Defense Industry Daily

Americas

General Dynamics won a $21.6 million modification for additional hours of Abrams system technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of September 22, 2023. M1A1/2 Abrams main battle tank is manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems. The first M1 tank was produced in 1978, the M1A1 in 1985 and the M1A2 in 1986.

The Navy awarded Insitu a $191.8 million modification, which procures 13 RQ-21A Blackjack air vehicles, 25 ScanEagle air vehicles, 48 RQ-21A and ScanEagle payloads and turrets, support equipment, spares and sustainment spares and tools in support of RQ-21A Blackjack and ScanEagle unmanned aircraft platforms for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will take place in Washington. Estimated completion will be in June 2026.

Middle East & Africa

Language Associates won a $10.6 million deal for English language training in support of the Air Force Security Assistance Training Squadron. Work will be performed in the United Arab Emirates and is expected to be completed by September 20, 2025. This contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales to the United Arab Emirates.

Europe

The French Navy is setting its sights on commercially developed drones and laser weapons to field new capabilities before the end of the 2020s, a senior service officer said on Monday. “We need to go faster to keep up with the threats and to keep up with our competitors. We cannot wait until 2030 for some capabilities,” said Rear Adm. Eric Malbruno, the deputy for planning and programs in the office of the Navy Chief of Staff.

Saab announced that it has received a contract for submarine life extension and upgrades from Sweden’s Defense Materiel Administration (FMV). The contract was valued at $43.8 million and comprises life extension and upgrade works on the submarine HSwMS SÖDERMANLAND, along with new batteries and battery development.

Asia-Pacific

Yomiuri news from Japan says Tokyo intends to import loitering munitions for trials and the American Switchblade and Israeli Harop are being considered. If trials are successful, Japan will induct loitering munitions into service from 2025 and deploy them in large numbers.These munitions are expected to be deployed in the Ryukyu Islands, close to China and Taiwan.

Today’s Video

WATCH: The Södermanland-class submarine – one of the submarines in operation by the Swedish Royal Navy

Americas

Elbit America won a $12.6 million delivery order under previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00383-20-G-WY01 for the procurement of large-area display in support of the F-18 aircraft. The delivery order does not include an option period. Work will take place in Israel. Expected completion day will be in September 2023.

Lockheed Martin won a $9.9 million modification for developmental activities regarding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated completion date is June 12, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Raytheon Lockheed Martin Javelin JV won a $311.2 million modification for full-rate production of Javelins. Work will take place in Arizona. Estimated completion date is November 30, 2026. Fiscal 2022 Foreign Military Sales (Jordan and Lithuania) funds and Army procurement appropriations funds in the amount of $311,171,700 were obligated at the time of the award.

Europe

Poland is expected to be the first nation to train their F-35 pilots at Ebbing Air National Guard Base, the Arkansas Business said. The pilots and their aircraft is scheduled to arrive in Fort Smith in 2024 and the US Air Force is expected to build a F-35 simulator center at the base.

Bloomberg says Germany has selected the Israeli Arrow 3 over THAAD for its ballistic missile defense program. Chancellor Olaf Scholz met Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid in Berlin on September 12 and both spoke positively on a potential deal in a press conference later that day.

Asia-Pacific

The second India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defense Ministerial Meeting was held in Tokyo on September 8, 2022, and was attended by the Indian Minister of Defense, Shri Rajnath Singh, the Indian Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, the Japanese Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Mr. HAYASHI Yoshimasa, and the Japanese Minister of Defense, Mr. HAMADA Yasukazu.

Today’s Video

WATCH: THAAD: America’s Super Shield against Ballistic Missiles

Americas

Champion Aerospace won a $9 million contract to procure 252 175 ampere (amp) Transformer Rectifier Unit (TRU) retrofit kits (240 for the F/A-18E/F fleet and EA-18G squadrons, and 12 for the EA-18G Growler capability modification operational test in support of upgrading the current 150 amp TRU to a 175 amp TRU). Work will be performed in Liberty, South Carolina, and is expected to be completed in December 2023.

General Electric Aviation said it and the US Air Force finished testing the firm’s second adaptive engine, which it hopes the military will adopt for the F-35 jet, and is ready to move into the engineering and manufacturing development phase.

Middle East & Africa

Asio Technologies, an Israeli developer and manufacturer of geospatial position systems and tactical defense solutions, is launching the NavGuard NOCTA Mini, a mini-size jam-proof aerial optical positioning system for drones and UASs. NavGuard is a real-time optical navigation system that enables seamless and accurate autonomous GNSS-free navigation for tactical UAS platforms in areas where the GNSS signal is spoofed, jammed, or simply unavailable.

Europe

Polish company AMZ-Kutno unveiled the TUR 7 4×4 armored vehicle at the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2022 held in Kielce from September 6th to 9th. The TUR 7 was shown in a light medical transporter configuration and joins the large TUR family of vehicles produced by AMZ-Kutno. The TUR is a family of 4×4 armored vehicles designed by the Polish manufacturer AMZ-Kutno in 2007. The vehicle was developed to offer a new generation of 4×4 armored personnel carrier vehicles. The TUR was based on the prototype chassis of a commercial IVECO off-road vehicle.

According to Jane’s Azerbaijan’s DefTech is developing a tiltrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and presented a 1:3 scale aircraft at ADEX 2022 in Baku. Jalal Rahimov, head of the company’s technical department, said that the intention is for the platform to fill a logistics role with a key differentiator being its ability to deliver its cargo at speed. Rahimov said that the company expects the final version of the UAV to be capable of 450 km/h and have an endurance of one hour.

Asia-Pacific

L3 Technologies won a $32 million modification to exercise options for Cooperative Engagement Capability system spares and signal data processors. Work will take place in Pennsylvania, Utah and Florida. Estimated completion will be by April 2023. Foreign Military Sales (Japan) funds in the amount of $1,213,305 (4%); and fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $888,984 (3%) will be obligated at time of award, of which funds in the amount of $888,984 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Today’s Video

WATCH: SKY SHIELD – Airborne Electronic Warfare

Americas

General Atomics won a $35.9 million deal, which procures spares necessary for the successful operational capability of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper air vehicles, ground control stations and ancillary equipment for the Navy. Work will take place in California, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina and Canada. Estimated completion will be in December 2026.

