Defense`s Feeds

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $108,3 million deal for the Mk21A Reentry Vehicle program. The contract is to conduct technology maturation and risk reduction to provide a low technical risk and affordable RV capable of delivering the W87-1 warhead from the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Weapon System. The Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center has determined it necessary to develop a Reentry Vehicle for the W87-1 warhead that will be deployed on the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent Weapon System. The W87 is a thermonuclear missile warhead. Work will take place in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania and is expected to be finished by October 2022.

The first Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft to go into space has been delivered to Sierra Nevada Corporation for final assembly and testing. It was built by Lockheed Martin. The spacecraft’s two wings and cargo module are to be delivered later. The schedule calls for the Dream Chaser to launch into orbit as early as September 2021. At a media event at a company facility, SNC took possession of the primary structure of the first orbital Dream Chaser vehicle. That structure was recently shipped from a Lockheed facility in Fort Worth, Texas, to SNC. Lockheed Martin contributed to the construction using both its space and aeronautics expertise, the latter coming from a facility that makes composite structures for the F-35 fighter aircraft.

Middle East & Africa

US F-15s and Apache attack helicopters carried out a ‘show of force’ near Ayn Issa, Syria after Turkish militia came close to a US base, threatening troops there. The incident underscores the complex battlefield in Syria as 1,000 American troops are withdrawing from the country in the middle of fighting between Turkish forces and Syrian Kurds. The Turkish-backed fighters had violated an agreement with the US to not get too close to US forces and threaten them, officials said. The US military also formally contacted the Turkish military to protest the risk posed to the American forces by the nearby presence of Turkish-backed fighters.

India delivered the final two of four refurbished Russian-built Mil Mi-24 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters it had promised the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) in early 2018 to boost their counter-insurgency capabilities. The two Mi-24Vs, which were purchased from Belarus, were officially handed over by Vinay Kumar, India’s ambassador to Afghanistan, during a ceremony held on October 15 at the Afghan Air Force (AAF) base in Kabul, according to the Indian Embassy in Kabul. These helicopters are a replacement for the four attack helicopters previously gifted by India to Afghanistan in 2015 and 2016. In March 2018 Afghanistan’s then-ambassador to India, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, told the Hindustan Times newspaper that the Mi-24s were being acquired under a trilateral agreement signed between Afghanistan, Belarus, and India.

Europe

News reports say Bulgaria’s deputy prime minister and defense minister has floated the idea of buying the KAI T-50 and set up an assembly line for the aircraft locally. KAI developed the T-50 Trainer with US Lockheed Martin from 1997-2006. This helped the Bulgarian government select the trainer. The T-50 is 13.14 meters long, 9.45 meters wide and 4.94 meters tall and weighs 6.3 ton, which is 77 percent of the F-16 weight. It runs on the F404-GE-102 engine, which is used for the US FA-18 model. The T-50 features a high speed of Mach 1.5, a rare speed for a trainer and the latest digital flight system. The F-50 is evaluated suitable for so-called fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 and the F-22. It has a maximum flying range of 2,592 kilometers and a maximum flight altitude of 16 kilometers.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing, StandardAero and AAR Aircraft Services each won a contract modification in support of the P-8A Poseidon. Boeing and StandardAero will provide CFM56-7B27A/3 and CFM56-7B27AE engine depot maintenance and repair, field assessment, maintenance repair and overhaul engine repair, and technical assistance for removal and replacement of engines for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft in support of the Navy, the government of Australia and Foreign Military Sales customers. AAr Aircraft Services will provide P-8A Poseidon aircraft depot scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, fulfillment of depot in-service repair/planner and estimator requirements, technical directive incorporation, airframe modifications, aircraft on ground support, and removal and replacement of engines in support of the Navy, the government of Australia and Foreign Military Sales customers. Boeing won $193.3 million, StandardAero was awarded $174.7 million and AAR won $44.9 million. Work is expected to be complete by October next year.

Today’s Video

Watch: AUSA 2019 News Show Daily Association of United States Army Defense Exhibition Washington DC Day1

A joint EDA-NATO Air-to-Air Refuelling (AAR) Conference, the first of its kind in this format, was opened this morning by the Dutch Minister of Defence, Ank Bijleveld (who spoke via video message), NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Defence Investment, Camille Grand, and EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq. It followed a successful first European AAR conference organised by EDA last year.

The event, moderated by the Chairman of the Aerial Refuelling Systems Advisory Group (ARSAG), General John Sams, brought together key decision-makers from the EU and NATO as well as the wider transatlantic and international AAR community, including industry, to discuss current and future challenges and coordinate efforts in this important domain. Among the high-level speakers of the conference were notably Major General Laurent Marboef, the commander of the European Air Transport Command (EATC), Major General Jose Maria Juanas from the Spanish Air Force, Colonel Juergen Wallwei from the German Military Aviation Authority and Dave Benson from the US Air Force Aerial Refueling Certification Agency (ARCA).

A special focus was put on ways and means to enhance euro-atlantic AAR interoperability. Throughout the day,  the topic was presented, discussed and analysed in various sessions dealing with different aspects, from the optimisation of existing capabilities and the development of new capabilities to the operational and industrial implications of it.

In his opening speech, Jorge Domecq praised the good cooperation between EDA, NATO and ARSAG in such crucial a domain than air-to-air refuelling. “This is yet another testimony of pragmatic cooperation, to ensure complementarity of efforts and avoid unnecessary duplications, as called for by the EU-NATO Joint Declaration”, Mr Domecq said.  

Over recent years, important progress has been made in order to mitigate the important capability gap Europe still has in the field of AAR (establishment of a Multinational MRTT Fleet, AAR exercises organised by the European Air Transport Command, gradual entrance into service of the A440M, successful clearance campaigns between A400M tankers and various receivers, etc.), “but it is not sufficient”, the EDA Chief Executive stressed: “What we really need is to ensure that the AAR shortfall, like capability gaps in other areas, is addressed in a more systematic way”. Therefore, the fact that AAR was reconfirmed as one of the EU Capability Development Priorities (it is embedded in the wider Air Superiority priority) which were approved by EU Member States in 2018, in full complementarity with NATO’s NDPP, will enable the continuation of this effort.  Work is now underway to implement the priorities, including the AAR related one, through Strategic Context Cases (SCCs). 
 

Challenges in the short, medium and long term

“In the short-term, the main challenge is to optimise the use of the existing AAR assets available in Europe, and we can do that through, for example, increased participation in annual European AAR Training (EART). But we can also increase interoperability by increasing AAR clearances - because a tanker without a clearance is not a tanker”, said Mr Domecq who also stressed that the certification of AAR is clearly an airworthiness aspect. In this respect, he welcomed that airworthiness authorities in the AAR field now realise and agree on the fact that “the technical assessment of an AAR clearance is their responsibility”. In the medium-term, the challenge is to cover the peak demand in AAR during the initial phase of an operation or conflict when air superiority is not yet assured, for instance by expanding the MMF fleet. “EDA stands ready to assist interested Member States in the process to explore their potential participation in this important project”, Mr Domecq said.  And finally, in the longer term, the challenge is to close the remaining capability gap, both in strategic and tactical AAR, including by developing automated/autonomous air to air refuelling systems (A3R) as a useful complement to manned AAR capabilities. “It is evident that the future of AAR will be automated”. 

EDA will organise a workshop on 28 January 2020 to bring together Member States and industry to discuss the way ahead on this topic.

 
More information: 

• AAR Conference paper
• Speech by EDA Chief executive Jorge Domecq
• Video message by Dutch Minister of Defence Ank Bijleveld
• Speech by NATO Assistant SG for Defence Investment, Camille Grand

 

Americas

Sikorsky won a $7.9 million firm-fixed-price delivery order that procures 36 improved nacelles production kits in support of the CH-53E in-service aircraft. The CH-53E Super Stallion is a heavy-lift helicopter. It was developed from the CH-53 Sea Stallion mainly by adding a third engine, adding a seventh blade to the main rotor and canting the tail rotor 20 degrees. A total of 172 Super Stallions have been delivered and 165 are in service with marine corps squadrons in the Pacific Fleet and in the Atlantic Fleet. King Stallion is currently being developed from the Super Stallion. It will be the largest and heaviest helicopter in the US Army. Work under the delivery order in support of the CH-53E will take place in Stratford, Connecticut and estimated completion will be in May 2022.

Robert Strider, deputy director of Army hypersonic programs told the Association of the United States Army on Monday that deployment of a long-range hypersonic weapon system by the US Army is expected by 2023. “We’re going to field an experimental prototype with residual combat capability by 2023“, he said. Hypersonic missiles will be capable of reaching the top of the Earth’s atmosphere, remaining beyond the range of air and missile defense systems, until they are ready to strike. They will be designed for accuracy, speed, survivability and maneuverability, according to the Army, and are supposed to strike anywhere in the world within minutes. Design of the missiles and the launching platforms is overseen by the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office, whose focus has been on hypersonic devices since 2018.

Middle East & Africa

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed closer defense equipment co-operation with Saudi Arabia on his first visit to the country since 2007, BBC reports. In talks with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in Riyadh on October 14, Putin discussed the possibility of cooperating in the area of military technology. Defense discussions in the past have included the possible purchase and future deployment of Russia’s S-400 air defense missile system, which would be something of a diplomatic blow to the USA. It is not known, if the recent talks included the missile system. The Saudis have also invited Russia to participate in the ongoing international investigation into the September 14 drone and missile attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Europe

The Czech Republic is in discussions to export more Aero Vodochody L-39 Albatros basic trainer/light attack jet aircraft to Cambodia, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said on October 14. Speaking in Prague during a visit by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Babis noted “the possibility of co-operation in the defense industry, for example Cambodia has Czech L-39 aircraft, which I see as a good point of contact for further co-operation in this area”. The Royal Cambodian Air Force currently operates a fleet of five L-39s. The first was delivered in 1996, so upgrades or replacements are needed. Hun Sen said he discussed the potential procurement of “three or four” new L-39s, “and we continue to discuss this”.

Asia-Pacific

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force is sending a C-130H to Panagarh, India for exercise Shinyuu Maitri with the Indian Air Force. The exercise will commence on October 17. It ends on the 23rd. At the Counter Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte, 25 soldiers from each side will train together on counter-terrorism measures whereas, in the Shinyuu Maitri air exercise at Panagarh, the focus would be on tactical operations with botth sides using aircraft — C-130J by the IAF and C-130H by Japan — used in special operations. The C-130H aircraft is the military’s primary combat delivery aircraft and has provided humanitarian assistance, precision airdrop and tactical airlift across the globe for more than 40 years. The C-130 has been around since the Vietnam War, forming the backbone of the US Air Force’s tactical airlift fleet. It is especially well-suited to austere conditions like those found throughout Afghanistan. The H models performed fantastic work in the area of responsibility. The C-130J is a comprehensive update of the C-130 Hercules.

