Defense Industry Daily

Americas

The Naval Air System Command awarded Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office a $146 million contract modification, which exercises the option to upgrade nine MV-22 aircraft from the Block B to the Block C configuration, as well as planned maintenance intervals for eight MV-22 aircraft, in support of the Common Configuration-Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) program. The MV-22 Osprey is the primary assault support aircraft for the US Marine Corps. It was fielded to replace the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter and has been deployed to support troops in combat since 2007. The new Block C variant of the aircraft features a new weather radar system that improves navigation in poor weather conditions and a redesigned environmental conditioning system to enhance aircrew comfort. More than 160 Osprey tiltrotors are currently in operation and the worldwide fleet has amassed more than 130,000 flight hours, with nearly half of those hours logged in the past two years. Work will take place in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania and Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be finished by March 2022.

Lockheed Martin Space won a $40.3 million modification for TRIDENT II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. The Trident II (D5) is the latest generation of the US Navy’s submarine-launched fleet ballistic missiles, following the highly successful Polaris, Poseidon, and Trident I C4 programs. Each generation has been continuously deployed at sea as a survivable retaliatory force and has been routinely operationally tested and evaluated to maintain confidence and credibility in the deterrent. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company is the Navy’s Trident missile prime contractor. Lockheed Martin employees, principally in California, Georgia, Florida, Washington, Utah, Virginia and Scotland, support the design, development, production, test, and operation and sustainment of the Trident Strategic Weapon System. The company also supplies technical and logistical support at sites where the missiles are deployed. Estimated completion date for work under the contract modification will be September 30, 2024.

Middle East & Africa

Egyptian President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi has said that military-owned industrial organizations could be included in the country’s privatization program, according to Reuters. Last year, the government said it planned to sell minority stakes in 23 state-owned companies in an initial phase of privatization, part of a plan to raise up to $4.97 billion. Speaking on October 31 while opening two military-owned chemical plants in Abu Rawash, el-Sisi remarked that military companies should be listed on the Egyptian Exchange or opened to foreign investment. “The offerings being prepared by the Egyptian state should include a chance (for) the Armed Forces companies. In this way we will have opened a door for the Egyptian people and society to these companies,” Sisi said at the ceremony.

Europe

Hesco Bastion Inc. won a $24 million contract for the Expeditionary Barrier System. This is a 10-month, 300-day bridge contract. Hesco’s earth-filled barriers are designed to form compartmentalized areas to keep soldiers safe from indirect and direct fire. The units are lined with a heavy-duty polypropylene geotextile and filled with available material using commonly available equipment. Location of performance are South Carolina as well as the United Kingdom. Estimated completion will be on September 1, 2020.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing won a $34.2 million delivery order, which provides for the non-recurring engineering, logistics product data, 28 Group A-1 retrofit kits, 28 Group A-2 retrofit kits, and 28 Group B retrofit kits for incorporation of the Distributed Targeting Processor-Network into the F/A-18 aircraft for the Navy and the Government of Australia. The F/A-18 “Hornet” is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. Boeing will perform work in St. Louis, Missouri, China Lake, California, and Whidbey Island, Washington. Expected completion is in June 2022.

Armenia will take delivery of its Su-30SM fighters by February 2020, Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan has disclosed. The jets will either be handed over next month or in January and February of 2020, local media reports. The Sukhoi Su-30 is a Russian-made twin-engine, two-seat supermaneuverable fighter aircraft. It is a multirole fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and air-to-surface deep interdiction missions. The Su-30SM is considered a 4+ generation fighter jet. The aircraft has been upgraded for radar, radio communications systems, friend-or-foe identification system, ejection seats, weapons, and other aircraft systems. SM stands for „Serial, Modernized“.

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Watch: US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford completes Post-Shakedown Availability sea trials

Americas

General Dynamics Land Systems won a $9 million contract modification for Abrams systems technical support. The M1 Abrams is a third-generation Main Battle Tank. The General Dynamics Land Systems-built M1 Abrams battle tank is in service with the US Army and US Marine Corps. Other users include land forces in Kuwait, Egypt, Australia, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The M1 Abrams MBT has been the mainstay of the US Army’s armor branch for 40 years. It is one of the heaviest tanks in service. Work under the modification will take place in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of September 30, 2021.

The US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center awarded Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials a $13.4 million deal for sustainment of the B-1B aircraft. The Rockwell B-1B Lancer is a supersonic variable-sweep wing, heavy bomber used by the USAF. The deal provides 48 shield mild detonating cord (SMDC) kits for B-1B aircraft; with each kit containing 461 SMDC lines. The B-1 is a highly versatile, multi-mission weapon system. The B-1B’s synthetic aperture radar is capable of tracking, targeting and engaging moving vehicles as well as self-targeting and terrain-following modes. In addition, an extremely accurate Global Positioning System-aided Inertial Navigation System enables aircrews to navigate without the aid of ground-based navigation aids as well as engage targets with a high level of precision. Work will take place at Hollister, California. Estimated completion will be in June 30, 2023.

Middle East & Africa

Israel’s new Air Force One flew for the very first time on November 3. An Israeli version of Air Force One took off Sunday for its first test flight after two years of preparation. The aircraft was unveiled on October 31, when a test run at Ben Gurion Airport ahead of its first takeoff was shadowed by a brake malfunction that prompted officials to briefly declare an emergency alert. The Boeing 767-300ER aircraft will be used by the prime minister and the president for official visits abroad. The aircraft’s official name is 4X-ISR. “4X” is part of the name of all Israeli aircraft, and the remaining letters are meant to signify that it is the official plane of the State of Israel.

Europe

Saab and Raytheon successfully finished a series of guided flight tests for the shoulder-launched guided Carl-Gustaf munition, the companies announced. The US Armed Forces as well as the Ground Forces of more than 40 countries use Saab’s Carl-Gustaf weapon system. The guided munition will allow Armed Forces to accurately engage stationary or moving targets up to, and beyond 2,000 meters. The increased range, in combination with a Confined Space capability will offer troops greater tactical flexibility when selecting a firing position. The tests were performed at the Mile High Range in Sierra Blanca, Texas, United States and at Saab Bofors Test Center in Karlskoga, Sweden. “The Guided Carl-Gustaf Munition is a next step in the evolution of the Carl-Gustaf system. It will be the most advanced Carl-Gustaf munition yet and will offer greater precision, minimize collateral damage and deliver outstanding performance with pin-point accuracy and multi-target capability,” says Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab business area Dynamics.

Asia-Pacific

Raytheon Missile Systems won a sole source, cost only contract modification to increase the CLIN 0014 undefinitized contract action not-to-exceed value by $267.2 million from $387.2 billion to $654.4 billion. Under the modification the “pacing items only” restriction is removed and the contractor is now authorized to work the full, unchanged, effort to manufacture, assemble, test and deliver 20 Standard Missile-3 Block IIA missiles and related efforts, and four missiles under Foreign Military Sales case JA-P-ATB to Japan. SM-3 Block IIA is a weapon system, the US Navy uses to target short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles and a key part of the European missile defense system. It has a larger kinetic warhead and rocket motors built to home in on ballistic missile threats.

The Indian Air Force will retire its MiG-27 on December 31, local media reports. Also named Bahadur in India, the Soviet MiG-27 was introduced into the IAF in 1984 and over the years served seven operational squadrons and other combat training and tactics-evaluation establishments. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited built 165 of these aircraft and in 2004 HAL began upgrading some of these aircraft, christened MiG-27 UPG, to enhance their combat capability and extend their service life. The aircraft are armed with rockets, bombs and air-to-surface missiles. The MiG-27 formed an important element of the IAF’s ground attack and tactical close support capability.

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Watch: Indian Defence Updates : FOC Tejas 1st Flight,K4 SLBM Test,4 Type-54 Frigate PAK,114 Dhanush By 2022

Americas

November 4/19: Sustainment General Dynamics Mission Systems, won a $90.7 million contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Integrated Combat Management System and associated combat system elements. Work includes development, integration, test and delivery of future combat system baseline upgrades for in-service ships, supporting ship integration, installation and checkout, developmental test/operational test, developing training and logistics products, support for field baselines. General Dynamics Mission Systems will develop, integrate, test and deliver baseline modifications for the LCS ICMS and support the integration of upgrades into in-service vessels. Naval Sea Systems Command will obligate $1M at the time of the award from the Navy’s fiscal 2018 other procurement funds. Work will take place in Massachusetts, California and Alabama. Estimated completion will be in October 2024.

