Defense Industry Daily

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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Americas

The Haskell Co. won a $9.5 million contract for the construction of the P680 CH-53K cargo loading tower at the Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina. Work will provide a high-bay facility that will house an operations trainer to support CH-53K helicopter pilot and crew chief training program. Construction includes a deep pile foundation, grade beams and reinforced concrete slabs to provide the building’s base while reinforced concrete masonry unit exterior walls and a standing seam metal roof provide the building enclosure.  This facility will provide a covered, all-weather training environment for the ground operations aircrew trainer, a fuselage trainer device, pallet storage, retrieval and build-out packages associated with troop deployment and mobility. The facility includes high-bay roll-up doors and concrete drive aprons to accommodate moving the aircraft frame in and out of the building. Work will take place in New River, North Carolina. Estimated completion date is April 2022.

BAE Systems has been awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin to design and manufacture next-generation infrared seekers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system, the company announced on March 17. Part of the design work will be conducted in Huntsville, Alabama. The THAAD weapon system intercepts hostile ballistic missiles with kinetic force during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. BAE Systems’ seeker provides infrared imagery that guides interceptors to their intended targets, destroying enemy warheads inside or outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The company has been developing and producing missile defense seeker technology for more than four decades, and has delivered more than 500 THAAD seekers to date.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s defense companies are preparing to prevent damage to production of weaponry, which is mostly for the IDF, Israel Defense reports. The spread of the coronavirus forces many countries all over the world to take strict measures. The defense sector in Israel is also adopting to tackle the threat from COVID-19. Employees of defense firms were instructed to avoid crowded places such as restaurants, pubs, Purim parties and so on, out of an understanding that a critical facility could be shut down if even one employee is infected. Ministry of Health directives stipulate limiting large conferences of 5,000 people or more, and companies are understandably not taking risks. Under a Defense Ministry directive, every defense company must have a wartime emergency plan. This plan defines procedures for operational continuity but it is not suitable for pandemics, and as a result it is being expanded to address the Coronavirus outbreak. Every major company has overlapping production lines in Israel and abroad for some of its products. In this manner, it is possible to transfer mass production if a few locations cease to function. However, there is no such solution for the extreme case of a national pandemic. If the government does not perform geographical segmentation in time and does not inspect the areas where the factories are located, it is possible that the Israeli defense sector will be on the verge of shutdown, Israel Defense reports.

Europe

Germany will end its Tornado reconnaissance flights against the so-called Islamic State (IS) on March 31, the Ministry of Defense announced on March 11 after the federal government extended the mandate of other German forces in Iraq. Four Luftwaffe Tornado reconnaissance aircraft have been operating from Al-Azraq in Jordan in support of the coalition since July 2017 after previously having conducted the mission from Incirlik, Turkey. The German MoD said the reconnaissance mission would be taken over by Italy, which deployed Eurofighters to Al Mubarak in Kuwait early last year, taking over the reconnaissance mission from AMX aircraft in March 2019. The Eurofighters are fitted with the Reccelite II reconnaissance pod, complementing the Italian Predator unmanned aerial vehicles also deployed to Al Mubarak. The Luftwaffe will continue to provide aerial refueling to the anti-IS coalition. This mission has been conducted from Al-Azraq since July 2017 by a Luftwaffe Airbus A310 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which was joined by an A400M air-to-air refueling version in July 2019.

As part of its 2019 defense procurement program, the Swiss Army recently placed an order with Rheinmetall for the VarioRay LLM laser light module. A contract to this effect was signed in December 2019 with Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse). Delivery of 9,640 devices is set to commence in May 2020 and be complete by the end of 2022. The order is worth a figure in the lower two-digit euro million range. The Swiss Army calls the laser light LLM 19 and it will be used on the Swiss soldiers’ assault rifles, as part of Germany’s Future Soldier System-Extended System (IdZ-ES) when used by the German Army. In fact, the British Army also employs the system, under the name Laser LightModule MK3.

Asia-Pacific

Earlier this month, Japan’s defense chief paid a visit to Vietnam. While the interaction was just one of several scheduled engagements between the two sides, it nonetheless spotlighted some of the ongoing activity in the naval aspect of their defense relationship. Vietnam and Japan have agreed to expand collaboration in naval shipbuilding projects, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense (MND) has said. The MND said Vietnam and Japan have agreed to “implement a co-operation project in the field of shipbuilding [and] technology transfers in military shipbuilding”. It added that the new agreement also facilitates Japanese support to Vietnam in “defense industrial technical training” as well as sharing defense industry “expertise and experiences”.

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Americas

Raytheon won a $18.2 million delivery order for the repair of the APG 65/73 radar systems in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. Originally developed by the Hughes Aircraft Company, now Raytheon, the AN/APG-65 radar systems have been in regular use by the US Navy and Marine Corps, along with foreign militaries, since the early 1980s, and the AN/APG-73 has been in use since its development in the early 1990s, according to Raytheon. The AN/APG-73 was integrated into upgraded F/A-18 Hornet aircraft models C and D, along with early editions of the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. Work will take place in Indiana and is expected by March 2022.

General Dynamics Electric won a $13.1 million deal for additional fiscal 2020 development studies and design efforts for Virginia Class Submarines. The Virginia Class new attack submarine is an advanced stealth multimission nuclear-powered submarine for deep ocean anti-submarine warfare and littoral (shallow water) operations. The Electric Boat division of General Dynamics, Connecticut, is the lead design authority for the Virginia Class. General Dynamics Electric Boat has built the first of the class – Virginia (SSN 774), and Northrop Grumman Newport News the second – Texas (SSN 775). Work will take place in McLeansville, North Carolina and will be complete by September 2020.

Middle East & Africa

The USS Carney conducted a scheduled port visit in Cape Town, South Africa, while patrolling European and African waters with the US 6th Fleet. The Arleigh Burke Class destroyer, stationed in Rota, Spain, made the weekend visit on March 15 at the invitation of Lana Marks, US ambassador to South Africa. Marks attended a brief ceremony aboard the ship. “This visit of the USS Carney to Cape Town is a symbol of the United States’ commitment to encouraging commerce with Africa, protecting sea routes for the benefit of all countries, and promoting trade with South Africa,” she said, “and this visit is just the beginning of even stronger and ever more amazing relations between our two militaries and our two countries.” The ship traveled to South Africa from the Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean, and will continue westward.

Europe

The budget committee of the Bundestag, the German parliament, approved the launch of the systems architecture definition phase for the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), the German Ministry of Defense announced. The ministry described the two-year study as “an important next step in the continuation of German-French co-operation” and in the realization of the jointly funded MGCS project. The MGCS will replace the German Leopard 2 and French Leclerq tanks starting in the mid-2030s, retaining mechanized combat capabilities and developing them in line with the threat, especially for fighting armored forces within the framework of territorial and alliance defense, according to the German MoD.

Asia-Pacific

The Indian Navy will lease a 260 meter berth in a private shipyard in Kattupalli for its indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. The warship was suppose to make Vishakhapatnam its home port but the base is not ready to receive the ship. The lease for the berth is from 2022 to 2030. India has plans of having at least two aircraft carriers at any point of time looking after the eastern and western seaboards to look after the vast exclusive economic zone and maritime boundaries.

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has received a $325 million contract to design and build the first Ulsan Class Batch III frigate for the Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN). The contract, which has been signed with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration, was announced on March 16. The vessel is the first of six 3,500-tonne frigates planned for the batch. The contract covers detailed designed work and construction of the first-of-class. HHI received the contract to carry out basic design work for the batch in 2016. The frigate can utilize its electric propulsion systems during anti-submarine operations to minimize its acoustic signatures. Accordingly, the vessel will rely on gas turbine propulsion when it needs to operate at high speeds, said HHI.

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Americas

Northrop Grumman won a $49.1 million contract modification for engineering services to support the Littoral Combat Ship Mission Modules Program. The deal modifies a contract awarded in March 2017. It funds engineering services for gun mission modules, including support for outfitting and installation, interim deport level maintenance, engineering support and sustainment as well as incidental costs related to engineering services for mission modules. LCS mission modules will have the capability to be changed, tested and available to be deployed within 24 hours. Work will take place in New York, Florida, California,Massachusetts, Florida and Washington DC. Estimated completion will be by March 2021.

Lockheed Martin and the US Navy are set to integrate the High Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system onto an Arleigh Burke destroyer in 2021. The move comes after the laser system underwent the US Navy’s Critical Design Review (CDR). Set to undergo system integration in Moorestown, New Jersey this year, the HELIOS system will then be tested at the Wallops Island Navy land-based test site. This is expected to significantly reduce program risk prior to its delivery to a shipyard for integration into an Arleigh Burke destroyer. HELIOS will become an integrated component of the destroyer’s Aegis combat system.

Middle East & Africa

Iran’s primary way of threatening the US and its allies in the region is its inventory of about 2,500-3,000 ballistic missiles, US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander General Kenneth McKenzie told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 10. Gen McKenzie did not breakdown the types of missiles that make up this arsenal but indicated most are shorter-range weapons when he explained why the US military is moving more assets to Prince Sultan Air Base in central Saudi Arabia. He confirmed that the US is also moving air defense assets to Iraq, where he said the US has around 5,000 soldiers deployed, to defend against Iranian ballistic missile attacks. Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) attacked US personnel at Ain al-Asad Air Base on January 8 in retaliation for the assassination of Major General Qasem Soleimani, a high-profile IRGC commander who developed and directed pro-Iranian militant groups across the region.

Europe

The UK Government has sent aid to the Turkey-Syria border, which it says will provide much-needed relief and protection for Syrians amid the worsening humanitarian crisis in Idlib. A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter carrying 37 tonnes of UK aid landed in Hayat on March 11. The supplies on board include tents to provide life-saving shelter, hygiene kits, blankets, water purification tablets, cooking equipment and lanterns for around 300 families who have been forced to flee their homes and seek safety in harsh conditions. The aid supplies are being distributed in the worst affected areas including Idlib in north west Syria, with the cooperation of the Turkish Red Crescent. The UK is one of the largest bilateral donors to the Syria crisis, providing more than £3.1 billion to trusted partners in Syria and the region since 2011.

Asia-Pacific

India’s Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has assured that the delivery of four Rafale fighters to India is still on schedule despite worries over the spread of coronavirus. Speaking on television program ‘Aap Ki Adalat’, Singh said the jets are expected to be home by end of May. His assertion comes in the wake of reports that Coronavirus scare may hit the delivery schedule of four Rafale jets which were expected in May this year. The four Rafale jets will be inducted in the Indian Air Force at its station in Ambala.

Brunei has announced a defense budget of $430 million for 2020-21. The country’s Ministry of Defense said on March 12 that the new budget is a 0.27 per cent increase over the allocation in 2019-20. The 2020-21 defense budget amounts to about 10 per cent of total government expenditure for the year. MINDEF said the defense budget reinforced the country’s three-pillar defense policy – diplomacy, deterrence, and ‘holistic defense’ – in addressing the country’s challenges, which include protecting Brunei’s assets in the South China Sea, cyber defense, and the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

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Americas

Alliant Techsystems Operations won a $165 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure Lot Nine, full rate production of Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM). This modification includes the conversion of Advanced Guided Missile-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles into 253 AGM-88E AARGM all up rounds for the Navy, and two Captive Air Training Missiles for the government of Germany. Northrop Grumman’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system. It has the capability to perform Destruction of Enemy Air Defense missions and is an upgrade to the US Navy AGM-88 HARM system. AARGM is able to rapidly engage traditional and advanced land- and sea-based air defense threats, as well as non-radar, time-sensitive strike targets. Northrop Grumman’s potential material solution to the US Navy’s AARGM Extended Range requirement utilizes existing AARGM sensors, electronics and warhead. AARGM is an air-launched missile with the capability to rapidly engage air-defense threats. AARGM is currently deployed with the US Navy and US Marine Corps on the F/A-18C/D Hornet, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. AARGM is also integrated on the Italian Air Force’s Tornado Electronic Combat aircraft.

Northrop Grumman Systems won an $86.2 million modification, which exercises options to provide sustainment, engineering, logistics and test support for MQ-4C Triton aircraft mission control and operator training systems. In addition, this effort includes procurement of field service representative’s technical support to ensure that the MQ-4C unmanned surveillance aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions supporting early operational capability. The Navy will obligate $200K from fiscal year 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds; $5.8M from fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds; and $55.5M from fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds at the time of award, with $5.8M set to expire at the end of the current Fiscal Year. The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is a high-altitude long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle designed for the US Navy as a surveillance aircraft. Work will take place in Maryland, Florida, Guam and California and estimated completion will be by March 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won an $8 million contract modification, which exercises an option to continue phase one design maturity, analysis and test planning for the Stand-off Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) production line in support of the government of Saudi Arabia. SLAM-ER, a derivative of Harpoon, is an air-dropped surgical strike weapon against high-value land targets or ships at sea or in port. A highly accurate man-in-the-loop cruise missile, SLAM-ER can be launched from a range of more than 150 nautical miles and is reprogrammable in flight, according to Boeing. Work will take place in Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Michigan, and various other locations within the US. Estimate completion will be in March 2020.

Europe

The second of nine Boeing P-8A Poseidon MRA1 maritime multimission aircraft (MMA) for the Royal Air Force arrived in the United Kingdom on March 13. Aircraft ZP802 flew into Kinloss Barracks in Scotland some six weeks after the first aircraft, ZP801 Pride of Moray, arrived from the United States on February 4. Both these aircraft and the remaining seven to be delivered will be operated from RAF Lossiemouth a short distance away from Kinloss Barracks, when construction of new facilities is to be completed later in the year. Operations are set to commence in early Q4 2020, with the type being flown by 120 Squadron and 201 Squadron, with 54 Squadron serving as the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). The delivery of the first Poseidon MRA1s marks a major milestone in the reconstitution of the UK’s airborne maritime patrol capability that was put on hiatus in 2010 with the retirement of the BAE Systems Nimrod MR2 and the cancellation of its Nimrod MRA4 replacement. Once fully operational, the Poseidons will assume responsibility for protecting the Royal Navy’s two new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, as well as undertaking their baseline maritime patrol aircraft and anti-submarine warfare roles.

Marshall Advanced Composites signed an $11.6 million contract with Lockheed Martin to manufacture and supply cockpit trim panels for its C-130J Super Hercules airlifter for the next five years. “We are delighted to have received this five-year contract from Lockheed Martin. It really is testament to the hard work of the team and strength of our partnership with Lockheed Martin“, said Advanced Composites General Manager, Carl Morse. He continued: “We’ve been supplying the panels for over 20 years and have historically been on a series of relatively short term contracts, however our proven ability to drive cost out of the supply, outstanding on-time delivery record and appetite to innovate our processes has given our customer the confidence to make another long-term commitment. The panels are manufactured at Marshall’s composites facility in North Yorkshire from phenolic glass fibre sandwich panels with a Nomex honeycomb core, followed by finishing operations such as painting, electrical assembly and integration to provide Lockheed Martin with lineside kits of plug and play parts to their Marietta facility.

Asia-Pacific

India is struggling to finalize the date for induction of the first four Rafale jets amid speculations of delayed delivery of fighter jets from France due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) threat. The first four Rafale fighters India ordered from France were supposed to return home in May but that could be delayed. India is now waiting for Dassault Aviation to respond back on the date of the flight but there are indications that the current coronavirus situation has affected those plans. Ambala Air Force station, which will be home to the first four Rafale jets, is getting ready itself for the induction ceremony. Infrastructure facilities, including hanger bays, have been created in Ambala for the first squadron of Rafale jets named as 17 Squadron or the Golden Arrows. The second squadron of Rafale will be stationed at Hasimara base in West Bengal to counter the Chinese threat.