Raytheon will be partnering with Korean Air to pursue the Republic of Korea’s Air Force’s Intelligence Surveillance Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance program. Based on the Global 6500 business jet, Raytheon will be the prime contractor and provide sensors for the aircraft. Korean Air will deliver design, logistics and life cycle support services. Under the agreement, Raytheon will provide multiple-intelligence, or Multi-INT, technologies for the aircraft. Through the partnership, Raytheon intends to meet ROKAF’s need for an ISTAR aircraft solution to improve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

Today’s Video

Watch: HNLMS Karel Doorman – Incredibly, This Warship Has Dual Nationalities: Netherlands and Germany

Americas

BAE Systems has unveiled the RAVEN Countermeasure System that will protect combat vehicles from missile threats. Ryan Edwards, business development manager for Soldier and Vehicle Electronics at BAE System, says the RAVEN, which is a directable infrared countermeasure, can be “easily tailored to any vehicle, mission, or budget.” The RAVEN Countermeasure system, is a rugged, reliable laser-based countermeasure capable of defeating a variety of guided missile threats. The system is lightweight, modular, and scalable, and provides armed forces with efficient vehicle protection in a small, cost-efficient package. It is specifically designed for capability growth to address future threats as they emerge.

Bell, part of American conglomerate Textron, displayed mock-up of its new rotorcraft, 360 Invictus, during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) National Conference, Defence Blog reports. The Bell 360, say company officials, combines high cruise speeds and long-range functionality mixed with maneuverability. Personnel in the new helicopter will be able to collect and develop data to keep troops on the ground informed regarding conditions, which enables better decision-making. The 360 Invictus is Bell’s answer to the US Army’s requirements for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey’s indigenous Hisar-A low-altitude air defense missile system will soon enter mass production. The system recently completed testing. Hisar-A System has a modular design comprising Search Radar & Identification friend or foe (IFF), Infrared Sensors & Laser Range Finder, Data Link, Vertically Launcher & Bi-Pulsed Air Defense Missile with IIR seeker. Hisar missiles are defense weapons developed to protect military bases, ports, facilities, and troops against aerial threats as well as to meet the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces for a low- and medium-altitude air defense security system. While the Hisar’s radar, command and control, and fire control systems are developed by Aselsan, Roketsan developed the missile system. The Hisar-A and Hisar-O are expected to be in service by 2020 and 2021, respectively. Defense Industry President Ismail Demir announced that the mass production of the project will start soon. “Hisar-A low-altitude air defense missile system domestically developed by ASELSAN and ROKETSAN has successfully destroyed the target with 100% accuracy in the final tests,” Demir said on Twitter.

Europe

French Armed Forces (Defence) Minister Florence Parly tweeted on October 10 that she had signed a letter of intent with her Greek counterpart, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, for the acquisition of two Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention (FDI) defense and intervention frigates to equip the Hellenic Navy starting in 2023. However, Panagiotopoulos declared to the press that there was “a long way to go” before an agreement is reached regarding the final (technical) configuration of the frigates. France is procuring five FDIs of its own under the „Loi de Programmation Militaire“ 2019-2025 military funding program in a program conducted by the „Direction Générale de l’Armement“, the French armament procurement agency, in co-operation with the French Navy, Naval Group, Thales, and MBDA. The Armed Forces Ministry expects the FDI to account for one-third of French frigates by 2030, with the first two to be delivered in 2025.

Asia-Pacific

Singapore’s F-15 fighter jet training program in USA’s Idaho turns 10 years old, Defense News reports. In May 2009, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) took delivery of its first F-15SG and, shortly after, inaugurated a detachment based in Idaho, United States. Its aim was to build a critical mass of pilots and engineers capable of flying and maintaining the fourth-generation fighter jet. A decade later, the Peace Carvin Five detachment at Mountain Home Air Force Base has come a long way, validating the capabilities of a fully-fledged fleet and winning awards at high-level multilateral exercises. Singapore commemorated 10 years of its Boeing F-15 training program in the US during an October 11 ceremony, at which officials unveiled new artwork painted on one of the jets. The ceremony was held at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho where the Republic of Singapore Air Force, or RSAF, maintains the Peace Carvin V F-15SG detachment.

Chinese media have released more details about the Z-20 helicopter operated by the People’s Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF). Reports by the Global Times newspaper highlighted that the engines installed in the Z-20 provide sufficient power for the aircraft to perform well at high altitudes, and stated that the Z-20 design incorporates “many technologies that should be considered advanced in the world, including active vibration control, fly-by-wire, low-noise design for rotor and the high-performance aerodynamic design of the rotor”. The reports, which were published in the context of the fifth biennial China Helicopter Exposition held in Tianjin, where the Z-20 was a key exhibit, followed the first public appearance of the Z-20 at China’s National Day Parade on October 1. A 1,600 kW turboshaft engine displayed at the Tianjin exhibition is believed to be the type that powers the twin-engined Z-20. A display board accompanying the exhibited engine noted that it is suitable for medium and large helicopters. No designation was given to this engine, although it is thought to be the WZ-10.

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Watch: First British-owned jets landed on HMS Queen Elizabeth

Americas

Sikorsky showcased its next generation Combat Rescue Helicopter during a ceremony at its Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida last week. The HH-60W is manufactured by Sikorsky, a unit of Lockheed Martin, and is designed to replace Air Force’s aging fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawks. During the event, United States Air Force General James M. Holmes, Commander, Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia described the HH-60W helicopter as a critical tool for the warfighter. The US Air Force program of record calls for 113 helicopters to replace the HH-60G Pave Hawk, which perform critical combat search and rescue and personnel recovery operations for all US military services.

A new UNIPAC III Search and Rescue (SAR) kit for the US Navy’s P-8A is now undergoing testing. The kit can provide 100 people with food, water and communications for an extended time. The testing, which is performed at PAX, but funded by the Royal Australian Air Force ensures those rescued are found and sustained with food, water and communications for an extended time. “The test program is a perfect example of the benefits reaped when two international partners join as part of a cooperative partnership“, said Squadron Leader Nathan Mula, an Australian P-8A Flight Test Tactical officer stationed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River (PAX) in Maryland. Operated by US Navy, Australia and India, the P-8 is performing maritime patrol and reconnaissance operations around the globe. Additionally, the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand and South Korea have ordered the aircraft with deliveries expected through the middle of the next decade.

Middle East & Africa

The Turkish military and allied Syrian rebels launched their long-threatened offensive into northeastern Syria on October 9 with the stated objective of establishing a safe zone that has been cleared of Kurdish forces and can be used to resettle Syrian refugees. “A 30 km safe zone is okay for us. We do not have a plan to go beyond that,” said Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavu?o?lu. “First we have to enter 120 km deep to clean the terrorists completely from this area. It will continue gradually until the safe zone is completed.” The offensive began with howitzers shelling suspected YPG positions across the border and airstrikes. Airstrikes were also carried out against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in northern Iraq under Operation ‘Claw’.

Europe

Thales and Nexter Systems teamed up to develop a new multi-role weapon system, called RAPIDFireNaval, to meet potential French Navy requirements, Jane’s reports They are eyeing DGA funding in the first half of 2020, according to Sylvain Richy, managing director of CTAI,a joint venture between Nexter and BAE Systems. RAPIDFireNaval consists of a remote-controlled turret armed with the stabilized CTAI 40 mm Cased Telescoped Armament System (CTAS) that has been qualified by France and the UK for land-based applications and has been in production since early 2016.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) will take delivery of six A-29 light attack aircraft by February 2020. The aircraft will supplement and not replace the existing OV-10 fleet. The Super Tucanos are expected to beef up the remaining North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco attack aircraft being used by the PAF in strike missions. The turboprop aircraft is designed for light attack, counter-insurgency, close air support, aerial reconnaissance missions in low threat environments, as well as providing pilot training.

The Republic of Korea Army (RoKA) confirmed in a report presented to South Korea’s National Assembly on October 11 that it plans to reduce the number of active military personnel by about 100,000 to 365,000 by 2022 as part of defense reforms aimed at creating a smaller and more technologically advanced military. Seoul, a key Washington ally, conscripts men for two years of service to defend the country from the nuclear-armed North and its much larger army, which invaded the South in 1950 backed by communist allies China and the Soviet Union. The war ended three years later in an armistice, not a peace treaty, leaving the South and North technically at war and the peninsula divided along the Demilitarized Zone. Citing forecast data from Statistics Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reported on the same day that one of the reasons behind the move is that South Korea’s low birth-rate is likely to lead to a decrease in the number of male citizens in their 20s to less than 250,000 after 2022, compared with about 350,000 in 2018.

Today’s Video

Watch: Latest military equipment Special Forces Operations units unveiled during SOF Symposium in Belgium

Americas

Electric Boat Corp. won a 434.4 million deal for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts regarding the Virginia Class submarines. The Virginia Class replaces Los Angeles Class submarines as they retire. The Virginia Class has several innovations that significantly enhance its warfighting capabilities, including in littoral operations. Virginia Class SSNs have a fly-by-wire ship control system that provides improved shallow-water ship handling. The class has special features to support SOF, including a reconfigurable torpedo room which can accommodate a large number of SOF and all their equipment for prolonged deployments and future off-board payloads. The class also has a large lock-in/lock-out chamber for divers. In Virginia Class SSNs, traditional periscopes have been supplanted by two photonics masts that host visible and infrared digital cameras atop telescoping arms. Work under the contract will take place in Connecticut, Virginia and Rhode Island. Estimated completion will be by September 2020. The contract provides lead yard support for Virginia class submarines that will maintain, update and support the Virginia class design and related drawings and data for each Virginia class submarine, including technology insertion, throughout its construction and post-shakedown availability period. The contractor will also provide all engineering and related lead yard support necessary for direct maintenance and support of Virginia class ship specifications.

