas

QTC Medical Service won A $999 million contract to provide commercial health services for the Reserve Health Readiness Program-III. The Reserve Health Readiness Program is a Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency program that helps to supplement the Reserve Components’ readiness mission and satisfy key deployment requirements by providing medical and dental services to all Reserve Component forces. The Defense Health Agency established the program for military reserve components to access periodic health assessment, post-deployment health reassessment and individual medical readiness services. The Army Contracting Command received three bids for the Reserve Health Readiness Program-III support contract via an online solicitation. Work locations as well as funding will be determines with each order. Estimated completion date is March 25, 2025.

Sikorsky Aircraft won a $125.4 million for a firm-fixed-price advanced acquisition contract to procure long lead items for low-rate initial production of the seven Lot 5 CH-53K heavy-lift aircraft. The CH-53K is designed to transport US Marines, heavy equipment and supplies from amphibious assaults to destinations ashore. Work will take place in Stratford, Connecticut. Expected completion will be by August 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Several european countries have announced the temporary withdrawal of their troops from the anti-Islamic State (IS) coalition and NATO Training Mission in Iraq. The withdrawals follow an announcement by Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) on March 20 that it had ceased training Iraqi security forces to reduce the spread of COVID-19 following a decision by the Iraqi military to suspend its own training. The French Armed Forces Ministry announced that it would withdraw about 100 troops involved in the training ‘pillar’ of Operation ‘Chammal’ in Iraq and national support elements from the OIR headquarters in Baghdad the next day until the situation allows the resumption of these activities. However, the ministry said it would continue the fight against Islamic State with personnel in OIR structures in Kuwait and Qatar, the French maritime deployment, and air support from Jordan and Qatar.

Europe

Germany has decided to adopt the American F/A-18F Super Hornet as well as additional fighters of the Eurofighter Typhoon. for their recent program to acquire a strike fighter to replace their fleet of Panavia Tornados. Currently, German plans to procure ninety Eurofighters, and forty-five Super Hornets to replace ninety Tornados. The Super Hornet also has a dedicated electronic warfare variant, the EA-18 Growler, of which fifteen will be procured as part of the contract.

Asia-Pacific

Japan’s defense minister Taro Kono told reporters on March 27 that his ministry will decide on the development of the successor to the F-2 fighter by end of this year. Kono said Tokyo is still undecided between selecting US or UK as joint development partners. He said the new fighter needs to have strong network capabilities and carry more missiles than the F-35.

Australia is still planning to hold exercise Pitch Black at RAAF Darwin in July despite the current COVID-19 travel restrictions, Australian Defence reports. Besides the usual participants from South East Asia, Japan Air Self Defense Force is expected to make its exercise debut by sending its F-2 fighters there. However, the exercise could still be canceled as the Australian Defense Department is reevaluating the status of upcoming events. “In line with the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and Australian Government, Defense is currently reconsidering the status of its upcoming events, including Exercise Pitch Black to ensure the safety of personnel involved“, a spokesperson said.

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Americas

Raytheon won a $9.9 million modification for fiscal 2020 production of Aegis modernization (AMOD) requirements. The contract modification covers the production of spy transmitter ordnance alteration kits for the multi-mission signal processor, radio frequency coherent combiner, sidewall capacitor and travelling wave tubes. The AMOD program fields combat system upgrades will enhance the anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense capabilities of Aegis equipped DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers and CG 47 Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The Aegis Modernization program effectively extends the life of in-service Aegis ships as they age. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by December 2021.

Allison Transmission won a $68.5 million contract for new X1100 Abrams transmissions, transmission upgrades, transmission sustainment kits and service support.  Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. The X1100 series of transmission systems houses two reverse ranges, four forward ranges and a cross-drive design that consolidates braking and steering features into a compact rugged device. Work locations will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is March 23, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

The first Somali National Army battalion to be trained by the British Army graduated on March 18. “Over 400 SNA soldiers have been trained over 12 months forming the first battalion,” the UK Embassy in Somalia announced the following day. At the graduation ceremony the UK handed over a military barrack that will house up to 450 Somali troops and act as the military headquarters for the 8th Brigade in South West State.”South West State is one of Somalia’s six federal states. The new barrack is located in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region. Training began in January 2019, with the new Baidoa Security Training Centre being completed in the following month.