New students who graduated to fly the B-52 bomber this fall will be operating the eight-engine aircraft with four crew members instead of the usual five. The bomber has two pilots, one navigator, a weapon systems officer operating the radar, and an electronic warfare officer. When downsized to four people, the navigator, weapon systems and electronic warfare seats can be filled by any of the two non-pilot air crew. The switch to a four-person crew now is necessary as the bomber will be structurally modified to fly with only four people in the future. These current batch of graduates will be ready to assume the role of instructors when the modifications are rolled out later this decade.

Middle East & Africa

Egypt’s defense minister has expressed his wish for a closer military partnership with the US during a meeting with the commander of American forces in the Middle East. Mohamed Zaki met Gen. Michael Kurilla of US Central Command in Cairo to discuss cooperation, weeks after ships from both countries’ navies held training exercises in the Mediterranean.

Europe

The E1-79 Pegasus II has been flight tested. The unmanned air vehicle is produced by Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) and has been in service with the Hellenic Air Force since 2005. It took off from JKH/LGHI Chios island National Airport for a short low test flight over Chios Strait.

The Polish Ministry of National Defence has sent a letter of request to the United States government to buy 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the nation’s armed forces. Deputy Prime Minister and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz B?aszczak unveiled the planned purchase following a meeting with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which took place on September 8 in Ramstein, Germany.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Navy plans to acquire more modern warships in the next five years to be on par with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. According to Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia, the country expects the arrival of seven additional Acero-class gunboats in the next few years. It will also procure new offshore patrol vessels, construction landing docks, and next-generation corvettes.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Hellenic Air Force UAV Pegasus II short test flight from Chios island National Airport.

Americas

Raytheon won a $9 million contract for the procurement of nine active electronically scanned array radar system APG-79 weapon repairable assemblies in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a twin-engine, supersonic, all-weather, carrier-capable, multirole combat jet, designed as both a fighter and attack aircraft. Work will take place in Mississippi. The deal contains no options and work is expected to begin October 2022 and be completed by January 2024.

Six F-16s from South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing are in Colombia for exercise Relampago VII. The purpose of this exercise is to provide the Colombian Air Force with requested realistic interoperability training as allied countries, under NATO standards.

Middle East & Africa

The United States on Thursday placed sanctions on an Iranian company that helped to ship drones to Russia for use in Ukraine, and warned non-Iranian firms against becoming involved in the trade. The US Treasury said it had placed Tehran-based Safiran Airport Services on its sanctions blacklist, two months after the White House divulged intelligence that Russia was seeking Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for its war in Ukraine.

Europe

The first pair of upgraded F-16Vs from the Hellenic Air Force (HAF) will return home from the United States on September 12. They will land at the Hellenic Aerospace Industry facility in Tanagra. They were sent to Forth Worth, Texas for modifications by Lockheed Martin in February 2021. The HAF is expected to receive six more F-16Vs this year.

According Jane’s, Belarus’ Belspetsvneshtechnika has outlined improvements to the 61 mm-calibre Sapphire disposable rocket launcher. Detailing the new features at ADEX 2022 in Baku, a company representative highlighted a new tandem warhead configuration, enhanced lethality, and ongoing work on what was described as a “smart sighting system” that is intended to automate processes and assist the user through a fire control unit that presents an aiming point once a target is designated, among other features.

Asia-Pacific

The Japanese government is set to acquire the site of an abandoned school and school dormitory on Mageshima island as part of the plan to turn the island into a field carrier landing practice (FCLP) site for the US Navy. The city council will vote on the proposal on Sept. 9 and the news reports say council members will likely approve the acquisition.

Today’s Video

WATCH: F-18 Hornet Fighter Jet in Action

Americas

Boeing won an $8 million modification, which exercises an option to provide cyber security services to support the physical security of the P-8 aircrew trainers and facilities, including cyber scanning and remediation, cyber security updates, and scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for the Navy. Work will take place in Missouri and California. Estimated completion will be in September 2023.

Lockheed Martin is working with the US Department of Defense (DoD) to lift a delivery pause of F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) combat aircraft following the recent discovery of material from China. The F-35 program office has assessed that the Chinese alloy does not present a safety or security risk that could expose the stealth jet to cyber attacks or other malfeasance, and an alternative source for the alloy has already been identified, F-35 JPO spokesman Russell Goemaere said in a statement. As a result, there are no plans to ground the F-35 fleet or return jets already accepted to Lockheed.

Middle East & Africa

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy has received three domestically-manufactured vessels equipped with sophisticated air defense systems. The ships were handed over at a ceremony in the port city of Bandar Abbas off the southern coast of Iran. One of the newly-commissioned vessels is an advanced patrol ship with a vertical launch system for firing short and mid-range missiles.

Europe

The US unveiled nearly $3 billion in new aid for Ukraine and 18 of its neighbors on Thursday as Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin met with allies in Germany and Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unscheduled visit to Kyiv. Alongside a $675 million package of heavy weaponry, ammunition and armored vehicles for Ukraine, the administration notified Congress of its intent to make $2.2 billion in new Foreign Military Financing available. The recipients include NATO members and Eastern European security partners the State Department called “most potentially at risk for future Russian aggression.”

The US and its allies sponsored the training of Ukrainian forces that sunk a Russian naval vessel in June with a Harpoon anti-ship missile, the US undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment Bill LaPlante revealed. Speaking at the Defense News Conference, LaPlante said the Boeing weapon was taken from an allied vessel and modified to fire from a flatbed truck.

Asia-Pacific

The Japanese government is set to acquire the site of an abandoned school and school dormitory on Mageshima island as part of the plan to turn the island into a field carrier landing practice (FCLP) site for the US Navy. The city council will vote on the proposal on September 9 and the news reports say council members will likely approve the acquisition.

Today’s Video

WATCH: What is a Boeing P-8 airplane used for?

Americas

Stellant Systems won a $36.9 million contract for the F-16 Traveling Wave Tube repair services. Work will be performed in Torrance, California, and is expected to be completed by January 30, 2029. The Air Sustainment Center Supply Chain Management Division, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity.

The US Army has nominated a new leader for Futures Command. Lt. Gen. James Rainey, nine months after its first commander Gen. Mike Murray retired, the service’s undersecretary said September 7 at the Defense News Conference. The Army command, which oversees the requirements process for modernization had been without a confirmed four-star leader for more than nine months after officials worried the front-runner for the job would not receive congressional approval because he allegedly had reservations about deploying the National Guard during the Jan. 6 attacks on the Capitol.

Middle East & Africa

Iran’s naval forces have highlighted the vulnerability of the US 5th Fleet’s new fleet of unmanned surface vessels (USVs) by seizing at least three in less than a week, claiming they were a threat to navigation. Iranian television broadcasted footage on September 2 showing two Saildrone Explorer USVs on the flight deck of a frigate and then being pushed over the side by sailors.