Northrop Grumman Systems won a maximum $24.3 million firm-fixed-priced delivery order for rudders in support of the F/A-18 aircraft platform. The F/A-18 Hornet is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. The F/A-18 fills a variety of roles: air superiority, fighter escort, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close and deep air support, and day and night strike missions. The F/A-18 Hornet replaced the F-4 Phantom II fighter and A-7 Corsair II light attack jet, and also replaced the A-6 Intruder as these aircraft were retired during the 1990s. The multi-mission F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter is an upgrade of the combat-proven night strike F/A-18C/D. The Super Hornet will provide the battle group commander with a platform that has range, endurance, and ordnance carriage capabilities comparable to the A-6 which have been retired. The F/A-18E/F aircraft are 4.2 feet longer than earlier Hornets, have a 25% larger wing area, and carry 33% more internal fuel which will effectively increase mission range by 41% and endurance by 50%. The Super Hornet also incorporates two additional weapon stations. This allows for increased payload flexibility by mixing and matching air-to-air and/or air-to-ground ordnance. The aircraft can also carry the complete complement of “smart” weapons, including the newest joint weapons such as JDAM and JSOW. Work for the rudders will take place in California with an August 31, 2026 expected completion date.

Middle East & Africa

The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait for 19 M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lifting Extraction System (HERCULES) recovery vehicles and related equipment and support for an estimated cost of $281 million. The Hercules is a full tracked armored vehicle used to perform battlefield rescue and recovery missions. The M88A2 is essential to the long-term sustainability of Kuwait’s new M1A2 tank fleet for national Defense. Hercules was the primary 70-ton recovery system during Operation Iraqi Freedom. And, US troops found other capabilities when they used it to pull down the Saddam Hussein statue in Baghdad on April 9, 2003. Hercules utilizes a hull designed for the recovery mission and thoroughly proven by US Army testing.

Tunisia has been cleared by the US government to buy 12 T-6C trainers worth an estimated cost of $234 million. The Government of Tunisia has requested a possible sale of twelve T-6C Texan trainer aircraft, spare engines, cartridge actuated devices/propellant actuated devices operational flight trainer, spare parts, ground handling equipment, support equipment, software delivery and support, publications and technical documentation, clothing, textiles and individual equipment, aircraft ferry support, technical and logistical support services, site surveys, minor modifications/class IV support, personnel training and training equipment. The proposed sale will replace Tunisia’s aging trainer fleet and allow the country to continue training pilots to support Tunisia’s counter-terrorism and border security missions.

Europe

Royal Norwegian Air Force chief Brig. Gen. Tonje Skinnarland said in an exclusive interview with Defense News that his F-35 fleet has an issue with its unique drag chute. Peculiar to RNoAF F-35A, the drag chute is mounted on a pod on top of the aircraft to help slow down the jet on icy runways. It was supposed to fail one per 10,000 uses. Nevertheless, the service is encountering a lower figure for the failure rate. F-35 JPO and Lockheed Martin say the first compliant parachute will be delivered to Norway next year.

Asia-Pacific

Rolls-Royce won a $9.1 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure three spare AE1107C engines in support of the V-22 Osprey program for Japan. The AE 1107C is mission-ready with improved ‘hot and high’ performance for enhanced capability. The Osprey is a multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft. In 2012, former Japanese Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto ordered an investigation of the costs of V-22 operations. The V-22 exceeds current Japan Self-Defense Forces helicopters in terms of range, speed, and payload. The ministry anticipated deployments to the Nansei Islands and the Senkaku Islands, as well as in multinational cooperation with the US. The first V-22 for Japan was delivered in August 2017.

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Watch: PCG OPV DELIVERY AND THE UPCOMING ASSETS

Americas

Raytheon won an $11.9 million delivery order for the procurement of 101 spare part units across nine assemblies used in support of the F-18 APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar system. The AN/APG-79 AESA radar is an airborne radar made for F/A-18 E/F aircrafts. It is comprised of numerous solid-state transmit and receive modules to practically eliminate the possibility of mechanical breakdown. With a range of 150 km, the AN/APG-79 provides instantaneous track updates and multi-target tracking capabilities. Its X-band radar allows for higher resolution imaging, helping with target identification and discrimination. The AN/APG-79 is the replacement radar for the AN/APG-73. Work will take place in Forest, Mississippi. Estimated completion date will be by December 2022.

The US Air Force reactivated the 420th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base for flight and ground testing of the next-generation bomber, the B-21 Raider. The squadron was organized under the 412th Test Wing at the base, and a ceremony marking the occasion was held on October 4, the Air Force announced on Wednesday. The first B-21 Raider bomber, the next-generation replacement for the B-1 and B-2 aircraft, is under development at Lockheed Martin facilities in nearby Palmdale, California. The B-21 is expected to enter service by 2025, and will replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit over time.

Middle East & Africa

Spartan Air Academy Iraq won a $24.8 million contract for contractor logistics support services. The deal provides for CLS services and material support for 15 T-6A aircraft. The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop aircraft. In 1996, the US Navy and Air Force awarded Raytheon Aircraft Company, now Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC), the contract for the joint primary aircraft training system (JPATS). The aircraft was subsequently named the T-6A Texan II. The aircraft uses a Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turboprop engine which provides a flat rated 1,100hp. The range of the aircraft is more than 1,667km. Work under the new contract will take place at Balad Air Base, Iraq and has an estimated completion date of June 30, 2020.

Europe

Finland has received Torpedo System 45 lightweight torpedo assets on loan from Sweden for installation on board the Hamina Class strike craft FNS Tornio, Jane’s reports. The Hamina Class fast attack craft were built by Aker Finnyards in Rauma, Finland for the Finnish Navy. Previously known as Rauma 2000, fast attack craft regularly patrol the Finnish coastline. Four vessels home-ported at Upinniemi are operated under Squadron 2000. A loan arrangement forms part of a wider bilateral co-operation, formalized by Sweden’s Defense Materiel Administration and the Finnish Defense Forces Logistic Command in early 2018, that also covers the new Torpedo System 47. As well as co-operative development and procurement of the Torpedo System 47, the bilateral arrangement also includes the loan of existing Torpedo System 45 assets to establish an interim capability.

Asia-Pacific

Pakistan’s Ministry of Defense Production (MoDP) revealed that it procured 60 CM-400AKG missiles in its 2017-2018 annual year book. According to MoDP’s latest yearbook, which was released in September, Pakistan ordered 60 additional Chinese-made CM-400AKG air-launched anti-ship missiles for the Air Force for $100 million. The document also states that the country ordered 52 9K129 Kornet-E anti-tank guided missile weapon systems and 295 FN-16 man-portable air defense systems (MANPADSs) during that period.

38 North has done a technical evaluation of North Korea’s new short-range missiles that were tested recently. It concluded that the KN-23, -24, and -25 missiles are likely to be more accurate than the Scud-variants that North Korea had been using earlier. The KN-23 is a North Korean short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) first tested in May 2019. The missile flies on a quasi-ballistic trajectory and has a maximum range of 690 km. North Korea first flight tested the missile on May 4, 2019. Due to its visual similarity to Russia’s Iskander-M SRBM, analysts dispute whether the missile was constructed with foreign assistance.

Today’s Video

Watch: PACIFIC 2019 Day 2 – Royal Australian Navy Programs

After a test run in 2018, EDA has now completed the first fully-fletched Defence Energy Managers’ Course (DEMC)  in which participated a total of 17 students from eight EDA Member States. The course, one of the Agency’s most recent training and education activities, aims at increasing Armed Forces’ energy efficiency and reducing the military’s overall energy consumption through the introduction of defence-specific energy management systems based on the ISO 50001 standard.  

The DEMC provided both theoretical and practical training to energy managers from Member States’ ground forces and air forces as well as navies. The course was launched in November 2018 and attended by personnel from the Armed Forces and/or Ministries of Defence from Belgium, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Sweden and the United Kingdom.  

The course was split into five distinct modules: three classroom-type sessions and two more practical modules which, in total, lasted some 11 months. Participants increased their knowledge of the complexities of managing energy within a defence organisation (energy management systems were applied to different military installations, from air and naval bases to governmental facilities) and learned how to structure and implement efficient energy management systems. Throughout the course, students were supported by mentors and members of the European Defence Energy Network (EDEN) which also allowed them to have permanent access to the networks’ on-line resources.

The successful completion of the first DEMC marks an important milestone in EDA’s efforts aimed to increase energy sustainability in defence sector and reduce the military’s environmental footprint, also building on the work done in the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CFSEDSS) sponsored by the European Commission and the Agency’s own Energy and Environmental Working Group.

Two additional courses are currently underway; they will be completed by May 2020.

The whole DEMC project is run by EDA’s Industry, Synergies & Enablers Directorate (ISE) and delivered by GEN Europe and the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources & Savings (CRES). 

More information

• Third Defence Management course launched
  
  

Americas

The US Army awarded BAE Systems a contract modification worth up to $269 million for continued production of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, the company announced in a press release. The deal for additional 168 Bradley A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles is part of the Army’s combat vehicle modernization strategy and will help ensure force readiness of the Armored Brigade Combat Teams. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle or BFV is an armored personnel carrier. The development of the Bradley dates back to the pre-Vietnam era. The early plans of an advanced armor personnel vehicle were being discussed in the early 1960s, even as the M113 Armored Personnel Carrier was just entering service. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle entered production in 1981 and became a replacement for the M113. The Bradley is considered to be a more powerful and faster vehicle than the M113, and its better suspension increases speed on off-road terrain. The Bradley A4 is equipped with an enhanced powertrain that maximizes mobility and increases engine horsepower, providing rapid movement in reaction to combat or other adverse situations. Wide angle Driver’s Vision Enhancer, improved Force XXI Battle Command Bridge and Below (FBCB2) software integration improves friendly and enemy vehicle identification, enhancing situational awareness.

General Dynamics Mission Systems announced in a news release that the National Security Agency (NSA) has certified its new TACLANE-Nano (KG-175N) network encryptor to secure voice, video and data information classified Top Secret/SCI and below traversing public and private IP networks. The NSA certification validates the TACLANE-Nano’s capability to protect the most critical data communications through government networks and national security systems worldwide at any time, it says in the release. The TACLANE-Nano provides end-to-end encryption in the smallest, lightest and lowest power configuration of any HAIPE device available today. It operates faster than 100 megabits per second aggregate throughout in a Size, Weight, Power and Cost (SWaP-C) optimized form factor, ruggedized to withstand the rigors of a mobile environment.

Middle East & Africa

Soldiers from the US Army’s 1st Battalion 178th Infantry Regiment were taught how to counter commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) drones ahead of their deployment to Afghanistan in a course conducted by the 5th Armored Brigade, First Army Division West. This is the first time that a unit had received deliberate training on Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Fort Bliss, the largest FORSCOM installation, is the first in the Army to persistently permit military personal to fly commercial-off-the-shelf UAS in the training area. This capability was created to train soldiers and joint partners to combat the emerging small Unmanned Aircraft Systems threat around the world.

