Defense Industry Daily

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The T-45 Training System includes T-45 Goshawk aircraft, advanced flight simulators, computer-assisted instructional programs, a computerized training integration system, and a contractor logistics support package. The integration of all 5 elements is designed to produce a superior pilot in less time and at lower cost than previous training systems.

The US Navy uses the Hawk-based T-45TS system to train its pilots for the transition from T-6A Texan II/ JPATS aircraft to modern jet fighters – and carrier landings. This is not a risk-free assignment, by any means. Nevertheless, it is a critical link in the naval aviation chain. This DID FOCUS article covers the T-45TS, and associated contracts to buy and maintain these systems, from 2006 to the end of FY 2014.

T-45 History & Background T-45: The Platform

T45TS Simulator
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In 1981, the T45TS beat out the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet in a bid to replace two US Navy training aircraft: the TA-4J Skyhawk and T-2C Buckeye. The new system trains U.S. Navy and Marine Corps pilots for conversion into the F/A-18A-D Hornet, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet family, the AV-8B Harrier II Plus, and the EA-6B Prowler. It will also serve as a lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) aircraft to future platforms like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter variants.

The T-45 Training System, or T45TS, is more integrated than past systems. The system includes the T-45 Goshawk aircraft, advanced flight simulators, computer-assisted instructional programs, a computerized training integration system, and a contractor logistics support package. The combined value of all five integrated elements produces a superior pilot in less time and at lower cost than previous training systems.

Goshawks come in two variants: the T-45A and T-45C. What distinguishes them is the “Cockpit 21″ digital avionics in the C variant. The cockpits are equipped with two monochrome 5” multifunction displays supplied by Israel’s Elbit, which provide navigation, weapon delivery, aircraft performance and communications data. In addition, the aircraft have been equipped with a new open systems design MDP that manages the avionics and the displays in the aircraft. Approximately 80% of the MDP’s software and circuit card assemblies were reused from the F/A-18E/F Advanced Mission Computer, making project development faster and less expensive, and improving commonality with the advanced aircraft the Goshawks train their pilots to fly.

A number of air forces around the world choose to use BAE Systems’ Hawk trainer in a reserve or even front-line role as a light attack aircraft. The US Navy could do so, but haven’t chosen to. The do plan to keep the Goshawks flying until 2035, however, training the next several generations of US Navy pilots.

T-45: Basing & Industrial

T-45 Goshawks
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T-45s are currently based at NAS Kingsville, TX and NAS Meridian, MS. The aircraft are permanently based ashore, and are flown out to the training carrier for deck landings.

Since the transition to the T-45, performance has indeed improved. The training task has been accomplished with 25% fewer flying hours, using 42% fewer aircraft and 46% fewer personnel. Overall, the T45TS has enabled the US Navy to reduce student flight time by 13% for each student pilot, and the average training time by 17 weeks. Even so, with the current T-45 training demand the U.S. Navy has been able to average more than 60 hours per month per airframe – one of the highest utilization rates in the world.

While the core Hawk aircraft is British, the prime contractor is Boeing Aircraft Company, St. Louis, MO.

British Aerospace (BAE Systems) of Kingston, England provides the center and aft fuselage; and Rolls Royce, Ltd. of Bristol, England provides the F405-RR-401 Adour engines, along with its trademark Power By The Hour(R) support based on availability. Tests have been conducted using the more advanced F405-RR-402 as well.

Smiths Industries supplies the head-up display (HUD) with its video camera system for post-mission analysis, along with primary and secondary air data indicators and a weapon aiming computer and display.

L-3 Vertex provides contractor logistics support for the fleet as a whole, under 2 similar contracts.

T45TS Contracts and Key Events, 2006 – 2017

Flight’s end
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This article began coverage as the T-45 was fading from production. Pentagon budget documents note that the FY 2005 budget covered 10 systems for $301 million, but FY 2006 production dropped to 6 systems and $278.8 million. The FY 2007 figures rose again to 12 systems and $410.6 million total, and were the last T-45s ordered.

The FY 2008 budget request of $90.7 million was aimed at modifications to correct discrepancies and deficiencies, address critical avionics obsolescence and diminishing manufacturing source issues, and fund upgrades to the aircraft cockpit and navigation systems. Those tasks have continued beyond 2008, but by FY 2010, the T-45 was no longer listed in Pentagon budget reports for major weapons systems.

Unless otherwise specified, all contracts are issued by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD; and Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas is the recipient. Maintenance and support contracts tend to go to L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, and engine manufacturer Rolls Royce; they will be specifically noted where appropriate. Note that Rolls Royce’s trademarked Power By the Hour approach is designed to charge a fixed price per flight hour.

FY 2018

T-45s over CVN 77
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July 25/18: Oxygen nedded Boeing is being contracted to support the Navy’s fleet of T-45 training aircraft. The cost-plus-fixed-fee order has a value of $12.2 million and provides for non-recurring engineering efforts to support the integration of an Automatic Backup Oxygen system into the aircraft. The T-45 Goshawk is used by the US Navy to train its pilots for the transition to modern fighter jets and carrier landings. Last year the Navy decided to equip the trainers with new oxygen monitoring systems following a rash of incidents during which pilots appeared to suffer from oxygen deprivation. Work will be performed at the company’s location in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed in August 2019.

FY 2017

October 04/17: Following a five-month grounding, the US Navy has allowed the resumption of flights of its T-45 Goshawk fleet after issues arose with the system that generates and supplies oxygen to the trainer aircraft. Under the new flight regime, student pilots can continue training only on aircraft outfitted with a digital upgrade to the CRU-99 oxygen monitor, called the solid-state oxygen monitor (CRU-123), which provides information on temperature and oxygen pressure. The Navy plans to have all of its T-45 aircraft to be fitted with the CRU-123 by the end of the second quarter of 2018.

April 18/17: A US Navy ban on T-45 flights has been lifted, although lower altitude restrictions have been put in place. The trainers were barred from flying late last month after instructor pilots reported incidents of physiological problems by pilots while in the cockpit. The pilot trainer will now fly below 10,000 feet to avoid the use of the aircraft’s On Board Oxygen Generator System as authorities continue to investigate the causes of physiological episodes experienced in the cockpit by aircrew. Air crew will also wear a modified mask that circumvents the OBOGS system.

FY 2014

L-3 retains new support contract.

July 31/14: L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS receives a $29.8 million indefinite-delivery requirements contract modification to provide organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance and logistics support for T-45 aircraft based at NAS Meridian, MS; NAS Kingsville, TX; and NAS Pensacola, FL. This requirement also includes the support and maintenance of the T-45 aircraft at all operational sites, numerous outlying fields, and various detachment sites. Individual delivery orders will be placed as needed.

Work will be performed in Kingsville, TX (58%); Meridian, MS (36%); and Pensacola, FL (6%), and is expected to be complete in September 2014. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-14-D-0019).

July 7/14: No T-X Goshawk. Boeing’s partnership with BAE didn’t transfer to the USAF’s huge T-X trainer replacement program, which is expected to begin in 2016. Boeing made some moves to ally with Alenia and its M-346 trainer in May 2008, but decided not to extend that alliance to the USA; they finally signed an agreement with Saab for a joint clean-sheet trainer design in December 2013.

BAE partnered with Northrop Grumman to offer their standard Hawk trainer for T-X (q.v. Sept 19/11), and Northrop Grumman has just shifted to the same lead contractor role that Boeing enjoyed for the T-45 Goshawk. Meanwhile, Boeing will have a very tough competitive row to hoe with an unproven clean sheet design. One wonders if they have any regrets right now about letting a productive Hawk partnership lapse. Sources: Breaking Defense, “Northrop Takes The Lead From BAE On $11B T-X Trainer”.

July 1/14: Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS wins a $151.4 million indefinite-delivery requirements contract to provide organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance and logistics services in support of “approximately 200” T-45 aircraft based at Naval Air Station Meridian, MS; NAS Kingsville, TX; NAS Pensacola, FL; and NAS Patuxent River, MD.

This is a new contract, issued after the previous multi-year deal expired (q.v. Sept 30/13, Jan 24/12).

Work on the base contract will be performed in Kingsville, TX (48%); Meridian, MS (44%); Pensacola, FL (7%); and Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in September 2015. Funds will be committed in individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals, with 4 offers received by US NAVAIR (N00019-14-D-0011). See also FBO.gov, “USN T-45 Aircraft Maintenance and Logistics Support, Solicitation Number: N00019-12-R-0001”.

Multi-year support deal

March 28/14: Engines. Rolls-Royce Corp. in Indianapolis, IN receives a $107 million unfinalized contract action to provide intermediate, depot level maintenance and related logistics support for approximately 223 in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines.

Funds will be committed as delivery orders are placed. Work will be performed at US Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, MS (47%); NAS Kingsville, TX (46%); NAS Pensacola, FL (6%); and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in March 2015. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, and seems to be either an extension at the end of the current multi-year contract, or the beginning of something new (N00019-14-D-0016).

March 26/14: Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS receives a maximum $58.5 million indefinite-delivery, requirements contract to support T45TS aircraft based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, MS; NAS Kingsville, TX; and NAS Pensacola, FL. They’ll provide logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, while supporting T-45s at all operational sites, numerous outlying fields, and various detachment sites.

Work will be performed in Kingsville, TX (58%); Meridian, MS (36%); and Pensacola, FL (6%), and is expected to be complete in July 2014. Funds will be committed as individual delivery orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, by US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-14-D-0019).

FY 2012 – 2013

Engine troubles. Draft RFP for support.

T-45Cs: Navy & Marines
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Sept 30/13: FY14 Fleet. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS wins a $65 million indefinite-delivery, requirements contract modification, exercising the annual option for organizational, intermediate, and depot level support for the Goshawk fleet: 36 T-45A and 168 T-45C aircraft based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, MS; NAS Kingsville, TX; NAS Pensacola, FL, and Patuxent River, MD.

The type splits correspond to the FY 2012 fleet contract rather than the FY 2013 contract, which posited the retirement of some T-45As and 3 more conversions to T-45C status. As always, the fleet contract also includes organizational level maintenance for the Rolls Royce Adour engine.

This represents the final contract of a multi-year fleet deal. Announced contracts total $663.8 million, for a contract whose maximum figure was $569 million. Note, however, that each year’s announcement is a maximum, not an amount that must be spent.

Work will be performed in Kingsville, TX (57%); Meridian, MS (36%); Pensacola, FL (6%); and Patuxent River, MD (1%), and will run to March 2014, at which point new multi-year contracts will be needed for the aircraft and engine. Contract funds will not be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued (N00019-08-D-0014).

Sept 25/13: FY14 Engines. Rolls-Royce Defense Services Inc. in Indianapolis, IN receives a maximum $50.7 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery option to support about 223 of its F405-RR-401 Adour engines with intermediate and depot level maintenance, using the Power-By-the-Hour arrangement.

This is the last option in a 5-year contract (q.v. Oct 1/08), and as usual, funds will be obligated for individual task orders as they are issued. All together, announced awards under this contract total $524.2 million.

Work will be performed at NAS Meridian, MS (47%); NAS Kingsville, TX (46%), NAS Pensacola, FL (6%), and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in March 2014 (N00019-09-D-0002).

Sept 25/13: R&D. Boeing in St. Louis, MO is being awarded $9.7 million for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order for supplies and services in support of the T-45 Subsystems Service Life Assessment Program. It involves systems other than avionics and engines, and work required to required to meet full service life through 2035. $4 million in R&D funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (58.5%) and Brough, United Kingdom (41.5%) and is expected to be complete in July 2016. US Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity (N00019-11-G-0001, #1509).

Jan 24/12: Draft RFP. Following a presolicitation process initiated in November 2011, NAVAIR posts the full draft RFP (N00019-12-R-0001) on T-45 Aircraft Maintenance and Logistics Support. A presolicitation conference is scheduled for Feb. 5, with a final RFP expected at the end of February.

As it is currently laid out, the contract would span a maximum of 8 years with all options exercised.

Jan 14/13: Engines. US NAVAIR throws a light on recent T-45 engine problems, which hadn’t been discussed in previous DOT&E reports:

“Safety problems with the Low Pressure Turbine blades in the F405 engine… forced a redesign of the old blades, which ended production [in early 2012]…. problem was that the newly redesigned blades were not yet fully qualified by U.S. Navy standards and could not be used immediately and the stockpile of old blades was forecast to be depleted by April [2012]…”

Poor planning, that, and the Navy had to grant a temporary relaxation of the lifetime wear “1,000-hour Accelerated Simulated Mission Endurance Test (ASMET)” requirement. Even at a 100 hour threshold, however, the 4-6 months normally needed for test preparation would have blown the stockpile’s deadline. Instead, the team met the 100-hour deadline between Jan 20/12 – April 11/12. ASMET testing continued at the NAS Patuxent River Aircraft Test & Evaluation Facility, and was fully done by Oct 23/12, ahead of schedule and “several million dollars” under budget. Hopefully, the Navy will pass on some of the things it learned to other programs. US NAVAIR.

Engine problems & blade redesign

Oct 15/12: Training. An $8.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for 12 T-45 Virtual Mission Training System kits and spares.

Work will be performed in Hazelwood, MO (96%), El Paso, TX (3%), and Mesa, AZ (1%), and is expected to be complete in April 2014 (N00019-11-G-0001).

Sept 25/12: FY13 Fleet Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS receives a $126.5 million indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract option to support 28 T-45A and 171 T-45C aircraft based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX; NAS Meridian, MS; and NAS Pensacola, FL. That’s 8 fewer T-54As than last year, and 3 more T-45Cs. L-3 Vertex will continue providing logistics support, and the materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance.

Taken together, FY 2013 support costs for the 223 plane fleet will run up to $237.9 million. Taken together, announced fleet support orders under this 5-year contract amount to $598.8 million, which is slightly higher than the contract’s announced $569 million maximum (q.v. Aug 28/08). They could still be congruent, however, because each year’s award is a maximum that could leave unspent dollars for future years.

Orders will be placed, and funds will be released, as needed. Work will be performed in Kingsville, TX (57%); Meridian, MS (36%); and Pensacola, FL (7%), and the option will finish in September 2013 (N00019-08-D-0014).

Sept 20/12: FY13 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN receives a $103.3 million firm-fixed-price; indefinite-delivery option to support the T-45 Goshawk’s F405-RR-401 Adour engines with intermediate and depot level maintenance, using the Power-By-the-Hour arrangement. They’ll also provide inventory control, sustaining engineering and configuration management, as well as integrated logistics support and required engineering for organizational-level sustainment.

Work will be performed at NAS Meridian, MS (48%); NAS Kingsville, TX (47%), NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in September 2013. Funds will be obligated for individual task orders as they are issued (N00019-09-D-0002).

Dec 12/11: Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives an $8.1 firm-fixed-price delivery order modification, exercising an option to support the integration testing of engineering changes to the T-45 aircraft. Work will be performed at NAS Patuxent River, MD, and is expected to run to December 2012 (N00019-11-G-0001).

FY 2010 – 2011

Final delivery; 1 million flight hours.

Landed.
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Sept 27/11: FY12 Fleet Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace, LLC in Madison, MS receives a $123.2 million indefinite-delivery, requirements contract modification, exercising an option for logistics services and materials for organizational, intermediate, and depot-level maintenance required to support 36 T-45A and 168 T-45C aircraft. This requirement also includes organizational level maintenance for the engine.

No funding will be obligated at time of award. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, MS (36%); NAS Kingsville, TX (54%); NAS Pensacola, FL (6%); and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in September 2012 (N00019-08-D-0014).

Sept 27/11: FY12 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN receives a $99.9 million firm-fixed-price requirements contract modification, exercising an option for intermediate and depot-level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines, under their Power-by-the-Hour arrangement. In addition, this modification provides for inventory control, sustaining engineering and configuration management. finally, Rolls Royce will handle integrated logistics support and required engineering elements necessary to support the F405-RR-401 engine at the organization level – though that support will be performed by L-3 Vertex.

No funding is being obligated at time of award; it will be called on as necessary. Work will be performed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (48%); NAS Meridian, MS (47%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%); and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be complete in September 2012 (N00019-09-D-0002).

Sept 19/11: T-X. BAE won’t be partnering with Boeing to offer its Hawk trainer to the US Air Force – they’ve signed an agreement with Northrop Grumman instead. The USAF’s current T-38 Talon supersonic trainer is a Northrop product.

Boeing teamed up with Alenia in May 2008, and pledged to act as a marketing partner for Alenia’s M-311 and new M-346 trainer jets beyond Italy and the USA. They still haven’t committed to any trainer partnerships within the USA, but they clearly weren’t focused on extending their partnership with BAE. Sources: Northrop Grumman, “BAE Systems, Inc. and Northrop Grumman Partner to Pursue U.S. Air Force T-X Contract”.

Partner switch for T-X

April 29/11: Avionics. A $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, exercising an option for hardware and support associated with the T-45 Required Avionics Modernization Program: 30 T-45 retrofit kits, 1 additional spare mission display processor, and associated engineering support efforts.

T-45 RAMP converts T-45As into T-45Cs, swapping out the analog instruments for a “glass cockpit” of digital display screens, inertial navigation, and other improvements that make them more like the systems found in the Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in September 2014 (N00019-09-C-0020).

Sept 27/10: FY11 Fleet Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS received a $125 million option against its indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract to support the T-45 fleet. They’ll provide services and materials to provide organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance for 47 T-45As and 158 T-45Cs, plus organizational maintenance support for their engines.

Work will take place where the planes are based, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (54%); NAS Meridian, MS (41%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and Patuxent River, MD (1%); and the contract option runs into September 2011 (N00019-08-D-0014).

Sept 27/10: FY11 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN receives an $89.1 million option under a firm-fixed-price requirements contract for the 2nd option year of intermediate and depot level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines. Work will take place under the firm’s MissionCare/ “power-by-the-hour” arrangement, which pays Rolls Royce for engine hours flown, not hours of maintenance done. Work will include the aforementioned maintenance for the engines and the aircraft’s gas turbine starting system, as well as inventory control, parts supply, sustaining engineering and configuration management, and other required engineering.

The initial Adour engine MissionCare contract was awarded to Rolls-Royce in October 2003, and has been renewed annually. The US Navy’s T-45 fleet reached 1 million flight hours in August 2010, and in September 2010, Rolls-Royce completed 500,000 flight hours of MissionCare support for the fleet.

Work will take place where the planes are based, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (54%); NAS Meridian, MS (41%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and Patuxent River, MD (1%); and the contract option runs into September 2011 (N00019-09-D-0002). This would appear to be the 2nd of 4 option years under the Oct 1/08 contract. See also Rolls Royce release.

Aug 26/10: Boeing and the U.S. Navy celebrate the Naval Air Training Command’s 1 millionth flight hour with the T-45 Goshawk, after 18 years of service. The ceremony is held at at Cecil Field in Jacksonville, FL. Boeing.

1,000,000 flight hours

Oct 20/09: The 221st, and last, T-45C Goshawk is delivered to the U.S. Navy, during a ceremony at the Boeing production facilities in St. Louis, MO. NAVAIR release.

Final delivery

FY 2008 – 2009

Simulator improvements; Engine improvements get recognition; USN’s T-2 Buckeyes retired.

T-45 Goshawks
from NAS Kingsville
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Sept 28/09: Avionics. A $10.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for retrofit kits and associated engineering services in support of the T-45’s avionics modernization program, which is part of the T-45C upgrade. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in September 2014. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-09-C-0020).

Sept 28/09: Avionics. A $7.6 million firm-fixed-price delivery order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement for 36 mission display processor aircraft retrofit kits for the T-45-TS. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in November 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $2.5 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, which is Sept 30/09 (N00019-05-G-0026).

Sept 25/09: FY10 Fleet Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS received a $112.7 million option against its indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract to support the T-45 fleet. They’ll provide services and materials to provide organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance for 49 T-45As and 151 T-45Cs, plus organizational maintenance support for their engines.

Work will take place where the planes are based, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (54%); NAS Meridian, MS (41%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and Patuxent River, MD (1%); and the contract option runs into September 2010 (N00019-08-D-0014).

Sept 25/09: FY10 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN receives a $90.7 million option under a firm-fixed-price requirements contract for intermediate and depot level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines that power the T-45 Goshawks. MissionCare is the defense analogue to commercial Power By The Hour(R) contracts, which offer fixed-price maintenance based on hours flown.

Work will include the aforementioned maintenance for the engines and the aircraft’s gas turbine starting system, as well as inventory control, parts supply, sustaining engineering and configuration management, and other required engineering. It will take place where the planes are based, at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (48%); NAS Meridian, MS (47%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and Patuxent River, MD (1%); and the contract option runs into September 2011 (N00019-09-D-0002). This contract exercises the 1st of 4 option years to the base contract noted in the Oct 1/08 entry.

Sept 10/09: HSRIP Recognition. The T-45 Goshawk Hot Section Reliability Improvement (HSRIP) team here is presented with the Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) 2009 James S. McDonnell Flight Test Team Award at the SFTE’s 40th Annual Symposium Award Banquet in Stockholm, Sweden. HSRIP is composed of personnel from NAVAIR, Boeing, Rolls Royce and Wyle, as well as Navy, Marine Corps and Boeing test pilots. It falls under the Naval Undergraduate Flight Training Systems Program Office (PMA-273).

The HSRIP team is responsible for the US Navy’s incorporation of the F405-RR-402 (Rolls-Royce MK 951 Adour derivative) engine into the T-45, including a Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC), an improved backup Manual Fuel Control (MFC) system, and a new hot section that should provide longer life. Operationally, the FADEC provides automatic surge detection and recovery logic, an improved airstart envelope and the potential to optimize the engine’s performance and the plane’s handling qualities.

The program conducted its first HSRIP test flight on Dec 18/07, and has since completed more than 100 flight test missions. The trophy will eventually be on display at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy Annex at Washington-Dulles International Airport. US NAVAIR release.

Dec 10/08: Israel. The Goshawk production line might be saved. After more than 40 years of service, Israel is finally looking to replace its versatile A-4 Skyhawk fleet. The T-45TS is reportedly one of the 4 contenders. Read “Israel’s Skyhawk Scandal Leads to End of an Era” – but salvation doesn’t come for the Goshawk. Israel picks the M346 in 2012, after the Goshawk production line has already shut down.

Oct 31/08: Shutdown. The Grim Reaper issues a Halloween reminder, via a $5.8 million order against Basic Ordering Agreement N00019-05-G-0026. The order is for “near and long term requirements to continue the analysis required for an efficient and orderly shutdown of the T-45 production line transition Phase II and the associated post-production support efforts for the T-45 A/C aircraft series.”

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (77%) and Warton, Lancashire, UK (23%), and is expected to be complete in March 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Oct 1/08: Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN received a $90.5 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to provide FY 2009 intermediate and depot level maintenance and related support for in-service T-45 F405-RR-401 Adour engines. The contract is for 1 year with options for 4 additional years, and builds upon a successful 5-year contract established in 2003.

As Rolls Royce reminds us, support is every more important than engine sales. “MissionCare solutions, along with other aftermarket services provided to global customers by Rolls-Royce, account for more than 50 percent of the company’s annual sales.”

These services will be provided under their trademark Power-By-the-Hour (PBTH) arrangement, which pays for flight hours rather than maintenance hours. PBTH services include inventory control, sustaining engineering and configuration management, integrated logistics support and required engineering to support the F405-RR-401 engine beyond the flightline.

Work will be performed on over 200 aircraft at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (48%), NAS Meridian, MS (47%); NAS Pensacola, FL (4%), and NAS Patuxent River, MD (1%), and is expected to be completed in September 2013. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant FAR 6.302-1, “Only one responsible source.” (N00019-09-D-0002). See also Rolls Royce release.

5-year Engine Support contract

Aug 28/08: Fleet Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS continues its status as the T-45’s support contractor. An $111.4 million indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract will have L-3 provide all logistics services and materials for the FY 2009 maintenance and support of 71 T-45A and 108 T-45C aircraft at Naval Air Station Meridian, MS, NAS Kingsville, TX; and NAS Pensacola, FL. The contract also includes organizational level maintenance for the Adour engines, and has 4 one-year option periods that could boost its value to $569 million.

Work will be performed in Kingsville, TX (58%); Meridian, MS, (36%); and Pensacola, FL (6%), and is expected to be complete in September 2009. This contract was competitively procured via electronic RFP, and 2 offers were received by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-08-D-0014). See also: L-3 Vertex, Oct 27/08 release.

5-year Fleet Support contract

Aug 22/08: The historic 50-year service record of the T-2 Buckeye training aircraft comes to a close with a sundown ceremony and fly-by at the Mustin Beach Officers’ Club aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola.

The T-2C was the US Navy’s intermediate and advanced trainer before the T-45 entered service, and the twin-engined T-2C entered service in 1968. Some of these jets had remained in the fleet, but this ceremony marks their final retirement from service. US Navy release | Navy Fact File: T-2C

T-2 Buckeye retires

June 25/08: Training. Boeing announces a contract with Elbit Systems for a Virtual Mission Training System (VMTS) that will help students prepare for carrier strike-fighter and electronic-attack duty at lower cost. Boeing is currently under contract to develop this capability, and is due to provide 2 test aircraft and then retrofit 18 existing Goshawks by 2012.

“VMTS simulates via data link an unclassified, mechanically scanned tactical radar that provides air-to-air and air-to-ground modes as well as simulated weapons and simulated electronic warfare. These functions can be networked between the participating aircraft and instructor ground stations that control the mission presentation. The current phase of VMTS work will provide flight officers with in-flight training in the use of radar and weapons against virtual enemy aircraft, including cooperative training with friendly real and virtual aircraft.”

April 30/08: L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS received an $11.3 million modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, cost-reimbursable contract (N00019-03-D-0010) adjusting for the effects of union contracts on the T-45 trainer system contractor logistics support effort.

Specifically, this modification covers the fiscal 2007 and 2008 cost impact for wages and fringe benefit adjustments as a result of the collective bargaining agreement, dated Oct 1/06 through Aug 1/09, and area wage determinations No. 05-2300 (Rev-4), 05-2300 (Rev-5), 94-2300 and 05-2508. All this is in accordance with the Fair Labor Standards Act and Service Contract Act – price adjustment clause and notification of changes clause. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (51%) and NAS Meridian, MS (49%).

FY 2006 – 2007

Final T-45s ordered; Production line shutdown contract.

Learning to fly
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Sept 26/07: FY08 Fleet Support. L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, Miss. received a $95.8 million estimated value modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time and materials requirements contract (N00019-03-D-0010). It exercises a contractor logistics support option for approximately 189 T-45 Training Systems. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, Texas (51%) and NAS Meridian, Miss. (49%), and is expected to be complete in September 2008.

Sept 26/07: FY08 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN received a $66.4 million modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, requirements contract. The option covers Power-By-the-Hour (PBTH) logistics support for approximately 188 of the Adour F405-RR-401 jet engines installed in the T-45 aircraft. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, Miss. (50%); NAS Kingsville, Texas (48.94%); and NAS Patuxent River, Md. (1.06%), and is expected to be complete in September 2008.

The contract has been developed in line with commercial PBTH agreements under a fixed price per engine flight hours. Rolls-Royce provides all engine maintenance, support, trouble-shooting, parts supply and logistics coverage; work is split between Meridian and Kingsville, TX, along with some functions at Patuxent River, MD. Rolls-Royce employs 110 maintenance, supply and management personnel across five locations in support of this program (N00019-03-D-0012). Rolls Royce release.

Sept 19/07: Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, Mo. received a $13.3 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract to exercise an option for the procurement of 10 T-45 Training System Airframes, including logistic support analysis, technical manuals, and technical support of support equipment, production integration testing support and flight test instrumentation, system equipment and repair.

This modification brings the total for these items to $278.5 million. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in September 2009 (N00019-06-C-0309).

June 11/07: A $265.2 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0309) for 10 FY 2007 production T-45 airframes, logistic support analysis, technical manuals and technical support of support equipment, production integration testing support, and flight test instrumentation systems equipment and repair.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (58%) and Warton, Lancashire, England (42%), and is expected to be complete in September 2009.

10 T-45s

May 31/07: Engine R&D. A $7.2 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0309) for Non-Recurring Engineering (NRE) for Phase II of the T-45 Hot Section Reliability Improvement Program.

This effort is in support of flight test, including carrier suitability testing aboard ship, as well as identification of required changes to T-45 publications and retrofit activities. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in November 2008.

Feb 5/07: Production line shutdown. A $7.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0001) provides for T-45 production line transition efforts for orderly shut down. Specific efforts will include technical assessment of parts and tooling to identify areas to reduce post-production parts manufacturing costs.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (59%) and Manchester, England (41%), and is expected to be complete in December 2007.

Production line shutdown contract

Arrested landing
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Sept 28/06: FY07 Fleet Support. L3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS received a $94 million estimated value modification to exercise an option for contractor logistics support for the T-45 Training System. This is a modification to a previously awarded fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, time and materials requirements contract (N00019-03-D-0010); work will be performed at Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville, TX (51%) and NAS Meridian, MS (49%), and is expected to be complete in September 2007.

Sept 27/06: FY07 Engine Support. Rolls-Royce Defense Services, Inc. in Indianapolis, IN received a $65.3 million fixed-price modification to a previously awarded requirements contract, exercising an option for power-by-the-hour logistics support for approximately 188 F405-RR-401 Adour engines. Under this arrangement, a single contract line item number is used to pay a fixed price per aircraft flight hours; contract performance is measured almost exclusively against the fleet-driven performance metric of “ready for issue engine availability.”

Work will be performed at the Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian, MS (50%); NAS Kingsville, TX (48.94%); and NAS Patuxent River, Md. (1.06%), and is expected to be complete in September 2007 (N00019-03-D-0012). See also Rolls Royce release.

April 6/06: Engine R&D. Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a $5 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-04-C-0013). This contract is part of the Hot Section Reliability Improvement Program for integration of the F405-RR-402 engine into the T-45 airframe, and involves nonrecurring engineering effort for Phase 1. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in August 2007. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

March 31/06: Avionics. $14.4 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-05-C-0025) for non-recurring engineering services associated with, and the production of, 12 T-45 required avionics modernization program retrofit kits and two simulator avionics retrofit kits. In addition, this contract provides for technical data, integrated logistics support, and approximately 12 spare kit components. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (77%); Mesa, AZ (15%) and Albuquerque, NM (8%), and is expected to be complete in August 2009.

March 30/06: A $139 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for six FY 2006 T-45 Goshawk training system airframes, plus support to build/specific sustaining engineering, ground based training support, and planning and integration. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (52%) and Warton, Brough, England (48%), and is expected to be complete in September 2008 (N00019-06-C-0309).

6 T-45s

March 30/06: $5.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-04-C-0013) provides nonrecurring engineering effort required to incorporate an embedded Terrain Awareness Warning System (eTAWS) and associated digital video recorder (DVR) replacement for the current airborne video cassette recorders (AVCR) into the T-45C aircraft, flight simulators located at the T-45’s bases in Naval Air Station Meridian and Naval Air Station Kingsville, and manned flight simulators located at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Patuxent River. In addition, this contract is for the production of up to seven pre-production DVRs in support of development, integration, simulator tests, and flight test. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (60%) and Germantown, MD (40%), and is expected to be complete in February 2008.

March 17/06: $12.5 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide integrated logistics support for the T-45 training system for calendar year 2006. Support to be provided includes acquisition logistics, logistics analysis, technical manuals and technical support of support equipment, production integration testing, and flight test instrumentation system equipment and repair. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO (80%); Warton, Lancashire, England (13%); and Filton, Bristol, England (7%), and is expected to be complete in December 2006. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-06-C-0309).

Americas

• The Missile Defense Agency is contracting L-3 Communications in support of its Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). The awarded contract modification is valued at $73.2 million and allows the company to procure three used aircraft required to modernize the High-Altitude Observatory (HALO) systems used to collect electro-optic and infrared imagery during tests of the BMDS. The HALO-I system platform is usually a Gulfstream IIB aircraft equipped with multiple sensors viewing through optical windows, used for data collection in the visible through long wave IR (LWIR) spectral regions. Three sensor stations accommodate the Infrared Imaging System (IRIS) primary sensor and a mix of user-defined sensors in the remaining two stations known as Alpha and Beta. HALO-II is also a Gulfstream IIB aircraft with a cupola mounted to the top of the fuselage that allows for open port viewing with a multiband sensor system to collect radiometric and photo documentation data in the visible through LWIR spectral regions. This modification brings the contract ceiling to a maximum amount of $637.3 million. The work will be performed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by L-3 Aeromet. The performance period is from July 2018 to approximately June 2021.

• Raytheon Missile Systems is set to provide a number of support services for the Navy’s RAM Mk-31 system. The $64.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract provides for design agent and engineering support services for the Mk-31 Guided Missile Weapon System Improvement Program. The MK-31 guided missile weapon system is co-developed and co-produced under a NATO cooperative program between the United States and German governments to provide a small, all-weather, low-cost self-defense system against aircraft and cruise missiles. The RAM weapon system consists of a 21-round missile launcher, below-deck electronics, and a guided missile round pack. This contract combines purchases for the Navy, Germany and Egypt. In addition, this contract also includes a number of options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $301.7 million. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed September 2020.

• Raytheon is being tapped to conduct ordnance alteration efforts for LHA and LHD class vessels. The awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee order has a value of $7.5 million and allows for the acquisition of materials necessary to support Mk 57 Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) systems. The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM is effectively a new missile with a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. LHA and LHD class ships are a key element of the Seapower 21 doctrine pillars of Sea Strike and Sea Basing. Those vessels will be the backbone of US amphibious assault capabilities. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Hauppauge, New York and Yorktown, Virginia and is expected to be complete by July 2019.

Middle East & Africa

• Turkish Aerospace expects a sales boost for its T-129 attack helicopter. The company is currently in the process of finalizing the necessary formalities with the Turkish and Italian defense ministries needed to export 30 T-129s to Pakistan. The company’s corporate marketing manager Gorkem Bilgi expects the delivery to commence within three months after all formalities are sorted. He further adds “Pakistan is a tough customer. We went to the Himalayas for high altitude tests, we went to desert for testing in hot conditions at 52C. They tested the helicopter for four years. It’s kind of a diploma – if you sell a helicopter to Pakistan, then all countries are interested.” The T-129 is derivative of Leonardo’s A-129 and is the first indigenously produced Turkish attack helicopter. The T129A EDH carries the nose-mounted 20mm cannon turret with 500 rounds, and 4 pylons for unguided rockets. The T129B version will add Roketsan’s MIZRAK (formerly UMTAS) missiles and CIRIT 70 mm Laser Guided Rockets, and Raytheon’s FIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles. Countries that are currently interested in the helicopter include Morocco, Thailand and Bangladesh.

