Defense Industry Daily

Alabama Shipyard LLC won a $19.7 million contract for a 76-calendar day shipyard availability for the regular overhaul/dry docking on USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1). USNS Lewis and Clark is an American dry cargo ship, the lead ship of her namesake class.The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, California, on 18 October 2001 and her keel was laid down on April 22, 2004. Work will take place in Mobile, Alabama. Estimated completion date will be by May 24, 2021.

The US Army is using 3D printing technology to produce N95 respirators, the chief of the Defense Department’s medical technology office said on January 25. Air Force Maj. Gen. Daniel Williams, of the US Army Medical Materiel Development Activity’s Warfighter Expeditionary Medicine and Treatment Project Management Office, said his primary task involves assisting Defense Department commercial partners in producing respirators that comply with military needs. While the companies have experience in 3D modeling of products, many have “never manufactured medical devices,” Williams said.

US Marines from the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command worked alongside US Airmen from the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing during a recent Tactical Air Forward Arming and Refueling Point (TACAIR FARP) exercise at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. During the exercise, a Marine KC-130J Hercules refueled an Air Force F-16 in a simulated austere location.

Greece has signed the contract to buy 18 Rafale fighters. Theodoros Lagios, General Director of Armament and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, and Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation signed the paperwork on January 25. Dassault says deliveries of aircraft will be begin in the summer of 2021 and will be spread over two years.

Australia’s government has announced that it will spend $1 billion to give the Royal Australian Navy long-range anti-ship missiles, extended range surface-to-air missiles, advanced light weight torpedoes, and maritime land strike capabilities. Defense Minister Linda Reynolds’ press release says this will help the nation enhance its maritime security. The anti-ship and surface-to-air missiles will have range greater than 370km while the maritime land strike missiles has a range of more than 1,500km. Australia will start investing in the development of the Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC and the Standard Missile 6 Block 1 missiles and continue its long-term investment and key contribution to the Evolved SEASPARROW Block 2 missile program.

According to the BBC, fifteen Chinese aircraft entered Taiwanese airspace over the weekend in a show of force regarded as a test of President Joe Biden’s foreign policy resolve. While over 380 Chinese military flights into the island’s air defense identification zone were recorded in 2020, Saturday’s incursion involved eight Chinese bombers, four fighter planes and an anti-submarine aircraft. Sunday’s operation included 12 fighter planes, two anti-submarine planes and a reconnaissance plane.

Watch: USNS Robert E Peary

Northrop Grumman won a $3.6 billion deal for Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) operations, sustainment and support. The contract provides for research, development, test, and evaluation, integration and operations and sustainment for existing and future payloads contained in or connected to the BACN system and associated ground stations or controls, ancillary equipment, support equipment and system integration laboratories.  BACN is a US Air Force airborne communications relay and gateway system housed in the unmanned RQ-4 Global Hawk, another Northrop Grumman product, to receive and distribute battlefield communications. It is designed to increase the range of voice communications in mountainous terrain by relaying the signal over an extended distance. It can also act as a bridge between frequencies, enabling a convoy commander on a frequency-limited radio to talk with a supporting close-air-support asset on a different frequency. Work will take place in San Diego, California. Expected completion date is January 24, 2026.

Woodward HRT Inc. won a maximum $9.7 million deal for F-15 rotary vane assemblies. The Boeing F-15E dual-role fighter is an advanced long-range interdiction fighter and tactical aircraft. The F-15E is the latest version of the Eagle, a Mach 2.5-class twin-engine fighter. Work under the contract will take place in California. Ordering Period End Date is April 1, 2025. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.

According to local news, Israel is giving the US the green light to place Iron Dome batteries in the gulf region. Israel is not revealing the countries in which the batteries will be deployed. Following the signing of the Abraham Accords, the US is expected to place Iron Dome air defense batteries in the Persian Gulf area soon, in a move coordinated with and approved by senior Israeli officials, the Haaretz newspaper’s Yaniv Kubovich reported, quoting defense officials. The reporter pointed out that Israel is not revealing the countries in which the batteries will be deployed, and the defense establishment claims that the deployment is not part of the normalization agreements.

The UK’s first fleet of uncrewed fighter aircraft is one step closer to reality following the award of a £30 million contract to design and manufacture a prototype in a three-year deal supporting more than 100 jobs in Belfast. According to the Royal Air Force, the uncrewed combat aircraft will be designed to fly at high-speed alongside fighter jets, armed with missiles, surveillance and electronic warfare technology to provide a battle-winning advantage over hostile forces.

Four Russian-made Mi-35 attack helicopters will arrive for the Air Force and Air Defense Forces of the Republic of Belarus in the fourth quarter of 2021, according to defence-blog.com. The new Mi-35 is a multi-role combat helicopter manufactured by Rostvertol, a subsidiary of Russian Helicopters. It integrates modern, high-precision weaponry for destroying ground-based armored targets and providing air support for ground missions.

Mitsubishi Electric was awarded a research contract by the Japanese Ministry of Defense for detection of ballistic missiles using satellites. The bid submitted by the company was just 22 Japense Yen, which is about 21 cents. A Defense Ministry official expressed their astonishment at the unprecedented low amount agreed on between the parties after the ministry put the research offer up for competitive bidding. According to the ministry, there have been bids as low as several hundred yen (a few dollars) in the past, but no such offers had been made as of late. The ministry has not disclosed the amount of research costs it had envisioned, but it is believed to top several million yen (tens of thousands of dollars) at a conservative estimate. As the bidding price is less than 1/100,000th of the estimated research cost, the Defense Ministry has reportedly consulted with a lawyer to check if there are any problems with the contract, and has also confirmed with the electronics maker that they are capable of performing the research. No issues were found with either party. Mitsubishi Electric will develop tech to detect hypersonic military gliders, which can be maneuvered at high speed with irregular flight trajectories. The company has been entrusted with research regarding the implementation of “limb observation,” a type of method that enables missiles to be detected by stationing numerous satellites at the same altitude to survey missiles horizontally.

Watch: Why You Need to Respect the F-4 Phantom II Fighter Bomber

General Dynamics won a $21.4 million contract modification to exercise options hours for Abrams Systems technical support. M1A1/2 Abrams main battle tank is manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS). The first M1 tank was produced in 1978, the M1A1 in 1985 and the M1A2 in 1986. Abrams M1A2 SEPV3 (System Enhanced Package) is a modernized configuration of the Abrams main battle tank (MBT) in service with the US Army. Work will take place in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2022.

General Atomics has tested its newly developed Self-Protection Pod (SPP) on the MQ-9 last year at the Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG). During the test on October 28, the pod detected Radio Frequency (RF) and Infrared (IR) missile threats and deploy countermeasures. The pod is equipped with the AN/ALR-69A(V) Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), the Leonardo DRS AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure (DAIRCM) System, the BAE Systems ALE-47 Countermeasures Dispenser System, and the BriteCloud Expendable Active Decoy (EAD). The brains of the pod is the Terma AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management System. The demonstration is intended to show that the US Navy can conduct anti-submarine warfare tasks using the company’s MQ-9B SeaGuardian UAV.

Three Indian Air Force Rafale fighters flying home from France this month will have tanker support from a UAE A330 MRTT. Another seven Rafale fighters heading home in April will get the similar help from UAE. The UAE air force’s Airbus multi-role transport tanker will refuel the three Indian fighter jets twice on their non-stop eight-hour flight from Bordeaux-Merignac base in France to join the Golden Arrows Squadron in Ambala.

