Defense`s Feeds

Americas

Raytheon won a $442.3 million deal for the force element terminal (FET) development effort. The contract provides for the design, development, testing, integration, and logistical support of a FET system that will transition the B-52 and RC-135 hardened communication terminals from the Military Strategic Tactical Relay satellite communications satellite constellation to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite constellation. According to the US Air Force’s latest strategic bomber guidance document, the B-52H Stratofortress are no longer approved to carry nuclear gravity bombs. There have long been concerns that the B-52 lacks the capability to penetrate modern air defenses to deliver a nuclear strike with gravity bombs. The B-52 Stratofortress entered into service in the 1950s. With the Cold War in full swing, the bomber became an integral part of the US’ nuclear deterrent as a part of the Nuclear Triad, alongside intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-armed submarines. Decades later the aircraft is still integral in this role. Boeing RC-135 is a four engine, medium weight reconnaissance aircraft designed and manufactured by Boeing Defence and Integrated Systems for the USAF. Work will take place at Raytheon’s facilities in Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by August 2023.

Lockheed Martin won a $9.8 million contract modification for engineering services in support of the Hellfire Missile and Joint Air-to-Ground Missile. The Hellfire is an air-to-ground, laser guided, subsonic missile with significant anti-tank capacity. It can also be used as an air-to-air weapon against helicopters or slow-moving fixed-wing aircraft. Hellfire can be used as an air-to-air or an air-to-ground missile. The Air-to-Ground (AGM)-114 provides precision striking power against tanks, structures, bunkers and helicopters. The Hellfire missile is capable of defeating any known tank in the world today. It can be guided to the target either from inside the aircraft or by lasers outside the aircraft. Work will take place in Orlando, Florida. Estimated completion date is January 15, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey’s Gokdogan (Peregrine) beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile has been test-fired for the first time, the Defence Industries Research and Development Institute (SAGE) of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey said in a video on January 10. The missile was fired from an F-16 wing on the ground, hitting its aerial target. It is scheduled to enter service with the Turkish Air Force Command in 2021, replacing the US-built Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM).

Europe

Leonardo’s Falco Xplorer has made its maiden flight from Trapani Air Force Base on January 15. The flight time was approximately 60 minutes. Xplorer is the largest variant of the Falco family. They design the Xplorer to support multiple missions such as persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), all-weather, maritime and theatre multispectral surveillance, border patrolling, law enforcement, illegal immigration prevention, and environment monitoring. Each Falco Xplorer unit comprises a ground control system, ground data terminal, support equipment, and two aircraft. For its maiden flight, Falco Xplorer S/N0001 took off from Trapani Air Force base on January 15, cruised over the Gulf of Trapani in a dedicated fly zone, for around 60 minutes and then returned to base, landing safely. The maiden flight is a significant milestone which has been achieved through technical and engineering support, at the test flight planning stages and with other related activities, by the Italian Air Force Test Flight Center.

A news report says Greece has agreed to deploy a Patriot air defense missile unit to Saudi Arabia. The deal apparently follows the agreement of the foreign ministries of Greece and Saudi Arabia a few weeks ago to boost the latter’s air defense in light of the recent strikes against the facilities of the state-owned Aramco oil company. It is reportedly also seen as a result of Washington’s pressure on Athens for a Greek presence in the Persian Gulf. Greece had twice responded negatively to previous American requests to send a frigate to join a naval force in the region under US leadership. Patriot (MIM-104) is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. It is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida.

Asia-Pacific

The US Department of State has approved a potential $1.5 billion Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Australia of long-lead items, engineering development activities and other defense services to support the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) Surface Combatant Program, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on January 15. The government in Canberra had requested to procure these items and services from the United States to support the program, which includes the modernization of the RAN’s three Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyers and the construction of the first three of nine Hunter Class frigates, according to the DSCA.

Today’s Video

Watch: Indian Defence Updates : 3500 Km K4 SLBM Test, Supersonic Sea Ceptor For Navy,ADA-HAL ORCA Fighter

Nimrod R1 & E-3D AWACS
(click to view full)

Land and sea surveillance, and electronic surveillance, are missions no government can ignore. To keep its capabilities, Great Britain launched a parallel set of efforts to update its Nimrod fleet. One multi-billion pound program sought to upgrade 12 of its unique Nimrod Mk2 maritime patrol aircraft to Nimrod MRA4 status. The other effort, named Project HELIX, sought to keep its related Nimrod R1 electronic and signals intelligence/ relay aircraft fleet flying until 2025.

Both failed. The Nimrod MR2 fleet was retired in 2010, with several almost-complete MRA4s scrapped, leaving Britain with no long-range maritime surveillance aircraft. The first sign of trouble for the Nimrod R1s was an October 2008 DSCA request, conveying Britain’s official $1+ billion request to field 3 RC-135V/W Rivet Joint ELINT/SIGINT aircraft. That, too, became final, and the R1s will now leave service in 2011 – to be replaced by a joint RAF/USAF “Airseeker” program centered on the RC-135W Rivet Joint.

The RC-135 Rivet Joint

RC-135V/W Rivet Joint
(click to view full)

The USA operates 15 of these in-demand aircraft, which have been used in both Iraq wars, and can also be found over missions like Bosnia, Haiti, et al. Their extended “thimble” noses and cheek fairings are very recognizable, and have given them the nickname “hogs”. The USAF’s fleet went from 14 to 15 in 1999 with the addition of a converted C-135B, and currently stands at 17. Each Rivet Joint has a standard crew of 24: 2 pilots, 1 navigator, 4 airborne systems engineers, and 17 specialists to operate its electronic snooping gear.

Once its 3 planes are deployed, Britain will become the only Rivet Joint operator in the world outside of the United States. The sensitivity of its technologies are such that only a very few countries would even be considered for a sale. Australia, Britain, Canada, and possibly Japan would likely exhaust the potential list.

Rivet Joint aircraft are so important that they are assigned tasks at the national level, above even theater commanders like CENTCOM. Their crews’ job is to collect and relay signals and communications, snooping on enemy transmissions and radar emissions. The planes are advanced enough to precisely locate, record and analyze much of what is being done in the electromagnetic spectrum within their coverage area, which is large enough to cover most countries over the course of a mission flight. They can convey this information, or relay other high bandwidth communications, using a communications array that includes satellite channels, the Tactical Digital Information Link (TADIL/A), the Tactical Information Broadcast Service (TIBS), and other options.

The British will have one challenge that the Americans don’t. American RC-135V/Ws can be refueled in the air, using the USAF’s standard dorsal intake. Britain standardized on the rival hose-and-probe system used by the US Navy, however, and its current and future aerial tankers lack the required aerial boom structure. Britain’s C-135 derived E-3D AWACS planes have a forward-mounted probe, and reportedly added a receptacle that allows them to receive fuel from boom-equipped aircraft, but the British RC-135 “Airseekers” won’t have that plumbing. If they want to fly extend missions and refuel in mid-air, they’ll need help from an allied tanker with a refueling boom.

Contracts and Key Events 2011 – 2020

 

RC-135 Rivet Joint:
RAF/USAF concept
(click to view full)

A 9 month HELIX assessment phase involving L-3, Lockheed, and Northrop-Grumman was down-selected to L-3 and Lockheed Martin in 2005. In April 2007, L-3’s team won the Phase 3 risk reduction contract, and became the preferred bidder for the main Nimrod R1 HELIX contract in 2009. In 2008, however, a DSCA request indicated a different course, which apparently became final in 2010: RC-135 Rivet Joint planes. The end of 2010 also delivered another hammer blow: the phase out of the entire Nimrod fleet, as part of Britain’s budgetary review. The R1s ended up as the last serving Nimrods.

The UK’s “Project Airseeker” RC-135s are expected to enter service in 2014. Meanwhile, British aircrews are training and flying in USAF Rivet Joint planes.

Arrival
click for video January 20/20: FET Development Effort Raytheon won a $442.3 million deal for the force element terminal (FET) development effort. The contract provides for the design, development, testing, integration, and logistical support of a FET system that will transition the B-52 and RC-135 hardened communication terminals from the Military Strategic Tactical Relay satellite communications satellite constellation to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite constellation. According to the US Air Force’s latest strategic bomber guidance document, the B-52H Stratofortress are no longer approved to carry nuclear gravity bombs. There have long been concerns that the B-52 lacks the capability to penetrate modern air defenses to deliver a nuclear strike with gravity bombs. The B-52 Stratofortress entered into service in the 1950s. With the Cold War in full swing, the bomber became an integral part of the US’ nuclear deterrent as a part of the Nuclear Triad, alongside intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear-armed submarines. Decades later the aircraft is still integral in this role. Boeing RC-135 is a four engine, medium weight reconnaissance aircraft designed and manufactured by Boeing Defence and Integrated Systems for the USAF. Work will take place at Raytheon’s facilities in Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by August 2023.

September 02/17: L-3 has completed the successful delivery of the third and final RC-135V/W Rivet Joint (RJ) signals intelligence aircraft to the British Royal Air Force (RAF). The company says it will also perform future baseline upgrades and periodic depot maintenance for the British fleet. The aircraft will form the back of the UK’s Airseeker capability, providing new and collaborative intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) resources in support of global security missions. When combined with the aircraft operated by the US, a pool of 20 aircraft is available. The foreign military sale was valued at approximately $1 billion.

Nov 12/13: 1st arrival. The 1st British Airseeker plane (tail #ZZ664) arrives at RAF Waddington several months ahead of schedule, after finishing flight testing and checkout in Texas. Hmm, whatever happened to “the UK decided not to take delivery until closer to the previously agreed date”?

The plane will eventually serve with No. 51 Squadron, which will be fully operational by 2017. Waddington had also been the base for Britain’s now-retired Nimrod R1s, and RAF crews haven’t been idle in the interim: they’ve already achieved more than 32,000 RC-135 flying hours in 1,800 sorties, flying operational missions with the USAF’s 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing. Sources: UK MoD, “First Rivet Joint aircraft delivered to the UK” | BBC, “Nimrod R1 replacement arrives at RAF Waddington”.

Nov 4/13: Certification delay? The UK MoD takes exception on its blog:

“The [Sunday Times] article claimed that the delivery of the Rivet Joint aircraft, which will provide a Signals Intelligence capability for the RAF had ‘been delayed’ and that ‘the absence of so called Release to Service certificate’ was the reason for the delay. This is not true.

The first Rivet Joint aircraft, which will form part of the Airseeker programme, is not due to be delivered until early 2014. The US Air Force said it would be possible to deliver it in mid-October but the UK decided not to take delivery until closer to the previously agreed date. This decision had nothing to do with Release to Service certification.

The article in the Sunday Times also claimed that ‘RAF chiefs hoped to put the plane into front line service next spring’ but this too is incorrect. The Airseeker capability is due to enter front line service with the RAF at the end of 2014, with full operating capability due in 2018. We are on track to achieve this.”

Nov 1/13: Certification delay? Media reports surface that UK Military Airworthiness Authority (MAA) dithering over the RC-135’s safety case is delaying its introduction, alongside other new RAF platforms like the A330 Voyager tankers, King Air 350ER observation planes, and Watchkeeper UAVs.