• Israel reportedly launched its David’s Sling air defense system as a precaution against rockets fired within neighboring Syria. David’s Sling, also known as Sharvit Haksamim or the Magic Wand in Hebrew, is an Israeli system developed with the United States that is designed to defend against short-range and theater ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets, and cruise missiles. The low-tier system complements Israel’s Arrow THAAD system. The interceptor is designed for all-weather, day and night “hit to kill” intercept, which is similar to Lockheed’s Patriot PAC-3 rather than the Raytheon PAC-2 family’s proximity fuse approach. The $1 million missile travels at Mach 7.5, reaches an altitude of 15km, and has a range of 40 to 300 km. Israel has been on high alert as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Russian-backed army advances against southern rebels, bringing it close to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Europe

• The UK is currently displaying its new Tempest fighter concept, which will eventually replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. UK Defense Minister Gavin Williamson said during a speech at the Farnborough airshow that he wants the Tempest to be flying alongside the existing fleet of Typhoons and the US-made F-35s by 2035. The government will likely spend $2.6 billion to develop the 6th generation fighter between now and 2025. The future fighter has one design feature that especially stands out – its cockpit. Instead of the usual gauges and dials BAE will introduce a virtual cockpit, which can be changed for pilot preference and upgraded easily to reflect new capabilities. The Tempest will be able to fly unmanned, and will have next-generation technology on board, such as directed energy weapons, designed to cope with modern threats. Another innovation will include swarming technology that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to hit its targets.

• Airbus Defense & Space is set to launch flight test in the first quarter of 2019 to prove the ability of its A400M tactical transport to refuel helicopters in flight. Previous tests have shown that the refueling maneuver brings the helicopter to close to the airlifter’s tail and causes stability issues for the rotorcraft. The company is currently in the process of testing an updated hose design, that will be housed within the same under-wing refueling pod but has a length of 120ft instead of the previous 90ft. Air-to-air refueling operations with fixed-wing aircraft are currently advancing as planned.

Asia-Pacific

• India receive an amendment to its purchase of several Guardian UAVs from the US. Jane’s reports that the US has offered to sell India the weaponized version of the UAVs, that were originally authorized for sale as unarmed surveillance platforms. Based on the MQ-9 Reaper, the Guardian can be equipped with air-to-land missiles, anti-ship missiles and laser guided bombs and is capable of hunting and destroying targets across seas and over land borders. The Indian government seeks to substantially enhance India’s so-called stand-off weapon capabilities. The proposed deal has a value of $2-3 billion. If the purchase goes through, it would be first time that the US sold a large armed UAV to a country outside of NATO.

Today’s Video

• Watch: RAAF P-8A fires ATM-84J Harpoon missile

RIM-162: sections
(click to view full)

The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM is effectively a new missile with a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. Testing has even shown the ESSM to be effective against fast surface craft, an option that greatly expands the missile’s utility. As a further bonus, the RIM-162 ESSM has the ability to be “quad-packed” in the Mk 41 vertical launching system, allowing 4 missiles to be carried per launch cell instead of loading one larger SM-2 Standard missile or similar equipment.

This is DID’s FOCUS article for the program, containing details about the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile family, and contracts placed under this program since 1999. The Sea Sparrow was widely used aboard NATO warships, so it isn’t surprising that the ESSM is an international program. The NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the USA – as well as non-NATO Australia. Foreign Military Sales ESSM customers outside this consortium include Japan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.

ESSM: The Missiles More Than An Upgrade

RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Launch
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The RIM-162 is based on the RIM-7P, but it’s a new missile in almost all respects. The ESSM is a tail-controlled missile with strakes instead of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow’s wings and fins, using thrust vectoring to achieve a 50g maneuvering capability. ESSM also features a larger and completely new boost-only solid rocket motor (25.4 cm, 10 in diameter), a new autopilot, and a new insensitive-munition blast-fragmentation warhead. Effective range is significantly bigger than that of the RIM-7P, making ESSM a short to medium-range surface-to-air missile that fits in between “zone defense” options like the SM-2/3 and short-range point defenses like Mistral, RBS-70, RIM-116 SeaRAM, et. al.

ESSM Block I is a semi-active radar homing missile that depends on reflected radiation from the ship’s radar to see its target. Within that approach, the missile proceeds through various modes and phases. Generally speaking, there are 3 fundamentally different guidance modes used by ESSM Block I: Home All the Way (HAW), S-Band Midcourse Guidance (SB MCG), and X-Band Midcourse Guidance (XB MCG).

During Home All the Way operation, ESSM receives target illumination and rear reference for the entire flight from launch to intercept. This limits the number of missiles the ship can guide against multi-path saturation attacks, because on ships that must use HAW, limited shipboard radar resources must focus completely on one target if they focus at all. The only way to get around this limitation of the launching ship is to use missiles with active seeker heads of their own, sacrificing radar power and hence accuracy against difficult targets. ESSM Block II will begin to offer that option.

The RIM-162 missile always begins in the transition guidance mode where the missile safely exits the launcher, clears the ship’s structures, and then completes the pitch-over maneuver. At this time, the Thrust Vector Control (TVC) unit is jettisoned, and midcourse guidance begins unless it’s operating in HAW mode. For ships whose systems are advanced enough to use it, midcourse guidance allows search radars to keep track of multiple incoming missiles, offering navigation updates to each ESSM missile in the air. This lets them all remain roughly on target as they close in. SB MCG is the mode used when operating with the S-band AEGIS radar & combat system. XB MCG is the mode used with combat systems with X-band Multi-Function Radars (MFRs) like APAR, SPY-3 and CEAFAR/CEAMOUNT.

ESSM flies an energy efficient profile during midcourse guidance, switching to proportional navigation and full homing guidance from the ship during the last moments before intercept. This gives the missile maximum accuracy, while minimizing the use of limited shipboard radar resources.

ESSM Variants

ESSM stages
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The RIM-162A. Has an S-band uplink for SB MCG use with AEGIS-equipped ships, and is the most frequently produced version. It equips some American Arleigh Burke Class destroyers, and some Ticondergoa Class cruisers are also being modified to carry it. Foreign AEGIS ships that are slated to carry it include Japan’s Kongo Class destroyers, Norway’s Fridjhof Nansen Class frigates, Spain’s F100 Alvaro de Bazan Class frigates, and Australia’s derivative Hobart Class destroyers.

RIM-162B. A version for use on non-AEGIS ships equipped with the MK 41 Vertical Launch System; as such, it lacks the AEGIS S-band uplink. It’s used with on ships like Germany’s F124 Sachsen Class frigates and their Dutch De Zeven Provincien Class counterparts, which use advanced Thales APAR X-band radars. Australia ANZAC Class frigates being upgraded to add new CEAFAR/CEAMOUNT radars, which allow XB MCG.

The RIM-162C and RIM-162D. These are derivatives of the RIM-162B, for use with the MK 48/56 VLS and MK 29 box launchers, respectively. The UAE’s Baynunah Class corvettes, for instance, will pack the RIM-162C, fired from the MK56 8-cell vertical launchers.

US Carriers and LHD/LHA amphibious assault aviation ships pack the RIM-162D in 8-box launchers, as the USA replaces RIM-7 missiles on those platforms and builds new ships with RIM-162 ESSM.

RIM-162 Block II. This program is just beginning. Right now, it aims to define the changes needed in order to address emerging aerial threats, and assess their cost, technical risks, and potential development time. The biggest goal for Block 2 is to give the missile an active seeker option that allows independent guidance. That would make ESSM much more effective against saturation attacks, though ESSM would also retain the ability to home in on reflected radiation from the ship’s much larger and more powerful radar. The bottom line is simple: as more competitors are fielded with independent guidance (Raytheon SM-6, Eurosam Aster-15, MBDA Sea Ceptor, etc.), ESSM needs to keep up.

Older ships will find active guidance especially useful, but even some newer ships could benefit in certain scenarios. So can a wholly different class of equipment…

Go to Ground. A different change involves work to make the RIM-162 a ground-based air defense option. Norway’s Kongsberg is leading the way integrating ESSM missiles into both its AMRAAM-based NASAMS system, and into older MIM-23 Hawk missile systems that are still used by 17 countries. Raytheon is even working with Poland’s WZU to convert old Russian-built SA-6 systems into modern ESSM launchers, with the addition of new missile canisters, radars, etc. If they succeed at that, it could open up a big market.

ESSM Block II’s active guidance will be especially helpful to land-based air defense systems, which are constantly under threat from enemy missiles, rockets, etc. Air defense systems can foil some radar-killing missiles by intermittently shutting off their radars. They can also use transmitted results from other search radars, while depending on their own active seeker missiles to handle target tracking once they get close.

Countries that already deploy naval ESSM and ground-based NASAMS systems include the Netherlands, Norway, and Spain. Countries that already deploy both naval ESSM and ground-based Hawk missiles in their militaries include Greece, Spain, Turkey, and the UAE. Countries like Morocco, which deploys advanced Hawk missiles, or Finland, which adopted an AMRAAM based system as its main air defense option, may also find diversification into ESSM appealing.

ESSM Program: The USA, and Beyond

Under the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium, Raytheon’s Missile Systems business unit is leading a team of 18 companies from 10 countries (as of late 2002) in developing and producing various aspects of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile system. Different launch platforms and configurations mean that only some of these components are common for all customers. One aspect that makes the ESSM program unusual is that the design responsibility for each sub-system is vested in the industrial partner producing it, rather than at the prime contractor level.

The average cost per missile varies slightly with annual production, but seems to be consistently in the $1.3 – 1.5 million range.

Note that Mitsubishi Electric Corporation also has a final assembly line, under a 2012 license-production agreement with Raytheon. The international program’s full timeline follows:

ESSM-Related Contracts & Key Events

Related systems
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Unless otherwise noted, contracts are issued by the US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC to Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ. Fiscal years are by US fiscal year, which ends on September 30th.

Note that ORDALT stands for ORDnance ALTeration. It usually means that a ship which had been configured to carry RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles is having those launch systems swapped out for the RIM-162 ESSM package.

FY 2016-2018

 

Fired
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July 24/18: Material Support Raytheon is being tapped to conduct ordnance alteration efforts for LHA and LHD class vessels. The awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee order has a value of $7.5 million and allows for the acquisition of materials necessary to support Mk 57 Sea Sparrow and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) systems. The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM is effectively a new missile with a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. LHA and LHD class ships are a key element of the Seapower 21 doctrine pillars of Sea Strike and Sea Basing. Those vessels will be the backbone of US amphibious assault capabilities. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Hauppauge, New York and Yorktown, Virginia and is expected to be complete by July 2019.

May 21/18: Block 2 Incoming The Naval Seas Systems Command is contracting Raytheon Missile Systems in support of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) system. The firm-fixed-price contract is valued at $77 million and provides for the engineering, test equipment, material and management necessary to transition the ESSM Block 2 engineering. The ESSM program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test and procure ESSM missiles which provide enhanced ship self-defense. The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, it is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. The biggest goal for Block 2 is to give the missile an active seeker option that allows independent guidance. That would make the ESSM much more effective against saturation attacks, though ESSM would also retain the ability to home in on reflected radiation from the ship’s much larger and more powerful radar. ESSM Block 2’s active guidance will be especially helpful to land-based air defense systems, which are constantly under threat from enemy missiles, rockets, etc. Air defense systems can foil some radar-killing missiles by intermittently shutting off their radars. They can also use transmitted results from other search radars, while depending on their own active seeker missiles to handle target tracking once they get close. Work is expected to be completed by December 2020 and will be performed at multiple locations, including Tucson, Arizona; Hengelo, Netherlands and Ottobrunn, Germany.

January 8/18: Engineering Support Raytheon received Wednesday, a $37.5 million DoD contract modification for technical and engineering support on the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). Awarded by the US Naval Sea Systems Command, the agreement will task Raytheon with supporting the missile’s design agent, in-service support, and technical engineering support services. The majority of the work will take place at the firm’s Tucson, Arizona plant, with other work to take place in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Spain, Turkey, Denmark and Greece, and is expected to be completed by December 2018. Designed as an upgrade to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Missile, the ESSM is a collaborative effort between the US and 11 other NATO allies for a naval ship armament capable of defense against short-range anti-ship missiles. Raytheon may also receive additional funds if the company happens to run into cost overruns, with the reimbursement fee negotiated before the contract is finalized.

November 20/17: Contracts-Spares The Navy awarded Raytheon a $7.7 million firm-fixed-price modification to an existing contract for the procurement of spares for the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) under 2016-2017 Block I multi-year production requirements. The majority of the work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and other locations across the US, Germany, Australia, Canada, Norway, Spain, the Netherlands and Greece, with a scheduled completion time of May 2020. In other missile news, Raytheon said it would not offer an air-to-air variant of the Extended-Range (ER) AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Instead, the AMRAAM-ER will be offered as a ground-launched, air defence missile for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS)—a joint development between Raytheon and Norway’s Kongsberg.

April 12/17: Future US Navy frigates may come with added air defense capabilities as a new study group is being commissioned to examine adding such a platform to the requirements. At present, service specifications call for a vessel to have enough surface-to-air missiles to protect itself. The new idea is to double the RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) load from 8 to 16 or having a Mark 41 Vertical Launching System loaded with eight Standard Missile-2 (SM-2). Upgunning the frigates will change the Navy designation for the ships from FF, meaning frigate, to FFG — guided missile frigates able to provide area air defense.

May 13/16: Raytheon Missile Systems has been awarded a $76 million contract from the US Navy for long lead support for the production of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) Block I. The procurement will last for fiscal years 2016, 2017 and 2018. The ESSM program is an international cooperative effort to design, develop, test, and procure ESSM missiles for the US Navy and the governments of Australia, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, and Norway as part of the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

November 2/15: November 2/15: Thailand has been cleared by the State Department to buy RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles. The potential deal is estimated to value $26.9 million, including canisters and other auxiliary equipment. The Royal Thai Navy became the thirteenth ESSM customer in January 2013, with the country signing a letter of acceptance with prime contractor Raytheon following a DSCA request in August 2012.

FY 2014 – 2015

 

Nov 14/14: Support. BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc. in Rockville, MD receives an $8.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, exercising Option Year 1 for a NATO Seasparrow Consortium support contract. It covers the RIM-162 ESSMs, RIM-7P NATO Seasparrows, the Stalker long range electro-optical sensor suite, and day-to-day office operation in support of the 12 nation consortium. $4 million in FY 2015 US Navy and international funds is committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Arlington, VA (90%), and Chesapeake, A (10%), and is expected to be complete by October 2015 (N00024-14-C-5404).

Sept 30/14: Support. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ, receives a $10.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for FY 2014 ESSM spares, on behalf of the United States (94.75%), and the governments of the United Arab Emirates (2.77%), and Japan (2.48%), under the Foreign Military Sales program. $9.5 million in FY 2014 US Navy and international funds is committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Grand Rapids, MI (16%); Mississauga, ON, Canada (14%); Canton, NY (13%); Elmadag, Turkey (11%); McKinney, TX (8%); Ottobrunn, Germany (7%); Koropi Attica, Greece (7%); Raufoss, Norway (6%); Tucson, AZ (5%); Salem, NH (4%); Cincinnati, OH (3%); Melville, NY (2%); Brockton, MA (1%); Andover, MA (1%); Greensboro, NC (1%); and Richmond, VA (1%), and is expected to be complete by October 2016 (N00024-13-C-5409).

Sept 26/14: Launchers. Raytheon IDS in Portsmouth, RI receives a $12.1 million contract modification for FY 2014 NATO Seasparrow Surface Missile Systems (NSSMS) MK 57 MOD 13 and Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) MK 29 MOD 4/5. The upgraded MK57 NSSMS integrates commercial off-the-shelf hardware for processing and displays, state-of-the-art microprocessors for signal processing, and new solid-state transmitter technology. The result is an open system that integrates seamlessly with the SSDS combat system, optimizing the detect-to-engage capabilities with the advanced ESSM. The MK 29 is also a valid launch platform. All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2014 US Navy budgets.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI, and is expected to be complete by July 2016 (N00024-13-G-5413).

May 9/14: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $30.9 million contract modification to previously awarded contract for MK 698 Guided Missile Test Sets with Evolved Seasparrow Missile and Standard Missile test capability, upgrade kits, installation kits, repair tool kits, associated spares and technical support. This contract includes Foreign Military Sales to Australia and the Netherlands (100%).

The MK 698 GMTS is common to the RIM-162 ESSM and RIM-67 SM-2 Standard, and has also been used with the RAM missile.

$22.5 million in FY 2013 Navy procurement, foreign funding, and NATO Seasparrow Consortium funding is committed immediately. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (86%), Australia (10%), and the Netherlands (4%), and is expected to be complete by December 2016. NAVSEA in Washington, DC manages the contract (N00024 13 C-5409).

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. ESSM buys are dropping slightly each year vs. the FY 2014 plan, in parallel with a steady rise in R&D spending as work begins on ESSM Block II with its active seeker head. Average cost per missile remains in the $1.4 – 1.5 million range through 2019.

See the chart above for full figures.

Oct 31/13: BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services in Rockville, MD receives a $21.7 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for major production and in-service efforts such as the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, NATO Sea Sparrow Surface Missile System, Stalker Long Range Electro-Optical Sensor Suite and day-to-day office operation in support of the 12 nations that comprise the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium. This is a follow-on, continuing efforts that were performed under contract N00024-08-C-5404. $2.7 million are committed immediately.

This contract was not competitively procured based upon International Agreement IAW 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(4). US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington DC manages the contract (N00024-14-C-5404).

FY 2013

Multi-year contract; 1st Thai order.

HTMS Naresuan
(click to view full)

May 14/13: Testing. Raytheon announces that an ESSM missile successfully destroyed a high-diving, supersonic threat during a recent firing from the U.S. Navy’s Self-Defense Test Ship.

The short warning time from low-altitude flight, and violent maneuvering at the end, make this a challenging target profile. That challenge, and the added damage done by blasting through lightly-armored decks toward the ship’s keel, is why a number of supersonic anti-ship missiles use this approach. Sources: Raytheon, “ESSM intercept of high-diving threat proves expanded defensive capability”.

Jan 14/13: Thailand. Initial order, as Raytheon announces a Letter of Offer and Acceptance with the U.S. government for 9 ESSMs, making them the 13th country to order the missile.

Per the Aug 8/12 DSCA request, below, these ESSMs are destined for the 8-cell MK.41 vertical launchers on Thailand’s 2 Naresuan Class frigates, which are currently undergoing overhauls and upgrades. By using the MK 25 Quad Pack canisters, each ship could carry up to 32 RIM-162s, but Thailand’s initial order looks set to fit only 1 VLS cell on each ship, plus 1 spare. Raytheon.

Thai order

Jan 17/13: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The ESSM is included tangentially, under the SSDS combat system:

“The CVN-68 ship class [DID: Nimitz Class aircraft carriers] combat system continues to have several problems that hinder it from successfully completing the ship self-defense mission. Specific problems include deficiencies in weapon employment timelines, sensor coverage, system track management, and NATO ESSM performance [emphasis DID’s], as well as deficiencies with the recommended engagement tactics for use against multiple ASCM [DID: Anti-Ship Cruise Missile] threat classes.”

They aren’t more specific, for understandable reasons, but DOT&E’s recommendations include: “Develop combat system improvements to increase the likelihood that ESSM and RAM [DID: RIM-116 short-range air defense missile] will home on their intended targets.”

Dec 27/12: Production. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $226.8 million firm-fixed-price, multi-year contract, covering FY 2013 – 2015 ESSM production, with options that could raise it to $259.9 million. $45.2 million is committed immediately, and just $139,772 will expire on Sept 30/13. The contract total appears to support an initial plan of about 250-260 missiles.

This contract combines purchases for the US Navy (83.47%); NATO Sea Sparrow consortium members Australia (1.13%); Denmark (1.42%); Canada (2.87%); Germany (2.36%); Norway (0.60%); Greece (1.37%); Netherlands (2.29%); Spain (0.04%); and Turkey (0.84%); plus foreign sales to Japan (0.08%); and Thailand (3.53%).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (19%); Norway (13%); Germany (11%); Australia (10%); Canada (9%); Andover, MA (7%); The Netherlands (6%); San Jose, CA (4%); Spain (4%); Greece (3%); Camden, AR (3%); McKinney, TX (3%); Turkey (2%); Beverly, MA (1%); Minneapolis, MN (1%); Reston, VA (1%); Cincinnati, OH (1%); Cheshire, CT (1%); and Denmark (1%) and is expected to be complete by September 2016. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-13-C-5409). See also Arizona Daily Star.

2013-2015 production

Dec 27/12: 2013 support. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $140 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for calendar year 2013 work as ESSM’s Design Agent, plus in-service support, technical engineering support services, and work on RIM-162 Block 2 risk reduction. Options could raise this contract to $237 million. This contract combines:

• Evolved Sea Sparrow Design Agent Services for the US Navy (77%), Australia (19%), and Denmark (4%).
  
• ESSM Block II Risk Reduction Support for the USS Navy (25%), Australia (33%), Canada (22%), and Norway (20%).
  
• In-Service Support and Technical Engineering Support Services for the US Navy (32%), Australia (17%), Canada (15%), Germany (11%), The Netherlands (6%), Norway (5%), Turkey (5%), Denmark (3%), Greece (4%), and Spain (2%).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (90.65%); Germany (2.55%); Norway (2.11%); Australia (1.53%); The Netherlands (1.36%); Canada (0.68%); Spain (0.42%); Turkey (0.30%); Denmark (0.28%); and Greece (0.12%) and is expected to be complete by December 2013. $13 million is committed immediately, with the rest to follow as required. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1), by US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-13-C-5410).

2013 support

FY 2012

Japanese license; Thai request; Land SAM test.

ESSM from NASAMS
click for video

Sept 4/12: ESSM swap on SA-6s? The MSPO 2012 show has an interesting display, courtesy of Raytheon and Poland WZU: a 2K12 Kub/ SA-6 “Gainful” launcher, modified to incorporate 4 RIM-162 ESSM launch canisters instead of the Russian missiles. Raytheon is building upon on the successful May 2012 Norwegian tests, involving a NASAMS launcher and the HAWK XXI High-Power Illuminator (HPI) radar. The modified “Pelican” launch vehicle is a useful step, but the team will have to either let the ESSM work with the system’s Russian radars, or (more likely) create a mobile radar system refit that uses a modern system like NASAMS’ AN/AMPQ-64F1 Improved Sentinel.

Poland is looking to modernize its national air defense system at all levels, and Raytheon hopes to offer a unique, low-cost solution for mid-tier air defense. If the team succeeds, Poland isn’t the only NATO country with Soviet equipment and an interest in air defense modernization. The SA-6 was widely deployed beyond the Warsaw Pact, which could create a very interesting market niche for Raytheon’s SL-AMRAAM/ ESSM solutions. Army Recognition.

Aug 8/12: Thai request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Thailand’s request to buy an initial lot of 9 RIM-162 ESSM missiles, 3 MK25 Quad Pack canisters to fit into a Mk41 Vertical Launch System, 4 MK783 shipping containers; plus spare and repair parts; support and test equipment; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support.

The prime contractors will be Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ and BAE Systems in Aberdeen, SD. The estimated cost is up to $18 million.

The proposed FMS case includes support equipment, training and technical assistance required for the Royal Thai Navy to effectively incorporate the ESSM into its fleet. Which is a very interesting story all by itself. After a poor initial experience buying Chinese Type 053H2 Jianghu-III frigates, improved Thai familiarity and Chinese processes led Thailand to place a follow-on order for 2 stretched Type 053 frigates later in the decade. HTMS Naresuan and HTMS Taksin were very different, however, in that they had western systems on board. Recent upgrades give them an array not seen on any other Chinese ships: Thales radars, Saab’s 9LV combat system and datalinks, BAE’s 127mm naval gun, Boeing’s RGM-84 Harpoon missiles, and an American 8-cell Mk41 vertical launch system intended to host 32 ESSM missiles. The missiles and packs noted above appear to be test articles, and once the upgrades are all tested, the 3,000t Naresuan Class will become the Royal Thai Navy’s most advanced ships.

Thai request

Aug 2/12: #2,000. Raytheon announces that they’ve delivered the 2,000th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile to the NATO SeaSparrow Consortium, and expect continued production past 2017. Sources: Raytheon, “Raytheon Evolved SeaSparrow program delivers 2,000th missile”.

#2,000

July 9/12: NASAMS firing. Raytheon announces that the Royal Norwegian Air Force has successfully fired ESSM from a Norwegian NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air-Missile System) launcher, which usually fired AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles. The risk-reduction firing event used the NASAMS Fire Distribution Center (FDC) and launcher, but ESSM Block I also needs a radar to illuminate the target for guidance. Kongsberg and Raytheon used the Hawk air defense system’s High-Power Illuminator radar (q.v. May 2012) for that purpose.

During the test at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway, the ESSM intercepted and destroyed its aerial target. NASAMS has now fired AIM-120 AMRAAMs with active seeker heads, shorter-range infrared guided AIM-9X missiles, and ESSM Block I with its semi-active seeker head. ESSM Block I, in turn, has now demonstrated compatibility with Hawk XXI and NASAMS. Sources: Raytheon, “Norway fires first ground-based Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile from NASAMS launcher”.

Land firing: NASAMS

May 2012: Onto land. The United States Security Assistance Management Directorate, Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF), Raytheon, and Kongsberg co-operate to test-fire a RIM-162 ESSM missile from a Hawk XXI air defense system. The missile successfully engaged its air target at the Andoya Rocket Range in Norway. Kongsberg makes the point that:

“…HAWK system is deployed by 17 nations worldwide. The ESSM ground launched missile will enhance HAWK’s capability and provide operators with an in-production replacement missile.”

That’s an attractive offer, but the Hawk version required for that level of compatibility is fielded only by Morocco, South Korea, Romania & Turkey. Other Hawk customers could choose to perform a similar upgrade, of course, which involves an almost complete switch of radar and control systems. The selling point would be continued use of their MIM-23 Hawk missiles, with new electronics that are easier to maintain and replace, combined with “future-proofed” options to launch AIM-9X Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM and RIM-162 missiles. For existing NASAMS customers, it’s a much more straightforward upgrade that lets them mix and match AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles with shorter range Sidewinders and longer-range RIM-162 ESSMs. Kongsberg | Raytheon | Raytheon Technology Today | Video. See also June 22/11 entry.

Land firing: Hawk XXI

Jan 10/12: Japan. Raytheon announces a 2-year Direct Commercial Sale contract to provide Japan’s Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) the components and assemblies necessary to license-build ESSMs for the Japanese Ministry of Defense. Licensed production will take place at MELCO’s facility in Japan.

They announce it as part of a pair of orders totaling $212.8 million, and the numbers and dates strongly suggest that the other contract is the Sept 30/11 entry, below. That would value the MELCO license-production contract at $68.9 million.

License production

Dec 22/11: A $26.7 million contract modification for calendar year 2012 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) production support. That includes missile improvement, support equipment improvement, software engineering and improvement, reliability monitoring, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, parts control, obsolete materials, manufacturing qualification, logistics impacts, and other activities needed to support the engineering of an effective ESSM for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

The United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates will fund the effort under this contract modification. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Australia (11%); Andover, Mass. (10%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); the Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Camden, Ark. (2%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%); and is expected to be complete by December 2012 (N00024-07-C-5432).

FY 2011

Annual order & support; Block 2 studies.

RIM-162D, loading
(click to view full)

Sept 30/11: The FY 2011 order for ESSMs commits just $15.6 million, but the core contract modification has a maximum of $143.9 million, and options could bring the cumulative value to $177 million. This includes RIM-162 missiles, associated shipping containers, and spares. This contract action combines purchases for the US Navy (27.9%, $40.1M), and the governments of Australia (32.2% $46.3M), Denmark (29.8%, $42.9M), Germany (4.2%, $6.0M), Norway (3.4%, $4.9M), Greece (0.8%, $1.2M) and Canada (0.6%, $863k) under the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium, plus Foreign Military Sales to Japan (1.1%, $1.6M).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Australia (11%); Andover, MA (10%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Camden, Ark. (2%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%); and is expected to be complete by August 2014. US Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity (N00024-07-C-5431).

2011 order

Aug 30/11: Australia’s government gives both 1st pass and 2nd pass approval to an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile Upgrade program, also known as SEA 1352 Phase 1A. It will begin with an A$20 million to the NATO Sea Sparrow Project Office, to conduct the study to develop an upgraded ESSM, the “RIM-162 Block 2,” that can replace the current production “Block 1” missiles currently serving on Australia’s upgraded FFG-7 Adelaide Class, and on its ANZAC Class frigates.

Australia’s DoD says that this multinational study is meant to look at emerging aerial threats, and figure out what kind of performance, and hence cost and risk, might be needed to counter them. The NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium would then have to consider cost targets and associated performance tradeoffs, before finalizing a design, and paying for system development. Once that’s complete, Australia can choose to order upgrades, or new missiles, depending on what makes the most sense.

From an operational point of view, it will be some time before this new weapon is deployed to sea. When it does, the Royal Australian Navy plans to begin by installing the RIM-162 Block 2 as the primary air defense weapon aboard its (probably-upgraded) ANZAC frigates, and as the second-tier air defense weapon on its Hobart Class air defense ships, behind the SM-2/SM-6. The total cost of Project SEA 1352 Phase 1 is cost capped between A$ 1-2 billion in current the Public Defence Capability Plan.

RIM-162
Block 2 study

June 22/11: Onto land. At the 2011 Paris Air Show, Raytheon announces that the ESSM will follow its larger SM-3 counterpart onto dry land as an air defense option. It won’t take on ballistic missiles like the SM-3, but it becomes a serious medium range competitor against options like SLAMRAAM and even Patriot, while offering more commonality for countries already using the ESSM at sea.

April 11/11: Industrial. Raytheon announcesthat the firm delivered 366 ESSM missiles in 2010, more than doubling 2009’s total, while still using an international manufacturing base.

Feb 21/11: UAE. UAE’s The National reports on Raytheon’s industrial offset commitments, which are attached to the UAE’s 2008 Patriot missile buy (vid. Dec 17/08 entry). The firm is waiting for the UAE’s Offset Program Bureau to approve 2 new facilities:

• A joint venture with Abu Dhabi Ship Building to build an intermediate level maintenance facility for missiles used by the UAE Navy, incl. Raytheon’s RIM-116 RAM and RIM-162 ESSM ship defense missiles.

• A 3 way joint-partnership with Lockheed Martin and Emirates Advanced Investment’s Global Aerospace Logistics, to build a consolidated maintenance facility for Patriot missiles. Since The UAE ordered both PAC-2 GEM and PAC-3 missiles, both Lockheed and Raytheon need to participate.

Feb 18/11: A $57.2 million contract modification for Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) production support and technical engineering tasks needed to support missile production, but which are not directly associated with the manufacture of missile hardware for the NATO Sea Sparrow consortium and the United Arab Emirates. These tasks include missile improvement, support equipment improvement, software engineering and improvement, reliability monitoring, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, parts control, obsolete materials, manufacturing qualification, logistics impacts, and other activities.

The NATO Sea Sparrow consortium will fund the effort. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%), Australia (11%), Andover, MA (10%), Germany (8%), Canada (7%), The Netherlands (6%), Norway (5%), Spain (3%), Camden, AR (2%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), and Turkey (1%).

FY 2010

2010 order; Support contracts.

ESSM from Mk.29
(click to view full)

Aug 11/10: Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Tewksbury, MA receives a $36.1 million contract modification (N00024-05-C-5346) for mission systems equipment (MSE) that will be used on the US Navy’s Self Defense Test Ship, in support of the Anti-Air Warfare Self Defense Enterprise Test and Evaluation Master Plan. The equipment will support the DDG 1000 and CVN 78 classes of ships, which use the new Dual Band Radar.

Raytheon will also conduct follow-on operation test and evaluation efforts for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (RIM-162 ESSM) and Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP).

May 26/10: A $36.7 million cost-plus fixed fee modification to the existing contract (N00024-07-C-5432) establishes a contract line item (CLI) ceiling covering ESSM production support and technical engineering from May 2010 through December 2010.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%); Australia (11%); Canada (7%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Germany (8%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%). Work is expected to be complete by December 2010, and $936,401 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10.

March 26/10: A $7 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) for funding for savings on value engineering change proposals for warhead fairing, dual band antenna, telemetric data transmitting set, rear receiver, Unit 10 front microwave receiver, power converter, 2-piece Marmon clamp, and control section component parts of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

Value Engineering Change Proposals allow contracts to submit proposals for reducing system costs, and keep a specified percentage of those savings. It resembles a number of successful industrial programs, including the supplier model that sparked Chrysler’s 2nd big turnaround in the late 1980s to early 1990s.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%), Camden, AR (2%), Andover, MA (10%), Australia (11%), Canada (7%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), Germany (8%), The Netherlands (6%), Norway (5%), Spain (3%), and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by August 2013.

Feb 1/10: The Pentagon releases its budget request for FY 2011. American RIM-162 orders tailing off somewhat, from budgeted totals of $84.6 million for 50 missiles in FY 2009, to $51.2 million for 43 missiles in FY 2010, to $48.2 million for 33 missiles requested in FY 2011.

Dec 30/09: Establishment of a contract line item (CLI) ceiling worth $13.2 million, to offer ESSM production support for January through April of calendar year 2010. Production support includes tasks needed to support missile production that are not directly associated with the manufacture of missile hardware, and this modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed fee contract combines purchases of the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium for the US Navy and the governments of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Turkey.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%); Australia (11%); Canada (7%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Germany (8%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%). Work is expected to be complete by April 2010 (N00024-07-C-5432, #P00025).

Dec 18/09: Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $200.9 million modification to a previously awarded contract from the NATO Sea Sparrow consortium, covering 241 missiles and 47 shipping containers.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AR (2%); Australia (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by August 2013 (N00024-07-C-5431).

2010 order

Dec 10/09: A $9.8 million modification exercising options for MK 56 tactical missiles and shipping containers, ESSM inert operational missiles and shipping containers, and auxiliary equipment to accompany them. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%), Australia (11%), Canada (7%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), Germany (8%), The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by August 2012 (N00024-07-C-5431).

The Mk56 [data sheet, PDF] is a compact vertical launch system, specifically designed for the ESSM. It is well suited to smaller ships like corvettes, or ship upgrades that face severe space constraints.

FY 2009

2009 order; Support contracts; What’s an EVCP?

ESSM from VLS
(click to view full)

Aug 20/09: A $151.6 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431), buying 186 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles, 77 shipping containers, and spares for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium and the United Arab Emirates. The UAE will use them on its new Baynunah class corvettes. The contract includes a $210.3 million option to produce an additional 255 missiles, which would bring the total to $361.9 million and 441 missiles.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%), Australia (11%), Canada (7%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), Germany (8%), The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by August 2012. See also Raytheon release.

2009 order

April 9/09: A $15.4 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-5432 for production support and technical engineering support for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). This involves tasks needed to support missile production, which are not directly associated with the manufacture of missile hardware. These activities can include missile improvements, support equipment improvements, software engineering, reliability monitoring, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, parts control, obsolete materials, configuration management, production verification inspection, and manufacturing qualification.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AK (2%); Australia, (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete in April 2010.