Today’s Video

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Americas

Raytheon Missile won a $109.6 million contract modification for MK 15 Close-In Weapon System upgrades and conversions, system overhauls and associated hardware. MK 15 Phalanx CIWS provides ships of the US Navy with an inner layer point defense capability against anti-ship missiles, aircraft and littoral warfare threats that have penetrated other fleet defenses. Phalanx automatically detects, evaluates, tracks, engages and performs kill assessment against ASM and high speed aircraft threats. The current Phalanx variant adds the ability to counter asymmetric warfare threats through the addition of an integrated, stabilized, Electro Optic sensor. Work will take place Kentucky, Arizona, California, Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Arizona, Missouri, Utah, Texas. Estimated completion will be by October 2023.

The US Marine Corps has indicated that besides the Naval Strike Missile, the service intends to field the Maritime Strike Tomahawk missile for anti-ship role as well. It could be mounted on the same unmanned Joint Light Tactical Vehicle that the Marines is using for the Naval Strike Missile, Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration Lt. Gen. Eric Smith told lawmakers. In December the Marines shot a “slug” or inert round off the top of a JLTV to prove the missile could launch in that manner, and the test was successful. This effort is similar to work that was done with Lockheed’s Hellfire air-to-surface missile when the Navy wanted to put it on LCSs – the missile’s effectiveness was already proven, but testing needed to confirm that it could get going from a vertical launch off a ship deck instead of a horizontal launch from under an aircraft in flight.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army awarded Raytheon a $551 million contract to begin production of the Patriot air and missile defense system for the Kingdom of Bahrain. The contract was awarded on January 31, 2020. “Raytheon’s Patriot provides the Kingdom of Bahrain and 16 other countries around the globe with a combat-proven system that protects citizens, infrastructure and armed forces from a broad spectrum of threats,” said Tom Laliberty, vice president of Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems business. “Patriot works, has saved countless lives, and will continue to do so for many years because the system is constantly tested, modernized, upgraded and improved to stay ahead of the advancing threat.” In August 2019, Bahrain signed a letter of offer and acceptance agreement to purchase Patriot air and missile defense systems from the US Army. The agreement allowed the US Government to start contract negotiations with the Patriot system manufacturer Raytheon for the production of the systems and missiles.

Europe

As part of NATO’s latest historic ordnance disposal operations, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) has mapped 35 underwater mines and 3 aircraft bombs in the seabed of Norway’s Oslofjord. The operations were conducted with support from the Royal Norwegian Mine Warfare Datacenter, who embarked aboard the German flagship FGS Donau during the operations. During the recent years the RNoN Mine Warfare Datacenter have studied historical publications and logbooks, and have traced the actual amounts of mines used, and the precise position where they were dropped in the Oslofjord. Historic ordnance disposal operation ran between Feb. 24 and 4 March. The operation identified 170 underwater objects in total, after which these were examined more closely by underwater remote controlled vehicles or divers.

Asia-Pacific

Len Industri and Thales have signed a contract to completely upgrade the mission system of the Indonesian Navy’s KRI Usman-Harun multi-role light frigate. For the last 40 years, Thales has been supplying combat systems for all ships in service for the Indonesian Navy. Len Industri is serving as the systems integrator for the frigate’s Mid Life Modernization (MLM) program. The upgrade is expected to be completed by the end of 2023 and will extend the life of the KRI Usman-Harun frigate, which has more than 15 years of service under its belt. Under the contract, Len Industri and Thales will install the TACTICOS Combat Management System, the SMART-S Mk2 air and surface surveillance radar on the frigate. The companies will also install the STIR EO Mk2 radar and EO fire control system, as well as the Vigile Mk2 tactical multi-purpose R-ESM system.

Japan has secured its first export of military surveillance radars with a contract from the Philippines. Mitsubishi Electric Corp. was awarded the contract to supply three fixed and one mobile radar systems worth $103 million. The company has offered its J/FPS-3 radar for the bid. Delivery is expected to start next year. Officials said that this marked the first time that Japan has secured a contract to export military hardware, a few years after it lifted decades of self-imposed ban on arms exports in 2014. The equipment would bolster the country’s airspace radar coverage amid continuing external security challenges including China’s expansion in the West Philippine Sea.

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Americas

Sikorsky won a $525.4 million contract modification to exercise an option for the Army MY IX Program Year 4, Lot 44, requirement of 38 UH-60M Army aircraft, and to exercise an option for two UH-60M FMS green aircraft. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. The UH-60M Black Hawk is a medium-lift, rotary-wing helicopter. It has multi-mission capabilities and features a new airframe, advanced digital avionics and a powerful propulsion system. It can be used to perform tactical transport, utility, combat search-and-rescue, airborne assault, command-and-control, medical evacuation, aerial sustainment, search-and-rescue, disaster relief and fire-fighting. It offers improved situational awareness and greater survivability. Work will take place in Stratford, Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2022.

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office won a $9.5 million modification, which provides additional funding to support non-recurring engineering for supportability analysis, interactive electronic technical manual and technical directive requirements necessary for the V-22 Nacelle (combat aircraft) Improvements Phase One Program. The deal supports Navy, Air Force and the government of Japan. The V-22 is a joint service, multi-mission aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. It performs VTOL missions as effectively as a conventional helicopter while also having the long-range cruise abilities of a twin turboprop aircraft. The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft with a 38-foot rotor system and engine/transmission nacelle mounted on each wing tip. Work will take place in Texas, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida. Estimated completion will be by May 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Dyncorp International won a $46.9 million modification for aviation maintenance services. Army funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award. The US Army Contracting Command ist the contracting activity. Work will take place in Iraq and Afghanistan. Estimated completion date is July 15, 2020.

Europe

Swedish company Saab announced that it received an order from the UK’s ministry of defense for mid-life extension and support for the Arthur weapon locating system. The deal is valued at $50.8 million. Arthur protects forces and civilians by providing warning of incoming fire and is also used for tasks including counterbattery missions and fire control. The mid-life extension will represent a major program of obsolescence management by the insertion of modern technology, ensuring that this critical operational counter-fire capability can be sustained on a cost-effective basis through to its extended out-of-service date.

HMS Chiddingfold is undergoing a final phase of maintenance as she prepares to deploy to the Gulf. According to the Royal Navy, the minehunter has entered the dry dock in Portsmouth Naval Base and there, work will take place to ensure she is ready for three years of operations forward deployed in the Gulf. HMS Chiddingfold will relieve her sister ship HMS Ledbury to become one of four mine countermeasure ships – it is the first time she has returned to the Gulf since 2017 say the Royal Navy. When she sails, MCM2 Crew 1 will move onto HMS Cattistock where they will conduct operational sea training before deploying.

Asia-Pacific

BAE Systems won a $12.7 million modification, which exercises an option to procure four OE-120B antenna groups, three retrofit kits and three delta installation and checkout kits for the Navy in support of the Air Traffic Control and Landing program office. Additionally, this modification provides for the procurement of two OE-120B antenna groups for the government of Japan. Work will take place in Nashua, New Hampshire and estimated completion will be in May 2023.

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Americas

Boeing won an $800 million contract modification, which procures long lead material and activities in support of lot 11 P-8A aircraft production and delivery. The mission of the P-8A MMA is to provide long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations.The P-8’s first flight was on April 25, 2009. The new award is intended to address advanced procurement requirements to manufacture eight Poseidon aircraft for the Navy as well as four planes for New Zealand and another six for South Korea. Work will take place in Washington, California and Arizona. It is completed by June 2020.

Sierra Nevada won an $8.5 million contract for Tactical Automated Landing System components support for the RQ-7B tactical unmanned aircraft system. The RQ-7B UAS is used for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and battle damage assessment. Launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera relays video in real time via a C-band line-of-sight data link to the ground control station (GCS). Work locations will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is February 27, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

The quarterly report on Iran released by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed a significant increase in the country’s stockpile of enriched uranium since its last report. The stockpile stood at 1,020.9 kg in February, up from 372.3 kg in November 2019. This 648.6 kg increase will raise international concern as it marks a significant breach of the 300 kg stockpile limit imposed on Iran by the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). There have been no major changes in other parameters of Iran’s nuclear program, with enrichment levels not exceeding 4.5%. The JCPOA limits Iran’s enrichment to 3.67%.

Israeli company Tactical Robotics has signed a partnership agreement with Boeing to study the development of ducted fan propulsion technology to be implemented in piloted and autonomous Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft. As part of the partnership, the two companies will explore and determine what are the opportunities that may come with developing, producing, and marketing VTOL “flying cars”, including the Israeli company’s Cormorant autonomous vehicle. The Cormorant is an unmanned, single engine, VTOL aircraft that resembles a flying car in a way. It is powered by internal lift rotors which allow the aircraft to fly, takeoff, and land in areas that other helicopters, tilt-rotors, and fixed wing aircraft cannot. Due to its relatively small size and ability to fly in mountainous, urban, and forested areas, the Cormorant may possibly revolutionize the way militaries deploy and rescue their troops.

Europe

Leonardo has unveiled its weapon wing system that is to equip UK AW159 Wildcat HMA2 maritime helicopters during the Royal Navy’s Carrier Strike Group 2021 (CSG21) deployment. The UK-arm of the Italian company displayed one of the first production wings during the UK Naval Engineering Science & Technology (UKNEST) engagement activity aboard the second Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales on March 2 as part of its week-long visit to Liverpool. The aluminium alloy and carbon fibre composite weapon wings enable a mix of weapons to be carried for a variety of force protection scenarios. This includes a full load of 20 Thales Martlet air-to-surface and up to four MBDA Sea Venom anti-ship missiles, or a mix of two Sea Venoms and 10 Martlets.

Asia-Pacific

Austrian company Schiebel announced that its newly designed S2 heavy fuel engine for the Camcopter S-100 vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV had successfully completed acceptance tests for the Royal Australian Navy. “A comprehensive series of test flight activities demonstrated both the endurance, and maximum take-off weight, with multiple payloads, providing the evidence and assurance that the Camcopter S-100 fulfils the requirements of the RAN,” said the company in a statement. Schiebel said the new S2 engine, which has been developed as a next-generation replacement for the current propulsion unit, increases the overall capability of the Camcopter S-100 system. The new lightweight heavy fuel engine is initially cleared for JP-5 (F-44) and Jet-A1 fuels with other fuel types set to be approved in future, it added.

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Watch: U.S ARMY’s STRATEGIC LONG RANGE CANNON WILL HIT TARGET FROM MORE THAN 1000 MILES AWAY !

Americas

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $16.2 million contract for the C-130J center wing box replacement program. The deal provides for 14 enhanced center wing boxes and 14 component kits. The C-130J Super Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. C-130J is crewed by two pilots and a loadmaster. The new glass cockpit features four L-3 systems with multifunction liquid crystal displays for flight control and navigation systems. The C-130J is equipped with a Honeywell dual-embedded global positioning system/inertial navigation system (GPS/INS), an enhanced traffic alerting and collision avoidance system (E-TCAS), a ground collision avoidance system, SKE2000 station keeping system, and an instrument landing system (ILS). Work will take place in Marietta, Georgia, and estimated completion date is March 30, 2027.

Raytheon won a $108.3 million deal for the procurement of hardware, facilities, equipment, and all technical, planning, management, manufacturing, and testing efforts to include all incidental services to produce the PATRIOT Digital Sidelobe Canceler and Peripheral Enhancement Assembly box production kits. Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. It is produced by Raytheon in Massachusetts and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Florida. Work will take place in Massachusetts, California, Connecticut and estimated completion date is July 31, 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Abacus Technology won a $21.9 million contract for support services, which provides for information technology sustainment support services at several locations. Performance locations are Al Udeid Air Base (AB), Qatar; Al Dhafra AB, United Arab Emirates; and Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The contract is the result of a set-aside for small business and five offers were received. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $3,767,312 are being obligated at the time of award. Headquarters Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Estimated completion will be by March 2025.

Europe

The UK and France have completed the first qualification firing trial of the MBDA Sea Venom/Anti?Navire Léger Anti-Ship Missile, the Defense Equipment and Support agency. The missile, which will equip the Royal Navy’s AgustaWestland AW159 Lynx Wildcat HMA2 and future French Navy Airbus H160M helicopters, was test launched from a French DGA procurement agency-owned Airbus AS365 Dauphin helicopter off the south of France. According to DES, the test at the DGA Essais de Missiles test site near Ile du Levant saw the missile reach its cruise phase while skimming low to the sea. The helicopter crew then used images from the infrared seeker to aim the missile manually, and it went on to accurately hit its target. Intended to replace the Sea Skua under the Royal Navy’s Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon (Heavy) requirement, the Sea Venom/ANL is designed to safely engage hostile vessels amongst civilian ones and could be used on a range of targets from small, fast-moving craft through to larger ships.

Asia-Pacific

A Myanmar Mi-17 helicopter carrying foreign military attachés crash-landed on March 6 in Shan State. One military attaché from Thailand is said to be injured. The helicopter is part of a four-ship deployment bringing the diplomats and media to attend a press conference in Kaungkha Village. The Myanmar military helicopter carrying at least 15 people, including foreign military attachés to Myanmar, crashed shortly after it took off in Kaungkha Village, Kutkai Township in northern Shan State.

The Australian government has handed over a Guardian Class patrol boat to Fiji. The vessel, which is part of a 21-vessel donation by Canberra to 12 Pacific Island countries and Timor-Leste, was handed over on March 6 at Austal Shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia. The vessel will be in service with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces as RFNS Savenaca. The ship is the sixth vessel in the Guardian Class overall but the first of two boats that Fiji is receiving from Australia.

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Watch: US NAVY’s USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT SUPERCARRIER DOCKS IN VIETNAM !

Americas

Boeing won a $36.7 million contract modification or KC-46 engineering, manufacturing and development contract. The modification is for the component build and development of the hardware system integration lab to conduct lab verification and ground test verification for the boom telescope actuator redesign. The KC-46A Pegasus is a widebody, multirole tanker that can refuel all US, allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures. Problems with the boom were among the issues that the Air Force and Boeing knew still needed to be resolved at the time the tankers first began being delivered early last year. work will take place in Seattle. Estimated completion will be in February 2023.

Australia has agreed to sell up to 46 of its F/A-18A/B fighters to Air USA, an air combat training company in the United States. The transfer will take place over next three to four years, the Minister for Defense Industry, Melissa Price said. Air USA is a private contractor. Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel at RAAF Base Williamtown will be responsible for preparing the aircraft for their transfer to the company. The Australian Department of Defense announced the sale on its website. Williamtown is home to three of the four remaining Australian F/A-18A/B units, No. 3 and No. 77 Squadrons and No. 2 Operational Conversion Unit, the latter of which is responsible for training pilots on the type. No. 75 Squadron is based at RAAF Base Tindal in Australia’s Northwestern Territory.

Middle East & Africa

The Dassault Mirage 2000 jets flown by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defence (AFAD) will be the first of the type to use the Sniper targeting pod, manufacturer Lockheed Martin announced on February 26. It said it had received a directed commercial sale from the AFAD to expedite the delivery of the pods. It did not reveal the value of the sale or the number of pods involved. The AFAD maintains a fleet of at least 42 Mirage 2000-9s, some of which are older aircraft that were delivered in the 1980s and subsequently upgraded. The Emirati Mirages currently use a version of the Thales Damocles pod called the Shehab.

Europe

Saab Digital Air Traffic Solutions has been selected to provide a Digital Tower system as an Operational Concept Demonstrator for the Royal Air Force at their air force base by Lossiemouth in the United Kingdom, the company announced. The UK’s Royal Air Force is set to trial a digital air traffic control tower at RAF Lossiemouth airbase, the future home of the submarine-hunting P-8 Poseidon aircraft. Under a single-source experimental project, RAF Lossiemouth will see the development of a digital air traffic control (ATC) tower operational concept demonstrator (OCD) by Saab’s UK division. According to BBC, the cameras would give the controllers a 360 degree view of the airfield, allowing them to monitor the whole airfield through a series of communication links.