Europe

UK-based engineering and services group Babcock has been awarded two new contracts intended to pave the way for in-country build of Poland’s Miecznik (Swordfish) frigates to start in 2023. Babcock – bidding a variant of its Arrowhead 140 design – was selected earlier in 2022 as the platform design provider and technology partner for the three-ship Miecznik programme. Arrowhead 140 forms the basis for the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) new Type 31 frigate.

Asia-Pacific

The South Korean Marine Corps is shopping for an attack helicopter and Bell is proposing to license build its AH-1Z with Korean Air in order to secure the contract. The disclosure of Bell’s proposal to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) was made by People Power Party lawmaker Han Ki-ho. Han said this was Bell’s third attempt to offer license production of the AH-1Z to South Korea. He said two e-mails sent by Bell in October and November last regarding the proposal were ignored by DAPA.

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of F-16 aircraft sustainment and related equipment to Pakistan in a deal valued at up to $450 million, the Pentagon said. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Corp. The Government of Pakistan has requested to consolidate prior F-16 sustainment and support cases to support the Pakistan Air Force F-16 fleet by reducing duplicate case activities and adding additional continued support elements. I

Today’s Video

WATCH: UK Type 31 Swordfish Frigate Is Being Constructed for Polish Navy, Worth Almost €2 Billion

Americas

According to Jane’s, the Pentagon’s intelligence directorate is investing heavily in systems and programmes specifically designed to knock down barriers to collaboration between US armed forces, allies, and partner countries across all strata of command. Increasing capabilities to foster increased collaboration between the Pentagon and its allies, from an information-sharing and technology perspective, has emerged as a priority for the department’s intelligence directorate.

The Brazilian Navy commissioned its first-of-class Riachuelo Class diesel-electric attack submarine, S Riachuelo (S-40), on September 1. The general director of the Directorate-General for Nuclear and Technological Development of the Navy (DGDNTM), Fleet Admiral Petrónio Augusto Siqueira de Aguiar, signed with Itaguaí Construções Navais (ICN) and Naval Group the provisional receipt and acceptance confirmation for S Riachuelo on August 26.

Middle East & Africa

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has been awarded a contract to supply DroneGuard ComJam systems for the long-range detection and disruption of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) to an Asian country. The contract comprises several dozens of mobile systems. The use of UAS has increased dramatically, and they have become a potential threat to borders, sensitive facilities, maneuvering forces and major events. UAS may be used for hostile purposes such as gathering intelligence, smuggling or even carrying armaments.

Europe

According to the British army, over 800 British, French and Danish troops have conducted Exercise Dragon Charge on the Tapa Central Training Area in Estonia to reaffirm their interoperability and agility. It was the final, major, force-on-force exercise for the Royal Welsh-led Battlegroup, who come to the end of their six-month tour in Estonia serving as NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) on Europe’s eastern flank.

Asia-Pacific

Russia is buying millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea, hinting at the Kremlin’s supply-chain issues for military equipment, the New York Times reported, citing declassified American intelligence. The exact weaponry, timing and size of shipment remain unclear, but US officials stressed that they expect Russia to buy additional military material from Pyongyang as it struggles with Western sanctions and export controls amid President Vladimir Putin’s assault on neighboring Ukraine. The North Korea disclosure comes after Russia received its first shipment of drones from Iran last week as Moscow turns to pariah states to replenish its depleted military supplies.

The BQM-177A subsonic aerial target achieved full operational capability during a launch and intercept as part of Pacific Vanguard 2022 (PV 22) in the Philippine Sea on August 28. The US Navy’s next-generation target was launched from Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE 3) for a SM-2 intercept exercise for USS Barry (DDG 52) and Royal Australian Navy Anzac-class frigate HMAS Perth (FFH 157).

Today’s Video

WATCH: Brazil commissions its first Scorpène type submarine: Riachuelo

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $17.6 million modification, which will exercise options for ship integration and test of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) for AWS baselines through Advanced Capability Build (ACB) 16. Work will take place in New Jersey, Virginia, California, Washington DC, Mississippi, Florida and Maine. Estimated completion will be by May 2023.

Austal USA won a $11.4 million contract modification to exercise an option for littoral combat ship (LCS) industrial post-delivery availability support for USS Augusta (LCS 34). The LCS main purpose is to take up operations such as patrolling, port visits, anti-piracy, and partnership-building exercises to free up high-end surface combatants for increased combat availability. Work will take place in Alabama and Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by September 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Head of the Iranian Air Force, Brig. Gen. Hamid Vahedi, says his service is interested in acquiring the Su-35 fighter from Russia. Speaking to Borna news agency, he said Iran is no longer looking at the Su-30. Approval is still required from Iran’s Army Command and the Armed Forces General Staff Command. It was reported back in 2020 that Egypt and Algeria are scheduled to take delivery of Su-35s. The Su-35s for Iran if approved, could come from the existing airframes intended for Egypt.

Europe

Greece has donated a EMB-135BJ to Cyprus for use by the latter’s president. Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, was at Elefsina Air Base to hand over the aircraft to Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades. Anastasiades and his entourage then boarded the aircraft for their return to Cyprus after the ceremony.

Spanish and German missile manufacturers are leading an effort to develop a new hypersonic defense interceptor as part of the European Defence Fund’s initial batch of sponsored projects. In July, the European Union announced the awards of its first slate of EF-funded projects, which included 61 research-and-development projects and over $1.2 billion in government funds.

Asia-Pacific

India commissioned its first home-built aircraft carrier Friday as it seeks to counter regional rival China’s much larger and growing fleet, and expand its own indigenous shipbuilding capabilities. The INS Vikrant, whose name is a Sanskrit word for “powerful” or “courageous,” is India’s second operational aircraft carrier, joining the Soviet-era INS Vikramaditya that it purchased from Russia in 2004 to defend the Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Not Su-30 but Su-35, ‘Most Sophisticated’ Su-35 Fighters To Iran

Americas

Sikorsky won a $40 million modification, which adds scope to provide production and installation of a VH-92A Flight Training Device (FTD) and updates to a previously delivered VH-92A FTD for the Marine Corps. The new Marine One, also referred to as VH-92A, is the next-generation presidential transport helicopter being developed for the US Marine Corps (USMC). Work will take place in New York, Florida, Connecticut, Virginia, Utah and various locations within the continental US. Expected completion will be in March 2024.