March 12/09: A $9.7 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431), to incorporate something called a “Value Engineering Change Proposal (VECP).” VECPs are cost-saving ideas from industry, which may also enhance performance as a side-benefit. In an arrangement that mirrors Chrysler’s successful initiatives with its supply chain in the 1990s, contractors are rewarded by being allowed to share in some of the savings created by their accepted VECPs. This contract modification incorporates VECPs to the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles for Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and the United States.

The NATO Sea Sparrow consortium, which includes the United States and 10 other countries, will fund the effort. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%); Australia (11%); Canada (7%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Germany (8%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by December 2011.

Dec 12/08: An $11.8 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-5422), exercising the NATO Sea Sparrow Program Office’s FY 2009 options. This modification is a follow-on effort, which was previously performed under contract N00024-02-C-5421. The NATO Sea Sparrow consortium, which includes the United States and 12 other countries, will fund all of the effort under this modification.

Under this order, the USS Theodore Roosevelt [CVN 71] will receive 2 MK29 MOD 4 ESSM ORDALT Kits, and 4 Solid State Transmitter (SSTX) MK73 MOD 3 ORDALT Kits. That effort is part of the ship’s multi-billion dollar mid-life RCOH overhaul. This order also includes 2 more MK29 MOD 4 ESSM ORDALT Kits for use on LHD ships. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI and is expected to be complete by October 2010.

Nov 24/08: An $11.3 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-5432 for ESSM technical engineering support. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Camden, AR (2%); Andover, MA (10%); Australia (11%); Canada (7%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Germany (8%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by November 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $349,968 will expire at the end of FY 2009.

FY 2008

2008 order; Support contracts; ORDALT.

ESSM loading into VLS
(click to view full)

June 3/08: A $16.5 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-07-C-5432 for ESSM production support. This contract action will fulfill required production support activities for FY 2008 for multiple production contracts. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (55%), Camden, AZ (2%), Australia (11%), Canada (7%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), Germany (8%), The Netherlands (6%), Norway (5%), Spain (3%), and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by May 2010.

This contract modification procures production support for the ESSMs for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium. Tasks under this contract include maintaining the integrity of the missile requirement and design, maintaining missile reliability, monitoring parts obsolescence, maintaining data package configuration, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, configuration management, performance verification testing, manufacturing qualification, logistics impacts, and other activities needed to support the production of an effective ESSM missile.

May 12/08: A $21.2 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-5435) for 68 MK 20 MOD 1 Canisters and 156 MK 20 MOD 1 Frangible Covers in support of the EESSM. The MK 20 MOD 1 Canisters are for Canada. The MK 20 MOD 1 Frangible Covers are designed to keep seawater out of the canister, then break harmlessly when the missile is fired and begins rocketing out. The covers are being ordered for Canada, Netherlands and Belgium. The NATO Sea Sparrow consortium will fund this modification. Work will be performed in Hooveveen, the Netherlands, and is expected to be complete by December 2010.

May 9/08: BAE Systems Applied Technologies, Inc. in Rockville, MD received a $10 million sole source, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering and technical services to the to support the NATO Sea Sparrow Program Office (NSPO) “in support of the NATO Sea Sparrow surface missile system, target acquisition system, MK48 guided missile vertical launching system, and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) and any improvements thereto.” The contract includes 4 options which would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $46.3 million, if exercised.

Work will be performed in Arlington, VA (72%); Silver Spring, MD(12%); and Chesapeake, VA (16%), and is expected to be complete by April 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $311,845 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-08-C-5404). This contract is actually a follow-on effort, which was previously performed under contract (N00024-01-C-5402). The NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium, which includes the United States and 12 other countries, will fund most of the effort under this contract. A small amount of effort may be funded by Japan and Korea under Foreign Military Sales program cases.

May 9/08: Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received a $10.8 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5432), covering technical engineering support for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium and for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Foreign Military Sales case funding will provide the funding for the UAE portion, while the NSSC will fund the remaining effort under this contract modification. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (55%); Camden, AK (2% – could they mean, Camden, AR?); Australia (11%); Canada (7%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Germany (8%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by May 2010. Contract funds in the amount of $1.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

April 7/08: A $245.5 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) to procure 307 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), 163 shipping containers, and spares for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium and the United Arab Emirates.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%), Andover, MA (10%), Camden, AR, (2%), Australia (11%), Germany (8%), Canada (7%), The Netherlands (6%), Norway (5%), Spain (3%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), and Turkey (1%); and is expected to be complete by December 2010. This contract was not competitively procured.

2008 order

Feb 22/08: A $17.8 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-5422) to procure Mk 57 MOD 12/13 NATO Sea Sparrow Surface Missile System (NSSMS) Ordnance Alteration (ORDALT) Kits, MK 73 Solid State Transmitter (SSTx) ORDALT Kits, MK 29 Guided Missile Launcher System (GMLS) Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) ORDALT Kits, and related spares for U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier (CVN), Amphibious Assault (LHA/LHD), and consortium ship installations. These kits will convert existing launchers for RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missiles to RIM-162 ESSM launchers. Raytheon release.

The upgraded MK57 NSSMS integrates commercial off-the-shelf hardware for processing and displays, state-of-the-art microprocessors for signal processing, and new solid-state transmitter technology. The result is an open system that integrates seamlessly with IDS’ Ship Self Defense System, optimizing the detect-to-engage capabilities with the advanced ESSM. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (23%); Andover, MA (22%); Waterloo, Canada (14%); Windber, PA (13%); Long Island, NY (15%); Dallas, TX (13%), and is expected to be complete by February 2010.

FY 2007

2007 Order; UAE 1st order; ESSM boat killer; Japanese industrial agreement.

ESSM from HMAS Sydney
(click to view full)

Sept 18/07: A $9.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5432) for ESSM technical engineering support, including tasks needed to support missile production. These tasks include missile improvement, support equipment improvement, software engineering and improvement, reliability monitoring, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, parts control, obsolete materials, logistics impacts, and other activities or the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AR (2%); Australia (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%). This modification combines support for the U.S. Navy/NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium (99%), and the United Arab Emirates (1%) under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Sept 11/07: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $22.5 million firm-fixed-price modification to procure 32 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) and 40 shipping containers, under a Foreign Military Sales case with the United Arab Emirates and for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium. This modification procures ESSMs for the United Arab Emirates’ Baynunah Class corvettes, and containers for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

FMS Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AR (2%); Australia (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be completed by February 2010 (N00024-07-C-5431).

UAE initial buy

Aug 20/07: Australia. The Australian Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigate HMAS Sydney fires an ESSM against a Kalkara unmanned airborne target, destroying it. The missile was launched from a new Vertical Launch System, which was recently installed in HMAS Sydney as part of Australia’s FFG Upgrade Program. The firing was supported by the Australian Distributed Architecture Combat System (ADACS) software, developed and delivered by Thales Australia. The FFG Upgrade Project is scheduled for completion in December 2009.

This Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile firing is the first from an FFG-7 class frigate, which presumably uses the RIM-162B missile and homing all the way guidance. Australian DoD announcement & photos.

June 27/07: A $223 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) to procure 294 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (RIM-162 ESSM), 68 shipping containers, and spares for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AK (2%); Australia (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by February 2010. The contract was not competitively procured.

2007 order

May 30/07: Raytheon announces that it has worked with the U.S. Navy and successfully completed the first test of Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile’s improved surface-to-surface capability against surface threats. It was also an at-sea firing of the ESSM using the MK 57 MOD 12 fire control system that marked the first Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile firing from the MK 29 MOD 4, 8-cell trainable launcher that is being installed on U. S. Navy aircraft carriers and select L-Class ships, and the first at-sea demonstration of the MK 57 MOD 12/13 and its MK 73 MOD 3 solid-state transmitter to support Evolved Sea Sparrow.

The surface-to-surface improvements to Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile’s capability were implemented completely through changes to the missile’s software. This software improvement was co-developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, CA, and Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ. Additional surface-to-surface firings are scheduled later this year from the Navy’s Self Defense Test Ship (formerly USS Paul F. Foster [DD 964]) and from a Dutch frigate. Raytheon release | SpaceWar.

Boat killer

May 25/07: Japan. Raytheon announces an agreement with representatives of Mitsubishi Electric Company (MELCO) that will allow both companies to cooperatively explore global market opportunities in naval radars and combat systems. The release adds that:

“The agreement extends a relationship into new markets that has existed for more than 40 years between the two businesses. MELCO is already the licensed producer for some Raytheon systems, including HAWK, Sea Sparrow, ESSM, and Patriot.”

March 5/07: A $23.7 million, cost-reimbursement contract for long lead material in support of FY 2007 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) production. The components will be used in production for some NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, USA) and Foreign Military Sales customers (the United Arab Emirates).

Work will be performed in Australia (26%); The Netherlands (25%); Spain (19%); Tucson, AZ, USA (12%); Norway (6%); Greece (4%); Germany (4%); Canada (2%); Denmark (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be completed by Feb. 2010. This contract (N00024-07-C-5431) was not competitively procured.

FY 2006

2006 order; ORDALT explained; ESSM for Spain’s F100 frigates.

RIM-162 ESSM launch
(click to view full)

July 6/06: Lockheed Martin, Maritime Systems & Sensors (MS2) in Moorestown, NJ recveived a $30.3 million cost-plus-award-fee/cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for combat system engineering, computer program support, system integration and test, ship integration and test, staging, FMS program management, and integrated logistics support to include training and technical manuals, for the upgrade of the AEGIS Weapon System on Spanish F-100 Frigates (F101 through F104) in support of the Foreign Military Sales Case SP-P-LFZ. This effort is a follow on to NAVSEA Contract N00024-97-C-5171 which procured the AEGIS computer program and support for the Spanish F-100 AEGIS Combat System program.

The new effort described herein is the upgrade to the AEGIS Computer Program to include the addition of Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) and SM-2 BLK IIIB functionalities. Work will be performed in Moorestown, NJ (85%), and Spain (15%), and is expected to be complete by December 2008. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-06-C-5113).

April 28/06: ORDALT. A $21.5 million letter contract to procure Mk 57 Mod 12/13 NATO Sea Sparrow Surface Missile System (NSSMS) ordnance alteration (ORDALT) kits, MK 73 solid state radar transmitter ORDALT kits, MK 29 guided missile launcher system Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) ORDALT kits, and related spares for Navy aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship installations.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (60%); Long Island, NY (20%); and Waterloo, Canada (20%), and is expected to be complete by June 2008. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-06-C-5422).

These upgrades appear to improve capabilities on these ships, allowing Ship Self Defense System Mk 2 combat systems and Mk 57 NSSMS on-board hardware to be capable of mounting and fully using ESSM missiles. The core of the NSSMS consists of the Mk 91 Guided Missile Fire Control System (GMFCS), and the Mk 29 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS).

The Mk 73 is the focus of the US navy’s Solid State Continuous Wave Illuminator Transmitter upgrade program. This will allow the solid state Mk73 radar to illuminate targets for the Standard Missile family (SM1-3), the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Missile, and the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

The GMFCS Mk 91 is a computer-operated fire control system that provides automatic acquisition and tracking of a designated target, and generates launcher and missile orders. In automatic mode, it can initiate firing as soon as a target can be engaged, albeit with operator intervention and override at any time.

The GMLS Mk 29 is a swiveling, lightweight 8-box launching system, and associated electronics. On many ships, it still contains the old RIM-7 Sparrow series, which is much less capable than ESSM.

Feb 9/06: A $21.4 million firm-fixed-price modification under a previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5482) to exercise options for additional missiles and shipping containers to satisfy FY 2006 requirements. Budgeted quantities for FY 2006 are 116 missiles for a total of $98.5 million. The modification will provide 31 (ea) RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles and 22 shipping containers to satisfy FY 06 requirements for The United States.

ESSM has been a multi-national program from the start, and work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (38%), Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AZ (5%), Minneapolis, MN (1%), Australia (13%), Canada (7%), Germany (7%), Norway (7%), The Netherlands (6%), Spain (3%), Denmark (1%), Greece (1%), and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2008. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC issued the contract.

Dec 22/05: a $152.5 million firm fixed price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-05-C-5482, to procure 198 (ea) RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), 59 (ea) shipping containers and spares for the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium. This modification procures ESSMs for Germany, Greece, Norway, Spain, The Netherlands, Norway, and the United States. The NATO Sea Sparrow consortium will fund the effort.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (38%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AR (5%); Minneapolis, MN (1%); Australia (13%); Canada (7%); Germany (7%); Norway (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2008. Raytheon release.

2006 order

FY 2002 – 2005

Full-Rate Production approved; 2005 order; Australia’s ANZAC frigates add ESSM.

RIM-162D-1 launch
(click to view full)

May 5/05: A $162.8 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-05-C-5482) to procure 251 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM), 38 shipping containers and spares for the NATO Sea Sparrow consortium.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (38%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AR (5%); Minneapolis, MN (1%); and the countries of Australia (13%); Canada (7%); Norway (7%); Germany (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); and Turkey (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2007. Raytheon release.

2005 order

March 4/05: Japan ORDALT. A $12.7 million firm fixed price contract upgrades to modify existing Japanese MK 48 vertical launch units to launch more modern Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM). The contract provides for Ordnance Alteration (ORDALT) support and test equipment, updated technical documentation, training, and associated material, in support of the Government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Work will be performed in Portsmouth, RI (60%) and Sudbury, MA (40%), and is expected to be completed by July 2007. It was not competitively procured (N00024-05-C-5483).

Aug 5/04: Sub-contractors. Raytheon Australia announces that it is recognizing Australian radar technology company CEA Technologies for outstanding achievement in the NATO Sea Sparrow Program. The focus is CEA’s G710386-1 Waveform Synthesizer, a Stable Master Oscillator providing the main reference signal for Raytheon’s Mk 73 Solid State Continuous Wave Illuminator Transmitter upgrade program. This allows the solid state Mk73 radar to illuminate targets for the Standard Missile family (SM-1/2), the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Missile, and the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

CEA has produced over 90 Waveform Synthesizer units for Raytheon as of this release, with further orders in the pipeline.

July 6/04: Advanced Technology & Research Corp. in Burtonsville, MD received a $15 million ceiling cost-plus fixed-fee completion, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for research & development technical, engineering and analytical support services in the program areas of Continuous Rod Warhead, Assault Breaching Systems, Thermobaric Warhead and Evolved Sea Sparrow. The task areas include the following: weapon shipboard systems, weapons effects tests, submarine and surfaces survivability, warheads, energetic-material devices and delivery systems, design/analyze and optimize projectiles, evaluate performance of explosives and other energetic materials.

Work will be performed in Carderock, MD, Dalhgren, VA, and Indian Head, MD, and is expected to be complete by July 2009. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract was competitively procured and advertised on the Internet, with 1 offer received by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Indian Head Division in Indian Head, MD (N00174-04-D-0012).

April 20/04: A $6.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473), exercising an option for FY 2004 ESSM production support. Raytheon and a consortium of European participating companies were funded for the Low-Rate Initial Production of the ESSM and associated production support.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%) and Turkey (2%), and is expected to be complete by December 2004.

March 17/04: A $5.5 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for final development, qualification, and shock and vibration testing of the MK 29 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Ordnance Alteration (ORDALT).

Work will be performed in Sudbury, MA (51%) and Portsmouth, RI (49%), and is expected to be complete by May 2005. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-04-C-5455).

NSSC
(click to visit)

Jan 12/04: The Honorable John J. Young, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development, approves the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) to enter into full rate production. The USS Chaffee (DDG-90) is the first ship to receive tactical rounds in February 2007.

Full Rate Production

Oct 28/03: A $6.4 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473), exercising an option to fund FY 2004 ESSM production support.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%) and Turkey (2%), and is expected to be complete by January 2005.

May 2/03: A $6.6 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473), exercising an option to fund FY 2003 production support for the ESSM program. This procurement supports the funding for the countries of Australia (24%), Germany (19%), The Netherlands (18%), Canada (14%), Norway (7%), Spain (6%), Denmark (5%), Turkey (4%) and Greece (3%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%); and Turkey (2%) and is expected to be complete by January 2004.

Jan 30/03: Australia test. Managing Director of Raytheon Australia Mr Ron Fisher today congratulated the Royal Australian Navy on its landmark firing of an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) from HMAS Warramunga. In the Raytheon Australia release, Mr Fisher said: “This missile launch from an ANZAC Class frigate was a first-of-class firing for the RAN and follows the first ever firing from a surface combatant, USS SHOUP (DDG 86) in July last year.”

Oct 31/02: A $6.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473), exercising an option for FY 2003 production support for the ESSM. Raytheon Co. and a consortium of Canadian, Australian and European participating companies were funded under this contract for the Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) of the ESSM. This procurement funds the U.S. Navy’s share of the FY 2003 production support effort associated with the production of the ESSM.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%) and Turkey (2%) and is to be completed by January 2004.

Dec 3/02: Raytheon announces a $118.7 million contract from the U.S. Navy for the second year of low-rate initial production of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM). This award includes funding for 163 all-up-round missiles. Raytheon also has been awarded a $6 million contract for ESSM radome production. Raytheon release.

FY 2002 and earlier

1st production order; 1st production missile delivered; 1st USN firing from VLS.

Multinational ESSM

Sept 4/02: 1st delivery. Raytheon delivers the first production Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) to the U.S. Navy.

July 23/02: 1st VLS launch. A Raytheon ESSM is successfully launched for the first time from a Mk41 Vertical Launch System aboard the Arleigh Burke Class AEGIS destroyer USS Shoup [DDG 86], destroying the incoming target at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division sea range near Point Mugu, CA. The closure rate between the missile and the target, a BQM-74, approached Mach 3. In Raytheon’s release, Capt. Ken Graber, the NATO Sea Sparrow program manager, said:

“This was the first ESSM firing from an AEGIS destroyer, first firing from a Mk41 at sea, first firing using a U.S. Navy crew, first ESSM firing using AEGIS Baseline-6 Phase III, and demonstrates ESSM is ready for the OPEVAL firings planned for the second quarter of next year from this same ship…”

Gary Hagedon, Raytheon’s ESSM program manager, added that:

“This test, in conjunction with the successful firings over the last six months from the Self Defense Test Ship, demonstrates ESSM is the right choice…”

July 11/02: a $6.75 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification under previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473), exercising an option for FY 2002 production support of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%) and Turkey (2%), and is to be complete by January 2004.

Nov 5/01: a $6.6 million modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-99-C-5473) to fund the U.S. Navy’s share of FY 2002 production support for the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%); and Turkey (2%), and is expected to be complete in January 2004.

Aug 30/01: A $212.6 million modification to previously awarded fixed-price-incentive and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This modification is for 255 NATO Evolved Sea Sparrow (ESSM) Missiles including production support and technical engineering services.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (35.7%); Andover, MA (8.9%); Camden, AR (2.9%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Australia (12%); Germany (10%); The Netherlands (9%); Toronto, Canada (7%); Norway (4%); Spain (3%); Denmark (2%); Greece (2%); and Turkey (2%), and is expected to be complete by January 2004. This contract was not competitively awarded (N00024-99-C-5473).

Into production

March 29/01: A $7.3 million modification to previously awarded cost reimbursable contract (N00024-99-C-5473) for the procurement of the Phase III Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (48%) and Camden, AR (1%), and within NATO consortium countries Australia (12%), Denmark (9%), Greece (9%), Norway (7%), Germany (5%), The Netherlands (3%), Canada (2%), Spain (2%), and Turkey (2%), and is expected to be complete by March 2003. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Arlington, VA issued the contract.

Oct 28/99: A $25.5 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-99-C-5473 for the fabrication of ESSM long lead material (LLM) Phase #2. This contract is a NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium involving the countries of: Australia (69.18%); Denmark (12.25%); United States (10.78%); Germany (2.09%); The Netherlands (1.98%); Canada (1.56%); Norway (0.78%); Spain (0.62%); Turkey (0.40%); and Greece (0.36%).

Work will be performed Adelaide, Australia (68.5%); Schrobenhausen, Germany (14%); Tucson, AZ (7%); Rocket City, WVA (6.1%); and Ankara, Turkey (4.4%), and is expected to be completed by October 2000. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Arlington, VA issued the contract.

Sept 16/99: A $9.2 million cost-reimbursable contract for the fabrication of ESSM Long Lead Material Phase #1 which includes the thrust vector control and warhead components. This contract is a Royal Australian Navy (83%) and Royal Danish Navy (17%) requirement, as both nations are participants in the NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium. Funding obligated at contract award will be $6.7 million for Australia and Denmark. Work will be performed in Adelaide, Australia (68.5%); Schrobenhausen, Germany (14%); Tucson, AZ (7%); Rocket City, WVA (6.1%) and Ankara, Turkey (4.4%), and is expected to be complete by May 2002. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Arlington, VA issued the contract (N00024-99-C-5473).

Additional Readings & Sources

• Raytheon – Products & Services: ESSM.

• Designation Systems – Raytheon RIM-162 ESSM.

• GlobalSecurity.org – RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM).

• Designation Systems –RIM-7 Sparrow series.

• NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium.

• Common Defence Quarterly – Origins of a Four Decade Success Story: NATO SeaSparrow’s founders got it right [PDF].

Americas

• The US Army is contracting Oshkosh Defense for technical support. The $13.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract provides for a number of support activities on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle family of vehicles. The Oshkosh M-ATV has an empty “curb weight” of 25,000 pounds, and a Gross Vehicle Weight of 32,500 pounds, including the M-ATV objective maximum of 4,000 pounds of payload. The core of the vehicle is the US Marines’ MTVR medium truck chassis, and its TAK-4 suspension, giving it a 70% off-road mobility profile. M-ATV’s Super Multi-Hit Armor Technology (SMART) armor is used in theater by NATO and has since been augmented by “Underbody Improvement Kits” to improve mine protection. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July, 2021.

• Raytheon Missile Systems is being tapped by the Navy to enter the next phase of the Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range (JSOW-ER) Phase 3a development. The $10.6 million contract modification provides for flight test demonstrations and a number of necessary hardware and software modifications to the existing JSOW AGM-154C-1. The new missile belongs to Raytheon’s family of low-cost, air-to-ground weapons that employ an integrated GPS/INS system for flight guidance, which can be augmented by IIR seekers that can lock on to specific targets. The AGM-154C-1 adds a moving target capability via improved IIR seekers, better seeker algorithms, and a 2-way Link-16 data link. That combination allows the missile to be used as a secondary weapon against enemy ships, with some capability against certain moving land targets. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in July 2019.

• The US Army is continuing to boost its heavy-lift capabilities. Boeing is being awarded with a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $181.2 million. The deal provides for the procurement of up to 156 Block I configured CH-47F Chinook helicopters. The CH-47F builds the backbone of the US Army Cargo Helicopter Modernization Program, it’s the latest variant of the helicopter platform that was introduced in 1962. The CH-47F has 4,868 shaft horsepower from each of its engines, increasing fuel efficiency and enhancing lift performance by approximately 3,900 pounds. The new engines will enable the CH-47F to reach speeds in excess of 175 mph and transport up to 21,016 pounds. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion expected by December 2022.

Middle East & Africa

• The Israel Defense Force is aiming to launch an upgraded version of its combat-proven Merkava Main Battle Tank by 2020. The Merkava Mk.4 has been in service with the IDF since 2004. The tank is capable of carrying eight infantry soldiers, a command group or three litter patients in addition to the tank crew of commander, loader, gunner and driver. The tank is capable of firing on the move at moving targets and has demonstrated high hit probability in firing against attack helicopters using conventional anti-tank munitions. The upgraded Barak version will be equipped with a Battle Computer and Smart Helmets and is the Army’s way of putting it on par with the Air Force and Navy. The tanks will be optimized for facing asymmetric threats, such as guerrilla ambushes. The tank will include a battle computer that will process data received from sensors mounted on it, give the soldiers a real-time picture of the situation and even propose a plan of action for dealing with it. The computer will also identify enemy forces and aim the tank gun automatically. Tank commanders will have a special helmet that will enable them to see what’s happening throughout the tank and also receive all the data processed by the tank’s computer. The networked tank will be able to coordinate and communicate with naval and airborne forces.

Europe

• NATO is using simulators to train international teams of aviators. The Spartan Alliance training exercise included more than 80 service members, civilians and contractors from the US Air Force in Europe, the Italian Air Force and NATO. The exercise is a large command and control weapon system, air and ground simulator training exercise with virtual and constructive aircraft. The frequently held virtual flight-training exercise links 22 simulators set up in two different countries. Pilots flying Tornado fighter jets from simulators at Ghedi Air Base in Italy flew side by side with virtual Eurofighters piloted from simulators at Gioia del Colle Air Base, while T-346 jet trainers, flown from simulators at Lecce Air Base, posed as enemy aircraft in the virtual Italy created for the exercise. Other involved platforms include MQ-9Bs, C-130Js, F-18s, F-15s and A-10s. The Italian Air Force plans introduce fourth- and fifth-generation assets to the exercise by 2023.

• Czech defense contractor Aero Vodchody wants to pitch its newly launched F/A-259 Striker aircraft to the US Air Force’s OA-X experiment program. The F/A-259 Striker is a light multirole combat aircraft developed jointly by Aero Vodochody and IAI on the basis of the L-159 ALCA advanced trainer. It can be used for close air support, counter-insurgency and border patrolling missions and boosts interception capabilities. The aircraft is able to operate from unpaved runways and has seven hard points for any combination of fuel, weapons, or mission equipment, allowing smart weapons integration and standoff weapon capabilities. As an optional upgrade, the F/A-259 can be equipped by EASA radar and helmet mounted display. Another optional upgrade is air-to-air refueling, increasing the aircraft’s range and endurance. The US OA-X experiment program recently took a major hit after an A-29 Super Tucano crashed resulting in the death of a pilot.

Asia-Pacific

• Russia is significantly enhancing its naval strike capabilities. Russian state-media reports that the Russian Navy is now in the possession of three newly-built combat ships, two support vessels and an upgraded Bastion coastal defense missile system. This acquisition is complemented by the delivery of 49 Kalibr cruise missiles. The newly built vessels include the Project 18280 medium reconnaissance ship Ivan Khurs and the Project 21631 missile corvette Vyshny Volochyok. The communication vessel of Project 18280 is the biggest Russian ship of the class. The vessel can carry a light antiaircraft set of four pedestal-mounted KPVT 14.5mm machineguns and six portable Igla 9K38 launchers with a set of 32 antiaircraft guided 9M39 missiles. The Project 21631 corvette is armed with the Kalibr missile system containing missiles in the 3S14 vertical launcher with eight launch tubes. The Kalibr system can attack both seaborne and land-based targets. The Project 21631 corvette has the A-190 100mm gun, the AK-630-2 Duet small-caliber antiaircraft artillery system and 3M-47 Gibka launchers. The ships will likely be used to strengthen Russia’s Black Sea Fleet strategically located at Crimea.

• UK firm Meggitt is set to contribute towards South Korea’s KF-X fighter program. The company will supply Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with its fire detection and bleed air leak detection systems. Meggitt has already won a number of multi-million contracts in support of the program, including the production of the KF-Xs nose and main wheels, carbon brakes, brake control system; and for the design, development and supply of standby flight displays, engine displays, and heading sensors for the fighter jet. Meggitt’s fire detection system uses a pneumatic detector that senses a rise in average temperature across the whole overheat sensor. KAI is scheduled to complete its critical design reviews by 2019 and then roll-out the firs KF-X prototype by 2021.

Today’s Video

• Watch: Russia posts more video footage of its Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile.

AGM-154C, impact
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In March 2007, Raytheon received a contract to develop the AGM-154C-1 variant of the popular JSOW glide bomb family. This new version would add moving target capability via improved imaging infrared seekers, better seeker algorithms, and a 2-way Link-16 data link. That combination allows the missile to be used as a secondary weapon against enemy ships, with some capability against certain moving land targets. The 2-way link ensures that targeting commands can be received, and missile status and position transmitted back, right up to the moment of impact. Most of those options are currently found only at the high end of the cruise missile market, giving the AGM-154C-1 an interesting positioning as a cheaper short-range alternative.

That development effort was successful, and in late 2008, the US DoD gave the go-ahead for JSOW Block III, which will be integrated on US Navy F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets and on the F-35 Lightning II. Now, the JSOW Block III system is the default version under the US Navy’s full rate production contract.

Contracts & Key Events

Heavy Metal

Note that other JSOW contracts have been issued within this time period. If they weren’t American contracts related to the Block III version, however, they’re not covered here.

Unless the entry says otherwise, Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ is the contractor, and all contracts are managed by US Naval Air Systems Command.

FY 2014 – 2018

 

JSOW-C, Australia
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July 23/18: Next phase Raytheon Missile Systems is being tapped by the Navy to enter the next phase of the Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range (JSOW-ER) Phase 3a development. The $10.6 million contract modification provides for flight test demonstrations and a number of necessary hardware and software modifications to the existing JSOW AGM-154C-1. The new missile belongs to Raytheon’s family of low-cost, air-to-ground weapons that employ an integrated GPS/INS system for flight guidance, which can be augmented by IIR seekers that can lock on to specific targets. The AGM-154C-1 adds a moving target capability via improved IIR seekers, better seeker algorithms, and a 2-way Link-16 data link. That combination allows the missile to be used as a secondary weapon against enemy ships, with some capability against certain moving land targets. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in July 2019.

April 19/18: F-35C Integration Raytheon has wrapped up development testing as part of efforts to integrate its Joint Standoff Weapon C (JSOW C) onto the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter. Speaking in a company press release, Raytheon said the low-cost, air-to-ground missile is on track for full deployment in 2019. The latest test took place at the US Navy’s China Lake ranges in California with participation from Raytheon, the F-35 Joint Program Office, and the F-35’s manufacturer Lockheed Martin. “With JSOW C in its internal weapons bay, the Navy’s F-35C can now eliminate the toughest ground targets from significant standoff ranges,” said Mike Jarrett, vice president of Raytheon Air Warfare Systems.

December 15/17: Orders-Saudi Arabia Raytheon has been awarded a $302 million US Navy contract modification to produce and deliver 618 AGM-154 Block III C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) air-to-ground missiles for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. First cleared to purchase the weapon in 2013, Saudi Arabia will also receive, containers, component parts, support equipment and engineering technical assistance in addition to the missiles. Just over one-third of the contract will be performed at Raytheon’s operation in Tucson, Ariz., with the rest completed in other locations in the United States, Wales and Scotland. Work is scheduled to be completed by June 2022.

October 18/17: The US Navy has declared the network-enabled AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 fully operational, with all US Super Hornet squadrons now fitted with the air-to-ground weapon, giving them the ability to attack stationary land and moving maritime targets. Since receiving initial operational capability (IOC) in 2016, the program team has participated in a series of four fleet-wide exercises—RIMPAC 2016, Valiant Shield 2016 SINKEX, Northern Edge 2017, and Talisman Sabre 2017— that demonstrated the capabilities of the weapon in increasingly complex scenarios. This latest JSOW variant includes GPS/INS guidance, terminal IR seeker and a Link 16 weapon data link.

June 24/16: The Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C-1 has been delivered to the US Navy for operational use after the munition cleared the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) stage earlier this month. This newest iteration of JSOW is integrated with a Link 16 network radio, enabling the weapon to engage moving targets at sea. The radio allows the launch aircraft or another designated controller to provide real-time target updates to the weapon, reassign it to another target, or to abort the mission.

February 19/16: Raytheon and the US Navy have successfully commenced operational testing of the new Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW C-1) at China Lake. The AGM-154 Block III upgrade incorporates a new Link-16 weapon data link and a moving maritime target capability. This was the eighth successful test for the air-to-surface missile after seven deployments in the developmental and integration test phases. The latest test has been described by Raytheon as “a challenging battlefield scenario [which] included a well-defended target that used tactical countermeasures.” Once the free flight operational testing is complete, the JSOW C-1 will be released for full use by the Navy.

Dec 20/13: FRP-10. An $80.5 million contract modification exercises an option for 200 full rate production Lot 10 AGM-154C-1 JSOW unitary weapons, and a single AGM-154C-1 for a performance characterization test. All funds are committed immediately from US Navy FY 2014 weapon budgets.

Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%); and McAlester, OK (10%), and is expected to be complete in August 2016 (N00019-13-C-0011).

FY 2014: 200

Dec 17/13: ANAO Report. Australia’s National Audit Office releases their 2012-13 Major Projects Report, which includes some interesting notes concerning the JSOW-C1. Australia had to place an interim buy of AGM-154Cs in time for the Super Hornet’s planned December 2010 Initial Operating Capability, but they won’t accept the JSOW-C1s and their moving target capability until February 2016. Why?

“The JSOW C-1 has been affected by software integration issues leading to an impact on Australian Super Hornet capability. The USN has slipped the integration of the JSOW C-1 into the next build of software for the Super Hornet…. The JSOW C-1 FOT&E test event in September 2014 has been affected by the integration issues with the software build leading to [test cancelation and] an impact on Materiel Release of the JSOW C-1.”

“There is [also] a chance that USN/Raytheon have insufficient Telemetry Instrumentation Kits (TIK) to support Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E) and Raise Train Sustain firings of JSOW C/C-1.”

Oct 27/13: Testing. At the US Navy’s Trident Warrior 2013 demonstration, Super Hornet fighters simulated the launch of an AGM-154C-1 JSOW precision glide bomb, while the E-2D directed the imaginary weapon toward the positively identified target and received status updates from the “weapon.”

It mirrors a 2009 simulation involving a JSOW C-1 with a Navy P-3 Orion and USAF E-8C JSTARS battlefield surveillance aircraft. Sources: Raytheon, Oct 27/13 release.

FY 2011 – 2013

OT&E: weapon’s great but the UI sucks; F/A-18 Super Hornet integration contracts and testing; Australia commits to JSOW for its Super Hornets and F-35As.

Hard hats required

June 5/13: FRP-9. An $80.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 200 full rate production Lot 9 AGM-154C-1 JSOWs, including associated support equipment, plus 1 more AGM-154C-1 for testing.

Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%); and McAllester, OK (10%), and is expected to be complete in July 2015. All funds are committed immediately. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-13-C-0011).

FY 2013: 200

May 16/13: Australia. During Parliamentary hearings by Australia’s Joint Committee On Foreign Affairs, Defence And Trade, DMO’s New Air Combat Capability program manager, Air Vice Marshal Kym Osley, discusses the JSM and Australia, in response to a question from Sen. Fawcett. With Norway’s government fully finding the missile through F-35 integration in Block 4, Australia doesn’t need to be involved in that financially, and they haven’t made any commitments to JSM yet beyond discussing requirements etc.

Australia’s near-term plan is to use the AGM-154C-1 JSOW glide bomb as their initial maritime strike weapon, first on their F/A-18F Super Hornets and next on their F-35As. They believe that the USAF and US Navy will also make JSOW part of F-35 Block 4, which is planned to finish in 2020 and release to the fleet in 2021. F-35 software development remains very behind, but Australia hopes to have JSOW available on their F-35As by the RAAF’s own planned F-35A Full Operational Capability date, in 2023. Beyond 2023, Australia’s JP3023 program will be looking at a new maritime strike platform for use across its navy surface combatants and air force (F/A-18F, F-35A, P-8A). Hansard Australia [PDF].