The DoS approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for 180 Javelin missiles and 79 Javelin Command Launch Units (CLUs) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $100 million. The sale will include basic skill trainers, battery coolant units and missile simulation rounds. Javelin is expected to improve and strengthen the country’s long-term defense capacity. It will also help Poland fulfill its national defense needs to better defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin’s partnership Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) will serve as the prime contractor for the program.

Asia-Pacific

The coronavirus now hit the F-35 production. Japan has paused work for one week at its Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) final assembly and checkout facility in Nagoya, Japan over concerns of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) that is spreading the globe. Lieutenant General Eric Fick, F-35 program executive officer, said on March 4 that he anticipates resumption of work at the facility after the week’s pause. Lt Gen Fick added that he does not anticipate any other disruption to the supply chain and that the Joint Program Office (JPO) is not taking any deliberate steps to actively curtail any ripple effects due to the coronavirus that may further go through the F-35 supply chain.

Today’s Video

Watch: CHINESE NAVY FIRES LASER AT AMERICAN P-8A POSEIDON AIRCRAFT !

Americas

CAE USA-Mission Solutions won a $10.6 million modification for the F-15E, F-16 and F-22A contract aircrew training and courseware development contract. The contract modification is for exercising Option Year Three. 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. The F-16 and the F-15 Eagle were the world’s first aircraft able to withstand higher g-forces than the pilots. The F-16 Fighting Falcon entered service in 1979. The F-22A Raptor is an advanced tactical fighter aircraft developed for the US Air Force. It entered service with the USAF in December 2005 to replace the F-15, with emphasis on agility, stealth and range. Work under the contract modification is expected to be finished by April 1, 2020.

Airbus Helicopters won a $122.7 million contract modification for procurement of 15 UH-72 Aircraft. The UH-72A Lakota is a light utility helicopter specifically designed to meet the requirements of the US Army. Based on the EC 145 multirole helicopter, the UH-72A serves the army principally for logistics and support missions within the US. Work will take place in Columbus, Mississippi and estimated completion date is August 31, 2022. Army funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award.

Middle East & Africa

The DoS approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Israel of up to eight KC-46 aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.4 billion. The KC-46A is a 767-2C provisioned freighter with a 767-400 flight deck (this flight deck features the Rockwell Collins large format displays of the 787 airliner). The KC-46A has a minimum crew of three comprised of a pilot, co-pilot, and mission system operator/officer. It can carry 96 tonnes of fuel, although it should be noted that the KC-46A loses much of its underfloor cargo space with auxiliary tanks in doing so. According to the DoS, the proposed sale supports the foreign policy and national security of the United States by allowing Israel to provide a redundant capability to US assets within the region, potentially freeing US assets for use elsewhere during times of war.

The DoS approved a possible FMS to Morocco of 25 M88A2 Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System (HERCULES) vehicles and/or M88A1 long supply HERCULES refurbished vehicles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $239.4 million. The potential $239.35 million sale would include 25 M88A2 and/or refurbished M88A1 vehicles along with with an equal number of .50 caliber machine guns, M239 or M250 smoke grenade launchers, 1,800 M76 or L8A1/A3 smoke grenade rounds, 25 SINCGARS radios, AN/PSN-13A GPS receivers (DAGR), and 30 AN/VAS-5B Driver Vision Enhancer kits. The main contractor will be BAE Systems, the original producer of the M88. The armored M88 Hercules, or Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System, is designed to lift or tow stuck or disabled fighting vehicles while under fire.

Europe

The Land Battle Decisive Munitions initiative welcomed the Czech Republic and Sweden, bringing the total number of participating NATO Allies and partners to 23. The amendment to the initiative’s Memorandum of Understanding was signed in the margins of the NATO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Brussels. The Land Battle Decisive Munitions Initiative was launched during the NATO Summit in 2018 and the first delivery of acquired munition followed within six months. Participating nations are now working on further acquisition rounds for later this year. With the two new participants, the Land Battle Decisive Munitions Initiative now includes Belgium, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom, as well as the partner nations Austria, Finland, North Macedonia and Sweden.

Asia-Pacific

The Singapore Police Coast Guard (PCG) will be receiving a new batch of patrol boats as part of efforts to improve security along the country’s coastal waters. Speaking in parliament on March 2, Singapore’s Minister for Home Affairs, Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, described the new vessels as “fifth generation PT-class patrol boats” that will replace the service’s current fleet of “third-generation boats”. The PCG has a fleet of 18 m patrol craft that were built by Geraldton Boats in Australia, and delivered to the PCG from 1999. These vessels have a top speed of 40 kt, and are armed with manually operated 7.62 mm machine guns.

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Watch: Top 5 Best Guided Missile Ships on the Planet

UH-72As: MEDEVAC
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This is DID’s FOCUS Article regarding the US Army’s Light Utility Helicopter program, covering the program and its objectives, the winning bid team and industrial arrangements, and contracts.

The US Army’s LUH program will finish as a 325 helicopter acquisition program that will be worth about $2.3 billion when all is said and done. It aimed to replace existing UH-1 Hueys and OH-58 Kiowa utility variants in non-combat roles, freeing up larger and more expensive UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters for front-line duty. In June 2006, a variant of Eurocopter’s EC145 beat AgustaWestland’s AB139, Bell-Textron’s 412EP Twin Huey, and MD Helicopters’ 902 Explorer NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) design. The win marked EADS’ 1st serious military win in the American market, and their “UH-145” became the “UH-72A Lakota” at an official December 2006 naming ceremony.

Eurocopter has continued to field new mission kits and deliver helicopters from its Mississippi production line, while trying to build on their LUH breakthrough. A training helicopter win will keep the line going for a couple more years…

The LUH Program: Objectives & Background

RAH-66 Comanche
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The LUH program spun out of the canceled $9 billion AH-66 Comanche stealth scout/attack helicopter, as one of the US Army’s cheaper reinvestment and recapitalization options. LUH helicopters are intended to replace Vietnam era UH-1H Hueys and OH-58A/C Kiowa aircraft in the U.S. Army and National Guard. Note that the US Marine Corps will continue to fly the modernized UH-1Y Venom, and the civilian para-military DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) is likely to retain many of its OH-58s and may pick some up from Army surplus.

The US Army’s OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scout helicopters, meanwhile, will be replaced by 368 militarized Bell 407s between FY 2006-2013 under the $2.2 billion Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) program, the first of the AH-66 spinoffs. These efforts are part of the Army Aviation Modernization Program, along with programs like the Warrior UAV and hopefully the Joint Cargo Aircraft to replace the Army’s C-123 Sherpa light transport planes.

UH-60 Blackhawk

The intent was to acquire a Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS)/ Non-Developmental Item (NDI) aircraft that is Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) Type Standard Certified, and produce approximately 322 new LUH helicopters between 2006-2015. They will fill the niche missions in which the Army’s standard UH-60 Black Hawk’s size, capability, and operating expenses may be unnecessary, performing a wide range of general support missions in the United States and overseas. Transport of personnel and supplies, disaster relief operations, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, drug interdiction, and homeland security will all be likely tasks.

In 2006, therefore, while the rest of EADS was targeted for divestment and beginning to face bottom line issues, Eurocopter continued to fly. Fresh off of major wins with Korea’s KHP development program ($1.3 billion) and Australia’s NH90 order ($1.5 bilion), Eurocopter racked up the biggest win of all in June: its EC145 would serve as the USA’s future Light Utility Helicopter, replacing existing UH-1s and OH-58s in a 322 helicopter, $3+ billion program between 2006-2015. Losing entries included Team MD Helicopters’ 902 Explorer NOTAR (No Tail Rotor) design, Bell-Textron’s 412EP Twin Huey, and Team AgustaWestland’s AB139. See DID coverage of the 4 competing teams.

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The US military subsequently raised the planned number of UH-72 LUH helicopters to 345, but shifts near the end of the program cut the final number to 325, and aimed to place the last orders in FY 2014. In 2015, however, Airbus was picked for a 100-helicopter contract as the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence’s prime training helicopter. Budgets over the life of the program included:

The LUH Winner: Eurocopter’s EC145/ UH-72A

EC145 w. hoist
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The UH-72A Lakota is a militarized version of the Eurocopter EC145, which in turn is a new and thoroughly modified version of the famous BK 117-C1. It was given its Lakota designation in keeping with the Army’s tradition of naming rotary-wing aircraft after native American Indian tribes. Requests for the naming originate with the tribes themselves, and their history and traditions must be aligned with the helicopter’s characteristics and uses in US Army service.

The Lakota is outfitted with an advanced avionics suite that includes a “glass” (digital screen) cockpit for flight and navigation instrument display. Its civilian version is already FAA Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) certified, and safety features include redundant hydraulic and electrical systems. An array of radios allows communication with civilian first responders, as well as military channels.

The aft cabin, including baggage area, is 50.77 ft2, at 4.59 x 11.23 feet. That cabin can be switched between a 6-seat (3-3) arrangement, or 2-3 seats plus 2 MEDEVAC stretcher rails. If a medic needs to work on a patient in the air, operational capacity drops to 1 stretcher. A high-set main and tail rotor design allow safe loading and unloading through the main side doors and rear-fuselage clamshell doors, even while the rotors are turning.

Those turning rotors are relatively quiet, for a helicopter. That was true of the old BK-117, is true of the EC145, and remains true for its military counterpart. Quietness makes helicopters easier to operate in civilian airspace, and provides front-line advantages if UH-72 variants are ever deployed that way.

UH-72A S&S
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So far, the US military’s UH-72As have stuck to their original intent, and are used for service away from the front lines. They’ve been used most often for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) missions, search and rescue, border patrols along the U.S./Mexican border, and VIP transport. They’ve also found niche roles in missile testing, and in general aviation support and combat flight training at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Hohenfels, Germany; the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Ft. Polk, LA; and the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA. Special missions have included disaster response following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and oil spill monitoring and response flights along the U.S. Gulf Coast after the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

They’ve also remained true to their initial affordability promises. Deliveries have been on time and on-budget, and in 2012, US Army project manager for utility helicopters, Col. Thomas Todd, said that the UH-72A is cheaper to operate than its predecessors were. He cited a readiness rate of over 90%, which is excellent even for such a young fleet, and a parts cost that’s 30-40% less than UH-1 and OH-58 legacy helicopters. That parts cost is especially good news. The history of modern military programs has usually involved lower availability rates, and higher maintenance costs, than the equipment it replaces. Since operating and maintenance costs are a majority of any platform’s real costs over time, lowering those costs makes a big cumulative difference to the Army’s future budgets.

UH-72A Lakota Variants

UH-72A S&S
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Overall, 7 UH-72A variants exist, but several of them are really kits that can be rolled on and off of the base helicopter.

MEDEVAC/Search and Rescue. This mission “B-kit” includes the external rescue hoist, 2 stretchers, plus associated medical equipment and systems. Two medics are positioned in rear-facing seats behind the pilot and co-pilot.

Missile Test LUH. This variant operates in the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, Pacific Ocean. The Kwajalein helicopters are painted in high visibility orange, and come with skid-mounted floats, integrated life rafts, and jettisonable cockpit doors.

UH-72A Security & Support (S&S) Battalion. This 3rd kit is more extensive. It includes an external hoist, a forward centerline-mounted camera system which can track targets at up to 9 miles away using electro-optical and infrared sensors, a laser pointer, a 30 million candlepower searchlight, an operator console, cockpit and cabin touch-screen displays with moving maps that can navigate to streets as well as military coordinates, a video management system, a digital video recorder and data downlink system, and additional avionics and communications equipment that can be synced with first responders on the ground. The US Army National Guard plans to buy at least 100 UH-72A S&S helicopters: 17 retrofitted and 83 new build.

Training. Current proposals would replace existing US Army TH-67 (Bell 206) and OH-58 training helicopter fleets with the UH-72A, allowing those existing types to completely retire from US Army service.

Airbus is also trying to interest the Navy in using the UH-72 as a replacement for its aging TH-57 Sea Ranger (Bell 206) helicopter trainer fleet. The helicopters would add Garmin G1000H avionics, and be fitted with student, instructor, and observer seats.

VIP transport. This adds more and nicer seats, for a total of 3 rear-facing seats located behind the cockpit, 2 forward-facing seats just aft of the helicopter’s side doors, and 3 seats behind them.

2 more kits are left deliberately undefined, except to say that they are “associated with training missions that teach soldiers how to fight aircraft and recognize friend or foe on the battle space.”

US Navy. The 7th variant was produced for a different customer, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, MD. Their variant is exactly what you would expect: it trains test pilots from the U.S. military and allied countries. Navy H-72A modifications include jettisonable cockpit doors, a cockpit voice and flight data recorder, a main rotor blade folding kit, and an air traffic advisory system.

AAS-72X+ concept
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The platform’s next frontier was supposed to involve a step beyond kits, into a fully armed version.

In 2009, EADS North America moved to build on their success. With Bell’s ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter canceled due to cost overruns, EADS announced a partnership with Lockheed Martin to offer an EC645/AAS-72X variant for the US Army’ Armed Aerial Scout competition. After initial tests, they decided to favor performance over full commonality, and used the EC145-T2 as the base for their armed scout. The AAS-72X+ adds uprated Arriel 2E engines and the Helionix avionics suite, and switches to an enclosed Fenestron tail rotor instead of the UH-72A’s twin-tail high configuration.

Lockheed Martin is in charge of mission systems and weapons, and the team’s bid will push the advantages of having a similar base type for armed scout, training, and support roles. The problem is that the USA decided to do away with their scout helicopter fleet altogether, so any sales will have to be exports.

LUH Industrial Arrangements

UH-72A program management is located in Huntsville, Alabama and led by the EADS North America Defense business unit of EADS North America. Production takes place at American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Mississippi facility, which received a major expansion to accommodate the Light Utility Helicopter program.

The production line is a version of Eurocopter’s EC145 multi-mission helicopter line in Donauworth, Germany. The initial UH-145s were actually built on Eurocopter’s existing EC145 production line in Germany, and shipped to Columbus, MS for final assembly and completion. Even before the contract was formally awarded, the first UH-145 helicopters were already under assembly, and components had been allocated for the manufacture of 7 more UH-145s. It was a gutsy move, but once the contract was won, it helped American Eurocopter deliver its first 8 machines to the US government on budget and ahead of schedule.

The line was duplicated in Columbus through a series of steps that began with partial assembly, followed by full assembly and the subsequent U.S. manufacture of major subsystems. Growth continued at Columbus, up until full build-up of the aircraft on a new assembly line in 2007.

Columbus, MS facility
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American Eurocopter’s expansion of the 92,200 square foot Columbus facility grew it to to approximately 276,000 square feet to accommodate the UH-145 program. As of July 2006, this plant built A-Star AS350 helicopters at a rate of about 30 per year, and its advanced metallic production center manufactures components that include aft fuselage sections for all new production A-Star/Ecureuil helicopters sold worldwide. It also handles assembly and customization of other American Eurocopter helicopter models for U.S. customers. On a federal level, the Columbus plant was already re-engining and upgrading U.S. Coast Guard Eurocopter HH-65 Dolphin search and rescue helicopters to the improved performance HH-65C version; and assembling, customizing and delivering EC120B helicopters ordered by the Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Employment at Columbus grew from the current staffing of 129 to approximately 330, plus 20-40 additional jobs at the company’s headquarters in Grand Prairie, Texas for program support.

Other suppliers also geared up. Turbomeca USA, which builds the UH-145’s Arriel 1E2 engines, grew its Grand Prairie, Texas facility by 35-45 new jobs. Thales USA transferred production of its Meghas avionics suite from Europe to a new facility in Irvine, California. Meghas also equips the Eurocopter EC145, EC135, EC155, EC120, EC130 and AS350 helicopters, and manufacturing of avionics for all these aircraft types, as well as the UH-145, was relocated to Irvine.