The Naval Sea Systems Command awarded Raytheon an $11.5 million modification to exercise options for DDG 1000 ship class integrated logistics support and engineering services. DDG 1000 combat systems provide offensive, distributed and precise firepower, and long ranges in support of forces ashore, while incorporating signature reduction, active and passive self-defense systems and enhanced survivability features. DDG 1000 or USS Zumwalt is a guided missile destroyer. The Zumwalt Class destroyers are designed as multi-mission stealth ships with focus on land attack. Work under the contract modification will take place in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, New Hampshire, Maine, California, and Indiana. Estimated completion is expected to be by October next year.

Middle East & Africa

Raytheon won a $22.3 million contract modification for the Qatar Air Missile Defense Operation Center or ADOC. The modification is for the procurement of the outside continental US transfer of ADOC prime mission equipment, installation of ADOC PME, integration activities, training of ADOC operators, and development of a communications cabinet. The modification is a Foreign Military Sale to Qatar. Work will take place in Massachusetts as well as Qatar. Expected completion will be by May 31, 2020.

The Israeli Air Force says its F-35 will be participating in Exercise Blue Flag from November 3 to November 14 at Uvda Air Base. Germany, Italy, Greece and the United States are participating as well. The Blue Flag exercise will have a significant impact on the Air Force, the IDF and the State of Israel as a whole. The exercise will include over a thousand air crew, technical and administrative personnel from different Air Forces. During the exercise, dozens of aircraft, both international and Israeli, will be deployed and will practice air-to-air and air-to-ground combat scenarios, dealing with advanced SAM threats as well as enemy combat scenarios.

Europe

The State Department approved a sale of UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and related equipment to Croatia for an estimated cost of $115 million. “The sale of these UH-60 helicopters to Croatia will significantly increase its capability to provide troop lift, border security, counterterrorism, medical evacuation, search and rescue, re-supply/external lift, and combat support. These UH-60 helicopters will allow for interoperability with US and NATO forces in rapid response to a variety of missions and quick positioning of troops with minimal helicopter assets,” the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said. If the proposed sale is approved by Congress, the new helicopters will join a pair of UH-60Ms that will be donated by the US government in 2020. At the time the donation was announced in October 2018, the Croatian Ministry of Defense said the helicopters would be used for airborne assault, air-medical evacuation, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, surveillance, command, troop and cargo transport and, if armed, for firing weapons such as rockets.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan will be upgrading the avionics of its C-130H fleet and it is likely that the Rockwell Collins Flight2 system will form the core of the upgrade. National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology will be the project manager and Air Asia plus Canada’s Cascade will be carrying out the upgrades. Taiwan’s Republic of China Air Force has purchased 20 C-130Hs from the United States Air Force. Flight2 is built on architecture compliant with Communications, Navigation, Surveillance and Air Traffic Management Systems (CNS/ATM), supportable and sustainable to meet existing and future aviation mandate requirements.

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Watch: Stryker A1 IM-SHORAD: Precise Short-Range Air Defense

Americas

Boeing won a $62.3 million contract modification for performance-based logistics support for the AH-64D/E Apache Attack helicopter. The AH-64 Apache is the Army’s heavy division/corps attack helicopter. The AH-64D Longbow remanufacture effort incorporates a millimeter wave fire control radar, radar frequency interferometer, fire-and-forget radar-guided HELLFIRE missile and cockpit management and digitization enhancements. The helo has a four-blade main rotor and a four-blade tail rotor. The crew sits in tandem, with the pilot sitting behind and above the copilot/gunner. Both crew members are capable of flying the aircraft and performing methods of weapon engagements independently. Work will take place in Mesa, Arizona. Estimated completion date will be April 30, 2024.

Boeing won a $17.6 million modification, which exercises an option to perform 27 modifications in support of the Increment 3 Block I retrofit requirement for P-8A aircraft for the Navy and the government of Australia. The Increment 3 focuses on network ready open architecture and net-enabled weapons. The program consists in the integration of the Harpoon Block II+ anti-ship missile and Link 16 datalink, targeting improvements, and various communications upgrades. The P-8A already in service with the US Navy will all be retrofitted to the Increment 3 standard. The P8-A is expected to have a completely upgraded software by 2022, in time to become fully operational in 2023. Boeing will perform work in Washington, Australia and Arizona and estimated completion will be in September, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

The Bahrain Defense Force (BDF) unveiled the Faisal Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) that it has developed during the Bahrain International Defense Exhibition and Conference (BIDEC) held between October 28 and October 30. The BDF said the Faisal is the first armored vehicle to be designed and developed by its Technical Maintenance Unit. It said the 4×4 vehicle can carry up to eight people, has B6-level armored protection and a V-shaped hull that ensures maximum protection against explosive devices. It is equipped with an automatic fire-suppression system, central tyre inflation system, and external security cameras.

Europe

The US and German Armies signed an agreement targeting an unprecedented level of interoperability between their formations within seven years, Defense News reports. By 2027, the two countries’ ground forces want to push interoperability, which means that both forces work seamlessly on the same tactical objective, to what a statement calls an “integrated level” in both regional and global operations. Additional objectives include aligning the information systems of both militaries so that there is a common procedure at the brigade and division levels for intelligence collection and sharing as well as and joint targeting.

Asia-Pacific

The NAWCAD awarded BAE Systems a $69.2 million contract for 931,200 man hours of installation and certification technical support to the Combat Integration and Identification Systems Devision, Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field. The deal is in support of the US Navy as well as the governments of Japan, South Korea and Australia. Work will take place in Maryland and estimated completion will be in April 2025.

Lockheed Martin won a $10.6 million modification, which provides for the development and delivery of an enhanced simulator database and project management support for the F-35 aircraft of Japan. The F-35 Lightning II is designed and built to counter the most advanced airborne and ground-based threats. Japan’s program of record is 147 aircraft. In December 2018, the Japan Ministry of Defense announced its decision to increase its procurement of F-35s from 42 to 147. They stated the aircraft will be a mix of 105 F-35As and 42 STOVLS. The F-35 possesses 5th Generation capabilities that are not found on legacy 4th Generation fighters: very low observable stealth coupled with full fighter performance, advanced sensors and sensor fusion, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Work under the contract modification will take place in Florida and Texas and estimated completion will be in July 2021.

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Watch: BIDEC 2019 Bahrain International Defense Exhibition Manama army show daily News Day 3

Americas

L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace won a $30 million contract modification for contractor logistics support of the Air Force C-12 fleet. The Beechcraft C-12 Huron is based on the Super King and 1900 series platforms and serves with the United States military as a utility transport among other roles. The Beechcraft Super King Air civilian utility aircraft forms the basis of the US military’s C-12 “Huron” military-minded hauler. The type was introduced in 1974 and maintains an active presence in the air fleets of the United States Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines. Work will take place in Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, as well as other places in the US, Argentina, Botswana, Brazil, Columbia, Egypt. Ghana, Hondura, Hungary, Nairobi, Kenya, Morocco, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, Turkey, Norway sonf Japan. Estimated completion will be by December 31, 2020.

Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that it delivered the fast-attack submarine, the ninth Virginia Class vessel it has built, to the US Navy ahead of its commissioning next year. The nuclear-powered vessel completed sea trials earlier this month, and is the Navy’s 18th Virginia Class submarine, the company announced. The commissioning of the USS Delaware is scheduled for April 4, 2020, in Wilmington, Del. Delivery to the Navy was made on Friday. The submarine will be the seventh Navy vessel to carry the state’s name. The purchase of at 20 more Virginia Class vessels, replacing the Los Angeles Class, is planned through 2043. They are designed for open-ocean and littoral missions, anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike warfare, special operation forces support, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, irregular warfare and mine warfare missions.

Middle East & Africa

Israel Defense reports that the Egyptian Navy wants to upgrade its Submarine warfare capabilities, which could potentially pose a threat to Israel. As part of its expedited force build-up process of the last decade, the Egyptian Navy is interested in improving its submarine warfare capabilities. The Egyptians are conducting negotiations with the Chinese regarding the acquisition of additional submarines. The Egyptian Navy embarked on an expedited force build-up process about ten years ago. As part of this process, the Egyptians acquired four U-209 type submarines from Germany; surface vessels from the US, Russia, Germany and France; cutting-edge missile and torpedo systems; anti-aircraft systems; Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters; communication, command and control systems; upgrading of old vessels and more.