April 26/13: Super Hornet. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $12.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order to integrate the new AGM-154C-1 JSOW into the F/A-18E/F aircraft’s H10E Operational Flight Program (core operating system) software.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete in February 2015. $7.7 million in FY 2013 Navy Weapons Procurement funds are committed immediately, with the rest available as needed. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity (N00019-10-G-0006, #2002).

Jan 22/13: Testing. Raytheon touts another pair of successful AGM-154C-1 integrated tests, this time against stationary targets with operationally realistic infrared and radio frequency countermeasures. Previous testing in the integrated test phase demonstrated JSOW C-1’s capability against 2 moving maritime targets, and those were also direct hits.

Jan 17/13: DOT&E report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The JSOW C-1 is included. Short version: the report is very complimentary about the weapon’s accuracy, but says that it isn’t ready for prime time.

Without being more specific, they say that reliability is well below specifications, largely because of software-driven problems. The software is also really poor as an interface for the pilot, “excessively complicated and could prevent successful mission execution.” Raytheon plans to update the software, but once it does, some of the previous integrated test data won’t be valid any more.

The program is headed for an Operational Test Readiness Review (OTRR) in Q2 FY 2013.

Testers not happy

Aug 21/12: Testing. Raytheon discusses the AGM-154C-1’s initial integration test using US Navy Super Hornets. The test presented 2 maneuvering ship targets, and involved a handoff from one fighter to another, followed by a successful retargeting from the smaller ship to the larger ship.

The firm says that the program remains on track for reaching initial operational capability in 2013.

Dec 19/11: FRP-8. An $84.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 226 more AGM-154C-1 JSOW glide bomb all-up rounds (in storage containers) with unitary warheads, including associated support equipment. This is full rate production Lot 8.

Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%); and McAllester, OK (10%), and is expected to be complete in June 2014 (N00019-11-C-0032).

FY 2012: 226

July 28/11: FRP-7. An $85.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 225 full rate production, Lot 7 AGM-154C-1 JSOW glide bombs with unitary warheads, including associated support equipment, and 1 AGM-154C-1 for performance characterization testing. The production lots involve all variants of JSOW, but new production lots have the Block III as the default version.

Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%); and McAllester, OK (10%), and is expected to be complete in June 2013. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0032).

FY 2011: 225

Oct 15/10: US NAVAIR PMA-201 accepts an initial 11 JSOW-C1 production rounds. The JSOW-C1 is assembled at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, OK, and will be sent to the fleet once operational testing of its moving target capabilities is complete, in early 2013.

NAVAIR adds that the C1/Block III variant was “recently” tested during a 3-day Joint Surface Warfare Joint Capability Technology Demonstration, where the weapon was used in conjunction with an E-8C JSTARS ground surveillance aircraft, 2 F/A-18 Hornets, and 2 instrumented target ships. So far, about 3,500 JSOWs have been delivered to the fleet since 1998, with more than 400 used in combat. US NAVAIR.

Navy acceptance

FY 2007 – 2010

From development to full rate production; F/A-18 Super Hornet captive test.

Send me a link?
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March 26/10: FRP-6. A $101.6 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0093) for 313 full rate production Lot 6 (FRP-6) AGM-154C-1 Unitary Joint Stand-Off Weapon missiles, including associated support equipment. In addition, this modification provides for one extra AGM-154C-1, which will be used for performance characterization testing.

Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%); and McAllester, OK (10%), and is expected to be complete in March 2012.

FY 2010: 333

March 4/10: Testing. Raytheon’s AGM-154C-1 JSOW Block III glide bomb hit a milestone by completing its first captive-flight test on an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter, and demonstrating Link 16 compatibility. NAVAIR | Raytheon release.

Super Hornet flight

Feb 15/10: Testing. Raytheon announces that its AGM-154C-1’s Strike Common Weapon Datalink (SCWDL) communicated via Link-16 nodes with a Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) aircraft. The test demonstrated the weapon’s ability to function as a node on the network and moved the system one step closer to engaging moving maritime targets. The test was part of the Navy’s Joint Surface Warfare Joint Capability Technology Demonstration.

Feb 1/10: FY 2010 budget. The Pentagon releases its FY 2011 budget request. The USAF stopped participating in JSOW in 2005, but the US Navy continues.

The FY 2010 budget is $152.2 million (incl. $10 million RDT&E) for 357 weapons. The FY 2011 request is a slight procurement drop-off, to $143.9 million (incl. $12.9 million RDT&E) for 333 JSOW unitary glide bombs.

March 13/09: FRP-5. A $106.5 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-07-C-0093) for Full Rate Production of 280 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) unitary warhead AGM-154C-1s, plus 1 additional unit for performance characterization testing. Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (44%); Cedar Rapids, IA (24%); Tucson, AZ (22%), and McAllester, OK (10%), and is expected to be completed in March 2011.

The FY 2009 budget of up to $164.9 million covers 280 weapons, and includes $21.8 million in RDT&E finding.

FY 2009: 280

Dec 19/08: Testing. A $17.9 million modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract for the special tooling and special test equipment required to maintain Joint Stand-Off Weapons (JSOW-C) production rate requirements, and to support the transition to production readiness activities for the AGM-154C-1 Variant.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete in March 2010 (N00019-07-C-0093).

Sept 19/07: Datalink. Rockwell Collins announces an $18 million contract by Raytheon Missile Systems to design, develop, and produce the Strike Common Weapon Data Link for the JSOW Block III precision glide bomb and the next generation of Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Strike Common Weapon Data Link Program is ultimately sponsored by the U.S. Navy’s PMA-201 program management office.

The 2-way, anti-jam, dual waveform (UHF and Link 16) datalink will add the ability to provide target updates from the launcher to the weapon or vice-versa, retarget the weapon while in flight, abort if desired, and provide bomb hit indication (BHI).

March 8/07: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $93.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued broad basic ordering agreement (N00019-05-G-0008), that covers multiple systems. This order will be used for the Joint Standoff Weapon AGM-154C-1 Block III Network Enabled Weapon Moving Target Capability and Seeker Obsolescence Redesign. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete in July 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

Efforts under this delivery order will include the design, development, integration, test and delivery of an AGM-154C-1 network enabled weapon moving target capability and qualification and production of a replacement for the obsolete seeker processor and detector components (Phase I). In addition, this order provides for delivery of a validated engineering change proposal (Phase II). See also Raytheon release.

JSOW C1 development

KODEF ’11 slide
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South Korea has been thinking seriously about designing its own fighter jet since 2008. The ROK defense sector has made impressive progress, and has become a notable exporter of aerospace, land, and naval equipment. The idea of a plane that helps advance their aerospace industry, while making it easy to add new Korean-designed weapons, is very appealing. On the flip side, a new jet fighter is a massive endeavor at the best of times, and wildly unrealistic technical expectations didn’t help the project. KF-X has progressed in fits and starts, and became a multinational program when Indonesia joined in June 2010. As of March 2013, however, South Korea has decided to put the KF-X program on hold for 18 months, while the government and Parliament decide whether it’s worth continuing.

Indonesia has reportedly contributed IDR 1.6 trillion since they joined in July 2010 – but that’s just $165 million of the DAPA’s estimated WON 6 billion (about $5.5 billion) development cost, and there’s good reason to believe that even this development budget is too low. This article discusses the KFX/IFX fighter’s proposed designs and features, and chronicles the project’s progress and setbacks since 2008…

Changing Stories: The “F-33/ Boramae” KF-X Fighter

Unofficial KF-X vid
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Unrealistic early visions of an F-35 class stealth aircraft developed on the cheap produced some attention-getting models, but they appear to have given way to the idea of a fighter with slightly better kinematic performance than an F-16C/D Block 50, along with more advanced electronics that include a made-in-Korea AESA radar, the ability to carry a range of new South Korean weapons under development, and a better radar signature. The Jakarta Globe adds that the plane is eventually slated to get the designation F-33.

The project goes ahead, the 1st step will involve picking a foreign development partner, and the next step will involve choosing between 1 of 2 competing designs. The C103 design’s conventional fighter layout would look somewhat like the F-35, while the C203 design follows the European approach and uses forward canards in a stealth-shaped airframe. It’s likely that the choice of their foreign development partner will determine the design choice pursued.

Either aircraft would be a twin-engine fighter weighing around 10.4 tonnes, with stealth shaping. In order to keep ambitions within the bounds of realism, KFX Bock 1 fighters would only have to meet the radar cross-section of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or Eurofighter Typhoon. Sources have used figures of 0.1 – 1.0 square meters.

Note that even this specification amounts to developing a plane similar to or more advanced than the JAS-39E/F Gripen, from a lower technological base, with less international help on key components, all for less development money than a more experienced firm needed to spend. South Korea’s own KIDA takes a similar view, questioning the country’s technical readiness for something this complicated, and noting an overall cost per aircraft that’s twice as much as similar imported fighters.

KFX Block 2 would add internal weapon bays. Present plans call for Block 1 would be compatible with the bays, and hence upgradeable to Block 2 status, but Block 1 planes wouldn’t begin with internal bays. The fighter’s size and twin-engine design offer added space compared to a plan like the Gripen, but this feature will still be a notable design challenge. Additional tolerance and coating improvements are envisioned to reduce stealth to the level of an F-117: about 0.025 square meters.

KFX Block 3 would aim for further stealth improvements to the level of the B-2 bomber or F-35.

No timeline has been discussed for Block 2 and Block 3 improvements. At this stage of the program, any dates given would be wildly unreliable anyway.

KF-X: Program & Prospects

T-50 line
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The KF-X project remains a “paper airplane,” without even a prototype under construction. The program was reportedly postponed until April 2011 due to financial and technological difficulties, and now a second postponement appears to extend to June 2014. If South Korea elects to proceed at all. The ROK Agency for Defense Development says that if full-scale development begins in October 2014, the 1st KF-X Block 1 prototype flight wouldn’t take place until September 2020. Based on the history of other programs, the new plane would be hard pressed to enter service before 2025.

Indonesia is currently the only KF-X foreign development partner, with 20% of the project. The project is sometimes referred to as “IFX” (Indonesia Fighter eXperimental) in that country, whose huge archipelago leads them to value range. That could create a problem if the KF-X design shrinks, in order to present a lower cost profile.

Turkey is a big defense customer for South Korea, and discussions have been held concerning KF-X, but Turkey wanted more control over the project than a 20% share, and no agreement has been forthcoming. The TuAF is already committed to buying about 100 F-35As to replace its F-4 Phantoms, and many of its F-16s as well. They’re also investigating the idea of designing their own fighter, and have enlisted Sweden’s Saab to assist (vid. March 20/13 entry).

In the interim, KAI’s FA-50 is emerging as a low-end fighter to replace existing ROKAF F-5s and F-4s, and South Korea is scheduled to have its F-X-3 competition decided before the KF-X resumes. That could leave them with a high-end fleet plan of 80-100 stealth-enhanced F-15SE Strike Eagles, split between new buys and upgrades. It’s fair to ask where an expensive KF-X program would fit in that mix, especially when even on-budget performance of WON 14 billion for development and production could buy and equip over 110 more F-15SEs, instead of 130-150 “F-33s”.

ROK Flag

Moreover, if KF-X was developed, how big would the 2025 – 2040 export market really be? The Teal Group’s Richard Aboulafia is right that “The world fighter market needs a modern, F-16-class mid-market fighter.” With that said, even in a hypothetical market where F-16, F/A-18 family, Eurofighter, and Rafale production lines had all shut down, that would still leave South Korea competing for mid-tier purchases against China’s J-10, J-11, and “J-31”, Russia’s SU-35 and possibly its MiG-35, and Sweden’s JAS-39E/F.

On the other hand, KAI needs development work after the FA-50 is done. As one 2009 article asked, how far can industrial nationalism go? The next 18 months will offer an answer to that question.

Contracts & Key Events 2014 – 2018

 

K-FX C-501: no.
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July 23/18: More British parts UK firm Meggitt is set to contribute towards South Korea’s KF-X fighter program. The company will supply Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) with its fire detection and bleed air leak detection systems. Meggitt has already won a number of multi-million contracts in support of the program, including the production of the KF-Xs nose and main wheels, carbon brakes, brake control system; and for the design, development and supply of standby flight displays, engine displays, and heading sensors for the fighter jet. Meggitt’s fire detection system uses a pneumatic detector that senses a rise in average temperature across the whole overheat sensor. KAI is scheduled to complete its critical design reviews by 2019 and then roll-out the firs KF-X prototype by 2021.

April 12/18: Oxygen systems British aerospace equipment manufacturer Cobham has been selected by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to provide oxygen systems for South Korea’s indigenous fighter effort—the KF-X. The multi-year agreement covers the aircraft’s development phase and tasks Cobham with designing an onboard oxygen generating system that includes technologies such as the Next Generation Oxygen Concentrator—which creates breathable oxygen from engine bleed air—and the Electronic Seat Mounted Regulator that allows pilots to control the flow of oxygen. This will be the forth contract given to Cobham for various systems on the KF-X. So far the firm has been tasked with providing missile ejection launchers, communication, navigation and identification conformal antennas, as well as the fighter’s external fuel tanks and pylons.

March 27/18: Ejectors Selected Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) selected the Mk18 ejection seat produced by Martin-Baker for its KF-X fighter program. The selection of the Mk18 seat continues long history of cooperation between KAI and Martin Baker which included both the KT-1 and T/A-50 programs. The Mk18 ejection seat is the most advanced ejection seat ever produced for fighter and trainer aircraft. A similar seat to the one currently in competition for the US Air Force new trainer Jet, the T-X. The KF-X fighter program started back in 2008 and is part of South Korea’ success story in the defense sector. The ROK has become a notable exporter of aerospace, land and naval equipment. The KF-X program has progressed in fits and starts, and became a multinational program when Indonesia joined in June 2010. DARPA’s estimated that the KF-X program will cost about $5.5 billion, Indonesia reportedly contributed about $165 million so far. In a nearly 70 years long history Martin-Baker products have saved the lives of 7,563 aircrew from around the world.

November 21/17: Subcontract-BRUs Harris Corporation will deliver bomb rack units (BRUs) to Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for use on the next-generation KF-X experimental fighter. The company will provide both its BRU-47—a single store carrier designed for use on the Boeing F-15E and F-22 Raptor—and BRU-57—a smart-weapon-enabled, twin store carrier that doubles the payload capacity of aircraft without the need to modify any hardware, which allows for a wide array of payload configurations. Further details on the contract were not disclosed. Seoul plans to produce a total of 120 next-gen fighters, as well as help produce a number of aircraft for program partner Indonesia.

November 07/17: Indonesia has failed to pay the latest round of fees for its involvement in the South Korean KF-X fighter program, prompting lawmakers in Seoul to threaten postponement of the program. Jakarta’s state-owned PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) had been expected to pay the remaining $124.5 million required for this year at the end of October, after agreeing in January 2016 to cover 20% of the program’s overall expenses—or some $1.33 billion. Questioning the government on the matter, Rep. Kim Jong-dae of the Justice Party said “If Indonesia does not pay in time, then Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has to shoulder the burden of 40 percent of the development costs,” adding that the “KF-X project could easily be put in danger,” and accusing the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of downplaying concerns over the delayed payment. DAPA responded by saying that the matter will be discussed during an upcoming summit between the leaders of both countries later this week.

August 25/17: Cobham Mission Systems has been selected to provide launchers for South Korea’s next-generation KF-X fighter program. The company will provide an unspecified number of the launchers by 2020 at a cost of $9 million. Ken Kota, general manager of Cobham Mission Systems, called its launcher system “a highly robust, long stroke ejection system that allows the interchangeable carriage and release of either Meteor or AMRAAM air-to-air missiles without role change.” South Korea plans to produce 120 KF-X fighters while Indonesia, a program partner, looks to operate 80 IF-X aircraft.

May 24/17: Elta Systems has been brought in to help South Korean efforts to support the testing of an indigenous AESA radar for the KAI KF-X fighter. The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) stressed that the contract is just for support and not development work—which is being led by Hanwa Thales. The value of the contract is believed to be worth $35.5 million.

March 6/17: Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has selected Triumph Group to provide Airframe Mounted Accessory Drives for the KF-X fighter project. Triumph will support the project by designing and producing the AMADs, which will allow the aircraft to receive and distribute engine power to generators, pumps and other systems. The award follows January’s selection by KAI of the US-based Texstars for the provision of canopy and windshield transparencies for the aircraft, as well as February’s opening of a KF-X joint program office in order to facilitate program cooperation with Indonesia.

February 10/17: Indonesia and South Korea have opened a joint program office in Sacheon, South Korea, in order to collaborate on the KF-X/IF-X fighter program. 74 personnel from PT Dirgantara Indonesia have made the move to work on the program, and will work with staff from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The opening of the office comes just a year after both governments signed a $7.1 billion agreement to jointly develop the KF-X/IF-X 4.5-generation fighter. In exchange for their capital, Jakarta will receive 50 IF-X fighters as well as a certain amount of knowledge and technological transfer.

December 16/16: South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) will commence research on an indigenous Taurus-class cruise missile. Development work on the missile will begin in 2018, with the aim being to produce around 200 missiles for deployment on the upcoming KAI KF-X fighter jet. Costing $690 million, the new missiles will give Seoul an increased cruise missile range from 280 km to 500 km.

November 23/16: Officials from South Korea have continued their negotiations in Washington over technologies needed for their KF-X fighter program. A request for AESA radar, infrared search and track, electro-optical target tracking devices, and jammer technology transfers was denied by the Pentagon last year, resulting in Seoul having to pursue the technologies themselves. Speaking on the discussions, Korean Minister for the Defense Acquisition and Procurement Administration (DAPA), Myoung-jin Chang, said “there are additional technologies that we are awaiting approval from the US government and we are pushing for these to be approved and we look forward to your continued support.”

August 12/16: South Korea’s Agency for Defense Development (ADD) has given the second half of 2020 as the date for the first prototype of their indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Developed in conjunction with Hanwha Thales, DAPA foresees six years of development, with the new radar to be ready for deployment in 2026. The radar will be integrated on the upcoming KF-X indigenous fighter.

June 20/16: Next month will see Hanwha Thales commence work on developing the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for South Korea’s KF-X program. In April, the defense section of the Hanwha conglomerate was selected to participate in building the AESA radar to be installed on about 120 fighters that South Korea plans to have developed by the mid-2020s. A working prototype is expected for next June and if it is successful, an upgraded version will be made available in 2018.

May 27/16: General Electric is to provide its F414-GE-400 engines for South Korea’s KF-X fighter after beating a European consortium offering the Eurojet EJ2000. The deal is estimated to be worth up to $3.5 billion, and contracts are expected to be finalized and signed in June. Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd (KIA), who is developing the jet alongside Lockheed Martin, plans to develop and produce 170 twin-engined jets initially, with 50 destined for export to Indonesia.

April 21/16: South Korea looks set to decide on which engine provider will be selected for its KAI KF-X fighter as early as the end of the month. Suppliers looking to win the contract are European firm Eurojet Turbo GmbH and the US’s General Electric. Seoul is seeking to locally produce 120 twin-engine combat jets under the KF-X program that is estimated to cost some $16 billion. Deployment of the new planes is hoped to start in mid-2020 to replace its aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

January 25/16: South Korea’s KF-X fighter program has kicked off as officials from KAI, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), Lockheed Martin, the Indonesian Defense Ministry and PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) met in Sacheon, South Korea for the first time. Six prototypes of the fighter will be produced by 2021 with completion of the development due for 2026. 120 fighters will be produced by 2032 to replace the F-4 and F-5 jets in service. Collaboration in the program sees Lockheed Martin provide twenty-one key technologies used in the US F-35 fighter and the government of Indonesia is to provide $1.4 billion toward research and development in the project. Seoul will spend $7.1 billion in the project’s development.

December 28/15: South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) is set to sign a development contract with Korea Aerospace Industries for the continued production of the indigenous KF-X fighter. The news follows the granting by the US government for the transfer of 21 technologies used in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 which had been the subject of much wrangling over the last number of weeks. Washington had denied the transfer of four key technologies back in April citing security concerns. The contract will see the production of six prototypes by 2025 with an expected 120 jets produced by 2032.

December 7/15: South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has been accompanied by high level diplomats to discuss the KF-X fighter program with Lockheed Martin. The trip to the US follows the visit by Lockheed staff to Seoul last month to discuss the transfer of 21 technologies from their F-35 fighter jet. The inclusion of diplomats shows that Korea is looking to bolster their bargaining power amid the refusal to allow the transfer of four key technologies by the US government. DAPA claimed that they are capable of developing these four key technologies, but failure to secure the remaining 21 would be of serious consequence to the development of Korea’s own indigenous fighter.

November 19/15: Lockheed Martin staff are visiting South Korea this week to further discuss the transfer of technologies in relation to the development of the $6.9 billion KF-X fighter program. The talks come following a recent refusal by the US to allow the transfer of the four core technologies necessary for the program which could put the future of its development in jeopardy. Despite this, both Lockheed and the South Korean government are confident that the transfer of another 21 technologies will go ahead as planned with possibly some minor alterations to the technologies initially listed. The State Department however did approve the sale of 19 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II All-Up-Round Missiles and 13 Block II upgrade kits totally $110 million.

October 30/15: A subcommittee in South Korea’s Parliament has passed a $58.8 million budget for the country’s indigenous KF-X fighter program, with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) planning to press ahead with the development of critical technologies required for the jet, despite the US State Department preventing F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin from exporting four key technologies to the country. The country’s Ministry of National Defense will also stand-up a KF-X project team to manage the development of these four technologies.

October 26/15: South Korea’s defense acquisition agency is reportedly planning to press ahead with development of the four key technologies required for the country’s KF-X indigenous fighter program, refused by Washington in April. South Korea is thought to be capable of finding replacements for three of these technologies; however the acquisition of an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system is a particularly difficult problem for Seoul. It was thought that the technology would be transferred as part of offset arrangements for the South Korean F-35 acquisition, with Saab reportedly offering to develop an AESA solution for South Korea, unveiling a new radar system earlier this month.

October 21/15: South Korea’s president has fired the country’s senior presidential secretary for foreign affairs Ju Chul-ki following failure to secure the transfer of four key technologies from the US required for the country’s KF-X indigenous fighter program. The blockage of the technologies in April – subsequently confirmed by the South Korean government in September – has also led to a criminal investigation into a senior security official in the country, as US SecDef Carter publicly reiterated the refusal to transfer the critical technologies last week.

October 7/15: South Korea and Indonesia look set to sign a set of agreements later this month to cement the two countries’ industrial commitments to the collaborative development of the South Korean KF-X indigenous fighter program. The two states signed an engineering and development agreement in October 2014, which split the development costs 80-20 to South Korea. The two countries reiterated their commitment to the program in May this year. Meanwhile, the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration announced on Tuesday that a separate organization will be established specifically to manage the KF-X program.

September 28/15: South Korea’s $6.9 billion KF-X program has hit a major speed bump with refusal by the US government to approve the transfer of four core technologies from F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin to the country’s defense procurement agency, with the South Korean government now confirming that Washington refused the transfer back in April. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) will now have to look elsewhere to acquire these technologies, which include an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, EO targeting pod, RF jammer and IR search and track system. Lockheed Martin promised to transfer 25 technologies to the country when it signed a Foreign Military Sales contract for 40 F-35s in September, with the homegrown fighter project seemingly now in jeopardy.

April 10/15: GE to push engines. General Electric is reportedly looking to supply jet engines for the South Korea KF-X program, submitting a proposal to Korea Aerospace Industries, following the company’s selection as preferred bidder at the end of last month. The F414 engines GE is proposing has previously equipped the US Navy’s Super Hornets and Growlers, the Saab Gripen NG and the Indian Mk II Tejas.

March 31/15: KAL eliminated. South Korean manufacturer Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) was selected as preferred bidder today in the country’s indigenousKF-X fighter program, South Korean media reported today, beating a partnership of Airbus and Korean Airlines. KAI are expected to partner with Lockheed Martin for the $7.9 billion program, which will replace the existing Korean fleet of F-4 and F-5 fighters, as well as equip the Indonesian Air Force, which joined the project in 2010.

Feb 23/15: KAL partners with Airbus.
On February 22, Yonhap reported that KAL indeed signed an MOU with Airbus to present a join offer.

Jan 27/15: KAL prospects dim. After proposals were sought on December 23, one government official was quoted as saying that price may be a controlling factor. That probably presupposes that KAL’s international partners, like Boeing, were staying with them, as they can help make up for the leaner engineering department at KAL. But one report indicated that Boeing was pulling out. The consortium, also to have included Airbus, would have pushed a revised F-18 model.

Oct 15/14: F-35 & KF-16. Korean media report that a proposed $753 million price hike for BAE’s KF-16 upgrade deal could result in cancellation. Lockheed Martin waits in the wings, and is reportedly extending an offer that would include more technical help with the multinational KF-X fighter program if the ROKAF switches.

The US government is reportedly demanding another WON 500 billion (about $471 million) for unspecified added “risk management,” while BAE is reportedly requesting another WON 300 million ($282 million) to cover a 1-year program delay. The Koreans are becoming visibly frustrated and distrustful, and have said openly that the deal may be canceled.

Lockheed Martin’s angle is a spinoff from their recent F-35A deal, which will supply 40 aircraft to the ROKAF. Part of their industrial offsets involved 300 man-years of help designing the proposed KF-X. They were cautious about providing too much help, but they reportedly see enough benefit in badly wounding an F-16 upgrade competitor to offer another 400 man-years of support for KF-X (total: 700) if the ROKAF switches. Sources: Chosun Ilbo, “U.S. in Massive Price Hike for Fighter Jet Upgrade” | Defense News, “F-16 Upgrade: Problems With S. Korea-BAE Deal Could Open Door to Lockheed” | Korea Times, “Korea may nix BAE’s KF-16 upgrade deal”.

Sept 24/14: F-35A. DAPA agrees on a WON 7.3 trillion deal for 40 F-35A fighters. including technology transfer in 17 sectors for use in KF-X. Transfers will include flight control and fire suppression technologies, and this appears to have been the final part of the KF-X puzzle. DAPA is said to have finalized their WON 8.5 trillion KF-X development plan, but it still has to be approved.

Subsequent reports indicate that Lockheed Martin has limited its proposed help with KF-X to just 300 man-years, rather than the 800 desired. In exchange, they offered a very unusual offset: they would buy a military communications satellite for South Korea, and launch it by 2017. Lockheed Martin isn’t saying anything, but Thales is favored as the source, as they provided the payload for South Korea’s Kopmsat-5 radar observation satellite, and have played a major role in KT Sat’s Koreasat commercial telecommunications satellites.

Why wouldn’t Lockheed Martin, which makes these satellites itself, just built one? Because this way, it doesn’t have to deal with any American weapon export approval processes and restrictions, which would have delayed overall negotiations and might have endangered them. That’s a lot of effort and money, in order to avoid ITAR laws. Or added help for KF-X. Sources: Yonhap, “Seoul to buy 40 F-35A fighters from Lockheed Martin in 7.3 tln won deal” | Defense News, “F-16 Upgrade: Problems With S. Korea-BAE Deal Could Open Door to Lockheed” | Reuters, “Exclusive: Lockheed to buy European satellite for South Korea in F-35 deal”.

Aug 31/14: DAPA gave public notice of KF-X bids this month, with plans to pick the preferred bidder (likely KAI) in November 2014, and sign a system development contract in December 2014.

The estimated WON 20 trillion development and production cost for 120 fighters is giving South Korea pause, especially with the ROKAF’s coming fighter fleet shortage (q.v. March 26/14). Sources: Korea Herald, “Fighter procurement projects pick up speed”.

Aug 21/14: Engines. GE declares their interest in equipping the ROKAF’s KF-X. The firm already equips some ROKAF F-15Ks (F110), Korea’s own T/TA/FA-50 fighter family (F404), Surion helicopters (T700-701K), and many ROK naval ships (LM2500). The F404, LM2500, and T700 are all assembled locally in South Korea. GE is promising to expand aero engine technology cooperation, increase the component localization rate, and support KF-X exports via joint marketing, while ensuring that over half of KF-X’s engine components are locally assembled.

GE’s F404, F414, and F110 jet engines are all viable possibilities. The key questions will involve matching their engineering specifications to the new platform: space, weight and balance, fuel consumption vs. onboard fuel, and twin-engine thrust vs. expected weight.

GE competitor Pratt & Whitney’s F100 engine equips some ROKAF F-15Ks, and all of its F-16s. Sources: Yonhap, “GE eyes S. Korea’s fighter jet development project” | Joong An Daily, “GE wants in on new fighter jets”.

July 18/14: Twin-engines. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff endorse the plan to develop KF-X as a twin-engine fighter by 2025. That seems to pick the C-103/ C-501 (q.v. Feb 6/14), a twin-engine design that’s similar to the F-35 in overall shape. This decision an important step, but it isn’t a contract, or even a budget.

The state-funded Korea Institute for Defense Analysis (KIDA) didn’t favor the twin-engine option, because they believed it would increase the fighter’s cost, and wouldn’t have a competitive edge. There actually is an edge for twin-engine fighters in a number of markets, because they’re less likely to crash due to engine failure. A country with large or remote areas to cover – Indonesia, for instance – will benefit from that choice. As for increases in cost, fighters like the Anglo-French Jaguar and Taiwan’s F-CK are smaller twin-engine planes that were successfully developed at reasonable cost. The key cost factor isn’t engines, it’s overall specifications.

With that said, this choice does rule out KF-X’s least-cost, least-risk C-501/ KFX-E design, which would have been derived from the single-engined FA-50 that’s currently in production at KAI. Sources: Defense News, “S. Korea Opts for Twin-Engine Fighter Development” | Reuters, “S.Korea military chiefs endorse $8.2 bln development plan for home-built fighters”.

JCS picks twin-engine C-103 design

March 26/14: Fill-ins. The ROKAF needs to retire its fleets of 136 or so F-5E/F Tiger light fighters, and about 30 F-4 Phantom fighter-bombers. Meanwhile, The F-16 fleet is about to begin a major upgrade program that will keep part of that fleet out of service. The F-X-3 buy of F-35As is expected to be both late, and 20 jets short of earlier plans. The KF-X mid-level fighter project will be even later – it isn’t likely to arrive until 2025, if it arrives at all. The ROKAF is buying 60 FA-50s to help offset some of the F-5 retirements, but the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses (KIDA) sees this combination of events leaving South Korea about 80 planes short.

FA-50 deliveries only began in August 2013, and foreign FA-50 orders from Iraq and the Philippines are beginning to take up additional slots on the production line. As such, the ROKAF may be leaning toward a quicker stopgap:

“The Air Force is considering leasing used combat jets as part of ways to provide the interim defense capability because replacement of aging F-4s and F-5s wouldn’t take place in a timely manner,” a senior Air Force official said, asking for anonymity. “As midlevel combat jets are mostly in shortage, the Air Force is considering renting 16 to 20 used F-16s from the U.S. Air Force…. “The U.S. Air Force stood down some F-16s in the wake of the defense spending cut affected by the sequestration,” another Air Force official said, asking not to be named. “Under current circumstances, we can rent F-16s or buy used ones.”

It will be interesting to see if the USAF will let the ROKAF lease, or just have them buy the jets at cut-rate prices. Sources: Yonhap, “S. Korea considers F-16 lease deal to replace aging jets”.

Jan 5/14: Budget. The Korea Times reports that the 2014 defense budget has appropriated KRW 20 billion (about $19 million) to finalize KF-X’s design. A subsequent report from Aviation Week describes conditions that might be difficult for KF-X to meet:

“The latest South Korean budget provides 20 billion won ($19 million) to continue KF-X studies in 2014, hedged by two major conditions—development cost must be capped at just under $8 billion and be complete by 2025, and the aircraft must be approved for export by the U.S. An international partner must be found and contribute a 15% investment.”

A decision between the available design options is possible by February, and would be followed by detail design work. With respect to US export approval, AW confirms that “Eurofighter is still trying to offer South Korea 40 Typhoons, along with support for KF-X.” Unlike Lockheed Martin’s expected assistance, the vast majority of Eurofighter GmbH technology would be beyond American export approvals. Unfortunately, the ROK military’s short-circuiting of DAPA’s fighter competition (q.v. Nov 22/13) will expand the scope of possible American KF-X export clearance interference. Korea Times, “Military to flesh own fighter jet plan” | Aviation Week, “Fast-Changing Trends In Asia Fighter Market”.

Feb 6/14: KAI’s official blog talks about the prospects for the K-FX. It clarifies that the design decision will be between the C-103, which is a twin-engine design similar to the F-35 in overall shape, and the FA-50 derived C-501/ KFX-E. Sources: KAI Blog.

2011 – 2013

Program halt lifted, as specs get clearer; Indonesia confirms, then faces a delayed program again; Turkey invited, but seem to be going their own way.

KAI’s FA-50
(click to view full)

Nov 22/13: KF-X moved up. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff add urgency to proposed development of the local KF-X fighter, moving it from a long-range project to an intermediate-term project for development by 2020. Past timelines have given 7 years from the beginning of development to the end, which is already pretty fast. Even if KF-X receives follow-on approval and budgets, 7 years means development doesn’t end until 2022 or so.

They also announce that there will be no competition for F-X Phase III – the F-35 is the only option. As a result, Lockheed Martin is expected to lend its expertise to KAI for KF-X, as part of an industrial offsets program that will also include a new military communications satellite and a cyber-warfare training center. ROK’s Yonhap, “(LEAD) S. Korea decides to buy 40 Lockheed F-35s from 2018” | Aviation Week, “South Korea To Order 40 F-35s, Maybe 20 More Later” | E&T, “South Korea confirms F-35 fighter jet deal” | NY Times, “In South Korea, Delays Drag a Project to Build Homegrown Fighter Jets” | China’s Xinhua, “S. Korea picks Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as main fighter jet”.

Nov 5/13: Sub-contractors. Rockwell Collins is expressing interest in KF-X. They’re already a significant avionics supplier for existing T-50 family jets and Surion helicopters. Honeywell’s senior director of APAC Customer Business Mark Burgess:

“We are in discussions with KAI and Samsung Techwin to explore how Honeywell can contribute to the KF-X program.”

Oct 28/13: KF-X shrunk? Aviation Week reports that KAI has responded to the KF-X’s program’s stall with a smaller, single-engine “KFX-E/ C501” design that uses the F-35-style C103 design as a base, and proposes to reuse some systems from the FA-50. Overall weight would drop from around 11 tonnes to 9.3t (an F-16 is 8.9t), removing advance provision for an internal weapon bay, and leaving 2 underbody stations unused if a centerline fuel tank is carried.