Europe

According to Jane’s, Saab has shifted the focus of its Gripen E/F testing away from basic flight trials towards the aircraft’s tactical and sensor suites as the program ramps up ahead of the first upcoming deliveries to Sweden and Brazil. Speaking at Saab’s annual Gripen Seminar on March 26, the company’s head of the programme, Eddy de la Motte, said that, with flight-characteristic tests having proceeded to plan, the focus is now on validating the aircraft’s mission systems. The Gripen E/F is fitted with the Selex ES-05 Raven active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and the Selex ES 60 Skyward G-IRST. The company also announced on March 26, that it has performed the first metal cut for the two-seater fighter aircraft Gripen F, marking an important milestone in the program. Gripen F is under development for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and shares the same advanced design and features as Gripen E, but with seat, displays and controls for a second crew member.

British Army personnel have been delivering vital supplies to the staff of the National Health Service. Fifty British Army personnel have begun delivering supplies to frontline NHS staff battling the coronavirus pandemic. The soldiers are distributing kits known as personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, safety glasses, gloves, aprons and protective suits. Recently, the Ministry of Defense confirmed that they plan to put an additional 10,000 military personnel at a higher readiness and place Reserves on standby to support public services as part of a new ‘COVID Support Force’, the Defense Secretary has announced.

Asia-Pacific

Valiant Global Defense Services won a $16.3 million modification for Korea Battle Simulation Center operations and wide area networking support services for US Forces Korea. Valiant Integrated Services provides security services. The 411th Contracting Support Brigade of the US Forces Korea is the contracting activity and the project will be via the FY2020 Army operations and maintenance budget. Work will take place in South Korea. Estimated completion date is March 31, 2025.

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The European Defence Agency today issued a call for applications from parties interested in participating in the 2020 edition of the ‘EDA Defence Innovation Prize’ contest rewarding companies and research entities who come up with innovative and ground-breaking technologies, products, processes or services applicable in the defence domain.

This year’s contest will reward innovative defence-related ideas addressing the area of innovative solutions/technologies for the countering of swarms of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), specifically on the protection of static and dynamic land facilities and platforms.

Applicants are expected to propose ideas which, if implemented between now and 2030, would contribute to enhance Member States’ defence capabilities specifically related to:

• the detection and identification of swarms of small drones (many units acting in a coordinated manner); 
• mitigation measures incorporating the capability to intercept, disable and neutralise hostile vehicles;
• and the minimising of collateral damage.

The winning idea/concept will be worth 30,000€.
 

Reaching out to non-traditional defence innovators 

The contest is not only open to dedicated and specialised defence companies but to ALL types of industries and research institutions in Europe. The objective is to reach out to the widest possible spectrum of innovative developers and producers - especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) - as well as research organisations and universities which are usually not (or not directly) involved in traditional defence R&D activities. Applications from dual-use and civil/commercial innovators and researchers are even particularly encouraged.

The deadline for submissions is 4 September 2020 (5pm Brussels time).

The rules of the contest and the criteria for participation are available here. Information on how to apply can also be found in the contest documentation under the link above.

The prize winners will be notified not later than October 2020. The Defence Innovation Prize award ceremony is scheduled to take place at the EDA Annual Conference 2020, early December, in Brussels.
 

Background

EDA organises its Defence Innovation Prize since 2018. The previous editions rewarded the most innovative ideas or applications related to: - the integration of multi-robot swarming concepts in support of future defence capabilities in the area of Guidance, Navigation and Control (first part of 2018 call); - autonomous detection, identification and monitoring/sampling/analysis through sensor and platform networking in the area of CBRN protection technologies and techniques (second part of 2018 call); - the use of Artificial Intelligence in defence (2019).
 