The US Trade Department has disclosed the sale of the Patriot air defense missile system to Morocco in December, the announcement was uncovered by The North Africa Post. The purchase was concluded in 2020. Last year, Morocco purchased 25 F-16 fighters equipped with 5th generation radar (for $2.8 billion) and 24 Apache attack helicopters (for $2.6 billion). There is also a plan for the establishment of a military industry in Morocco. Far Maroc, a website specializing in Moroccan military affairs, reported that Morocco plans to operate a total of 48 advanced F-16s in its Air Force, with a goal of maintaining air superiority in North Africa.

Rolls-Royce has been awarded $1 million of research funding from the US Government for digital foreign object debris (FOD) detection technology. The year-long research contract from the US Navy, will help to further develop Rolls-Royce’s ‘FanSense’ debris monitoring system, which is currently supporting the Pegasus engine.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech on January 22 that he wants to replace the aging UH-1 helicopter with six to seven new ones. He made the announcement after a fatal crash of a UH-1 in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon on January 16 that killed seven people on board. “I am not making any hard promises. But you can rest assured, I will try my best to look for money so I can replace the old helicopters,” he was quoted as saying.

Watch: The M-1 Abrams Tank Shows Monstrously Power & Capability

Boeing won a $2 billion contract modification for Lot 7 production KC-46 aircraft, subscriptions and licenses and G081 flat file. The modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 15 KC-46 aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file being produced under the basic contract. The company delivered the first KC-46A to the Air Force in January 2019. Since then, Boeing has delivered 42 tankers to four different bases. The next-generation KC-46 brings new capabilities and operational flexibility to the US Air Force and international customers. Boeing says the KC-46 is a multirole tanker designed to refuel allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures. It’s also equipped to carry passengers, cargo and patients on any mission at any time. Work will take place in Seattle, Washington and is expected to be finished by May 31, 2024.

Detyens Shipyard won a $19.2 million deal for a 76-calendar day shipyard availability. The work to be performed under this deal provides regular overhaul availability and dry-docking services for the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203). The deal also contains six unexercised options, which if exercised, would increase cumulative contract value to $19,841,567.  USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) is a Henry J. Kaiser Class underway replenishment oiler operated by the Military Sealift Command to support ships of the UNS. Work will take place in Charleston, South Carolina and is expected to be finished by June 4, 2021.

Reuters reports that the United Arab Emirates have signed an agreement with the United States to buy 50 F-35 fighters one hour before President Biden was sworn into office. Anonymous sources said that the agreement made the purchase request official. It was supposed to be signed in December but negotiations dragged on as both sides bargain over the delivery schedule, costs and technology packages. The UAE, one of Washington’s closest Middle East allies, has long expressed interest in acquiring the stealthy F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin and was promised a chance to buy them in a side deal when it agreed to normalize relations with Israel last August.

The Belgian and Royal Dutch navies have selected the Thales NS50 AESA 4D radar for their 12 Mine Counter Measures Vessels (MCMV). Thales says this compact multi-mission radar will accord small vessels with air and surface detection plus missile and gun fire control. The NS50 is a 4D multi-function naval radar. It offers superior air and surface detection, tracking and classification performances providing highly accurate 4D target information required for rapid acquisition by short-range “fire and forget” Surface-to-Air-Missile Systems as well as fire control of ship-borne artillery against surface targets.

Elbit Systems UK announced that it has been awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defense to provide the British Armed Forces with Dismounted Joint Fires Integrators (D-JFI) for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers and Fire Support Teams. The contract will be performed over a five-year period and is valued at approximately £100 million.

Watch: Are Hypersonic Weapons a threat to America’s Aircraft Carriers?

The United States and Britain confirmed a joint declaration Tuesday for the Carrier Strike Group 2021 deployment to be led by Britain’s aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth Queen. Signed by acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller and British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, the joint declaration enables the deployment of US Navy and Marine Corps equipment and personnel as part of the inaugural operational deployment of the Carrier Strike Group. The deployment will include a detachment of US Marine Corps F-35 Lightning II aircraft and the Navy’s USS The Sullivans.

Leonardo and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have announced that they have completed the delivery of Trophy Active Protection Systems (APS) ordered by the US Army for installation on Abrams main battle tanks. This marks a major milestone in the US Army’s efforts to outfit multiple brigades of tanks with APS to protect soldiers’ lives against increasing anti-armor threats. Developed by Rafael in response to successful anti-armor attacks and the ongoing proliferation of those threats, Trophy APS provides “combat-proven protection against rockets and missiles while simultaneously locating and reporting the origin of the hostile fire for immediate response”.

US forces conducted two airstrikes on al-Shabaab operatives in Somalia, killing three members of the Islamist terrorist group, US Africa Command said. No civilians were injured or killed in the airstrikes, conducted near Jamaame and Deb Scinnele in coordination with the government of Somalia, according to initial assessment, AFRICOM said in a statement. “These strikes targeted known al-Shabaab leaders involved in IED facilitation, fighter training and attack planning,” US Air Force Maj. Gen. Dagvin Anderson said in a statement. “Striking these leaders disrupts al-Shabaab’s ability to attack our partners and indiscriminately kill innocent civilians with improvised explosive devices. We are working closely with our Somali partners to support their operations against al-Shabaab, protect their people and provide governance,” said Anderson, commander of Joint Task Force-Quartz.

The first Hellenic Air Force upgraded F-16V fighter has flown on January 17, the Hellenic Aerospace Industry has announced. The press release says the flight went smoothly. The aircraft is the former F-16C Block 52+ with HAF serial 005 (USAF serial 06-0005) which was acquired through the Peace Xenia IV Foreign Military Sales program in 2005 and delivered in 2009 to the 335 Mira Tigris (“Tigers”) at Araxos Air Base. The aircraft was chosen to become the prototype for the Block 72 upgrade, which was performed locally by the Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI) at Tanagra Air Base, with the support of Lockheed Martin, beginning in January 2020.

A suspect has been arrested and detained over the theft of equipment from a Il-80 airborne command post. Zhora Khachunts’s lawyer told TASS that her client was arrested on January 4 and will be detained till Mar. 4. The accused is being held in the Taganrog pre-trial detention center. The Il-80 command post was undergoing maintenance at Taganrog Yuzhny airport when it was found broken into on December 4 last year. According to the news report, 39 radio equipment and 5 electronic boards were taken from the aircraft.

Pakistan conducted a successful flight test of Shaheen-III, a surface-to-surface ballistic missile, capable of hitting targets as far as 2,750 kilometers. The test flight was aimed at re-validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system, said Director General Inter Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar in a tweet. According to ISPR, the successful flight test, with its impact point in the Arabian Sea, was witnessed by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Nadeem Raza, Director General Strategic Plans Division, Commander Army Strategic Forces Command, Chairman NESCOM and the scientists and engineers involved.

Watch: Tesla in Pakistan || Qatari & Azeri JF-17 Block III || Shaheen 3 Tests || Hal Tejas 1B & Variants?

Leonardo announced that it is working with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to install the former’s Seaspray 7500E V2 radar on the MQ-9B SeaGuardian. To be mounted into the centerline radar pod, this radar will be made available to international customers. It replaces the GA-ASI Lynx Multi-mode Radar. According to Leonardo, the Seaspray 7500E V2 is well-suited to the SeaGuardian mission set, using Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology to detect, track and classify hundreds of maritime contacts.