Europe

The Netherlands want to buy nine more F-35s. The Dutch government announced plans to purchase nine more of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 jets, a move that would bring the country’s inventory to 46. The acquisition will be worth approximately $1.1 billion. It will lay the foundation for a third F-35 squadron in the Dutch Air Force, a plan that government officials first had in late 2018. The additional aircraft are expected to contribute to the Air Force’s objective of having four jets available for NATO missions while also performing homeland defense operations and accounting for training requirements and maintenance downtime.

Asia-Pacific

Thales Australia signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Maritime College to establish a presence at the Tasmanian Defense Innovation and Design Precinct. This makes it the first defense industry prime to commit to a presence at the Defense Innovation and Design Precinct. “The Federal Government’s $30 million funding to establish the Defence Innovation and Design Precinct in Tasmania reflects the range of smart innovations under development at the Australian Maritime College and from SMEs in Tasmania,” Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said. The announcement builds on Thales’s initiative to establish a sonar testing capability in Tasmania’s deep, cold and acoustically quiet lakes.

The Royal Australian Air Force will equip its Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets with the same AN/ASG-34 podded infrared search-and-track (IRST) system as carried by the US Navy, Jane’s reports. A sources-sought notification issued by the US Naval Air Systems Command on October 2 calls for 12 IRST systems to cover the RAAF’s fleet of 24 Super Hornets. Developed by Lockheed Martin, with Boeing and General Electric, the AN/ASG-34 IRST is a passive system geared at giving the Super Hornet the capability to locate and engage airborne and ground targets when use of the Raytheon AN/APG-79 AESA radar would give away the aircraft’s position.

Today’s Video

Watch: Testing of the Air Force’s Super-Secret B-21 Raider Long-range Strike Bomber

EDA’s 2019 Military Airworthiness Conference, a two-days event organised with the support of the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence, was opened today in Vilnius by EDA’s Deputy Chief Executive Olli Ruutu. 

The conference brings together key stakeholders from national authorities, industry, European agencies and international organisations, to exchange views and best practices related to the harmonisation of European military airworthiness rules and standards. Common airworthiness approaches and standards are viewed as critical enablers for enhanced European defence cooperation.  

Over the two days, four main topics are being addressed through specific sessions: i) the impact of European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMARs) on military aviation; ii) opportunities and challenges related to that; iii) lessons learned from EMARs implementation so far; iv) and the experiences made by third-party stakeholders.
Good progress made over past 10 years

In his opening speech, EDA Deputy Chief Olli Ruutu thanked the Lithuanian Armed Forces for hosting the event and for their strong interest in the work of the Military Airworthiness Authorities (MAWA) Forum and the harmonisation of airworthiness approaches.  

Since work started ten years ago on the harmonisation of airworthiness approaches in Europe, much has been achieved, Mr Ruutu said.  “So far almost 50% of EDA’s participating Member States have already implemented the European Military Airworthiness Requirements in their national regulations or are in the process of doing so”. However, “implementation of EMARs is not only about translating them in regulations but also about turning them into practice. And that makes EMAR-implementation the most important and complicated phase in the harmonisation process and crucial for gaining the full benefits”, he stressed. Implementing the EMARs often means a different approach to military airworthiness that requires a change in safety culture, the Deputy Chief Executive stated. 

Further progress is also required as regards the cooperation between the national military airworthiness authorities in Europe, a topic which is already in the focus of the MAWA Forum.  “Since last year when the MAWA Forum adopted a new airworthiness roadmap, the forum has started several activities to develop harmonised practices and procedures with the objective to increase the level of standardisation and cooperation in the area of initial approvals of and oversight over organisations that provide services in the military airworthiness domain”, Mr Ruutu recalled. In parallel, Member States are engaged in mutual recognitions. “So far, 35 active recognitions are already in place between EDA participating Member States and several recognitions have been concluded with Military Airworthiness Authorities from other countries worldwide. This helps to build mutual trust and confidence which are the cornerstones for cooperation”, Mr Ruutu welcomed. 
 

Towards aligning the national airworthiness systems

Based on this, Member States should now consider which additional cooperation steps they could take in the area of military airworthiness in line with their PESCO commitments, he said. “I believe it is the right moment to focus on the establishment of a permanent cooperative working structure for military airworthiness authorities that aims to aligning the national airworthiness systems towards a single reference without affecting national sovereignty as regards airworthiness risk acceptance. This would not only facilitate an increased efficiency in certification, approval and oversight activities but also provide industry with a single framework to meet the requirements of all countries”, Mr Ruutu said.
 

Background

The Military Airworthiness Authorities (MAWA) Forum oversees the development and maintenance of the European Military Airworthiness Requirements (EMARs) and promotes ways and means to harmonise the military airworthiness oversight across Europe.

Americas

The US Army Special Operations Aviation Command (ARSOAC), together with the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), has performed a series of complex launch trials with the Dynetics baseline and Block I variant GBU-69/B Small Glide Munitions (SGMs) from an MQ-1C Gray Eagle Extended Range (GE-ER) medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System. According to Jane’s, the services conducted the trials in late August at the US Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. The tests mark the first time the GBU-69/B weapon system has been released from a UAS and represent an expanded platform set from which the munition can be employed. The baseline GBU-69/B SGM is a 60 lbs Class precision glide munition, 11.4 cm in diameter, and has a wingspan of 71.1 cm. The Gray Eagle is a medium-altitude, long-endurance UAS. The aircraft offers extended endurance, increased payload capacity, and high-reliability. Its mission capabilities include surveillance, reconnaissance and target acquisition, communications relay, and weapons delivery.

The US Air Force issued its new uniforms to recruits after a three year wait, entering basic military training, utility uniforms identical to those of the US Army. The first Operational Camouflage Pattern uniforms were distributed at the 37th Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, last week. They will be rolled out to all Air Force personnel over the next three years. The new OCP has six colors, allowing its camouflage to better blend in with various environments, compared to the four pixelated colors of the ABU, and will cost $20 per set more. Insignia indicating rank will no longer be on airman’s sleeves or officer’s collars, but will be displayed in the center of their chests. Organizational patches and a US flag will appear on the new uniforms as well. By April 1, 2021, all airmen will be required to wear the OCP.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a significant increase in the country’s defense budget, citing a growing threat from Iran. His announcement came after an Iranian attack using drones and cruise missiles, on two oil refineries in Saudi Arabia on September 14, and a recent Israeli attack on Albukamal at the Iraq-Syria border, where Iran is building a military base. Netanyahu, in the process of forming a new government said last week that Israel must raise its defense spending by “many billions immediately and then many billions every year” since a threat from Iran „has intensified in recent weeks.”

Europe

Babcock International won a deal for for the Gun System Automation (GSA) 9 in-service support contract with the Ministry of Defense supporting the UK Royal Navy. The contract will provide support for all aspects of GSA9 support including Electro Optical Gunfire Control System (EOGCS), the Electro Optical Sensor Platforms (EOSPs), the Quick Pointing Devices (QPD) and below decks equipment of six Control Consoles, Gun Allocation Subsystem, Gunnery Check Fire System and two Maintenance and Analysis Facilities (MAF). The deal includes an option to be extended by two years and will be carried out from the company’s Devonport and Portsmouth facilities in the UK, delivering support for the Navy’s Type 45 Daring Class destroyers and management of the supply chain for the work.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a report presented to the National Assembly for a parliamentary audit that the country will launch the second phase of the F-X project in 2021. $3.3 billion will be allocated for this phase of the project. Codenamed the F-X, or Fighter eXperimental, South Korea has been pushing to replace its aging fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighter jets since 2012. Under the first phase of the project, the country has decided to buy 40 F-35A stealth fighters by 2021.

The Philippine Department of National Defense (DND) has confirmed that the country is buying a C295 and G280 for command and control missions. The C295 will be delivered this year while the G280 will reach home in August 2020. The Airbus C295 is a new generation tactical airlifter in the light and medium segment. The C295 conducts multi-role operations worldwide under all weather conditions. It is fully certified and routinely operates day and night in combat missions in all weather extremes, from desert to maritime environments, from extremely hot to extremely cold temperatures. The Gulfstream G280 is a twin-engine business jet. It began delivery to users in 2012.

Today’s Video

Watch: LCA-TEJAS 90% availability | Super Sukhoi With PESA radar?

Americas

The US Navy has retired its fleet of Boeing F/A-18A-D Hornet combat aircraft from active service. The USN announced on October 2 that the final flight took place out of Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. The retirement of the ‘classic’ Hornets brings 35 years of frontline service with the USN to an end and comes just over a year since the service performed its final carrier deployment of the type earlier in 2018. While the Hornet has been retired from the USN’s active unit inventory, it will remain operational with the Navy Reserve, the Blue Angels display team, and the US Marine Corps (USMC).

Raytheon announced the final stage for development of the Electronic Warfare Planning and Management Tool for the US Army. The EWPMT is a suite of software tools and applications which deliver capability enhancements to plan, coordinate and synchronize battlefield electronic warfare, spectrum management, and cyber operations. The service refers to the development stages as “capability drops,” and Raytheon’s CD4 is the final stage of fully operational capability. The tool features a software interface overlaid onto a physical map, allowing soldiers to visually manage their signal output in the electromagnetic spectrum, and then use the tool against threats in a tactical environment. “EWPMT gives the Army the freedom to add new capabilities and algorithms so they can manage an increasingly complex electromagnetic spectrum,” said Niraj Srivastava, product line manager for Raytheon Electronic Warfare Systems. “And because it uses open architecture, the tool can be shared with other military services.”

Middle East & Africa

The Iranian Army unveiled what appeared to be a new guidance upgrade called the Labeik that converts existing artillery rockets into surface-to-surface missiles on October 3, Jane’s reports. Several Labeik units were displayed in an event attended by General Mohammad Hossein Dadras, the deputy commander of the regular military, and Brigadier General Kioumars Heidar, the commander of its ground forces. The system looked similar to the guidance units used with the Fateh-110 family of solid-propellent missiles. However, its four triangular control surfaces were inverted. As with the Fateh-110 family, these would be attached between the rocket motor and warhead to steer the projectile. They appeared to be compatible with the 610 mm diameter of the Zelzal heavy artillery rocket.

Europe

Airmen from the Lithuanian Air Force have started testing the NASAMS medium-range air defense system at the Kongsberg factory in Norway. The tests will run until February 2020. The system will then be delivered to Lithuania by the end of 2020. The trials will assess technical and tactical conformity of NASAMS components to the determined weaponry specification. The tests will run until February 2020 and test all the NASAMS components – missile launchers, radars, electro-optical sensors, components of integration with the RBS70 short-range air defense systems, communication, and control components, and vehicles. The contract for procuring the NASAMS mid-range air defense system for the Lithuanian Air Force was signed by the Ministry of National Defense and Norway’s Kongsberg NASAMS manufacturer on October 26, 2017.