Engine choices would involve the same PW F100 or GE F110 choice available to F-16s, leaving KFX-E vulnerable to US export bans. Avionics would come from LIG Nex1, and a Korean AESA radar with about 1,000 T/R modules and a claimed performance similar to the F-16E/F’s AN/APG-80 would be fitted. Unlike the F-35, the targeting pod would have to be carried externally, and self-protection antennas will be part of a carried package, rather than conformal. South Korea believes they can develop the targeting pod themselves, and they’ve already developed an ALQ-200K ECM pod that could be adapted for internal carriage.

The problem with all of this is that the design math is adverse. KFX-E’s ceiling offers poorer acceleration and range versus the F-16, a design that doesn’t appear to be optimized for maneuverability, and a radar that’s likely to be technically behind the ROKAF’s upgraded KF-16 fighters, all without the benefits of stealth in its initial configuration. The product would due to enter service the mid-2020s, and costs are difficult to predict but are unlikely to be less than a current F-16. This would augur poorly for exports, and makes the case for internal ROKAF adoption more difficult. Worse, launch partner Indonesia in particular values range, which would endanger their continued participation. KFX-E seems to be a formula that minimizes one type of risk, while increasing others. Sources: Aviation Week, “KAI Proposes Smaller KF-X Design” | IHS Jane’s, “ADEX 2013: KAI unveils new version of KFX fighter” (incl. picture).

July 30/13: Turkey. Hurriyet quotes “a senior official familiar with the program” who says that $11 – $13 billion would be a realistic development cost for Turkey’s planned TF-X fighter. That actually is a reasonable estimate for a 4.5+ generation machine, but even this figure adds $50 million per plane to a large national order of 200 fighters. Keeping costs within the official’s $100 million per plane target will be challenging, which means a 200 jet program would cost Turkey $31 – $33 billion if everything goes well. Which won’t happen, especially if Turkey pushes for ambitious specifications.

That math offers daunting odds for a national jet program, and much of the same math can be expected to apply to KF-X. Will sticker shock cause Turkey to take another look at collaboration with Korea? Push them to abandon TF-X and buy something else? Or just be ignored by local politicians looking to make big promises? Hurriyet Daily News.

May 23/13: EADS. EADS Cassidian reportedly announces that they would invest $2 billion in the K-FX fighter development project, and help market the plane internationally, if the Eurofighter is chosen for F-X-3. Investments would include a maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility that could extend to the KF-X, and an aerospace software center.

It isn’t a bad idea for EADS. Barring multiple orders from new sources, it’s very unlikely that the Eurofighter will still be in production by 2022. Upgrades and maintenance will continue for some time, but the C-203 KF-X design could offer EADS a new option to sell, with a fundamental design that can improve toward stealth fighter status. The question is whether South Korea wants to go forward. Yonhap News.

May 16/13: Indonesia. Indonesian Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro says that they remain committed to the KFX/IFX program. The Jakarta Post:

“We have told our South Korean counterparts that we will continue doing our part. Whatever their decision is, and whatever technology they focus on, we will follow their lead and our 20 percent of share will remain,” Purnomo said…. TB Hasanuddin of House Commission I on defense and foreign affairs, said that about Rp 1.6 trillion ($164.8 million) was already spent on the project.”

The question is whether South Korea chooses to pick up the project again, after the 18-month delay is over.

April 29/13: Details. Aviation Week recaps the ROK ADD’s KF-X plan (q.v. Feb 18/13 entry), and quotes “a former air force officer who has been involved in planning for KF-X” to say that radar cross-section for Block 1 will be between 0.1 – 1.0 square meters. It adds that the choice between the conventional layout C103 and C203 canard design probably comes down to the development partner Korea chooses: C103 if American, C203 if European.

Candidate engines for the twin-engine design are reportedly the GR F404 used in the FA-50, Eurojet’s EJ200 used in the Eurofighter, or GE’s F414 used in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, JAS-39E/F Gripen NG, and India’s Tejas Mk.II. Snecma’s M88, used in Dassault’s Rafale, reportedly isn’t a candidate. Aviation Week.

April 5/13: South Korean media detail a proposal from EADS to produce 80% of F-X Phase 3’s 60 fighters at KAI, if DAPA picks their Eurofighter. The Yonhap report also discusses this potential industrial boost for KAI in the context of the KF-X program,:

“Many have been calling on the Park Geun-hye administration to promptly make a decision to either go ahead with the large-scale airplane development project or put on the brakes if it is deemed economically unsustainable.”

The rest of the Yonhap report may be switching contexts to the F-X-3 high-end fighter acquisition, as it describes a decision to be made by June 2013, as part of a renewed emphasis on major defense projects in light of North Korea’s actions. That doesn’t entirely track with previous reports that place resumption of KF-X at June 2014, if it happens at all. It does track with reports concerning the F-X-3 program, so the confusion could just be poor writing. What is true is that provocations from North Korea are very much a double-edged sword for KF-X. On the one hand, they boost the idea of defense spending generally. On the other hand, they raise needs like anti-submarine warfare, missile defense improvements, etc. that will be higher priorities than KF-X. Yonhap News Service | Hankoryeh.

March 20/13: Turkey. The Turks appear to be picking an independent course toward their future fighter aircraft, in line with rumors that they wanted more control than the KF-X program could give them. Their SSM signed an August 2011 deal with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) to carry out the conceptual design work, and recent reports add a preliminary agreement between TAI and Saab Group for technical assistance. Reports add that TAI is expected to acquire Saab’s aircraft design tools, which would make cooperation much easier.

These moves don’t completely rule out KF-X participation, but they do weight the odds the other way. Defense Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar says that Turkey’s project began in 2012, adding that after some modeling trials, one of the designs has matured. After completing the design phase, the undersecretary will offer a program plan to Turkey’s Defense Industry Executive Committee.

Turkey faces some of the same dilemmas as South Korea. If 2023 is the first flight date for a 4.5 generation fighter, there’s a real risk that the design will be outmoded from the outset. On the other hand, designing and prototyping an indigenous jet from scratch takes time, and technical overreach versus current capabilities is incredibly risky. One “top official from a Western aircraft maker” told Hurriyet that Turkey may already be headed down that path: “…we had to step back when we understood that the technical requirements for the aircraft are far from being realistic.” Hurriyet | Hurriyet follow-on | AIN.

March 1/13: 2nd Delay. Indonesian Defense Ministry official Pos Hutabarat confirms that KF-X has been postponed by 18 months to June 2014, while President Park Geun-hye decides whether to continue the project, and secures Parliamentary approval for that choice. Indonesia signed a 2010 MoU to become part of the project. Reports indicate an investment to date of IDR 1.6 trillion (about $165 million), with 30 PT Dirgantara Indonesia engineers at KAI working on the project.

UPI says that the KFX/IFX fighter’s price has already risen to $50-$60 million per aircraft, and this is before a prototype even exists. That’s already comparable to a modern F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or JAS-39 Gripen, in return for hopes of similar performance many years from now. Jakarta Globe | UPI.

2nd program delay

Feb 18/13: Details. Aviation Week reports that the Korea Institute for Defense Analysis has given KF-X a sharp negative review, even though it’s a defense ministry think-tank. In brief: the ROK isn’t technologically ready, and the project’s KRW 10+ trillion cost will be about twice as much as similar imported fighters. The 2013 budget is just KRW 4.5 billion, to continue studies.

Those studies are coming to some conclusions. The ROK ADD would still have a pick a design if they go ahead: either the conventional C103 fighter layout, or the C203 design with forward canards. Either aircraft would be a twin-engine fighter weighing around 10.4 tonnes, with stealth shaping. Bock 1 would only have to meet the radar cross-section of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet or Eurofighter Typhoon. Block 2 would add internal weapon bays, which Block 1 would be compatible with but not have. Additional tolerance and coating improvements would reduce stealth to the level of an F-117. Block 3 would aim for further improvements to the level of the B-2 bomber or F-35.

The ROK Agency for Defense Development says that if full-scale development begins in October 2014, the 1st KF-X Block 1 prototype flight would take until September 2020. Based on the history of other programs, the new plane would be hard pressed to enter service before 2025. Aviation Week.

Oct 27/11: KF-X specs. Fight International:

“In 2013, South Korea and two national partners will start developing a medium-sized and probably twin-engined fighter. It will be more agile than a Lockheed Martin F-16, with an advanced sensor suite and fusion software on a par with the US company’s new-generation F-35. Aiming to enter operations in 2021, the new design will also carry a bespoke arsenal of indigenous missiles and precision-guided munitions. That is the vision for the KF-X programme, outlined on 21 October at the Seoul air show by South Korean government and academic officials.”

DAPA’s technical requirements reportedly include an AESA radar and onboard IRST (InfraRed Search and Track) sensors, standard fly-by-wire flight and HOTAS (hands on throttle and stick) pilot controls, an NVG-compatible helmet-mounted display, and sensor fusion to the large screen single display. That last bit is especially challenging, and DAPA acknowledged that foreign partners will be needed. They hope to begin flight tests in 2016-2017, with an 8-year system development phase and a 7-plane test fleet (up from 5 prototypes at the Indonesian MoU).

Under this vision, South Korea’s LiG Nex1 would also develop a compatible line of short and medium range air-to-air missiles, strike missiles, and precision weapons to complement DAPA’s 500 pound Korea GPS guided bomb (KGGB). That array will expand global weapon choices if DAPA follows through, but the challenge will be getting them integrated with other countries’ aircraft. Ask the French how that goes.

KF-X specs

July 14/11: Indonesia confirmed. About a year after the MoU, The secretary general of Indonesia’s defence ministry, Erris Heriyanto, confirms the MoU’s terms to Indonesia’s ­official Antara news agency. KAI EVP Enes Park had called Indonesia’s involvement unconfirmed at the November 2010 Indo Defence show, but the Antara report appears to confirm it.

Turkey unveiled indigenous fighter plans of its own in December 2010, with the aim of fielding a fighter by 2023, but they haven’t made any commitments to KF-X. Flight International.

April 2011: Postponement of the KF-X project is reportedly lifted, as South Korea gets a bit clearer about their requirements.

Resumed

2008 – 2010

Reality check scales back specs, before indecision suspends program; Indonesia signs MoU.

T-129: Quid pro quo?
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Dec 27/10: Yo-yo. South Korea’s Yonhap News agency reports that South Korea’s military is trying to swing KF-X back to a stealth fighter program, in the wake of North Korea’s Nov. 23 shelling on Yeonpyeong Island.

Subsequent reports indicate that the uncertainty about KF-X requirements leads to a program halt, until things can get sorted out. Yonhap.

Aug 9/10: Turkey. DAPA aircraft programs director Maj. Gen. Choi Cha-kyu says that Turkey is actively considering the K-FX fighter program, and would bear the same 20% project share as Indonesia if they come on board.

There are reports that in return, Turkey wants the ROK to pick the T-129 ATAK helicopter under the AH-X heavy attack helicopter program. Turkey bought the A129 Mangusta design from AgustaWestland, as part of a September 2007 contract to build 51-92 helicopters for the Turkish Army. Korea Times | Hurriyet.

Now: TNI-AU F-16A
(click to view full)

July 15/10: Indonesia. Indonesia signs a Memorandum of Understanding to participate in KF-X. They’ll pay 20% of the estimated WON 5.1 trillion (about $4.1 billion) development effort, with 5 prototypes to be built before 2020, and commit to buying 50 of the fighters. South Korea has only committed to 60% of the development cost, which leaves 20% in limbo. DAPA’s KF-X program director Col. Lee Jong-hee says:

“There are two options on the table. One is to lure financial investments from other nations, such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. The other is to receive investments from Western aircraft makers wishing to participate in the KF-X.”

The Indonesian agreement follows a March 2009 Letter of Intent that was co-signed by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak. Indonesian MPs urged the government to conduct a feasibility test beforehand, but that wasn’t done. Key issues from Indonesia’s point of view include KF-X’s adequacy for the TNI-AU’s needs; technical and fiscal feasibility; technology and cost risk; the benefits to Indonesia’s aviation industry, given a break-even set by Aviation Week at 250-300 fighters for under $41 million each; and the role of 3rd country tech for engines. etc. which could still leave the fighters subject to foreign embargoes. Defense News | Jakarta Post.

Indonesia joins the program

Sept 12/09: KF-X drivers. Aviation Week offers their take on KFX’s positioning and industrial drivers:

“South Korea has decided that it can’t afford to build a cutting-edge stealth fighter…. it is considering building a gen-4.5 fighter, which might emerge as a jazzed up Typhoon or Super Hornet…. KFX would go into service in the early 2020s, perhaps a quarter of a century behind its technology level.

….Korea Aerospace will run out of fighter development work in a few years when the FA-50 is finished. It presumably does not have the technology to step straight from that to a combat drone. And it can’t spend next decade building up skills with an improved, single-seat FA-50, because the air force wants bigger aircraft…. the KFX would perhaps be an extreme example of sacrifices made in the name of self reliance or, perhaps, nationalism.”

July 23/09: KF-X. Defense News reports that “South Korea Drops 5th-Generation Fighter Plan,” but the title is misleading. The Weapon Systems Concept Development and Application Research Center of Konkuk University asked Boeing, Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin and Saab about their views on the per-plane cost estimate of $50 million, as well as budget-sharing ideas and technology transfer.

The problem is that South Korea’s specifications as described most closely mirror the ($150-180 million each, and $10+ billion development) F-22 Raptor, indicating that some reconciliation with reality is still necessary. The center will wrap up the feasibility study by October 2009, and DAPA is supposed to issue a decision on the KF-X initiative by year’s end. That will determine whether KF-X competes with/ supplants F-X-3, or proceeds as a separate program.

May 12/09: Changing gears. The Korea Times reports that the ROKAF’s Studies and Analyses Wing made an interim decision KF-X operational requirements in March 2009:

“Basic requirements call for a F-18E/F Super Hornet-class aircraft equipped with 4.5-generation semi-stealth functions, a domestically-built active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar [“based on accrued technologies from Israel”], a 32,000-pound of engine thrust and fully integrated weapons and sensors systems…. The KF-X aircraft would be either a single-engine fighter or a twin-engine one, [the source] added. It is the first time that KF-X operational requirements have been revealed.”

DAPA expects a final program decision around the end of 2009, and KF-X is expected to be part of the military’s 2010-14 force improvement package.

Jan 28/08: Reality check. The current program was scheduled to be followed by a KF-X program to develop and indigenous 5th generation/ stealth fighter to replace all F-5E Tiger IIs and F-4E Phantom IIs. After a feasibility study in 2008, the project would aim to produce the next-generation jets by 2020, with the goal of building 120 planes in a bid to secure proprietary technology and strengthen the country’s medium level fighter jet capacity. The goal is reportedly a single-seat, twin-engine plane with about 40,000 pounds of thrust from its engines, with more stealth than the Eurofighter Typhoon or Dassault Rafale, but less stealth than the F-35.

Now the Korea Development Institute has delivered a report concluding that the economic and industrial returns would be weak in proportion to its cost: about 3 trillion won/ $3 billion in returns, on a 10 trillion won investment. Papers quote foreign experts who estimate development costs of up to $12 billion. Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration said the KDI report was for reference only, and the project decision would include other factors such as export prospects and technological capacity.

$7 billion is not a sum to be thrown away casually, and the difference would be very noticeable within South Korea’s defense budgets. Options like partnering with EADS on a stealthier version of the Eurofighter, for instance, might lower development costs and offer an additional option. Nevertheless, with F-X-3 likely to select a stealthy platform, a merger with the K-FX program and negotiation of an industrial deal seems more likely. Especially given South Korea’s demographic crunch, which will begin to bite by 2020. Chosun Ilbo | Korea Times.

Additional Readings The KF-X Program

• Aviation Week – KFX Timeline. To 2013.

• Aviation Week (Feb 3/14) – Fast-Changing Trends In Asia Fighter Market

• Flight International (Oct 27/11) – IN FOCUS: South Korea outlines strategy for indigenous fighter.

• World Politics Review (Aug 13/10) – Global Insider: Indonesia-South Korea Joint Fighter Project (subscription). Says that KF-X will be based on KAI’s T-50, and aims to produce a fighter on par with the F-16C/D Block 50.

• Defense News (July 15/10) – Indonesia Joins South Korean Fighter Effort

• The Jakarta Post (July 12/10) – RI-S. Korea KFX cooperation: The second best option?

• Aviation Week (Sept 21/09) – A Generation 4.5 Fighter for the 2020s

Related Programs

• DID – Korea’s T-50 Family Spreads Its Wings. Some accounts have KF-X as an FA-50 derivative.

• DID – Korea’s F-X Multi-Role Fighter Buys: Phases 2 & 3. The ROKAF’s high-end fighter plans.

Oshkosh M-ATV
(click to view full)

“The Government plans to acquire an MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). The M-ATV is a lighter, off-road, and more maneuverable vehicle that incorporates current MRAP level [bullet and mine blast] protection. The M-ATV will require effectiveness in an off-road mission profile. The vehicle will include EFP (Explosively Formed Projectile land mine) and RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade panzerfaust) protection (integral or removable kit). The M-ATV will maximize both protection levels and off-road mobility & maneuverability attributes, and must balance the effects of size and weight while attempting to achieve the stated requirements.”
— US government FedBizOpps, November 2008

Oshkosh Defense’s M-ATV candidate secured a long-denied MRAP win, and the firm continues to remain ahead of production targets. The initial plan expected to spend up to $3.3 billion to order 5,244 M-ATVs for the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65), plus 93 test vehicles. FY 2010 budgets and subsequent purchases have pushed this total even higher, and orders now stand at over 8,800 for the USA, plus another 800 for the UAE.

MRAP ATV: Requirements and Contenders

BAE USCS M-ATV
(click to view full)

Monthly delivery rates of up to 1,000 vehicles were part of the solicitation; when combined with requirements around classified data and regulatory compliance, the only reasonable contenders were firms that already produced MRAPs, trucks, or tactical vehicles for American forces: BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Force Protection, Navistar, and Oshkosh.

M-ATV vehicles will hold 4 passengers, including the driver, and a gunner. That seems very similar to the MRAP Category I vehicles, and it is. On the other hand, a WIRED Danger Room story noted:

“As Captain Charles O’Neill, commander of B Company, 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, told me, a few of the MRAPs had “gone into the wadi” – i.e., rolled over – during operations in Helmand. “The MRAP is an outstanding vehicle for force protection,” he said. “It would do great on paved roads. However, here in southern Helmand province, the roads don’t facilitate the MRAP necessarily that well.”

One option has involved refitting existing MRAP vehicles. Over 1,300 of Force Protection’s Cougars will receive Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspensions, which are already in use on the Marines’ MTVR trucks, in order to improve their all-terrain handling. Other MRAP types are also receiving similar suspension refits from Oshkosh or from Arvin-Meritor.

LRAS3 in Fallujah
(click to view full)

The other response was the M-ATV competition, which aims to field a vehicle with an (empty equipped) curb weight under 25,000 pounds, and the protection and mobility characteristics described above. That’s still considerably heavier than a Hummer; the ubiquitous M1114 maxes out at 12,000 pounds with its add-on armor, and the top of M-ATV’s range is similar to a number of MRAP Category I contenders’ curb weights. Its mission is small unit combat operations in highly restricted, rural, mountainous and/or urban environments.

M-ATVs will be used for mounted patrols, reconnaissance, security, convoy protection, communications, command and control and combat service support. To that end, it will be qualified for fit out with a variety of equipment, from LRAS3 surveillance and targeting systems, to accompanying ROVER IV systems for working with UAV video feeds and TacAir support, to TOW ITAS anti-armor missiles, to CREW frequency jammers as land-mine protection, to Boomerang or Doubleshot anti-sniper systems, to CROWS II remote weapons systems, as required.

M-ATV Contenders

BAE GTS M-ATV
(click to view full)

A number of firms competed. Dave Hansen of JPO MRAP says that the initial competition involved about 10 candidates, which was narrowed down during source selection. Some known candidates include:

BAE’s Global Tactical Systems division submitted a model that is based on their Caiman Light MRAP, which in turn is based on the Army’s standard FMTV medium trucks. GTS M-ATV includes a number of changes, most notably a smaller crew compartment and a lengthened “nose” to provide better balance.

BAE U.S. Combat Systems’ M-ATV looked somewhat like its Valanx JLTV entry, but has greater protection levels, with a smaller and more protected crew capsule that was purpose-built to M-ATV requirements. The Arvin-Meritor suspension, the drive train, and the power train are shared with their Valanx, as is the 6 liter V8 engine. The firm has continued Valanx development, and submitted it for the JLTV competition.

Cheetah
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Force Protection teamed with General Dynamics to submit their Cheetah vehicle, which had been in development since 2005. The Cheetah has been evaluated by the US Marines, and had a curb weight of just 14,000 pounds when introduced. Subsequent variants have reportedly passed sponsored Army testing to MRAP I survivability levels, and has undergone initial mobility and durability testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center. The Cheetah was a new addition for Force Dynamics, which had previously been confined to producing the Cougar vehicles that did so much to spark the MRAP program.

Force Dynamics, LLC added Raytheon to their team, in order to provide a comprehensive command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system (C4ISR) plug-and-play ready architecture for the M-ATV Cheetah, using the C4ISR Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). It would allow plug-and-play integration of a wide range of Army electronics, while also improving the vehicles’ monitoring capabilities. Cheetah failed to win the M-ATV spot, and was discontinued shortly thereafter. In 2011, Force Protection was bought by General Dynamics Land Systems.

Husky TSV at DVD 2009
(click to view full)

General Dynamics Land Systems attempted to field a variant of the RG-31. This vehicle, offered in partnership with BAE and the Canadian government, had been ordered by American units before the MRAP program began, received additional MRAP orders, and reportedly earned good reviews for its Afghan performance. GDLS initial 2 M-ATV prototypes were not accepted for testing, however leaving General Dynamics with its Force Dynamics partnership as its only M-ATV option. It eventually bought Force Protection in 2011.

Navistar led the original MRAP competition, and submitted an M-ATV design based on the MXT/Husky design that won one of Britain’s OUVS orders for future Tactical Support Vehicles. Their derived M-ATV prototype used a specially-designed, light-weight armor. That advantage is compounded by a smaller base that allows them to weigh significantly less than its MaxxPro Dash MRAP, while using the same MaxxForce D 6.0 liter V8 engine.

Navistar would be able to support its M-ATV units in theater through its existing dealer and parts and support network, which includes locations in Afghanistan. They didn’t win the M-ATV competition, but they have received orders for more of their MaxxPro Dash vehicles since M-ATV began.

MTVR + PS armor
(click to view full)

Oshkosh Defense won, but they had far less success to build on. In the MRAP competition, its PVI partnership entry for MRAP Category I failed testing, while its Bushmaster partnership with Thales for MRAP Category II received no orders, despite a successful record of front line service with Australian and Dutch forces. Its JLTV entry with Northrop Grumman was not among the initial round’s 3 picks, even as BAE participated in 2 of the winning entries, General Dynamics in one, and Navistar in one. A GAO protest failed to change that outcome, despite an attractive price for their entry. It had been a surprising series of setbacks for the firm that produces and supports the US Army’s FHTV heavy truck fleet, and the US Marines’ MTVR medium and LVSR heavy trucks.

Northrop Grumman was not a partner for M-ATV, but Oshkosh did leverage its long-standing relationship with Plasan Sasa of Israel to develop an armoring approach that could meet full MRAP protection levels. Plasan Sasa had up-armored Oshkosh’s MTVR trucks for the Marines, and was also Navistar’s armoring partner for the successful MaxxPro MRAP family.

Oshkosh’s M-ATV and Variants

M-ATV Ambulance
(click to view full)

At present, the winning entry is known only as the “Oshkosh M-ATV”. It has an empty “curb weight” of 25,000 pounds, and a Gross Vehicle Weight of 32,500 pounds, including the M-ATV objective maximum of 4,000 pounds of payload. A 2011 JROC decision allowed the curb weight to rise to 32,000 pounds, in order to handle improved underbody protection and other armor.

Oshkosh’s design bore many visual similarities to their JLTV TD Phase entry, but without the high-end systems like a hybrid drive, which would have required further development. The core of the vehicle is the US Marines’ MTVR medium truck chassis, and its TAK-4 suspension. TAK-4 is being used to refit Cougar MRAPs, and already exceeds M-ATV’s off road specifications by offering a 70% off road mobility profile (M-ATV specs: 50%), with more than 16 inches of independent wheel travel. An Oshkosh representative told DID that “generally speaking [TAK-4] will increase the speed of the vehicle by 1.5 – 2.5 times over the speed of the same vehicle with a straight axle suspension, without sacrificing ride quality.” The vehicle’s C7 engine is also broadly common to other vehicles, and was used in more than 18,000 vehicles fielded in Iraq and Afghanistan at the time of the award.

M-ATV’s Super Multi-Hit Armor Technology (SMART) armor is used in theater by NATO, and has since been augmented by “Underbody Improvement Kits” to improve mine protection.

Oshkosh has also created 3 variant M-ATV designs, apart from its base platform.

The M-ATV utility variant adds a flatbed to the basic M-ATV, and is suitable for light cargo duties in dangerous areas that need a lot of off-road travel.

The M-ATV tactical ambulance variant was unveiled in February 2010. It maintains the M-ATV’s TAK-4 independent suspension systems, 16″ of independent wheel travel with a 2-channel central tire-inflation system with 4 terrain settings. It uses a 370hp engine, with an Allison 3500 SP transmission, and seats 3 crew members plus 2 litters or 4 ambulatory patients. Feedback from the military led to a side-by-side litter layout.

The SOF M-ATV variant is designed for special forces. It features a modified cargo deck, intended to accept swap-ins of specialized equipment, with the rear storage accessible through an armored cargo access hatch in the passenger capsule. Reconnaissance equipment is likely to be a least one such specialized package. It will also have a larger front windscreens for better visibility. DOT&E testing has criticized its rear visibility, acceleration, and restricted internal space, and declared it “not operationally suitable” beyond standard transport and area reconnaissance missions. Fixes can be expected for the fleet of 421.

L-ATV
(click to view full)

Beyond M-ATV, JLTV beckons.

By winning the M-ATV competition, Oshkosh has secured 3 valuable prizes. One is significant representation in the USA’s MRAP-type buys, with its attendant near-term cash flow. The second prize is a success story in the tactical vehicle category, something Oshkosh has not been known for in the past. The 3rd prize stems from the other 2, and involves the JLTV competition that will follow M-ATV to replace a sizeable portion of the USA’s Hummer fleet. Since JLTV is designed as an open competition at each stage, the Oshkosh/Northrop Grumman team’s loss in round 1 just forces Oshkosh to spend its own development dollars if it wants to remain in the race. By securing the M-ATV tactical vehicle design win and attendant production funding, those improvements and investments became much easier to make.

That’s exactly what happened, as Oshkosh leveraged its win into a smaller L-ATV design that it submitted for JLTV’s Engineering & Manufacturing Development Phase.

Contracts and Key Events

M-ATV on the right,
HMMWV at left
(click to view full)

Under the M-ATV program, each competitor submitted 2 vehicles for initial testing, and some received a 2nd order for 3 more test vehicles. That was followed by a sole source contract, which could escalate to 10,000 vehicles. So far, US contracts for vehicle production alone have involved $4.47 billion for 8,800 vehicles.

Unless otherwise noted, Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI is the contractor, taking orders from the U.S. Army Tank and Automotive Command Contracting Command in Warren, MI.

FY 2013 – 2018

SOF M-ATV
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July 23/18: Technical Support The US Army is contracting Oshkosh Defense for technical support. The $13.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract provides for a number of support activities on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle family of vehicles. The Oshkosh M-ATV has an empty “curb weight” of 25,000 pounds, and a Gross Vehicle Weight of 32,500 pounds, including the M-ATV objective maximum of 4,000 pounds of payload. The core of the vehicle is the US Marines’ MTVR medium truck chassis, and its TAK-4 suspension, giving it a 70% off-road mobility profile. M-ATV’s Super Multi-Hit Armor Technology (SMART) armor is used in theater by NATO and has since been augmented by “Underbody Improvement Kits” to improve mine protection. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July, 2021.

Feb 24/15: UAE. Oshkosh Defense announced an ambulance version of its M-ATV.

Sept 26/14: UAE. The US DSCA announces the United Arab Emirates’ official export request for the refurbishment and modification of 4,569 used Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles:

• 729 Navistar MaxxPro Base
  
• 283 MaxxPro MRAP Expedient Armor Program (MEAP) without armor
  
• 264 MaxxPro Base/MEAP capsules without armor
  
• 29 MaxxPro Long Wheel Base (LWB)
  
• 1,085 MaxxPro LWB chassis
  
• 970 MaxxPro Plus
  
• 15 MaxxPro MRVs (MRAP Recovery Vehicles)
  
• 1,150 BAE Caiman Multi-Terrain Vehicles “without armor,” which are based on the FMTV truck chassis. Note that the V-hull is not “armor,” it’s an intrinsic part of the vehicle.
  
• 44 Oshkosh M-ATVs; they would be added to the UAE’s existing orders for 800 (q.v. July 19/12).
  
• Plus Underbody Improvement Kits, spare and repair parts, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, Field Service Representatives’ support, and other US Government and contractor support.

They’re being sold as Excess Defense Articles (EDA) from US Army stock, pursuant to section 21 of the Arms Export Control Act, as amended. Notification for the sale from stock of the MRAP vehicles referenced above has been provided separately, pursuant to the requirements of section 7016 of the 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Act, and section 516 of the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. The estimated cost is up to $2.5 billion, which isn’t all that far from the cost of buying new.

To date, the UAE’s biggest patrol vehicle fleets have been its own Nimr design (1,700 total), which has also been exported within the region. Its Oshkosh M-ATV fleet (750) was second. This request would completely change the force’s configuration by adding 3,375 MaxxPros and 1,150 Caimans, giving the UAE a patrol vehicle fleet that is overwhelmingly protected against mines as well as weapons of urban unrest.

The principal contractors will be Navistar Defense in Lisle, IL (MaxxPro); BAE Systems in Sealy, TX (Caiman); and Oshkosh Defense in Oshkosh, WI (M-ATV). If the sales are concluded, implementation will require multiple trips to the UAE involving “many” US Government and contractor representatives for 3+ years to provide program support and training. Sources: US DSCA #14-26, “UAE – Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Vehicles”.

DSCA request: UAE (44 more M-ATVs of 4,569 MRAP vehicles)

Jan 7/13: Support. A $10.8 million contract for M-ATV field service representatives in Afghanistan, which runs until April 30/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W56HZV-12-C-0281).

Dec 20/12: SOCOM. A $7.8 million firm-fixed-price contract buys Underbody Improvement Kits for M-ATV Special Operations Vehicles. Work will be performed in Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of Dec 17/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W56HZV-12-C-0281).

FY 2012

M-ATV Utility
(click to view full)

July 19/12: UAE. Oshkosh announces that its Defense segment has been awarded a contract from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for 750 M-ATVs. The order’s value wasn’t revealed until February 2013, when it was reported as AED 1.4 billion (about $381 million).

This is the country’s 2nd buy, building on an initial June 16/11 order for 50 vehicles. Deliveries are expected to begin between January – August 2013. Oshkosh | Gulfnews.

750 for UAE

May 29/12: Support. A $7 million firm-fixed-price contract to install M-ATV underbody improvement kits for the Special Operations variant. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-12-C-0281).

April 25/12: Support. A $16.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for M-ATV support services in Afghanistan, Japan, Germany, and Oshkosh, WI, until Dec 31/12. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received for the original solicitation by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

April 9/12: Support. A $25.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, for M-ATV support services. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Feb 28/12: Upgrades. A $30.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for SOF M-ATV underbody improvement kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Aug 15/12. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Feb 22/12: Industrial. Oshkosh Defense announces the 3,900th Oshkosh MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) Underbody Improvement Kit (UIK) installed in theater, in less than 7 months.

The MRAP JPO established 10 UIK installation sites in Afghanistan, while Oshkosh designed the lean process flow and specified, procured, packaged and delivered the tooling required to support the installations. So far, 3,500 installed kits were achieved using the MRAP JPO’s universal workforce and Oshkosh technicians, and were applied in-theater without the need for welding or major fabrication. Another 400 M-ATV UIKs have been installed by U.S. military technicians in Afghanistan, and Oshkosh delivered more than 500 new M-ATVs with factory-installed UIKs, making a grand total of 4,400 equipped vehicles.

Beyond the M-ATV, The U.S. Army has ordered more than 400 UIKs, also known as C-Kit armor, for the Oshkosh Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4, and Oshkosh is developing a UIK for the Army’s FMTV medium trucks as well. Oshkosh Defense.

Jan 17/12: DOT&E on SOF M-ATV. The Pentagon releases the FY 2011 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The M-ATV is included, with special attention to the 421 ordered Special Operations SOF M-ATVs. On the good news side, the underbody blast kits are doing their job, and the JROC(Joint Requirements Oversight Council) approved an increase in M-ATV base weight to 32,000 pounds, in order to accommodate them. As for the SOF M-ATV, it was deemed survivable and operationally effective for Convoy Escort, Protected Detail, and Area Reconnaissance transport missions.

On the flip side, DOT&E criticized the reliability and field of view of their CROWS-II remote-controlled machine gun, and said the SOF M-ATV’s size and noise level made tactical surprise difficult. They went on to add that:

“The SOF M-ATV is not operationally effective for conduct of the unique SOF combat missions of Direct Action, Urban Patrol, and Special Reconnaissance… The vehicle does not provide responsive acceleration to maneuver over terrain and react to changing tactical situations. The vehicle provides poor visibility to SOF operators seated in the rear of vehicle to observe their surroundings and respond to threats… During the IOT&E, the SOF riding in the vehicle experienced leg cramps and fatigue caused by the uncomfortable seats after 30 minutes. The SOF crew had difficulty moving in the vehicle to transition from seated positions to fighting position. One-half of the SOF operators complained of nausea… Weapon and CROWS II failures degraded the vehicle’s reliability and should be fixed. These problems should have been resolved prior to the IOT&E.”

Thumbs-down for SOCOM variant

Jan 5/12: Support. A $24.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for M-ATV related services. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Jan 9/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Dec 23/11: Q-Net. A $10.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 465 M-ATV Rocket Propelled Grenade Net Delta kits. Similar orders have been placed to BAE, but the kits are actually QinetiQ’s Q-Net, ordered through the vehicle’s prime contractors.

Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of April 29/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Nov 10/11: Mufflers. A $9.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 8,011 M-ATV muffler kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of April 29/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Oct 3/11: JLTV. The latest Army-Marine Corps JLTV solicitation favors existing designs over new, and may lead to the program’s demise in favor of recapitalized and modified HMMWVs.

An opportunity for Oshkosh? The JLTV’s $250,000 target cost means the firm would have to drive down costs very sharply, compared to the M-ATV’s standard purchase cost near $500,000. The question is whether their new L-ATV might give them another option, and if so, whether Oshkosh wants to offer it.

By reducing expected JLTV production to just 20,000 vehicles over 8 years (3 LRIP, 5 full-rate), it becomes more difficult for firms to recover costs for new designs. On the other hand, demands to hand over technical data rights, and a plan to re-compete the production contract for the winning vehicle after several years, make it unattractive for firms to place a valuable existing design at risk. US Army TACOM Page | FBO.gov | Lexington Institute.