Europe

In 2021, HMS Queen Elizabeth will deploy with two frigates, two destroyers, a nuclear submarine and support vessels. The HMS Queen Elizabeth will be escorted by two Type 45 destroyers, two Type 23 frigates, a nuclear submarine, a Tide Class tanker and RFA Fort Victoria. The ship will also carry 24 F-35B jets, including US Marine Corps aircraft, in addition to a number of helicopters. Prior to the deployment, it is understood that the Queen Elizabeth carrier strike group will go through a work-up trial off the west Hebrides range sometime in early 2021. It is understood that the 2021 deployment will see the Carrier Strike Group sail in the Mediterranean Sea, the Gulf and end up in the Pacific.

Asia-Pacific

The Republic of China Army officially retired its UH-1H fleet on October 30 and declared the UH-60M fleet fully operational. A ceremony was held at Tai Chung Lung Hsiang base to mark the event, local media reports. The UH-1 has been in service on the island for 50 years. It will be replaced by the UH-60. H-1 Iroquois is a military medium-sized general-purpose helicopter designed and built by Bell Helicopter in the United States, UH-1 is designed for multi-purpose, from performing transportation and supply operations to attack missions and its U stands for utility. The UH-1 was the first turbine-powered helicopter to enter production for the United States military.

The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan for the upgrade of up to ninety-eight F-15J aircraft to a Japanese Super Interceptor (JSI) configuration for an estimated cost of $4.5 billion. The F-15J is the Japanese version of the McDonnell Douglas F-15C and is manufactured under license by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. McDonnell Douglas and the F-15 product line were purchased by Boeing in 1997. As part of the modernization package, the government of Japan is asking for 103 Raytheon APG-82(v)1 active electronically scanned array radars; 116 Boeing Advanced Display Core Processor II mission system computers; and 101 BAE Systems ALQ-239 digital electronic warfare systems to be installed in the F-15J fleet.

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Watch: During Training with the Philippines, US Amphibious Vessels Test New Concepts!

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $7 billion modification, which provides for the procurement of additional 114 F-35 aircraft. The deal, which updates an earlier procurement contract, covers aircraft and other considerations for the Defense Department as well as F-35 partner nations and other foreign customers. Of the 114 aircraft in the agreement, 48 are F-35As for the Air Force; 20 are Marine Corps F-35Bs; and nine are Navy F-35Cs. The US will receive 77 total aircraft, while 15 F-35As will go to Australia, 12 F-35As will go to Norway, and eight F-35As and two F-35Bs will go to Italy. The contract also covers funds to supply parts that have become harder to find, as well as software data, safety items, engineering services, and more. Lockheed will partner with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems on the bulk of the work. Estimated completion will be in March 2023.

The US Navy awarded IAP Worldwide a $84.6 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide logistics services in support of the E-6B aircraft and the requirement for parts industry management and support equipment maintenance for the E-6B aircraft. The Navy’s E-6B Mercury is based on a Boeing 707 commercial plane. The aircraft is part of the Navy’s “Take Charge and Move Out” community. The USA’s E-6 Mercury “survivable airborne communication system” airplanes support their Navy’s SSBN ballistic missile submarine force and overall strategic forces. Work will take place in Oklahoma, Nebraska, California and Maryland and is scheduled to be finished in November 2020.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey and Russia are currently negotiating to finalize a potential deal on the Russian made SU-35 fighter aircraft. „The talks have quite matured,” a senior Turkish procurement official told Defense News on the condition of anonymity. “A deal does not appear to be too distant.” Ankara and Moscow are reportedly also discussing potentially co-manufacturing a few components of the jets. If penned, an Su-35 deal will be Turkey’s second major purchase of weapons systems from Russia. To the dismay of its NATO allies, Turkey acquired the Russian-made S-400 long-range air defense system. The S-400s were delivered to the Turkish military in August. The Su-35 is a 4.5-generation aircraft.

On the evening of October 26, 2019, in Syria’s Idlib Province, a US special operations raid occurred, in which Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died at his own hands. He was the founder and leader of the Islamic State militant group. The Pentagon now announced that multiple AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles had been used to destroy the Islamic State group leader’s hideout in Syria following the raid that resulted in his death. In addition to JASSMs, US Forces used guided bombs, Hellfire missiles, miniguns, and other small-arms fire on the compound. News agencies published photographs of the site taken after the raid that show piles of rubble, with no free-standing buildings left. The incident marked the second time JASSMs have been used in Syria. In April 2018, B-1 bombers launched 19 of the missiles at the Syrian regime’s chemical weapons production facilities as part of a large strike, which also included 57 Tomahawk missiles. JASSM family missiles are guided by a combination of GPS/INS positioning en route, and Imaging Infrared (IIR) for final targeting. They carry a dual-mode penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead at subsonic speed, in a body shape designed to have a very low radar profile.

Europe

European country Bulgaria is planning to upgrade its T-72M1 main battle tanks (MBTs) in the near term while continuing rolling overhauls, Jane’s reports. The T-72M1 overhauls are being carried out at the Bulgarian TEREM-Khan Krum plant in Targovishte, a subsidiary of the TEREM EAD holding company. The standard T-72M1 weighs around 43 tonnes and is powered by the V-46-6 diesel developing 780 hp that gives a power-to-weight ratio of 18.1 hp/tonne. This gives a maximum road speed of 60 km/h, with a speed on a dirt road of 35 to 40 km/h.

Asia-Pacific

The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN’s) last operational Adelaide Class guided-missile frigate, HMAS Melbourne, was decommissioned in a ceremony held on October 26 at its home port of Fleet Base East, Garden Island in Sydney. During its 27 years in service the 4,260-tonne frigate was deployed on operations to the Middle East eight times and earned battle honors for service in East Timor, the Persian Gulf, and Middle East. The 138-meter warship was the only missile frigate left in the fleet of six, after HMAS Newcastle was decommissioned in June. Her departure will make way for a more modern fleet of warships.

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Watch: BIDEC 2019 Bahrain International Defense Exhibition Manama army show daily News Day 1

Americas

The US Air Force has decided to buy two to three A-29 and AT-6 light attack aircraft. The final request for proposal was published on October 24. The A-29 will be deployed at Hurlburt Field, Florida, by Air Force Special Operations Command to develop an instructor pilot program for the Combat Aviation Advisory mission. The contract award is expected to be end of the year. The AT-6 will be going to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, for continued testing and development of operational tactics and standards for exportable, tactical networks by Air Combat Command. The propeller-driven planes will be part of the Light Air Support program of the Air Force, which seeks a light counter-insurgency, ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft. The Air Force and US Navy have flown both planes since 2017 to assess their capabilities.

The USS Gerald R. Ford completed a five-day pierside exercise, the US Navy announced, although it may not be ready for service until 2024. The “fast cruise,” a final exercise in the ship’s 15-month Post Shakedown Availability series of tests, put Navy personnel into scenarios that tested their ability to respond to challenging situations while still at the Huntington Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding site in Virginia. Upcoming tests include the Full Ship Shock Trial, in which explosives are detonated near a new Navy vessel to simulate near-misses in a battlefield environment to test the validity of the ship’s construction.

Middle East & Africa

Turkish president Erdogan and Russian president Putin agreed on a 10-point plan under which Kurdish fighters from the People’s Protection Units (YPG) will be removed from most of the Syrian border east of the Euphrates river. From Tuesday on, Russian and Turkish forces will start to patrol a narrower, 10 kilometer strip of land in northeast Syria. Ankara views the YPG as a terrorist organization linked to Kurdish insurgents in southeast Turkey. Its Syrian offensive, launched after President Donald Trump pulled out 1,000 US troops from the area, drew criticism from Turkey’s NATO allies. Russia has already warned the YPG that it will face the full force of Turkey’s army, the second biggest in NATO, if it fails to withdraw its fighters and weapons from the designated area in northeast Syria within the agreed deadline.