“The U.S. Air Force declared the first Airseeker ready for delivery in mid-October, six months ahead of schedule, a U.S. official with detailed knowledge of the acquisition told AIN…. [But] The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) told AIN that a three-month review of the available technical evidence in early 2012 had identified “some gaps in evidence.” The UK’s Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) acquisition organization had contracted QinetiQ to help in building a robust safety case. The U.S. official told AIN that the USAF had tired of answering the stream of questions from QinetiQ and was now referring them to Boeing, as the OEM. The MoD confirmed to AIN that DE&S had sought additional information on “a number of aircraft systems.”

The MoD told AIN that the DE&S aimed “to have the necessary evidence in place in spring 2014 to support the aircraft receiving its approval to fly to allow workup to IOC (initial operating capability)”…. [by October 2014].”

Sources: Sunday Telegraph, “Safety fears ground RAF’s spy plane” | AIN Online, “Rivet Joint Airworthiness Questioned by UK”.

Jan 22/13: Aerial Refueling. There won’t be any, unless other countries with boom-equipped tankers help out. The RC-135s use dorsal boom refueling, while the RAF’s A330s carry only drogue hoses that are compatible with other British aircraft. Britain’s E-2Ds are based on a similar 707 airframe, but they added extra plumbing and a probe up top, in order to allow probe and drogue refueling. The RC-135 Airseekers won’t receive that modification. Absent external support, therefore, the British RC-135s have about 12 hours of endurance in the air.

Countries with modern, boom-equipped refueling aircraft who could help the UK out include Australia (A330), Italy (KC-767), Saudi Arabia (A330) the UAE (A330), and the USA (KC-10, KC-46A/767). KC-135 customers like the USA, Chile, France, Israel (KC-707), Turkey, and Singapore could also do so. Daily Mail, “Embarrassment for MoD because new £650 million spy planes cannot refuel in mid-air”.

July 8/11: A UK MoD spokesperson tells Defense News that a 2nd agreement has been struck, covering ongoing RC-135 maintenance and updates:

“The chief of defense materiel signed the MoU on June 23; his U.S. counterpart signed on June 6… The MoU establishes a cooperative agreement through to 2025 for the support of the UK’s Rivet Joint system. Valued at nearly $1 billion, the MoU enables the U.K. to access spares to support its in-service equipment, provides U.S. contractor assistance in-country and on deployment, and covers deep maintenance of the aircraft fleet that includes capability updates every four years.”

RC-135 maintenance MoU to 2025

June 29/11: The final two Nimrods, a pair of R1s in service with 51 Squadron, end their service at a ceremony held at RAF Waddington. UK MoD.

Nimrod R1 retires

March 11/11: Nimrod R1s. Crews at RAF Waddington have been told that the 2 Nimrod R1 spy planes will be retained in service for at least another 3 months, beyond the planned March 31/11 date. The reports are seen as implying that the MoD may be considering using the R1s’ electronic intelligence gathering capability around Libya, monitoring the situation alongside existing AWACS planes and collecting information in advance of any possible military action. Which is what happens.Defence Management.

Jan 14/11: Training. The UK MoD announces that members of RAF 51 Squadron have completed their first week of training with the US Air Force on the RC-135 Rivet Joint, in preparation for summer 2011’s planned joint deployment of up to 4 crews with their USAF colleagues on combined operations worldwide, including Afghanistan.

Offutt Air Force Base, NB is hosting training for pilots, navigators, electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators, and airborne maintenance technicians. Training takes 3-5 months, after which the RAF personnel will return to the UK and be attached to 55th Wing’s 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron.

2008 – 2010

 

Rivet Joint, incoming
(click to view full)

Dec 22/10: Britain’s Ministry of Defence describes the RC-135W Rivet Joint conversions as “the most complex combined Foreign Military Sales case and co-operative support arrangement that the UK has undertaken with the United States Air Force (USAF) since World War II,” and provides details regarding the future fleet.

All 3 planes will be based at RAF Waddington, and are expected to be in service by 2014. Up to 4 RAF crews will be trained at The Rivet Joint’s American home in Offut AFB, NE, deploying alongside their USAF colleagues on combined operations worldwide from summer 2011. In Britain, DE&S’ Airseeker team is staffing up and has moved into its new offices at Abbey Wood, with secure briefing facilities and infrastructure rated for classified USAF virtual teaming.

That cooperation will also extend to maintenance, as the MoU will maintain the planes as a joint UK/US fleet of 20 aircraft. Every 4 years, the planes will also return to prime contractor L3 Communications in Greenville, TX for a complete strip down, refurbishment, and system upgrade. What’s even more ground-breaking is Britain’s joint participation in platform improvement, under a continuous capability improvement rogram that is contracted until 2025, with options to extend work beyond this period. MoD DE&S’ Airseeker team leader Bill Chrispin characterized it this way:

“After complex negotiations with the US Government, involving multiple government departments and agencies, this ground breaking agreement will give the UK access to cutting edge technology and will also open up a wider market for world leading UK technology.”

May 20/10: Nimrod R1s. The UK Royal Air Force will send 51 Sqn’s Nimrod R1 signals intelligence aircraft to Afghanistan later in 2010, as their last mission before their retirement in March 2011. But the KC-135 Rivet Joint planes aren’t expected to arrive before 2014. Flight International.

March 22/10: Flight International quotes UK defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, who says that the UK finalized its agreement to buy 3 Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint electronic intelligence aircraft and related ground equipment on March 19/10.

The 2 remaining Nimrod R1s will be retired in 2011, and “Rivet Joint was selected as it is the only viable option that meets the requirements of our armed forces.”

3 RC-135s

Jan 13/10: RC-135s. Flight International reports that Britain will sign a contract for 3 RC-135s “within the next few weeks,” using stored American airframes modified by L-3 Communications Integrated Systems in the USA. The publication’s anonymous “senior military source” confirmed that an alternative proposal to leverage previous HELIX work, and refit the modernized Nimrod MRA4 fleet’s 3 development aircraft, had been rejected.

Recent decisions by the Brown Labour Party government will see the British Nimrod MR2 maritime patrol fleet phased out early as a cost-saving measure, but the ELINT/SIGINT function was reportedly deemed to be an essential capability.

Dec 22/09: Nimrods. The Maccleesfield Express reports that:

“A cross-party group of MPs including Sir Nicholas Winterton plus top bosses from BAE met with Defence Procurement minister Quentin Davies to discuss the possibility of further work at [BAE Woodford] which would delay the scheduled closure in 2012 for another 18 months. They had hoped to secure a contract for three new Nimrod R1 Reconnaissance planes to keep the 1,100 workers in employment, but Mr Davies said they have chosen to use American aircraft due to and [sic] intermediate deal to share planes until the new ones are ready.”

Aug 20/09: Aviation International:

“More than a year after U.S. defense officials offered three RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft as a replacement for the same number of Royal Air Force BAE Nimrod R1 signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, the UK Ministry of Defence has not made a decision… But the Nimrod SIGINT replacement seems to have fallen afoul of the UK’s defense budget squeeze. The MoD told AIN that a decision would be made late this year, and the R1s would be extended in service if necessary.

…But sources on both sides of the Atlantic… said that even the remanufactured Nimrod would offer only 60 percent of the required capability, because of power and aperture considerations. Moreover it could not be in service until 2015, and would cost three times as much to operate as the Rivet Joint… the sources said the actual cost to the UK [of RC-135s] would be closer to the $750 million that was originally budgeted for the Helix upgrade… the three airframes on offer to the UK are… the youngest KC-135s in the U.S. fleet; have already been updated with modern CFM56 turbofans and cockpit avionics; and are good for service until 2045… AIN understands that U.S. officials have assured the MoD that unique British requirements and sensors-such as QinetiQ’s Tigershark communications intelligence (COMINT) system – could be incorporated in the three Rivet Joints for the RAF. This and other British technology might also find a place on the larger U.S. fleet, sources told AIN. An informed U.S. source also addressed British concerns that the Rivet Joint system concentrates on COMINT at the expense of electronic intelligence (ELINT). He said… “they will get over it. An Rivet Joint configuration is not as ELINT-oriented, but today’s environment doesn’t really need an ELINT-heavy system.”

Oct 2/08: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] the United Kingdom’s formal request to convert 3 USAF KC-135R aircraft into RC-135V/W Rivet Joint aircraft, used for communications relay, electronic surveillance, and related tasks. The order would also include 3 APX-119 Identification Friend or Foe Systems, 3 LN-100GT Inertial Reference Units, 5 Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (Link 16) terminals, 18 ARC-210 Radios and 28 ARC-210 Radio control heads, plus modification kits, integration and installation, Ground Distributed Processing Station, Modular Processing System, Airborne Capability Extension System, mission trainer, tools and test equipment, spare and repair parts, and other forms of support.

The estimated cost is $1.068 billion. DSCA adds:

“The United Kingdom’s troops are deployed in support of Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, where U.S. assets currently provide this proposed capability. By acquiring this capability, the United Kingdom will be able to provide the same level of protection for its own forces and those of the United States.”

If a future Rivet Joint contract does mean the loss of Project HELIX, L-3 still comes out ahead. They are the Rivet Joint’s principal contractor, and L3 Communications of Greenville, TX would perform these conversions.

The re-engined KC-135Rs (related to Boeing’s 707s) will fit in with Britain’s E-3D Sentry AWACS fleet, which uses the same airframe and already has a comprehensive through-life support program. As such, they present no maintenance and support issues for Britain.

DSCA: 3 RC-135V/W

Other Options?

UK’s ASTOR Sentinel R1
(click to view full)

Britain did have other options besides the RC-135V/W.

The RAF recently inducted its ultra-modern ASTOR Sentinel R1 aircraft into service, which uses a modified Bombardier Global Express long-range business jet to provide outstanding long-range ground surveillance and command and control capabilities. The same platform could have been modified to perform the SIGINT/ELINT role, and in fact Lockheed Martin had proposed this very combination for the USA’s canceled and recently restarted ACS SIGINT/ELINT aircraft program.

The difference between the ASTOR ELINT and the RC-135V/W Rivet Joint comes down to development costs and known capabilities. A new version of the Sentinel R1 would require a full design and integration phase, starting from zero, with all of the attendant risks. Capabilities might be very high with the approach, and operating costs would be lower; but problems could also arise with integration, and the airframe is much smaller than the Rivet Joint’s 707-related base airframe.

When development costs and potential overruns are added to the likely purchase costs, Britain appears to have concluded that the RC-135V/W was its best option. It, too, offered platform commonality with RAF aircraft (E-3D), plus precisely known capabilities and purchase costs, the benefits of joint operation with the USA from common bases like Diego Garcia, and a partner who will finance the R&D needed for future upgrades. The final MoU even went a step further. A joint maintenance agreement made British firms eligible to participate in future technology upgrades for USAF and RAF aircraft.

Neither a modified ASTOR Sentinel R1, nor Britain’s existing Nimrod R1 fleet, can offer them all of those things.

The March 2010 agreement made Britain’s choice clear, and the July 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review eliminated all other options. The new Sentinel R1 fleet will now be retired at the end of Afghan operations around 2014, and the Nimrods will all be phased out by 2011.