FY 2011

M-ATV
(click to view full)

Sept 13/11: Oshkosh unveils its smaller “L-ATV” protected patrol vehicle, which it describes as fully compliant with all JLTV program specifications. The firm was eliminated from the technical demonstrator contract phase, but the next phase will be re-opened to outside bidders. Oshkosh did the expected thing, and leveraged its M-ATV win to fund development of a JLTV variant.

The L-ATV will feature the improved TAK-4i independent suspension, which “uses a proprietary technology to deliver 20 inches of independent wheel travel – 25 percent more wheel travel than any vehicle in the U.S. military’s fleets.” It can also raise or lower the vehicle, ensuring transportability in ships and aircraft, while still offering enough height for all-terrain mobility and mine blast protection.

L-ATV derivative

Aug 2/11: Support. Oshkosh in Oshkosh, WI receives a $34.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for “services in support of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle.” Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/11. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Announced contract totals for M-ATV ancillary items and services currently total just under $2 billion, though a large percentage of that involves protective bolt-on equipment.

July 20/11: Support. A $20.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 75 technicians, who will work for a year to will work to install underbody improvement kits on M-ATVs in Oshkosh, WI. The contract is expected to run to Dec 31/11. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

July 6/11: UAE. A $27.1 million firm-fixed-price contract modification will buy 50 M-ATVs, to include basic issue items and kits, in support of a Foreign Military Sale transaction to the United Arab Emirates. This is the M-ATV’s first substantial export order. The UAE does have troops on the ground in Afghanistan, so it’s possible that the vehicles will be put to immediate use there, where they can make use of the USA’s logistics and support system.

Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/11. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

50 for UAE

June 29/11: +400. A $218.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 400 M-ATVs with the underbody improvement kits pre-installed. That’s about $546,500 per vehicle, plus communication systems, weapons, etc. which are extra.

Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of June 30/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

June 20/11: Upgrades. A $226.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for 5,131 M-ATV underbody improvement kits. So far, orders cover 8,011 of those kits. The M-ATV is very well regarded by troops in theater, but the fleet-wide scale of these refits suggests a weakness which the US Army is rushing to close.

Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of June 30/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W56HZH-09-D-0111).

June 2/11: Sub-contractors. Skydex Technologies, Inc. in Centennial, CO announces “…multiple contracts valued at over a million dollars with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to provide its blast mitigating Convoy Deck product for the M-ATV vehicle. The purchase orders will allow DLA to have prepositioned replacement decking for 1,000 vehicles in service in Afghanistan.”

Think of 2 sheets of bubble wrap, facing each other, using advanced plastics, and varying layout, spacing, or materials to achieve the shock cushioning effect required. That’s the concept behind their patented SKYDEX, which has been shown to significantly reduce blast-related injuries by absorbing much of the initial shock that the blast wave transmits through the floor. SKYDEX has been installed on RG-31, Cougar, and M-ATV MRAPs, and on Stryker Double-V-Hull APCs.

May 25/11: +177. A $97.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for 177 M-ATVs, with underbody improvement kits pre-installed. The total contract could actually rise to $111.4 million, and it was listed as Delivery Order #10 in the May 24/11 version of this announcement.

Work will be performed in McConnelsburg, PA; Milwaukee, WI; and Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31/11. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by U.S. Army TACOM LCMC in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

May 25/11: Support. A $19.8 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for special tooling and subject matter experts. They’ll perform installation, and provide installation training, associated with M-ATV underbody improvement kits. The Pentagon has ordered thousands of them kits, but ordering them and installing them are 2 different things.

Work will be performed in Afghanistan, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. U.S. Army TACOM LCMC in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with five bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

April 4/11: Support. A $31.4 million firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract for 94 field services representatives for 12 months, in support of the M-ATV. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with five bids received. The U.S. Army TACOM LCMC, Warren, MI solicited 5 bids for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Feb 21/11: MMV variant. Oshkosh Defense unveils an M-ATV 2.5 utility cargo variant called the Multi-Mission Vehicle, equipped with storage for Raytheon’s BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile systems.

Feb 9/11: Upgrades. A $101.9 million firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for 2,080 M-ATV underbody improvement kits – about $36,400 per kit. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 3/12. One bid were solicited with one bid received (W56HZV-09-D-0111, corrected April 6/11 ).

Jan 31/11: Industrial. Oshkosh Defense announces that they’re opening a larger California Regional Logistics Center Temecula facility is scheduled to open in February 2011, and will provide vehicle operator and maintenance training to Marines and Navy Seabees. The old facility was mostly used for Navy and USMC training on the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV), Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) medium truck, and Logistics Vehicle System Replacement (LVSR) heavy truck.

Jan 19/11: Support. A $22.6 million firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for 972 man-months of M-ATV support. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received for the original contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Dec 29/10: Upgrades. An $80 million firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery/indefinite quality contract for 800 M-ATV underbody improvement kits. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of April 29/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0001).

Dec 13/10: Support. A $30 million firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 133 Special Operations Command (SOCOM) spares kits for M-ATVs, including 41 authorized stockage list kits; 33 prescribed load list kits; 42 battle damage and repair kits; and 17 deprocessing spares kits. The contract will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, and will run until May 31/12, but deliveries of the spare parts are scheduled to run from March – June 2011. (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh release.

Dec 3/10: +250 Ambulance. A $255 million firm-fixed-price contract for 250 M-ATV Ambulances, including 246 production vehicles and 4 test vehicles, as well as ancillary and related items. This is the 1st contract for M-ATV Ambulance variants, which will serve alongside the current fleets of 4×4 MaxxPro CAT I, and 6×6 RG-33 HAGA CAT II blast-resistant ambulances.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with five bids received for the original competition (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh release.

Ambulance

Dec 3/10: +46 SOCOM. A $28 million firm-fixed-price contract for 46 M-ATV Special Operations Command (SOCOM) variants with their SOCOM-specific enhancements. See also June 1/10 entry.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12, but vehicle deliveries are scheduled to take place in May 2011. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received for the original competition (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

FY 2010

Promo clip
click to play video

Sept 9/10: Turret fix. BAE Systems Survivability Systems, LLC in Fairfield, OH receives an $11.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,113 improved turret drive system/internal drive gears for the M-ATV. BAE makes a lot of land vehicle turrets, but the weight of their protection makes them hard to turn manually, especially if the vehicle is going uphill. A mechanical assist goes a long way in those circumstances.

Estimated completion date is Dec 27/11, with work to be performed at Fairfield, OH. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (W56HZV-10-C-0365).

Aug 31/10: Support. A maximum $14.2 million firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for M-ATV sustainment spares to the US Army. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response and the contract will run to June 24/11. The Defense Logistics Agency Land in Warren, MI (SPRDL1-10-C-0173).

Aug 24/10: CRS Report. The US congressional Research Service releases the latest version [PDF] of its report “Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress. Excerpts:

“As of June 28, 2010, more than 8,500 MRAPs had reportedly been shipped to Afghanistan, with over 3,500 of those being the newer M-ATVs. The Army has recently said that it will begin development of yet another MRAP version – the “Ultra-Lite MRAP” – which raises questions about possible vehicle redundancies. The Marines, although voicing support for the M-ATV program, have retrofitted a number of MRAPs with new suspension systems and reportedly are satisfied with the results. This apparent success calls into question not only if the Marines need all of the M-ATVs allocated to them by DOD but also if the Marines’ retrofitted suspension system might be a more cost-effective alternative for the other services… Among potential issues for congressional consideration are the status of almost 5,000 MRAPS in Afghanistan that are reportedly not being used because of their size and weight.”

In terms of overall budgets:

“Through FY2010, Congress appropriated $34.95 billion for all versions of the MRAP. In March 2010, DOD reprogrammed an additional $3.9 billion from the Overseas Contingency Operations fund to MRAP procurement. Congress approved an additional $1.2 billion for MRAP procurement, included in the FY2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-212). The full FY2011 DOD budget request of $3.4 billion for the MRAP Vehicle Fund has been authorized by the House (H.R. 5136).”

Aug 17/10: DoD Buzz reports that the US Army’s latest Tactical Vehicle Strategy looks like bad news for the JLTV, with small buys spaced over time to equip deployed units. Bottom line?

“Here’s the basic plan. Overall, the Army will shrink its fleet of HUMVEEs, MRAPs and medium trucks to 244,000 by 2025 from its current 260,000. How? The service will rid itself of 4,000 of the hardest to maintain and most beat up MRAPS by 2025. It will scrap the 28,000-strong M35 fleet and replace it with new FMTVs for a fleet total of 76,000. That will mean a total reduction of 4,000 trucks. The HUMVEE fleet will shrink the most, going from 101,000 to 35,000 by 2025. But there appears to be one big hole in the Army plan. It does not project how many Joint Light Tactical Wheeled Vehicles it will be. The strategy’s answer: TBD.”

The JLTV competes for a niche similar enough to the M-ATV’s that its loss could be the M-ATV’s gain. See the full Army Tactical Vehicle Strategy [PDF].

Aug 13/10: EFP kits. A $40.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 292 explosively formed penetrator M-ATV protection kits. EFP land mines use a shaped charge to instantly forge a metal penetrator jet that is fired into the side or bottom of a passing vehicle.

Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. US Army TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received in the original program (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Aug 13/10: Support. An $18 million firm-fixed-price contract for 59 field service representatives for 708 months, to be located in Afghanistan and locations in the contiguous U.S. to support the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. US Army TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received in the original program (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

August 1/10: Combat report. Voice of America reports that the troops like the M-ATV a lot, but adds that some of its design features create maintenance issues:

“Staff Sergeant Richard Green, an 82nd Airborne Division mechanic, found this out first-hand when he accidentally damaged his unit’s first M-ATV. “There’s a nut on the inside of the oil pan. The bolt came out. But the nut was not welded corectly to the oil pan, so the nut fell off. The bolt comes out and there was no way to hold the oil in the pan. So we had to take the engine pack out and replace it,” he said… The Pentagon transports them by air in order to meet the high demand, adding a 10-percent premium to the vehicle’s cost… On a 747 freighter, there are just centimeters of clearance between the M-ATVs and the plane’s sides. In combat, the frontline soldiers don’t care about the M-ATV’s logistical burden. They only care that it’s safer and better-protected than other vehicles.”

July 2/10: C4ISR/Power kits. An $8.75 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,750 kits (Command, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance suite and battery upgrade/silent watch) for Operation Enduring Freedom upgrades on the M-ATV. The silent watch kits allow M-ATV crews to run the vehicle’s advanced sensors and other electronics, without having to run the engine all the time in order to handle the current. That makes less noise, which is a big tactical improvement. It also saves fuel, in an environment where it costs $7 in fuel just to haul $1 worth of fuel to the front lines.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Feb 19/10 entry.

June 1/10: +421 SOCOM. A $66.9 million firm-fixed-price contract, covering 22 engineering change proposal modifications to incorporate into 421 M-ATVs. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

It turns out that these changes will produce a 4th M-ATV variant, for US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). To date, SOCOM’s blast-resistant fleet has involved BAE’s RG-31s and RG-33s, and the RG-33s are being upgraded with Oshkosh’s TAK-4 independent suspension system.

The M-ATV SOCOM variant features a modified cargo deck, intended to accept swap-ins of specialized equipment, with the rear storage accessible through an armored cargo access hatch in the passenger capsule. These vehicles will also have a larger front windscreens for increased visibility. The M-ATV SOCOM will be cut in on Oshkosh manufacturing lines in August 2010, and are scheduled to be delivered between September and November 2010. See also Oshkosh release.

M-ATV SOCOM

June 1/10: Check-6. A trio of contracts worth about $46.6 million, covering the purchase and installation of 3,137 Check-6 rear view sensor systems to the M-ATV. Note that Check-6 is a BAE Systems product. In all cases, the estimated completion date is May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

A $20.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,400 systems. Work will performed in Oshkosh, WI.

A $15.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,039 systems. Work will performed in Oshkosh, WI.

A $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 698 systems. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%).

May 20/10: RPG kits. A $72.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,460 M-ATV protection kits, designed to defend against the basic rocket propelled grenade anti-tank weapons. It also includes spares: 45 M-ATV prescribed loads lists and 8 deprocessing spares sets. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

May 20/10: EFP kits. A $68.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 509 explosively formed penetrator protection kits, and 12 months of an M-ATV field service representative in the continental U.S. EFPs are specially-shaped mines that are best thought of as an instant, one-shot cannon attack. The shaped charge creates a metal dart when it explodes, and fires it into the side or bottom of a vehicle.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

May 19/10: RPG kits. $93.2 million in firm-fixed-price contract orders for another 2,401 M-ATV protection kits, designed to defend against the basic rocket propelled grenade anti-tank weapons that are common in Afghanistan.

The day’s announcements divide the purchase into a $21.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for another 554 kits, and $71.7 million for another 1,847 kits. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

April 27/10: Support. Oshkosh Defense announces a pair of awards for more than $19 million from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC), to provide in-theater support for MRAP All-Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV) in Afghanistan. See the $9.3 million April 9/10 award for 29 Field Service Representatives; this announcement implies a similar 2nd award, as it describes “an additional 60 Oshkosh field service representatives (FSR) that will provide support in Afghanistan through May 2011.” See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 21/10: NIKed. The US Army announces M-ATV related technology experiments, as part of its Brigade Combat Team Modernization Increment 1 fielding program:

“The U.S. Army has outfitted a handful of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected, more commonly referred to as MRAP, vehicles with Network Integration Kits designed to give the bomb-defeating vehicles the ability to share real-time information such as sensor data from robots and UAVs while on-the-move in combat… To date, five M-ATVs, and six MRAPs have been outfitted with NIKs, Army officials said; The MRAPs with NIKs will deploy to Afghanistan with the first unit equipped with Increment 1 technologies… The NIKs, now being built onto MRAPs and M-ATVs at Fort Bliss, Texas, are engineered with technology that can receive and distribute data, voice, video and images across the force using multiple high bandwidth waveforms; they consist of software-programmable Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) such as the Ground Mobile Radios (GMR), a”dual-enclave” Integrated Computer System (ICS) built to handle classified and unclassified information, and a Blue Force Tracking display screen. The software and operating systems are connected through use of a middle ware called System of Systems Common Operating Environment (SOSCOE)… The networked MRAPs and M-ATVs will particpate in a large scale test later this year.”

NIK/ IBCT tests

April 20/10: CROWDS prep. An $11.1 million “firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 1,037 Remote Weapon System / Crew Remote Operated Weapons System final production configuration for the Mine Resistant Ambush All Terrain Vehicle.”

What this actually means is that they’re paying Oshkosh Defense to set their M-ATV patrol vehicles up so that everything is in place to accept a CROWS remotely-operated gun system: power, electronic interlinks, structural support, etc. The CROWS systems themselves are provided independently, as Government-Furnished Equipment. US Army TACOM in Warren, MI says that 5 bids were solicited, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 14/10: RPG kits. A $68.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,770 rocket propelled grenade protection kits. Oshkosh will install these kits on the production lines, and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) will install the kits on previously delivered vehicles. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by US Army TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

April 9/10: Support. A $9.3 million firm-fixed-price contract covers 29 field service representatives and 348 person-months of M-ATV services to support Afghan operations. Work will be complete in May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Check 6
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March 26/10: RPG kits. A $41.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,080 rocket propelled grenade protection kits. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by US Army TACOM, AMSCC-ASCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

March 26/10: Check 6. BAE Systems announces a $45 million multi-year contract to provide Oshkosh with Check-6 rear-view camera lights to equip 2,399 M-ATVs. See Dec 29/09 entry for the original contract.

March 22/10: Canada. Oshkosh Defense and General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada announce that they’ll offer Oshkosh’s blast-resistant M-ATV for Canada’s 500-600 vehicle TAPV competition, and Oshkosh’s Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) trucks in Canada’s Medium Support Vehicle System (MSVS-SMP) truck program. Both vehicle types use Oshkosh’s proprietary TAK-4 independent suspension system, for off-road mobility. This consortium is considered to be a leading contender, in part because of GDLS’ existing armored vehicle plant in London, ON.

Oshkosh will serve as the prime contractor for both programs. General Dynamics Land Systems Canada will provide systems integration and testing support for the vehicles, as well as the complete spectrum of in-country sustainment support. Oshkosh uses Valley Associates to provide marketing and business development in Canada, which is why the vehicles display in the Valley Associates booth during CANSEC 2010 in June. Oshkosh | CANSEC announcement | Defence Watch.

UPDATE: Oshkosh lost to a heavier variant of Textron’s M1117.

March 10/10: CROWS prep. Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,401 M-ATV RWS kits that will let the vehicles support CROWS remote weapon systems. CROWS systems pack advanced sensors and machine guns, and can be controlled from inside the vehicle using a joystick and screen.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. TACOM, CCTA-ADCA in Warren, MI solicited 5 bids, with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh Defense release.

March 5/10: Support. Oshkosh Defense announces 3 awards valued at more than $35 million in total for M-ATV upgrades and in-theater support.

They include 2 awards totaling more than 6,400 M-ATV Self Protection Adaptive Roller Kits (SPARKS) upgraded interface brackets. The brackets allow soldiers to attach advance mine rollers to the vehicles. The US government has requested changes to SPARKS, and the new brackets will allow the upgraded systems to be fitted on M-ATVs. Upgrade kits will be shipped to the Defense Distribution Depot Red River in Texarkana, TX, in June 2010. The government will then ship the brackets to receiving units in theater for installation.

Those installations will be supported by an expanded roster of field service representatives (FSR) in-theater. A 3rd contract will place 18 additional Oshkosh in Afghanistan, and 6 in Iraq, at bases that require them. U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) manages these contracts.

Feb 24/10: Oshkosh unveils 2 new M-ATV variants at the AUSA 2010 convention: an ambulance variant, and a utility variant designed to haul cargo. Oshkosh release

Feb 23/10: +1,460. A $640 million contract for 1,460 M-ATVs. Oshkosh says it has received awards valued at more than $4.74 bilion for 8,079 M-ATVs, as well as spare parts kits and aftermarket in-theater support.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI with an estimated completion date of May 2012. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Israel’s Plasan secured a $170 million subcontract from Oshkosh to supply vehicle protection kits for the 1,460 M-ATVs, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports. The subcontract brings to 5,000 the number of vehicles Plasan has armored for the Americans since June 2009, for total revenues of $586 million. All told, Plasan has sold $940 million worth of armor kits to the U.S. military, for 8,079 vehicles. Oshkosh release | Ha’aretz report.

Feb 19/10: C4ISR/Power Retrofits. A $52.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,451 retrofit kits for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance suite and battery upgrade/silent watch. Oshkosh says the total potential order is more than 2,090 upgrade kits, which will include communications hardware, jammer systems, tracking technology, driver vision enhancement for safer operation at night, and the aforementioned “silent watch” capability.

The latter item points to an ongoing issue with advanced long range day/night sensors in overwatch roles, and modern communications gear. They often consume so much power that engines have to be kept running, just to power all of the electronics. That’s fuel-expensive, in a theater where it takes $7 in fuel to deliver $1 worth to the front lines. It also tends to remove tactical surprise in key situations, especially in already-difficult urban terrain.

Work is to be performed in Ishkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicted with 5 bids received by TACOM in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh release.

Feb 5/10: EFP kits. A $84.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for the partial exercise of the option for 627 M-ATV explosively formed penetrator (EFP) kits. The Oshkosh-supplied kits will include EFP armor to protect against those shaped-charge land mines, base door armor, and a door-assist mechanism.

Delivery of the kits is expected to begin in April 2010, and be complete by the end of August 2010. The add-on armor kits will include EFP armor, base door armor and a door-assist mechanism.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. 5 bids were solicited with 5 bids received (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh Defense release

Jan 25/10: Support. Oshkosh announces 2 delivery orders valued at $325.7 million from the U.S. Army TACOM LCMC to supply spare parts and repair kits for the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Deliveries are expected to begin in August 2010, and to be complete by the end of January 2011. DefenseLINK breaks down the orders as:

A $258.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to exercise the option for 90 lots of authorized stockage list kits, 90 lots of prescribed load list kits, 23 each deprocessing spare kits, and 132 lots battle damage repair kits for the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%) and McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

A $67.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for a partial exercise of an option: 2 lots of authorized stockage list kits, 2 lots of prescribed load list kits, and 65 lots of battle damage repair kits for the M-ATV. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%) and McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited with 5 bids received by TACOM, CCTA-ADC-A in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

To date, Oshkosh says it has received awards valued at more than $3.9 billion to deliver 6,619 M-ATVs, as well as spare kits and aftermarket in-theater support.

Jan 21/10: Support. Oshkosh announces 4 awards from the US Defense Logistics Agency, valued at $89 million, for its M-ATVs and FHTV heavy trucks.

Oshkosh will supply M-ATV spare parts, including engines, transmissions, transfer cases and alternators. Work under the orders is expected to be completed by October 2010. Oshkosh is providing the M-ATV’s spare parts to the DLA to be used as in-the-field replacements after the original vehicle parts have been consumed. These parts will ship without delay, to help maintain readiness rates in theater. Discussions with Oshkosh representatives indicate that the M-ATV orders are worth about $50 million.

Jan 6/10: Radios. Harris Corp.’s RF Communications Division in Rochester, NY received orders totaling $119 million to supply Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS)-approved Falcon III AN/PRC-152-C handheld radios with the RF-5980-SA001 vehicle amplifier adapters for the Mine Resistent Ambush Protected (MRAP) all-terrain vehicle (M-ATV).

Separate contracts for items like these help illustrate what is meant by the term “government furnished equipment.” The AN/PRC-152 [PDF] provides M-ATV users with multiband Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) and Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) satellite communications interoperability in the 30-512 MHz frequency bands. It is just one aspect of the communication suite that equips each M-ATV.

Jan 6/10: Delivery options. At a Pentagon press conference, Press Secretary Geoff Morrell provides an update regarding the M-ATV program. He says that higher-capacity sealift options aren’t being considered for getting M-ATVs that currently sit in the USA into Afghanistan (via Karachi or Gwadar, Pakistan, then overland), even though the drawdown from Iraq and surge to Afghanistan are straining available transport capacity:

“We are at now, as of January the 5th – and I want to double-check these – we were at 239 [M-ATVs] delivered, 164 fielded, 12 awaiting transport. And then there are obviously many more vehicles than that that have been produced. And as they vie for space for airlift and absorption in Afghanistan, they are being used, many of them, for training purposes domestically.

But we are now, as we are in the midst of this surge, going to be dealing with this herculean effort of trying to get not just 30,000 additional forces over to Afghanistan, but getting all their equipment as well. So this is going to be a real — a real test of our TRANSCOM [Transportation Command] folks, as well as CENTCOM. And they have a priority list based, you know, in terms of space available, what has the top priority to flow in at what time.

I can tell you this. It’s our goal that come this spring, we’ll be sending over about 500 a month.

Q. So when would sealift begin? Is it this —

MR. MORRELL: I couldn’t – no, I don’t think we would do – I don’t think we’re at the point where we’d do sealift, but we can check on that for you.”

Afghan winter delivery
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Dec 29/09: Check-6 install. Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $33.9 million firm-fixed-price contract. This contract is for a change order modification for 2,277 Check-6 rear view sensor systems, to be fitted to M-ATV vehicles (q.v. March 26/10, Dec 29/09 entries). BAE’s Check-6 tail-light duplicates a feature found in some civilian cars, which uses a rear camera to show the rear of the vehicle and objects behind it on a screen. Unlike civilian camera-screen combinations, however, Check-6 tail lights are derived from BAE Systems’ expertise with weapon sights. They work in infrared as well as visible light, making them useful for noticing people as well as obstacles, and improving awareness in darkness, sandstorms, and other difficult situations. They install as a complete tail-light assembly, and require no drilling or welding.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%), with an estimated contract completion date of May 31/12. Work is actually expected to begin in March 2010, and be complete in May 2010. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oct 2/09 entry, plus Oshkosh release | “Check 6! Now a Possibility for Vehicles, Too.”

Dec 28/09: Sub-contractors. Ceradyne in Costa Mesa, CA announces that it received a multi-million dollar blanket purchase order from Plasan Sasa Ltd. in Israel for the production of armor components for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Ceradyne plans to produce these parts in its expanded armor assembly plant in Irvine, CA for delivery to prime contractor Oshkosh to assemble the components and deliver the M-ATV to the government.

All manufacturing procedures for these M-ATV components have been approved, and Ceradyne production commenced this month. It is anticipated that production and delivery will continue throughout 2010.

Dec 24/09: Support. Oshkosh receives a maximum $22.2 million total set-aside, sole-source, undefinitized delivery-order contract for M-ATV sustainment spare parts. The date of performance completion is Oct 2/10. The Defense Logistics Agency in Warren, MI manages the contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111-VD01).

Dec 24/09: EFP kits. Oshkosh Defense announces an order from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to supply “more than 170” M-ATV explosively formed penetrator (EFP) armoring kits through April 2010, and 800 rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) kits through May 2010.

Uncharacteristically, Oshkosh’s release comes in advance of the Dec 29/09 Pentagon DefenseLINK announcement, which cites a $54.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for 800 RPG armoring kits and 172 EFP kits as “the partial exercise of an option.” It offers May 31/12 as the formal end of contract date. Five bids were solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army TACOM’s AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). Oshkosh Defense is teamed with Plasan North America to provide the M-ATV’s armoring solutions.

The US military, and its contractors, will not discuss details regarding these kits. EFPs are a form of land mine that uses the explosion to form a slug from its copper lining, creating what is in effect an impromptu tank sabot shell that fires into the victim vehicle. Rocket Propelled Grenades like the ubiquitous RPG-7 are bazooka-like anti-tank rockets with a shaped charge warhead. The RPG threat are usually addressed by “cage armor” slats like BAE’s LROD, which are not 100% effective, or by Explosive Reactive Armor tile sets that are shaped to fit the vehicle. Less conventional approaches like Tarian cloth armoring are also beginning to emerge.

Dec 22/09: Industrial. Oshkosh announces that it has reached the production rate of 1,000 M-ATV vehicles per month, ahead of schedule. The milestone was reached on Dec 18/09, and Oshkosh reached the milestone by using production capacity at existing manufacturing facilities in Oshkosh, WI and McConnellsburg, PA. Production will continue at this rate of 1,000+ vehicles per month through May 2010, when all current orders would be filled.

Dec 10/09: +400. A $175.4 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract exercises an option on Delivery Order #0003, and buys another 400 M-ATV vehicles and associated basic items. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI (50%), and McConnellsburg, PA (50%), with a formal contract completion date of May 31/12. The original contract solicited 5 bids, and received 5 (W56HZV-09-D-0111). This is the option mentioned in the Nov 11/09 entry.

To date, Oshkosh has received 6 awards valued at about $3.33 billion; when a contract for 25 test vehicles is included, they will deliver a total of 6,644 M-ATVs. The company has ramped up production to achieve 1,000 vehicles per month in December 2009, and this new award will extend production into May 2010. See also Oshkosh release.

Nov 30/09: #1,000. Oshkosh hands the 1,000th MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) over to the U.S. Armed Forces, at a ceremony in Oshkosh, WI. Marine Corps Systems Command’s commander Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, and the MRAP Joint Program Office’ M-ATV product manager Lt. Col. Coll Haddon, were the keynote speakers. Oshkosh release.

1,000 delivered

Nov 19/09: Training. The way Army vehicles must be driven, and where they must be driven, means that the ability to get out of a vehicle quickly matters almost as much as what the vehicle can do for while you’re in it. Oshkosh Defense announces received a $5.6 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army for the procurement of 26 “egress trainer cabin modules” for the Oshkosh M-ATV, and initial spare parts for a stateside training and certification standard program.

The modules are simulators that can train soldiers to get out of an M-ATV vehicle, even if it is flipped or in otherwise abnormal situations. a shift in Army thinking has encouraged M-ATV training to take place stateside versus in theater. The M-ATV cabin modules will be manufactured at the company’s facilities in McConnellsburg, PA.

Nov 19/09: Industrial. Oshkosh meets the November M-ATV production requirement ahead of schedule, marking the 5th consecutive month. Oshkosh says that it will continue to increase production to meet December’s requirement of 1,000 vehicles, with output remaining at that high level through April 2010.

Nov 11/09: +1,000. Oshkosh announces an additional $438 million, 1,000 vehicle order from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC). This is the 5th award Oshkosh has received to supply M-ATVs, and brings total orders to 6,219 vehicles and more than $3.2 billion. An option for 400 more M-ATVs and Basic Items of Issue is also included in this delivery order, which would bring the production total to 6,619.

Nov 11th is the Veteran’s Day holiday, so the Pentagon doesn’t announce the firm-fixed-price contract until Nov 12/09. Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited in the original contract, with 5 bids received by the U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center AMSTA-TAC-ATBC in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

Nov 11/09: Sub-contractors. BAE Systems announces a “multi-million dollar” sub-contract from Plasan North America to provide M-ATV armoring kit components. Work on the contract will begin this month at BAE Systems’ production facilities in Fairfield, OH. Tony Russell, president of BAE Systems’ Security & Survivability business, said:

“The partnership between BAE Systems and Plasan represents the first of what we believe will be many collaborative efforts between our two companies.”

Nov 10/09: Industrial. Oshkosh announces that it beat October 2009’s M-ATV delivery schedule of 385 vehicles, producing more than 435 vehicles during that month. This marks the 4th consecutive month Oshkosh has beaten the schedule, as it ramps up toward a planned production rate of 1,000 vehicles per month.

Oct 28/09: 2010 budget. President Obama signs the FY 2010 defense budget. That budget includes $6.656 billion in funding for MRAP vehicles, $1.2 billion above the Pentagon’s original request. Significant chunks of that funding will be devoted to M-ATV purchases. White House | House-
Senate Conference Report summary [PDF] & tables [PDF] | Pentagon AFPS article.

Oct 27/09: Support. Oshkosh announces 2 M-ATV contracts valued at more than $28 million. They include a $16 million contract from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for spare parts, and a $12 million contract from rom the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) for field service representatives (FSR) to support the M-ATV program in-theater through September 2010.

Oshkosh expects to complete production of the current M-ATV contract for 5,219 vehicles in March 2010.

Kandahar: M-ATV arrives
(click to view full)

Oct 22/09: An initial 8 M-ATVs arrive in Kandahar by aerial transport. These vehicles will be used to train drivers and mechanics from units selected to receive M-ATVs.

Note that earlier Pentagon announcements indicated M-ATVs in theater at the end of September, whereas this release places the initial use date into late October and tags it as a training set. One possibility is that the initial shipments were Special Forces vehicles. Another is that this announcement refers only to one Afghan sector, and that eastern sectors may have received the vehicles first. Pentagon DVIDS.

Oct 12/09: Australia. Oshkosh announces that it will be submitting its M-ATV and Sandcat vehicles for Australia’s PMV-L component of Overlander. Their partners in these 2 proposals are Plasan SASA, Ltd., who supplies the armoring solutions for both vehicles and developed the Sandcat/ Caracal; and local Oshkosh division JLG Australia, who will assist in manufacturing the vehicles and handle through-life support.

Australia has also indicated that they will be continuing onto the next phase of the American JLTV competition, which does not presently include these Oshkosh vehicles. This is for the made-in-Asutralia option.

UPDATE: Oshkosh lost to Thales Australia’s Hawkei as the made-in-Australia contender.

Oct 9/09: +923. Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $408.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of another 923 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs) and aftermarket parts package that includes basic issue items. This brings total announced M-ATV orders to $2.76 billion for the full expected amount of 5,244 vehicles – a total that includes unannounced government orders for 25 test vehicles.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion date of May 31/12. The company plans to ramp production up to 1,000 vehicles per month in December 2009, and continue at that level through at least March 2010. Five bids were solicited for the original contract, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also: Oshkosh release.

Oct 5/09: Sub-contractors. SCHOTT DiamondView Armor Products LLC exhibits its DiamondView transparent armor window technology at AUSA. The DiamondView windows were selected for Oshkosh’s M-ATVs, and use a transparent glass-ceramic combination. It is hoped that DiamondView windows will be able to reduce lifecycle costs normally associated with windows delaminating, discoloring or peeling. The firm has been a defense industry supplier for 40 years, and currently holds world records for producing the world’s thinnest piece of glass (0.025mm, for medical technology and electronics), and the world’s largest piece of glass (8m tall, for astronomy).

In order to fill the Oshkosh contract, SCHOTT DAP has ramped up manufacturing at both its Boothwyn, PA and Vincennes, IN production facilities. The Vincennes/ now County facility currently processes and finishes glass-ceramic cooktops and flat glass for the home appliance industry, but the firm will invest $7.2 million over the next few years to add the transparent armor line. The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered SCHOTT North America up to $2.32 million in performance-based tax credits and up to $50,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans, and the city of Vincennes will consider additional property tax abatement at the request of the Knox County Development Corporation. Hiring is underway, and the company expects to add more than 200 employees at peak production. SCHOTT DiamondView release | SCHOTT Vincennes release.

Oct 2/09: Check-6. Oshkosh announces a $33 million award from the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command (TACOM LCMC) to supply a rear mounted, infrared-enabled camera system on more than 2,200 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATV).

The camera system has been deployed on other MRAPs. It integrates with existing vehicle video displays to provide a 40-degree vertical and 54-degree horizontal field of view. The system uses an infrared camera core in an LED-equipped tailgate assembly, and provides visibility through dust, obscurants and incremental weather in day and night operations. We all know drivers who could use one of these; on a battlefield they can save your life, as well as your vehicle bumper.

Oct 2/09: Industrial. A release from the Marines says that M-ATV vehicles have started to flow from Oshkosh to US Navy Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center (SSC) Atlantic. Oshkosh delivers the base vehicle, but modern military vehicles have a wide array of electronics and equipment to install, from jammers, to radios and other communications devices, to weapons like RWS turrets. The cost adds up, and so does the time required to install everything. According to M-ATV Joint Program Executive Officer, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, they’re using lessons learned from the MRAP program to speed up delivery to the front lines – something that became a problem early in the MRAP program:

“We were able to feed back to Oshkosh specific bracketry, racks and cabling so all that can be installed in the vehicle during manufacture; which means we dont have to do it at SPAWAR. The goal was to push as much of that work that was getting done at SPAWAR, particularly the touch labor, upstream into the manufacturing process. Because we knew it going into this, we were able to include it into the design. That clearly is one of the lessons learned from Baseline MRAP that will speed the process at Charleston.”

Oct 1/09: Industrial. Oshkosh announces that they have exceeded M-ATV delivery requirements for the 3rd consecutive month. The September 2009 production target of 100 vehicles was met on Sept 22/09.

FY 2009

Oshkosh M-ATV
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Sept 29/09: The Pentagon announces that the first Oshkosh M-ATVs have been deployed to Afghanistan.