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said the thousands of National Guard troops who will provide security in Washington, DC, for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden will be vetted for insider threats following the arrests of former and active duty military personnel who participated in the Capitol siege earlier this month. In a statement Miller said the Pentagon with the FBI will vet the approximately 25,000 troops who will be deployed to the nation’s capital for Wednesday’s inauguration event.

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced that it recently completed a series of demonstrations of its HattoriX innovative fire support system for eight Western European countries. Operational with the IDF since 2019, HattoriX is a passive/active target acquisition system that uses artificial intelligence to enable forward observers and similarly tasked tactical teams to close sensor-to-shooter loops with three intuitive touches on a screen: one to acquire the target, one to issue the precise coordinates, and one to send all of the target information to the firing systems.

Russia’s Nevskoe design bureau has unveiled a new aircraft carrier concept dubbed Varan. The ship has a displacement of 45,000 tons and can go up to 26 knots. It can carry up to 24 fixed-wing aircraft, six helicopters and up to 20 unmanned aerial vehicles. The company says that its primary mission is to create a universal floating airfield for combat aircraft. As noted, floating airfields can be used to support the actions of transport, rescue and military aviation in the Arctic, develop new gas fields in the northern seas, ensure the safety of navigation of the Northern Sea Route and perform the functions of the Ministry of Defense in the Arctic zone.

Thanks to a $34 million contract, three world-class autonomous minesweeping systems will detect and destroy sea mines on dangerous naval operations for the Royal Navy. The system will allow personnel to neutralize mines from a remote and safe distance. “This next-generation autonomous technology will be instrumental to our goal of protecting the safety and security of our personnel, while also reaffirming the UK’s unwavering commitment to improve the safety of international waters“, Defense Minister Jeremy Quin said. The first system will be delivered in late 2022 and will enter operational evaluation before service at a later date.

The Indian Air Force will deploy its Rafale, Sukhoi and Mirage 2000 combat jets besides other key assets in a five-day mega air exercise with French air and space force that begins near Jodhpur on Wednesday. The Indian Air Force said its deployment at the ‘Ex-Desert Knight 21’ will also include IL-78 flight refueling aircraft as well as airborne warning and control system (AWACS). The drill is taking place at a time the IAF has been keeping all its frontline bases across the country in a high state of operational readiness in view of the Sino-India border row in eastern Ladakh.

Watch: MQ-9B SEA-GUARDIAN | Multi Mission RPA

Lockheed Martin won a $13 million contract modification, which procures non-recurring site stand-up activity, capability development, information technology systems integration and associated changes to F-35 Lightning II program and industry processes as needed to allow the Defense Logistics Agency and US Transportation Command to assume North American regional warehouse and global transportation and distribution product support provider responsibilities. Work will take place in Texas, Florida, Maryland and South Carolina. Estimated completion date is in March 2022.

The Space & Missile Systems Center has reaffirmed its choice of NSTXL to manage the public-private Space Enterprise Consortium. The Space and Missile Systems Center intended to award the contract on December 31 but delayed it to further evaluate a court judgment against NSTXL in a lawsuit filed by a former business partner. The court decision was reported by the Washington Post on December 30, 2020. The Space Enterprise Consortium, known as SpEC, is a group of hundreds of space and defense companies that compete for technology development contracts. Companies develop prototypes under agreements known as Other Transaction Authority, or OTAs, which move faster than traditional government contracts. SpEC currently has 457 members.

Lockheed Martin Space won a $254.7 million contract under a Foreign Military Sales case to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Under this follow-on contract, the contractor will provide maintenance and sustainment for two Terminal High Altitude Area Defense batteries for UAE. The maintenance and sustainment scope of work includes providing logistics management, logistics product database, training, missile and ground repair and return, hardware/software development and sustainment, hardware in the loop, engineering services, missile field surveillance program and country unique specialty engineering for FMS client. Lockheed Martin’s THAAD is an integrated defensive missile system designed to protect against high-altitude ballistic missile threats. Notably, apart from this product line’s well-established market in the United States, THAAD batteries have been deployed in other countries like the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Japan, South Korea and Israel. The latest contract win is an example of the solid demand enjoyed by this missile in the global space. Work will take place in California, Texas, Arkansas and Alabama. The performance period is from January 15, 2021, through January 14, 2026.

The Ukrainian government has indicated over the weekend that it wants to resume production of the Antonov An-74 cargo aircraft. News reports say the intention is to produce eight aircraft with four going to the Navy. The Soviet-designed An-74 is a light transport aircraft with jet engines capable of flying 4,600 km at a speed of 560 km per hour. It made its first flight in 1979.

The Norwegian Armed Forces have signed an agreement with Saab for the Carl-Gustaf M4. Saab has received an initial order for Carl-Gustaf M4 weapons with deliveries in 2021. The recently signed framework agreement allows the Norwegian customer to place orders for Carl-Gustaf M4, associated equipment and training systems during a 7-year period. The Norwegian Armed Forces has been a user of the Carl-Gustaf M2 system since early 1970’s. Today the M2 and the M3 versions are used within the Norwegian Armed Forces. According to Saab, the Carl-Gustaf M4 is the latest version of the portable, shoulder-launched, multi-role weapon system. It gives users a wide range of engagement options and allows troops to remain agile and effective in any scenario. It builds on the system’s formidable capabilities, offering a higher degree of accuracy, lighter construction and compatibility with future innovations.

The Indian Ministry of Defense announced that the Indian Army and the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have jointly developed India’s first indigenous 9 mm machine pistol. According to a statement, Infantry School, Mhow and DRDO’s Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune have designed and developed this weapon using their respective expertise in the complementary areas. The ministry also said that the weapon has been developed in a record time of four months. The Machine Pistol fires the in-service 9mm ammunition and sports an upper receiver made from aircraft grade Aluminum and lower receiver from carbon fibre.

Watch: THAAD (USA) vs S-400 (Russia) | Comparison between two Air Defense System (2020)

Teledyne Brown Engineering won a $39.2 million contract modification for the production of MK11 shallow water combat submersibles. The Shallow Water Combat Submersible (SWCS) is a manned submersible and a type of swimmer delivery vehicle (SDV). In the US Navy, SWCS, designated as Mark 11 SDV, will replace the current Mark 8 SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV). It is also requested by the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service (SBS), which currently operates 3 SDV’s. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama. Expected completion will be by September 2024.

The US Navy plans to integrate anti-ship missiles aboard its amphibious ships, it announced this month, part of a larger effort to increase ship firepower. The Navy intends to experiment with installation of the Norwegian-designed Naval Strike Missile, part of the arsenal of future Constellation-class frigates, on a variety of vessels. This includes placing it aboard amphibious docking ships and Freedom- and Independence-class variants of littoral combat ships, US Marine Corps Gen. Tracey King, chief of the Expeditionary Warfare division of the Office of Naval Affairs, said.

Kay and Associates won a $69.5 million modification, which exercises an option to procure maintenance and support services for F/A-18 aircraft and associated equipment in support of the government of Kuwait. A $2.7 billion deal for Kuwait involves Super Hornets built largely to the USN’s latest Block 3 standard. Work will be performed in Kuwait, and is expected to be completed in January 2022.