Asia-Pacific

Elbit Systems won a $153 million contract to supply an Army of a country in Southeast Asia with a comprehensive, multi-layered array of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). The contract will be performed over a 22-month period. Under the deal, Elbit Systems will supply a networked multi-layered UAS solution, including more than a thousand THOR Multi-Rotor Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) mini-UAS, scores of Skylark LEX, Skylark 3 and Hermes 450 tactical UAS as well as Universal Ground Control Stations. The THOR vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) Mini – Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) is a low altitude multi-rotor platform, designed for a wide range of surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Built from the ground up, THOR features a real-time HD data link and unique control software.

The Royal Thai Air Force intends to replace its F-16A/B fleet at Wing 1 and a committee will soon be formed to draft the Concept of Project Requirements (COPR). Air Force chief ACM Maanat Wongwat has indicated that the successful bidder will have to allow Thailand to access the software code of the fighter in order to develop it for its own needs. Air Force commander ACM Maanat Wongwat said the Air Force has a policy of not purchasing “ready-made” aircraft, and the F-35 manufacturer has yet to sell its jet to a buyer who wants to participate in the development of the fighter jets’ software programs. “We are implementing a ‘pur­chase-and-develop’ policy in our procurement plans, which we intend to begin enforcing in the next 3-5 years,” said the air force chief, who took up the post this month.

Today’s Video

Watch: Mack Defense AUSA 2019 teaser heavy trucks for military forces including US Army M917A3 HDT

Americas

United Technologies won a $325.2 million fixed-price-incentive-firm contract to provide material and support equipment for depot maintenance facilities, non-recurring sustainment activities, supplies, services and planning for depot activations as well as two F135 full-scale high fidelity mockup engines and four modules for test cells in support of the F-35 Lightning II Program. The Pratt & Whitney’s F135 is an afterburning turbofan developed for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, a single-engine strike fighter. Pratt & Whitney’s F135 propulsion system powers all three variants of the F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft – the F-35A CTOL (Conventional Takeoff and Landing), F-35B STOVL (Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing) and F-35C CV (Carrier Variant). The F135 has evolved from the proven F119 engine, which exclusively powers the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor, and features best-in-class single-engine reliability, fifth generation stealth capabilities as well as advanced prognostics and health management systems. Work under the contract will take place in various places within as well as outside of the US. Estimated completion will be in January 2023.

The US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $75.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to exercise options for the accomplishment of class services for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program. The option exercise is for class services for the LCS program. The company will provide expert design, planning and material support services for LCS-class ship construction. Lockheed Martin is in full-rate production and has delivered eight Freedom-variant ships to the US Navy. There are eight ships in various stages of production and test. This year, Lockheed Martin and Fincantieri Marinette Marine will begin construction on two ships, deliver two ships, complete sea trials for two ships and see three ships commissioned. The company will perform work in Virginia, New Jersey, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and estimated completion will be in October 2020.

Middle East & Africa

A new Turkish laser weapon passed its acceptance tests. The Vehicle-Mounted Laser System (ARMOL) designed and developed by the Informatics and Information Security Research Centre (B?LGEM) of Turkey’s Scientific and Technological Research Council (TÜB?TAK) has successfully completed all acceptance tests. According to local media, the 400-kilogram (881 lbs) laser system was mounted on a Cobra armored vehicle, along with target acquisition hardware and a control terminal. BILGEM has developed other laser weapon systems, including the 20-kw High Power Laser System (YGLS).

Europe

German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung has reported that the Super Hornet has an advantage over the Eurofighter in the country’s fighter competition to replace the Tornado. According to the newspaper, getting the Eurofighter certified to drop nuclear bombs will take between three and five years longer than the Boeing fighter. From 2025 on, the Bundeswehr will phase out almost 90 Tornados. US certification plays a crucial role in the decision process. Part of the fleet guarantees Germany’s nuclear participation. In case of emergency, these jets should be able to carry the US nuclear bombs to their destination. Whatever aircraft will take on this task in the future has to go through a complex certification process with the US. Germany’s former defense minister Ursula Von der Leyen had asked the US to provide information on the cost and time for the procedure with regard to the various models. The results should now be available to the Ministry and turn out in favor of the American model. The certification of the Eurofighter could take three to five years longer than the Super Hornets.

The State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to the Ukraine for Javelin missiles and related equipment and support for an estimated cost not to exceed $39.2 million. The Government of Ukraine had requested to buy one hundred fifty Javelin missiles and ten Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs). Also included are training devices, transportation, support equipment, technical data and publications, personnel training and training equipment, US government, engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support tools and test equipment; support equipment; publications and technical documentation; spare and repair parts; equipment training and training devices; US Government and contractor technical, engineering and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical, sustainment, and program support. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky brought up the missiles in the July 25 phone call with President Donald Trump that led Democrats to kick off an impeachment inquiry last week. In a five-page memorandum of the call released last week, Zelensky noted that Ukraine was “almost ready to buy more Javelins from the United States for defense purposes.”

Asia-Pacific

The new head of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal (ACM) R.K.S. Bhadauria, has disclosed that four Rafales will be home by May next year. Bhadauria was being interviewed at his first press conference after taking out the post this month. The first four of 36 Rafale jets will come to India by May next year and the aircraft will significantly enhance the IAF’s combat prowess, Rakesh Kumar Singh Bhadauria said on Friday. The first four Rafale jets would “hit the Indian skies by the end of May next” after the training of pilots in France. As the deputy Air Chief, ACM Bhadauria played a key role in the negotiations for 36 Rafale jets.

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Watch: Celtic Uprise 2019 first Belgian French military exercise Scorpion Program in Motorized Capacity

Americas

General Electric won a $10.6 million contract modification that exercises an option to procure two F414-GE-400 production install engines, five engine devices, and 29 engine device K-seals in support of Lot 23 engine production for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. GE designed its F414-GE-400 turbofan engine to help increase the Super Hornet’s thrust by 35 percent. It is an afterburning turbofan engine in the 22,000-pound thrust class. Boeing manufactured the US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet maritime strike attack aircraft. It flew for the first time on November 29, 1995. The single-seat F/A-18/E and the two-seat F/A-18/F fly greater ranges with heavier payloads, have more powerful engines and provide greater survivability. Work will take place in Lynn, Massachusetts; Evendale, Ohio; Hooksett, New Hampshire; Rutland, Vermont; and Madisonville, Kentucky. Estimated completion is in August 2021.

The US Army Contracting Command awarded $7.9 million for the Communication Interface System Obsolescence for the Apache AH-64E full rate production. The Boeing AH-64 Apache is an American twin-turboshaft attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement and a tandem cockpit for a crew of two. The US Army has more than 800 Apaches in service, and more than 1,000 have been exported. The AH-64E attack helicopter is the latest version of the AH-64, used by the US Army. It is also known as Apache Guardian. Until 2012 it was designated as AH-64D Block III. Work under the new contract will take place in Mesa, Arizona. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Louis Berger Aircraft Services won a $7.2 million contract modification for air terminal ground handling services in Kuwait. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $20.3 million from $13.1 million. Fiscal 2020 transportation working capital funds were obligated at the time of award. The US Transportation Command, Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, is the contracting activity. Work will take place at Al Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait. Expected completion date is September 30, 2020.

South Africa and Brazil finished the development of the A-Darter AAM. The Brazilian Air Force has accepted the data package and type certificate of Denel Dynamics’ A-Darter air-to-air missile (AAM), signaling the closure of the project’s development cycle. The A-Darter has been jointly developed by South Africa and Brazil, having been originally conceived by Denel Dynamics, part of South Africa’s State-owned Denel defense industrial group. The data package that contained the material that included all the knowledge that was produced was handed over by the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR) to the Brazilian Air Force’s Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) at the end of September. The end of development is expected to lead to the first production orders of the missile for Brazilian F-39E/F Gripen and South African Air Forces’s Gripen C/D fighter jets.

Europe

Britain’s newest aircraft carrier hit its top speed for the first time during sea trials in the North Sea, off Scotland this week. The Royal Navy said HMS Prince of Wales achieved 25 knots when its six engines were pushed to “full throttle”. The warship, built at Rosyth at a cost of $3.7 billion, is being tested in the North Sea and Outer Moray Firth. Four diesel generators and two gas turbines with a maximum combined capacity of 109MW power the 65,000t carrier. The 280m-long aircraft carrier features an integrated platform management system, which controls the generation, propulsion and fluid systems. More than 600 sailors and around 400 contractors are working to prepare the ship’s engineering systems, radars, and communications systems before it is officially handed over to the Navy in December.

Asia-Pacific

North Korea has tested a new type of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) which it dubbed Pukguksong-3, Reuters reports. The missile is reported to have flown for 450 km while reaching an apogee of 910 km. This will give it a range of 1,300 km, South Korean Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo says. The test “had no adverse impact on the security of neighboring countries,” state news agency KCNA said but gave no other details about the launch. South Korea however expressed strong concern and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the launch, saying it was a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.

Today’s Video

Watch: HMS Albion – The Punch Of The Royal Marines, Firmly Underlines Britain’s Leading Role In Europe

Americas

Crew Training International won a $42.3 million contract modification for the MQ9 Aircrew Training and Courseware Development contract. The MQ-9 Reaper is the primary offensive strike Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for the US Air Force. Reapers can also perform the following missions and tasks: intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, close air support, combat search and rescue, precision strike, buddy-laser, convoy/raid overwatch, route clearance, target development, and terminal air guidance. The Reaper is part of a remotely piloted aircraft system. A fully operational system consists of several sensor/weapon-equipped aircraft, ground control station, Predator Primary Satellite Link, and spare equipment along with operations and maintenance crews for deployed 24-hour missions. The contract modification is for the exercise of option year one. Work will take place at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; and Hancock Air National Guard Base, New York, and is scheduled to be completed by September 30, 2020.

Rheinmetall and Raytheon’s joint venture Raytheon Rheinmetall Land Systems has submitted a bid for the US Army’s new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, or OMFV, program. Rheinmetall announced this in a press release on October 1. The team will offer the next-generation Lynx Infantry Fighting Vehicle. Lynx is a next-generation, tracked armored fighting vehicle designed to address the critical challenges of the future battlefield. The vehicle provides ample growth capacity to support new technologies over its lifetime, and features lower life-cycle costs. The joint venture will be based in the US and is the result of a 2018 agreement between the two companies. First unveiled in 2016, Rheinmetall’s 37-55 ton Lynx is highly modular tracked armored vehicle typically outfitted with a 30mm or 35mm main cannon, but can also carry a 50mm cannon, one of the objective requirements for the OMFV program.