UH-72 LUH
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UH-72A deliveries have gone well. UH-72A deliveries to the US Army commenced in December 2006; the first 7 helicopters were delivered by June 2006, whereupon the first active unit was equipped. Deliveries continued at the rate of 1 per month until September 2007, then rose to 2 helicopters per month.

By 2010, there were 7 different H-72 configurations produced on the line, and 10 new fielding sites stood up, making 31 basing locations in the continental U.S., Puerto Rico, Germany, and the Pacific Ocean’s Kwajalein Atoll.

From December 2006 – November 2012, EADS North America delivered 243 Lakota helicopters, on budget and either on time or ahead of schedule. Delivery rates can now reach over 4 helicopters per month, or up to 53 helicopters per year. As the LUH program winds down, however, that production rate is set to slow and then stop. It’s currently 3 helicopters per month, but under the proposed FY 2014 budget that will taper to 1 per month by September 2014. By June 2015, LUH production will end.

American UH-72As: Contracts and Key Events

Unless otherwise noted, all contracts are issued by the US Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL; and the recipient is EADS North American Defense in Arlington, VA.

FY 2016-2020

 

MEDEVAC exercise
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March 5/20: Procurement Airbus Helicopters won a $122.7 million contract modification for procurement of 15 UH-72 Aircraft. The UH-72A Lakota is a light utility helicopter specifically designed to meet the requirements of the US Army. Based on the EC 145 multirole helicopter, the UH-72A serves the army principally for logistics and support missions within the US. Work will take place in Columbus, Mississippi and estimated completion date is August 31, 2022. Army funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award.

March 12/18: Additional orders Airbus received Thursday, March 8, a long-awaited $273 million US Army contract to deliver 35 additional UH-72A Lakota helicopters to the service. Work on the sole sourced contract will take place in Columbus, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of March 8, 2021. According to Flight Global, the helicopters will be used as training aircraft, and will be split between the initial entry rotary wing mission at Fort Rucker, Alabama, which will receive 17 aircraft, and the observer and controller mission at the Army’s combat training centres, which will receive 18 aircraft. Approximately 412 Lakotas have been delivered to the Army since 2005 and the additional order will keep the Columbus production line open for the foreseeable future.

January 26/18: Lawsuit Overturned Happy days for the US Army, after a lawsuit brought forward by—and initially ruled in favor of—Italian aerospace and defense manufacturer Leonardo was thrown out on appeal, freeing up the service to continue a long-stalled procurement of 16 Airbus Lakota helicopters for its training fleet. In 2016, the serviced appealed a decision made by the US Court of Federal Claims, which ruled the service must stop its procurement of Lakotas, arguing that the judge misinterpreted government procurement terms and requirements and improperly supplemented the record with outside information irrelevant to making a decision. Leonardo, alongside Bell helicopters and other manufacturers had complained that the Army was circumventing procurement practices as it implemented its Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI), which sought to replace retired OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter and the Army’s single-engine TH-67 basic rotary wing training helicopter with Lakota’s already in its inventory. In the end, the Army were required to purchase additional Lakotas from Airbus, prompting rival firms to complain that fair practices were not adhered to. A relieved Airbus said that had Leonardo succeeded, “it would have been a massively expensive step backward from the Army’s cost-saving Aviation Restructure Initiative.”

January 8/18: Future Orders The US Army began a process on Thursday to award Airbus a contract for 35 additional UH-72 Lakota helicopters. In a “sources sought” notice published by the Army’s utility helicopter project management office, the service did mention that as Airbus owns the technical data to the helicopter, any potential competitor would have to acquire the data from the OEM to build the twin-engined aircraft. 400 UH-72s have been delivered by Airbus to the Army since 2006, with units assembled at a factory in Columbus, Mississippi, after major components are built in Europe. The army’s approved budget in Fiscal 2017 contains funds to buy 23 UH-72As, so up to another 12 could be purchased later, thus guaranteeing jobs at the factory for future after concerns were raised by staff before the new year.

July 18/17: Airbus Helicopters has received a $35.2 million contract modification for the supply of parts and logistical support for the US Army’s UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter. The deal includes orders for spare parts and logistical support to account for higher flying hours by the UH-72 fleet than originally projected. Work will be conducted at Grand Prairie, Texas, with a scheduled completion date set at December 31, 2017. $35.2 million in 2017 Army operations and maintenance funds have been obligated for the project.

November 16/15: Airbus has received a further order for 12 of their UH-72A light helicopters by the US government which will bring the total ordered to 400. The latest batch is said to be used for pilot training.

FY 2013 – 2014

Orders; AAS-72X tests but ARH is cancelled; From early termination to another 90-100 training helicopters.

Sept 29/14: Thailand. The US DSCA announces Thailand’s official export request for up to 9 UH-72A Lakota Helicopters, an Aviation Mission Planning Station, plus warranty, spare and repair parts, support equipment, communication equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $89 million, and the principal contractor will be EADS North America in Herndon, VA.

Thailand’s last UH-72A request became an order in under a year. The 9 helicopters will surely be welcome in the Mississippi plant, but they aren’t about to make a significant industrial difference. Read “Huey’s Departure: Thailand’s New Helicopters” for full coverage of their importance to Thailand.

DSCA: Thailand (9)

Sept 22/14: Lawsuit. AgustaWestland sues the US Army, seeking an injunction to stop its planned UH-72A training helicopter purchase. The claim states that the Sept 4/14 sole-sourcing decision wasn’t justified properly, while claiming a massive price difference of $7 million per UH-72 vs. $3.25 million for their helicopter. That price matches expected costs for the AW119Kx Koala, which is built near Philadelphia.

AgustaWestland representatives point out that the UH-72 has a restricted flight maneuver envelope, while Bell Helicopter representatives cite “a cost difference of $1,000 to $1,500 per flying hour more for the UH-72” in exchange for training on a glass cockpit and a twin-engine platform.

The stakes are higher than usual. AgustaWestland is also touting the Koala as a replacement for the US Navy’s TH-57 Creek, which is based on the same Bell 206 airframe as the Army’s TH-67 fleet that the Airbus UH-72 would replace. The Navy doesn’t have a formal program to replace the TH-57 Sea Ranger fleet, but it is aging, and an Army trainer buy would be a natural cross-service lead in. Meanwhile, the threat of sequestration (q.v. Aug 24/14) is driving pressure to buy more UH-72As immediately. If the lawsuit delays the training buy for long enough, the Army has to choose between accepting the risk of a smaller replacement fleet, or picking a cheaper option. Sources: AIN, “AgustaWestland Sues over Airbus Army Trainer Plan” | Bloomberg, “AgustaWestland Sues U.S. to Block Airbus Helicopter Buy” | Reuters, “Finmeccanica unit sues to block U.S. helicopter deal for Airbus” | Defense News, “AgustaWestland Pitches AW119 for US Navy Helicopter Trainer”.

Aug 24/14: TUH-72. Despite Kendall’s cautions, all 4 Congressional defense committees are moving to approve a $110.8 million reprogramming request that would buy another 21 UH-72As in FY 2014. These helicopters would be slotted for the training fleet, and sequestration is the reason for their haste. The FY 2016 budget is the one under threat if sequestration continues, and Fort Rucker, AL needs a bare minimum of 60 helicopters for instructor and student training needs. The added 21 + 55 in FY 2015 would provide 76, leaving the fleet ready to go despite sequestration.

If things work out in FY 2016, the remaining 24 helicopters can be ordered to raise the training fleet to 100. If sequestration hits, FY 2015 funds could be reprogrammed, or some helicopters could be moved out of the National Guard. Sources: Forecast International, “Congress Signs Off on Plan to Buy 21 Additional UH-72A Lakotas in FY14”.

Aug 6/14: TUH-72. Pentagon Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Frank Kendall says that he wants to see the Army’s business case for buying 90 UH-72s to replace existing TH-67 Creek (Bell Model 206B Jet Ranger III, initial training) and OH-58 Kiowa (tactical training) machines, under the proposed Army Aviation Restructure Plan.

We can summarize the cases. The Army says that removing these helicopter types from the fleet, and consolidating on the UH-72A, will save on support costs. Bell Helicopters says that the single-engine TH-67 fleet is 16 years old on average, and can still be used and supported for some time. On the other hand, the UH-72A production line won’t be around forever. Sources: Defense News, “Kendall Wants Business Case for US Army Helicopter Swap”.

June 26/14: Support. EADS-NA in Herndon, VA receives a $14.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, for UH-72A contractor logistics support. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 Army O&M budgets.

Work will be performed at Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of May 15/15. US Army Contracting Command Redstone Arsenal – Aviation at Redstone Arsenal, ALmanages the contract (W58RGZ-06-C-1094, P00811).

May 27/14: Support. EADS North America, Inc. in Herndon, VA receives a $33.8 million modification, exercising an option to increase contractor logistics support for the UH-72A. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 Army O&M budgets.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of June 30/16 (W58RGZ-06-C-0194, PO 0795).

May 23/14: Politics. The Senate Armed Services Committee has completed the mark-up of the annual defense bill, which passed by a 25-1 vote. The section relevant to the UH-72 is explained this way:

“Authorizes $612.6 million in procurement for UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). At the request of the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, the Secretary of Defense directed the Army to procure 100 additional LUH as a replacement training aircraft rather than transfer any from National Guard for that purpose. Additional funds would authorize procurement of a total 90 new aircraft to replacement of the Army’s legacy aviation training aircraft.”

$612.6 million is $196 million above the Defense Department’s budget request, and supposedly adds 35 more helicopters in Fiscal Year 2015. That creates a total of 90 ordered if the House agrees, which explains phrases like “decreases the risk and cost to the Army in their divestiture of TH-67 training aircraft”. Implicitly, it also removes the 45 helicopters and $387.6 million planned for 2016, and cuts the future training fleet from 100 to 90. Sources: US Senate Armed Services Committee, “Senate Committee on Armed Services Completes Markup of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015” | WTVY.com, “Senate Bill would Fund Alabama Defense Programs”.

May 14/14: #300. Airbus Group delivers 300th UH-72A to the US military, on time and on budget. The UH-72A S&S will enter service with the Missouri National Guard. The firm touts an American workforce that is “more than 50 percent U.S. military veterans”. No doubt they’re all happy about the 2-year extension to Army orders. Sources: Airbus, “Airbus Group delivers 300th on-time, on-budget UH-72A Lakota helicopter to U.S. Army”.

#300

May 6/14: Support. EADS North America in Herndon, VA receives a $25.5 million option for UH-72A contractor logistics support.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 Army O&M budgets. Work will be performed in Columbia, MS, with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/15. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-06-C-0194 P00787).

March 28/14: EADS-NA in Herndon, VA receives a $34 milllion contract modification to sole-source, foreign military sales contract for 6 UH-72A Lakota helicopters with AN/ARC-231 radios, the Mission equipment package, and environmental control units to deal with Thailand’s heat.

It’s a dubious purchase, as Thailand already operates similar helicopter fleets from other manufacturers, and won’t make much of an industrial difference with the Us Army committed to its training order. Read “Huey’s Departure: Thailand’s New Helicopters” for full coverage.

Thailand buys 6

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. The UH-72 gets a big win. As part of the Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI) the UH-72A will become the primary training aircraft at the US Army Aviation Center of Excellence in Ft. Rucker, AL.

That means 100 more UH-72A orders are scheduled for FY 2015 – 2016, to equip the Army’s Initial Entry Rotary Wing training fleet.

Feb 18/14: +4. A $22.9 million modification for 4 UH-72A Lakota helicopters, with the standard add-ons of ARC-231 radios and engine inlet barrier filters to keep incoming air clean.

All funds are committed immediately, using Army FY 2014 other procurement budgets. Work will be performed in Columbia, MS, and the estimated completion date is March 31/15. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W58RGZ-06-C-0194, PO 0766).

4 UH-72As

Jan 17/14: Budgets. Congress doubles the planned buy of UH-72As in 2014, so the final order will be for 20 rather than 10. It ends up being a mid-point compromise between 10 and the original 31. It’s part of the omnibus spending package. Sources: Airbus Group, “Congress continues support of UH-72A Lakota helicopter”.

OH-58D, Afghanistan

Jan 14/14: No AAS. The US Army’s OH-58D scout helicopter fleet will be retired without a successor. This means the end of Airbus’ hopes to sell the AAS-72X to the US military, though they could still offer it as an export package if a country was willing to pay the remaining development costs.

Instead, the Army will rely on a mix of their AH-64E attack helicopters and UAVs. The Army realized that they didn’t have enough money to buy enough AH-64s, and that they were going to shrink the number of people in the Army. The current leadership has decided that 698 AH-64Es, who will be able to control the planned fleets of unarmed RQ-7B Shadow and armed MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAVs from the air, will provide an “80% solution.” In parallel, a rebalancing will move more UH-60 utility helicopters to the National Guard alongside the UH-72s, where they can offer useful capabilities during natural disasters etc., while shifting AH-64 attack helicopters to the active-duty force. Sources: US Army, “Army aviation flying smarter into fiscal squeeze” | Alabama.com, “Army planning to scrap OH-58 Kiowa Warriors helicopter fleet: Reports” | Jackson Sun, “National Guard: Tennessee could lose 30 OH-58D helicopters, including at Jackson flight facility, under proposed Army plan” | The Motley Fool, “The U.S. Army Is About to Make a Huge Mistake”.

End of US Scout helicopters

July 1/13: Support. EADS North America in Herndon, VA receives a $12.9 million firm-fixed-price option for contractor logistics support for the Army’s aviation assets. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS.

The only platform that fits is the UH-72A, and the Pentagon says that this award brings the cumulative total face value of the LUH contract to $2.265 billion (W58RGZ-06-C-0194, PO 0703).

June 20/13: Thailand. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Thailand’s formal request for 6 ready-to-fly UH-72A Lakota Helicopters, communication equipment, an Aviation Mission Planning Station, plus spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of contractor and government support. The estimated cost is up to $77 million.

It’s part of an effort by Thailand to add a new light utility helicopter to its fleet, and would represent the UH-72A’s 1s export order, but the base EC145 has been exported to a number of other countries already. If the UH-72A is chosen, the principal contractor will be EADS North America, in Herndon, VA. Implementation will require U.S. Government or contractor representatives in Thailand for a period of 5 weeks for equipment de-processing/fielding, system checkout and new equipment training; plus a Contractor Furnished Service Representative (CFSR) for a period of 1 year. Read “Huey’s Departure: Thailand’s New Helicopters” for full coverage of Thailand’s multi-platform recapitalization drive.

DSCA Thailand: 6

May 30 – June 7/13: Lobbying. EADS North America is lobbying to reverse planned cuts to the UH-72A program, and essentially restore a year’s worth of orders. The have Congressional representatives attending, but the rallies are at their own plants in Mississippi and Texas. EADS NA re: MS | AL.com | WCBI, incl. video | EADS NA re: TX.

April 25/13: #250. American Eurocopter delivers the 250th UH-72A, which will be operated out of Oklahoma City by the Oklahoma National Guard. It’s actually the 255th, if you count the US Naval Test Pilot School’s 5 machines, and it’s the 54th UH-72A S&S configuration delivered to the US military.

EADS NA says that the combined Lakota fleet’s operations have now exceeded 150,000 flight hours, while maintaining over 90% availability. EADS North America.

#250

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage.

The UH-72A’s record of on-time and on-budget delivery didn’t entirely protect the LUH program. Instead of buying 31 in 2014 and the last 10 in 2015, the proposed budget would cut 31 machines, and close the program with a 10-helicopter buy in 2014. EADS North America chairman Sean O’Keefe vowed to fight the cuts, which would remove about $345 million from the firm’s order books. It will be interesting to see if he has any luck. See also EADS North America.