Netherlands has laid out its plan to replace the aging Goalkeeper close-in weapon system (CIWS) with a new solution that consists of the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) with the Leonardo DART (Driven Ammunition Reduced Time of flight) 76 mm guided ammunition. According to Jane’s, the new system will allow Royal Netherlands Navy warships to react against incoming missiles as well as surface threats such as fast inshore attack craft. In March 2018, Thales Nederland announced the successful sea acceptance trials of the first upgraded system under the GOALKEEPER Upkeep (CIWS) program. The upgrade covers a new color TV and IR electro-optical set, latest generation control station, operational software, and processing power. These enhancements yield added accuracy, reduced reaction time, new prediction algorithms to improve fire-control effectiveness and enhanced multi-target engagement capabilities against the latest ASCM and asymmetric seaborne threats.

Slovenia is set to be the newest operator of the Leonardo C-27J transport aircraft as the country’s Ministry of Defense announced the purchase on January 15. The country had found that it needed a modern transport aircraft after the outbreak of COVID-19. It had found it difficult to bring back citizens from aboard and it also lacked an aircraft with suitable cargo carrying capability. Negotiations will start with the Italian government to purchase the aircraft thru inter-government sales. The contract will include training and maintenance of the aircraft.

Canberra selected the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopter to replace the Australian Army’s fleet of 22 Airbus Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARHs), Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds said. The first of 29 Apaches equipped with improved sensors, communications suites, attack capabilities, and improved survivability is expected to be delivered in 2025, said the minister. While formal approval by the US State Department for the acquisition has yet to be announced by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the cost of the 29 Apaches together with spares, sensors, communications, training, and facilities is expected to be around $3.1 billion, sources said.

Watch: Facts about the new Dry Combat Submersible submarine

General Electric won a $101.5 million contract modification, which procures 21 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines and associated engine, programmatic and logistics services in support of CH-53K King Stallion Lot Five low rate initial production aircraft. The King Stallion is the premier heavy-lift helicopter ever built by the United States government. It is an all-new heavy-lift helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material more rapidly. That power comes from three new General Electric T-408 engines, which are more powerful and more fuel efficient than the T-64 engines currently outfitted on the CH-53E. The T408 gives the CH-53K helicopter the power to carry a 27,000-pound external load over a mission radius of 110 nautical miles in hot weather conditions, nearly triple the external load carrying capacity of current aircraft. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Estimated completion is in December 2024.

The US Navy has moved one step closer towards integrating the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) laser weapon system on an Arleigh Burke destroyer by taking delivery of the first system. A recent demonstration by Lockheed Martin and the Navy showed that the laser power achieved was in excess of the 60 kW requirement. Lockheed Martin completed the Critical Design Review and Navy Factory Qualification Test milestones in 2020, demonstrating the value of system engineering rigor and proven Aegis system integration and test processes on the way to delivering operationally effective and suitable laser weapon system that meets the Navy’s mission requirements.

The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN) commissioned its largest vessel in the form of IRINS Makran (441). The Makran is a tanker converted into a multipurpose naval vessel. It has been fitted with 20 mm and twin 23 mm anti-aircraft guns in six raised emplacements, and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun on each of its bridge wings. It was shown with what appeared to be a land-based anti-ship missile launcher under camouflage netting on its flight deck. Iranian media reports quote Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, the commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (IRIN), as saying the Makran will be able to embark six to seven helicopters.

French drone maker Parrot will build 300 small drones for the French Army under a five-year contract. The ANAFI USA drones weigh 17 ounces, have a battery-powered fight time of up to 32 minutes and typically carry cameras, including thermal cameras, for day and night observation capabilities. Capable of fitting in a soldier’s hand, the drones have been sold internationally, including to US government agencies, and police and fire departments. The French defense ministry announced the contract on January 13. The cost was not announced.

Raytheon UK won a $200 million contract to improve the Royal Navy’s training, it announced on Wednesday, part of a $1.3 billion transformation of the nation’s navy. According to a statement, the British subsidiary will “provide the Royal Navy with transformative technology, training and learning solutions over the next 12 years.“ Led by the London-based outsourcing and professional services company Capita LLC, a consortium of companies will transform and modernize the Royal Navy’s shore-based training at 16 sites across Britain.

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security approved the procurement of 83 indigenously designed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF), including 73 Mk 1A fighters and 10 Mk 1 dual-seat trainers. The Indian government’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) announced that same day that the CCS, which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the acquisition of the aircraft for $6.2 billion along with work on the design and construction of related infrastructure for $164.3 million. The LCA Mk 1A, which was designed by the government-run Aeronautical Development Agency and will be built by state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bangalore, is still under development.

Watch: The U.S Navy to Test HELIOS Laser Weapon System!

Boeing won a $1.7 billion contract modification for Lot Six production of KC-46 aircraft, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 12 KC-46 aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file being produced under the basic contract. According to Boeing, this is the sixth production lot of the tankers and is designed to bring new capabilities and operational flexibility to the Air Force and other customers. The KC-46 is a multirole tanker, designed to refuel allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures. It is also equipped to carry passengers, cargo and patients. Work will take place in Seattle, Washington. Estimated completion is in April 30, 2023.

Container Research Corp. won an $11.5 million deal, which provides for the procurement of up to a maximum quantity of 275 V-22 Mission Auxiliary Tank System storage containers for the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Foreign Military Sales customers. The V-22’s fuel system is integrated into the wings and fuselage. The basic configuration consists of five tanks, the two feed tanks, two forward sponson tanks and the right aft sponson tank. This is the standard MV-22 configuration. The CV-22 adds four additional tanks in each wing. Both variants can carry additional auxiliary tanks in the cabin for self-deployment or ferry missions. The following table lists the number and capacity of each tank. Work will take place in Aston, Pennsylvania. Estimated completion is in January 2026.

Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates signed their first military cooperation agreement as Cyprus seeks to bolster relations with nearby countries in the Middle East. Cyprus already had military agreements with Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and its armed forces hold training exercises with the forces of those countries. The nation also has signed a deal to help train Lebanon’s army. Cyprus’ Defense Ministry said in a statement that the agreement with the UAE foresees the holding of joint military maneuvers, training programs and consultations on expanding operational cooperation.

The Greek parliament will be voting on a deal worth $3 billion to buy 18 Rafale fighters from France. Debate has started and will conclude by the end of the week. Defense ministers from France and Greece are expected to sign off the deal for six new and 12 second-hand fighters this month. For the purchase and maintenance of six new and 12 used Rafale jets, Greece will spend 1.5 billion euros this year, about 400 million euros annually in 2022-23, 67 million euros in 2024 and 34 million euros in 2025.

British hovercraft builder Griffon Hoverwork has delivered new 995EDs to Hong Kong and Estonia. The deals have seen two eight-meter-long 995EDs made for the Hong Kong Marine Police and one for Estonian Border Guard. In total seven 995ED hovercraft have been built and sold since the model was unveiled at the ExpoNaval trade fair in Chile in 2018 with clients ranging from the Malaysia Marine Department to private customers. The 995ED entry price is around £650,000 with plenty of options, and the craft has capacity for eight people or up to four stretchers or any combination up to a maximum payload of just under a tonne making it suitable for a variety of roles. Top speed is 30 knots at full ‘all up weight’.

Kyodo News reports that the core team to develop Japan’s next fighter has formed and the team will eventually grow to have up to 500 members. Japan has plans to domestically develop a sixth-generation F-X stealth fighter that can keep China’s increasingly capable air force at bay. A development timeline foresees construction of a prototype in 2024, with a first flight to follow in 2028.