More information

• Call for applications
• EDA Defence Innovation Prize webpage

 

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $832.8 million contract modification to exercise an option for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support the US government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Foreign Military Sales case requirements. The THAAD interceptors and associated one-shot devices will be procured under fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element provides the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) with a globally transportable, rapidly deployable capability to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. Work will take place in Texas, California, Alabama and Arkansas. Estimated completion date is April 1, 2026.

BAE Systems has received a $339 million order from the Army to deliver 48 M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers, the company’s latest deal since the program was approved for full-rate production in February. The M109A7 SPH and M992A3 CAT vehicle set is a vital program enhancement for increased combat capability and sustainment of the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs). The program offers enhanced indirect-fire artillery capabilities to the ABCTs with new technologies for power generation and survivability.

Middle East & Africa

The UK Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic display team has cancelled its annual oversea training deployment due to the coronavirus, and will review its air display commitments for the 2020 season. The decision was announced by the RAF on March 24. It will see the BAE Systems Hawk T1-based display team remain at their homebase of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire when they would normally decamp to Greece over the coming weeks to take advantage of the good weather conditions. “Given the current restrictions in the UK and many European partner nations to contain the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the decision has been taken not to send the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, overseas for work-up training this year,” the RAF said in a statement.

Europe

The Spanish Ministry of Defense has utilized an Airbus-owned and operated A400M transport aircraft to deliver face masks to help combat the coronavirus. The airlift, which took place the day prior to Airbus’ announcement on 24 March, saw aircraft MSN56 fly “thousands” of masks from the company’s Toulouse headquarters in southern France to Getafe Air Base near Madrid, in Spain. As noted by Airbus, the masks which were part of a consignment of two million delivered to Europe from China, are destined for use in the Spanish health system. “This air-bridge will enable the delivery of a significant supply of masks to the Spanish public health network in support of current Covid-19 crisis efforts. This comes on top of donations by Airbus in recent days to provide thousands of masks to hospitals and public services around Europe. The company will continue to provide support with additional flights planned to take place in the coming days in co-ordination with national authorities,” the company said in a statement.

Asia-Pacific

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has confirmed that the company is negotiating with Hillwood Aviation for the purchase of four to eight T-50A advanced jet trainers. The US Air Force’s Air Combat Command plans to lease those jets from Hillwood Aviation to train its fighter pilots at their future operational bases. According to a notice posted online by the US General Services Administration in January, the US Air Combat Command plans to contract Hillwood Aviation to provide four to eight of KAI’s T-50A Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer aircraft to help its aviators develop relevant tactical skills before they begin their formal training with the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk.

India is now leasing aerial refueling tankers instead of buying them, Hindustan Times reported. High costs had derailed two previous attempts to acquire new tankers to supplement the Il-78 fleet. Two anonymous sources said leasing the tankers will be more financially viable. India is still exploring whether to wet or dry lease the aircraft. The doors to leasing military hardware were opened for the first time last week with the government unveiling a draft policy on arms acquisition that allows the armed forces to go in for leased capability to cut down on costs associated with purchasing weapons and systems.

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Americas

The FlightSafety Services on a $25 million contract for a multi-country KC-46 aircrew and maintenance simulator training. The contractor will provide KC-46 aircrew and maintenance training to support the U.S. government and Air Force Security Assistance Training international partners’ mission objectives. The KC-46 is built as an empty 767 airframe in Everett, Wash., then transferred to the south end of Paine Field, called the Military Delivery Center. The jet’s military systems, including the refueling and communications equipment, are installed there. The KC-46 Pegasus is a wide body, multi-role tanker that is capable of carrying a fuel capacity of 212,000 pounds. Work will take place at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Estimated completion will be in September 2026.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $29.7 million modification for program management office and engineering services in support of the Surface Ship Undersea Warfare System model AN/SQQ-89(V). The AN/SQQ-89 Undersea Warfare Combat System is a naval anti-submarine warfare system for surface warships developed. The system presents an integrated picture of the tactical situation by receiving, combining and processing active and passive sensor data from the hull-mounted array, towed array and sonobuoys. Work will take place in Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania. Expected completion will be by March 2021.