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $19.4 million contract modification to exercise options for the procurement of eight multi-function modular masts for new-construction Virginia Class submarine Block V hulls. Virginia Class subs are designed for a broad spectrum of open-ocean and littoral missions, including anti-submarine warfare and intelligence gathering operations. The Block V submarines include some significant upgrades and changes when compared to the Virginia-class submarines already built. Work will take place in New Hampshire and New York. Estimated completion date is in September 2023.

The US Army awarded Sig Sauer a $10 million contract to manufacture ammunition for use in the branch’s bolt-action sniper rifle. The contractor will manufacture MOD 0 .300 Win Mag ammunition at its facility in Jacksonville, Ark. The contract also funds production of MK 248 MOD 1 ammunition for the military. In 2011, the Army transitioned from the 7.62mm to the .300 Win Mag round, providing the new round to sniper teams in Afghanistan. The new round allows snipers to engage targets from 1,200 meters as opposed to the 800-meter range of the older M24 sniper system.

Middle East & Africa

Raytheon won a $9 million delivery order, which provides for repair and sustainment services for 155 high-speed anti-radiation missiles in support of the Air Force, the government of Morocco and the government of Turkey. The HARM is an air-to-surface anti-radiation missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It can detect, attack and destroy a radar antenna or transmitter with minimal aircrew input. Work will take place in Tucson, Arizona. Estimated completion is in December, 2020.

Europe

Sweden has decided not to sell its General Electric F414G engine that powers the Gripen E to the United States for scheduled servicing. It has now decided that the engines will be serviced at Trollhättan instead. All F404 engines for the Swedish Gripen C/Ds are currently maintain at Trollhättan. The Saab JAS 39 Gripen is a light single-engine multirole fighter aircraft manufactured by the Swedish aerospace company Saab. The Swedish Armed Forces commissioned the Swedish Defense Material Administration to establish technical support and maintenance for RM16 / F414 for Gripen E at GKN in Trollhättan. This means that technical support and maintenance down to component level will be co-located in the Trollhättan for the JAS 39 Gripens engines

The French defense procurement agency Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) has signed a deal with Thales and Thales Alenia Space to conduct a concept study regarding intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) applications for a Stratobus-type platform, Thales announced on January 8. Stratobus is a stratospheric airship high altitude pseudo satellite (HAPS) designed by Thales and Thales Alenia Space. It is intended to fly at an altitude of more than 65,500 ft. Stratobus can be used for different missions including ISR and communications both for civilian and military purposes. The study launched by DGA will include an operational concept study for an ISR mission including exercises simulating its use in theaters of operation. A full-scale demonstrator concept will also be studied.

Asia-Pacific

Faced with a continuing financial resource crunch, the Indian Navy is cutting back on some of its procurement plans. The move will reportedly affect the service’s long-delayed modernization and operational efficiency. Faced with a continuing financial resource crunch, the Indian Navy (IN) is cutting back on some of its procurement plans: a move that, according to senior officers, will adversely affect the service’s long-delayed modernization and operational efficiency. The Navy has reduced its long-standing requirement for 12 mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) to eight and for 10 Russian-made Kamov Ka-31 Helix early warning and control (AEW&C) helicopters to just six platforms. The Indian Ministry of Defense had approved the acquisition of the MCMVs and Ka-31s in February 2015 and May 2019, respectively, but a steadily declining monetary outlay has resulted in the service procuring fewer platforms than expected.

Today’s Video

Watch: Indian Defence Updates : INS Visakhapatnam Gets Next-Gen Barak,2nd BrahMos Order,INS Vikrant Trials

Americas

Raytheon Missile Systems won a $10.6 million contract modification for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Production Lot 33 spares. The modification provides for the production Air Force and Navy spares. The AMRAAM missile is a versatile and proven weapon with operational flexibility in a wide variety of scenarios, including air-to-air and surface-launch engagements. In the surface launch role, it is the baseline weapon on the NASAMS launcher. In the air-to-air role, no other missile compares to the AMRAAM missile. The weapon’s advanced active guidance section provides aircrew with a high degree of combat flexibility and lethality. Its mature seeker design allows it to quickly find targets in the most combat challenging environments. Work will take place in Tucson, Arizona. Estimated completion date is in March 21, 2022.

Gen. John Raymond was sworn in as the highest-ranking leader of the newly-created U.S. Space Force Tuesday. Vice President Mike Pence swore Raymond in as Chief of Space Operations in a formal ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, just weeks after President Donald Trump signed a bill designating Space Force as the sixth branch of the military. “The first decision the president made after establishing the Space Force was deciding who should be its first leader,” Pence said. “I was around when the President made that decision and I can tell you, he never hesitated. He knew right away there was no one more qualified or more prepared from a lifetime of service than Gen. Jay Raymond to serve as the first leader of the Space Force.”

Middle East & Africa

Egypt now has the capability to aerial refuel combat aircraft, Janes’s reports. An official video released by the Ministry of Defense shows ‘buddy-buddy’ systems fitted to Air Force MiG-29M ‘Fulcrum’ fighters. The video is supposed to highlight capabilities of the Egyptian Armed Forces. It shows a pair of MiG-29Ms equipped with centerline hose-and-drogue units preparing to offload fuel to two Dassault Rafale combat aircraft. The ‘buddy-buddy’ system seen fitted to the MiG-29M in the video is called the PAZ-MK Refueling Pod. According to its manufacturer, Zvezda-NPP, it was designed to increase the range of carrier-borne MiG-29K/KUB aircraft, as flown by the Russian and Indian Navies.

Europe

The Royal Canadian Air Force is contributing to NATO’s Operation Reassurance Air Task Force enhanced air policing mission over Romania with five Boeing CF-188 Hornet fighters. Canada has aircraft, personnel, and resources standing by on quick reaction alert. NATO calls on the RCAF to scramble aircraft when it wants to identify or intercept an aircraft flying in the vicinity of NATO airspace over the Romanian flight information region. Canada’s Air Task Force-Romania had just completed its four-month NATO enhanced Air Policing mission in Romania. ATF-Romania is the air component of Operation Reassurance Canada’s contribution to NATO assurance and deterrence measures in Central and Eastern Europe.

Asia-Pacific

Lockheed Martin won a $32.9 million modification for contractor logistics support to the Taiwan F-16 Peace Phoenix Rising program. This modification provides for contractor logistics support, repair and return and diminishing manufacturing source management services for Taiwan F-16s Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar. The People’s Republic of China Air Force’s operates around 142 F-16 A/B fighter aircraft and is looking to expand its fleet. The RoCAF received the first upgraded aircraft in October 2018. The remaining deliveries are expected to be completed by 2023. Work will take place in Texas and Taiwan and estimated completion will be on December 31, 2025.

During a planned live-firing exercise by Russia, one of its Iskander-M ballistic missile flew beyond 600km and landed outside its designated target area. The missile is said to have been fired from Kapustin Yar for the Makat firing range in Kazakhstan. However, the missile ended up in the Bayganinsky district. The SS-26 Stone or “Iskander” is a road-mobile short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a range of up to 500 km. Using a common transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) and support vehicles, the system can also fire the 9M728 (R-500, SSC-7) and 9M729 cruise missiles. Russia began development of the SS-26 in the late 1980s to replace the OTR-23 “Oka” SRBM.

Today’s Video

Watch: CYCLE: NLCA-TEJAS’s has taken off from INS VIKRAMADITYA | What parameters being collected for TEDBF?

Americas

AugustaWestland won a $176.5 million deal for the production and delivery of 32 TH-73A aircraft, initial spares, peculiar support equipment, flyaway kits, hoists, sling loads, data in excess of commercial form fit function/operations maintenance instructional training data as well as ancillary instructor pilot and maintenance personnel training. Work will take in Pennsylvania and Texas. Estimated completion date is in October 2021. The TH-73A is the Navy’s new training helicopter. The new helo will meet advanced rotary-wing and intermediate tiltrotor training requirements for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Airbus Helicopters won a $37.7 million firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides performance-based logistics support to include ground and repair maintenance of five UH-72 aircraft, sustaining engineering required to maintain UH-72 Federal Aviation Administration certification, the incorporation of US Navy Test Pilot School specific modifications, and the support to provide ground and flight training for the UH-72/EC-145 aircraft. The UH-72 Lakota is the US Army’s multi-mission helicopter. It fulfills the Army’s requirements for speed, range and overall performance. The Lakota is a version of the H145 family multi-mission helicopter. Work will take place in Maryland and is expected to be completed by January 2025.

Middle East & Africa

The first Eurofighter combat aircraft configured for Kuwait made its maiden flight towards the end of 2019, the company announced. Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA 6), equipped with the Kuwait Air Force configuration, departed the Flight Test Centre of Leonardo Aircraft Division in Turin-Caselle on December 23, 2019. As written by Eurofighter, ISPA 6 is the most advanced iteration of the aircraft to date, and while other elements have previously been flight tested, this is the first time that all of the enhancements have been brought together. ISPA 6 is the first to fly the Captor E-Scan Radar with Phase Enhancement 3 b (P3Eb), for which Kuwait is to be the launch customer. Other enhancements for Kuwait include the Lockheed Martin Sniper advanced targeting pod, the introduction of the DRS-Cubic ACMI P5 combat training pod and an enhanced Very High Frequency (VHF) Omni-Directional Range navigation aid.

Japan has dispatched two P-3 maritime patrol aircraft to the Middle East from Naha Air Base on January 11. The aircraft will be used to patrol the Gulf of Aden, the northern Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. They are deployed at Djibouti. Defense Minister Taro Kono said at the base on the day: “In addition to antipiracy operations, you will engage in new missions. Peace and stability in the Middle East are extremely important for the international community. Do your duty with courage and pride.” The MSDF aircraft were dispatched based on the “survey and research” provision stipulated in the Defense Ministry Establishment Law.

Europe

Switzerland has issued a second request for proposal (RFP) for its Air2030 requirement to procure new combat aircraft and ground-based air defense (GBAD) systems. The supplementary solicitation, which came about 12 months after the first RFP, was issued by the country’s Armasuisse defense procurement agency on January 10. For the requirement to replace the Swiss Air Force’s current Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II and Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fleets, Air2030 is considering the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Saab Gripen E, and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). For the GBAD requirement, Air2030 is considering the Eurosam SAMP/T and Raytheon Patriot.

Asia-Pacific

The South Korean Navy has allowed its AW-159 naval helicopters to resume flying this month after the fleet was grounded in November 2019. Steps were taken to ground the fleet after November 23 when one of the rotorcraft had an issue with its vibration damper. Investigations have determined that the cause was due to fatigue-based cracking in the part. Seven helicopters are cleared for flying except the mishap aircraft. The Navy planned to resume flights as of January 3, 2020, for all seven of the helicopters besides the one in which the problem was observed. The damper connects the helicopter’s blades with its body and serves to absorb vibrations to prevent shuddering of the fuselage.