Watch: Will the Greek Rafale be Superior to the Turkish F-16?

Haight Bey & Associates won a $35.9 million deal for for AN/TMQ-53 Tactical Meteorological Observing System contractor logistics support. The TMQ-53 is a portable, automated weather station that can take observations in up to one minute intervals, enabling flying missions around the world. The AN/TMQ-53 collects weather data, that includes wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, cloud height, precipitation and lightning. The data it produces can be utilized by a weather observer in the field or by the Air Force Weather community using satellite communications. Work will take place in West Haven, Utah and is expected to be finished by July 2027.

The director of expeditionary warfare in the Office of the Chief of US Naval Operations has disclosed a plan to bring a containerized anti-ship missile system to the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock. Maj. Gen. Tracy W. King said one system will be deployed to a ship within 12 months to let the Navy and Marines “play around with it” before deciding how to field it. He added that the RGM-184 Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a leading contender.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said that it has completed shipment of several hundred WindGuard radar systems to Leonardo DRS Land Systems for the US Army’s Abrams tanks. Nearly 400 of the ELM-2133 systems are to be integrated into the US Army’s Abrams tanks as part of the Trophy active protective system. In Israel, the combat-proven radars are installed in the IDF’s Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers. The WindGuard is a state-of-the-art, phased array radar which continuously scans the surrounding area in search of anti-tank threats, including rockets, guided missiles and anti-tank shells. Once a threat is detected, the system tracks it and instructs the countermeasure system to intercept and neutralize the threat before the platform is hit. The WindGuard has proved its effectiveness in multiple combat operations after becoming operational in 2009 as part of the Trophy system, IAI said.

Spanish company Escribano Mechanical and Engineering has been awarded a contract to further develop a swarming system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications that will enable these vehicles to autonomously carry out most tasks. The main role of the Long Range Intelligence and Security System (LISS) will be intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. The system under development by the company based in Alcalá de Henares is made of the swarm architecture and of a series of unmanned air vehicles of different types, two of them already flying.

Raytheon Missiles and Defense won an $8.5 million contract for procurement of long lead material in support of Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Foreign Military Sales production requirements to include all up rounds, instrumental kits, engineering services and spares.  This contract involves FMS to Korea, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and Japan. The Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) is a fleet-area air defense weapon that provides anti-air warfare and limited anti-surface warfare capability against today’s advanced anti-ship missiles and aircraft. With a range of 90 nautical miles and an altitude of 65,000 feet, the SM-2 is an integral part of layered defense that protects naval assets, giving warfighters greater operational flexibility. Work will take place in the Netherlands, Texas, Arizona and is expected to be finished by March 2023.

A Philippine Navy team will be heading to the United States this quarter to inspect the C-12 transport aircraft that the service intends to buy. PN public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas made this remark when sought for comment on reports that the Navy is planning to acquire the aircraft from the United States via its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) Program for the NAW. It was reported earlier that the Naval Air Wing intends to buy up to eight aircraft that the US is selling off as Excess Defense Articles.

Watch: Exercise Black Stratus- Marines train to operate AN/TMQ-56 tactical meteorological support system

Raytheon won a $7.8 million delivery order for the repair of 10 line items associated with the APY-10 radar system used in support of the P-8A aircraft. The AN/APY-10 is integrated into the Boeing mission control and display system aboard the Poseidon for control, display and data distribution. The radar also will provide ultra-high-resolution imaging modes for maritime and overland operations. The radar fits in the nose of the Poseidon. Work will take place in Florida and Texas. Estimated completion will be by May 2023.

According to the US Navy, an at-sea experiment with emerging technologies brought over 100 scientists and military personnel together in California on January 8. Sponsored by the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, Trident Warrior 2020 was a five-month execution of 24 technology experiments meant to “put emerging technologies into the hands of the warfighter for evaluation in an operational environment,” it said in a statement. The biannual meeting was conducted aboard Navy ships and on-shore facilities in Southern California, with some experiments practiced in the Navy’s Hawaiian operating area. The project concluded in November but was announced by NAVWAR on Friday, in advance of a final report scheduled for release this month.

According to US Central Command, the flight of two B-52 bombers from the US to the Middle East is the fourth such show of force in the past 60 days. “The aircrews flew a 36-hour, non-stop mission from the 5th Bomb Wing’s home at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to the Arabian Gulf and back to send a clear deterrent message by displaying the ability to deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice,” it said. The planes were escorted, part of the way, by F-15 fighter planes of the Royal Saudi Air Force. The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can at altitudes of 50,000 feet, has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles and carries precision guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation.

Duqm Naval Dockyard, the Joint Venture between Babcock International and the Oman Drydock Company, has successfully completed a four week fleet time support programme (FTSP) for the UK Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose. HMS Montrose is currently carrying out duties patrolling the Gulf, keeping the shipping lanes safe and ensuring that international trade is not threatened. The ship is being based out in the Gulf for the upcoming years and works on a watch rotation basis. Every 4 months the port and starboard crew rotate. The Starboard crew of HMS Montrose is made up from sailors from HMS Monmouth.

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced that its subsidiary, Elbit Systems UK, was awarded a contract valued at approximately $166 million (approximately £123 million) from the UK Ministry of Defence for the Royal Navy Future Naval Training Program as part of the Fisher consortium led by British company Capita. The contract will be performed over a 12-year period. The program calls for the transformation and modernization of the shore-based training of the Royal Navy including the establishment of the Future Submarine School. As the provider and integrator of training solutions for the consortium, Elbit Systems UK will develop and deliver a new Combat Systems Operator Trainer in the Future Submarine School and modernize and manage legacy synthetic training systems across the Royal Navy

India is reportedly close to signing the contracts to buy 56 C295 transport aircraft from Airbus and 83 LCA fighters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Airbus will partner with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to deliver the aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The deal could possibly be concluded at the Aero India 2021 in February, a defense official said.

Watch: New Airbus C295 Aircraft 2020 Walkaround Tour

North Star Scientific Corp. won a $9.6 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 42 high power amplifier (HPA) units (13 HPA units for E-2D crypto modernization and frequency remapping aircraft retrofits; 10 HPA units for E-2D Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) production aircraft, 10 HPA units for spares; five HPA units for system configuration set-11 E-2C aircraft,; and four HPA units for E-2D TTNT aircraft retrofits) under Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) topic N06-125 titled, “L-Band Solid-State High Power Amplifier for Airborne Platforms.” Additionally, this order provides engineering and engineering data support for HPA units kitting, installation and testing. The E-2D is the latest version of the E-2 Hawkeye all-weather, carrier-capable, tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. Work will take place in Hawaii and California. Estimated completion will be in August 2022.

The Pentagon’s Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) latest assessment of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) installed on USS Gerald R. Ford remains pessimistic, Bloomberg reports. Robert Behler assessment covers 3,975 launches and landing operations that ran from November 2019 through September 2020. In his report, Behler said the EMALS was failing after 181 launches. It was required to work for 4,166 launches before failure. The worst was when it broke down for three days on two occasions in 2020. Behler also found fault with the AAG, it was working for an average of 48 traps before failing.

Kellogg, Brown and Root Services won an $8.2 million contract for base operating support (BOS) services at the Navy Compound, Quay 9, Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.  The BOS services to be performed include general information, management and administration; force protection; unaccompanied housing, facility support (facility investment, facility management, custodial, integrated solid waste management, pest control and pavement clearance); utilities (electrical and wastewater); and transportation. Work will take place in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. Expected completion is in August 2029.