Middle East & Africa

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) revealed the installation of new avionics in an Alpha Jet it has reactivated when the aircraft was recommissioned by the 407 Air Combat Training Group at Kainji Air Base on March 21. According to Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the avionics upgrade is the first of its kind on the Alpha Jet. It has also significantly improved the aircraft navigation and communications systems, thus increasing safety, reliability, and overall efficiency.

Europe

All over Europe, armies are mobilizing against the outbreak of the coronavirus. UK military chiefs have been ordered to make preparations to call thousands of ex-service personnel back into the Armed Forces to fill gaps in their 20,000-strong force dedicated to support civilian agencies during the Covid-19 crisis if its members start falling sick. According to the Financial Times, the Armed Forces have placed up to 20,000 troops on standby as part of a “covid support force” which could set up makeshift hospitals in vacant hotels and help police officers. A group of 150 military personnel are due to start training next week in how to drive oxygen tankers in order to support the National Health Service’s treatment of coronavirus patients requiring ventilation and critical care.

The British Army announced they have suspended face-to-face recruiting and basic training operations. The Army says training will continue vie online learning tools after face-to-face interaction was postponed indefinitely. An army spokesman said the “virtual platoons” will use the existing Defense Learning Environment, an online portal to which all soldiers have access. No recruits will be ordered to go home. If personnel are worried about spreading or catching the virus, or of placing family members at risk, they will be able to continue living in training barracks, the spokesman said.

Asia-Pacific

North Korea appears to have once again test-fired the same type of short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), similar in appearance to some of the missiles used by the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), it had launched on August 10 and 16 2019. Although no further details were provided about the road-mobile system, images released by the media outlet showed that two missiles were fired from a tracked transporter-erector-launcher. The move, which marked North Korea’s third firing of SRBMs this year, is a further indication that Pyongyang continues to modernize its tactical missile systems. The country had tested its super-large multiple rocket launcher from its eastern regions on and March 2 and 9, after having tested the SRBM system four times in 2019.

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Americas

BAE Systems won an $8.6 million contract modification, which provides for the procurement of 20 E-2 parachute survival ensemble units and 130 FLU-10 inflators for the Navy, in addition to 60 E-2 parachute survival ensemble units and 70 FLU-10 inflators for the government of Japan. The E-2 Hawkeye is the Navy’s all-weather, carrier-based tactical battle management airborne early warning, command and control aircraft. The E-2 is a twin engine, five crewmember, high-wing turboprop aircraft with a 24-foot diameter radar rotodome attached to the upper fuselage. Work will take place in Phoenix, Arizona and Orchard Park, New York. Estimated completion will be in November 2023.

Oshkosh Defense LLC won a $17.4 million contract modification to exercise an option covering priced man-hours, labor, material and fees on material for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) system technical support JLTV retrofit efforts. Estimated completion date is December 30, 2020. The company also won a $16.8 million modification to exercise options for packaged kits for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles with an expected completion date of November 30, 2023. Oshkosh Defense is a global leader in the design, production and sustainment of best-in-class military vehicles and mobility systems. The company developed its JLTV for the US Army and Marine Corps, to replace the aging fleet of High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV/Humvee). Work will take place in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

Middle East & Africa

Russia and Turkey are negotiating the possible delivery of an additional batch of S-400 Triumf air-defense systems to Ankara, the director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS), Dmitry Shugayev, said on March 16. He reported that the negotiations are at an advanced stage and technical issues have been agreed. “We are planning to sign the second contract for the S-400s in the foreseeable future. This deal suggests some involvement of the Turkish side in the production of hardware,” said Shugayev, describing the co-operation with Turkey as “mutually beneficial”. Turkey has received a first S-400 regiment and its crews are being trained.