Deployment

Sept 14/09: +352. Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $189.1 million firm-fixed-price IDIQ contract for another 352 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles, and aftermarket parts packages that include Basic Issue items (35 LLO), Authorized Stockage (14 LO), Prescribed Load (14 LO), and Battle Damage and Repairs (14 LO). This brings total announced M-ATV orders to $2.31 billion for 4,296 vehicles.

Work is to be performed in Oshkosh, WI, with an estimated completion of May 31/12. Five bids were solicited, with 5 bids received by TACOM, AMSCC-TAC-ADCA in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-D-0111). See also Oshkosh release.

July 31/09: +1,700. Oshkosh Corp. in Oshkosh, WI receives another M-ATV order. The $1.064 billion firm-fixed-price contract modification exercises an option for another 1,700 M-ATVs, Field Service Representative Support, and associated parts support packages to include Authorized Stockage Lists (ASL), Prescribed Load List (PLL), Reprocessing Spares, Battle Damage Repair parts (BDR) and Basic Issue Items (BII).

This order raises its total to $2.12 billion for 3,924 vehicles. They also announce that Oshkosh has exceeded the July 2009 delivery schedule of 45 M-ATVs by delivering 46.

Vehicles will be provided to the US Marine Corps, Army, Special Operations Command and US military testing. Vehicles and parts support packages will be fielded to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Field Service Representatives will be providing support in Kuwait and Afghanistan.

Work is to be performed in McConnellsburg, PA, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2010. U.S. Army TACOM LCMC in Warren, MI manages this contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111, delivery order #0002, modification 02).

June 30/09: +2,244. Oshkosh Corporation. in Oshkosh, WI receives a $1.056 billion firm-fixed price delivery order (W56HZV-09-D-0111, #002) for of 2,244 MRAP All Terrain Vehicles (M-ATVs), Basic Issue Items, Field Service Representative Support, Equipment, Engineering, Authorized Stocking List Parts Packages and Prescribed Load List parts packages. The US Army Tank Automotive Command in Warren, MI manages this contract.

Stars and Stripes reports that the first M-ATV vehicles will be fielded to Afghanistan beginning in October 2009. The challenge will be getting them there. US Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Michael Brogan, head of Marine Corps Systems Command:

“We are flowing additional forces into Afghanistan right now, Army brigade combat teams as well as Marines units, and so the air bridge into Afghanistan is completely full.”

While the military sorts out its transport options, Oshkosh Chairman & CEO Robert G. Bohn issued an unequivocal statement, and an implicit offer to other firms:

“Due to the urgent need of our Armed Forces for a survivable and highly mobile vehicle, our Corporations number one priority is meeting the Department’s accelerated delivery schedule of the Oshkosh M-ATV. Oshkosh Corporation will put whatever resources are necessary to meet or exceed the government’s delivery schedule. While we believe we can meet or exceed the government’s current delivery requirements, we intend to enter into discussions with other manufacturers [emphasis DID’s] to determine if they can assist in the production of the Oshkosh M-ATV.

…our full-service aftermarket support network will be available with replacement parts, technical support, and repair or refurbishment services.”

Oshkosh Corporation is expected to eventually produce up to 1,000 vehicles a month, and plans to reach that monthly mark by December 2009. Efforts began even before the contract award. Oshkosh Defense President Andy Hove was quoted in Oshosh’s release, saying that firm had already begun daily production of Oshkosh M-ATVs on their flexible manufacturing line, a few weeks prior to the decision, after making “significant” investments in materials. Subsequent discussions with Oshkosh clarified that unusual step, and the thinking behind it. Andy Hove:

“As I said, our top priority is the delivery these vehicles to the Soldiers and Marines who need them. But we also knew that there would be a market for our offering should it not have been selected. Additionally, the early M-ATV production was a part of our pre-award production and engineering investments. We felt it was crucial to do what we could, in advance of a possible award, to ensure these vehicles would be delivered to the warfighters in Afghanistan as soon as possible. We also had conducted more than 7,500 miles of independent testing of our vehicle, separate from the government’s evaluation of our production-representative vehicles.”

See also: US Marine Corps | Oshkosh release | DoD Buzz | Stars and Stripes | UPI | York Daily Record.

M-ATV base contract

June 30/09: Navistar and Force Protection both announce their disappointment at their M-ATV loss, while reiterating their firms’ strong points for investors.

June 2/09: The Pentagon’s Joint Requirements Oversight Council approves a plan for 5,244 M-ATVs to the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65). An additional 93 vehicles would be set aside for testing. Source.

May 15/09: USMC Commandant General James T. Conway speaks at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank. An excerpt [PDF]:

“We are seeing an increasing sophistication on the part of the IED [land mines]… We are looking at an MRAP ha has greater off road capability because you do not have the road network hat you have in Iraq. You become fairly predictable, fairly easy to plot if you’re always going to be on those roads. Our MRAPs, and we have about 2,000 of them plus in the Marine Corps, don’t do that well off road. Now the favorite vehicle in Afghanistan today is the seven-ton truck, the MTVR. In an innovative fashion, our engineers and our people at Quantico said, let’s put the suspension of the MTVR on our CAT-1 MRAPs and see how it does. Well, it did pretty well… Now, when we went to blow it up it did not perform do well because we created additional space and surface area underneath the vehicle. We have now blown it up three times. The third time looked pretty good… We will have it in the hands of our troops potentially by mid-summer. It will cut cost. For the long-term utility of our CAT-I [4×4] MRAPs, which is mostly what we own… we have a much more multi-capable vehicle for the long term.

We are not divorcing ourselves from the MATV program at this point… We are going to follow both with interest, and we will see where we want to park our monies and our effort as both these vehicles continue to mature.”

May 4/09: The Force Dynamics partnership announces their delivery of 3 additional production M-ATV Cheetah vehicles to the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test and Evaluation Center.

The release adds that Force Dynamics, LLC and Raytheon have agreed to provide a comprehensive command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system (C4ISR) plug-and-play ready architecture for the M-ATV Cheetah, using the C4ISR Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). It provides immediate access to services including sophisticated radio switching, networked video, navigation systems, Blue Force Tracking, Counter-Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare, and weapons systems.

Under the original MRAP program, vehicles required extensive modifications, integration, and testing to fully integrate various C4SIR configurations. This new architecture is designed to make that process much simpler.

The system is also designed to assist with remote monitoring of integrated vehicle and C4ISR systems via one monitoring platform, to offer complete systems status in real time. Remote data transfer, monitoring of platform usage, and capture of failure information are all part of that element, and each M-ATV Cheetah is registered in Raytheon’s Force Logistics System II, which is electronically integrated to the DoD’s current force support systems.

May 1/09: BAE Systems’ entries pass initial testing, as it receives a follow-on contract for 3 more GTS M-ATVs and 3 more USCS M-ATV test vehicles of each type. Other firms that have passed testing and received orders for 3 more vehicles include Force Protection’s Cheetah, Navistar’s Husky, and Oshkosh’s entry.

April 2/09: Navistar Defense, LLC is in discussions with the government over a technicality in the evaluation of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) program. Navistar was required to formalize its request for a review of the evaluation within a certain period of time, and wants its vehicle to be considered for M-ATV. Navistar release.

March 11/09: A Bloomberg report quotes General Dynamics spokesman Ken Yamashita, who said that their M-ATV offer, based on its RG-31 partnership with BAE, “was not accepted… He didn’t say why, and Pentagon spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin said she couldn’t comment.”

That failure still leaves GDLS in contention, via the Force Dynamics partnership’s Cheetah vehicle.

March 6/09: Oshkosh Defense announces a $1 million contract with the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM) for government purchase of the 2 production-ready Oshkosh M-ATVs that were delivered on Feb. 23rd. This contract award is one of the required phases in the U.S. military’s evaluation of M-ATV submissions, and is awarded after the delivered vehicles are certified to meet the government’s initial design requirements.

All other M-ATV candidates also receive these awards, with 1 exception – General Dynamics (see March 11/09).

Feb 23/09: M-ATV candidate vehicles are due from vendors for 2 months of testing and evaluation. Several of them announce deliveries on this day: BAE Systems, Force Protection ($1 million contract), Navistar, and Oshkosh.

Feb 19/09: An Oshkosh release claims that its M-ATV team can produce the military’s most probable delivery order of 2,080 M-ATVs “within months of an awarded contract.” The Oshkosh team says that it is able to produce several hundred to 1,000 M-ATVs on a monthly basis, and Oshkosh Defense President John Stoddart adds that:

“Oshkosh’s warm production lines coupled with our mature M-ATV design allow us to ramp up production of this vehicle without impacting our current military programs.”

Of course, the same is true for competitors like BAE and Navistar, both of whom have MRAP production lines that are closing out, and substantial military truck production lines that continue to run.

Jan 15/09: Force Protection, Inc. and General Dynamics Land Systems Inc.’s Force Dynamics, LLC joint venture has focused on delivering Cougar MRAP vehicles, but Force Protection’s Cheetah vehicle had been excluded – until now. The joint venture announces that it has submitted the Cheetah for the U.S. Army’s MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV) solicitation.

The Cheetah began development in 2005 has completed Force Protection-sponsored blast testing at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds, MD, and initial mobility and durability testing at the Nevada Automotive Test Center. It has undergone a range of enhancements since it was first developed, including the addition of independent suspension. Force Protection is commencing low-rate production at Force Protection’s Ladson, SC plant.

Jan 9/09: Oshkosh Corporation submits its M-ATV proposal, based on the combat-proven Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR) medium truck chassis. The firm has produced about 10,000 of these trucks for the US Marine Corps, which have been deployed all over the world. Oshkosh release.

Nov 14/08: The US government issues a pre-solitication notice for a subsidiary competition called M-ATV, essentially an “MRAP Lite” bridge buy to the JLTV. FBO pre-solicitation #W56HZV-09-R-0115 states a buy that begins an an expected order of just 2,080 vehicles, but could reach up to 10,000.

M-ATV’s top weight is just 12.5 tons empty, which is heavier than a Hummer or JLTV, but lighter than an MRAP. Even so, the RFP still demands significant protection against both conventional and EFP land mines. A draft issued on Nov 25/08 stated that M-ATV would receive the same top-priority DX production rating employed by the original MRAP program, adding that the first vehicles are expected to be fielded in the fall of 2009.

M-ATV pre-solicitation

Additional Readings

• US FedBizOpps (Nov 13/08) – 23–JPO MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV)

• TACOM – JPO MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Competition page with all documents.

• Oshkosh Defense – Oshkosh M-ATV MRAP All Terrain Vehicle

• Oshkosh Defense – TAK-4 Independent Suspension

• Global Security – Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement (MTVR)

• DID FOCUS – JLTV: Hummer v2.0, or MRAP Lite?

• James Hasik (Jan 17/14) – Between MRAPs and “a couple of Nobel Prizes” – reasonable priorities in armored vehicles in the US and the UK.

• IDGA (2010) – Dave Hansen of JPO MRAP on the M-ATV. Podcast interview.

• US Congressional Research Service (last update Aug 24/10) – Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected (MRAP) Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress. Includes the M-ATV. Last update here [PDF].

• Voice of America (Aug 1/10) – For US Troops, New Armored Vehicle is Benefit, Burden. They do love the M-ATV, but there are a couple of design issues Oshkosh might want to look at.

• Oshkosh Defense (June 5/09) – Oshkosh Defense Global Aftermarket Capabilities Ready to Provide in-Theater M-ATV Support

• Motley Fool (May 7/09) – M-ATV Bids: The Pentagon Picks Its Winners

• Oshkosh Defense (Feb 26/09) – Mission-Proven Vehicle Components and Technologies Featured in Oshkosh M-ATV Vehicle Design

• Defense News (Dec 11/08) – In RfP, DoD Outlines Small-MRAP Needs

• WIRED Danger Room (Oct 16/08) – Afghanistan Diary: MRAPs Suck!

Americas

• Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control division is being tapped to provide work for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The $164 million contract modification provides for performances as part of the ongoing Terminal Field Support Contract (TFSC), with a current value totaling at $725 million. Lockheed will continue with its efforts under the TFSC which include services such as forward stationing for theater support, logistics information capabilities, post deployment software support and security and engineering services. THAAD is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces. Work will be performed at multiple locations inside the US, including Huntsville, Alabama; Sunnyvale, California and Grand Prairie, Texas. The ordering period remains from March 25, 2010, through March 31, 2019.

• The Navy is contracting Northrop Grumman for repair work in support of its F-18 fleet. The long-term contract is valued at $38.4 million and provides for the repair of the Automated Support System Electro-Optic Console to support Fleet repairs of the F-18 Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) weapon systems. The AN/USM-636(V) Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS) is a computer-assisted, multi-functional Automatic Test Equipment (ATE) used to test various electronic components in use by the Navy. CASS is a five-rack integrated test system is designed to accommodate variations in workload and allow for Test Program Set transferability among the different configurations. ATFLIR gives naval aviators a three- to five-fold increase in target- recognition range. Its infrared and electro-optical (television format) sensors can detect tactical threats at unprecedented ranges, delivering images that are three to five times clearer than previous systems. Work will be performed in Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and will be completed by July 2023.

Middle East & Africa

• The Pakistan Navy (PN) is increasing its maritime surveillance capabilities. The PN now has two ATR-72 twin-engine turboprops converted into maritime patrol aircraft in its inventory. The ATR-72 currently on offer by Italian vendor Leonardo-Finmeccanica which uses the ATR-72-600 as its base platform. This aircraft is capable of ASW operations through the use of a fitted sono-buoy launcher and pylons for lightweight ASW torpedoes. The Pakistan Navy operates the slighter smaller ATR-72-500, but this should not impact its capabilities. Typical MPA missions include vessel search and identification; economic exclusive zone patrol (fishing, off-shore platforms); drug, smuggling and piracy control; search and rescue (SAR); disaster surveillance; maritime patrol roles; and Anti-Submarine Warfare. Rheinland Air Service had signed a contract in 2015 to convert two ATR-72 aircraft already owned by the Pakistan Navy into MPAs. Aerodata provided the platform with its AeroMission mission management system. Work on the project commenced in January 2016 after export approvals were received from the German government.

• The Iranian military will receive up to 800 new and upgraded tanks in the coming years. Reza Mozaffariniya, the deputy minister for industry in the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL) said in an interview that the Ministry plans to upgrade and produce around 50 – 60 tanks annually at its production facility in Dorud. The tanks to be built will be most likely the Karrar and the Zolfaghar. The Karrar closely resembles the Russian-made T-90MS but also has features of American Abrams M1 and British Challenger 2 tanks. The Karrar MBT is fitted with a new welded turret which is armed with a 125 mm smoothbore gun fitted with a fume extractor and a thermal sleeve and can fire all standard ammunitions. Its turret is equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun and includes a day/night sight, a thermal imager and a laser rangefinder. The Zolfaqar III is the latest and most advanced version in the Zulfiqar family that comes with a variety of upgrades. They include improving the fire navigation system, chassis, and armament, engine and laser system, to increase the operational capabilities of the tank. The wheels of the variant will be covered by an armored skirt and a reinforced turret. The Iranian Army is currently conducting research and test operation on this platform.

Europe

• Northrop Grumman is being contracted to support the US Army’s Regional Cyber Center-Europe. The awarded contract modification has a value of $16.6 million and provides for non-personal Information Technology support services. Wiesbaden is home to US Army’s 5th Signal Command. The Gray Cyber Operations Center is tasked with consolidating tactical, theater and strategic communications functions to support the US European Command, US Africa Command and US Army Europe. The Cyber Command’s main responsibility is to direct, and conduct networked based warfare, ensuring freedom of action in and through cyberspace and the information environment, and to deny the same to adversaries. Work will be performed in Wiesbaden Erbenheim, Germany, with an estimated completion date of July, 2019.

• German defense manufacturer H3 Grob Aircaft is currently investing in a broad range of new capabilities, including a special-mission variant of the Cessna Caravan and its proven G120TP trainer. Both platforms can now be outfitted with an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance pod beneath its fuselage. The Cessna Caravan’s equipment can include a Leonardo Seaspray 3300 surveillance radar and a Hensoldt Argos-II, 16in electro-optical/infrared sensor. The G120TP can be equipped with a system that comprises a Trakka Systems TC-300 305mm EO/IR turret, Leonardo PicoSAR lightweight synthetic aperture radar and a line-of-sight downlink. The 132 lb. heavy system can be integrated on the starboard wing using an innovative “glove” mount.

• Romania intends to buy more F-16s to further increase its fleet strength. In 2016 the country became the latest operator of the F-16 following delivery of the first six from a total of twelve from Portugal for a price of $734 million. The deal included nine F-16AM single-seaters and three F-16BM two-seaters as well as an overhaul of engines and a number of services. Romania now plans to buy five more F-16 fighter jets from Portugal, four single seaters and one dual seater, by the end of this year. It also intends to purchase 36 more such aircraft in the future from other NATO countries like the US and Greece, but also Israel is an option.

Asia-Pacific

• The Lao People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) is currently taking delivery of the first batch of four repaired Mi-17 helicopters. The helicopters were delivered by Russian Helicopters, thus completing the first service contract between the Russian holding company and the Lao Ministry of Defense. The PLAAF has a moderate fleet of aircraft, including a total of 11 Mi-17 transport helicopters. The Mi-17 is an improved export version of the Mi-8 helicopter, fitted with more powerful engines and with some other minor improvements. The helicopter has a crew of 3, including pilot, co-pilot and flight engineer. The Mi-17 can carry 24 passengers and even small vehicles. It has an 8000 lb. internal payload capacity. Alternatively, it can carry underslung loads weighting up to 6000 lb. The Mi-17 can be armed with window-mounted 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm trainable machine guns.

Today’s Video

• Watch: Automatic Air Collision Avoidance System explained by USAF pilot

MiG-21 ‘Lancer’
(click to view full)

The MiG-21 is reaching the end of its service life, but it can still be effective for a little while. India’s refurbished MiG-21 ‘Bisons’ combined Russian, Indian and Israeli technology to excellent effect in the COPE India 2004 and 2005 exercises with the USAF, and there’s even a Russian-Israeli MiG-21 2000 variant that exists for general sale. Israeli companies have made something of a specialty of refurbishing both Western and Soviet fighters with modern radars, avionics, and Israeli weapons like the Python air-air missile, giving the systems new life. An all-Israeli effort was undertaken for Romania, in order to create Romania’s MiG-21 ‘Lancers’ via upgrade.

The question is what comes next. In 2005, rumor had it that the success of those efforts had led to a more ambitious fighter deal between Israel and Romania for upgraded Cheyl Ha’Avir F-16A/Bs – but that deal appears to have fizzled for unknown reasons. Other firms entered the mix, including Saab with its JAS-39 Gripen and, surprisingly, EADS’ Eurofighter. Then the USA appeared to have flown away with the fighter replacement deal – but, not so fast.

Romania, Romania, Romania: Drivers and Options

Slovakian MiG-29,
“Digital Thunder” camo
(click to view full)

Romania faced 3 big questions in deciding on its fighter purchase. They involved capability, finances, and foreign approvals. To those 3, add a pair of elements that are almost always present in fighter purchases: politics, and vanity.

Capability is always a concern, and Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia has only heightened regional concerns. While the Russian Air force is a shadow of its former self, so are the air forces of its former Warsaw Pact satraps. Unfortunately, modern NATO-compatible fighters are very costly, and East Bloc countries in particular feel the lack of any fielded low-budget options to fill the niche once occupied by planes like the MiG-21 and F-5. The natural response is to adopt NATO’s classic approach, and attempt to compete on quality.

Given the presence of upgraded SU-27 family fighters in the Russian fleet, competing on quality isn’t easy. Purchases from Russia itself, such as modern MiG-29/35 aircraft, offer another option. If the most likely future threat is seen as coming from Russia, however, that isn’t a viable option.

The Czech Republic and Hungary’s choice of 10-year leases for 14 fourth-generation JAS-39 Gripen aircraft illustrate one possible solution.

In 2005, reports in the Israeli press indicated that Romania might go another route, and spend $150 million to purchase “dozens” of used F-16A Netz (Hebrew for “Falcon”) aircraft from Israel. Israeli contractor Elbit Systems would be the lead contractor for an Israeli deal, overseeing their refurbishment and upgrade with newer Israeli electronics.

The one potential downside to the F-16 was the necessity of US approval for technology transfer or sale. Israel would be transferring the weapons themselves, not just maintaining them with Israeli technology. Formal American approval has always been required for any transfer of US equipment to 3rd countries. Fortunately, sales to a new NATO member like Romania were unlikely to attract any vetoes from the USA. Indeed, rumors in 2005 said that Romania had been given a provisional green light by the American government and by Lockheed Martin.

That approach seemed to be a good deal for both parties, and became a template for Romania’s search: buy a used version of the most widely-adopted fighter in NATO, with electronics that would be interoperable with NATO standards.

Evaluation & Options

F-16I Soufa
(click to view full)

In 2005, the talk centered on an Israeli deal. The reports noted that the Israeli Air force (“Cheyl Ha’Avir”) planned to phase out at least some of its 75 older F-16A/B planes as it introduces 102 new F-16I Soufa (Storm) jets, which incorporate all of the F-16 Block 52 advancements plus Israeli electronics and weapons. Reports claimed that a special committee had been set up to coordinate the various stages of what seemed to be a complicated deal.

So, what did the Romanians have to say?

The Romanian Ministry of Defense admitted that they were undertaking “an evaluation of the feasible alternatives for the replacement of the MIG-21 Lancer aircraft,” with a decision scheduled for 2006-2007 and a target date of 2010-2012 for initial operational capability. Thy also noted, however, that they were evaluating more than one type of plane. Defense Minister Atanasiu said that Romania needed at least 24 new aircraft, and added that a leasing system, auctions, or even participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program were all under consideration.

JAS-39 Gripen
(click to view full)

Suggestions concerning the F-35 were probably just vanity talking. Romania has a proud cultural history, but its economy hasn’t yet caught up to the $70-100 million per plane cost of the F-35 JSF. The truth has always been that leases or used aircraft from other countries were Romania’s only realistic options. Its possible choices also tend to narrow down to the lightweight medium fighter segment, in order to achieve even the 24 modern fighters desired, in return for the kind of money the country had chosen to spend.

That left a small set of options:

• Used F-16 Falcons, from Israel or from other NATO countries, including the USA (chosen).

• Mirage 2000s, possibly used, from France.

• Leased JAS-39 Gripens from Sweden. These may be more expensive than used aircraft, but they are far more capable, may offer maintenance cost improvements, and come with industrial offsets and leasing options.

• Russian aircraft with upgraded Western avionics etc., much as Israel did for their Lancers. The MiG-29 is the only modern Russian fighter in Romania’s likely cost profile. Downsides include less NATO interoperability during operations outside of Romania, and extra costs per plane due to the required refits.

Within this group, the F-16 was always the most probable choice, barring a really excellent deal from Saab. After canvassing the Israelis, the Dutch, and even the Americans for offers, Romania finally settled on F-16s from Portugal in September 2012. The delays in getting to that point meant that the planes wouldn’t enter service until 2016.

Contracts & Key Events 2011 – 2018

Slow deal with Portugal.

PoAF F-16A OCU
(click to view full)

July 20/18: More fighters needed Romania intends to buy more F-16s to further increase its fleet strength. In 2016 the country became the latest operator of the F-16 following delivery of the first six from a total of twelve from Portugal for a price of $734 million. The deal included nine F-16AM single-seaters and three F-16BM two-seaters as well as an overhaul of engines and a number of services. Romania now plans to buy five more F-16 fighter jets from Portugal, four single seaters and one dual seater, by the end of this year. It also intends to purchase 36 more such aircraft in the future from other NATO countries like the US and Greece, but also Israel is an option.

September 30/16: Romania has become the latest operator of the F-16 following delivery of the first six from a total of twelve from Portugal. The $203 million deal includes nine F-16AM single-seaters and three F-16BM two-seaters as well as an overhaul of engines; initial logistics support; training of up to nine pilots, 75 technicians, and four mission planers; two years of on-site support; and updating the fleet to operational flight program (OFP) development software M5.2R standard, with support from Lockheed Martin. More F-16s from another NATO member are being sought by Romania who currently operate a fleet of MiG- 21 LanceR aircraft.

February 24/16: The Romanian Ministry of Defense has announced plans to purchase 12 more second-hand F-16 fighters in 2017. The procurement will the follow the delivery of F-16s from Portugal in September, which cost the government $695 million and included training and upgrades of systems from Lockheed Martin. The ministry has requested information from NATO allies (including the US and five European members) of available supplies with plans to purchase the fleet by auction.

Nov 8/13: Ancillaries. The US DSCA announces Romania’s official request to clear an initial transfer of key weapons and electronics that “will be procured through a third party transfer from Portugal,” as part of their F-16 MLU re-sale. Articles and services would include:

• 30 AIM-120C Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). Variant not mentioned, most current export variant is the C7.
  
• 5 AIM-120C Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs)
  
• 60 AIM-9M Sidewinder Missiles. The most widely-fielded version, but less advanced than the AIM-9X, which would have required digital upgrades to the F-16s.
  
• 4 AIM-9M CATMs
  
• 48 LAU-129 Launchers
  
• 10 GBU-12 Enhanced Guided Bomb Units
  
• 18 AGM-65H/KB Maverick Missiles
  
• 4 AGM-65 CATMs
  
• 15 MIDS-LVT boxes for Link 16 connectivity
  
• 2 MIDS Ground Support Systems
  
• 13 Embedded Global Positioning Systems/Inertial Navigation Systems (EGPS/INS) with GPS Security Devices, Airborne
  
• 3 AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Countermeasure Pods
  
• Plus spare and repair parts, support equipment, tanker support, ferry services, repair and return services, software development/integration, test and equipment, supply support, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, and other forms of support. The estimated cost is up to $457 million.

That’s more than a bit thin on associated weapons. Romania won’t have any existing stocks of these items from its upgraded, NATO-compatible Lancer fleet, either, but they may be able to transfer some of their existing RAFAEL Python 3 missiles and LITENING pods. Within the DSCA’s set, implementation won’t require any additional US government or contractor representatives in Romania. The principal contractors will be:

• Elbit Systems of America in Fort Worth, TX
  
• Pratt and Whitney in East Hartford, CT (Engine support)
  
• BAE Systems Inc. in Arlington, VA
  
• Lockheed Martin Corp. in Fort Worth, TX (F-16 OEM)
  
• Northrup Grumman Aerospace Systems in Redondo Beach, CA (ALQ-131)
  
• ViaSat Inc. in Carlsbad, CA (MIDS/ Link-16)
  
• Data Link Solutions LLC in Cedar Rapids, IA (MIDS/ Link-16)
  
• Snap-On Inc. in Kenosha, WI (Support equipment)
  
• Booz Allen Hamilton Engineering Services, LLC in McLean, VA (Support)

Raytheon, who makes the AIM-9, AIM-120, and AGM-65 missiles, wasn’t mentioned. Source: US DSCA #13-59.

DSCA: F-16 ancillaries and weapons

Oct 11/13: Contract. Romania’s government announces a signed contract with Portugal, and an initial EUR 100 million payment of of the EUR 600 million total. According to Defense Minister Mircea Dusa, the first modernized F-16s will reach Romania in 2015, and the full squadron will be on hand for full MiG-21 Lancer replacement by 2017. Meanwhile, Romania will send 80 people to Portugal for flight and maintenance training. Source: actmedia, “Defense Ministry signs contract for F-16 aircraft purchase”.

Contract

June 19/13: OK. The Romanian government approves the bill for the F-16 purchase. Source: actmedia, “Defense Ministry signs contract for F-16 aircraft purchase”.

April 22/13: Slooow. Reports indicate that negotiations with Portugal will take until May 2013 (the deadline is June), but that dealing with the American bureaucracy will take until September 2013 – a year after Romania accepted Portugal’s bid.

Romania may also be interested in another 9 planes, which would bring their replacement fighters to 21. They currently operate 40 MiG-21 Lancers. China MoD News Channel.

Sept 24/12: From Portugal. Romania apparently outbids Bulgaria for 12 PoAF F-16s, offering EUR 600 million over 5 years for the jets (EUR 125 million) and associated training and maintenance (EUR 475 million). The planes will arrive in 2016, by which time Romania’s pilots will also be fully trained.

The fighters are described as “multirole,” but this is a bit of a stretch for the F-16 Block 15 OCUs. They can use AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles, but their previous-generation AN/APG-66 radars have limited ground capabilities, and the fighters’ main precision strike weapon is the short-range AGM-65 Maverick missile. On the other hand, the price for 12 was pretty good. Other offers had been tabled by Saab and by the USAF for 24 fighters at about double the cost, but as the weighting of this deal shows, shrinking the fighters by half does not halve the total cost.

Meanwhile, an actmedia report quotes National Defence Minister Corneliu Dobritoiu, who spends his time touting the fact that Romania observed all of the EU’s bureaucratic requirements to the letter. The EU had wanted an open competition, instead of a government-to-government deal, and sent a warning letter in early September. Dobritoiu points out that government-to-government deals are allowed. Romania’s actmedia | Balkans.com | Bloomberg | Bulgaria’s Focus news agency | Romania’s Stirile Pro TV [in Romanian, with video].

Deal with Portugal for 12 F-16s

Aug 23/12: Portugal? actmedia reports that the Romanian defense ministry has sent experts to inspect some of Portugal’s 45 F-16s, which were found to be in excellent condition. The PoAF is likely to be selling some of 201 Squadron’s Block 15OCU models, not 301 Squadron’s 20 upgraded F-16MLUs. On paper, that sounds an attractive solution for both parties, given Portugal’s dire fiscal position, and the fact the Dutch option is apparently no longer available.

This news item does not seem to have been confirmed in the Portuguese press yet, and online rumors that up to 12 Portuguese F-16s were available for sale have floated for years without substantiation. That latest statement is not available on Agerpres’ website – the national news agency cited by actmedia – though an earlier article from June does mention the Netherlands and Portugal as 2 potential sources for used F-16s. Romania’s actmedia re: rumors and inspections | Agerpres [in Romanian] | F-16.net re: Portugal.

June 21/12: Dutch deal? Radio Netherlands reports that:

“Romania is interested in buying 15 surplus F-16s from the Dutch airforce… On Thursday, the Defence Ministry confirmed reports that it is looking to sell equipment in order to raise funds… [as it] must shave a billion euros from its budget. The ministry is also in preliminary discussions with an undisclosed number of potential buyers, including Chile, which are interested in eight Cougar helicopters. Today, parliament will discuss the potential sale of 80 Leopard tanks to Indonesia. The ministries of defence and foreign affairs are in favour of the sale but a majority in parliament is against the transaction.”

Sept 19/11: All we can afford. Romanian President Traian Basescu tells Pro TV that Romania cannot afford to buy F16 fighters without a long-term financing solution, as they can only pay up to $300 million per year for the next 5-6 years. From Romania’s actmedia:

“As a NATO member, Romania must have 48 fighters compatible with the North Atlantic Alliance’s equipment. Whether they are F16 planes, Rafale or SAAB, what matter is to find a financing solution,” said Basescu.He added the United States proposed a regional project whereby several NATO members, such as Bulgaria, Croatia, possibly Hungary, would create a pool to support the purchase of F16 planes.”

Bulgaria has reportedly been offered US financing for a buy of 8-12 F-16 fighters, though terms were not revealed or confirmed. U.S. Ambassador Mark Gitenstein added that the regional pool option would involve new planes, extending Lockheed Martin’s production line. That’s certainly in America’s interest, as it would extend the F-16 production line, but it’s also likely to make the planes more expensive.

2009 – 2010

 

Italian Eurofighters
(click to view full)

May 11/10: Eurofighter. The Eurofighter consortium and member firm Alenia Aeronautica chime in with an offer of their own: 24 used Italian Tranche 1 Eurofighters, plus up to 5,000 skilled jobs created by 100% industrial offsets and local technology transfer. The price, including logistics support and training, would be EUR 1 billion (about $1.3 billion), matching the price tag for used F-16s. Deliveries would take place between 2011-2012.

Italian Tranche 1 Eurofighters differ sharply from the other competitors in one crucial respect. Barring additional upgrades and equipment, they lack precision attack capabilities. In contrast, both the F-16 Block 25+ and the JAS-39 Gripen are full multirole fighters, able to target invading land forces, support Romanian troops on the ground, or conduct precision strikes against key enemy targets.

That same day, the Romanian Senate’s Defense Commission calls in representatives of rivals Eurofighter and Sweden’s Saab, stating that it wished to hear from Lockheed’s competitors. The decision to buy any fighter requires Parliamentary approval. Defense News.

April 15/10: Gripen. Agence France Presse quotes Jerry Lindbergh, a Swedish government official in charge of defense exports, who says that Sweden could provide 24 new “fully NATO interoperable Gripen C/D fighters, including training, support, logistics and 100 percent offset for the amount of one billion euros ($1.3 billion),” paid off over 15 years with low interest rates.

In essence, they’re offering newer and better fighters for the same price as very-used F-16s. The following quote from the Defense News report is difficult to take seriously in terms of future orders, but it does illustrate one of the political factors in play:

“Bucharest is also considering buying 24 new F-16 jets and later 24 F-35 jets, the defense ministry said, stressing this was part of the Romanian-U.S. “strategic partnership.”

March 23/10: Nothing new. At a Supreme Council of National Defense meeting, Minister of National Defense Gabriel Oprea presents a report, saying that Romania does not have the financial resources necessary for the acquisition of multirole aircraft. As such, the ministry proposes to buy 24 used F-16s, in order to replace Romania’s upgraded MiG-21 Lancers and their rising operations and maintenance costs.

Lockheed Martin personnel in Romania have reportedly confirmed that the aircraft with be F-16 C/D fighters, without mentioning the production year or their number of flight hours. The US DSCA request noted AN/APG-69v1 radars and PW F100-220 IPE engines as expected equipment, however. This strongly suggests F-16 C/D Block 25 aircraft, delivered between 1984-1986, and currently operational with American Air National Guard units.

Romanian sources say that the planes will be free, but there will still be costs of about $400 million for personnel training in the USA, $500 million for refurbishment and infrastructure improvements, and money to equip the planes with weapons. The total sum is estimated to be about $1.2 billion. The final draft of the agreement will reportedly be signed by the Romanian and American governments. Romanian Presidency release | Google translation of same || Mediafax Romania [in Romanian] | Hotnews.RO | Radio Free Europe | Reuters.

2005 – 2008

 

Israeli F-16B
(click to view larger)

Sept 24/08: No decision. A Curierul National interview quotes Romania’s Defence Minister Teodor Melescanu as saying that no decision has been made yet regarding Romania’s fighter replacement. Key quotes include:

“…we do not have this money… ready to spend it when necessary. However, the executive has given us the possibility, by Emergency Ordinance no. 111/2006, which allows ministries to contract loans on the international banking market, we can employ such loans up to the limit of 2.38% of GDP… in a predictable financing line for the period 2009-2013. We also consider achieving these acquisitions with the participation of internationally prestigious companies, which we would attract in the modernisation and privatisation process of the defence industry.”