Boeing won a $8.8 million contract modification, which exercises an option for contractor logistics support for the P-8A Poseidon in support of the government of the United Kingdom. The P-8A Poseidon is capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations, and is also successful at search and rescue. The RAF declared the P-8 had reached initial operating capability on April 1, 2020, by which time two of the planes had been delivered. Work will take place in Washington and Scotland. Estimated completion will be in December 2021.

Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana has disclosed that his service is in talks with Israel to overhaul five Kfir fighters. Pathirana added that the cabinet has allocated $49 million for the upgrade. The talks will be finalized this month. He added that two Harbin Y-12 transport aircraft will be purchased soon.

Philippine telecommunications tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan has donated a second-hand Bo 105 helicopter the the Army. The acceptance ceremony took place in Camp Aguinaldo on January 7. It will be operated by the Aviation “Hiraya” Regiment. The Aviation “Hiraya” Regiment was activated on October 2, 2019 and at present commanded by Col. Andre B. Santos. The Regiment was expanded from Army Aviation Battalion and has been instrumental in the PA’s aerial reconnaissance and maritime patrols over Northern Luzon, Eastern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao Command.

Watch: FLOW – The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Enhancement: Refuel in Air

Raytheon won a $34.3 million contract, which provides engineering and test support services for the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) currently in development for the Navy EA-18G aircraft. The scope includes H16/H18/H20/H22 software support for NGJ pod and integration including requirements analysis, design, development, integration, testing, training and tools related to and in support of ALQ-249 and advanced electronic warfare initiatives for Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. The NGJ is an external jamming pod. The AN/ALQ-249 utilizes the latest digital, software-based, and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies in order to address advanced and emerging threats in the middle frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the proven F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. Work will take place in El Segundo, California. Estimated completion will be in January 2025.

The Minuteman III program of 450 missiles, begun in 1970, must be replaced and not extended, US Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard said. Richard’s comments, made during a virtual briefing on January 5, come as President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration considers ways to reduce the cost of a planned 30-year, $1.2 trillion modernization of the United States’ nuclear defense capabilities. The intercontinental ballistic missile is derived from the Minuteman I program, begun in 1952. It precedes the Air Force’s under-development Ground Base Strategic Deterrent, which is scheduled to replace all 450 Minuteman III missiles by 2027.

The Greek Air Force will get a training program and 10 aircraft from Israel in a $1.68 billion deal, Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems announced. The 20-year contract is the largest defense agreement between Greece and Israel. It includes 10 M-346 training planes made by the European defense contractor Leonardo. Elbit Systems, based in Haifa, Israel, will construct and maintain a flight school, a maintenance school and simulators, and provide logistics support, in Greece. The contract is a sign of increased cooperation between the Greek and Israeli governments and defense ministries. Greece recently started to lease Israeli drones.

Austrian defense minister Klaudia Tanner wants to sell the country’s Eurofighters as soon as possible. It is still unclear, which fighter will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. However, in an interview with the daily newspaper „Der Standard“ Tanner has voiced plans to procure an interim aircraft from a neutral country until parliament decides to buy a new fighter aircraft. Before Austria procured the Typhoons in 2003 leading to many years of bribe an fraught investigations, the country’s Air Force was flying the Saab J35 Draken. As an interim solution between the Draken and the Typhoon, the service operated Swiss F-5 Tiger aircraft.

The British government on Wednesday announced a $748.3 million contract for missile systems to be installed on fighter planes including the US-made F-35B. The seven-year contract with European defense contractor MBDA calls for building of SPEAR3 missiles, a six-feet-long miniature cruise missile powered by a turbojet engine. It will be the “main medium-to-long-range strike weapon of the UK F-35 combat aircraft, enabling them to defeat challenging targets such as mobile long-range air defense systems at over-the-horizon ranges in all weathers and in highly contested environments,” an MBDA statement said.

The Japanese government decided that it needs to start looking for an alternative site to bed down the new MV-22 Ospreys that it has bought. The original plan was to deploy the tilt-rotors at Saga City but officials had difficulties acquiring land need for expansion from the local fisheries cooperative. It will now search for a new alternative site in Kyushu while attempting to negotiate with the fishery cooperative.

Watch: The British pick MBDA’s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s

The Air Force on Tuesday directed commanders to review official and unofficial unit emblems and other symbology to root out offensive language or imagery. According to the Air Force, commanders have 60 days from December 23 to conduct a comprehensive review of official and unofficial unit emblems, morale patches, mottos, nicknames, coins and “other forms of unit recognition and identity.” The directive came in the form of a memorandum from Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett, Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Chief of Space Operations John W. Raymond.

The Navy has awarded BAE Systems with a $4 million contract to conduct a quick-turnaround demonstration of a new radio frequency countermeasure system for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. According to BAE, the RFCM system is a light-weight, high-power system that will add a new self-protection capability to the Poseidon. The company said it plans to design, build, integrate, and ship the RFCM system in about five months. Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon is a modified version of the company’s 737-800ERX, developed for the US Navy and in use by the India’s Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force Britain’s Royal Air Force.

NHIndustries has flown the first of 22 new NH90 helicopters for Qatar, with the consortium announcing in late December 2020 that both variants ordered by the Gulf state had made their maiden flights. According to NHI, the flights of the first NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) and Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variant NH90 for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) included take-off, general handling, functional checks, and landing operations. The QEAF is due to receive 12 maritime NFH and 16 land-based TTH variant NH90s under a USD2.8 billion deal signed in March 2018.

The Navy awarded Boeing a $20.9 million contract modification, which adds new scope for integrated logistics support for 22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets in support of the government of Kuwait. The Super Hornet is a maritime strike attack aircraft. The aircraft is fitted with new mission computers, fibre-optic network, Raytheon AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod, Boeing joint helmet-mounted cueing system and Raytheon AIM-9X next generation Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Work will take place in Missouri, California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in December 2023.

SAFE Boats International LLC won a $20 million contract action for long lead time material and associated pre-production and planning support for two MK VI patrol boats to be delivered to the government of Ukraine. The Mark VI is a class of patrol boat in service with the US Navy, designed to patrol riverine and littoral waters. The MK VI patrol boat design features a pilothouse, covered fly bridge, an aft boat ramp, a re-configurable main deck cabin and below-deck accommodation. The vessel includes shock mitigating seating for up to 18 crew and passengers, as well as two additional seats in the fly bridge. In June 2020, the US State Department approved the sale of up to 16 Mark VI patrol boats and associated equipment to Ukraine at an estimated cost of $600 million.

Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems won a $731.1 million deal for engineering and technical services for Aegis in-service combat systems engineering, ship integration and test engineering, computer program maintenance, integrated logistics support and planning and in-country support for multiple international partners employing Aegis. This contract provides in-service lifetime support efforts, including engineering, technical and logistical support related to the maintenance and modernization of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Aegis Combat System and Aegis weapon system equipment and computer programs. The deal includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $750,000,000 and involves FMS to Japan, Australia, Republic of Korea, Norway, Spain and Canada. Work will take place in New Jersey, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Expected completion date will be in December 2024.