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Americas

Boeing won a $14 million delivery order for spare items in support of the Flight Control Surfaces utilized on the F/A-18 aircraft. 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. It 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 aircraft has a digital control-by-wire flight control system which provides excellent handling qualities, and allows pilots to learn to fly the airplane with relative ease. At the same time, this system provides exceptional maneuverability and allows the pilot to concentrate on operating the weapons system. A solid thrust-to-weight ratio and superior turn characteristics combined with energy sustainability, enable the F/A-18 to hold its own against any adversary. Boeing will perform work in Missouri. Estimated completion date is May 30, 2022.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a $31.9 million contract to support the Operational Fires Integrated Weapon System Phase 3 program, which will enable capabilities for a mobile, ground-launched tactical weapon delivery system capable of carrying a variety of payloads to a variety of ranges. OpFires, a joint DARPA/US Army program, aims to develop and demonstrate a novel ground-launched missile system equipped with hypersonic tactical boost glide vehicles that can penetrate modern enemy air defenses and rapidly and precisely engage critical time sensitive targets in contested environments. The first two phases of the program focus on the propulsion technologies required to deliver diverse payloads a variety of ranges. Lockheed will perform work in Texas, Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia, Washington and Arkansas. Expected completion date is January 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Advanced Electronics Co. won a $17 million contract modification for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) F-15SA Cyber Protection System (CPS) and Related Facilities program. This modification provides for three years of in-Kingdom Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for the CPS. The scope of this contract effort will include the extension of existing CLS support for three additional years, as well as related mobilization, de-mobilization, transportation and housing expenses for CLS personnel. The contract is a foreign military sales acquisition through the US and Saudi Arabia, authorized in 2015 as part of an agreement that also authorized the sale and upgrade of several F-15 variant aircraft to the kingdom. Advanced Electronics is a Riyadh-based electronics research and manufacturing firm, specialized in advanced electronics research for defense and communication. It was established in 1988 under the directives of the government of Saudi Arabia. The company will perform work at RSAF facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Expected completion date is May 31, 2022.

Vectrus Systems won a $134.5 million modification for Kuwait base operations and security support services. Work will be performed in Camp Arifjan. Vectrus Systems provides electronic, communication, and defense systems. The company offers composite aerospace structures, defense surveillance, mobile radar, networked communication, acoustic systems, and composite tanks. Exelis Systems serves the clients worldwide. Expected completion date is September 28, 2020.

Europe

Three major UK nuclear weapons and submarine infrastructure projects have been hit by 115% cost increases and faced delays of more than 19 months to over six years, according to the UK’s National Audit Office (NAO). In a report published on January 10, the spending watchdog revealed that more than two thirds of the GBP1.35 billion (USD1.76 billion) in cost overruns on UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) funded projects can be attributed to program management or commercial issues. The Ministry Of Defense’s “poor management” of Britain’s nuclear weapons program has led to rising costs and lengthy delays, according to the government spending watchdog. The report said that all of the projects were started before their full requirements or design maturity was settled, resulting in remedial activity costing GBP647 million. Other cost overruns were attributed to contractors’ failure to deliver to time or quality requirements (GBP87 million), changes to project management or commercial approach (GBP151 million), additional contractor fees (GBP114 million), unforeseen events (GBP11 million), and other factors (GBP339 million). The project to build the new Project Mensa nuclear warhead assembly and disassembly facility at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) operated site in Burghfield in Berkshire has run up GBP1.072 billion or 146% in extra costs since it was launched in 2011, according to the report. AWE is a partnership between Lockheed Martin, Jacobs Engineering, and Serco.

Asia-Pacific

The US State Department has approved a potential $2.75 billion Foreign Military Sale of Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) Joint Strike Fighters (JSFs) as well as associated spare parts, logistics, and training support to Singapore. DSCA also revealed that the proposed package includes up to 13 Pratt & Whitney F135 engines including one initial spare, unspecified electronic warfare, communications, and navigation systems, the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) maintenance and logistics planning suite, software development and integration, and training equipment. Singapore would be the fourth country in the Asia Pacific region to operate the F-35, after Australia, Japan, and South Korea – should the sale proceed. It would also represent a brand new STOVL capability for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), which has never operated such aircraft.

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Americas

Boeing won a $42.3 million modification, which exercises an option for integrated logistics services and site activation support of P-8A aircraft for the Navy and the government of Australia. The P-8A Poseidon is an aircraft designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, maritime surveillance and reconnaissance missions, capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. It is also effective at search and rescue missions. The US. fiscal 2020 defense budget has allocated major war-fighting investments worth $57.7 billion for aircraft. The financial plan also includes an investment plan of $1.5 billion for 6 P-8A Poseidon jets. Such proposed inclusions highlight BDS segment’s solid prospects, which in turn, are likely to boost the company’s profit margin. Work will take place in Washington, Oklahoma, and Australia. Estimated completion date is in September, 2021.

The US Army is buying an unspecific number of SPIKE Non-Line-of-Sight (NLOS) missiles for its Apache helicopters Defense News reports. This was disclosed by Brig. Gen. Wally Rugen on January 8. The US Army has chosen the Israeli made long-range Spike precision missile to use on attack helicopters as an interim solution for greater stand-off capabilities during future operations. While Apache helicopters can currently take out targets like enemy tanks, light bunkers and personnel from some 12 km. away with the Hellfire Anti-Tank Guided Missile, the US Army wants a missile capable of striking from a longer distance. Developed and produced by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the SPIKE s a fifth generation precise electro-optical missile with a range of up to 25 kilometers.

Middle East & Africa

The Israel Ministry of Defense announced that its investment in laser technology has led to a breakthrough that paves the way for the development of weapons that “will prompt a strategic change in the defense capabilities of the state of Israel”. The MoD said the breakthrough was the result of collaboration between its Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), the companies Rafael and Elbit Systems, and academic institutions. It announced the launch of three programs for the further development of laser demonstrators: a ground-based system designed to complement the Iron Dome counter-rocket system, a mobile ground system for protecting personnel in the field, and an airborne system to intercept threats above cloud-cover and provide wide-area coverage.

Europe

Russia’s TGE has shown the model of a quad tiltrotor drone that it is developing for the Russian Navy to President Putin, local media reports. Using electric propulsion, the drone is said to have a range of 2,000km with a top speed of 500km. According to the president of TGE, Ilya Rashkin, the drone is able to overcome 2000 kilometers at a speed of 500 kilometers per hour. Back in September it was reported, that Russia is planning to design its own tiltrotor aircraft like the USA’s V-22 Osprey.

UK aerospace engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce is developing “world-first” technology for the Tempest future fighter project, the company announced on January 10. The effort, which has to date been running for five years, is geared towards managing “unprecedented levels of electrical power demand and thermal load … within the context of a stealthy aircraft.” The goal is to provide both the thrust to propel the aircraft and the electrical power required for all the systems, while managing the resulting thermal loads. According to Rolls-Royce, the Tempest effort builds on earlier work to address future aircraft power demands. In 2014 it designed an electrical starter-generator that was fully embedded in the core of a gas turbine engine, now known as the Embedded Electrical Starter Generator (E2SG) demonstrator program.

Asia-Pacific

The indigenously designed and developed Light Combat Aircraft (N) Mk1 has made a successful arrested landing on the India’s biggest warship INS Vikramaditya on January 11. “With this feat, the indigenously developed niche technologies specific to deck based fighter operations have been proven,” Indian Navy Spokesperson Vivek Madhwal told IANS. This will now pave the way to develop and manufacture the twin engine deck based fighter for the Indian Navy, he said. The Navy has created an aircraft carrier setting on the ground at its air base in Goa to operate these deck-based fighters, which use ski jump to take off and are recovered by arrestor wires on a carrier or STOBAR (short takeoff but arrested recovery) in Navy parlance.

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Watch: LCA Navy(Naval Tejas) 1st Time Landed on INS Vikramaditya

Americas

Kubernetes, an open-source container-orchestration system for automating application deployment, scaling, and management, was successfully installed on the F-16 fighter within 45 days by the US Air Force. It is part of an initiative by the Pentagon to improve its software development capabilities. The DoD Enterprise DevSecOps Initiative specified a combination of Kubernetes, Istio, knative and an internally developed specification for “hardening” containers with a strict set of security requirements as the default software development platform across the military. More than 2 million people work for the military, and most of them are not flying F-16s running Kubernetes.

Engineers have mitigated an ongoing engine integration issue for the CH-53K King Stallion, the new heavy-lift helicopter from Sikorsky for the United States Marine Corps. It took 8 months of study and testing. The helicopter is designed to conduct expeditionary heavy-lift transport of armored vehicles, equipment and personnel to support distributed operations deep inland from a sea-based center of operations. The CH-53K is powered by three General Electric T-408 engines, but these engines created several integration issues in the aircraft, including exhaust gas re-ingestion (EGR). The King Stallion is an all-new heavy-lift helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material more rapidly.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s Defense Ministry announced on January 8 that it had achieved a breakthrough in laser weapon technology program which will become operational within a year and a half. The new laser-based system is built to intercept rocket, mortar, and artillery threats, drones, and anti-tank guided missiles. It will undergo testing in the coming months. The new technology was unveiled by the head of the Defense Ministry’s weapons development administration, Brig. Gen. Yaniv Rotem. The laser-based interception, which is silent and invisible, is based on electric laser technology rather than the chemically based lasers used up to now. The cost is less than $3.50 per interception, in contrast with Iron Dome, which costs about $49,000 per interception and makes noise on launch.

Germany will withdraw some of its troops deployed as part of the anti-Islamic State coalition in Iraq, the German defense ministry said on Tuesday. This is the latest fallout over the US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general. About 30 soldiers stationed in Baghdad and Taji will be moved to Jordan and Kuwait, a German defense ministry spokesman told AFP, adding that the withdrawal will begin shortly. Germany has deployed about 415 soldiers as part of the coalition, with about 120 of its troops stationed in Iraq. Germany’s move came after the Iraqi parliament passed a resolution asking the government to end its agreement with the US-led coalition.

Europe

The Falkland Islands have welcomed the arrival of new patrol vessel HMS Forth. British Forces South Atlantic Islands say that the ship has taken over the mission from HMS Clyde, which has offered protection to the Falklands and nearby South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands for the past 12 years. The long-term deployment of HMS Forth will see the ship act as the guardian and patrol vessel for the Falkland Islands and Britain’s South Atlantic territories. HMS Forth is a Batch 2 River Class Offshore Patrol Vessel and is fundamentally different in appearance and capabilities from the preceding Batch 1. Notable differences include the longer 90.5 meters long hull, a higher top speed of 24 knots, a Merlin-capable flight deck, a greater displacement of around 2,000 tonnes and greatly expanded capacity for accommodating personnel.

Asia-Pacific

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has issued an invitation to tender for the procurement of a laser-based weapon pod, the Global Times reports. The official website of the People’s Liberation Army, weain.mil.cn, published a notice called “tender announcement for a laser strike pod procurement project”. It indicates that further information about the planned acquisition is confidential. Although the detailed requirements for such equipment are unknown, it is likely to be a new type of tactical assault weapon, rather than laser guidance devices for missiles, which are already widely in use. The notice titles supported this idea, said Global Times.

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The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Defence Agency (EDA) are embarking on new cooperative projects for exploring unknown and potentially hazardous environments: harnessing drones for the monitoring of disaster-stricken regions or toxic spill sites and making use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to navigate across the surface of asteroids or other terra incognita.