Europe

Leading aerospace companies have responded to the UK government’s call to develop and build ventilators to help cope with the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Airbus and GKN are set to join other aerospace and automotive companies to develop and build a ventilator prototype in the coming days, ahead of large-scale production within a month. Other aerospace companies named at this stage comprise Meggitt, Thales, and Renishaw, while McLaren and Nissan are to lead two separate consortia from the automotive sector. According to the Financial Times (FT) which first reported the development, the three consortia aim to manufacture 5,000 ventilators urgently, with a further 30,000 to follow in time. The Birmingham-based research centre High Value Manufacturing Catapult is to lead the overall effort, which is being backed by the UK government’s business ministry.

Both the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) and the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) scheduled for later this year were cancelled within minutes of each other on March 20. The organizers of FIA said that the 2020 running of the biennial event, which was due to take place from July 20 to 24, will not now happen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. At about the same time, the organizers of RIAT, which was due to take place from July 17 to 19, said the same thing. The FIA and RIAT events are arguably the two most important gatherings in the UK aviation calendar and the loss of both will come as a huge setback to the industry.

Asia-Pacific

India has won a $40 million defense deal to supply military radars to Armenia. Under the deal, India will supply four indigenously-built weapons-locating radars to Armenia. Russian and Polish firms were also in the race for the deal. The supply of the equipment to Armenia has already begun under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and this is being considered as a big achievement. Reports also stated that Armenia had conducted various trials of the systems offered by Russia and Poland. Even though the Russian and Polish systems were good, they decided to ahead with the reliability of the Indian system.

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The year 2019 was another busy and productive year for the European Defence Agency, one worth to be looked back at. The 2019 Annual Report, published today, provides a good overview of the work accomplished in EDA’s various activity domains throughout the past year.   

The report reflects the progress made in the wide spectrum of the Agency’s activities, from its central role in the implementation of the EU defence initiatives (CARD, PESCO, EDF) and the increasing number of defence research and capability development projects and programmes, to the launch of new enablers and incentives for defence cooperation and EDA’s growing interface role towards wider EU policies. 

The PDF version of the 2019 Annual Report can be downloaded here.

 

Americas

Lockheed Martin Space won a $601.3 million modification for the submarine-launched ballistic missile (model) Trident II D5 production and deployed systems support. The Trident D5 or UGM-133A Trident II is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the American and British navies. It was first deployed in March 1990. A total of 14 US Navy submarines are armed with Trident II ballistic missiles, each carrying 24 missiles. The Trident missile has a range from 6,400 to 11,250 km. The dimensions of the Trident II missile are 1,360 cm long with a diameter of 210 cm, and the weight is 59,000 kg. The Trident II missile is deployed aboard Ohio-class submarines, each capable of carrying 24 missiles. Under the provisions of the Polaris Sales Agreement, it is also carried aboard the United Kingdom’s Vanguard-class submarines. Work will take place in Utah, California, Colorado, Florida and Virginia. Estimated completion will be in September 2024.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $98.7 million contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Component Based Total Ship System – 21st Century -(LCS COMBATSS-21); and associated combat system elements. The work includes development, integration, test and delivery of future combat system baseline upgrades for in-service ships, supporting ship integration, installation and checkout, developmental test/operational test, developing training and logistics products, providing field technical support for combat systems, providing hardware engineering, equipment procurement and providing life-cycle supportability engineering and fleet support for fielded baselines. The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 1). It is a steel monohull design constructed by Lockheed Martin in the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. Work will take place in Virginia and Florida as well as various other locations.