Watch: New Airbus NH90 – the most versatile multi-role helicopter

Lockheed Martin won a $4 billion contract modification, which consists of all work associated with the manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, and delivery of three Next Generation Geosynchronous (NGG) Earth orbiting space vehicles (SV), and delivery of ground mission unique software and ground sensor processing software. Additionally, this modification includes engineering support for launch vehicle integration and launch and early on-orbit checkout for all three NGG SVs. The Space Force is acquiring five Next-Gen OPIR (Overhead Persistent Infrared) satellites — the three geosynchronous orbit satellites made by Lockheed Martin and two polar orbit satellites made by Northrop Grumman. The NGG program is developing two infrared mission payloads in a competitive, parallel development effort to mitigate schedule risks for the first NGG satellite launch in 2025. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2028.

A new x-ray scanner taking only two minutes to inspect an incoming commercial vehicle is in use at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, the US Air Force announced. The first Mobile Vehicle Access Control Inspection System, or VACIS M6500, of the Air Force was deployed in mid-December and significantly reduces the time it takes to inspect a vehicle arriving with construction supplies.

Boeing won a $21.7 million contract for F-15S to F-15SA conversion support. This contract provides support for the conversion of the Royal Saudi Air Force F-15S into an F-15SA aircraft, which includes program management, reach-back support for the 48 continental United States and Washington, DC; temporary on-site for outside the continental US assistance; and round robin repairs. An advanced version of the F-15S, the F-15SA is equipped with several capabilities to enable the Royal Saudi Air Force to deter regional threats. The aircraft features a digital electronic warfare suite, fly-by-wire flight control system, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, an infrared search-and-track system, advanced cockpit displays and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems. In early December, it was reported that the Royal Saudi Air Force has received the F-15SA advanced fighter aircraft, marking the final delivery of the Boeing-produced aircraft as part of a $29 billion foreign military sales agreement signed in 2010. Work will take place in Missouri and estimated completion date is December 30, 2022.

Saab announced that it received a follow on contract with the United Arab Emirates regarding the sale of two GlobalEye systems. According to the Swedish aerospace company, this contract is an amendment to a deal signed in 2015. The $1 billion contract was signed on December 30. GlobalEye provides simultaneous air, maritime and ground surveillance. It combines sophisticated radar technology with the ultra-long range Global 6000 aircraft from Bombardier.

The Carrier Strike Group centered on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth achieved Initial Operating Capability, the British government said. The group includes ships, aircraft and trained personnel organized in October 2020 after the Queen Elizabeth’s commissioning in 2017 and several training and shakedown exercises. Its first operational deployment is scheduled for May 2021. The rating, regarded as a milestone, indicates that all elements of the group are fully functional.”Both the air and naval elements of the CSG have now met this milestone, which includes qualified pilots and ground crews being held at short notice for carrier-based operations and trained to handle weapons and maintain the equipment,” the British government said in a press release.

South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo daily newspaper has received a computer rendering of the final design of the light aircraft carrier that Seoul plans to build. While sources in the Navy claim that this is not the final design, there will not be much changes to the appearance of the ship in the final form. The carrier is based on the America-class and British Queen Elizabeth-class. It will not have a ski-jump or well deck like USS America. It will have two islands similar to the British carrier. While one island is for navigating the ship and the other for flight deck control. The South Koreans are adopting two islands so that one island can still operate the ship if the other is damaged during an attack. The aircraft elevators are both on the starboard side. This approach was chosen in order to give more space to the flight deck. For protection against airborne threats, the ship will be armed with a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) and the Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile (SAAM) from LIG Nex1.

Watch: Top 5 Best Airborne Early Warning and control aircraft in the world (TOP AWACS 2020)

Over the weekend, Israel’s Defense Ministry completed the delivery of Iron Dome air defense systems to the US Army under an agreement between the two countries, providing the second of two batteries. The systems will be employed in the defense of US troops against a variety of ballistic and aerial threats. The United States and Israel signed the agreement in August 2019 for the provision of two Iron Dome batteries. The first was delivered in September and is already being prepared for operational use. The second was also delivered in accordance with the project schedule. The delivery was made by the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development.

Congress has overridden President Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by lawmakers since he took office nearly four years ago. In an extraordinary New Year’s Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate easily turned aside the veto, dismissing Trump’s objections to the $740 billion bill and handing him a stinging rebuke just weeks before his term ends. The 81-13 vote in the Senate followed an earlier 322-87 override vote in the House of the widely popular defense measure. The bill provides a 3 percent pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if the bill is approved.

According to Israel Defense, Israeli company Emtan, a manufacturer of small arms and rifles for armed forces and law enforcement agencies, unveiled this week the Ramon Op, the latest model from its 9 mm Ramon pistol family of products. Various types of optical sights can be attached to the handgun. The Ramon is a striker fired pistol built on a polymer body that allows enhanced grip, handling and target acquisition. All of its components including the barrel are manufactured by Emtan, and the company provides the Ramon with an option for tritium sights as well as an option to install a “red dot” optical sight by an original integrated adapter combined with the slide. The ‘Ramon Op’ has an enhanced grip and target acquisition features including the option of attaching various types of optical sights, the company says

The Defense Department announced the the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its strike group are to remain in the Middle East to counter Iranian threats days after it was ordered to return home following a 10-month deployment. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced the move in a statement,saying the carrier “will now remain on station in the US Central Command area of operations,” which consists of more than 4 million square miles and 20 countries, including Iran.

Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner announced she wants more money for the Austrian army despite the national dept due to the coronavirus pandemic. „We will invest in military equipment such as armored vehicles and weapons“, she said speaking of her plans for 2021. The replacement of the C-130 Hercules is also part of her plans. The Hercules will have to retire in seven years. The defense minister wants to set up a team working on the procurement details of the Hercules replacement at the beginning of 2021.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) awarded a contract worth nearly $480 million to South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem to commence production of the third batch of K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for the South Korean Army. Hyundai Rotem started serial production of the first batch of K2 tanks in 2010 and completed delivery of 100 tanks in 2015. A second batch of 106 tanks that was ordered in 2014 is expected to be completed in 2021. Under the latest contract, all of the tanks are to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Army by 2023.

Watch: Leopard 2A7 vs K2 Black Panther Tank Comparison

Boeing won a $189.3 million contract modification for F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) low-rate initial production (LRIP). This contract modification adds government furnished property repair as well as acquisition of Group A and B kits, support equipment, mod line standup, technical orders and interim contractor support efforts for the LRIP of the EPAWSS systems which will be installed on existing F-15 aircraft. The Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System provides the US Air Force F-15 fleet with advanced electronic warfare technology to maximize mission effectiveness and survivability. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2026.

B.L. Harbert International LLC won a $46.5 million contract for the construction of facilities to support the cultural and process improvement program MQ-9 Mission Control Element Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The contract also contains 11 unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $55,395,736. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a headquarters building and an operations building which will house a multitude of various MQ-9 missions in support of the remote piloted aircraft program and operation needs. The complex will be focused around an exterior courtyard that promotes interaction amongst squadron personnel while allowing for a shared entry access point from the parking areas. The facilities design will utilize the roof lines to create a visually integrated complex. The options, if exercised, provide for a roadway and roundabout, landscape architecture enhancement, overhead electrical line relocation, data center cabinets and racks at the operations building, an electronic security system (ESS) at the operations building, an ESS at the headquarters building, furniture, fixtures and equipment at the headquarters and operations buildings and an audio visual package at the headquarters and operations buildings. Work will take place in South Carolina. Expected completion will be in December 2022.