Europe

The Royal Air Force has retired its Short Tucano at RAF Linton-on-Ouse after 30 years of service. They were trainer planes for pilots wanting to progress onto fast jets. As 72 Squadron will move from North Yorkshire to Wales, the Tucano’s replacement aircraft, the Texan, will enter service. The plane was first built in Belfast and conducted its maiden flight in Brazil in 1986. “The Tucano represents a different generation of aircraft, where the cockpits have instruments that look like clocks,” explained Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston.

The Czech Republic became the sixth country to join the European Union/NATO Multinational Multi Role Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF). NATO announced on October 24 that the country had joined Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Norway in operating eight Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft in an attempt to offset some of Europe’s reliance on the United States for aerial-refueling services. This initiative was launched by the Netherlands and Luxembourg in 2016 and aims to boost the ability of European allies to refuel aircraft in mid-air. The initiative has been supported by NATO and the European Union. The aircraft are owned by NATO and procured by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency through the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation.

Asia-Pacific

The Indian Air Force testifired two BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles on October 21 and October 22. The Diplomat reports that the aim of the test launches was to validate the IAF’s ability to hit targets at a distance of up to 300 kilometers with pinpoint accuracy. The missiles were fired in operational configuration to assess mission readiness and swift deployment of the tactical missile over long distance. The BrahMos is a derivative of the Russian-made P-800 Oniks over-the-horizon supersonic anti-ship cruise missile with a range estimated at between 300 to 400 kilometers. It is thought to be capable of reaching top speeds of up to Mach 3.

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Watch: Defense security news TV weekly navy army air forces industry military equipment October 2019 V4

Americas

Honeywell International won a $77.1 million contract modification for an additional three years of pricing in support of the F/A-18 aircraft. The F/A-18 “Hornet” is a single- and two-seat, twin engine, multi-mission fighter/attack aircraft that can operate from either aircraft carriers or land bases. The F/A-18 fills a variety of roles: air superiority, fighter escort, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, forward air control, close and deep air support, and day and night strike missions. The F/A-18 Hornet replaced the F-4 Phantom II fighter and A-7 Corsair II light attack jet, and also replaced the A-6 Intruder as these aircraft were retired during the 1990s. Honeywell will perform work in Arizona and estimated completion is in October 9, 2022.

Lockheed Martin won a $148.4 million order, which procures durability testing support for the certification of the F-35B aircraft variant to a minimum of 8,000 flight hours/30 year service life in support of the Marine Corps and non-Department of Defense participants. The effort includes the test article configuration, the test article build, the test plan, the testing itself, and teardown and analysis. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather, stealth, fifth-generation, multirole combat aircraft, designed for ground attack and air-superiority missions. The F-35B is the short takeoff and vertical landing variant of the aircraft. Work will take place in Texas, California and Samlesbury in the UK. Estimated completion is in July 2032.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that a Patriot fire unit has been deployed for the first time at one of the sites being constructed for the air defense system in Qatar. Located at the southwest of Al-Udeid Air Base, the site has been under construction since early 2018. The AN/MPQ-65 radar and four launchers appeared on their pads between October 19-21. Raytheon has been awarded two contracts together worth $250 million to deliver an Air and Missile Defense Operations Center (ADOC) to Qatar. The Patriot system is in use with 16 countries for integrated air and missile defense.

Europe

The US Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin a $12.4 million undefinitized contract action contract for C-130J support. The deal will provide long term sustainment (LTS) for France’s C-130-J aircraft. Critical components of LTS support include program management support; spares, supply support services; support equipment; diminishing manufacturing sources, sustaining engineering services, sustaining engineering/technical services, field services representatives (FRS), logistics service representatives, contract field team, FSR deployment/travel, technical order updates; technical order print and distribution; country standard time compliance technical orders; depot maintenance; aircraft modifications; and data and configuration management programs. The global community of Super Hercules operators recently surpassed two million flight hours. Work will take place in Marietta, Georgia, and at French Air Bases and is expected to be completed by January 1, 2023.

General Atomics won a $17.9 million contract action for the France MQ-9 Block 5 weaponization and Foreign Military Sales Pod Integration effort. The deal provides for the weaponization of the French Air Force MQ?9 Block 5 aircraft and integration of the FMS Pod onto the French Air Force MQ?9 Block 5 aircraft. The MQ-9 Reaper is a UAV capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. The UAV, which is sometimes also called Predator B, has an endurance of over 27 hours, a speed of 240 knots true airspeed, can operate at an altitude of up to 50,000 feet, and has a 3,850 pound payload capacity that includes 3,000 pounds of external stores. Work will take place Poway, California, and estimated completion is in November 30, 2021.

Asia-Pacific

The Uzbekistan Ministry of Defense said on October 24 that it has tested the Chinese-made FD-2000 air defense missile system. The testing was carried out at the Kulkuduk training ground. The military unit of the Air Defense Forces and the Air Force based in the Kashkadarya province together with senior command officers took part in the first practical test of an HQ-9/FD- 2000 at the Kulkuduk training ground in the Navoi province. The FD-2000 is an advanced long-range air defense missile weapon system designed and manufactured by the Chinese Defense Company CPMIEC.

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Americas

Terma North America won a $60 million deal for A-10 3D audio. This contract provides for up to 328 3D audio systems for the A-10. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft. Its nickname is „Warthog“. After years of trying to retire the Warthog, the US Air Force is now investing money to keep more of the attack jets flying for another decade. Work under the audio contract will be performed by a subcontractor in the US and Denmark as indicated in the contract award and is expected to be completed by February 28, 2024.

Northrop Grumman won a $8.9 million delivery order, which procures non-recurring engineering support for the integration of the AN/AAQ-24 on multiple Department of Defense aircraft platforms for the Army. According to the DoD, the engineering effort includes platform integration of modernized survivability equipment, maintainability, interface improvements and software to effective utilize the AN/AAR-61(V)1 more effectively. Derived from the AN/AAQ-24(V) Nemesis, the AN/AAQ-24(V) LAIRCM is a directed infra red (IR) countermeasures system, designed to safeguard large transport and rotary-wing aircraft from a range of IR-guided missile threats, using a laser pointer-tracker. Work will take place in Rolling Meadows and estimated completion will be in January 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that Saudi Arabia is looking to mobilize foreign militaries against Iran. On October 21, Saudi Arabia hosted the military chiefs of staff from the five other Gulf Cooperation Council states and several friendly countries. They reportedly talked about how to defend the region from Iranian aggression. Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States attended the conference.

Europe

General Atomics won a not-to-exceed firm-fixed-price undefinitized contract modification for the United Kingdom MQ-9B Protector program. The contract modification provides for the design, development, integration and component level testing of additional capabilities being added to the baseline program. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the latest variant of the MQ-9 series RPAS currently operated by the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and soon Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. MQ-9B adds several key enhancements to the proven MQ-9 series allowing for better performance, lower operating and sustainment costs and access to all classes of airspace. General Atomics will perform work in Poway, California. Estimated completion will be by August 31, 2021.

Asia-Pacific

The Nepali Army is set to receive $21 million in unspecified disaster-relief materials from China over the next three years as part of a move aimed at advancing strategic and diplomatic ties between Beijing and Kathmandu. Reuters reports that Nepali Defense Minister Ishwar Pokhrel signed the aid agreement with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on October 20 during a week-long visit to Beijing, which followed a trip to Kathmandu by Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12: the first visit by a Chinese president to Nepal in more than two decades. Nepal and China signed several agreements during Xi’s visit, including two connectivity projects that the Nepali government hopes will eventually reduce its dependence on India.

Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel announced on October 17 that it has completed delivery of the 194 Virus SW 80 ‘Garud’ light training aircraft the Indian Ministry of Defencse had ordered in October 2015. In total, the Indian Air Force received 72 of these trainers, while the Indian Navy received 12 and the National Cadet Corps 110 units. The Pipistrel Virus SW 80 is a light, high-speed aircraft developed by Pipistrel, a company based in Slovenia. The aircraft serves the requirement of a light trainer aircraft. It can be customized according to special mission requirements, long-range flights, and geographical survey operations.

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Americas

Raytheon announced the delivery to the US Air Force of the first high-energy laser system to counter drone threats. The company received a $23.8 million contract in August to build two high-energy laser systems, as well as a $16 million contract for a microwave counter-drone system known as the Phaser. The laser uses a variant of Raytheon’s Multi-Spectral Targeting System and an electro-optical/infrared sensor to detect and track drones before engaging and neutralizing the threat. The HELWS, or High Energy Laser Weapons System, then can shoot down a drone. At the Association of the United States Army annual meeting in Washington, DC, this week, Raytheon executives said one of the high-energy laser systems has already been delivered to the Air Force, and the other will follow shortly. It will represent the first overseas deployment for the system, a milestone as major defense companies scramble to deliver smart solutions to counter a growing and diverse threat from enemy drones.