These two new joint projects have been authorised by the ESA Council and Steering Board of EDA. They are the latest in a long history of cooperation enabled by the ESA-EDA Administrative Arrangement, originally signed in 2011 and recently extended for a second time.
 

Innovation in disaster response

Space-based services have fast become essential to Europe’s safety and security. In 2017, a previous ESA-EDA Implementing Agreement demonstrated the use of space-based assets to respond to threats from toxic and hazardous materials. The project showed that space systems were beneficial to fast and accurate response to such threats in terms of situational awareness, early warning, detection and response planning.

Based on this success, the two agencies decided to extend their cooperation in this area, and in December signed an implementing agreement to carry out a next-stage demonstration project called Autonomous Drone Services (AUDROS).

By integrating space assets in sectors such as telecommunications, navigation and Earth observation, the partners will demonstrate the benefits of using autonomous and/or remotely piloted aerial vehicles to both detect toxic material and carry out rapid response to large-scale disasters. This activity will lead to the development of operational services that will deliver support to defence and security users on a permanent basis.
 

Flying into the unknown

ESA and the EDA are also cooperating in the development of new AI-based capabilities in the field of guidance, navigation and control (GNC) – knowing where an asset is and steering where it is going. Advanced, autonomous GNC is set to become an indispensable element of ambitious future space missions such as rendezvousing with asteroids and comets or the active removal of hazardous space debris from orbit. 
This joint project, dubbed ATENA, will develop AI-based systems with the capability of flying safely over unknown territory, such as an asteroid, to achieve enhanced navigation performance compared to current vision-based techniques based on feature tracking.
 

Deepening ESA-EDA cooperation

Through the two partners’ deepening cooperation, Europe is better equipped to implement priority objectives across cyber and maritime security, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, remotely piloted aircraft systems, secure satellite communications, autonomous access to space and ongoing Earth observation.

“The role of space-based services for security and defence actors is a recognised priority for Europe. The importance of space assets and applications for defence capabilities is reflected in the revised Capability Development Plan (CDP) approved by Member States at the EDA Steering Board in June 2018”, said EDA Chief Executive Jorge Domecq. “ESA is a natural and trusted partner for us. Over the years we have built a cooperation that has yielded numerous successful projects, through eight Implementing Agreements totalling over €5 million in shared investments, covering several priority areas.” 

For ESA, its partnership with EDA is a key component of the Agency’s relationship with the EU and of Agency commitments to the safety and security of Europe. “Through our political and technical dialogue, we are able to identify joint priorities hand-in-hand with users of space systems and security communities”, comments Jan Wörner, ESA’s Director General. “This virtuous dynamic is a key driving force of ESA’s space safety initiatives, recently endorsed and funded at our Space19+ Council at Ministerial Level.”

 

Americas

January 9/20: CBO Estimate According to an estimate by the US Congressional Budget Office, it will cost $11 billion per year to maintain the aviation fleet of the Navy and Marine Corps at is current size for the next 30 years. A report published by the CBO estimates what it would cost to keep the Navy and Marines’ fleet at its current size of 4,000 between 2020 and 2050. The office’s projections are based on procurement schedules and costs extrapolated from Department of Defense documents, the report said, as well as the retirement ages and costs for the aircraft being replaced. Costs would range from from $7 billion to $17 billion and total $280 billion, the report said. The costs would vary year to year as specific aircraft programs are phased out and added, the report said. CBO predicts a temporary drop after 2030 as several large programs wind down or end, and rebound in the mid-2030s as the Pentagon begins a new production cycle to replace them. The MV-22B tiltrotor, the CH-53K helicopter and the F-35B/C fighters are all scheduled to sunset in the 2030s.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense won a $28.3 million contract with a five-year ordering period and five one-year options for the MK 150 MOD 0 4.0 second Delay Detonator, and the MK 164 MOD 0 Non Electric Dual Detonator. The MN50 is a 4.0 second delay detonator with 7′ of pyrotechnic lead with one non-electric delay detonator on one end and an inline initiator on the other end. The MP29 is a non-electric dual detonator with 40′ of dual, no flash pyrotechnic lead with two non-electric detonators on one end and two inline initiators on the other end. They are used for demolition breaching, critical target destruction and obstacle clearing for U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command. Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company manufactures precision energetics systems. The Company’s products include explosive breaches, demolition systems, reactive armor, and accessories for military applications in the United States. The company will perform work under the contract in Graham, Kentucky. Estimated completion will be by January 2030.

Middle East & Africa

Iran launched missile strikes late Tuesday against two Iraqi military bases that house US Forces in retaliation for the airstrike that killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani last week. More than a dozen ballistic missiles targeted the Al Asad and Erbil bases, the Pentagon has said. Iran’s supreme leader called his country’s missile strike a “slap” to the Americans, but said Iran’s real revenge will be forcing the US to pull out of the region. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Iran does “not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.” Addressing the nation for the first time after Iran’s missile attack on UStroops in Iraq, President Trump said he would not allow the Iranian regime to obtain nuclear weapons and indicated he was willing to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East. “As long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” Mr. Trump said.

Europe

German company Rheinmetall announced in a press release that it has been awarded orders for additional equipment for the Bundeswehr’s Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Its Düsseldorf-based technology group is to supply spare parts and special tools worth a total of about $60 million. The Puma is one of the most protected IFV currently available. It has a welded armor hull with add-on modular armor. It has an option of three various protection levels to suit operational needs. Weight of the vehicle vary from 29.4 to 43 tons accordingly to a protection level. The base model has a front and flank protection against 30 mm rounds, while vehicle has an all-round protection against 14.5 mm machine gun fire.

Asia-Pacific

The Indonesian Air Force has deployed four F-16s to Natuna under Operasi Lintang Elang 20. Roesmin Nurjadin Airbase Commander, First Marshall Ronny Irianto Moningka told reporters on January 7 that this is a routine deployment and that there is no intention to provoke any party, especially China, which has sent its coast guard vessels and fishing boats to waters off Natuna. The American made aircraft, that has become the centerpiece in the Indonesian Air Force, will patrol Indonesia’s sovereign territory in the operation dubbed as ‘Operasi Lintang Elang 20.’ Also the Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Natuna Regency, an archipelago of hundreds of islands in the southern South China Sea on Wednesday. Indonesia and China are in a dispute over Beijing’s naval activities in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ. Widodo, who was re-elected in 2019, made the trip to the Natuna islands Wednesday morning, meeting with the area’s governor and Indonesia’s Joint Defense Area Command commander Rear Adm. Yudo Margono, according to the report.

Bangladesh is to receive the last of five UK-surplus Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft in the coming weeks, according to Jane’s. Bangladesh had ordered the surplus C-130Js in two batches of two and three aircraft in 2018 and earlier in 2019, respectively. The first of the five aircraft was rolled out by Marshall ADG during an official ceremony in mid-July 2019. The Bangladesh Air Force has previously noted that the acquisition of C-130J aircraft from the RAF provides a key enhancement to its current airlift capability. As well as performing in-country support of the aircraft, Marshall ADG will also be modifying the aircraft, including designing, developing, and installing medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) capability to enable the Bangladesh Air Force to carry out tasks within the country and overseas in support of UN missions.

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On 1 January 2020, EDA commenced its first deployment of civilian, fixed-wing Aeromedical Evacuation (AIRMEDEVAC) services to support Belgian Armed Forces operations in Niger in Africa. Belgian forces are active in several areas throughout Africa, including: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.  In Niger, they are delivering training and operational advice to the Forces Armée Nigériennes (FANER) and operate in austere conditions with only limited medical support facilities.

To provide appropriate medical oversight, the deployment provides an aircraft based, primary life support capability, available 24/7 throughout the designated operational theatre, to move injured personnel from the main Damage Control Surgery Unit in the city of Maradi to definitive care facilities in neighbouring Gao, Chad or, in extremis, for repatriation to Europe.

EDA is no stranger to providing direct support to operations and maintains an entire unit dedicated to operational support, training and exercises. The niche services provided by the Agency, such as those within the EU SatCom Market, offer an attractive and easily accessible turn-key capability to many Member States’ planners. In national and CSDP operations and missions, the provision of certain key capabilities can be challenging. Typically operations or missions are deployed on short notice, in remote areas. In many cases, capabilities are not available and outsourcing is necessary to provide services from private companies. Experience has shown that contracting on the spot under time pressure is not a cost-effective solution. Having in place ready-to-use arrangements is very beneficial in order to reduce the administrative burden and achieve economies of scale.
 

Framework contracts

In 2019, EDA concluded several framework contracts with international aeromedical providers to cover fixed and rotary wing AIRMEDEVAC services in Africa and Europe. The project’s objective was the provision of in-theatre AIRMEDEVAC services to evacuate patients from the point of injury to an initial Medical Treatment Facility (Forward AIRMEDEVAC normally conducted by rotary wing platforms) or fixed-wing transfer between in-theatre Medical Treatment Facilities (Tactical AIRMEDEVAC) to be used in frame of national and/or international defence and/or security operations. The project is designed around military technical requirements developed by EU Military Staff and Member States experts and endorsed by the EU Military Committee.

The EDA AIRMEDEVAC contracts will run until January 2023 for a maximum value of 120 million Euro. The project currently involves four participating Member States (AT, BE, DE and NL)  but is also attracting interest from other EU agencies and bodies and look set to grow with further work in hand to examine the provision rotary wing Forward AIRMEDEVAC services later in the year.

The Belgian Defence Staff offered their own comment on the new capability: “This type of contractual vector offers ‘ready-to-use’ solutions allowing quick response to operational needs. EDA is advantageously taking care of procurement process, contracting, invoicing, etc. whilst the customer still keeps the right to take part in the evaluation of tenders by each reopening of competition and also remains responsible for controlling the performance of the contract once signed. The process with EDA is highly professional and quick, offering time and budget savings”.

Aside from direct support to operations, the unit also supports fixed, rotary and unmanned training and exercise activities.  Since 2009, it has developed a wide portfolio of advanced tactics courses for  European helicopter crews, employing simulator based and live training events covering hot and cold weather operations, both day and night, including weapon drops and support to special forces. Similarly, the Agency continues to support fixed-wing air transport operations under the banner of the European Air Transport Force (EATF) Programme, including capacity building activities for specific fleets (C-295, C-130) and initial training of Medium Altitude, Long Endurance (MALE) drone pilots and operators. 
 

More information:

• Contracts signed for the provision of aero medical evacuation services in Europe and Africa (EDA webnew, February 2019)
• EDA factsheet on AIRMEDEVAC

 

Americas

Ace Electronics Defense Systems won a $64.4 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price delivery orders for the production and delivery of manufacturing kits, spare parts and first article testing for the hardware component refresh of the Tactical Tomahawk Weapons Control System (AN/SWG-5(V)6). The AN/SWG-5(V)6 upgrade offers new offensive capabilities to upgraded ships in support of the Maritime Strike Tomahawk, addresses obsolescence risks and improves the operability and maintainability of the system hardware. ATWCS is an evolutionary upgrade to the current Tomahawk Weapon Control System. ATWCS replaces 1970s’ technology with COTS/GOTS hardware and software, thereby reducing overall reaction time and operator workload, enhancing the training capabilities at all levels, and improving Tomahawk strike effectiveness. ATWCS incorporates an open-system architecture to provide for future growth, eliminates stand-alone Tomahawk desktop computers, and enhances command-and-control interoperability. The single-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a five-year ordering period, which, if all line item quantities are ordered, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $64,405,123, with an ordering period to January 2025. Work will take place in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by January 2025.