The Israeli company Mobius, specializing in the design, development and manufacturing of life saving, energy-absorbing systems for military vehicles, announced that its protection systems and its driver seats have been selected by the IDF to be installed in the new Eitan 8×8 armored fighting vehicle. The Eitan is eight meters long and three meters wide and weighs 30-35 tons. It is operated by a commander, gunner and driver. The vehicle can transport nine fighters in an air-conditioned environment. Its body and suspension system have been improved to maximize crew protection and survivability. In addition, upgrades have been made to the steering, electric and control systems.

The Russian Ansat-M light weight helicopter by Kazan Helicopters has made its first flight on December 29. The use of light weight materials have been increased and the fuel capacity expanded. The tail boom has been modified to increase stability. Range is now 800km and the percentage of composite materials used is now at 35 percent.

A Pilatus P3 that is still flying has been put up for sale. The light training aircraft had formerly served with the Swiss Air Force. Pilatus Aircraft is the name of a Swiss airplane manufacturer. In the business of making winged machines since 1939, it has been responsible for a number of interesting designs, most of them used for training purposes. It has also produced niche offerings such as short takeoff and landing aircraft.

Boeing has secured a 10-year support contract related to Singapore’s fleet of F-15SG fighters. The performance-based logistics (PBL) package was secured as a direct commercial sale, and Boeing field services representatives located with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will continue to support the platform. Boeing adds that this is its fourth PBL contract related to Singapore’s F-15SGs. It did not give a value for the deal, or state the number of aircraft involved.

Watch: Eitan, The Winds of Change in Israel

General Electric Aviation won a $111.9 million contract modification, which procures 20 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines, peculiar support equipment, and associated engine, programmatic and logistics services in support of CH-53K Lot 4 low rate initial production and spares. The CH-53K is the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E. The most powerful helicopter in the Department of Defense, the CH-53K is a new-build helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material, more rapidly throughout the area of responsibility using proven and mature technologies. Work will take place in Lynn, Massachusetts. Expected completion will be in December 2023.

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office won a $81.1 million deal, which provides continued non-recurring engineering support as well as the recurring procurement of kits and installs in support of the forced retrofit fleet implementation and installation of nacelle improvements and the conversion area harness onto the CV-22 aircraft for the Air Force. This order provides engineering, production, supportability, and management support necessary to facilitate the incorporation of the improved nacelles into the fleet via forced retrofit at the depot level of maintenance for previously delivered V-22 aircraft in support of phase two of the nacelle improvements effort. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Work will take place in Texas and Pennsylvania. Estimated completion will be in June 2024.

The State Department has cleared Saudi Arabia’s request to procure 3K GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb I munitions produced by Boeing, associated equipment and support services from the US government through a potential $290M FMS deal. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the agreement will also include the procurement of containers and parts and engineering, logistics and technical support. Boeing developed the SDB with a multipurpose warhead and a pneumatic carriage that can house up to four weapons. The glide bomb technology is designed to integrate with fighter and bomber aircraft platforms as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.

French Air Force Rafales will descend upon Jodhpur, India in the third week of next month for exercise SKYPROS with the Indian Air Force. Anonymous sources quoted by the local media say this exercise is different from the Garuda series of exercise that has been carried out by both sides previously. India is expected to send its own Rafale and Su-30MKI fighters to the training exercise.

Two B-52 “Stratofortress” bombers of the US Air Force arrived in the Middle East in a show of short-notice force, US Central Command said. CENTCOM’s announcement did not specify a destination for the planes, but emphasized their in-flight refueling capabilities and noted that their “deliberate appearance” was meant to “underscore the US military’s commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique ability to rapidly deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice.” The B-52s are part of the 5th Bomb Wing, headquartered at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. The deployment of bombers was CENTCOM’s third to the Middle East in the past 45 days.

The Philippine Navy’s new Jose Rizal-class guided missile frigates will only get its first shipment of missiles starting from October 2021. “(Deliveries for) the surface-to-air missile is (on) October 2021 and March 2022 for the surface-to-surface missile,” Navy public affairs office chief, Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA). The Mistral 3 has been selected as the anti-air missile for the warships while South Korea will suppy the SSM-700 Haeseong anti-ship missiles.

Watch: RAFALE FRENCH NAVY PILOTS – CHILLOUT 7

Boeing won a $198 million contract modification, which provides for the integration of a ground control station that provides command and control capability in support of the MQ-25 air vehicle for the Navy. The Boeing MQ-25 Stingray is an aerial refueling drone. In early December Boeing has flown its MQ-25A test asset (T1) with an aerial refuelling store under its wing for the first time. Earlier this year the US Navy exercised an option to acquire three additional MQ-25 air vehicles, bringing the total aircraft Boeing is initially producing to seven. The Navy intends to procure more than 70 aircraft, which will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters. Work will take place in Missouri and various locations within the continental US. Expected completion will be in August 2024.

The 53rd Wing of the Air Force has combined its series of large-scale tests at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base into a new event called Black Flag. Gen. Mark D. Kelly inked COMACC Plan 21 on December 15, formalizing the creation of Black Flag as a training event “solely focused on test and tactics development in a realistic, massed force, fully integrated, high threat density environment.” Black Flag was established as the testing counterpart to Red Flag, the Air Force’s training event.

The US State Department approved two possible arms sales to Kuwait totaling $4.2 billion on December 29. Per the larger of the two deals, for $4 billion, Kuwait’s government has asked to buy 24 AH-64E Apache helicopters, eight new and 16 remanufactured along with related equipment. The deal, if approved, would also include 22 T700-GE 701D engines, 36 remanufactured T700-GE 701D engines as well as support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications. The second FMS is for $200 million. The United States would sell spare parts to upgrade Kuwait’s Patriot missile systems. The principal contractor for this deal would be Raytheon.

The US State Department also cleared two potential Foreign Military Sales to Egypt. The first is a potential sale of 20 Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods for $65.6 million. The FMS case does not state the type of aircraft on which the pods will be deployed, but Cirium fleets data indicates that Egypt has 218 in-service F-16s, including 33 F-16A/Bs and 185 F-16C/Ds. The second is for the provision of the Northrop Grumman Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) suite aboard an Airbus A340-200 that is used to transport the country’s head of state. The value of the LAIRCM deal is $104 million.

The Swiss Air Force will start having fighters on standby 24 hours a day starting from December 31. Currently, the F/A-18s are on standby during office hours. “From now on, the air police service will be on call 24 hours a day to guarantee the security and the sovereignty over Swiss airspace,” a statement said. The plan to increase Swiss airspace surveillance was proposed to parliament in 2009, but it was boosted by an embarrassing incident five years later that cast a spotlight on the lack of round-the-clock protection. In February 2014, an Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot hijacked his own plane, carrying 202 passengers and crew from Addis Ababa to Rome, and forced it to land in Geneva. Although the co-pilot-turned-hijacker announced he wanted to land the plane in Switzerland, where he later said he aimed to seek asylum, Switzerland’s fleet of F-18s and F-5 Tigers remained on the ground. The Swiss Air Force explained at the time that this was because its planes were only available during office hours.

Northrop Grumman won a $37.7 million deal for the Japan Global Hawk Program. The deal provides for the procurement of initial spare parts to include modifications to the system engineering and program management tasks required to execute, manage, control, and report on all program activities. The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned high-altitude long-endurance surveillance aircraft that first flew in February 1998 and has been in active service with the US military since 2001.

Watch: Boeing MQ-25 Continues Flight Tests