The US Air Force Research Laboratory recently carried out an in-flight vapor purge test in a F-15E last month. The objective of the test by the 711th Human Performance Wing was to  evaluate cockpit environmental conditions after a chemical weapon attack. “In order to develop the next generation of aircrew protective equipment we need to determine what level of protection aircrew members need,” said Joel Huddleston, 28th TES deputy division chief. “By aggregating this data, we will be able to specialize the suits and ensure the warfighter is unencumbered.” For the data collection process, liquid methyl salicylate, also known as oil of wintergreen, was sprayed into the idling jet prior to taxi. Crew members are then exposed to the chemical after the liquid was vaporized by engine heat and get sucked into the cockpit.

Middle East & Africa

According to Indian media reports, the Indian navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya has successfully launched Barak 1 surface-to-air missile (SAM). This appears to be the first time that a live firing test with Barak missiles was conducted on an aircraft carrier. So far, the tests in the Indian Navy have been conducted on frigates. Barak is an Israeli surface-to-air missile (SAM) designed to be used as a ship-borne point-defense missile system against aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs for relatively short range of about 12 km

Europe

Embraer has began the flight test program for Portugal’s first KC-390 transport aircraft. Once flight testing is completed, Portugal’s first KC-390, registered PR-ZDK, will be sent to Portuguese aircraft maintenance, repair, and operations service provider OGMA where it will be equipped with certified features to meet NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization] standards.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea intends to spend $295 million from 2023-2027 to buy tactical data links and fire control radar systems from the United States for its AH-64E fleet. The report from Yonhap did not specify the type of equipment to be bought.

The US government has cleared the sale of 60 AGM-84L-1 Harpoon Block II missiles and 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles to Taiwan on September 2. Congress was notified of three potential arms sales to Taiwan on that day and the most expensive one was the upgrade of the AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWS radar for $665.4 million. The Pentagon says the Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for the Surveillance Radar Program (SRP), to be executed by Raytheon, will provide “improved situational awareness and threat warning capabilities critical to regional security.”

Today’s Video

WATCH: Comparison of the Embraer KC-390 Vs the Lockheed Martin C-130J cargo plane.

Americas

Boeing won a $2 billion contract modification for KC-46A Air Force Production Lot 8 aircraft, subscriptions and licenses. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 15 KC-46A aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses being produced under the basic contract. Work will take place in Washington. Expected completion date is November 30, 2025.

Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control deal for the purchase of Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Systems components and hardware for the Apache attack helicopter. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Estimated completion date is March 31, 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won a $927.5 million contract action for four KC-46A aircraft for Israel. This contract is also issued for the non-recurring engineering design and test for the Remote Vision System 2.0 and the Air Refueling Operator Station 2.0 mission equipment and installation, pre-delivery integrated logistics support, and technical publications. Work will take place in Washington. Expected completion date is December 31, 2026.

Europe

General Dynamics won a $9.6 million modification for Abrams Systems technical support. Work will take place in Michigan. Estimated completion will be August 31, 2024.

Saab has announced it successfully test-fired the Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) from a Gripen E fighter jet for the first time. The event occurred at the FMV Vidsel test range in northern Sweden around the end of May or beginning of June 2022, and saw the weapon launched from an altitude of approximately 16,500ft and striking a target as planned.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan’s military fired warning shots at drones from China flying over its outposts just off the Chinese coastline, underscoring heightened tensions and the self-rules island’s resolve to respond to new provocations. Taiwan’s forces said in a statement that troops took the action on Tuesday after drones were found hovering over the Kinmen island group. Dadan, one of the islands where a drone was spotted, lies roughly 15 kilometers (9 miles) off the Chinese coast.

Today’s Video

WATCH: The JAS 39 Gripen (Griffin) | 6th generation rival hidden in the Swedish Air Force

Americas

Sikorsky won a $36.4 million order, which procures spare parts and provides repair and maintenance support for the Lot 6 CH-53K low rate initial production configuration aircraft. Work will take place in Connecticut, Canada, Washington, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, Missouri, New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, West Virginia and California. Expected completion will be in December 2025.

Boeing won a $12.4 million deal to procure upgraded flight control computer operational flight program with automatic ground collision avoidance system capable software for the F/A-18C/D aircraft. The F/A-18 Hornet is an all-weather jet aircraft that is used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps as both a fighter and attack platform. In its fighter mode, the F/A-18 is used primarily as a fighter escort and for fleet air defense; in its attack mode, it is used for force projection, interdiction and close and deep air support. Work will take place in Missouri. Expected completion will be in June 2024.

Middle East & Africa

Russia has begun receiving Iranian combat drones to be used in the Ukraine war, but many of them have already proven faulty, the US military said Tuesday. Russia has begun receiving Iranian combat drones to be used in the Ukraine war, but many of them have already proven faulty, the US military said. After both sides have deployed and lost large numbers of surveillance and attack drones over the six months of the war, Russian are importing two types from Iran: the Mohajer-6 and the Shahed-series UAVs, according to the Pentagon.

Europe

The European Union is considering a new training mission aimed at providing more predictable and additional support to Ukraine in its defense against Russia. The proposal was announced Tuesday, as EU defense ministers gathered for an informal meeting in Prague to discuss ways to boost the bloc’s defense investment, the influence of Russian activity in Africa, and Moscow’s aggression against Kyiv.

Asia-Pacific

Poland has finalized the purchase of main battle tanks and howitzers from South Korea to bolster its defenses amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Polish government signed the $5.76 billion contract, one of Poland’s largest defense orders in recent years, on August 26. The agreement includes 180 K2 Black Panther Tanks and 212 K9A1 self-propelled howitzers. The acquisitions are expected to be complete by 2025 and 2026.

The Indian Army has inducted new swarm drone systems into its mechanized forces for offensive and defensive operations. The development comes as Delhi bolsters its military capabilities amid border disputes with China. Equipped with the latest technologies, the swarm drone system uses artificial intelligence (AI) software to control several drones from the same station.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Meet The K2PL MBT Polish Future Main Battle Tank – Will Be One Of The World’s Best Tanks

Americas

The US Air Force has returned to Komatsu airbase, Japan for training for the first time in 3 years. According to the NHK, 6 US F-16s are in Komatsu till September 2 for joint exercise with Japan Air Self-Defense Force.

Communications and Power Industries LLC won a $36.5 million deal for the F-16 Traveling Wave Tube repair services. Work will be performed in Palo Alto, California, and is expected to be completed by January 30, 2029. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an advanced aerial combat aircraft, which provides 4th generation fighter aircraft capabilities. Work will take place in California. Expected completion date is January 30, 2029.