Edwards Air Force Base announced in a press release, which covers the achievements made by the F-35 Integrated Test Force in 2019, that the test team had tested the multi-ship Infrared Search and Track capability. Having a multi-ship capability could allow 2 or more F-35s to generate a weapons quality track of low observable aircraft. Over the past year the Test Force has tested 11 unique F-35 software suites and fielded two. Through those efforts, the service has laid the foundation for increased F-35 lethality and survivability with functions like multi-ship Infrared Search and Track.

Middle East & Africa

A secretive spy plane that belongs to the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was destroyed by terrorists during an attack on a military base in Kenya on January 5, the BBC reports. The attack on Manda Bay Airfield also killed one American military service member and two contractors. Four al-Shabaab militants were also killed. The US military said in a statement that two others from the Department of Defense were wounded. “The wounded Americans are currently in stable condition and being evacuated,” the BBC quotes US military’s Africa Command. The Associated Press news agency reported that two aircraft, two US helicopters and multiple vehicles were destroyed at the airstrip.

The Egyptian military released footage of Ka-52 Alligator Attack Helicopters operating from one of its Mistral landing helicopter dock (LHD) amphibious assault ships for the first time on January 4. Two Ka-52s were seen taking off and landing on the deck of Gamal Abdel Nasser, which also carried two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and a Chinook transport helicopter. Unlike the Apaches, which were fitted with rocket pods, the Ka-52s were not seen carrying anything on their hardpoints, although they have a fixed 30 mm gun on their starboard side.

Europe

Leonardo announced the first flight trials of its Osprey 50 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar in a press release. The flight trials were carried out in support of production for a Strategic ISR platform and Collins Aerospace’s Tactical Synthetic Aperture Radar (TacSAR) reconnaissance system. “Osprey is a multi-mode radar family based on solid-state AESA technology and remains the only system of its type currently available which delivers full spherical coverage with no moving parts“, it says in the release. Leonardo has also re-used technology developed for the Osprey family to refresh its Seaspray family of AESA surveillance radars. Hardware and signal processing techniques developed for Osprey have been introduced back into Seaspray to increase capability and reduce system weight. say the firm.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea has moved a Patriot anti-missile battery to the center of Seoul in a bid to beef up its defense against the growing threat from the North, local news reported on Tuesday. The move came as the North has threatened to unveil a new strategic weapon “in the near future” as tensions rise over stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington. The Patriot battery was believed to be equipped with PAC-2 and PAC-3 missiles designed to intercept incoming aircraft and missiles at altitudes of around 12-25 miles. The Patriot missile defense system is part of the Korean Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system, one of the three defense systems operated by the South to counter growing nuclear and missile threats from the North. The other two are the Kill Chain preemptive strike, and the Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) plan.

Today’s Video

Watch: Can Iran Stop the US? A look at Irans Defenses

Americas

Bushido Associates won a $7.5 million deal for cyber threat analysis and reporting from the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force (NCIJTF). This contract is for forensic analysis reports and recommendations provided by embedded cyber threat forensic and cyber threat intelligence analysts in the NCIJTF. The NCIJTF is a unique multi-agency cyber center, which has the primary responsibility to coordinate, integrate, and share information to support cyber threat investigations, supply and support intelligence analysis for community decision-makers, and provide value to other ongoing efforts in the fight against the cyber threat to the nation. The NCIJTF also synchronizes joint efforts that focus on identifying, pursuing, and defeating the actual terrorists, spies, and criminals who seek to exploit our nation’s systems. To accomplish this, the task force leverages the collective authorities and capabilities of its members and collaborates with international and private sector partners to bring all available resources to bear against domestic cyber threats and their perpetrators. Work will take place at Chantilly, Virginia. Expected completion date is November 20, 2025.

The US government has placed restrictions on software companies on the export of artificial intelligence software used for analyzing satellite imagery, the Washington Post reports. Software that can automatically detect objects such as houses or vehicles are required to have a license starting from January 6 if they are to be sold overseas. The Commerce Department said this could give the US a significant military or intelligence advantage. A special license would be required to sell software outside the US that can automatically scan aerial images to identify objects of interest, such as vehicles or houses. The new export rules are the result of Congress passing a law in 2018 that updated national security-related export controls to protect “emerging and foundational” technology that could end up in the hands of foreign governments.

Middle East & Africa

According to Reuters, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe repeated his plans to deploy the Self-Defense Forces to the Middle East to ensure the safety of its ships, even as tensions in the region erupt in the wake of the United States’ killing of one of Iran’s top military commanders. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose country has a military alliance with the US and good ties with Iran, told a news conference Monday that Tokyo was deeply concerned about rising tensions. The comments were Abe’s first since the attack, and came hours after Iran said it would abandon limits on uranium enrichment, leaving a landmark 2015 nuclear deal dead in all but name. Trump has doubled down on threats to Iran, saying Sunday that cultural sites are among 52 targets he plans to hit if Iran retaliates for Qassem Soleimani’s death. A US strike killed Soleimani on January 3 at Baghdad International Airport, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, deputy head of the Iran-backed Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces. At least six people were killed in the strike. The attack was fired from the MQ-9 Reaper drone of the US Air Force.

Bulgarian Military reports that British military intelligence aircraft Global Express Sentinel R.1 was spotted in the area of the Russian military bases in Syria. according to the news platform this indicates that London decided to try to get closer to the Russian S-400 Triumph air defense systems. The British Global Express Sentinel R.1 electronic intelligence aircraft carried out a long reconnaissance mission along the entire coast of Syria, as well as Lebanon. The Sentinel R.Mk 1 provides long-range, wide-area battlefield surveillance, delivering critical intelligence and target tracking information to British and coalition forces.  The aircraft has been operationally deployed in support of operations in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali, and is currently deployed in support of British and Coalition operations in Iraq and Syria.

Europe

Following a competitive evaluation, the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support selected the MBDA Enforcer weapon system to meet the German Armed Forces’ ‘Leichtes Wirkmittel 1800+’ requirement, which is a lightweight disposable day/night precision-guided shoulder-launched weapon system with an effective range of more than 1,800 m. The other contender for this requirement was reportedly Eurospike, a joint venture between Diehl Defence GmbH, Rheinmetall Electronics GmbH, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, which was competing the 170 mm Spike SR weapon system. Launched in October 2018, Leichtes Wirkmittel 1800+ provides for the eventual acquisition of some 3,100 munitions for the Bundeswehr Special Forces Command. With a lock-on before launch capability, the fire-and-forget Enforcer missile provides precision capabilities against lightly armored static and moving targets, targets behind cover and in urban environments at up to 2,000 m. It can be operated from cover and in enclosed and confined spaces.

Asia-Pacific

Three Royal New Zealand Air Force NH90 helicopters are being transported to Australia to help fight local bushfires. The helicopters will start their journey to Royal Australian Air Force Base Edinburgh from today and are expected to remain there till end of January. The NH90 helicopters will have 55 aircrew and support personnel from RNZAF Base Ohakea. They comprise of aircrew, and staff for maintenance, logistics, communications, medical needs, refueling, security, and analysts. The NH90 is a medium-sized, twin-engine, multi-role military helicopter. It has the distinction of being the first production helicopter to feature entirely fly-by-wire flight controls.

Today’s Video

Watch: U.S. Army Soldiers Deploy To Middle East Hotspot (JAN 2020)

Americas

DynCorp won a $21.9 million contract modification, which exercises an extension for organization, selected intermediate, limited depot level maintenance and logistics services in support of the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center’s (NAWDC) F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft; the EA-18G Growler Airborne Electronic Attack Aircraft; the MH-60S Multi-Mission Knighthawk Helicopters; the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft; and the E-2C Hawkeye Early Warning and Control Aircraft. The NAWDC provides service to aircrews, squadrons and air wings throughout the US Navy through flight training, academic instructional classes, and direct operational and intelligence support. The name was changed from NSAWC to NAWDC to align with the naming convention of the Navy’s other Warfare Development Centers. Work will take place at NAWDC, Fallon, Nevada. Estimated completion date is in July 2020.

A critical High Cycle Testing for the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system has been successfully completed, General Atomics announced on January 3. The testing over a two-day period was carried out at the Runway Arrested Landing Site (RALS) in Lakehurst, New Jersey in October 2019. During the testing, the AAG sustained an aircraft arrestment rate of nearly one per minute. Simulating the operational tempo of carrier flight operations at sea. High cycle testing is part of the verification and validation of AAG System requirements. The AAG system test program has completed more than 5,000 arrestments at the land-based test facilities at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, and 747 arrestments aboard CVN 78 during the ship’s initial sea trials. The Navy has also issued an Aircraft Recovery Bulletin for the fleet air wing, clearing the AAG system for use on all Ford Class carriers.

Middle East & Africa

L3 Technologies won a $28 million deal for F-16 training system upgrade. The contract provides for the upgrade to existing Hellenic Air Force F-16 Aircrew Training Devices to the F-16V configuration. Greece boasts a fleet of some 150 F-16 fighters. Earlier this month, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos told the parliament that 84 of them would be upgraded to the advanced Viper class by 2027. The total cost of the upgrade program is estimated to reach $1.5 billion, according to the AP news agency. Work will take place in Arlington, Texas and is expected to refinished by December 31, 2027.

Europe

Collins Aerospace won a $10.8 million deal for repair coverage of the digital engine control unit of the F402 engine.The Rolls Royce F402-RR-408 Pegasus is the powerplant for the AV-8B Harrier II. It develops the powerful thrust required for vertical lift of the AV-8B aircraft. The variable direction exhaust from these allow the aircraft to take off vertically or in the normal horizontal runway mode. Work will take place in Birmingham in the UK. Estimated completion will be by December 2024.

The State Border Guard Service of Ukraine has taken delivery of 2 H125 helicopters. The rotorcraft arrived in Kyiv this week. On July 14, 2018, the Ukrainian Interior Ministry signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the purchase of 55 H225, H145 and H125 helicopters for the ministry. The unified aviation security and safety system of Ukraine is set to be replenished with 55 helicopters. Of these, the State Border Guard Service will receive 24 helicopters. Before that, specialists who will service aviation and radio-electronic equipment, as well as pilots, had gone to France to undergo training.

Asia-Pacific

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems won a $9.4 million deal for follow-on support sustainment of the Republic of Korea Peace Pioneer program. The deal provides for repair and return on the prime mission equipment and System Integration Laboratory (SIL) equipment, support of the field service representative, program management, core/field engineering, SIL depot sustainment, depot inventory, and obsolescence management. The Peace Pioneer program was notified to Congress in 1995 for a signal intelligence collection system with prime mission equipment, attendant ground links, and ground processing equipment. Work under the new contract will take place in Greenville, Texas, and Seongnam, South Korea. Estimated completion will be by December 31, 2020.