Middle East & Africa

The US Acquisition Management Center awarded DynCorp International a $68.4 million modification for Air Force Central Command war reserve materiel. The deal provides for the exercise of Option Year Three period of performance for services being provided under the basic contract. Work will take place at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina as well as the Middle Eastern countries Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $68,379,284 are being obligated at the time of award. Estimated completion will be by September 30 next year.

Europe

BAE Systems delivered an advanced Typhoon to the UK Royal Air Force, the company announced in a press release. The delivery of the final Tranche 3 aircraft brings a production run of 160 Typhoons for the RAF to an end that began in 2003. The RAF fields eight Typhoon units with 1 (Fighter), 2 (Army Cooperation), 6, and 9 (Bomber) squadrons based at RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland; and 3 (Fighter), 11 (Fighter), and 12 (Bomber) squadrons based at RAF Coningsby in England. There is also a permanent detachment located on the Falkland Islands. A ceremony was held at BAE Systems’ final assembly facility at Warton to mark the latest milestone delivery.

Asia-Pacific

The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to Japan of Follow-On Technical Support sustainment and services in support of eight Japan AEGIS Destroyers consisting of four KONGO Class Destroyers, two ATAGO Class Destroyers, two MAYA Class Destroyers and one Japanese Computer Test Site (JCPTS). The estimated value of the deal is $140 million. The sustainment efforts will include AEGIS software updates, system integration and testing, US Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $140 million.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that the Philippine Air Force wants to acquire the Mi-17 helicopter from Russia. He told the BusinessMirror that there is no rush to buy the rotocraft now as a technical working group is still studying the issue. The helicopters are offered at the price of $14.7 million apiece. They were reportedly dangled with one free additional chopper through Rosoboronexport, Russia’s official arms exporter. The Mi-17 made its first flight in 1975-1976. Production commenced in 1977. The first export Mi-17 was delivered in 1981. This transport helicopter widely exported both for military and civil operators. “The PAF wants to acquire the Mi-17. There is no contract yet“, Lorenzana said.

Today’s Video

Watch: Philippines’ Super Tucano A 29 – Capabilities

Americas

Lockheed Martin Space and the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory were both tapped in support of the Trident II (D5). Lockheed won a $494.9 million modification for missile production and deployed systems support. CSDL won an $83.4 million deal to provide specialized technical knowledge for the guidance, navigation and control applications that will support Navy programs for the US Trident II (D5) Strategic Weapon System. Lockheed will perform work within the US and various other locations and estimated completion will be September 30, 2024. CSDL will work in Cambridge, Massachusetts with an expected completion of September 30, 2021. The Trident II is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.

Boeing won a $70.8 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircraft inspections, modifications and repairs as well as F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G inner wing panel (IWP) modifications and repairs. The remanufacturing efforts for the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers will restore aircraft and IWP service life projections to the new design specifications. The F/A-18E is a single-seat Super Hornet. The 2-seat F/A-18F sacrifices some range, carrying only 13,350 pounds of fuel – 900 fewer pounds than the F/A-18E. In exchange for this reduced range, it adds a 2nd crewman with an advanced attack station cockpit to assist in strike roles. The EA-18 is more than 90% common with the standard F/A-18F Super Hornet, sharing its airframe, AN/APG-79 AESA radar, AN/AYK-22 stores management system, and weapons options. The exception is the Super Hornet’s 20mm Vulcan gatling gun, which has been removed from the nose in favor of electrical equipment. Work under the contract modification will take place in Florida, Missouri, and California. Estimated completion will be in September 2020.

Middle East & Africa

Cubic Defense Applications won a $41.1 million contract for P5 Air Combat Training System (P5CTS) equipment delivery. The deal provides for the procurement of Air Force and Qatar P5CTS equipment. The P5CTS Internal Subsystems enables real-time, live monitoring and recorded mission data of air-to-air, air-to-ground and surface-to-air training scenarios for both real-time training and post mission analysis. Unlike the wing-mounted P5CTS the internal subsystem is placed inside the F-35. Fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement; and Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $31,249,695 are being obligated at the time of award. Work will take place in San Diego, California, and is scheduled to be complete by October 2021.

Europe

The 31st Fighter Wing executed a rapid deployment to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria for Exercise Rapid Buzzard on September 24. US Air Force Airmen and F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing executed the rapid deployment to conduct “hot-pit” refueling and participate in the bilateral training exercise, Rapid Buzzard, with the Bulgarian Air Force, September 24 through September 27. They conducted Refueling operations with the 435th Contingency Response Squadron and three C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, which provided the fuel through rapid defuel operations from the C-130 aircraft into an R-11 fuel truck.

Asia-Pacific

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $43.8 million delivery order for 281 Technical Insertion Sixteen (TI-16) Common Display System (CDS) Variant A water-cooled and air-cooled production consoles. CDS is a set of watch station consoles designed to support the implementation of Open Architecture in Navy combat systems. The TI-16 CDS is the next evolution in the CDS family and consists of a three-eyed horizontal display console. This delivery order combines purchases for the Navy, Coast Guard and the governments of South Korea as well as Japan. The CDS family is designed to be compatible with commercially available hardware and software; to conform to open-architecture computers and standards; and to incorporate human systems integration design principles. Work will take place in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be complete by March 2020.

The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded L3 Technologies a $17.4 million contract for an F-16 A/B Block 15 simulator. The deal provides for one F-16 A/B Block 15 simulator and involves 100 percent FMS to Thailand. Thailand’s 102 Fighter Squadron operates F-16A/B ADF and the 103 Fighter Squadron operates the F-16A/B. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.

Today’s Video

Watch: Philippine Army’s Planned Acquisition of Tanks and Armoured Assets from PT PIndad’s indonesia

Picture: Bundeswehr Technical Center for Information Technology and Electronics in Greding (Germany)

With its final working group meeting held at the Agency premises on 26 September, EDA’s European Network on Electro Magnetic Effects Test & Evaluation capabilities Rationalisation (ENTER) project has been officially concluded. 

Launched in 2014 as a so-called Category B project within the EDA’s Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB) initiative, it was supported by eight Member States: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and The Netherlands. The main objective of ENTER has been achieved: the creation of a coordinated network of EME (Electro-Magnetic Effects) test centres in the participating countries, which will facilitate the future cooperation among them based on a shared technical understanding and background. The various centres attached to the network are: 

• Armament and Defence Technology Agency, Electrical Engineering Division (Vienna, Austria)
• Royal Military Academy, Department of Communication Information Systems & Sensors (Brussels, Belgium)
• Military Technical Institute (Prague, Czech Republic)
• WTD 81 - Bundeswehr Technical Center for Information Technology and Electronics (Greding, Germany)
• CISAM - Centro Interforze Studi Applicazioni Militari (Pisa, Italy)
• INTA - Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aerospacial (Torrejon de Ardoz - Madrid, Spain)
• FMV - Swedish Defence Materiel Administration – T&E Division (Ostersund, Sweden)
• RNLM/DMI/MT Sensors and Weapon Systems (Den Helder, The Netherland).

The network of EME test centres and related national experts will now continue to cooperate in the specific EME sector within the DTEB framework. The damaging effects of electromagnetic interference pose unacceptable risks in military technologies. Against this backdrop, the ENTER network will jointly develop ways and means in order to mitigate the risks of fatal electromagnetic interference during EU missions, among other things by examining the hazardous impact of civil equipment on military operations and vice versa.

Besides working on the network, the ENTER project also allowed participating Member States to conduct joint tests, to promote the use of harmonised test procedures, maintain and develop T&E capabilities and expertise and share knowledge, expertise and equipment. ENTER’s results and final recommendations will be further exploited to improve the EME section of the DTEB database.
 

More information:

• Defence Test and Evaluation Base (DTEB) – EDA project page

Americas

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace won a $180.4 million contract modification that exercises an option for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support for Navy T-45 aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment. Under the contract, L-3 will also deliver equipment, direct material, services and tools to maintain the flight, test and evaluation operations. The T-45C is a training aircraft for pilots who will eventually fly F/A-18 Hornet, the AV-8B Harrier II and other carrier-based aircraft. To meet the needs of the US Navy training mission and to ensure aircraft carrier compatibility, several modifications were incorporated into the T-45 Goshawk design, including: new twin nose-wheel with catapult launch T-bar; nose-wheel steering for maneuvering within the confines of the carrier deck; strengthened airframe and undercarriage for catapult launches; relocated speed brakes; provision of under-fuselage tailhook; revised avionics and modified cockpit layout for compatibility with front-line US Navy combat aircraft. Work will take place at the Naval Air Stations in Kingsville, Texas; Meridian, Mississippi; Pensacola, Florida; Patuxent River, Maryland. Estimated completion is in September 2020.

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding division won a $30.8 million contract for engineering, technical, design agent, and hull planning yard support for the Navy’s operational aircraft carrier fleet. The deal will provide for engineering and technical support of operational Gerald R. Ford or CVN 78 Class aircraft carriers and propulsion plant related efforts for Nimitz or CVN 68 Class aircraft carriers. The scope of this effort includes technical and engineering support for nuclear powered aircraft carriers and aircraft carrier support facilities; design, development, conversion, testing, studies, operational support for operational nuclear-powered aircraft carriers; modernization and procurement of material, equipment, spares, repair parts, and test equipment for operational nuclear powered aircraft carriers; design agent, planning yard support and equipment obsolescence support of operational nuclear powered aircraft carriers; and engineering/logistics studies in support of modernization efforts, repairs, ship alterations, ship change documents, and command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance upgrades. For more than 40 years, Nimitz-class carriers have played the first-responder role in crises and conflicts. Ford Class ships will begin to succeed those of the Nimitz Class when Gerald R. Ford is commissioned. Gerald R. Ford is the first new design for an aircraft carrier since USS Nimitz. Work will take place in Newport News, Virginia. Estimated completion will be in September 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Israel Shipyards received orders for its OPV 45, and is in discussions towards the first sale of a Sa’ar S-72 vessel, Jane’s reports. The OPV 45 is Israel Shipyards’ newest patrol craft. The Sa’ar S-72 is 71.8 m long, has a 3,200 n mile range, an 800 tonne displacement, and a 30 kt top speed. Noam Latsav, managing director at Israel Shipyards, said that contract talks are ongoing with one country, and one Sa’ar S-72 has begun construction in the meantime. The OPV 45 is driven by fixed-pitch propellers and the power plants depend on the customer’s needs. It can mount stabilized naval gun systems of up to 30 mm in the primary position, and 12.7 mm machine guns.