Middle East & Africa

The US Department of Treasury and Israel’s Ministry of Finance finalized the terms of their new bilateral agreement that aims to fortify cyber resilience in both countries’ networks, and further extends an existing tech-centric bilateral agreement.

Europe

General Atomics won a $42.7 million option for MQ-9 Reaper contractor logistics support. The contractor will provide an additional period of contractor logistics support for the United Kingdom Royal Air Force. Work will be performed in Poway, California, and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2023. The requirement is 100 percent Foreign Military Sales for government of the United Kingdom.

Sweden’s participation in the UK-led Future Combat Air System (FCAS) is effectively on hiatus, with Saab’s President and CEO Micael Johansson saying on August 26 that the country is in “a hibernation period” on the multinational project. Johansson said that the initial promise of the project had not so far materialised, and that Saab and Sweden were taking a back seat while they consider their own future requirements at the same time as the other FCAS partners map out the future direction of the programme.

Asia-Pacific

Lockheed Martin won a $503.7 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 12 MH-60R aircraft for the Commonwealth of Australia. Work will take place in New York, Connecticut and Alabama. Expected completion is in October 2026.

President Biden will ask Congress to approve $1.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, according to Politico, which reports the weapons deal will include 60 Harpoon anti-ship missiles and 100 air-to-air missiles for Taiwan’s US-made F-16 fighter jets. The planned weapons sales come after China staged large-scale military war games around Taiwan in response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to the island.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Harpoon Missile : The World’s Most Accurate Anti-Ship Missile

Americas

Raytheon won a $8.8 million deal for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile Production Lot 35 Rectifier Filter Assembly Captive Air Training Missile Retrofit effort. Work will take place in Arizona. Expected completion date is May 30, 2026. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Dominance Division Contracting Office, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

Sikorsky Aircraft won an $8 million deal for procurement of services and data for the integration and qualification of the Improved Turbine Engine onto the UH/HH-60M Black Hawk aircraft. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission helicopter developed by Sikorsky that has been operational in the US Army since 1978. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2027. The US Army is the contracting activity.

Middle East & Africa

The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement that Greece’s S-300 air defense missile system had locked on to its F-16 fighters on August 23. The incident took place when the fighters were flying over the Mediterranean. The air defense system was located on the island of Crete. Greece refuted the statement by Turkey, saying that it scrambled four F-16s to intercept the five Turkish fighters that was interfering with B-52 bombers transiting Greek airspace.

The first Al Jubail Avante 2200-class corvette on order for the Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF) has arrived in-country, marking an important milestone for the programme. Al Jubail (828) arrived at King Faisal Naval Base in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on August 25, the Saudi Press Agency announced the same day. Al Jubail is the first of the five 104 m corvettes being built by Spanish state-owned shipbuilder Navantia for the RSNF under a EUR1.8 billion (USD1.79 billion) contract signed in 2018.

Europe

Germany promised to provide Ukraine with new modern weapons and support in building its own air defense. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made a corresponding statement in his “European speech” at Charles University in Prague on August 29. According to the German Chancellor, the latest security assistance package from Germany exceeds 600 million euros.

Asia-Pacific

Initial delivery of the BrahMos missile system to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is expected in 2023, the Indian Embassy in Manila confirmed on the sidelines of India’s 75th Independence Day celebration in mid-August. “We are expecting the deliveries to happen sometime next year, we don’t have a specific date but we’re working towards next year,” India’s Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran was quoted as saying by the state-run Philippine News Agency.

Today’s Video

WATCH: How does a Military Helicopter work? (Pave Hawk)

Americas

General Dynamics won a $26 million contract modification for Abrams systems technical support. The M1 Abrams is a third-generation American main battle tank designed by Chrysler Defense and named for General Creighton Abrams. Work will take place in Michigan. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2025.

Piedmont Propulsion won an $11.6 million deal for maintenance and overhaul of the UH-60 Helicopter rotor hub. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is the US Army’s primary medium-lift utility transport and air assault aircraft. It is a twin-engined medium-lift utility helicopter. Estimated completion date is August 26, 2027. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order.

Middle East & Africa

Following the recent visit of US Major General Todd Wasmund to Morocco, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency has reported on a possible new arms sale to Rabat. Included in this current cooperation would be Morocco’s purchase of wireless tactical and ground control systems at an estimated cost of $141.1 million. Morocco has requested to buy six Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS-JTRS). Also included in the proposed deal are KY-100M Narrowband/Wideband Terminals; KIV-78 and KIV-77 Cryptographic Appliques; AN/PYQ-10 Simple Key Loader (SKL); additional secure communications, cryptographic devices, and precision navigation equipment as well as spares and training.

Europe

Dollars will start flowing toward Poland’s long-planned purchase of tanks, as the US Army taps General Dynamics Land Systems to make 250 Abrams in the newest configuration, the company announced. The $1.148 billion contract — awarded in late July, according to the Army — will get Poland new features in communications, firepower and armor for its future Abrams fleet, per an Aug. 25 company statement.

Asia-Pacific

Australia’s attempt to replace the troubled MRH90 Taipan helicopter with the UH-60M has taken another step forward after the US government approved the potential Foreign Military Sale on August 25. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in Transmittal No 22-51 that the proposed sale “will replace Australia’s current multi-role helicopter fleet with a more reliable and proven system.” In its justification to buy the UH-60M to replace the MRH90, former Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said last year that the “performance of the MRH90 Taipan has been an ongoing and well-documented concern for Defence and there has been a significant effort at great expense to try to remediate those issues.”

Collins Aerospace has successfully completed the first flight test of a new variant of its MS-110 Multispectral Airborne Reconnaissance system. The press release says the test was carried for an undisclosed international customer, which could be Taiwan. The island had announced last year that it procure six MS-110 reconnaissance pods for its F-16 fleet.

Today’s Video

WATCH: 10 Facts about New Gigantic $13 Billion Aircraft Carrier Make It Indispensable

Americas

Dyncorp International won a $30.3 million modification, which exercises an option to extend services to provide continued organizational level aircraft maintenance and logistics support for aircrew systems and subsystems, search and rescue equipment, and support equipment for the P-3 Orion, C-130 Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, E/A-18 Growler, AV-8B Harrier II, H-60 Seahawk, and E-2D Hawkeye aircraft in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) Naval Test Wing Pacific. Work will take place in California, Hawaii, Florida, New Mexico and Maryland. Estimated completion will be in April 2023.