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Watch: Indian Defence Updates : AGNI-V Induction 2020,1st Su-30 Squadron With BrahMos,New Light Weight BPJ

Americas

Bell Boeing won a $23.3 million contract modification, which exercises an option for on-site support, engineering and technical analysis of flight test for V-22 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force and the government of Japan. Bell-Boeing’s primary product, V-22 Osprey, is a family of multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft, with both vertical as well as short takeoff and landing capabilities. It is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter, with long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. This military aircraft can carry 24 combat troops or up to 20,000 pounds of internal cargo or 15,000 pounds of external cargo. Work will take place in Maryland, Texas and Pennsylvania and is expected to be completed in December.

The Argentine Air Force returned to service one of its Fokker F28 medium transport jets, Jane’s reports. The last of the aircraft was grounded in August 2019 due to structural problems with the type, after finding the service had no budget to fund a replacement fleet. The Fokker F28 Fellowship is a twin-engine short range jet airliner designed and built by Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker. On December 27, with the F28’s tests flights concluded, FAA chief Brigadier General Enrique Amrein used the aircraft for one of his visits to the main FAA bases across the country and, as a former F28 pilot, was in control of it for part of his journey.

Middle East & Africa

Leidos won $23 million for Foreign Military Sales to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The deal provides for General Electronic Test Station (GETS-1000) test equipment and test program set hardware and software, test equipment upgrades and repair parts; and services including test equipment installation, training, in-country technical assistance, and engineering services support. Leidos’ GETS-1000 is a depot test equipment supporting the military equipment in missile weapon systems such as Lockheed Martin’s LMT Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles and Raytheon’s RTN M3 Hawk surface-to-air missiles. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama and estimated completion date is December 31, 2020.

Rapiscan Systems won a $12.3 million Foreign Military Sale to Iraq. The contract is for contractor logistics support services for M60 High Energy Mobile Scanning Vehicle Systems and associated equipment. The US company Rapiscan Systems specializes in walk-through metal detectors ans X-ray machines for screening luggage and cargo. Contracting Activity is the US Army Contracting Command. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will take place in Iraq and expected completion will be on November 30, 2020.

Europe

A UH-60M helicopter carrying Taiwan’s Chief of the General Staff Gen. Shen Yi-ming has crashed this morning. The aircraft went down in Yuanshan Township. Eight Taiwanese military officers including General Shen Yi-ming were killed. Thirteen people were on board the UH-60M Black Hawk, part of the Air Force Rescue Team, which took off from Songshan Air Force Base in Taipei just before 8 a.m. It was headed for a military base in Dongao, in the northeast, as part of an inspection before the Lunar New Year holiday later this month, Taiwan’s Central News Agency reported. The helicopter disappeared from radar screens about 10 minutes after takeoff, crashing in a mountainous area between the capital and the coast. It was not clear what caused the crash of the Black Hawk.

Asia-Pacific

The Indian Air Force has reactivated the 222 Squadron with the Su-30MKI. The unit was number plated back in 2011 after flying the MiG-27. The 222 Squadron ‘The Tigersharks’ of Indian Air Force got resurrected on January 1, with state of the art Su-30 MKI Multirole Fighter aircraft. “#Resurrection: 222 Sqn ‘The Tigersharks’ got resurrected today with state of the art Su-30MKI Multi-role Fighter aircraft. Raised on 15 Sep 69 with Su-7, the Sqn was later equipped with #MiG27 Ground Attack Aircraft prior to getting number plated in 2011.,” IAF said in a tweet.

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Watch: Indian Defence Updates : India’s New ORCA Fighter Jet,MWF Gets Next Gen WAD,New Su-30MKI Squadron

Americas

The Navy awarded Lockheed Martin with a $1.9 billion deal, which procures recurring logistics services for delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Air Systems. The contract is in support of the Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy as well as non-DoD participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. Services to be provided include ground maintenance activities, action request resolution, depot activation activities, automatic logistics information system operations and maintenance, reliability, maintainability and health management implementation and support, supply chain management and activities to provide and support pilot and maintainer initial training. On December 30, Lockheed Martin reached its 2019 target to deliver 131 F-35 fighter jets to the United States and its allies, as the defense contractor built 47% more jets this year. The world’s largest defense contractor delivered a total of 134 of the stealthy jets this year and aims to deliver 141 F-35s in 2020. Work under the $1.9 billion contract will take place in Texas, Florida, South Carolina, California as well as the UK. Estimated completion date is in December 2020.

Lockheed Martin won a $138.5 million contract to exercise options for AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent (CSEA) efforts for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of Advanced Capability Build (ACB) 20. Under this contract, the AEGIS CSEA develops, integrates, tests and delivers computer program baseline Advanced Capability Builds; supports Technology Insertions (TI) (a replacement and/or upgrade of combat system computing hardware and associated middleware/firmware-design development); develops engineering products to support ship integration; supports developmental test/operational test events; develops training and logistics products; and provides field technical support for designated AEGIS baselines. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for Aegis CSEA efforts. The systems engineering, development and integration work under this contract will begin with Advanced Capability Build (ACB) 16 and technology insertion 16, and continue with a future ACB/TI through the period of performance of the contract. Work will take place in Moorestown, New Jersey. Estimated completion will be by December 2020.

Middle East & Africa

SOS International LLC won a $124.2 million contract modification for base life support and security services at Camp Taji Green Zone, in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. The deal is to enhance security at the US base north of Baghdad. In June, the US-led coalition in Iraq and Syria confirmed that rockets landed inside the base but no soldiers were killed or wounded. Work will take place in Taji, Iraq. Fiscal 2020 operation and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $ 42,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award.

The US Army Contracting Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $114 million for accelerated delivery for Foreign Military Sales to the United Arab Emirates of Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target Advanced Capability-3 missiles with associated ground support equipment and initial spares. The accelerated delivery of its Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept of Target (PATRIOT) Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missiles calls for sales of Lockheed’s guided air and missile defense system, ground support equipment and spares to the United Arab Emirates, with work expected to be completed by December 31, 2024. The success of the PAC-3 missile helped Lockheed executives raise their 2019 sales guidance for the company’s Missiles and Fire Control business segment to $9.95 billion in October.

Europe

According to local media, Estonian Defense Minister Jüri Luik, Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks, and the Finnish Permanent Defense Secretary Jukka Juusti signed a letter of intent in Tallinn on December 17 for a joint AFV research and development. “The letter of intent signed today is the beginning of the joint undertaking between Estonia, Latvia, and Finland in acquiring new armored vehicles. We have agreed to carry out joint research and development,” Luik said. “We have a very positive long-term relationship with Finland in procurement and have bought self-propelled artillery and radar systems together. We want to extend this co-operation to Latvia,” he explained further.

Asia-Pacific

Indonesian aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) unveiled a prototype of an indigenously developed medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). The strike-capable UAV, which has been dubbed Elang Hitam or Black Eagle, was unveiled to the public on December 30 at PTDI’s facilities in Bandung. The platform is the product of an Indonesian consortium that includes state-owned electronics company PT Len, the Indonesian Air Force (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Udara: TNI-AU), and the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space. The Elang Hitam is 8.65 m long, 2.6 m high, has a wingspan of 16 m, and has incorporated several design aspects of China’s CH-4 UAV.

Today’s Video

Watch: Newest USAF Helicopter Unveiled • MH-139A Grey Wolf

Americas

Boeing won a $9.5 million for C-17 simulator training supporting North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners. This modification increases the ceiling of the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the previously awarded amount of $9,500,000 to $18,000,000. The C-17 Globemaster III is a premier transport aircraft. The massive, sturdy, long-haul aircraft can carry large combat equipment, troops and humanitarian aid across long distances in all weather conditions. Work will take place in the UK and is expected to be finished by December 31, 2021.

A fire broke out in an unoccupied, hanger, which was used for equipment storage, at Minot Air Force Base on December 28. The fire broke out at 5:15 pm in building 733, an unoccupied hangar used for “overflow snow removal equipment and transient alert equipment.„ No other buildings were affected and no one was injured. The hangar did not have any personnel or aircraft inside and the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Middle East & Africa

Governor Henry McMaster joined Lockheed Martin in welcoming Ambassador Shaikh Abdullah bin Rashed Al Khalifa from the Kingdom of Bahrain. Ambassador Al Khalifa toured the F-16 Block 70’s production line. Lockheed Martin is producing 16 fighter jets for the Bahraini Royal Air Force. The first jets are expected to be shipped out in 2021. McMaster said, “This is just one more example in how our state plays a big role in the prosperity of the country, strength of the country and the world. It’s something to be proud of.” Lockheed Martin originally produced these planes in Fort Worth, Texas. But when demand picked back up worldwide for the F-16, they decided to produce new ones here in South Carolina. Officials said this is bringing hundreds of jobs to the state. In addition to Bahrain, the facility in Greenville will be producing F-16s for Bulgaria and Slovakia. According to Lockheed Martin, there are about 3000 F-16s in service right now worldwide.

The first Instrumented Series Production Aircraft (ISPA 6) configured for the Kuwaiti Air Force has successfully completed its first flight. The aircraft is the first to fly the Captor E-Scan Radar with Phase Enhancement P3Eb, and is a key milestone for the entry into service of Eurofighter with the State of Kuwait. ISPA 6 is the first Eurofighter in the planned export configuration for the Kuwait Air Force, with the second iteration of the Phase 3 Enhancement software (P3EB) and fitted with the new Captor E-Scan radar (known as Radar One Plus, or Captor E Mk0), an active electronically scanned array (AESA) derivative of Typhoon’s highly regarded Captor radar. The capability package for Kuwait includes the integration of Storm Shadow and Brimstone and other air-to-surface weapons.

Europe

HMS Tyne escorted Russian ship Perekop through the English Channel on Christmas Day. The Royal Navy confirmed the HMS Tyne’s two-day operation in a statement. The Royal Navy confirmed that the ship had returned to Portsmouth and remains ready for further operations. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace praised the work of the Royal Navy crews who conducted operations during the Christmas holidays: “I am grateful for the efforts of the crew of HMS Tyne, who has sailed on Christmas Eve, helping to safeguard or seas”, Wallace said. In August, a Royal Navy patrol ship monitored Russian ship Vasily Bykov through UK waters in a similar incident. In October, the HMS Mersey vessel of the UK Royal Navy escorted a group of three ships of Russia’s Baltic Fleet as they headed along the UK coast to the English Channel.

Asia-Pacific

The Indonesian Navy commissioned a shore-based 76 mm naval gun, Jane’s reports. The shore-based 76 mm naval gun has been installed at its newly built weapons range in Paiton, East Java. It is the first of several weapon types that will be featured at the newly constructed range at Paiton. The gun, which was salvaged from the retired Ahmad Yani Class frigate, Slamet Riyadi , was handed over by Indonesia’s state-owned electronic company, PT Len, to the TNI-AL’s Doctrine, Education, and Training Development Command on December 6.