Europe

The US Army Contracting Command awarded Lockheed Martin with an $18.4 million Foreign Military Sales contract to the Netherlands as well as the UAE. The deal is for Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight Pilot Night Vision Sensor Systems, subcomponent production, and technical services for the Apache Attack Helicopter. The helicopter is designed to survive heavy attack and inflict massive damage. It can zero in on specific targets, day or night, even in terrible weather. In September last year, officials from the Netherlands signed a letter of offer and acceptance to proceed with a $1.2 billion upgrade of the Dutch fleet of AH-64D Apache helicopters with the United States. Lockheed will perform work in August 31, 2021.

Asia-Pacific

Northrop Grumman won a $1.4 billion contract modification for non-recurring and recurring engineering for the production and delivery of nine Japan configuration E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft under the FMS Act. The announcement comes after Japan received the first of an initial batch of four E-2Ds at the end of March, with the other three E-2Ds expected to be delivered between the end of 2019 and the end of 2020. The E-2Ds are expected to supplement Japan’s 13 E-2Cs ahead of the latter being eventually retired. Japan has operated the E-2C since 1983 and is the largest E-2 operator outside the US. FMS 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.

Nova Nacap won a $62.6 million contract for construction of two nominal eight million liter cut-and-cover bulk fuel storage tanks. According to the DoD, work will take place in Darwin, Northern Territory of Australia, and is expected to be completed by October 2022. The work to be performed provides for two nominal eight million liter cut-and-cover bulk fuel storage tanks with pump vaults, truck unloading and loading gantry, filter equipment and building, operations facility with laboratory, modifications to Fuel Farm #7, fuel system controls, pipelines, demolition, site preparation, pavements, grading and drainage improvements, supporting utility infrastructure, and incidental work. Work also includes a new liquid dry breathing oxygen (LDBO) facility and demolition of the existing LDBO facility.

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Americas

Boeing won a $2.6 billion contract modification for Lot 5 production KC-46 aircraft, initial spares, and support equipment. The deal provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 15 KC-46 aircraft, data, two spare engines, five wing refueling pod kits, initial spares, support equipment, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file being produced under the basic contract. The KC-46A Pegasus is a widebody, multirole tanker that can refuel all US, allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures. The aircraft is capable of carrying 212,299 pounds of fuel and 61,000 pounds of cargo, 10 percent more than the KC-135 can hold. The KC-46A is equipped with a refueling boom driven by a fly-by-wire control system, and is capable of fuel offload rates required for large aircraft. Its hose and drogue system adds additional mission capability that is independently operable from the refueling boom system. Work will take place in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by March 2023.

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $495 million contract for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. This contract provides for modernization and sustainment of 16 mission and one trainer aircraft. The deal will support the current JSTARS Program Office and Air Combat Command projections of improvements to increase or maintain E-8C performance, capability, reliability, and maintainability. The JSTARS is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. Its primary mission is to provide theater ground and air commanders with situational awareness to support military operations. In 2015, team JSTARS set a major milestone when they surpassed 100,000-combat flying hours in support of the US Central Command while flying the E-8C Joint STARS out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Northrop will perform work at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; and Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 26, 2024.

Middle East & Africa

United Technologies doing business as Pratt & Whitney Military Engines won a $78.1 million deal for engine module remanufacture. The contract provides for F100-PW-220/-220E engine module remanufacture for Foreign Military Sales partner country of Jordan. It involves 100% Foreign Military Sales to Jordan. The Pratt & Whitney F100 is an afterburning turbofan engine that powers the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Work will take place at East Hartford, Connecticut; Midland, Georgia; and Midwest City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be finished by September 30, 2024

The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Qatar of two AN/AAQ-24(V)N Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems and related equipment for an estimated cost of $86 million. The procurement of the LAIRCM systems will provide enhanced capability to Qatar to deter regional threats. Northrop Grumman has been named as the principal contractor for the AN/AAQ-24(V)N LAIRCM. LAIRCM offers protection to aircraft from infrared-guided missiles. Qatar intends to use the LAIRCM systems for installation on a pair of 747-800s.

Europe

The Ukrainian Forces received their first Bars-8MMK (mobile mortar complex) vehicles from Ukroboronservice, Jane’s reports. The defense conglomerate said Ukroboronservice had successfully completed acceptance tests with the vehicle, covering tactical and technical characteristics, as well as firing trials, with a Ukrainian military unit. The BARS-8MMK is a new mobile self-propelled mortar vehicle using the chassis of the BARS-8 4×4 wheeled armored vehicle. It carries a 120 mortar which can be deployed automatically at the rear of the vehicle to perform firing operations. It takes only 30 seconds to bring this artillery system in firing condition, and the vehicle is able to leave the firing position in less than 20 seconds. The BARS-8 is a 4×4 armored vehicle designed and manufactured by the Ukrainian Company Bogdan. The vehicle is built on the Dodge Ram pick-up truck’s 4×4 wheeled chassis. It has a gross vehicle weight of 10,000 kg and a payload capacity of 2,000 kg.

Asia-Pacific

The DoS approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Thailand of eight AH-6i light attack reconnaissance helicopters and related equipment for an estimated cost of $400 million. Boeing’s AH-6i gunship is a light attack/reconnaissance helicopter based on the storied Hughes OH-6 Cayuse – better known as the Little Bird – that first flew in 1963. The commercial version was named the Hughes 500, later renamed the MD 500 after McDonnell Douglas purchased Hughes Helicopters in 1984. Following Boeing’s later merger with McDonnell Douglas, MD Helicopters purchased the MD 500 line, and produces aircraft – including military variants – based on the platform.

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E-8C JSTARS: Before
(click to view full)

The USA’s E-8 JSTARS is a Boeing 707-300 derivative that provides a picture of the ground situation analogous to the E-3 AWACS’ picture of the air situation. JSTARS aircraft use their radars to determine the direction, speed and patterns of military activity of ground vehicles, helicopters, and even groups of people. They then send this information via secure data links with air force command posts, army mobile ground stations and centers of military analysis around the world.

These surveillance and communications relay capabilities are somewhat unique, and have proven extremely useful in a series of conflicts from Desert Storm in 1991 to the present day. Europe originally intended to field a similar, smaller AGS aircraft based on the Airbus A321, but that project has now been cut to a small fleet of RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs. With the Global Hawk limited by its payload capacity, and the USA’s E-10A program canceled, the USA’s 17-aircraft operational JSTARS fleet is likely to remain very popular for some time to come. The question is how to keep that fleet relevant, flying, and allocated among all of the units clamoring for their attention.

The Engines

CFM56-7B engine
(click to view full)

Military studies indicate that structural improvements and other modifications could allow the aircraft to fly safely for another 40-50 years. Significant performance improvements are being considered, but the fleet’s #1 issue remains its old JT3D-3B engines, whose core design was first introduced in the 1950s. An upgrade program is underway to address that, and the US Air Force finally appears to be on board. Mostly.

The choice facing the US Air Force involved 2 candidates:

One was GE’s very popular CFM56 high bypass tubofan, which flies on a wide variety of commercial jets including the entire Airbus 320 family, the A340, and Boeing’s 737-300+) and has been used to re-engine the USA’s 707-derived KC-135 Stratotanker fleet. The new KC-135Rs have demonstrated about a 27% fuel savings since the switch, in addition to lower maintenance costs, compatibility with the KC-135 fleet, and the ability to leverage a wider commercial skills base.

The other option would be Pratt & Whitney’s JT8D-219, based on an engine design that was introduced in the mid-1960s. It powers DC-9, MD-80, Boeing 727, and early-model 737 aircraft. While the fuel savings would be slightly smaller, the JT8 has an advantage of its own: no significant aircraft modifications are required, because the engine has the same weight and center of gravity as the older JT3D engines in current use.

This seemingly minor feature means significant capital and time savings for the re-engining program, and ended up determining the USAF’s choice. The JSTARS fleet is always in demand, and high project costs elsewhere mean a cash crunch for investment, so the Pratt & Whitney offering won.

The JSTARS engine upgrade program is based on the Propulsion Pod System, incorporating Pratt & Whitney’s JT8D-219 jet engine and Seven Q Seven’s pylons, thrust reversers, and instrumentation. Benefits are expected to include 17% fuel savings, added power generation for future upgrades to the radar sensor and mission equipment, elimination of engine overheating in warm months that sometimes forced the planes to fly at night, and the ability to use shorter runways. That last capability may allow the E-8Cs to fly from runways closer to some of their operating areas, which reduces the need for aerial tankers and adds fuel savings of its own.

Northrop Grumman added an innovation of its own, via a single stage precooling design that allows hot, compressed bleed air from the engine turbines to be processed at much cooler temperatures and more consistent pressure levels. That vastly improves reliability and the hardware’s life cycle, even as it keeps a number of critical systems functioning. The bleed air is used to pressurize the Air Cycle Machines (ACM) that cool the interior, cabin and prime mission equipment (PME); and also pressurizes the utility hydraulic subsystem, engine starting capability, and liquid cooling system.

Program: Current State

JT8D on JSTARS
(click to view full)

Northrop Grumman representatives said that civil certification was completed in October 2008, as noted below. The T-3 testbed plane has been flying, and flight tests for military certification remain on track. That testing has continued into 2011.

Funding for the re-engining program has been appropriated by Congress, and on Sept 30/09 Pentagon technology chief Ashton Carter directed the US Air Force to free up funds for initial production, but the full go-ahead hasn’t happened yet.

The funding is being used to buy JT8D-219 engines and Seven Q Seven’s propulsion pod systems as long-lead material items, which take time to produce. At this point, 2 initial pod sets are under contract, but a Milestone C decision to produce the remaining engines and pods isn’t scheduled until 2012.

Once military certification is complete, and a decision is made to produce the engine pods, having the equipment on hand would mean that re-engining could begin during the 17-plane E-8C fleet’s routine depot maintenance (PDM) cycles. Each E-8C enters PDM every 18 months, and the inspection and maintenance process last for about 4-6 weeks per plane. The entire E-8C fleet could be re-engined in about 2 years this way, while remaining available for use at their normal rates.

Beyond the re-engining program, the E-10’s demise may yet see the work on that plane’s full size MP-RTIP radar transferred to the E-8 fleet. Smaller MP-RTIP radars currently fly on RQ-4B Global Hawk UAVs, but a move to install the full version on the E-8 fleet would improve their ability to find ground targets by a factor of 5x – 10x. “Jumped-up JSTARS: New Technology for Ground Surveillance Planes?” covers those developments.