Middle East & Africa

Environmental Chemical Corp. won a $9.8 million task order modification under the global contingency construction, multiple award contract for the exercise of Option One, which provides for the design, fabrication, transportation and installation of a waterside obstacle system at Mina Salman, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain. Environmental Chemical Corporation is a chemical solution manufacturer. The Company supplies industrial chemical products such as metal cleaners, drain cleaners, and polishes to commercial organization. Work will take place at Mina Salman, NSA Bahrain and estimated completion will be by August 2020.

Europe

France is taking measures to assure people are staying inside during the coronavirus-crisis. The european country is calling up helicopters and drones to boost the government’s attempts to keep people in their homes, police officials said Saturday. One helicopter was already in use on Saturday, hovering above major Paris parks to ensure that confinement rules were respected. Meanwhile the French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly announced on March 18 that the army, armed forces medical services, and air force would help fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The Army’s medical regiment is preparing a military mobile intensive care unit that will be deployed in the following days in Mulhouse next to the town’s hospital. Eastern France is one of the areas of the country that has been most impacted by the virus.

Asia-Pacific

The Hindu is reporting that four P-8I that India is buying will be delivered starting from May. The Indian Navy had exercise its option for the four aircraft as part of its purchase for 8 P-8Is. Delivery of the new aircraft is expected to be completed by 2022. These systems are available to India following the conclusion of the foundational agreement Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the US. In November 2019, the Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the procurement of six additional P-8I aircraft. These aircraft, for which the deal is being processed, would come fitted with the encrypted systems as and when they are delivered.

India is fast-tracking negotiations to acquire 10 Russian-made Kamov Ka-31 ‘Helix’ airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) helicopters in time for the expected commissioning in 2021 of Vikrant, the Indian Navy’s indigenously designed aircraft carrier. The Indian Navy wants to finalize the Ka-31 import, which was approved by the Ministry of Defense in May 2019 for an estimated $478.8 million, given that up to four of the AEW&C platforms are expected to be embarked on the 37,750-tonne carrier.

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Tag: Operation Irini

“North Macedonia is now part of the NATO family, a family of 30 nations and almost 1 billion people. A family based on the certainty that, no matter what challenges we face, we are all stronger and safer together," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski said: "We cannot rejoice and mark the event as it should [be marked] … But, this is a historic success that after three decades of independence, finally confirms Macedonian security and guarantees our future. Congratulations to all of you! We deserve it!”

Pendarovski signed the so-called instrument of accession after Spain earlier in the week became the last alliance member to ratify the former Yugoslav republic’s membership.

Since gaining independence, one of the strategic goals of the country was to join NATO, as was stated in 1993, and the relationship with Alliance was always marked by close cooperation. North Macedonia joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP) in 1995, and in 1999 the country submitted its first Membership Action Plan. Furthermore, North Macedonia deployed troops in support of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan from 2002 to end 2014 and is currently supporting the follow-on Resolute Support mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces. Before that, the country was a key partner in supporting NATO-led operations in Kosovo in 1999, as well as to provide logistical support to the Kosovo Force (KFOR) mission.

The 20th NATO Summit in Bucharest in 2008 was more than symbolic, as it was expected that Albania, Croatia and (then) Macedonia would receive an invitation to join NATO. However, although Albania and Croatia did receive the invitation and became members a year later.

It marks the end of a long quest for the former Yugoslav republic. Joining NATO and the European Union has been a priority for its leaders, but a dispute with neighboring Greece over the country’s name stalled progress for more than two decades. North Macedonia previously was known as FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), a name it shared with a Greek province. Under a 2017 deal with Athens, the country changed its name and Greece agreed to drop objections to its NATO and eventual EU membership.

On the other hand, Kržalovski thinks that until now the participation of North Macedonia in NATO mission was symbolic.