Feb 27/12: Support. EADS North America in Herndon, VA receives a $15.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for Contractor Logistics Support. At this point EADS North America’s site is advertising 279 LUH helicopters delivered.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/13. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Jan 3/13: MEP support. EADS North America in Herndon, VA receives a $26.3 million firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to procure contractor logistics support for LUH Mission Equipment Packages.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of June 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Nov 16/12: +34. EADS North America, Herndon, VA receives a $181.8 million firm-fixed-price contract, to deliver 34 more UH-72A helicopters (10 standard, and 24 S&S), plus engine inlet filter barrier kits that help the helicopters cope with dust and sand.

This order brings the total number of UH-72As ordered to 312/347; so far, about 243 have been delivered. EADS North America says that the Lakota fleet has averaged an operational availability rate greater than 90% in the 21 military units that enjoy full contractor logistics (CLS) support. The spare parts fill rate under the hybrid CLS concept supporting all 33 units has averaged 97%, but there’s no word of the total availability rate.

34 UH-72As

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/14 (W58RGZ-06-C-0194). See also EADS-NA.

Oct 12/12: AAS-72X. The US Army holds preliminary flying tests of the EC145-T2 at Fort Hood. It’s related to the AAS program, but they’re flying the civilian version instead of the AAS-72X+ prototype. DVIDS.

FY 2012

Orders; #200 delivered; Security & Support variant operational; UH-72A delivering lower operating costs; Armed Aerial Scout unveiled.

UH-72A at JMRC
(click to view full)

Sept 25/12: Support. A $10.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for services in support of the UH-72A Lakota. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Sept 28/13. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Aug 28/12: Ancillaries. A $33.5 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy UH-72A Security and Support Mission Equipment Packages. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/14. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Aug 17/12: Support. A $19.8 million modification to the existing firm-fixed-price contract (W58RGZ-06-C-0194) for logistic support. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2012.

August 2012: MEDEVAC. The US Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory (USAARL) announces that after an inaugural test cycle that included Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing, 12 medical devices are now Airworthiness Certified on the UH-72A.

July 18/12: AFTD gets 3. The US Army fields 3 UH-72A Lakota at Redstone Arsenal, AL for the Aviation Flight Test Directorate, a part of the Redstone Test Center. They’ll be used for general support, and as a rotary wing chase platform to support the developmental testing of aircraft and aviation systems. Huntsville Times.

July 17/12: Support. A $9.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for UH-72A engineering support services. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of June 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

July 9/12: A $15.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification of an existing contract buys contractor logistics support to June 30/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

May 29/12: Support. A $26 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, for contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

May 22/12: 100,000 flight hours. EADS North America announces that the US Army & National Guard’s fleet of 219 delivered UH-72As achieved 100,000 total flight hours on May 10/12.

100,000 hours

April 9/12: Support. A $12.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for contractor logistics support services. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. Five bids were solicited, with 3 bids received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

April 3/12: Update. US Army project manager for utility helicopters, Col. Thomas Todd, discusses the UH-72A Lakota fleet. So far, the Army has taken delivery of 209, and the fleet is in use in 42 states and approaching 100,000 flight hours. Fully 2/3 of the fleet will be located in National Guard units. Along the Mexican border, for instance, 11 Lakota aircraft have racked up 700 flying hours working the Southwest Border Mission, from operating locations in Larado and Harlingen, TX. Col. Todd:

“The real success story for us: it’s been on schedule [and] it’s met its cost targets perhaps better than any other aviation program we have got that’s active right now… It maintains consistently 90 percent operational availability rates… When we compare [to OH-58s and UH-1s] our parts fill rate is higher, and our parts cost or our contracts cost is easily 30-40 percent less. That’s a huge measuring stick for us, in these resources constrained times.”

April 2/12: AAS-72X+. American Eurocopter unveils its AAS-72X+ contender for the Army’s Armed Aerial Scout, which may or may not become a program. Unlike the LUH, it will be based on Eurocopter’s EC-145 T2, which adds more powerful 1,038 shp Turbomeca Arriel 2E engines, replaces the dual-tail rear rotor with an enclosed Fenestron, and uses the Helionix glass cockpit and avionics suite instead of Thales Meghas. American Eurocopter.

March 1/12: #200. A ceremony at American Eurocopter in Colombus, MS marks the 200th UH-72A delivered the U.S. Army, a Security and Support (S&S) variant. American Eurocopter says that the program remains on-time and on-budget. American Eurocopter.

#200

Dec 23/11: +39. A $212.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to buy 39 UH-72As. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

American Eurocopter adds that 32 of these UH-72As will be produced in the Army’s Security and Support (S&S) Battalion configuration, and says that US Army deliveries stand at 198 UH-72As as of January 2012.

39 UH-72As

Nov 5/11: S&S stood up. The first battalion of UH-72A helicopters with the Security & Support Mission Equipment Package enters service with the US military, in the Mississippi National Guard’s Company C, 1st of the 114th Security and Support Battalion.

EADS says that 69 of the 100 anticipated S&S MEP installations have been ordered. Of those, 52 will be built-in, 16 will be retrofits, and the last will be the S&S MEP prototype, which was delivered and fielded in this 1st UH-72A S&S battalion. EADS NA.

UH-72 S&S

FY 2011

Orders; Haiti mission; Dedication at Crazy Horse Memorial; New Eurocopter manager; Rescue; AAS-72 testing.

DC Guard UH-72As
(click to view full)

Sept 7/11: A $9.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, to increase the funding for contractor logistics support flight hours. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, and Trumbull, CT, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Aug 29/11: +32 S&S kit cut-ins. A $43.8 million firm-fixed-price contract modification buys production line cut-in for 32 Security & Support mission equipment packages on 32 base UH-72As.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Aug 24/11: Half-time. EADS North America announces that it has now delivered more than half of the planned 345 Lakotas to the U.S. Army, with sustained output reaching 53 helicopters per year and 180 machines delivered to the US military.

UH-72A Lakota helicopters are now operating from 31 basing locations, and the U.S. Army has ordered 219/345 possible UH-72As under the current contract. EADS NA.

July 25/11: A $10.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to provide UH-72A spares support. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/11. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

June 16/11: +14. A $74.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 14 UH-72As and 14 airborne radio communication systems (previous contracts suggest the AN/ARC-231). Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

14 UH-72As

June 7/11: Personnel. American Eurocopter announces Peter Cutler’s hiring as VP Military and Federal Government Programs. In this position, he will be responsible for the U.S. Army UH-72A LUH program, the associated Armed Aerial Scout capture effort, and expanding sales to the U.S. Coast Guard, Customs and Border Protection and FBI.

Before his hiring, Cutler spent 24 years at Sikorsky, finishing as the leader of their product support organization. He holds a B.Sc. Industrial Engineering from Rutgers University, and an MBA in Industrial Management from Fairleigh Dickinson University.

May 27/11: Haiti. Soldiers from Florida’s Army National Guard’s B Company, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation (Security and Support) return to Cecil Field in Jacksonville after a 30-day rotation in Haiti. The overwater deployment involved 2 helicopters and 12 personnel, and missions included over 140 sorties over 30 days for passengers and cargo, command and control operations, reconnaissance operations, personnel recovery training exercises, and hoist training exercises. EADS NA.

May 16/11: Crazy Horse. A ceremony at South Dakota’s Crazy Horse Memorial mountain marks the inauguration of UH-72A Lakota helicopters into the state’s National Guard. The ceremony included a Native American blessing, singing and dancing, and a commemorative blast on the mountain carving of the Lakota warrior. EADS NA UH-72 site.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe chairman Charles Murphy says “Lakota” is a word that will represent all the people in the 7 tribes in the Dakotas and Nebraska, and he says they appreciate what the Guard has done.

April 2011: Update. The Army UH-72A fleet surpasses the 60,000 flight hour milestone.

Production in 2010 saw 53 helicopters delivered, and another 41 retrofitted with new missions equipment. That includes the now FAA-certified Combat Training Center mission package. The Security and Support MEP began retrofits this month, and early 2012 will see first delivery of new-production UH-72A S&S helicopters. So far, the Army’s UH-72As have freed up at least 23 Black Hawk helicopters for military service oversees. Source 1 | Source 2.

March 30/11: +4. A $21.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 4 more UH-72A light utility helicopters; 4 AN/ARC-231 radio system production cut-ins; and 1 engine inlet barrier filter production cut-in.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of April 30/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

4 UH-72As

March 1/01: This is not a drill. A UH-72A operating from the U.S. Army’s National Training Center Air Ambulance Detachment at Ft. Irwin, performs a real rescue, when a man is trapped in his truck in the surging Mojave River. EADS’ UH-72 site

Feb 14/11: FY 2012 request. The Pentagon releases its FY 2012 request, though the failure of the last Congress to pass a budget means that it’s FY 2011 requests are also pending.

All UH-72 funds from FY 2010-2012 are procurement funds; there is no RDT&E outlay. Orders are tailing off slightly from $325.2 million for 54 helicopters in FY 2010, to $305.3 million for 50 helicopters in FY 2011, to $250.4 million for 39 helicopters in FY 2012. The overall program, as noted earlier, calls for 345 UH-72s, plus the 5 the Navy ordered for its test pilots school.

Feb 9/11: Update. EADS North America provides an update on orders to date:

“The U.S. Army has ordered a total of 32 UH-72A Lakotas from EADS North America in Fiscal Year 2011… The latest contract brings Lakota orders to 219, composed of 214 rotary-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army and five for the U.S. Navy. Another Army order for 18 more UH-72As is projected in the current Fiscal Year budget, with the Army targeting a total acquisition of 345 helicopters through 2015, for a total of 350 from both services.”

Jan 4/11: +12. A $52.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 12 UH-72A helicopters, 12 Airborne Radio Communication systems, and 2 Engine Inlet Barrier Filters that keep sand and fine particles out of the intakes.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion date of April 30/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

12 UH-72As

Dec 7/10: AAS-72. EADS North America flies the 2nd of 3 company-funded Armed Aerial Scout 72X Technical Demonstration Aircraft (TDA), at the company’s American Eurocopter facility in Grand Prairie, TX. The 40 minute flight was used to demonstrate integrated targeting sensor, manned/unmanned teaming (MUM-T) and communications and navigation capabilities. EADS NA.

Nov 18/10: Update. The US Army showcases the new security and support model at the Pentagon. The Army says that 140 of 345 planned UH-72As have been delivered. Col. Neil Thurgood, project manager for Utility Helicopters at Redstone Arsenal, AL says that Lakotas are almost exclusively being used by the National Guard in support of homeland security, adding that there are no current plans to send the helicopter into combat. US Army.

Oct 26/10: Update. EADS North America touts the 5 UH-72A variants to date, and states that 138 Lakotas have been delivered to Army and Army National Guard units (133), and the U.S. Navy (5). Overall, the UH-72A fleet has flown more than 40,000 hours in operational service.

The 5 variants are MEDEVAC, Security & Support, VIP transport, and 2 more “associated with training missions that teach soldiers how to fight aircraft and recognize friend or foe on the battle space.” EADS UH-72 site.

Oct 25/10: AAS-72. The Armed Aerial Scout 72X (AAS-72X) team of Lockheed Martin, Eurocopter, and American Eurocopter is preparing for the initial flight of their 1st company-funded Technical Demonstration Aircraft (TDA). The 3 AAS-72X TDAs will have fully-integrated Mission Equipment Packages (MEP), and the initial flight is scheduled to occur in December 2010.

The MEP has been simulated in flight tests with a weight of 2,300 pounds, and development has continued at the MEP Systems Integration Laboratory in Lockheed Martin’s Orlando, FL facility. EADS NA.

Oct 18/10: Sub-contractors. Curtiss-Wright Controls, Inc. announces a contract from American Eurocopter to provide Skyquest Video Management Systems for the U.S. Army’s UH-72A Security and Support (S&S) Battalion Mission Equipment Package (MEP). The estimated value of the contract is $20 million, based on projected helicopter production and deliveries over the next 5 years. EADS North America has 187 Lakota helicopters on order from the Army, with the potential for up to 345 helicopters through 2015.

The Skyquest airborne surveillance system is designed, developed and manufactured at the firm’s Embedded Computing facility in Laindon, East London, UK. The hardware will be shipped to American Eurocopter’s Columbus, MS facility, where it will integrate the Skyquest VMS system onto the S&S Battalion-configured Lakotas. The contract will continue through 2015.

FY 2010

Orders; Production hits full rate; Navy deliveries; New security & Support kit; New missile test copters; #100 delivered; C-17 loading test; AAS-72 tests.

Kwajalein UH-72A
(click to view full)

Sept 29/10: +36 S&S. A $67.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for 16 security and support (S&S) mission equipment package (MEP) retrofits, and 20 S&S MEP production cut-ins, for Army National Guard LUHs. Work is to be performed in Columbus, MS, with an estimated completion day of Aug 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

U.S. Army National Guard security and support battalions are on call to their own and neighboring states to help civil authorities as requested, and they can also be tasked for military missions. Most currently fly UH-1 Hueys. Asked about this MEP set, Eurocopter USA replied:

“The UH-72A S&S Battalion configuration includes a forward centerline-mounted camera system with electro-optical and infrared sensors and laser pointer, a 30 million candlepower searchlight, operator console, cockpit and cabin touch-screen displays with moving map, a video management system, a digital video recorder and data downlink system, plus an external hoist and additional avionics and communications equipment.”

36 UH-72A S&S

July 28/10: Update. Eurocopter says that it has delivered 125 UH-72As so far, all of which have been on time and on budget.

June 6/10: Kwaj. The US Army deploys 4 specialized UH-72A helicopters to the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, Pacific Ocean. The Kwajalein helicopters arrived in a C-17, and are painted in high visibility orange. They’re also equipped with skid-mounted floats, integrated life rafts, and jettisonable cockpit doors. Source.

April 2010: Germany. The US military delivers 5 UH-72As to the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Germany. The JMRC helicopters will support pilot training for combat engagements, carry observers of war game scenarios performed against aggressor unit aircraft squadrons, and perform MEDEVAC duties as needed. The JMRC’s UH-72A fleet is scheduled to rise to 10 by January 2011. Eurocopter | UH-72 site.

EC645/AAS-72X concept
(click to view full)

April 15/10: AAS-72. EADS North America and its industry team of American Eurocopter and Lockheed Martin announce that they will independently fund and develop 3 armed scout AAS-72X helicopter variants, in order to demonstrate the design’s performance and (they hope) its low risk.

The first AAS-72X Technical Demonstration Aircraft (TDA) is scheduled to be operational in late 2010, and will be used for mission equipment and weapon system integration, performance testing and survivability validations. In addition to the 3 demonstration helicopters, Lockheed Martin has established a high-fidelity systems integration lab for the AAS-72X at its Orlando, FL facility. EADS NA.

March 11/10: #100. The 100th UH-72A delivery is celebrated at a rollout ceremony. Col. L. Neil Thurgood, the Army’s project manager of the utility helicopter office, said:

“The UH-72A Lakota program has progressed on schedule and within budget constraints… The aircraft has been well received by Army aircrews and we have maintained a remarkably high operational availability rate combined with an admirable safety record. We especially look forward to fielding even more of these capable aircraft to Army National Guard units throughout the United States.”

The 100th Lakota helicopter will be deployed to Germany with the Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center. US Army.

#100

Jan 9/10: Update. The Alabama Army National Guard receives the initial 2 UH-72A Lakotas, of an expected 4 to base at Army Aviation Support Facility #2 in Birmingham, assigned to Detachment 1, Company C, 2nd Battalion, 151st Aviation Regiment. They will replace existing OH-58 Kiowa helicopters, and are the first new National Guard machines in many years. The unit is tasked with state level support for Alabama’s governor and state organizations, as well as federal level missions include aerial command, control and reconnaissance in homeland security operations.

EADS North America produces the UH-72 in Alabama. As of Jan 9/10, the firm says it has delivered 93 Lakotas to U.S. Army and Army National Guard locations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, and 5 to the U.S. Navy. Future deployments of UH-72As are anticipated in the Pacific, Europe and Japan as well. EADS-NA release.