UPI reports that the US Army together with a leading organization of unidentified flying objects researchers agreed to a study of UFO material to improve Army ground vehicles. TTSA, whose membership includes former punk rocker from the band Blink-182 Tom Delonge, former Lockheed Martin Skunk Works exec Steve Justice and former Department of Defense Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program (AATIP) official Luis Elizondo, played a role in the high-profile release of videos purportedly showing military pilots encountering „unidentified aerial phenomena“in the past few years. The group announced that it had entered a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the US Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (CCDC) to advance TTSA’s materiel and technology innovations in order to develop enhanced capabilities for Army ground vehicles. Officials at the CCDC’s Ground Vehicle System Center subsequently confirmed to the Drive hat such an agreement had been struck. The center did not immediately return Gizmodo’s request for comment.

Middle East & Africa

The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Bahrain to refurbish the Oliver Hazard Perry Class ship with support for an estimated cost of $150 million. Bahrain had requested refurbishment of the Oliver Hazard Perry Class ship, spares, support, training, publications, and other related elements of logistics and program support. However, the principal contractor supporting the refurbishment has not yet been selected for this potential sale. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Goodrich Corp. – Collins Aerospace won a $9.9 million contract modification for the spare parts buy for DB-110 reconnaissance pods. The modification provides for the purchase of a necessary additional quantity of spare parts for the Reconnaissance Systems Program in support of the Royal Saudi Air Force DB 110 pods. Collins Aerospace DB-110 dual-band airborne reconnaissance sensor, a derivative of the SYERS system, combines visible and infrared imaging capabilities in a compact, lightweight design. The system has proven its performance in demonstrations worldwide on both manned and unmanned platforms. Work under the contract modification will take place in Worcestershire in the UK as well as Westford, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by December 21, 2021. The contract involved 100 percent Foreign Military Sales to Saudi Arabia.

Europe

US Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy has disclosed that United Arab Emirates as well as the UK are seeking to buy CH-47s from Boeing. The UAE will be getting 10 while 14 are to be sold to Britain. A formal letter of acceptance could be offered to the UK next spring. “I believe we will be in the position here very shortly to take the next step for notification to Congress of a proposed sale of 10 additional Chinooks to the UAE, with the UK likely to buy an additional 14“, Bloomberg Quint cited McCarthy. “I’m personally involved with those efforts.” The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engined, tandem rotor, heavy-lift helicopter developed by rotorcraft company Vertol and by Boeing Vertol.

Asia-Pacific

Indonesia wants to secure a deal with the government to procure Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft, Jane’s reports. The country also wants to facilitate industrial co-operation in relation to the platform. Air Commodore Novyan Samyoga, the chief of information in the TNI-AU, had previously confirmed to Jane’s that the service has identified the platform as a priority procurement given the age of some of the service’s existing transport aircraft. In the first phase of the procurement, the TNI-AU is expected to procure five platforms if sufficient funding is available.

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Americas

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $18.3 million contract modification for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System. This order procures material kits and retrofit labor to incorporate the Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 4.0 configuration into one retrofit ground segment and fully fund the IFC 4.0 retrofit install labor for aircraft B10. Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C UAS provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions. The UAV is designed to perform continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions, and to complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The Triton IFC 4.0 project seeks to upgrade the Triton UAV with multi-intelligence capabilities that include SIGINT, such that Triton IFC 4.0 UAVs could replace the Navy’s fleet of EP-3 aircraft. The EP-3 aircraft are based on the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion four-engine turboprop airframe. Work under the contract modification is expected to be complete by February, 2021.

Advanced Structural Technologies won a $17.6 million contract modification for manufacture and supply of M1 Abrams tank aluminum road wheel inserts. The M1 Abrams main battle tank has been the mainstay of the US Army’s armor branch. Heavily armored, powered by a gas turbine engine and equipped with a powerful 120-millimeter gun, the M1 has proven to be an adaptable tank capable of fighting from the rolling hills of southern Germany to the deserts of Iraq. In the wake of MBT-70 the Army tried again to develop a new tank, a design that was eventually known as the XM-1 and later the M-1. The new tank would incorporate major advances in firepower, protection and mobility, but committing to an ultimate design would involve heated battles—and compromises—between all three. Work under the wheel inserts contract modification will take place in Oxnard, California. Estimated completion will be on October 21, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Development of the South African AHRLAC aircraft is back in track since the approval of a business rescue plan on October 21. Paramount Group announced that the plan “will secure the future of the AHRLAC aircraft as well as its employees, and will see the resumption of sales, marketing, and manufacturing of the aircraft to customers around the world. The rescue plan, which was released on August 23, envisaged consolidation of the various subunits in the Aerospace Development Corporation (ADC), which develops, manufactures, and delivers AHRLAC, into a single business owned by Paramount Group through two new South African-based entities.

Europe

Lithuania says it will start negotiations with the US for the purchase of six UH-60 Black Hawks to replace its aging Mi-8 fleet. The Ministry of National Defense says the Letter of Offer and Acceptance is expected to be signed by the end of 2020. The first helicopter should arrive in the country in 2024. “Currently the Lithuanian Armed Forces continues to use for its tasks three operational soviet-made Mi-8 whose airworthiness deadline is very near, and three AS365 N3+ Dauphin helicopters that are mainly used for search and rescue operations and environmental protection surveillance in the territory of Lithuania. We have to change the remnant Mi-8 Soviet platform to a western technology for military tasks,” Minister of National Defense Raimundas Karoblis says. A market analysis that was done according to the criteria formulated by the Lithuanian Armed Forces has revealed that the UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopter offered by the United States of America meets the demands for a replacement in the most optimal way.

Russia wants to market a new variant of the MiG-35 multirole combat aircraft geared towards the export market, Jane’s reports. Russian Aircraft Corporation or RAC reportedly said that a version of the aircraft modified with anti-corrosion parts for hot and humid operations, a different outer-mould line, an open-systems architecture, an electro-optic/infrared search and track sensor, and a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar has been developed for the international market. The aircraft however could also be a very interesting proposal for African nations looking for a cost-effective combat aircraft.

Asia-Pacific

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force is engaged in Exercise Shinyuu Maitri 2019 with the Indian Air Force this month. Local News reports say, one of the highlights of the exercise is the capture of an airfield together with special forces from both countries. The week-long exercise began on October 17 and involves C-130J and C-130H aircraft from the two countries. The focus of the exercise is to achieve joint mobility and tactical interoperability between the two Forces.

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Americas

The US Navy completed the process of transitioning from P-3C Orion to the P-8A Poseidon earlier this month as the “Fighting Marlins” of Patrol Squadron FORTY returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. The conclusion of a six-month rotational deployment on October 10, 2019, marked the final active duty deployment for the P-3C Orion, which served as the US Navy’s airborne anti-submarine warfare and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) force for more than five decades. After post-deployment leave, the Fighting Marlins will begin the final of 12 active duty squadron transitions to the more modern and capable P-8A Poseidon. The US Navy will continue to operate its intelligence collection variant, the EP-3E, for several years along with reserve component operations before the official retirement of all P-3 variants.

Rocket startup company Firefly Aerospace said Friday it will partner with Aerojet Rocketdyne, a defense and aircraft contractor. One of the first projects on which the two will collaborate is 3D printing of Firefly’s engines, according to the announcement. Firefly plans to launch its first rocket, named Firefly Alpha, in 2020, and also plans to build a rocket plant near NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company is aiming at small and medium launchers to low-Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit and the moon. “We’re excited to work with Aerojet Rocketdyne under this new collaborative agreement because of their extensive experience and the unique mission solutions they offer. Combined with our already mature Alpha design, our cooperation with Aerojet Rocketdyne is a significant differentiator in the small to medium launch vehicle market and will enable rapid performance increases of the Alpha vehicle,” said Firefly CEO Tom Markusic.