A recent US Army Futures Command live-flight demonstration of a solar-powered, stratospheric unmanned aerial system (UAS) could play into service-led efforts to extend intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities, as well as enable new long-range, beyond-line-of-sight communications programmes. Officials from the command’s Assured Positioning, Navigation and Timing/Space (APNT/Space) Cross-Functional Team conductedan over two-month flight test of the Airbus-built Zephyr 8 ultra-long-endurance UAS, launched from the service’s Yuma Proving Ground experimentation facility in Arizona.

Middle East & Africa

The Iranian army launched a major nation-wide, two-day drone drill on Wednesday morning, using nearly 150 drones of various types, and including all four army branches as well as the Iranian air force. “These joint drills of the drones at the level of the four forces of the army and the joint air defense headquarters will take place for the first time, in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, from the south to the east, west, north and center of the country,” Rear Admiral Habibullah Sayyari, the Coordinating Assistant to the Commander of the Iranian Army, was quoted in the Tehran Times.

Europe

Britain is to supply a further package of weapons to Ukraine, including target-spotting micro-drones, outgoing U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced during a surprise visit to Kyiv. Ukraine’s Independence Day on August 24 saw Johnson reveal the planned delivery of unmanned surveillance systems, anti-tank loitering missiles and other equipment, adding to a long list of weapons contributed by the British government since Russia invaded its neighbor six months ago.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea scrambled F-16s after Russian Tu-95 bombers entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone (KADIZ) on August 23. Although South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) did not identify the type and number of aircraft, Russia’s Sputnik confirmed it was the Tu-95 and the planes flew over the Sea of Japan.

An improved version of the Cai Hong 4 (Rainbow 4, or CH-4) armed reconnaissance medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (MALE UAV) equipped with an indigenously manufactured heavy fuel engine (HFE) has completed its maiden flight, its manufacturer China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) announced. According to company specifications, the Lark HFE is a liquid-cooled engine with a dry weight of 98kg and includes features such as a high-pressure common-rail (HPCR) fuel system, full-authority digital electronic control (FADEC), and a mean time before overhaul rating of 2,000 hours.

Today’s Video

WATCH: The world record go-getters – Zephyr Solar powered UAS

Americas

Oshkosh Defense won a $22.6 million deal to exercise available options to support the fielding of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles, packaged and installed kits, and trailers. Work will take place in Wisconsin. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2024. The US Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

The Chilean Air Force has inducted into service two Boeing E-3D Sentry airborne early warning Mk 1 (AEW1) aircraft from the UK Royal Air Force. The two operational Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft were acquired along with a third aircraft to be used for spares, earlier in 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The US Coast Guard has received its last two of six Sentinel-class fast response cutters (FRC), rounding out the 5th Fleet stationed in Bahrain. The latest vessels were commissioned as USCGC John Scheuerman (WPC 1146) and USCGC Clarence Sutphin Jr. (WPC 1147) in February and April 2022. Each vessel measures 154 feet (47 meters) and is equipped with improved surveillance, advanced communication systems, and reconnaissance equipment.

Europe

Germany will supply legacy Leopard 2 tanks to Slovakia in exchange for that country sending Soviet-era fighting vehicles to Ukraine’s aid, the Defense Ministry in Berlin announced. The deal is one of several “ring swaps,” as German defense officials call them, in the making with Eastern European governments since the spring, following Russia’s invasion in Ukraine. Slovakian and German officials signed an agreement August 23 approving the delivery of 15 Leopard 2 tanks in the A4 configuration to Bratislava.

The US will provide Ukraine with new air defense systems, counter-drone systems, radars, artillery systems and munitions as part of a $2.98 billion package US President Joe Biden announced Wednesday. The defense materiel falls under the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which allows the Pentagon to contract with industry for it, apart from billions in equipment it has sent Ukraine from its stockpiles. It’s the single largest tranche since Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine six months ago.

Asia-Pacific

USFI Inc. won a maximum 320 million contract for full-line food distribution. Location of performance is Korea. August 23, 2027 is the ordering period end date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2027 defense working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Chile receives two donated E-3D Sentry planes from the UK

British E-3 Sentry
(click to view full)

Britain’s E-3D Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) is based on Boeing’s 707 family, and its ability to see and direct air operations within hundreds of miles provides vital strategic support. Since its introduction in 1992, the RAF’s fleet of 7 E-3s has been used in every major UK military operation, including Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.

That availability depends on effective maintenance, and the UK MoD has a new approach. It’s meant to give them more flyable planes, while costing less money. The new Sentry Whole Life Support Program (WLSP) began in August 2005, when Northrop Grumman won a 20-year, GBP 665 million (then $1.2 billion) contract. Under that contract, NGC’s team is providing aircraft maintenance and design-engineering support services through 2025, in order to improve availability and reduce overall ownership costs. As is typical of recent British contracts, the government has chosen a public-private partnership founded on an unusual military combination: fixed base costs, and guaranteed time in-service percentages for the planes.

The Contract & Industry Team

RAF E-3, side
(click to view full)

Northrop Grumman was selected as the Preferred Bidder by the UK Ministry of Defence in July 2004, and deal was concluded just over a year later, in August 2005.

The contract is a fixed-price contract for the first 5 years, and the remaining 15 years of the contract are a target-cost incentive-fee structure that shares any savings below the targeted cost. The contract is fully funded for the entire 20-year term, and when it was signed, the participants believed that the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme would reduce the cost of supporting Britain’s E-3s by 12-20% over its 20-year run.

There was some basis for that optimism, as the BAE Systems CS&S’ GBP 75 million NISC (Nimrod Integrated Support Contract), availability of the Nimrod MR2 fleet was up by 40%, while support costs were down by 8%. The Minister for Defence Procurement at the time, Lord Drayson, said that:

“Effectively the new contract will halve the number of aircraft in the support hangar… This contract is also good news for the British taxpayer as it will reduce the cost of supporting Sentry by over 12% – saving GBP 90 million – whilst creating over 50 jobs here in Lincolnshire.”

Industry Team

These kinds of contracts need a close partnership between the Ministry of Defence and the industry team, especially for an essential platform like the E-3, which ranges far and wide.

Most of the jobs supported will be at Northrop Grumman, but not all. This innovative fleet availability contract makes Northrop Grumman responsible for all aircraft scheduled maintenance including the provision of spares world-wide, design authority services and management of the aircraft structural integrity work, technical publications and a training service for all Sentry maintenance personnel. Northrop Grumman also provides the radar and in-service support for the E-3D’s radar, and is the systems integrator for the replacement mission system.