Dec 31/09: Ancillaries. An $11.7 million firm-fixed-price contract. It funds program year 5 for 624 hours of contractor field team in support of the main post helipad at the National Training Center, and adds 6 clip on B-kits that add MEDEVAC/SAR hoists to the UH-72A. Work will be performed in Arlington, Va, with an estimated completion date of June 30/16 (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Dec 3/09: +45. A $247.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for 45 UH-72A helicopters, 30 MEDEVAC equipment packages, 30 MEDEVAC B-kits, 30 Hoist B-Kits, 4 VIP mission equipment packages, 11 engine inlet barrier filters, 34 environmental control units, and 45 airborne radio communication 231s. This contract funds FY 2010 production (5th contract year), and brings the total number of Army UH-72A orders so far to 178.

Work will be performed in Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of June 30/11. One bid was solicited with 1 bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194). See also EADS North America release.

45 UH-72As

Nov 16/09: Update. Aviation Week reports that UH-72A production has hit a rate that translates to 55 helicopters per year, and chronicles the Army National Guard’s transition from UH-1 medical (MEDEVAC) helicopters to UH-72As.

The District of Columbia National Guard’s 121st Medical Company (Air Ambulance) at Fort Belvoir, VA is the 1st Guard unit to receive aircraft in medevac configuration: 6 UH-72As replacing 9 UH-1H/Vs, with 2 more delivered in 2012 to the 1-224th Aviation Battalion (Security and Support), replacing 2 OH-58s. They will be joined at Fort Belvoir by 8 UH-72As in the active Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion.

The D.C. National Guard is reportedly in discussion with Martin-Baker to develop a sliding, rotating seat that would let a medic treat a stretcher patient while remaining buckled in.

Nov 12/09: Navy. EADS North America delivers the 1st of 5 H-72A training helicopters for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, MD, where it will be used to train test pilots from the U.S. military and allied countries. Navy H-72A modifications include jettisonable cockpit doors, a cockpit voice and flight data recorder, a main rotor blade folding kit and an air traffic advisory system. EADS release.

Deliveries to the school were completed in January 2010. US NAVAIR.

Oct 5/09: Update. EADS North America announces a successful demonstration, during which it loaded 4 U.S. Army UH-72s and a company-owned EC145 into a U.S. Air Force C-17. The loading test confirmed that 5 UH-72As can be accommodated in the C-17’s cargo bay with minimal disassembly (including no removal of the folding rotor blades), and that the aircraft can rapidly be made mission-ready upon arrival with no maintenance test flights required. The demonstration was performed at Gulfport, MS in preparation for a future delivery of 4 U.S. Army UH-72A Lakotas to the Pacific theater for basing on the Kwajalein Atoll.

EADS says that to date, more than 85 Lakotas have been delivered on or ahead of schedule and on budget. Current plans call for up to 345 Army UH-72As to be acquired through 2016, plus 5 H-72A helicopters for the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, MD. EADS North America also is offering its Armed Scout 645 variant in response to the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter competition, if it re-opens.

FY 2009

Orders; Partnership with Lockheed Martin; EC645 armed scout unveiled; New UH-72 VP at Eurocopter; 1st Full Assembly Line UH-72A delivered.

UH-72A Lakota
(click to view full)

Aug 11/09: Personnel. EADS North America announces that Gary M. Bishop has joined them as VP of the Armed Scout 645 program. Bishop previously led the Boeing industry team responsible for the U.S. Army’s Apache Longbow programs at Mesa, AZ, managing managed Apache Longbow remanufacture and new production programs for Block I, Block II, Extended Block II, and Wartime Replacement Aircraft. Bishop was also responsible for the Apache Block III developmental program. Before that, Bishop served as the United Kingdom Apache program manager, and the acting director for all International Apache Programs.

Bishop holds a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY; a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA; and a master’s degree in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI He also is a graduate of the Program Manager’s course at the Defense Systems Management College at Ft. Belvoir, VA.

July 29/09: Testing. EADS North America today announces the results of its private UH-72A “high/hot” flight demonstrations near Alamosa, CO. Operating at a takeoff elevation of more than 7,500 feet and carrying a simulated 2,300-pound Mission Equipment Package (MEP), the helicopter successfully hovered-out-of-ground-effect at a density altitude of 6,000 feet and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This meets the requirement included in the Army’s October 2008 Sources Sought document, which reflects the mission environment in theaters like Afghanistan.

The demonstration flights were also used to validate controllability and tail rotor authority at full altitude and load, while a subsequent flight with the simulated MEP payload completed a 2:30 flight with a 35-minute fuel reserve.

May 5/09: AAS-72. EADS North America unveils their Armed Scout 645 offering (later changed to AAS-72X) for the Army’s armed aerial scout requirement, and announced that Lockheed Martin has been picked to provide the Mission Equipment Package (weapons integration, targeting, etc.). The Armed Scout 645 will be built at the same Columbus, MS facility where the Army’s UH-72A Lakota is currently produced. EADS NA.

May 4/09: LUH to ARH. At the Army Aviation Association of America 2009 convention in Nashville, TN, EADS North America announces that it has teamed with Lockheed Martin to offer an armed scout variant of its UH-72A Lakota for the US Army’ Armed Aerial Scout competition. The EC645 Armed Scout will be based on the same Eurocopter EC145 commercial airframe as the Uh-72A, and would be produced at the same Columbus, MS facility. Team Site | EADS North America release | Flight International.

Jan 21/09: +5. A $25.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 5 more UH-72A helicopters, plus 2 MEDEVAC (MEDical EVACuation) equipment packages, 2 MEDEVAC B-Kits, 2 Hoist B-Kits, and 2 “Environmental Control Units” (air conditioning, see Nov 10/07).

Work will be performed at Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of March 1/10. One bid was solicited and one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Dec 2/08: +39. A $208.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 39 UH-72 helicopters, covering Program Year 4 of the Army’s LUH contract. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS and Grand Prairie, TX with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/10 (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

44 UH-72As etc.

Oct 7/08: Industrial. EADS North America delivers its first full assembly line (FAL) UH-72 on schedule from the production facility at Columbus, MS. The production transition process from Eurocopter to the US facility involves 3 major overlapping production phases: Light Assembly Line (LAL), Full Assembly Line (FAL) and Production Line (PL).

EADS North America’s initial UH-72A from the FAL phase was the 41st Lakota delivered to the Army. The machine completed 7 of the 14 assembly production work stations in Columbus, including the installation of flight instruments, engines, tail boom and doors to systems test, flight testing and airworthiness approval. This aircraft also incorporates the first UH-72A tail boom that was entirely manufactured at the Columbus facility. EADS NA release.

FY 2008

Orders, incl. Navy contract; Program total rises to 345; UH-72A named “Lakota”; Cramped medical space; Overheated?

Hoist close up
(click to view full)

Sept 22/08: Lakota, meet the Lakota. The Lakota tribe reportedly feels that their reputation as a peaceful people is well-matched with the UH-72’s civil rescue capabilities and domestic mission focus. A pair of UH-72As from the 5th Aviation Battalion at Fort Polk, Louisiana, are present for the Lakota Sioux’s annual sun dance in Rosebud, South Dakota, with the pilots invited to participate in the traditional ceremony that honors the tribe’s warriors and elders.

The deployment also includes a fly-past of Mount Rushmore. EADS NA release.

Tribal ceremony

Sept 15/08: +5 Navy. A $24.8 million firm/fixed/price contract for the purchase of 5 UH-72A Light Utility Helicopters for the US Navy Test Pilot School. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS with an estimated completion date of June 30/16. Bids were solicited online, and 5 bids were received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194). NAVAIR release.

5 Navy UH-72As

EADS North America’s release adds that:

“Today, more than 40 aircraft are operating with Army and Army National Guard units across the country… Lakota deliveries to the Army and National Guard currently average three to four helicopters per month, with the capacity to reach five UH-72s monthly.”

April 7/08: SAR – more UH-72As. The LUH program is mentioned in the Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report to December 2007:

“Program costs increased $208.4 million (+11.1 percent) from $1,881.8 million to $2,090.2 million, due primarily to a quantity increase of 23 aircraft from 322 to 345 aircraft ($139.3 million). There was an additional cost increase for modifications to address issues identified during the Initial Operational Test (+$171.1 million). These modifications included ARC-231 secure radios and cabin ventilation kits for all 345 aircraft, engine inlet (air) filters for 66 aircraft, and medical evacuation kits for 84 aircraft.”

DID note: If modifications cost $171.1 million, and additional helicopters $139.3 million, the extra helicopters cannot be “primarily” responsible for the overall increase in costs.

SAR – more UH-72s

March 27/08: Support. A firm-fixed-price contract for $7.2 million, increasing the PY03 Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) hours to ensure continued CLS coverage for the UH-72A. The action also exercises the option for PY03 Procedural Trainer Support Labor to ensure that coverage is available for maintenance of the Procedural Trainer following acceptance.

Performance locations include Fort Irwin, CA (33.3%), Fort Eustis, VA (33.3%), and Fort Polk, LA (33.3%). The estimated completion date is Dec 31/08. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

Dec 14/07: +43. A $213.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for Light Utility Helicopters. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS, and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/08. There was 1 bid solicited on Dec. 12/07, and 1 bid was received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

EADS North America informs DID that the order covers 43 helicopters, plus associated items like rescue hoists, MEDEVAC kits, and training.

43 UH-72As

Dec 11/07: Update. EADS North America issues a release summarizing the UH-72A program’s achievements in 2007: meeting milestones, making deliveries, good in-service rate over 90%. Their helicopter’s recent difficulties are not mentioned.

Nov 10/07: The LUH program encounters its first spot of trouble. The Associated Press reports that during flight tests in Southern California in 80-degree weather, cockpit temperatures in the UH-72A Lakota soared above 104 degrees, the designated critical point for communication, navigation and flight control systems. In response, the Army will be installing air conditioning in many UH-72s, something that’s common on the EC145 civilian helicopters it’s derived from, but rare on military machines.

The helicopter also had difficulty with the requirement that it be able to evacuate 2 critically injured patients. It can carry them, but the cabin is too cramped for medics to actually work on more than one at a time.

Testing problems

Oct 8/07: Industrial. EADS North America announces that UH-72A production reached 2 machines per month in September 2007. Both UH-72As were accepted at the newly-expanded Lakota production center in Columbus, MS. These are the 11th and 12th UH-72As received by the Army, and the 2nd and 3rd helicopters assembled in America.

FY 2007 and Earlier

“UH-145” wins; Initial deliveries: 6 MEDEVAC, 2 VIP.

Dark horse no more

July 23/07: Update. EADS North America announces delivery of its 8th UH-72A Lakota to the U.S. Army ahead of schedule, completing the initial phase of orders. Unlike the 6 MEDEVAC helicopters at Ft. Irwin, these 2 UH-72As are the first configured for VIP transportation duties, and are equipped with removable seats that also enable their use in general support and airlift/logistic missions. They will be based at Ft. Eustis, VA. EADS North America will now begin delivering 34 UH-72As ordered by the contract option exercised in October 2006.

The UH-72A’s ability to hit cost projections and delivery targets may have wider implications as well. A number of representatives on Capitol Hill are seriously considering a recommendation to the military that Bell’s ARH-70A Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program be canceled, with funds redirected into integrating sensors and weapons on the UH-72 instead, and buying more of those helicopters for the ARH role.

June 19/07: 1st unit. The U.S. Army has equipped its first operational UH-72A unit – the National Training Center Air Ambulance Detachment at Ft. Irwin, California, which received its 6th Lakota helicopter less than 11 months after contract award.

The milestone followed Full Material Release (FMR) authorization from the Army’s Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM), confirming that the UH-72A and its production system are ready to support the LUH mission. According to Army program officials, FMR was granted at the initial request – a first in AMCOM history for an Army aviation system. Rotor News.

1st unit

Dec 11/06: 1st delivery. EADS North America officially handed over the first UH-72A Light Utility Helicopter during a delivery and naming ceremony in Columbus, MS. The helicopter will be named “Lakota,” after the Sioux Indian tribe, and 4 of the initial aircraft will be based in Mississippi.

EADS North America plans to deliver a second UH-72A before year-end, which will be used on missions within the United States. Another 40 UH-72As are currently in the production cycle for delivery during 2007 and 2008.

1st delivery

Nov 1/06: Ancillaries. A $170.6 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-reimbursable contract for MEDEVAC B and Hoist B kits, along with student pilot and maintainer training, and a procedural training device for the Light Utility Helicopter Aircraft. Work will be performed in Columbus, MS (97%), Grand Prairie, TX (1%), and Tampa, FL (2 percent), and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2016. Bids were solicited online on July 26, 2005, and 5 bids were received (W58RGZ-06-C-0194).

June 30/06: UH-145 Wins! EADS breaks into the US military market, as Eurocopter’s “UH-145” (later UH-72A) beats Bell Helicopter’s 412EP, MD Helicopters’ UH-902 NOTAR, and AgustaWestland’s AW139. That victory comes with an initial order:

EADS North American Defense of Arlington, VA received a $43.1 million firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-level-of-effort, cost-reimbursable contract for the Light Utility Helicopter with MEDVAC B and hoist B kits, along with pilot transition and maintainer training. Work will be performed at American Eurocopter in Columbus, MS, and is expected to be complete by June 30/16. Bids were solicited July 26, 2005, and 5 bids were received by The Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-06-C-0194). For more information, call the program executive office, aviation, public affairs at (256) 842-0561.

UH-145 is LUH

Appendix A: Eurocopter – Anatomy of a Win

MEDEVAC through the back

While the order is a breakthrough for Eurocopter in the military market, the firm did have US government experience to draw upon. American Eurocopter helicopters (though not necessarily the EC145) were already operated by the U.S. Coast Guard, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency in the Department of Homeland Security, and the FBI. The EC145 itself has been deployed in a variety of roles in Europe and the USA, including medical, offshore, law enforcement and paramilitary/security uses.

While it didn’t possess the Bell 412 twin-Huey’s backward compatibility, or MDHI’s patented NOTAR system, the EC145 offered a pair of benefits that matter in combat-related situations.

One is a high-set main and tail rotor design that allows safe loading and unloading through the main side doors and rear-fuselage clamshell doors, even while the rotors are turning. That “back door” capability has a number of uses in a military context, including MEDEVAC, fast exits, and more. Only the MD-902 Explorer NOTAR matched this capability, and it did not use the EC145’s convenient clamshell arrangement.

EC145 Interior View

The second benefit is lowered noise signature. A helicopter’s external noise levels matter, as this Christian Science Monitor article about the American experiences in Afghanistan notes. Quieter helicopters are better equipped to avoid detection and targeting, and preserve the element of surprise, especially under circumstances like night missions. The EC145’s noise emissions have been a focus due to tightening civilian regulations, resulting in a profile 6.7 dB below the ICAO standards. Again, the only competitor who could match this was the MD-902, whose NOTAR design reportedly made it slightly superior.

On which topic, MD Helicopters’ acting CEO and founder and principal of the $5 billion investment firm Patriarch Partners, LLC (which owns MDHI) blasted the decision in no uncertain terms:

“Ms. Tilton said MDHI is a classic American turnaround story and did not receive the same level of consideration as its competitors. “The process was seriously flawed and perfunctory, at best. Had the military taken the time and expended the energy to conduct serious diligence and come out and kick the tires, the conclusion would have been inescapable. The simple reality is that there was no attention to substantive matters. No rational investor would commit capital absent a recent on-site review. There is absolutely no question in my mind that the MDHI bid offered by best overall product and value.”