Middle East & Africa

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed one of its Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime multimission aircraft to the Middle East in support of the International Maritime Security Construct aimed at assuring the safety and protection of maritime navigation in the Gulf region. Australian Defense Minister Linda Reynolds announced in an October 18 statement that the aircraft’s advanced patrol surveillance capabilities will be used to support the safe transit of naval and merchant vessels, and thus provide “a modest but meaningful contribution” to the mission. The P-8A is expected to remain in the region until the end of November. A series of incidents in the Strait of Hormuz have led to a US-led multinational effort to enhance maritime security in the region. The arrival of the P-8A Poseidon is in line with the Australian Government’s commitment to the coalition.

Europe

The four-country EuroDASS consortium, which consists of UK’s Leonardo, Italy’s Elettronica, Germany’s Hensoldt, and Spain’s Indra, has outlined its vision of a next-generation electronic warfare (EW) suite for the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. Global Flight reports, that the industry partners launched plans for a so-called Praetorian Evolution, or “Evo” package of capabilities. Known as Praetorian Evolution, the future Defensive Aids Subsystem (DASS) builds on the Typhoon’s existing Praetorian DASS but introduces a new all-digital architecture and expands electronic warfare functionality beyond platform self-protection. EuroDASS has developed its roadmap independent of the Praetorian Long Term Evolution (LTE) study activity awarded earlier this year, although Praetorian Evolution work is expected to inform LTE outputs.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan’s program to upgrade 142 Republic of China Air Force (RoCAF) F-16A/B fighter aircraft to the latest F-16V configuration is back on track. Defense Minister, Yen Teh-fa told lawmakers that all problems with the Ministry of National Defense’s Phoenix Rising Project, which was launched in 2016 and aims to upgrade 142 ROCAF A/B Fighting Falcon combat aircraft to the F-16V configuration by 2023, have been resolved, the South China Morning Post reports. The program is being carried out by Lockheed Martin and its local partner AIDC, with the first upgraded F-16V aircraft being delivered to the RoCAF in October 2018. First unveiled at the Singapore Airshow in 2012, the F-16V features the Northrop Grumman AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, a new Raytheon mission computer, the Link 16 datalink, modern cockpit displays, an enhanced electronic warfare system, and a ground collision avoidance system.

Japan’s Board of Audit has found that the US has been behind schedule in delivering military equipment ordered by the Japan Self-Defense Force, the Japan Times reports. It found that only 40 percent of the flight computers ordered for the F-2 fighter have been delivered and some computers ordered nine years ago have yet been shipped. Delays also forced Maritime Self-Defense Force to hold back repairs for its Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The board on Friday urged the Defense Ministry to negotiate with the US side so that such delays will be resolved as soon as possible. In its survey, the audit board looked at Japan’s defense equipment procurement from the United States in four fiscal years through the end of March 2018. The F-2 support fighter aircraft is a multi role single engine fighter aircraft principally designed for the Japan Air Self Defence Force, the result of a joint Japan and USA development program.

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P-3 Orion, armed –
note Sidewinder
(click to view full)

The P-3 Orion remains the USA’s main maritime patrol aircraft, and is also finding use in overland surveillance roles despite the fleet’s age. Earlier DID articles have noted the extra effort required to preserve the USA’s P-3C Orion maritime surveillance & patrol aircraft, along with radar and weapons upgrades to improve the fleet. Lockheed has even opened a new production line, to deal with planes whose wings that are so aged and worn that they need a full replacement.

The SMIP (Sustainment, Modification, and Installation Program) is intensive depot-level inspection and repair process that includes P-3 airframe and component inspection, identification of problems, and corrective maintenance. The idea is to ensure safe and reliable P-3 use, while trying to get more hours out of each airframe in order to sustain dwindling global fleets. More intensive “MIP” efforts may be launched once inspection results become clear, such as the USA’s P-3 recovery plan and full “ASLEP” re-winging efforts underway in Norway and Canada.

SMIP Activities

SMIP work is performed on all types, models and series of P-3 aircraft in the 164-aircraft U.S. Navy fleet, as well as P-3 aircraft supported through U.S. Navy-administered foreign military sales programs.

The US Navy formally launched a P-3 service life assessment program in 2000. That led to a full-scale fatigue test on a P-3C by 2002 – and the results shocked the Navy. Lockheed Martin’s assessment was based on a 1980s software algorithm, but testing showed that the problems were ahead of the algorithm, and new tools predicted very serious failures. That led to the creation of a Special Structural Inspection Kit, with wing undersides receiving extra attention.

SMIP work includes 2 types of activities.

The first type of SMIP activity involves those special structural inspections to ensure that corrosion from salt spray, or the stresses of repeated low-level swoops to near-sea level, haven’t created damage that might make the airframe unsafe before the next inspection. These services include:

• P-3 Special Structural Inspections (SSIs);
  
• Enhanced Special Structural Inspections (ESSIs);
  
• Fabrication and delivery of Special Structural Inspection Kits (SSI-Ks)

To ensure the aircraft remain safe, a Fatigue Life Management Program (FLMP) tracks and updates each P-3’s status every 6 months, and each plane’s flight hours and mission profiles are also monitored.

The inspections do find problems, as one would expect with aircraft this old. Next comes the actual work done. Sometimes, that just means regularly scheduled maintenance. Sometimes, the work involves installing new equipment, from upgraded electronics and radars to entirely new sets of wings. These services are referred to under SMIP as:

• Phased Depot Maintenance (PDM); and
  
• Modification/Installation Programs (MIPs).

The exact bundle of work varies to some extent from customer to customer, and MIPs will have contracts of their own attached to cover the cost of the equipment and any work “above and beyond.”

“Zone 5” – The Program and Process

Zone 5 repairs
(click to view full)

The Zone 5 repairs are very extensive, requiring 21,000 man-hours of work, 6,000 holes drilled for rivets, and special equipment. Work includes replacement of 5 of the 9 lower wing planks, and the aft lower wing spar. When the Zone 5 repairs are complete, they provide an estimated 5,000 additional flight hours, or 8 – 10 years, to the aircraft’s airframe service lifespan. See NAVAIR’s “FRCSE Delivers First Red-Striped P-3 Back to the Fleet” for further details regarding the process.

Some countries like Norway have opted for an even more extensive plan, which involves a full re-winging, plus other replacements that include the horizontal stabilizer and engine nacelle components. Lockheed Martin has become the sole source for new P-3 wings as a matter of Pentagon policy, and a few outer wing kits were bought, but installation is the responsibility of other firms like L-3 Communications.

The main thrust, however, involved establishing rotatable wing pool, beginning with an order for 15 new wings. As P-3s come in and their old outer wings are removed and replaced, their old wings are refurbished and partially replaced, then returned to the pool.

The US Navy planned to ground 6 – 10 Orions a year, with all aircraft re-evaluated every 6 months. The re-winging effort and associated “Zone 5 modifications” is expected to take up to a year for each aircraft, and the US Navy expects to reach a steady state of 24 Zone 5 modifications (including re-wings) per year. That has accelerated somewhat due to fleet readiness issues, and as of September 2010, 45 P-3s were undergoing depot-level repairs.

Getting there required more than just spending money. The initial “Zone 5 groundings” in December 2007 kicked off a detailed value stream analysis of the entire P-3 industrial base. Two new plank and wing spar manufacturing vendors were certified, in order to make sure long-lead items would be available as needed. Another 3 depot facilities were brought under contract to conduct wing modifications and start work on the backlog of grounded aircraft. Existing contracts were restructured to reward higher depot throughput, and the Navy invested in machinery and production level management software for its own depot, in order to streamline P-3 repair operations.

SMIP Contracts and Related Announcements

The age of the fleet has even begun to involve re-winging and “Zone 5” work under a crash plan to, well, keep the P-3s from crashing. Because of their emergency nature and operational significance, those efforts are covered in a separate article: “US P-3 Recovery Plan Tries to Keep the Fleet in the Air.” Unless otherwise noted, US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages these contracts.

FY 2011 – 2019

 

Refurb done
(click to view full)

October 22/19: Last Deployment Complete The US Navy completed the process of transitioning from P-3C Orion to the P-8A Poseidon earlier this month as the “Fighting Marlins” of Patrol Squadron FORTY returned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. The conclusion of a six-month rotational deployment on October 10, 2019, marked the final active duty deployment for the P-3C Orion, which served as the US Navy’s airborne anti-submarine warfare and maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) force for more than five decades. After post-deployment leave, the Fighting Marlins will begin the final of 12 active duty squadron transitions to the more modern and capable P-8A Poseidon. The US Navy will continue to operate its intelligence collection variant, the EP-3E, for several years along with reserve component operations before the official retirement of all P-3 variants.