“We have also increased defense part of the budget, though we are not at the level of 2% of the GDP yet. As a small country, both the requirements and expectations from other members are not so high, and our participation so far in NATO missions were rather symbolic, although we have participated with a relatively high number of soldiers in proportion to the overall size of the Army”, explains Kržalovski.

The budget increase that he mentions is DEN 10,133,000,000 for 2020, or about 1.4% of North Macedonia’s total GDP, which is an increase over 2019 when it was about 1.19% of total GDP. Interestingly, this is a third year of the defense budget increase, but it is still far from the prescribed 2% of BDP. However, this is not a major problem, as many current NATO members have not fulfilled this provision.

Source

Americas

Colonna Shipyards won an $8.9 million deal for an 80-day shipyard availability for the emergency dry-docking of Navy Ship Spearhead (T-EPF 1). The Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport shipbuilding program to provide “a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intratheater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a shallow draft, all aluminum, commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift, providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances. Work will take place in Norfolk, Virginia and is expected to be finished 2020.

DoD is slated to receive $8.3 billion to fight COVID-19 in a new White House request, Breaking Defense reports. Not one of the Navy’s 82 ships currently underway has received coronavirus test kits for their crews. “There are currently no FDA approved testing platforms that are suitable for placement on forward operating Naval Ships,” a Navy official told Breaking Defense. The Navy official also said the fleet has three ships “with preventative medicine teams aboard with portable testing machines. These machines are currently only approved to do surveillance testing for COVID-19.” That testing can detect signs of different illnesses, but cannot identify COVID-19. Currently, only one aircraft carrier, an amphibious ship, and the USS Blue Ridge command ship have the surveillance test machines. Meanwhile the New York Times reports that the virus is spreading across the Navy with military medical investigators probing what officials say is the second confirmed coronavirus test tied to the crew of the amphibious warship Boxer.The coronavirus pandemic has caused over 8,000 deaths worldwide.

Middle East & Africa

Construction Helicopters won a $34 million task order modification, which provides continued support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization Air Command-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command. The services provide dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force. The services provide dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force. Work will take place in Afghanistan. Option period of performance is from March 19, 2020 to March 18, 2021.

Navistar Defense won an $11.4 million Foreign Military Sale to Iraq. The deal provides for 6×6 and 4×4 general transport trucks, recovery vehicles, and spare parts. Work will take place in Springfield, Ohio, and Ooltewah, Tennessee. Estimated complete date is February 28, 2021. The US Army Contacting Command is the contracting activity.

Europe

According to Jane’s, the Eurofighter consortium has a strategy in place to ensure that work across its four national production lines continues amidst the worsening coronavirus crisis. The deliveries to the four partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK are all recently completed. The pan-European consortium has now introduced plans to protect the delivery of its outstanding orders for Kuwait and Qatar. The program-of-record (PoR) for the Eurofighter partner nations of 160 aircraft for the UK, 143 for Germany, 96 for Italy, and 73 for Spain was concluded in January. The export orders of 15 aircraft for Austria, 12 for Oman, and 72 for Saudi Arabia, had already been delivered, leaving an outstanding backlog of 28 aircraft for Kuwait and 24 for Qatar. To satisfy these Kuwaiti and Qatari orders, all four national production lines will manufacture parts, with final assembly to take place at Caselle and Warton respectively. The delivery of these two orders, expected from late 2020 to 2023 for Kuwait and from 2022 to an unspecified date in the mid-2020s for Qatar, will conclude the 623-aircraft PoR for the partner nations and export customers.

Asia-Pacific

Recent reports might be hinting that the company’s JL-9 advanced jet trainer will soon be converted for carrier-borne operations. The company said it will secure naval Mountain Eagle (JL-9) development and production victory. Of note, the JL-9 is in service with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) as a land-based trainer. Having been already delivered to the Chinese Navy, the naval version of the JL-9 is now training aircraft carrier jet pilots on land-based airfields, but China still does not have an aircraft carrier-based trainer aircraft that can take off and land on an actual carrier.

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