Today’s Video

Watch: Indian Defence Updates : India’s 650Km SMART Torpedo,INS Sindhuraj MRLC,Tejas Deck Ops,DefExpo 2020

Americas

Rolls-Royce won a $20.4 delivery order for C-130J Propulsion Long Term Sustainment. The deal provides funding for Option III. The Lockheed Martin C-130 is the US Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The C-130J Hercules features a glass cockpit, digital avionics and a new propulsion system with a six-bladed propeller. The C-130J is equipped with four Allison AE2100D3 turboprop engines, each rated at 4,591 shaft horsepower. The all-composite six-blade R391 propeller system was developed by Dowty Aerospace. Work will take place in Indiana and is expected to be finished by February 1, 2020.

Boeing won a $265.2 million modification to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) development and sustainment contract, under which the contractor will support the GMD Communications Network Modernization, the in-flight interceptor communications system data terminals technology upgrade, and complete the GMD fire control communication ground systems software build 8 early integration. The Ground-based Midscourse Defense is part of the United States’ ballistic missile defense system. It provides commanders with the ability to target and eliminate intermediate and long-range ballistic missile threats in space. It’s the second modification to the contract. The deal was originally awarded in January 2018 and obligated $6.56 billion for upgrades to the GMD system. In March Boeing received a $4.1 billion modification to the contract. Boeing will perform work in Alabama and Florida. Estimated completion will be on December 31, 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Mena Defense reports that Algeria signed contracts for the Su-34 and Su-57. The African nation is buying 14 examples of each type. The contract is allegedly set to be implemented by 2025. By this deadline the Algerian army will deploy two wings of Su-30MKA, one squadron of Su-57, one of Su-35 and one of Mig-29M2 for air domination, two squadrons of upgraded Su-24 and one of Su-34 for the bomber fleet. The decision makes Algeria the first foreign country to receive the Russian Su-57 fighter jets. The decision to obtain Su-57E jets was reportedly made by the Algerian leadership during the MAKS-2019 Air Show. The Su-57 jet is already in serial production for the Russian Aerospace Forces. The Russian military seeks to receive a total of 76 Su-57 fighters by 2028.

Europe

Russian Helicopters disclosed that the Russian Ministry of Defense has started joint state tests of Mi-26T2V heavy-lift military transport helicopter. The tests will take place on four proving grounds, according to a press release. The crew of the helicopter will include representatives of the Russian Aerospace Forces. As part of Russian Helicopters’ program on upgrading the heavy Mi-26 helicopter for the Russian Aerospace Forces, in 2018 Rostvertol produced a prototype of the modernized Mi-26T2V helicopter. The modernized Mi-26T2V helicopter, which can be used at any time of the day, is a heavy-lift military and transport helicopter which can carry up to 20 tonnes of cargo. The rotorcraft has the NPK90-2V integrated avionics which ensures piloting during the day and at night, enabling the helicopter to fly the route in an automatic mode, come to a preset point, perform approach and final approach maneuvers, and return to the main or alternate aerodrome.

Asia-Pacific

The Indian Air Force retired its last squadron of upgraded MiG-27ML ‘Flogger’ tactical ground-attack aircraft on 27 December. The move further reduces the service’s overall combat strength. Officials said that the IAF has “number-plated” the No. 29 ‘Scorpions’ Squadron based in Jodhpur, western India, until it is re-operationalized with new aircraft and manpower at a later stage. The move comes after the IAF retired its other MiG-27ML squadron in December 2018. License-built by India’s state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL, some 165 single-engine, ‘swing-wing’ MiG-27s entered IAF service from 1985.

Raytheon won a $768.3 million deal for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile or AMRAAM Production Lot 33. The deal provides for the production of the AMRAAM missiles, captive air training missiles, guidance sections, AMRAAM telemetry system, spares and other production engineering support hardware. It involves unclassified Foreign Military Sales to Australia as well as Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Indonesia, Japan, Kuwait, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The AIM-120 AMRAAM is a new generation all-weather, missile manufactured by Raytheon. The AMRAAM is in service with the US Air Force, US Navy, and over 25 US-allied nations. Work will take place in Tucson, Arizona. Expected completion will be on February 28, 2023.

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Watch: WARRIOR UPGRADE: Is This The Future Of The British Army’s Armoured Vehicle? | Forces TV

Americas

The US Navy announced that the next two Virginia Class submarines, which are also the first two of Block V of the class will be named for the sailors who during the Pearl Harbor attack. The USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma, currently referred to as SSN-802 and SSN-803, will be named for the USS Arizona and USS Oklahoma that were sunk in the December 7, 1941, attack and the roughly 1,600 sailors who died on them, the Navy said on Tuesday. The decision brings the names back into active-duty service more than 75 years after the two vessels were in use. The new Arizona and Oklahoma will be the first two in Block V of the Virginia-class submarine program, which have been named about a month after the Navy awarded a $22.2 billion contract to General Dynamics Electric Boat for first nine vessels of the block.

The DoD plans to cut the construction of more than 40 percent of its planned Flight III Arleigh Burke Destroyers in fiscal years 2021 through 2025, DefenseNews reports. According to a Memo from the White House Office of Management. The proposal would cut five of the 12 DDGs planned through the future years defense program. This would reportedly cut $9.4 billion of the total shipbuilding budget. The memo also outlined plans to accelerate the decommissioning cruisers, cutting the total number of Ticonderoga Class cruisers in the fleet down to nine by 2025, from a planned 13 in last year’s budget. The Pentagon’s plan would actually shrink the size of the fleet from today’s fleet of 293 ships to 287 ships.

Middle East & Africa

The Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta inaugurated a new base in Garissa County in the northeast of the country, Jane’s reports. The ceremony was held on December 13. Modika Barracks will be the headquarters of the 6 Infantry Brigade and home to the 17 Kenya Rifles Battalion. The 6 Brigade was established as a fully-fledged formation in 2012. The Ministry of Defense announced back in February that 17 Kenya Rifles had already moved into Modika Barracks.

Europe

The Armenian military has received a batch of Russian-made Tor-M2KM wheeled short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, the country’s prime minister Nikol Pashinyan announced on December 21. “The Armenian armed forces have been reinforced by modern Russian-made Tor-M2KM air and missile defense systems. These weapons were produced in 2019 and stand among our pivotal defense procurements this year,” said Pashinyan. The Ministry of Defense declined to detail the number of the SAM systems procured, although a photograph released by the Armenian government’s press office depicted at least two Tor-M2KM combat vehicles. Armenia has received a new variant of the Tor-M2KM mounted on the KAMAZ-63501 8×8 all-terrain truck.

The electrooptical sensors for the Forpost-R unmanned aerial vehicle will be supplied by Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant and NPP Aviation and Marine Electronics. Both will replace the MOSP300 made by IAI’s TAMAM division. Back in August its was reported that Russia’s locally-upgraded Forpost-R UAV had made its maiden flight.The Forpost drone is a licensed replica of the Israeli Searcher MkII, assembled at the Urals Civil Aviation Plant since 2010. By 2018 the Russian army had about 30 Forpost systems assembled from imported parts. The first fully Russian-made Forpost-M, upgraded based on the experience of military action in Syria, were to be delivered for the Russian Defense Ministry in 2019.

Asia-Pacific

The first RQ-4B ordered by South Korea has been delivered to Sacheon airbase on December 23. The RQ-4 Block 30 Global Hawk Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) arrived at an Air Force base in Sacheon on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula earlier in the day. It is the first of a total of four units that South Korea is purchasing from the United States under a 2011 deal. The three others will arrive around the first half of next year, though the schedule is subject to change. The exact timing of their official deployment for operations is not decided, and will not be officially disclosed to the public, an Air Force officer said. As one of the most advanced intelligence-gathering platforms in the world, the long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, manufactured by US defense company Northrop Grumman, is capable of performing reconnaissance missions for around 40 hours at a time at an altitude of roughly 20 kilometers.

Today’s Video

Watch: Indian Defence Updates : India’s New Anti-Aircraft System,114 Rafale-F3R MMRCA,Navy Airfield Upgrade

Americas

Boeing won a $4 million contract modification for B-1 and B-52 bomber engineering services. The modification is for recurring and non-recurring engineering services to B-1 and B-52 aircraft. The B-1 Lancer is a supersonic variable-sweep wing, heavy bomber. It is also called „Bone“. The B-52H is the US Air Force’s long-range, large-payload multirole bomber and is known as the Stratofortress or the Buff (big ugly fat fellow). It is the USAF’s principal strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform, and supports the US Navy in anti-surface and submarine warfare missions. Work will take place in California, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2020

Flightsafety Services won an $11.8 million contract modification for support of the KC-46 Aircrew Training System. The contract modification provides for the exercise of calendar year 2020 operation and sustainment and cybersecurity efforts. The KC-46A Aerial Refueling Aircraft, based on the KC-767 refueling aircraft. The contract for KC-46 tankers was awarded to Boeing in February 2011. The company announced the major suppliers to be involved in the project in June 2011 and the Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) for the program was completed in August the same year. Last month the Pegasus completed the first flight around the world last month in a seven-leg trip. The Boeing aircraft is undergoing initial operational testing and evaluation to test its capabilities and effectiveness even as the Air Force flagged concerns with certain issues identified during the inspection, including a problem with the cargo locks. Flightsafety will perform work until December 31, 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The Qatar Emiri Air Force showed off its new AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters for the first time during the country’s annual National Day Parade on December 18, Jane’s reports. The US Department of Defense awarded a $667.5 million contract to Boeing in May 2016 to build 24 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for Qatar. The first one was handed over in May to the QEAF at Boeing’s Mesa plant in Arizona. The same month, the US State Department approved the sale of a second batch of 24 AH-64Es to Qatar at an estimated cost of $3 billion.

Europe

Poland has taken delivery of the four S-70i Black Hawks it ordered for its special forces. The delivery ceremony took place at 1st Transport Aviation Base on December 20. The European country has paid $177 million)for the rotorcraft, which also includes a logistics and training package. Poland has been attempting to modernize its rotorcraft inventory for several years. The controversial process initially saw Warsaw in April 2015 place an order for 50 Airbus Helicopters H225Ms to be operated by all three branches of its armed forces. However, a change of government saw that contract cancelled in October 2016. Instead, Poland has pursued a piecemeal acquisition strategy: in addition to the S-70is it has ordered four Leonardo Helicopters AW101s for anti-submarine warfare operations by its navy.

The 12 remaining airworthy Saab 105 twin-jet trainers operated by the Austrian Air Force have been grounded after cracks were found in the bolts connecting their tail sections to their centre fuselage. Of the dozen 1970s-vintage Saab 105s still flying out of 40 originally delivered, cracks were found in 10 of them. However the Department of Defense expected the aircraft to be able to fly again in March. The Swedish jet trainer are scheduled to retire at the end of 2020. At the end of November it was reported that they has to be grounded, because of cracks in the bolts. Airspace surveillance has since been carried out by the more expensive Eurofighters.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing won a $35.1 million modification, which provides for the production and delivery of ten Advanced Capability Mission Computers (ACMC) in support of F/A-18 E/F production for the Navy, 66 ACMCs for the government of Australia and 10 ACMCs for the government of Kuwait. The Advanced Capability Mission Computer is an integrated information processing system, providing complete hardware and software solutions. It is built on a well-defined open systems architecture allowing for rapid insertion of emerging technologies. The US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet maritime strike attack aircraft was manufactured by Boeing, and flew for the first time on 29 November 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 St. Louis and expected completion will be in August 2023.

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