August 5/15: The Navy’s P-3 Orion maintenance monitoring system, the Fatigue Life Management Program, was bolstered with a $32.3 million five-year contract with Lockheed Martin on Tuesday. Covering P-3 aircraft from the Navy and several other government agencies, the contract also provides engineering services for international operators, including the German Navy, which recently handed the company a contract to re-wing its eight P-3Cs. Similarly, Norway will also benefit from the contract, with the Scandinavian country also re-winging its Orions.

July 30/15: Following initial reports from early July, Germany has awarded an eight-year contract to Airbus Defence & Space and Lockheed Martin Overseas Services Corp. to re-wing the German Navy’s fleet of P-3C orion maritime patrol aircraft. The contract will cover eight P-3C aircraft, with Lockheed Martin manufacturing the new Mid-Life Upgrade kits on a production line opened in 2005 and Airbus responsible for integration and installation of the kits. Previous estimates put the value of a ten-aircraft contract at approximately $626 million. Norway has also invested in upgrading its Orions through a re-winging program. Germany previously requested aircraft mission computer, acoustic systems and simulator equipment for its Orion fleet, detailed in a DSCA request from April 2014.

Nov 15/13: FY 2014. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Waco, TX receives a $96.4 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for services in support of the P-3 (Orion, maritime patrol), EP-3 (Aries II, electronic eavesdropping), and NP-3 (testing plane) SMIP programs. This includes planned maintenance intervals, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, Zone 5 kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments.

Work will be performed in Waco, TX, and is expected to be complete in September 2014 (N00019-11-D-0017).

Oct 31/12: FY 2013. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems – Waco Platform Integration Division in Waco, TX receives a $109.1 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for services in support of the P-3 (Orion, maritime patrol), EP-3 Aries II electronic surveillance, and NP-3 testing aircraft SMIP services.

Work includes planned maintenance intervals, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, Zone 5 kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments. Funds will be committed as needed, leading to work in Waco, TX, until October 2013 (N00019-11-D-0017).

Dec 23/11: Re-winging. US NAVAIR announces that artisans at Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) completed the installation of the 1st new set of wings on a P-3C Orion in November 2011.

“P-3 Orion Program Manager Clinton Batten said the artisans were still conducting Zone 5 repairs to the lower outer wing planks and the lower aft wing spar, but they were running into repair issues on the upper planks of the donor wings…. It is proving more cost effective to install new wings because of the many unknowns associated with refurbishing the old ones according to Cmdr. Stephen Tedford, PMA-290 P-3 Sustainment Integrated Product Team Lead.

An upper wing surface analysis performed in September 2009 determined that corrosion on the upper surface and not fatigue was the primary concern for the P-3 fleet.”

P-3s scheduled to remain in service the longest are getting the new wings, and FRCSE personnel have been providing feedback to Lockheed Martin re: how to assemble the wings being produced from 3-decade-old tooling. Apparently, the biggest obstacle has been aligning the new wings’ nacelles to hard points on the propellers. Sources: US NAVAIR, “FRCSE artisans rewing legacy P-3 Orion patrol aircraft to extend service life”.

Oct 20/11: FY 2012. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems – Waco Platform Integration Division in Waco, TX receives a $113 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for services in support of the P-3 (Orion, maritime patrol), EP-3 Aries II electronic surveillance, and NP-3 testing aircraft SMIP services. This includes planned maintenance intervals, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, Zone 5 kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments.

Work will be performed in Waco, TX, and is expected to be complete in October 2012. $5.6 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00019-11-D-0017).

May 25/11: FY 2011. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems – Waco Platform Integration Division in Waco, TX wins a $104 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for services in support of P-3 (Orion, maritime patrol), EP-3 (Aries II, electronic eavesdropping), and NP-3 (testing plane) SMIP services. This includes planned maintenance intervals, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, Zone 5 kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments.

Work will be performed in Waco, TX and is expected to be complete in May 2012. $4,105,717 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals, with 2 offers received (N00019-11-D-0017). See also L-3 release.

April 28/11: FY 2011. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Global Sustainment Services in Greenville, SC receives a not-to-exceed $64.4 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract modification. The money will pay for continued P-3 airframe sustainment support: phase depot maintenance, special structural inspections, special structural inspection kits and installations, and modification installations.

Work will be performed in Greenville, SC (100%), and is expected to be complete in December 2012 (N00019-05-D-0013).

April 27/11: FY 2011. L-3 Communications Corp. in Waco, TX wins a not-to-exceed $84.5 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract modification for continued P-3 airframe sustainment support: phase depot maintenance, special structural inspections, special structural inspection kits and installations, and modification installations.

Work will be performed in Waco, TX (96%), and Greenville, SC (4%), and is expected to be complete in December 2012 (N00019-05-D-0008).

April 18/11: Upgrades. Lockheed Martin receives a $23.8 million order for procurement of 76 acoustic processor and receiver tech refresh kits for the AN/USQ-78V acoustic subsystems aboard the P-3C Orion. Work will be performed in Manassas, VA, and is expected to be completed in February 2014. As one might guess, this is a P-3 MIP activity.

Oct 21/10: Stats. US NAVAIR says that it has 80 mission-ready P-3s of 147 in the fleet, and trending upward. It’s a vast improvement from the Fleet’s lowest point in 2009, when “only 49 aircraft were available for missions.” Source: US NAVAIR, “More P-3s Available for the Fleet”.

FY 2008 – 2010

 

P-3 with CG 54
(click to view full)

March 24/10: Upgrades. US NAVAIR discusses one aspect of the P-3 fleet non-structural efforts to stay ahead of obsolescence via MIP: radio replacement. According to P-3 Critical Obsolescence Program (COP) Team Lead Danny Hartwell, the existing Army/Navy Piloted ARC-161 analog radio was “costly and time consuming. We were required to replace the system organically…”

To hat end, the U.S. Navy recently began installation of an Organic Depot at Fleet Readiness Center South West (FRCSW) in San Diego, CA, to install AN/ARC-243 high-frequency radios in P-3s beginning in 2011. This is the same system that will be used for the Orion’s P-8A Poseidon; high-frequency radio provides instant over-the-horizon communications without the use of satellites, by bouncing signals off of the ionosphere.

Oct 17/09: Upgrades. Lockheed Martin announces a $17.5 million contract to upgrade existing AN/USQ-78V acoustic subsystems aboard the P-3C Orion. The contract includes upgrades and technical refreshes to software and Acoustic Receiver Tech Refresh hardware designed to comply with the Navy’s open architecture directives, replace obsolete components, provide increased processing capacity, and provide the framework for future aircraft upgrades. Work will be performed at Lockheed Martin’s Undersea Systems facility in Manassas, VA; Undersea Systems VP and GM Denise Saiki says that:

“This update provides an open Commercial Off-The-Shelf digital architecture using a modern digital receiver that is common across all maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters… That helps drive down the total ownership cost of the platforms…”

Sept 17/09: Inspection kits. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP in Waco, TX receives a $39.7 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award P-3 SMIP contract (N00019-05-D-0013), for special structural inspection kit installation.

Work will be performed in Waco, TX, and is expected to be complete in July 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $7.05 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

June 11/09: Inspection kits. Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. in Greenville, SC received a $49.6 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award P-3 SMIP contract , for special structural inspection kit installation. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC, and is expected to be complete in July 2011 (N00019-05-D-0013).

March 13/09: RFP. US NAVAIR releases a solicitation for the next set of P-3 SMIP and Zone 5 replacement contracts, with a planned base year and 4 option years. The actual contract(s) will not be awarded for many months. FedBizOpps.

Dec 17/08: FY 2009. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems in Waco, TX is being awarded a ceiling priced $136.1 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the P-3C SMIP effort. Work will be performed in Waco, TX and is expected to be complete in December 2009 (N00019-05-D-0008).

Nov 24/08: FY 2009. Lockheed Martin Services, Inc. in Greenville, Sc received a not-to-exceed $11.8 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for Special Structural Inspection Kit (SSIK) Revision 7 inspection/ installation on 5 P-3 aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC, and is expected to be complete in June 2010 (N00019-05-D-0013).