To accomplish these goals, and meet mission targets, NGC is drawing on its experience with the US Air Force’s Total System Support Responsibility Program for their 707-based E-8C Joint STARS ground surveillance aircraft’s . NGC’s Integrated Systems sector has engineering-support responsibility and design authority for the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme. Their Electronic Systems sector will provide radar expertise, while their Space Technology sector contributes sophisticated, interactive, electronic technical manuals and support.

British companies BAE Systems and FR Aviation in Bournemouth, plus the UK division of AAR Corp. based in Mitcham, will operate as sub-contractors, and create over 50 jobs based at RAF Waddington.

BAE Systems share of the total contract is expected to be worth close to GBP 100 million (USD $178.7 million) over the life of the program. Their role will be to provide depth maintenance, ground maintenance training and on-line technical information. Within the contract, BAE Systems is also responsible for the construction of a new hangar annex within the grounds of RAF Waddington, which is being built to co-locate the 150 person service team.

BAE Systems Customer Solutions & Support (CS&S) military air business will be applying the experience from their Nimrod MR2 maritime surveillance aircraft and VC-10 transport/tanker integrated support contracts. Technical information will be delivered through the CS&S Integrated Asset Management (IAM) service, which is also being used for Nimrod MR2 and Tornado fighter support and upgrade contracts. The IAM service uses CS&S’s trilogiView technical browser, which has already been chosen for 26 other UK MOD programmes, and by Lockheed Martin for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

FR Aviation Services, a subsidiary of Cobham plc’s Flight Operations and Services Group, will be the maintenance provider on E-3D under a partnering agreement with CS&S. This latter agreement is based on the relationship that FR Aviation Services and CS&S developed while supporting the Nimrod fleet at RAF Kinloss.

UK E-3D

RAF E-3
(click to view full)

August 25/22: Chile The Chilean Air Force has inducted into service two Boeing E-3D Sentry airborne early warning Mk 1 (AEW1) aircraft from the UK Royal Air Force. The two operational Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) aircraft were acquired along with a third aircraft to be used for spares, earlier in 2022.

May 2/14: IFF. Northrop Grumman announces that they’ve added Mode S to the E-3D fleet’s Identification Friend or Foe system, as part of the WSLP (q.v. Nov 12/10). Mode S is a civil signal that assigns each plane its own individual “squawk”. The ICAO has certain requirements for flying in civil airspace (a.k.a. “controlled airspace”), and Northrop Grumman had to figure out how to improve the onboard avionics without a complete mission computer replacement. It took a little while, but it’s done now. Sources: NGC, “Northrop Grumman Delivers Mode S Upgrade for the UK’s Sentry E-3D AWACS Mission System”.

June 2/13: Avionics. Northrop Grumman announces a 3-year, $17 million contract to design, develop, integrate, test and support a Fuel Quantity Indicator System (FQIS) on the RAF’s E-3Ds, as a task within the WLSP umbrella contract. Group Capt. Adam Northcote-Wright describes this as “a significant safety enhancement,” and the release reads like a new system. That’s not the case. We talked to Northrop Grumman about this, and they confirmed that this is an upgrade to existing fuel gauge systems.

Work will be carried out at RAF Waddington, UK, as well as at Northrop Grumman’s US facilities in Herndon, VA, and Melbourne, FL. NGC.

April 25/12: Oked. All of Britain’s E-3Ds are cleared to fly again. Presumably, the structural cracks were repaired, and no others were found. Defence Management.

April 19/12: Cracked up. The RAF has suspended E-3D flights unless they’re essential, after technicians found cracks in 2 planes where the structure supports the rotating radar. Technically, this only involves “non-operational routine flying,” and the rest of the fleet appears to be free of the fault. Caution is best when dealing with old planes, however, and there’s no planned date yet for resumption of routine flying. Conversations with Northrop Grumman are surely part of those decisions. Defence Management | Flight International | The Sun.

Partial flight suspension

Feb 21/12: Repaired in USA. Northrop Grumman finishes repairs to a U.K. E-3D’s cracked wing spar, which was fixed in the USA at the company’s Lake Charles Maintenance and Modification Center. That’s a first for the UK E-3 fleet, but that facility had a lot of experience with similar issues among the USA’s E-8Cs, and delivered the fix ahead of schedule. Northrop Grumman.

Nov 12/10: IFF upgrade. Northrop Grumman announces a 3-year, $64 million contract modification to design and develop the Mode S upgrade to the identification friend or foe interrogator system for the Royal Air Force’s Sentry E-3D AWACs aircraft. The contract modification was awarded under Northrop Grumman’s Sentry E-3D Whole Life Support Programme. Northrop Grumman said that this is the largest modification it has carried out to date for the Sentry aircraft fleet.

The work will be performed at RAF Waddington, UK, as well as at Northrop Grumman’s facilities in Herndon, VA; Warner Robins, GA; and Melbourne, FL.

Sept 16/09: Tough fix. The E-2D damaged in a December 2007 accident is ready to return to the fleet – but the GBP 3.5 million repair wasn’t easy. Keith Monslow, the Joint Sentry Support team’s operations manager, says in the UK MoD’s Desider article:

“It was the worst possible place to strike the aircraft – in the fuel gallery. The whole area was covered in fuel, which soaked right the way through to the lower lobe, contaminating the electrics. Opening up the aircraft to inspect the damage just made it worse. Fuel covered all the electrical areas. And some of the items needed in the repair aren’t even made any more so we knew we would be hunting all over the world for places to fabricate them.”

Sentry ZH106 required complete gutting of its electrical systems, 25 miles/ 40 km of new cabling, and around 2,200 new parts, all of which had to be performed with very careful attention to the aircraft’s balance as items were inserted and removed. There was also a bit of help from a nearby earthquake, which actually solved an ongoing problem with the aircraft. UK MoD.

Oct 22/08: ADRS update. Northrop Grumman announces a 3-year, $16 million contract modification to develop and install a replacement accident data recording system (ADRS) for the Sentry E-3D AWACS aircraft based at RAF Waddington. The contract modification was awarded under the company’s Sentry E-3D Whole Life Support Programme. The company will remove the existing ADRS and replace it with a solid state ADRS and will update the aircraft and training manuals and perform overall management and system engineering for the new ADRS. The ADRS includes a new aircraft data and cockpit voice recording unit, a backup cockpit voice recording unit and an emergency locator transmitter unit for each aircraft. In addition, an accident investigation kit and ground replay stations will be provided. T

he work will be carried out at RAF Waddington, UK, as well as at Northrop Grumman’s facilities in Herndon, VA; Warner Robins, GA; and Melbourne, FL.