MDHI’s NOTAR explained
(click to view full)

This may be so, but evaluations are not made public, so it’s hard to gauge such statements. It is likely that MDHI’s reorganization gave it a lower supplier stability rating than Eurocopter’s, which owns a leading share in the global civilian helicopter market. The US military has also traditionally been lukewarm at best regarding MDHI’s NOTAR (No TAil Rotor) technology, which hasn’t seen a more aggressive country adopt the design and prove it in combat.

In contrast, American Eurocopter had a strong political lobby behind it, including Sen. Trent Lott [R-MS, now retired], and may have benefited directly or indirectly from the post-Katrina focus on the state of Mississippi and the funneling of aid to that region. The winning release is even more full of politicians’ quotes than usual, a testament to the lobbying effort’s depth. Eurocopter added to that depth by fielding a very strong bid team including American military helicopter leader Sikorsky as its contractor logistics support partner, plus Westwind Technologies for special purpose helicopter systems integration and modification, and CAE USA to provide simulators. In contrast, Bell Textron largely relied on its own clout and services, AgustaWestland recruited L-3 as its key US partner, and MD Helicopters assembled an innovative team that included Dyncorp. None had the combination of political and industrial backing that Eurocopter displayed.

Additional Readings & Sources

Readers with corrections, comments, or information to contribute are encouraged to contact DID’s Founding Editor, Joe Katzman. We understand the industry – you will only be publicly recognized if you tell us that it’s OK to do so.

• GlobalSecurity.org – Light Utility Helicopter

• Eurocopter UH-72A Site

• <Armed Aerial Scout 72X site. Armed Reconnaissance version being offered to the US military as a complement to the UH-72A.

• DID (Nov 1/05) – US Army LUH Competition: 4 Bids, New Partnerships. Covers the various contending teams, and contains links to previous DID articles covering the various contenders and the competition in depth.

News & Views

• Aviation Week (Nov 16/09) – Guard Moves To UH-72A Lakota For Medevac. Dead link.

• EADS North America (May 4/09) – American Eurocopter joins the new Armed Scout 645 helicopter industry team. It aims to fill the void left by the Bell 407/ARH-70 project’s cancellation, creating an armed reconnaissance helicopter that’s also based on the EC145.

• DID (Sept 14/08) – Eurocopter Wins Additional Orders from American DHS. Not EC145s, but AS350B3 – also produced at Eurocopter’s Mississippi facility.

• Eurocopter USA LUH Site (June 30/06) – EADS North America selected to provide U.S. Army’s Light Utility Helicopter

• Eurocopter USA LUH Site (June 30/06) – UH-145 deliveries will begin this November for the Army’s Light Utility Helicopter requirement

• Eurocopter USA LUH Site (April 10/06) – Four leading suppliers join the UH-145 industrial team for the U.S. Army’s Light Utility Helicopter

• EADS (Jan 30/06) – American Eurocopter’s Columbus, Mississippi facility to produce EADS North America’s UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter

• Aviation Today (April 2006) – Downsized, Digitized, and in Demand. Excellent report giving an overview of the US Army’s helicopter modernization programs. Dead link, unfortunately.

• Aviation Week & Space Technology (Jan 29/06) – Bell Prepares 412EP for U.S. Army Competition [dead link]

• Bell Textron (Jan 23/06) – Bell Helicopter’s Submission for Army’s Light Utility Helicopter Credited with Saving Tens of Thousands of Lives

• MD Helicopters International (Jan 20/06) – MD Helicopters Adds Key Executives to Management Team

• Eurocopter USA (Jan 18/06) – The UH-145 Light Utility Helicopter’s EC145 Version Builds on its Growing Sales Success in the U.S. Market

• MD Helicopters LUH site (Jan 13/06) – Rep. Flake Visits MD Helicopters for Briefing on Company’s Progress for Army Program. Release also contains links to a study by Conklin & de Decker [PDF] concluding that the direct operating costs of the MD Explorer 900 were significantly less than other aircraft vying for the LUH and could save the U.S. Army between $300-700 million over its competitors during the 20-year life of the LUH program.

Americas

Textron Aviation won a $14.3 million contract modification for the production and delivery of one King Air 350C Cargo Slick aircraft modified to a UC-12W. The UC-12W, a modified version of the King Air 350 equipped with a cargo door and military required equipment, is a modern and improved version of the UC-12. The UC-12 is used by the Navy for personnel and cargo transport, range clearance, medical evacuation, and humanitarian assistance. The Navy operates UC-12B/F/M Huron as modified variants of the King Air B200 as well as the UC-12W Huron. Work will take place in Kansas and expected completion is in March 2021.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $9.6 million delivery order, which procures program management support to execute the planning, procurement and delivery of initial aircraft spares in support of the F-35 Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers operational aircraft. The F-35 is considered a significant driver of the Pentagon’s budget: an August DoD report said the F-35 program grew by $25 billion in 2018 and was the primary reason the Pentagon’s budget grew by four percent that year. Work will take place in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be finished in December 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

Middle East & Africa

The head of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, has revealed that three JF-17s, which the country ordered, will arrive home in November this year. He made the disclosure during the Passing Out Parade of the Basic Military Training Course 40 on February 15. In March 2019, Pakistan’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) announced that it had approved the sale of three JF-17s to Nigeria under a $184 million US contract. It is likely that the NAF will follow-up this contract with a follow-on order to fully replace its legacy F-7Ni and FT-7Ni fighters. Through the JF-17, Nigeria possesses one of Sub-Sahara Africa’s most well-equipped fighters.

Europe

Thales UK has been awarded contracts worth around $422.8 million to develop the sonar suite and above-water sensor systems for the new Royal Navy Dreadnought Class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Previously known as Successor, the Dreadnought submarine program is planned to replace the RN’s four existing Vanguard Class SSBNs – one for one, from the early 2030s – to maintain a posture of continuous at-sea deterrence. Manufacture work on the first two 17,200-tonne displacement boats is under way at the BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard facility in Cumbria.

Asia-Pacific

Singapore-based unmanned maritime systems developer Zycraft has produced a logistics-optimized variant of the Dolphin rescue unmanned surface vessel (USV), the company announced on its official website on March 3. According to Zycraft president James Soon, the company has developed the BacPac sea transfer module to carry payloads of up to 10 kg between ships that are unable to maneuver alongside each other due to sea conditions or security concerns. The baseline Dolphin rescue USV measures 1,150 mm long, 800 mm wide, and 250 mm tall, and has a displacement of 13 kg. It can operate for up to 30 minutes between charges and is powered by a pair of electric waterjets that propel it at speeds of up to 8 kt. The USV can be deployed off the stern or sides of a vessel and recovered using a grapnel hook or line lift, although it can also be extracted from the water by hand if conditions permit. A weight transfer device enables the sea vehicle to be lifted out of the water without excessive induced motion.

Australia took delivery of the Royal Australian Navy’s third and final Hobart Class Air Warfare Destroyer, the future HMAS Sydney, at the Osborne naval shipyard in Adelaide on February 28. The third Hobart-class destroyer is expected to be commissioned in Sydney on May 20 and undertake work-up activities until the end of the year in preparation for up to six months of US Navy Combat System Ship Qualification trials. These will include firings over the Pacific Test Range off San Diego of the destroyer’s RIM-66 SM-2 Block 3B and RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles (ESSMs) air-defense missiles. First-of-class HMAS Hobart was commissioned in 2017 while the second, HMAS Brisbane , was commissioned the following year: each more than two years behind the original schedule, which itself was re-baselined three times.

Today’s Video

Watch: Indian Defence Updates : Rafale Meteor Edge Lost,DRDO’s Rader-X,Desi Apache Tech,AKASH To Bangladesh

Americas

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $262.3 million modification for Active Electronically Scanned Array radars of Air Force F-16 aircraft. The modification is for the exercise of options to include 15 engineering, manufacturing and development and 90 production radars, as well as associated support equipment and spares. Northrop won $1 billion in December 2019 to work on F-16 radar systems. The contract funds development and production of up to 372 AESA radars. These radars are computer-controlled antennae in which the beam of radio waves can be steered to point in different directions without physically moving the antenna. Work will take place in Maryland and estimated completion will be by December 2022.

Lockheed Martin won a $141.7 million contract modification, which provides for the stand-up of organic level repair capabilities for the combat aircraft F-35 communications, navigation and information system. The F-35 is considered the most advanced fighter aircraft in the sky. This week Hill AFB, Utah, celebrated the recognition of its 388th and 419th Fighter Wings of F-35 fighter planes reaching Full Warfighting Capability. The Department of Defense’s fiscal year 2021 budget proposal requests $11.4 billion for 79 Joint Strike Fighters, whose cost Lockheed said it has brought down to less than $80 million per plane.

Middle East & Africa

The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Tunisia of four AT-6C Wolverine Light Attack Aircraft and related equipment. The deal is valued at $325.8 million. Supporting equipment for the package includes MAU-169 Computer Control Groups; MXU-1006/B Air Foil Groups (AFG); MK81 250 LB GP bombs; BDU-50s (MK-82 filled inert); MXU-650 C/B AFG, GBU-12; guidance section, guided bombs, MAU-209, GBU-10,12,16; MK-82 500lb bombs; FMU-152 A/B fuses; MAU-169H(D-2)/B Computer Control Groups; and Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems. The AT-6 platform will support Tunisia’s ability to respond to and engage threats in multiple areas across the country. The prime contractor would be Textron Aviation Defense.

Bell Helicopter Textron won an $8.4 million contract modification, which provides for the production and delivery of a fully assembled flight training device for an AH-1Z attack helicopter, excluding software integration, for the government of Bahrain. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $6,259,796 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Based on the Vietnam War-era AH-1 Cobra, the AH-1Z Viper is the Marine Corps’ primary rotor-wing ground attack aircraft. The AH-1Z attack helicopter provides rotary wing close air support, anti-armor, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance and fire support coordination capabilities under day/night and adverse weather conditions. Work will take place in Texas and is expected to be finished in December 2020.

Europe

British company Meggitt PLC has signed a contract with Bell Textron Inc for an estimated value of $73 million to supply composite deicing propeller rotor blankets, heated spinners, fairings and pendulums to the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey. The V-22 Osprey is designed to combine the functionality of a conventional helicopter with the long-range, high-speed cruise performance of a turboprop aircraft. According to Meggitt, its electro-thermal ice protection components are constructed from composite material with embedded thermal technology. The company has recently also signed a six year contract with the US Defense Logistics Agency for the supply of fuel bladders. The firm is to supply fuel bladders to the F/A-18 Super Hornet, V-22 Osprey and the CH/MH-53 Super Stallion. This contract has a potential lifetime value of $130 million and deliveries are scheduled to commence in 2020.

Asia-Pacific

Japan is developing a new air-launched anti-ship missile (ASM) designed for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) Kawasaki P-1 maritime patrol aircraft, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics Agency (ATLA). The spokesperson confirmed the missile development to Jane’s.Mitsubishi Heavy Industries was awarded a contract to develop the weapon system and ATLA has allocated around $85 million from fiscal years 2017 to 2021 research and development work. The missile is reportedly an improved variant of the Type-12 ground-launched ASM currently in service with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF).

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Americas

FlightSafety won a $33.2 million not-to-exceed modification for the exercise of the KC-46 Aircrew Training System production year 5 options. The contract modification is for the exercise of option contract line item numbers for two additional weapon system trainers, two boom operator trainers, fuselage trainer, fuselage trainer sprinkler system and installation, two pilot part task trainers, boom operator part task trainer, additional learning management workstations, fuselage trainer support equipment, McGuire and Altus Site Activations, systems engineering and program management, Visual Database Airfield Models and new refresher training scenarios. The KC-46 Pegasus is a wide body, multi-role tanker. It is capable of carrying a fuel capacity of 212,000 pounds. Work will take place in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Estimated completion will be by February 2022.

Bell-Boeing won a $165.3 million modification for the manufacture and delivery of two MV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Marine Corps and to provide funding for additional repairs in support of the Common Configuration-Readiness and Modernization Program. The MV-22B Osprey is a tiltrotor V/STOL aircraft designed as the medium-lift replacement for the CH-46E Sea Knight assault support helicopter. The Osprey can operate as a helicopter or a turboprop aircraft and offers twice the speed, six times the range, and three times the payload of the CH-46E. Work will take place in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Utah. Expected completion will be by September 2023.

Middle East & Africa

General Dynamics Land Systems won a $18 million modification for Abrams systems technical support. Land Systems is a global leader in tracked and wheeled military vehicles. The Abrams main battle tank as well as the family of Stryker and LAV wheeled combat vehicles and the AJAX armored fighting vehicles are at the heart of Land Systems’ military vehicle platforms. Fiscal 2019 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army; 2020 operations and maintenance, Army; 2020 Foreign Military Sales to Kuwait; and 2020 Army working capital funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award. Work will take place in Michigan and estimated completion date is February 25, 2021.

Europe

Belarus has successfully tested the 9M318 air defense missile from February 17 to 26. The new missile is designed for the country’s Buk-MB2 and Buk-MB3 air defense missile systems. The missile as an active radar homing guidance and a range of 70km. In May 2019 the OKB TSP Scientific Production Limited Liability Company of Belarus unveiled the prototype for 9M318 surface-to-air missile (SAM) for the Buk-MB2 and Buk-MB3 medium-range SAM systems at the MILEX 2019 defense exhibition in Minsk. The 9M318 has a reported stated operational range of 3 km-70 km and can engage an aerial target flying at an altitude between 0.015 km and 25 km at a speed of up to 1,350 m/s.

The DoS approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Netherlands of sixteen MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology (AT) torpedo conversion kits and related equipment for an estimated cost of $85 million. The Government of the Netherlands had requested to buy sixteen MK-48 Mod 7 Advanced Technology torpedo conversion kits. Also included are spare parts, containers, associated hardware, torpedo handling equipment, and cables; US Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The Netherlands desire to upgrade additional MK 48 Mod 4 torpedoes to the MK 48 Mod 7 AT model. They intend to use the MK 48 Mod 7 AT torpedo on their Walrus Class submarines. The Netherlands will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

Asia-Pacific

General Dynamics Bath Iron Works won a $7.7 million contract modification to exercise options for the accomplishment of planning yard efforts such as engineering, technical, planning, ship configuration, data and logistics efforts for DDG 1000 Class destroyers post-delivery and in-service life-cycle support. Zumwalt is the lead ship of the class of modern generation multi-mission destroyers designed to strengthen naval power from the sea. The DDG 1000 ship self-defense combat system, Zumwalt Combat System, consists of several programs including total Ship Computing Environment (TSCE) and Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) with tracker and sensor data fusion and distribution system. DDG 1000 will employ active and passive sensors and a Multi-Function Radar (MFR) capable of conducting area air surveillance, including over-land search and track, throughout the extremely difficult and cluttered sea-land interface. Work will take place in Maine and California and expected completion will be in December 2020.

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Americas

Raytheon won a $15 million deal for Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) technical support. The total value of the IDIQ contract will increase from $100,000,000 to $115,000,000. This contract provides for lifecycle technical support throughout engineering and manufacturing development (EMD), production, and sustainment phases. The Small Diameter Bomb II, or SDB II, is designed to destroy moving targets in all kinds of weather, such as small groups of ISIS or terrorist fighters on-the-move in pick-up trucks. The US Air Force Air Armament Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, awarded a $144m contract to Raytheon in April 2006 for risk reduction work of the SDB II bomb, also known as GBU-53 / B. The work was completed in August 2009. Work will take place in Arizona and estimated completion date is July 25, 2024.

Hamilton Sundstrand won an $11.6 million contract to procure recurring and non-recurring engineering associated with the H-53E (aircraft) and T-64 (battle tank) fuel control production line stand-up. In addition, this contract provides for the procurement of special tooling, test equipment and support equipment. The CH-53E Super Stallion is the Marine Corps’ primary heavy lift helicopter and has been in service for over 30 years. There are currently 152 CH-53E aircraft in operation. The Super Stallion incorporates GPS, doppler radar, FLIR, and ANVIS-HUD sensors, and carries 7.62mm and 50 caliber guns (as a mission kit). The T-64 is a Soviet second-generation Main Battle Tank introduced in the early 1960s. A revolutionary feature of the T-64 is the incorporation of an automatic loader for its 125-mm gun, allowing one crew member’s position to be omitted and helping to keep the size and weight of the tank down.