June 12/08: Inspection kits. Lockheed Martin Services, Inc., DBA Lockheed Martin Aircraft and Logistics in Greenville, SC received a $9.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-05-D-0013) for additional Special Structural Inspection-Kits (SSI-K) for the P-3 aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC and is expected to be complete in June 2010.

June 4/08: FY 2008. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Global Sustainment in Greenville, SC received a $142.5 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity multiple award contract to exercise an option for the P-3C SMP effort. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC and is expected to be complete in June 2009 (N00019-05-D-0013).

Feb 26/08: FY 2008. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, LP in Greenville, TX received a $10.7 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the P-3C SMIP effort. Work will be performed in Waco, TX (60%) and Greenville, TX (40%), and is expected to be complete in December 2008 (N00019-05-D-0008).

Dec 27/07: FY 2008. L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, LP in Greenville, TX received a $123.4 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for the P-3C SMIP effort. Services to be provided include phase depot maintenance, special structural inspections, and special structural inspection kits. Work will be performed in Waco, TX and is expected to be complete in December 2008 (N00019-05-D-0008).

FY 2005 – 2007

 

P-3C drops sonobuoy
(click to view full)

Sept 25/07: BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services in Rockville, MD receives a $10.5 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-06-D-0038) for the manufacture of 13 P-3 Special Structural Inspection airframe kits.

This effort entails production of Emergency Rate Initial Production quantities of end item component parts, including engineering, analytical and manufacturing efforts in support of the Aging Aircraft Program; the original $14 million contract was announced on Sept 26/06. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (56%); Rockville, MD (24%); and Brea, CA (20%) and is expected to be complete in September 2009. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division at Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

June 1/07: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Global Sustainment in Greenville, SC received a $133.8 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-05-D-0013), exercising an option for the P-3C sustainment, modification and installation program (SMIP). This is an extension of a previous contract that ends this month.

Work will be performed in Greenville, SC, and is expected to be complete in June 2008.

Dec 26/06: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP in Greenville, TX received a $109.4 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-05-D-0008), extending its work by exercising an option under the P-3C Sustainment, Modification and Installation Program (SMIP).

Work will be performed in Greenville, TX (50%); Waco, TX (25%); and Birmingham, AL (25%), and is expected to be complete in December 2007.

Jan 30/06: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems LP in Greenville, TX received a $104.2 ceiling-priced modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract N00019-05-D-0008. It exercises an option for the P-3C Sustainment, Modification and Installation Program (SMIP). Work will be performed in Greenville, TX (50%); Waco, TX (25%); and Birmingham, AL (25%), and is expected to be complete in December 2006.

A1079874000000*B1142991204000*DgroupByDate*J2*M704*N1001302&newsLang=en&beanID=1963892417&viewID=news_view">L-3 IS release.

June 9/06: Lockheed Martin Aircraft and Logistics Centers in Greenville, SC received a $125.8 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract (N00019-05-D-0013), exercising an option for the P-3C Sustainment, Modification and Installation Program. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC and is expected to be complete in June 2007.

June 10/05: Lockheed Martin Aircraft and Logistics Centers in Greenville, SC received a $121.4 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for phased depot maintenance, special structural inspections, enhanced special structural inspections, special structural inspection kits, and modification and installation programs for P-3 and EP-3 aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, SC, and is expected to be completed in June 2006. This contract was competitively procured under an electronic request for proposals; 2 offers were received (N00019-05-D-0013).

June 10/05: L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Greenville, TX received a $104.2 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for phased depot maintenance, special structural inspections, enhanced special structural inspections, special structural inspection kits, and modification and installation programs for P-3 and EP-3 aircraft. Work will be performed in Greenville, TX, and is expected to be complete in June 2006. This contract was competitively procured under an electronic request for proposals; 2 offers were received (N00019-05-D-0008).

Additional Readings

• US NAVAIR (Dec 23/11) – FRCSE artisans rewing legacy P-3 Orion patrol aircraft to extend service life. “It is proving more cost effective to install new wings because of the many unknowns associated with refurbishing the old ones according to Cmdr. Stephen Tedford, PMA-290 P-3 Sustainment Integrated Product Team Lead. An upper wing surface analysis performed in September 2009 determined that corrosion on the upper surface and not fatigue was the primary concern for the P-3 fleet.”

• Flight International (Nov 9/10) – US Navy Overcomes Mass P-3 Grounding Scare

• US NAVAIR (Oct 21/10) – More P-3s available for the fleet. Also discusses how they made that happen.

• US NAVAIR (Nov 7/08) – FRCSE Delivers First Red-Striped P-3 Back to the Fleet

Americas

Raytheon won a $17.9 million order that procures Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared special test equipment updates to the Windows 10 operating system in support of the F/A-18E/F Super Horner aircraft. The Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared is a multi-sensor, electro-optical targeting pod incorporating thermographic camera, low-light television camera, target laser rangefinder/laser designator, and laser sport tracker developed and manufactured by Raytheon. It is now in full-rate production, fully integrated and flight tested on all F/A-18 models. Word under the new deal will take place in McKinney, Texas and estimated completion will be in February 2022.

Collins Aerospace won a $21.3 million contract modification that exercises an option to provide non-recurring engineering support to modernize the High Power Transmit System installed on the E-6B aircraft. This effort modernizes weapons replaceable assemblies and subsystems of the HPTS to avoid obsolescence. The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a command post and communications relay aircraft manufactured by Boeing for the US Navy. The aircraft relays communications for ballistic missile submarine forces and provides airborne command and control for strategic forces. The Navy introduced the E-6 to replace its EC-130Q aircraft. The E-6B features battle staff positions and an airborne launch control system equipped with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. Work under the contract modification will take place in Texas and Iowa and estimated completion will be in May 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Oshkosh Defense won a $159.2 million Foreign Military Sales to Israel for production of Israel modified variant of family of medium tactical vehicles, including initial parts provisioning and training support. In 2017, Israel’s Ministry of Defense purchased the first six trucks to ensure the firm’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) meets Israeli requirements. The Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles stands alone as the get-things-done resource for military operations, according to Oshkosh. Crew-protecting armor and advanced technologies work in concert to provide the capability, versatility, mobility and protection to move troops and supplies, recover vehicles and weapon systems or haul equipment wherever the mission requires. Oshkosh Defense will perform work until October 17, 2024.

Europe

During exercise Nickel Strike last month, USAF F-16s from the 555th Fighter Squadron practiced flying mixed formation defensive combat air patrols with Polish F-16s. According to Commander of the 555th Fighter Squadron, Lt. Col. Beau E. Diers, his fighters came under command and control of the Polish AOC while connected to a common datalink network. Demonstrations of combat ability, readiness, and interoperability between American and Polish forces, such as the ones during Nickel Strike, allow for thorough tactical training and strengthening of regional partnerships.

Asia-Pacific

The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to South Korea for 120 AIM-120C-7/C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The estimated cost is around $253 million. The missiles will arm South Korea’s F-15, F-16 and F-35 aircraft. The proposed sale also includes containers; weapon support and support equipment; spare and repair parts; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The principal contractor is Raytheon, and there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with the potential sale. The AIM-120 AMRAAM missile is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operation. The fire-and-forget weapon employs active radar guidance and incorporates a datalink to guide the missile to a point where its active radar turns on to intercept the target.

Bangladesh is said to be interested in acquiring the AH-64 attack helicopter, local media reports. Anonymous US officials say two helicopters were proposed to Bangladesh and the Apache was chosen. They added that the Bangladesh government will have to decide whether to approve the request put up by the Bangladesh Air Force. Both countries are currently negotiating two agreements that are required by the US law for the purchase to go ahead that will expand the military cooperation between the countries.

Today’s Video

Watch: AUSA 2019: Debut of Compound Coaxial Helicopter mock-up

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

Today’s Video

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

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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

Today’s Video

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

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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

Today’s Video

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

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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

Today’s Video

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

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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Watch: PCG OPV DELIVERY AND THE UPCOMING ASSETS

Americas

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

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

Middle East & Africa

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

Europe

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

Asia-Pacific

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

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

Today’s Video

Watch: PACIFIC 2019 Day 2 – Royal Australian Navy Programs