Aug 1/08: Flight International reports that the Royal Air Force has decided against mothballing 2 of its 7 E-3D Sentry AWACS planes, and will instead look to cut costs and hours flown by reducing the number of aircrews assigned to the type. The RAF reportedly decided that mothballing the aircraft was a more expensive option in the long run.

The UK MoD is also considering an upgrade to the aircrafts’ computers, displays, and mission system, using open-architecture electronics bought off the shelf. The upgrades would be an additional budget item, but one of the ancillary benefits would be slightly lower through-life support costs.

Dec 21/07: Windy! So, what happens when unanticipated repair expenses hit the fleet? A pair of E-3Ds were apparently damaged when ground equipment items were not sufficiently secured, and high winds reportedly sent them crashing into an E-3D on the tarmac. A second aircraft reportedly received a glancing blow.

Now Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence’s Sentry Integrated Project Team for the repairs. The NGC release refers to a contract issued under the existing Sentry E-3D Whole Life Support Programme (WLSP), though the contract itself sounds like a contract modification within the existing program. The repair will involve the replacement of 4 aircraft frame structural elements, which were crushed, and a major aircraft skin. In addition, a fuel system gallery and main electrical distribution panel were damaged.

“[Northrop Grumman’s team] will deliver to challenging time, performance and cost targets, with the aircraft due to be returned to service with the RAF in November 2008… The structural aspects of the repair and the electrical elements represent a considerable challenge, primarily due to the lack of availability of structural and other components that will necessitate significant manufacturing effort.”

Aug 11/05: Contract. The GBP 665 million deal is announced. It’s a fixed-price contract for the first 5 years, and the remaining 15 years of the contract are a target-cost incentive-fee structure that shares any savings below the targeted cost. The contract is fully funded for the entire 20-year term, and when it was signed, the participants believed that the Sentry Whole Life Support Programme would reduce the cost of supporting Britain’s E-3s by 12-20% over its 20-year run. UK’s Defence Logistics Organisation | Northrop Grumman | BAE Systems.

WLSP contract

Americas

The Saturn Arch Quick Reaction Capability (QRC) aircraft has flown its final mission in support of the U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM) on July 31. The Saturn Arch aerial surveillance program was initiated by the Joint Improvised-Threat Defeat Organization (JIDO) to detect improvised explosive devices (IEDs) using hyperspectral, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and high-resolution imagery (HRI) sensors. Since the program was transitioned to the Army in 2012, it has grown to a fleet of 10 aircraft.

Lockheed Martin has integrated the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) on guided-missile destroyer USS Preble (DDG 88). The company announced on August 18 that the 60+ kW-class high energy laser with integrated optical-dazzler has been delivered to the sailing branch. A photo from the US Navy shows the HELIOS installed on the position in front of the ship’s bridge. This Phalanx CIWS occupy this spot on other destroyers of the same class.

Middle East & Africa

BAE Systems officially delivered its first Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to the Qatar Armed Forces (QAF) during a roll-out ceremony at the company’s facility in Warton, UK. The Typhoon aircraft was delivered on schedule and will be transported from the UK to Doha later this month. BAE Systems and the UK see the delivery as a “significant milestone” under Qatar’s $5.08 billion program to acquire Eurofighter jets and Hawk advanced jet trainers.

Europe

According to Jane’s, a prototype armed version of the Vrabac (Sparrow) small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was unveiled during a display of domestic defence equipment held by the Serbian Armed Forces at the Military Academy in Belgrade. Speaking at the event on August 15, Nenad Miloradovi?, assistant minister of defence for material resources in the Serbian Ministry of Defense, told attendees that the armed Vrabac can carry up to six grenades that have an effective range of five metres, and a delayed-action fuze that triggers once the grenade rebounds to a height of 1.5 m after initial impact.

According to Defense News, the Turkish government has delivered 50 used mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles to the Ukrainian military. The delivery of the Kirpi vehicles was the result of a government agreement, rather than a deal between Ukraine and BMC, which makes the Kirpi, according to a government official.

Asia-Pacific

Japan is considering the deployment of more than 1,000 long-range cruise missiles to increase its ability to counter growing regional threats from China, local newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported on Sunday. The country plans to upgrade its existing surface-to-ship missiles to extend their range from 100 kilometers (62 miles) to about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), which would be enough to reach Chinese coastal areas as well as North Korea, the newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Ukraine receives Kirpi MRAP vehicles from Turkiye

Americas

BAE Systems won a $13.5 million order, which provides for the ALR-56M radar warning receiver, C-130J Block Cycle F, operational flight program and mission data file generation updates and system services. Work will take place in Totowa, New Jersey. Expected completion date will be August 16, 2024.

Raytheon won an $11.2 million contract modification for Total Ship Computing Environment Lab hardware for modernization/technical refresh and Conventional Prompt Strike to support DDG 1000 Class combat system activation, sustainment and modernization. Work will take place in New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by November 2023.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army awarded Versar Inc. a $7.6 million deal for fire and electric safety assessments. Bids were solicited via the internet with seven received. Work will take place in Kuwait. Estimated completion date is March 31, 2025.

Europe

Apparently, Cyprus has inked an agreement with Israel to acquire the latter’s Iron Dome air defense system, the Cyprus edition of the Kathimerini daily has reported. The exact number of systems being acquired was not disclosed, however. It will be used to defend the island against Turkish drones in particular. Kathimerini says Chief of the National Guard Lt. Gen. Demokritos Zervakis had a close up look at the Iron Dome during a visit to Israel this March.

The US on Friday announced it will send a slew of new weapons to Ukraine as part of a $775 million package, including new drones, armored vehicles and artillery. The shipments indicate that Washington and Kyiv expect hard fighting on the ground in the coming weeks. For the first time, the US is sending 15 ScanEagle surveillance drones to help the Ukrainians spot and correct the precision artillery and rocket strikes that have taken a toll on Russian forces in recent weeks.

Asia-Pacific

The US and South Korea have begun their biggest joint military drills in years – a show of force that is expected to raise tensions with an increasingly hostile North Korea. The exercises, known as Ulchi Freedom Shield, are being seen as a sign of the allies’ determination to restore large-scale training after they had cancelled some regular drills and scaled down others to facilitate nuclear talks, and because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Cyprus reportedly strikes deal to purchase Israel’s Iron Dome system