As the USAF thinks about investing in its E-8C fleet, both re-engining and wider upgrade plans may find themselves in trouble. There’s a serious debate concerning the wisdom of keeping the current JSTARS fleet at all, given its operating costs and age. Boeing is pushing a modified variant of its 737-derived P-8A Poseidon sea control aircraft, whose surface-looking radars are reportedly already competitive with JSTARS, as a similar-cost solution versus E-8 re-engining and upgrades. Radar capabilities could be improved further using existing technology, while keeping the P-8’s new electronics, new airframe, and operating efficiencies.

Contracts & Events

Re-engined JSTARS
(click to view full)

September 30/19: Modernization And Sustainment Northrop Grumman Systems won a $495 million contract for the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. This contract provides for modernization and sustainment of 16 mission and one trainer aircraft. The deal will support the current JSTARS Program Office and Air Combat Command projections of improvements to increase or maintain E-8C performance, capability, reliability, and maintainability. The JSTARS is an airborne battle management, command and control, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. Its primary mission is to provide theater ground and air commanders with situational awareness to support military operations. In 2015, team JSTARS set a major milestone when they surpassed 100,000-combat flying hours in support of the US Central Command while flying the E-8C Joint STARS out of Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. Northrop will perform work at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia; and Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 26, 2024.

Dec 14/11: Northrop Grumman announces that its JSTARS T-3 testbed aircraft has successfully completed its first official flight using the new, Pratt and Whitney engines, and the newly designed pneumatic system for bleed air cooling.

Feb 9/11: Northrop Grumman Corporation announces completion of the Preliminary Design Review for the JT8D propulsion pod’s new bleed air system. That system extracts high-pressured hot air from the JT8D’s engines and converts it into cool air that can pressurize the Air Cycle Machines (ACM) that cool the interior, cabin and prime mission equipment (PME), while pressurizing the utility hydraulic subsystem, engine starting capability and liquid cooling system. The new bleed air system is only expected to be installed and flight tested around mid-2012.

Jan 14/11: 20th anniversary of the E-8 JSTARS’ 1st operational combat sortie in 1991, which happened in support of Operation Desert Storm. Since 2001, the 116th Air Control Wing based on Warner Robins, GA have flown over 63,000 hours in 5,200 combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New Dawn. Source.

Sept 13/10: End of JSTARS? The battle over the E-8 JSTARS fleet’s future is heating up. Boeing is proposing a derivative of its P-8A Poseidon sea control aircraft as a proposed $5.5 billion, 1-for-1 replacement of the current E-8C fleet, instead of paying that estimated amount to upgrade the E-8Cs with new cockpits, sensors, and engines. The Boeing AGS version would include the Raytheon-Boeing Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS), Raytheon’s AN/APY-10 multi-mode radar in the nose, some the same Electronic Support Measures for emissions geo-location that are featured on the E/A-18G Growler electronic attack plane, and an electro-optical surveillance and targeting turret. A P-8 derivative would also give the USAF space and integration for weapons on board, or additional sensors in those spaces.

Northrop Grumman believes the Boeing figure may be a lowball price, and has its own proposal to add 1′ x 8′ array radars on the plane’s cheeks, derived from the firm’s APG-77 and APG-81 AESA radars that equip the F-22 and F-35 stealth fighters. Today, JSTARS operations have to “break track” with a target to collect an image. The cheek fairings would solve that problem, while keeping the existing AN/APY-7, in order to lower the upgrade price to around $2.7 billion: $900M re-engining, $500M for new APY-7 receiver and exciters, $1 billion for the cheek array, $300M for avionics upgrade and battle management improvements. This would replace the previous push to replace the APY-7 with their MP-RTIP radar.

Northrop Grumman executives have expressed concern that USAF officials haven’t showed them the 2009 initial capabilities document that could launch a competition to replace or upgrade the E-8C. That isn’t a required step, but it is common practice. This may be because the USAF is considering even wider options – like putting the focus on “persistent ground looking radar and optical surveillance with high resolution moving target capability,” instead of an E-8C vs. 737 AGS competition. If so, the firms could find themselves competing with other platforms, possibly including derivatives of airship projects like Northrop Grumman’s US Army’s LEMV etc. Aviation Week | Flight International.

Feb 25/10: The expanded Phase II effort is awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp., with $60 million added to the contract, bringing it to $283.6 million. This Phase II contract includes flight testing, data capture for flight simulators, modified air certification, pneumatic system development, training, logistics, flight manuals and logistics design efforts. Maj. Kevin Massie, commander of the 633rd Electronic Systems Squadron, offers his take on past delays in a March 18/09 USAF article:

“Concerns about long-term fleet viability and program cost growth led to a delay in execution and outright halt of portions of the program in August [2009]. In late September, after being presented with several options, the Air Force directed the continuation of the Re-engining System Design and Development phase, with the intention of moving toward a Milestone C decision for production of the remaining E-8C engine shipsets in fiscal 2012.”

The article adds that this decision was reinforced by a pointed ADM released on Sept 30/09 – see below.

Feb 9/10: The 751st Electronic Support Group at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA finalizes a $223.6 million contract with Northrop Grumman to supply 2 JSTARS propulsion pod system (PPS) shipsets to the Georgia Air National Guard. The PPS shipsets each consist of 4 Pratt and Whitney JT8D-219 engines, pylon assemblies and associated aircraft interconnections.

Deliveries are expected to begin in 2011 pending final military certification of the engines on T-3, the JSTARS 707-300 test bed aircraft. See NGC release. A Northrop Grumman representative provided DID with the following explanation of the contract funding:

“The $223.6M contract we signed had predominantly FY08 and FY09 appropriated funds that we finally received in 2010 [as a result of] the [Ashton] Carter directive…However, of the $223.6M awarded, we estimate about $9.5M appears to be from FY10 RDT&E and $500K is FY10 procurement. That’s about $10M of FY10 funds paying an FY08/ FY09 bill.”

Oct 19/09: Commenting on Pentagon technology chief Ashton Carter’s decision to direct the Air Force to free up funds for the new JSTAR engine sets, Lexington Institute’s Loren Thomson says that:

“If the Air Force had obligated money in a timely fashion, the first two sets of engines would be funded, but instead it is asking Congress to make up a shortfall its foot-dragging created, which amounts to seeking money for the same item twice. This mess doesn’t build confidence about the Air Force’s commitment to supporting the needs of soldiers, soldiers being the main consumers of JSTAR reconnaissance. But it’s more important to get warfighters what they need than to have an inside-the-beltway wrangle over who’s to blame… Carter needs to hold Air Force feet to the fire… and Congress needs to provide the money… There are only 17 planes in the JSTARS fleet, but it looks like we’re going to have to rely on them for a long time to come, and as of right now not one has the new engines needed to stay viable.”

JT-8 cutaway
(click to view full)

Sept 30/09: Pentagon technology chief Ashton Carter signs a memorandum, [PDF] which was introduced into the Congressional Record, directing the Air Force to free up funds for the JSTARS PPS shipsets to begin initial production. The memo reads:

“I direct the Air Force to continue the JSTARS re-engining System Design and Development phase, including the development, flight testing, and production of the initial increment of re-engine shipsets. The Air Force should immediately identify and obligate RDT&E and procurement funding necessary to executive this direction.”

July 29/09: The Lexington Institute publishes “Air Force Delay on Radar Plane Fix Hurts Soldiers.” An excerpt:

“Now, it can’t even find money to replace the plane’s failing engines. The latter problem is a remarkable example of bureaucratic foot-dragging, when you consider that defense authorizing and appropriations committees in both chambers of Congress have already approved the money… As a result, about once every ten days the Joint Stars fleet has to abort a mission due to malfunctioning engines, and half the time an in-flight emergency is declared. Needless to say, this tends to reduce the readiness of the plane while greatly increasing maintenance bills.

The Air Force’s own estimates show that if it replaced the E-8’s decrepit engines with new ones, it could avoid about a million dollars a day in maintenance costs. In fact, the replacement program would pay for itself in eight years, and eventually save $10 billion… without new engines, it will probably become unflyable in the next decade.”

Dec 20/08: A USAF E-8C test bed aircraft makes its first flight powered by the new engines. This flight marks the start of the re-engined E-8C’s military air worthiness certification test program, which will last “into next spring.” Northrop Grumman release.

Oct 22/08: Northrop Grumman announces that the USAF’s E-8C engine upgrade program had successfully completed Federal Aviation Administration supplemental type civil certification flights.

After civil certification was complete, the engines and pylons were removed from Omega Air’s 707, for installation on a military E-8C aircraft that would be used for military certification.

May 13/08: Northrop Grumman announces 2 unfinalized USAF contracts worth $300 million. Their team will complete non-recurring engineering, flight test, and certification of new PW JT8D-219 engines for the service’s E-8C JSTARS fleet, and begin engine production. Work will begin immediately, with the test bed aircraft in Melbourne, FL being the first E-8 to convert to the Pratt and Whitney JT8D engine and begin military flight certification later this year. Concurrently, production startup activity begins with Northrop Grumman’s principal subcontractors to produce the propulsion pod system.

The first retrofit to the Joint STARS fleet is set for late 2010. All refits will take place during routine periodic depot maintenance schedules, in order to ensure the least amount of down time for the in-demand JSTARS fleet. NGC release.

Jan 18/07: Northrop Grumman selects Pratt & Whitney’s JT8D-219 engine to power the E-8 JSTARS conversion project. The effort will be a joint venture involving United Technologies’ subsidiary Pratt & Whitney and Seven Q Seven (SQS), will produce and deliver the complete JT8D-219 propulsion system. Pratt & Whitney will be responsible for delivering the engines, and SQS will work with its key suppliers Goodrich Corporation and The Nordam Group to supply the propulsion pods the engines rest in, including the struts, cowl doors, inlets, reversers and systems. Pratt & Whitney release.

Additional Readings

• USAF Fact Sheets – E-8C Joint Stars

• Northrop Grumman – E-8C Joint Stars. Northrop Grumman is the E-8C’s lead integrator; the base plane is Boeing’s.

• Pratt & Whitney – JT8D

• DID – Jumped-up JSTARS: New Technology for Ground Surveillance Planes?

• Lexington Institute (July 29/09) – Air Force Delay on Radar Plane Fix Hurts Soldiers

• USAF (Dec 4/08) – E-8C’s new engine program takes off

• DID (Nov 23/05) – USA Spending $532M to Upgrade its E-8 J-STARS Eyes in the Sky