Middle East & Africa

CAS Inc. won a $35.5 million modification for technical engineering services in support of the Lower Tier Project Office. The Lower Tier Project Office (LTPO) performs Army centralized management of the PATRIOT System products that include; the PATRIOT Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) family of interceptors to include PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) and PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, Ground Support Equipment (GSE) and the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). Work will take place in Alabama. Estimated completion date is February 28, 2021. Foreign Military Sales to Bahrain, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates are obligated at the time of the award.

The US Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Jordan of up to seven hundred (700) Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) software license copies and related equipment for an estimated cost of $300 million. The Government of Jordan has requested to buy up to seven hundred (700) Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) software license copies with a tailored, international ballistic kernel. The Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) is the Fire Support Command and Control (C2) system employed by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps units to provide automated support for planning, coordinating, controlling and executing fires and effects. The upgrade and expansion of the AFATDS fire control system will allow the JAF to defend its borders and ground forces with indirect fire weapon systems.  The prime contractors for the AFATDS and supporting equipment include Raytheon Company and the Harris Company.  There are no known offset agreements in connection with this potential sale.

Europe

The French military has indicated that it intends to lease some CH-47s before it acquires a heavy lift helicopter from 2025. Combat experience in Central Africa has exposed the need for a heavy lift rotorcraft to support French special forces. It currently relies on three British CH-47s in Mali. France is one of a handful of European countries that do not operate heavy lift helicopters, instead relying on types like the NHIndustries NH90, the Airbus H225M Caracal and Super Puma for troop lift and battlefield support operations. But France’s recent experience in Central Africa has prompted the need for a logistics heavy lifter.

Asia-Pacific

The Indonesian House of Representatives’ committee on defense and foreign affairs has cleared the acceptance of 14 ScanEagle Unmanned Air Vehicles and three Bell 412 helicopters from the United States. Under the country’s law, every grant provided to the Indonesian government needs to first be approved by the House of Representatives. Indonesia, has a defense cooperation with several countries, including the US. In the framework of the cooperation, giving primary weapons defense system as a grant is reasonable.

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Americas

Boeing won a $7.4 million delivery order, which procures 30 A1 G-Model kits and 66 A3 E-Model kits in support of F/A-18E/F and EA-18G modifications. The US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet is a maritime strike attack aircraft. The first low-rate initial production aircraft was delivered in December 1998, and all 12 of the first batch were delivered by November 1999. EA-18G Growler is an airborne electronic attack aircraft, which operates from either an aircraft carrier or from land-bases. The Growler was developed as a replacement for the United States Navy EA-6B Prowler aircraft that entered service in 1971 and is approaching the end of operational life. Work will take place in California,Missouri and Texas. Estimated completion is in October 2023.

Tapestry Solutions won a $29.4 million award for the F-15 mission planning software development and maintenance. The deal provides for the F15 software development of the v6.1 Mission Planning Environment and supports the F-15 Organizational Flight Program Suite 9.1 through sustainment of the previously-fielded v5.0 Mission Planning Environment for the Air Force and foreign country specific releases for the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) client nations as well as the in-test v6.0 Mission Planning Environment. The Foreign Military Sales effort allows continued support to incorporate requirements to provide country specific versions of Air Force Mission Planning Environment updates in accordance with each country specific FMS Letters of Acceptance between the US government and the foreign government.  The Mission Planning Environment updates will be fielded outside the continental US to the FMS costumers with current Letters of Acceptance in place with the U.S. government.  Work will take place in Missouri. Estimated completion date is July 31, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Leidos won a $19.7 million modification to provide Class V munitions supply support for all ammunition stocks accounted for by 1st Sustainment Command (Theater) to US military/government components, Department of Defense agencies, and, as required, coalition forces in the Central Command Area of Responsibility. Work will take place in Kuwait City, Kuwait. Estimated completion date is February 28, 2021.

Taiwan formally handed over two Bell UH-1H helicopters to the Umbutfo Eswatini Defense Force Air Wing on February 21, the Taiwanese embassy in Eswatini announced. Eswatini media reported that five UEDF Air Wing pilots and five ground technicians were trained by Taiwan to operate the new helicopters. King Mswati III, Eswatini’s current ruler, was reported as saying the aircraft would provide a useful disaster-relief capability that could be used to help neighboring countries. He also said they would support the Royal Eswatini Police Service with air mobility and medical evacuation.

Europe

Meggitt has reported a 10% year-on-year increase in orders in 2019, including a 23% uptake in its defense business. The British aerospace and defense sub-system developer’s annual financial results that cover the period ending December 31, 2019 were released on February 25 and reported $3.15 billion in orders, up on the $3 billion recorded in 2018. Reported revenues, meanwhile, grew by 9% across the company, and 13% in the defense business line. This equates to the defense business accounting for 36% of the company’s revenues in 2019, with 73% of these sales for US customers, 17% for those in Europe, and 10% to the rest of the world.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Air Force has deployed three S.211 jet trainers for maritime air patrol duties in Western Command. The jets are stationed at Antonio Bautista Air Base. The West Philippine Sea is site of territorial claims by China which had been insisting that virtually the entire South China Sea belonged to it. Beijing’s based its claims on its mythical nine-dash line which had been rejected in 2016 by an international court in a case filed by the Philippines. Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the area. But China has been putting its military superiority on display, building artificial islands and military outposts, deploying warships and maritime militias to the contested waterways.

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Americas

Raytheon won a $8 million contract modification for design agent engineering and technical support services for the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, SeaRAM, and Land-based Phalanx Weapon System. Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats that have penetrated all other defenses. CIWS is an integral element of the Fleet Defense In-Depth concept and the Ship Self-Defense Program. Operating either autonomously or integrated with a combat system, it is an automatic terminal defense weapon system designed to detect, track, engage and destroy anti-ship missile threats penetrating outer defense envelopes. The Raytheon Phalanx weapon system is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled, radar-guided gun that can defeat anti-ship missiles and other close-in threats on land and at sea. Work will take place in Arizona and estimated completion date is January 2022.

Raytheon announced that it finished the first radar antenna for the US Army’s new missile defense sensor. The company won the contract to build the Lower Tier Air Missile Defense Sensor or LTAMDS in October, following a competition to replace the service’s Patriot Air and missile defense system sensor. The radar will become a part of the service’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defense System that will replace the entire Patriot system. Raytheon also manufactures the Patriot. The contract is worth roughly $384 million to deliver six production-representative units of the LTAMDS.

Middle East & Africa

Following a barrage of dozens of rockets fired at Israel, the IDF retaliated with strikes against the terrorist organization south of Damascus and across the Gaza Strip. According to local media the Israel Defense Forces struck a number of PIJ targets south of Damascus, Syria, and across the Gaza Strip on February 24. According to reports, a number of PIJ members were killed in the Syria strike. The IDF Home Front Command issued instructions to cancel school classes today in several towns. Some roads near the Gaza border fence will also be closed.

Europe

Four Norwegian Air Force F-35 fighter aircraft have arrived at Keflavik Air Base, Iceland. The aircraft are now preparing to for the NATO mission providing intercept capabilities for the country. According to NATO, this is the first NATO mission abroad for Norway’s modern fighter aircraft after reaching initial operational capability in November 2019. The Air Policing mission in Iceland is similar to the one carried out by the Norwegian F-16 Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) interceptors from Bodø in northern Norway. Since the beginning of the NATO mission ten Allies (Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States) have manned the regular peacetime deployment.

An agreement to advance construction of a joint advanced combat aircraft program was ceremonially signed by French and German defense ministers. A contract for the first phase of the program to build the main aircraft of the Future Combat Air System was awarded last week. It covers the plane’s propulsion system, data architecture and simulation environment, the German Defense Ministry said. Airbus, MTU, Safran and Dassault are the lead contractors. Plans for the program include development of a Next-Generation Weapon System whose components include remote carrier vehicles known as “swarming drones” and a sixth-generation fighter plane intended to be ready by 2035 to replace current Rafales, Eurofighters and F-18 Hornet planes. The plane and drones are expected to work in tandem.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing won a $93 million contract, which incorporates the next three planned configurations of the operator flight program/system configuration set into the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 F and EA-18G aircraft training systems. Additionally, this contract procures spares, support equipment, technical manual updates and on-site training. The Australian Air Force has 24 Super Hornets. The F/A-18F Super Hornets are based at Number 1 Squadron at RAAF Base Amberley. 11 EA-18G Growlers are operated by No. 6 Squadron based at RAAF Base Amberley. The EA-18G Growler is an electronic attack aircraft. It is capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications. Work will take place in Missouri and Australia and estimated completion will be in February 2025.

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Americas

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory won a $200.7 million contract modification to exercise the optional line item for fiscal 2020 production of TRIDENT II D5 Strategic Weapon System MK6 Guidance Equivalent Units. UGM-133A Trident II, or Trident D5, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the American and British navies. The missile has a maximum operational range of over 7,500 miles and a CEP of 90 meters. The missile’s MK 6 Astro-inertial guidance navigation system is also able to receive GPS updates. The missiles deployed on US submarines can be equipped with a Mark 5 MIRV warhead that can carry up to 8 W88 (475 kt) warheads, or a Mark 4 MIRV that can also carry 14 W76 (100 kt) warheads. Work will take place in Massachusetts, Florida, Texas and estimated completion date is in December 2023.

Raytheon won a $17 million order for dual band radar spares in support of USS Gerald R. Ford or CVN 78. According to the company, the dual band radar is the first radar system in the U.S. Navy fleet capable of operating on the S-band and X-band frequency at the same time. DBR systems allow unmanned operation of and uses commercial off-the-shelf technology for signal and data processing. CVN 78 is the lead ship of her class of aircraft carriers. The Ford class carriers are now on the cusp of entering operational service. Work will take place in Massachusetts and is expected to be finished by December 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Science Applications International won a $15.3 million modification for Force Protection Systems (FPS) Integrated Base Defense Operation Inherent Resolve System Engineering, FPS Counter Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (C-VBIED) Systems Engineering, Close Combat Weapon System Foreign Military Sales engineering and analysis, and FPS Combat Outpost Surveillance Force Protection System (COSFPS) System Engineering. Work will take place in Afghanistan, Iraq and Alabama. Estimate completion date is January 30, 2021.

Europe

Serbia has taken delivery of the first shipment of Pantsir-S1 mobile air defense missile system at Colonel-Pilot Milenko Pavlovic airbase on February 22. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic made the announcement on television on February 23 a day after the Defense Ministry confirmed receiving two of the six ordered short-range, rapid-fire antiaircraft systems. “Serbia strengthened its defensive and deterrent capabilities,” the Defense Ministry said in a statement. The delivery comes from a deal made last year that comes with a target detection and designation radar, target and missile tracking radar, and electro-optical sensor systems. Each Panstir system is capable of guiding up to four missiles at a time.

The Latvian National Armed Forces have begun to take delivery of initial consignments of Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Spike precision-guided tactical missiles under the provisions of a $133 million contract signed between the Latvian Ministry of Defense and EuroSpike in February 2018. Based in Röthenbach, Germany, EuroSpike is a joint venture between Rafael, Diehl Defence, and Rheinmetall Electronics, and is responsible for the marketing, and some manufacture, of the Spike family of missiles in Europe. The new contract provides for latest Spike variant effectors, including Spike SR, Spike LR2, and Spike ER2. The Latvian Land Forces already field the man-portable Spike LR1, which it acquired in 2008.

Asia-Pacific

Azerbaijan is the latest operator of the Leonardo M-346 advanced jet trainer. Azerbaijani Defense Minister Zakir Hasanov and Leonardo S.p.A Executive Director Alessandro Profumo signed an agreement on February 20. In May 2017 Leonardo showcased its Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master trainer aircraft to top Azeri military officials. While the number of aircraft was not revealed, in July 2019 Leonardo chief executive Alessandro Profumo said that his company had signed a deal for six M-346FA light attack aircraft with a major “international customer”. The M-346 is an advanced jet trainer that comes fitted with nine hardpoints. The M-346 can carry a range of ‘dumb’ and ‘smart’ munitions, such as Mk 82/83/84 unguided bombs and GBU-12/16 and Opher Mk 82 guided bombs.

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Americas

Sikorsky won a $12 million contract modification, which provides non-recurring engineering to replace existing subsystems, such as the Data Transfer Unit, Defense Electronic Countermeasure System and ARC-210 radio, with the CH-53K production aircraft. This means Sikorsky is replacing Electronic Counter Measure Systems in the King Stallion. The CH-53K King Stallion is the US Marine Corps’ new-build, heavy-lift replacement for the CH-53E. The CH-53K evolves the CH-53E design to improve operational capability, reliability, maintainability, survivability, and cost of ownership. Work under the contract modification will take place in Iowa, Connecticut and Texas. Estimated completion will be in August 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Russian airstrikes appear to have helped repel a rebel counterattack in Syria’s Idlib province that had extensive Turkish military support. The assault on Al-Nayrab on February 20 involved rebels equipped with Turkish-supplied M113 and ACV-15 armored personnel carriers. Rebels were also seen operating an M114 howitzer, while a Turkish T155 howitzer battery and T-122 Sakarya multiple-launch rocket system (MLRS) were filmed firing. Russian Su-24 jets were filmed dropping bombs on targets northwest of Al-Nayrab around a hill that dominates the approach to the town. Two days before, open-source tracking of aircraft movements indicated additional Su-24s had flown from southern Russia to Syria via Iran.

Europe

Chemring Energetic Devices won a $24 million contract for supply of various Cartridge Actuated Devices/ Propellant Actuated Devices for various US and Foreign Military Sales aircraft. Cartridge Actuated Devices/ Propellant Actuated Devices are commodity items that function as a system component. Managed CAD/PAD items are specific to Army aircraft and have a set shelf life and installed life. Cartridge Actuated Devices and Propellant Actuated Devices play a great role in ensuring safety among equipment, weaponry and personnel. Defective CADs and PADs most likely translate to failed missions and/or loss of lives. The contract involves FMS to Greece, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Uruguay, India, Saudi Arabia, Israel, UAE, Belgium, Denmark,Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Portugal, South Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Romania, Turkey, Singapore, Poland, Bahrain, Tunisia, Egypt as well as the Netherlands.

Asia-Pacific

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $233 million contract action for the procurement of Mk 41 Vertical Launching System vertical launcher module assemblies, modernization kits and spare components.  This contract combines purchases for the Navy as well as the governments of Korea , Finland, and Germany under the Foreign Military Sales program. The Mk 41 has been in US Navy service since 1986. The deal funds procurement of vertical launcher module assemblies, modernization kits and spare components for the launching system, a modular missile launch system capable of launching multiple standard missile variants. Estimated completion date is in March 2025.

The Royal Thai Air Force’s 2020 white paper has called for the replacement of 12 C-130H transport aircraft with a new platform. The first phase to buy 4 aircraft will start from 2022. There are a total of three phases. The winning platform must be able to be integrated with the RTAF Tactical Data Link system. In the RTAF White Paper 2020 the service outlined a number of replacement aircraft that it intends to procure to replace ageing types over the coming decade-or-so. Key programs also include new combat aircraft to replace the service’s F-5 Tiger IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and L-39s; Saab 340B and BT-67; a new VVIP aircraft and helicopter type to serve the royal family, and a VIP aircraft to replace the Airbus ACJ319 used by government officials and as a back-up for the royal family; additional DA-40 trainer aircraft to replace the CT-4B, as well as other types to replace the CT-4E and PC-9; a UAV to replace the current U1 platform; and a new helicopter type to replace the Bell 412.

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