Indeed, the MiG 21s will deplete their flight resource by 2010-2011 and therefore we must absolutely start the programme of purchasing a multi-role plane… The issue is the purchase of 48 planes, the budget effort exceeding 3.5 billion lei… financed by foreign loans, using the mechanisms of Emergency Ordinance no. 111/2006… As there appeared some information about the purchase of second-hand planes, too, I want to emphasize that, personally, I think we are too poor to buy cheap, used things. I do not think that the solution of second hand devices is the best option and therefore I feel inclined to the purchase of new aircraft. And I insist on the human resource. We have valuable pilots and we cannot waste this value we have… As I have said, there are five models of multirole planes that meet the technical-operational requirements set up by the specialists of the Romanian Air Force. We are considering the F-16 plane… the JAS-39 Gripen… the Eurofighter Typhoon… the F18… and the Rafale [The F-35 was eliminated, since only operational aircraft were considered].

…To take a decision based on real and as complete as possible data, the Ministry of Defense has conducted information activities during the recent years… As a result of these activities the 5 types of airplanes I mentioned above were identified. But no decision has been taken yet.”

OK ANG F-16Cs
over Iraq
(click to view full)

May 19/08: USA The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Romania’s formal request for 48 F-16C/D Block 50/52 Aircraft, in a surprisingly rich deal that could run as high as $4.5 billion if all options are exercised. There are no known industrial offset agreements in connection with this proposed sale, and implementation will require multiple trips to Romania involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives for technical reviews/support, program management, and training over a period of 15 years.

The full request involves a number of contractors, and a few contracts whose equipment choices are still competitive. Note that even this announcement is not necessarily determinative. A March 19/02 DSCA announcement [PDF] covered a $1.7 billion offer to Austria of 30 updated and refurbished F-16s, but that country ended up buying EADS’ Eurofighter instead. These competitions are never truly over until a contract is signed.

• The first component of the proposed Romanian deal involves 24 refurbished and upgraded USAF F-16C/D Block 25 aircraft, with Pratt & Whitney’s F100-PW-220 Increased Performance Engines (IPE) and Northrop Grumman APG-68v1 radars.

• The second component of the deal involves 24 new-build F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft. Romania can choose either the Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engine, or General Electric’s F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engine (IPE). These F-16s will all be equipped with Northrop Grumman’s APG-68v9 radar – a much more advanced radar than the APG-68v1, especially with respect to its ground surveillance and ground attack capabilities.

The proposed order would also include up to:

• 24 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs) for the Block 50/52s
  
• 5 F100-PW-220 IPE spare engines for the Block 25s
  
• 4 F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 IPE spare engines for the Block 50/52s
  
• 4 APG-68v9 spare radar sets;
  
• 6 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System helmet-mounted displays
  
• 4 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals;
  
• 2 Link-16 Ground Stations;
  
• 60 LAU-129/A launchers, which can fire both AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles;
  
• 30 LAU-117 launchers;
  
• 4 AN/ARC-238 Single Channel Ground and Airbo
  

e Radio Systems (SINCGARS) with HAVE QUICK I/II;

• 4 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/ Inertial Navigation Systems (INS);
  
• 12 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper or AN/AAQ-28 Litening Targeting Pods;
  
• 4 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Systems or DB-110 Reconnaissance Pods (RECCE);
  
• 4 AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) Systems;
  
• 28 AN/ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems;
  
• 28 of ITT’s AN/ALQ- 211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS); or Raytheon’s AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Countermeasures Electronic Systems (ACES), or BAE’s AN/ALQ-178 Self-Protection Electronic Warfare Suites (SPEWS).

The principal contractors, and some of the items they are responsible for, include:

• BAE Advanced Systems in Greenlawn, NY (APX-113 AIFF, ALQ-178)
  
• Boeing Corporation in Seattle, WA
  
• Boeing Integrated Defense Systems: St Louis, MO; Long Beach, CA; San Diego, CA (JHMCS)
  
• Raytheon Company: Lexington, MA; Goleta, CA (ALQ-187)
  
• Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ
  
• Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX (F-16s)
  
• Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX (Sniper pods)
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX (LITENING pods)
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD (APG-68 radars, ALQ-213 with Terma)
  
• Pratt & Whitney United Technology Company in East Hartford, CT (engines)
  
• General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, OH (engines)
  
• Goodrich ISR Systems in Danbury, CT (DB-110 REECE pods)
  
• L3 Communications in Arlington, TX.

The deal would also include support equipment, software development/integration, tanker support, ferry services, CAD/PAD, repair and return, modification kits, spares and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. This list suggests an extensive range of support that is unique to the USAF.

DSCA: used & new F-16s requested

Oct 19/07: Eurofighter. China’s government-controlled Xinhua agency quotes Eurofighter’s program director for Romania Giuseppe Paoletti as saying that that Eurofighter is making Romania an offer of 24 Typhoon aircraft, with the first operational squadron provided for 2010 and the rest delivered in the 2010-2014 period. He also reportedly said that Finnmecanica of Italy was interested in buying the local Craiova-based Aircraft Factory, which may offer technical support and maintenance for the Typhoon warplane. The statements reportedly came at a press conference organized within the EXPOMIL 2007 show in Bucharest. Xinhua story.

At over $100 million per aircraft, the Eurofighter was not expected to be a major contender given its cost.

Oct 19/07: Gripen. Gripen International is also attending the EXPOMIL 2007 show in Bucharest, and meeting with senior government officials [release is in Romana].

2006: Gripen. Gripen International (Saab & BAE) introduces a Romanian language web site promoting the JAS-39 Gripen as Romania’s best choice.

Nov 25/05: Israel. DID’s article covering an Israeli RFI for new trainer aircraft notes another area of significant Israeli-Romanian cooperation: Romanian IAR-99C trainer aircraft with Israeli avionics that include embedded training capability. This could create an interesting barter angle to any potential F-16 Netz deal.

Oct 31/05: Nothing but Netz. Reports surface that Romania is discussing a $150 million buy of F-16A/B Netz (Heb. “falcon”) aircraft with Israel for “dozens” of aircraft. The Israelis could conceivably sell the used F-16s quite cheap, knowing that the refurbishment contracts would be lucrative. F-16.NET | Avianews.

Feb 4/05: Belgium? Romania is reportedly asking about used Belgian F-16s. F-16.NET report.

Americas

• Boeing is being tapped to build two mission-ready 747-8 aircraft for the US President. The awarded firm-fixed-price contract provides for the production of two Air Force One and has a value of $3.9 billion. The contract includes extensive and manufacturing development efforts that entail design, testing, certification and fielding of the new aircrafts. The iconic plane is maintained and operated by the Presidential Airlift Group, part of the White House Military Office. The ‘flying’ Oval Office provides the President and his staff with 4.000 square feet of living and work space on three levels. In case of an armed conflict the aircraft serves as the President’s command center. Work will be performed in San Antonio and is expected to be completed by December 2024.

• Aero-Glen International LLC. is being awarded a contract to support the Air Force’s F-16 sustainment efforts. The firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has a value of $403 million and provides for the production of F-16 service life extension program kits for the F-16 fleet. The F-16 SLEP aims to keep the aging fleet of F-16s flying until nearly 2050. The program combines a dozen structural modifications into one repeatable package – from bulkheads to wings and canopy, effectively increasing the jets life to 12.000 flight hours. The Air Force aims to complete each refurbished SLEP jet in 9 months at a cost of $2.4 million. Work will be performed at Fort Worth International Airport, Texas, and is expected to be completed by May 31, 2029.

• The US Army is contracting Wamor Inc to support its air cargo capabilities. The $18.8 million firm-fixed-price contract enables the company to produce a number of Advanced Cargo Parachute Release Systems (ACPRS) and ACPRS coupling assemblies. According to Army Technology Wamore’s advanced cargo parachute release system uses an innovative and exclusive methodology for separating a canopy or canopies from their payload only after the payload has been safely delivered to the drop zone. The ACPRS enables the Army’s Cargo Aerial Delivery Team to support mass airborne assaults, aerial re-supply, special operations, deep-strike concepts and humanitarian relief missions. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. The contract is scheduled for completion by July 2023.

Middle East & Africa

• The government of Kuwait is set to receive support for its fleet of tanker aircraft as part of a US foreign military sale. The deal is valued at $8.4 million and provides for logistics, supply and maintenance support for three KC-130J aircraft. The KC-130J is a multi-role, medium-sized fixed-wing aerial refueling aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin, it essentially is a very advanced derivative of the standard C-130J. The tanker aircraft carries 92 ground troops or 64 paratroopers and equipment in its tactical transport role. It can also be configured as a MEDEVAC aircraft accommodating 74 patients on stretchers, and their accompaniments. In May 2010, the US Government placed a $245m foreign military sales contract with Lockheed Martin for the delivery of three KC-130J aircraft to Kuwait Air Force. The first aircraft was delivered in August 2014. Work will be performed at Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait, and is expected to be completed in August 2019.

• BAE Systems is partnering with Raytheon to support the development of BAE’s Digital Light Engine (DLE) Head-Up Display (HUD). The new digital hub will be integrated on the United Arab Emirates’ fleet of F-16s. Raytheon will design, develop and manufacture the projector for the HUD. HUDs are located immediately in front of the pilot’s line of sight and combine real-time mission critical information with the outside world view. The UAE flies the Block 60 variant of the F-16 which has been described as a lower-budget alternative to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. The initial order covers design, flight test and certification of the new computers, with a follow-on production order of 100 systems expected in 2020 and 2021. BAE expects a total of up to 315 units to be ordered through 2028.

Europe

• Romania is looking into acquiring a new missile system to be deployed on its Black Sea coast. The potential contract has a value of $137 million. Four major defense firms already voiced their interest. Romania currently has an outdated arsenal of Soviet-made P-15 missiles. Considering the ongoing modernization efforts of its Type 22 frigates and its acquisition of corvettes the Ministry would like one single missile system to be deployed on sea and on land. The Ministry of Defense hasn’t given any concrete details yet but reaffirmed that it envisages a supplier from a NATO or EU country. Likely competitors are MBDA with its SeaVenom missile, Boeing with its Harpoon, Saab’s RBS15 Mk3 and Kongsberg’s NSM.

• The Ukrainian Armed Forces are heavily investing in their air-defense capabilities. About 2500 anti-air specialists are currently deployed to provide round-the-clock protection, until now they shot down about 33 hostile Orlan-10 UAVs. Their main defense system is the Russian-made Buk-M1. In the past Ukraine was dependent on Russian defense enterprises to supply them with spares and components needed to conduct necessary restorations and repairs. Considering the current geo-political situation, the embattled country heavily invested in developing their indigenous repair and maintenance capability. Ukrainian companies are also tasked with work on the Bukivka 9M38M1 rocket, focusing on a new engine and solid rocket fuel to enhance the rockets acceleration, speed and payload. Ukraine plans to increase its anti-aircraft inventory by a third over the coming years.

Asia-Pacific

• Jane’s reports that the Taiwan Defense Forces have now a full air brigade of Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian attack helicopters. The 29 helicopters are part of the 601st Air Cavalry Brigade, which operates out of Taoyuan’s Longtan District in northern Taiwan. The AH-64A/D Apache has become a dominant attack helicopter around the globe. The gunships are armed with a 30mm chain gun and can be equipped with AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, Hydra-70 2.75-inch rocket pods and AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles. Taiwan purchased 30 Boeing Apache helicopters from the United States in 2008 for $1.94 billion and took delivery of the final batch in October 2014. One of the helicopters was badly damaged in a training accident in April 2014.

Today’s Video

• Watch: Raytheon’s JSM destroys target in challenging flight scenario

F-16F “Desert Falcon”
(click to view full)

The most advanced F-16s in the world aren’t American. That distinction belongs to the UAE, whose F-16 E/F Block 60s are a half-generation ahead of the F-16 C/D Block 50/52+ aircraft that form the backbone of the US Air Force, and of many other fleets around the world. The Block 60 has been described as a lower-budget alternative to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter, and there’s a solid argument to be made that their performance figures and broad sensor array will even keep them ahead of pending F-16 modernizations in countries like Taiwan, South Korea, and Singapore.

The UAE invested in the “Desert Falcon’s” development, and the contract reportedly includes royalty fees if other countries buy it. Investment doesn’t end when the fighters are delivered, either. Money is still needed for ongoing training, fielding, and equipment needs – and the UAE has decided that they need more planes, too. This DID article showcases the F-16 Block 60/61, and offers a window into its associated costs and life cycle, including dedicated equipment purchases for this fighter fleet.

The F-16E/F “Desert Falcon”

F-16A
(click to view full)

The F-16 has become what its designers intended it to be: a worthy successor to the legendary P-51 Mustang whose principles of visibility, agility, and pilot-friendliness informed the Falcon’s original design. The planes have been produced in several countries around the world, thanks to licensing agreements, and upgrades have kept F-16s popular. It’s no exaggeration to call the F-16 the defining fighter of its age, the plane that many people around the world think of when they think “fighter.” They remain the American defense industry’s greatest export success story of the last 40 years, but the aircraft’s ability to handle future adversaries like the thrust-vectoring MiG-29OVT/35 and advanced surface-air missile systems is now in question.

The F-16 has now undergone 6 major block changes since its inception in the late 1970s, incorporating 4 generations of core avionics, 5 engine versions divided between 2 basic models (P&W F100 and GE F110), 5 radar versions, 5 electronic warfare suites, and 2 generations of most other subsystems. Moore’s Law applies as well, albeit more slowly: the latest F-16’s core computer suite has over 2,000 times the memory, and over 260 times the throughput, of the original production F-16.

Block 60: Technical

F-16F, F-16E
(click to view full)

Each new iteration of the fighter costs money to develop, integrate, and test. The UAE invested almost $3 billion into research and development for the F-16 E/F Block 60 Desert Falcon. First flight took place in December 2003, and flight testing by Lockheed Martin began in early 2004. UAE pilot training on the F-16E/F began at Tucson Air National Guard Base, AZ in September 2004, and the first group of pilots completed their training in April 2005. The first Desert Falcons arrived in the UAE in May 2005.

All of the initial 60 aircraft have been delivered, and all training now takes place in the UAE. Versions of this aircraft have been entered in a number of international export competitions as well, including Brazil’s F-X2 (eliminated) and India’s MMRCA (eliminated), but it hasn’t found any buyers yet. Production will restart soon anyway, thanks to the UAE’s impending add-on buy 30 F-16 E/F Block 61s with minor component upgrades.

The Desert Falcon’s unique features include…

Design & Powerplant

F-16E over Tucson
(click to view full)

The aircraft’s conformal fuel tanks (CFTs) let them carry more fuel, with less drag than underwing drop tanks. All that fuel feeds GE’s new F110-GE-132 engine, which produces up to 32,500 pounds of thrust to offset the plane’s increased weight. The -132 is a derivative of the proven F110-GE-129, a 29,000-pound thrust class engine that powers the majority of F-16 C/D fighters worldwide. Even with a bigger engine and more weight from added sensors, CFTs, etc., Block 60 fighters offer a mission radius of 1,025 miles – a 40% range increase over F-16s without CFTs.

Conformal tanks aren’t exclusive to the Block 60. They’re options for many F-16 variants, and can be removed before missions, but that may not be a great idea for the UAE’s fleet. It’s a classic give/take scenario, in which more capability (q.v. electronics) means more weight, which requires a larger engine, which shortens range without more fuel. The conformal tanks more than make up that difference, creating a formidable strike fighter, but they exact their own aerodynamic cost in acceleration and handling. That tradeoff hurt attempts to export the fighter to India’s IAF, which prioritized maneuvering performance and left the Desert Falcon off of their shortlist.

Electronics

AN/APG-80 AESA
(click to view full)

The Desert Falcons’ most significant changes are electronic. Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-80 AESA radar is the most significant advance, and made the UAE the first fighter force in the world to field this revolutionary new radar technology outside of the USA. Compared to mechanically-scanned arrays like the AN/APG-68v9s that equip advanced American and foreign F-16s, AESA radars like the APG-80 have more power, better range, less sidelobe “leakage,” near-100% combat availability, and more potential add-on capabilities via software improvements. Unlike the APG-68s, the APG-80 can perform simultaneous ground and air scan, track, and targeting, and it adds an “agile beam” that reduces the odds of detection by opposing aircraft when the radar is on.

This last feature is important. Seeing the enemy first remains every bit as significant as it was in Boelcke’s day, but the inverse square law for propagation means that turning on older radar design is like activating a flashlight in a large and dark building. It can be seen much farther away than it can illuminate. An agile-beam AESA radar largely negates that disadvantage, while illuminating enemies who may not have their own radars on.

The Desert Falcons also take a step beyond the standard ground surveillance and targeting pod systems fielded on other F-16s, by incorporating them into the aircraft itself. Northrop Grumman’s AN/ASQ-32 IFTS is derived from its work on the AN/AQS-28 LITENING AT, but internal carriage reduces drag and radar signature, and frees up a weapons pylon. The ASQ-32 can even be used to find aerial targets, allowing passive targeting, and offering a tracking option that radar stealth won’t evade.

A JHMCS helmet mounted display provides parity with the fighter’s most modern counterparts, and displays information from the aircraft’s radar and sensors wherever the pilot looks. Its real advantage is that it creates a much larger targeting zone, which can be fully exploited by the newest air-to-air missiles like the AIM-9X. Avionics improvements round out the enhancements via an advanced mission computer to enhance sensor and weapon integration, a trio of 5″x7″ color displays in the cockpit, etc.

Various advanced electronic countermeasures systems make up the Falcon Edge Integrated Electronic Warfare System (IEWS), which provides both advance warning capabilities and automatic countermeasures release.

Weapons

SLAM-ER Highlights
(click to view full)

F-16s have an extremely wide range of integrated weapons, but Mideast politics has kept some American weapons from the UAE’s hands. Their Desert Falcons won’t carry the same stealthy AGM-158 JASSM long-range, stealthy cruise missiles found on American F-16s, for instance. Nor can they carry the similar “Black Shahine” MBDA Storm Shadow derivatives that equip the UAE’s Mirage 2000 fleet.

On the other hand, the Desert Falcons’ array of integrated weapons will include medium range, GPS/IIR-guided AGM-84H SLAM-ER cruise missiles that can deliver accurate hits on ships and land targets up to 250 km away. At shorter ranges, stealthy AGM-154C JSOW glide bombs and GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs give them wide-ranging one-pass attack capabilities against hard targets. In the air, AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short-range missiles give them over-the-shoulder kill capability, and a combat option that many of the UAE’s neighbors haven’t fielded yet.

Block 60: Political Issues

MBDA Storm Shadow

In the course of development, 2 key issues came up with respect to the F-16 Block 60. One was the familiar issue of source code control for key avionics and electronic warfare systems. The other was weapons carriage.

As a rule, the software source codes that program the electronic-warfare, radar, and data buses on US fighters are too sensitive for export. Instead, the USA sent the UAE “object codes” (similar to APIs), which allow them to add to the F-16’s threat library on their own.

The other issue concerned the Black Shahine derivative of MBDA’s Storm Shadow stealth cruise missile. The Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) defines 300 km as the current limit for cruise missiles, and the terms of the sale allow the United States to regulate which weapons the F-16s can carry. Since the Black Shahine was deemed to have a range of over 300 km, the US State Department refused to let Lockheed Martin change the data bus to permit the F-16E/Fs to carry the missile.

The Mirage 2000-9 upgrades that the UAE developed with France addressed this issue, giving the UAE a platform capable of handling their new acquisition. As of 2013, UAE F-16E/F fighters will finally receive the SLAM-ER precision attack missile, giving them the shorter-range but very accurate strike capabilities.

Contracts and Key Events 2012 – 2018

F-16E, 162nd FW

July 19/18: Raytheon supports HUD BAE Systems is partnering with Raytheon to support the development of BAE’s Digital Light Engine (DLE) Head-Up Display (HUD). The new digital hub will be integrated on the United Arab Emirates’ fleet of F-16s. Raytheon will design, develop and manufacture the projector for the HUD. HUDs are located immediately in front of the pilot’s line of sight and combine real-time mission critical information with the outside world view. The UAE flies the Block 60 variant of the F-16 which has been described as a lower-budget alternative to the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. The initial order covers design, flight test and certification of the new computers, with a follow-on production order of 100 systems expected in 2020 and 2021. BAE expects a total of up to 315 units to be ordered through 2028.

February 12/18: Upgrades-HUD Lockheed Martin has selected BAE Systems to modernize the head-up displays on F-16s operated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A press release issued by the British aerospace giant said work will see the aircraft’s analogue systems with advanced digital systems by using “cutting-edge Digital Light Engine (DLE) technology to implement a HUD upgrade that integrates seamlessly into the F-16’s existing HUD space, requiring no changes to the aircraft, cabling, or computing. The advancement will remove the outdated cathode ray tube image source and replace it with a digital projector.” DLE technology has already been selected to modernize the F-22 Raptor HUD for the US Air Force. BAE estimates it will reduce life-cycle costs by 20 percent and has four times the reliability of legacy analog systems. Last November, the UAE announced that Lockheed Martin would lead the overhaul of 80 F-16s as part of a $1.63 billion upgrade package.

November 13/17: Upgrades Speaking at the Dubai Airshow, Major General Abdullah Al Sayed Al Hashemi, Chief of the Military Committee and spokesman for the UAE Armed Forces, announced that it will upgrade its 80 F-16 jet fighters as part of a $1.63 billion program agreed with Lockheed Martin. The ministry also announced other deals, including $17.9 million to US-based OTNA INC for Blu-109 ammunition and a $9.5 million agreement with Thales Communications and Security SAS to secure defense communications. Al Hashemi added that the UAE is also interested in procuring the fifth-generation F-35, calling it “an excellent jet,” but did not comment on discussions ongoing with Washington over such a purchase. Fourth generation jets also being looked at by the Emirates include the Sukhoi Su-35, Eurofighter Typhoon, and Dassault Rafale, however, no deals have ever reached completion.

Jan 24/14: 30 more. The US DSCA announces the United Arab Emirates’s official export request for “equipment in support of a Direct Commercial Sale of F-16 Block 61 Aircraft and associated equipment, parts, [and] support….” The DCS purchase doesn’t have to be announced, but this Foreign Military Sale process confirms that they will buy up to 30 F-16 E/F “Block 61” aircraft. The new block number appears to involve a set of small component upgrades over the existing Block 60s, which will be upgraded to the same standard. The UAE’s request includes:

• 40 20mm M61A Guns
  
• 40 Embedded GPS Inertial Navigation Systems
  
• Identification Friend or Foe Equipment
  
• Unspecified “night vision devices”
  
• Joint Mission Planning System
  
• Cartridge Activated Device/Propellant Activated Devices, generally used in association with armament hard points and defensive decoys.
  
• Unspecified “Weapons Integration”
  
• F110-GE-132 International Engine Management Program-Component Improvement Program
  
• Site surveys, necessary for the required facilities expansions
  
• Ferry maintenance and services, incl. aerial refueling support
  
• Plus spare and repair parts; tools and test equipment; personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documentation; and other forms of US Government and contractor support.

The estimated cost for these items is up to $270 million, but of course it is only a fraction of the total sale, which has a likely floor price of around $2 billion. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics in Ft. Worth, TX remains the primary contractor for these items, even though several of them aren’t made by the F-16’s builder. Implementation of this sale will require the assignment of additional US Government or contractor representatives, but that will be negotiated after the initial contract is signed. Sources: DSCA #13-60.

DSCA: accessories for 30 more F-16 ‘Block 61s’

Nov 19/13: More coming? Lockheed Martin is professing “near term” optimism concerning an order for 25-30 more F-16s (25 F-16E, 5 F-16F), but it’s clear there won’t be any kind of announcement at Dubai’s air show. American military sales efforts in the region are being complicated by “Smart Diplomacy’s” habit of alienating allies, but a country’s base of installed equipment has to be a major factor in its procurement decisions. We’ll have to see how all of this plays itself out in the UAE. Sources: UAE’s The National, “Lockheed Martin hoping for F-16 fighter jet deal with UAE” and “Challenges in the Middle East for US defence companies”.

Oct 15/13: Weapons. The US DSCA announces the UAE’s formal export request for a variety of new precision strike weapons to equip its F-16E/F Block 60 fighters. The orders could be worth up to $4 billion, and include…

• 300 AGM-84H SLAM-ER cruise missiles. This Harpoon variant adds IIR terminal guidance to GPS navigation, and extended-range wings that let it hit land and sea targets 250 km away. South Korea’s F-15Ks already deploy it, and the US Navy uses its AGM-88K successor, which they consider to be their most accurate strike weapon.
  
• 40 CATM-84H Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), with seekers but no motor.
  
• 20 ATM-84H SLAM-ER Telemetry Missiles for test shots.
  
• 4 Dummy Air Training Missiles. Sometimes you just need similar weight & form factor.
  
• 30 AWW-13 Data Link pods. Pilots can receive text, data, and photos from various sources, and can also use it to communicate with the SLAM-ER in mid-flight.

• 1,200 AGM-154C Joint Stand Off Weapons (JSOW). This stealthy 2,000 pound glide bomb uses GPS for navigation and IIR guidance for terminal guidance.
  
• 10 JSOW CATM.

• 5,000 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs (SDB). These 250 pound JDAM variants can be carried 4 to a rack. GPS guidance and pop-out wings give them decent range and accuracy, and their design makes them more effective against hard targets than their weight would suggest.
  
• 16 SDB Captive Flight and Load Build trainers.
  
• 8 SDB Guided Test Vehicles for aircraft integration testing.

• Containers, mission planning, integration support and testing, munitions storage security and training, weapon operational flight program software development, transportation, tools and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support.

The principal contractors will be Boeing in St. Louis, MO (SLAM-ER, SDB); and Raytheon in Indianapolis, IN; and Raytheon in Tucson, AZ (JSOW). If contracts are negotiated, they’ll need to negotiate the addition of approximately 2-4 additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. Sources: US DSCA 13-48, Oct 15/13 | US DoD, “Hagel, UAE Crown Prince Discuss Regional Security Issues”.

DSCA: Precision strike weapons request

April 21/13: More coming? During visits to the Middle East, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announces a wide range of approved arms buys for Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. The UAE’s portion includes 25 more F-16E/F fighters, and unspecified “standoff weapons” that are very likely to be Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158 JASSM cruise missiles. Recall that refusal to provide such missiles is what pushed the UAE to create the Mirage 2000-9, and equip it with the Black Shahine derivative of MBDA’s stealthy Storm Shadow competitor.

The potential weapons buy has to be turned into an official request from the UAE, and approved by the US State Department’s DSCA, before they can even begin negotiating a contract. What we can say is that the price will be a lot lower than the “$425 billion” attributed to an unnamed official in the Pentagon’s own release. Dr. Evil, is that you? US DoD.

2007 – 2011

F-16E

Nov 30/11: The US DSCA announces [PDF] the UAE’s official request to buy 4,900 JDAM bombs for up to $304 million, which breaks out as:

• 304 GBU-54 Laser JDAM kits for 500 pound bombs, with 304 DSU-40 Laser Sensors as well as the GPS/INS tail kit
  
• 3,000 GBU-38v1 JDAM GPS/INS kits and BLU-111 500 pound bombs
  
• 1,000 GBU-31v1 JDAM GPS/INS kits and BLU-117 2,000 pound bombs
  
• 600 GBU-31v3 JDAM GPS/INS kits and BLU-109 2,000 pound Hard Target Penetrator bombs
  
• 4 BDU-50C inert bombs
  
• Plus fuzes, weapons integration, munitions trainers, personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, support equipment, and other US government and contractor support.

The weapons are explicitly slated for the UAE’s F-16E/F Block 60 fleet, and are designed to

“help the UAE AF&AD become one of the most capable air forces in the region, thereby serving U.S. interests by deterring regional aggression. These munitions will be used to complement the normal war-readiness reserve stockpile of munitions and provide munitions for routine training requirements.”

DSCA: Weapons

Nov 16/11: What’s up in the UAE? The UAE is either engaged in the mother of all hardball negotiations, or the potential Rafale sale is crashing. Meanwhile, the UAE may be about to cut its planned new jet order and buy more F-16E/F Block 60s, regardless of what happens next. Read “Derailed Denouement in Dubai: What’s Up With the UAE’s Fighter Deal?” for a snapshot.

Sept 22/11: The US DSCA announces [PDF] the UAE’s official request to buy 107 MIDS-LVT/ LINK 16 terminals and associated equipment, parts, training and support. The compact MIDS-LVT assemblies would be installed on its F-16E/F fleet, as well as ground command and control sites, giving its air force a Link-16 network that would help UAE fighters share what they see with each other, and with related forces like American and Saudi AWACS aircraft, similarly-equipped allied fighters, etc.

If a contract is negotiated, it would include the systems, engineering/ integration services, aircraft modification and installation, testing, spare and repair parts, support equipment, repair and return support, personnel training, interface with ground command and control centers and ground repeater sites, and other related elements of program support. The estimated cost is up to $401 million.

The prime contractor is not set; this will be a competition between Data Link Solutions and ViaSat. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives to the UAE, which will be negotiated if a contract is signed and the program proceeds.

DSCA: MIDS/ Link-16

May 25/11: The US DSCA announces [PDF] a formal request from the UAE to buy support and maintenance for both classified and unclassified F-16E/F aircraft systems and munitions, plus spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, support equipment, personnel training and training equipment, ground support, communications equipment, and related forms of U.S. Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $100 million, but the exact price will depend on a contract.

Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. The number and duration will be determined in joint negotiations as the program proceeds through the development, production, and equipment installation phases.

DSCA: Support

April 27/11: Out in India. With existing bids set to expire on April 28/11, India’s MoD reportedly sent letters to Eurofighter GmbH and Dassault, extending the validity of their bids. The net effect of this is that bids from the other 4 contenders will expire on the 28th, removing Lockheed Martin’s F-16IN Block 70, Boeing’s F/A-18E/F, Russia’s MiG-35, and Saab’s JAS-39NG from the competition.

This is significant for the UAE, because they maintain close relations with India, and would have received royalties if the Block 60 derived F-16IN had won a contract. Subsequent analysis indicates that the UAE’s optimization for long-range strike hampered the maneuverability and dogfighting performance that the IAF made its top priority, and there were also concerns about the platform’s ability to continue improving. Read “India’s M-MRCA Fighter Competition” for full coverage.

Loss in India

April 19/11: The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] the UAE’s formal request to buy 218 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, another 18 AIM-9X-2 WGU-51/B Tactical Guidance Units, 40 CATM-9X-2 Captive Air Training Missiles (CATMs) without rocket motors, another 8 CATM-9X-2 WGU-51/B Guidance Units, 8 Dummy Air Training Missiles for loading practice and such, plus containers, support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support.

The AIM-9X isn’t a fit for the Hawks or Mirages, so the F-16E/F fleet is their sole realistic deployment option. The UAE already fits earlier-model Sidewinders to its F-16 fleet, and the DSCA doesn’t believe that they’ll have any difficulty absorbing these newer-model missiles. The estimated cost is up to $251 million, but exact amounts must wait until/if a contract is negotiated with Raytheon Missiles Systems in Tucson, AZ.

DSCA: AIM-9X-2 missiles

Feb 22/11: DB-110. At IDEX 2011, the UAE announces a series of contracts, including an AED 297.3 million (about $81 million) order of DB-110 reconnaissance pods from Goodrich, beating competition from BAE Systems.

DB-110s equip a number of F-16 operators around the world. In the UAE’s neighborhood, they have been ordered by Egypt, Morocco, and Pakistan, and Oman and Saudi Arabia have made formal DSCA requests for them. Janes.

Oct 20/10: Goodbye, Tucson. After roughly a decade of F-16 flight and maintenance training with the Arizona Air National Guard, the UAE wraps up their formal training relationship, and flies 5 of its F-16s home. The other 8 fighters on base are scheduled to fly to the UAE in December, along with the squadron’s UAE-owned support equipment. The UAE will now train its personnel in-country, with its own cadre of instructors.

On the American side, Dutch pilots are due to take the UAE’s place, flying F-16 MLU fighters in a much less crowded and restrictive environment than they would face at home. Code One Magazine.

Emirati and American Airmen gathered on the flightline to bid farewell to five UAE-owned F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons as they took off for home. Eight remaining fighters and additional support equipment are scheduled to depart by December.

Dec 28/09: Supporting a fighter extends far beyond delivery, or even maintenance. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] the UAE’s request to buy enhanced guided bombs to support “the prior sale of the Block 60 F-16s to the UAE.” The request involves Raytheon’s dual-mode “Enhanced Paveway” bomb conversion kits, which can use GPS and laser guidance. This allows them to bomb through sandstorms, fog, and other obscurants that might obstruct a laser, while retaining the option of improved laser accuracy and the ability to hit moving targets once conditions are favorable. Specific order quantities include:

• 400 BLU-109/Bs: 2,000 pound bombs with penetrator warheads
  
• 400 GBU-24V 12/B Enhanced PAVEWAY III kits. Paired with BLU-109/B.
  
• 800 MK-84s: 2000 pound bombs.
  
• 400 GBU-24V 11/B Enhanced PAVEWAY III kits. Paired with Mk 84 bombs.
  
• 400 GBU-50V 1/B Enhanced PAVEWAY II kits. Paired with Mk 84 bombs, also referred to as EGBU-10 sometimes.
  
• 400 MK-82s: 500 pound bombs.
  
• 400 GBU-49V 3/B Enhanced PAVEWAY II kits. Paired with Mk 82s; 3/B variant uses non-NATO laser guidance codes.

The estimated cost is $290 million, and the principal contractors are the Raytheon Corporation of Waltham, MA, and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant of McAlester, OK. If Congress doesn’t block the sale, and a contract is signed later, the deal could also include containers, bomb components, mission planning software, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and U.S. Government and contractor support. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to the UAE. The number of U.S. Government and contractor representatives required in UAE to support the program will be determined in joint negotiations as the program proceeds through the development, production, and equipment installation phase.

DSCA: weapons

Aug 22/09: Training. UAE pilots and maintainers begin their first-ever trip to the multinational Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, NV, which lasts until Sept 5/09. They will be flying F-16E/F Block 60 fighters from the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing, 148th Fighter Squadron, at Tucson International Airport.

The 148th trains Emirati pilots, which is why some of the UAE’s Desert Falcons are based there. They currently have 9 future pilots in their course. USAF release.

March 10/09: Radar. Aviation Week’s “AESA Radars Are A Highlight of Aero-India” discusses the AN/APG-80 radar’s performance to date with the UAE:

“The proposed F-16IN for India is similar to the E/F and can accept the APG-80, which needs more power and cooling than RACR or SABR, and is lower risk. Northrop Grumman says no APG-80 antennas have had to be repaired, in normal use, since tests started over four years ago. “The antenna will outlast the airframe,” the company says. “A few modules might fail over its lifetime, but they won’t affect performance enough to make it worth unsealing the radome and replacing them.”

Feb 22/09: A Raytheon official confirms that the UAE and the U.S. government have executed a letter of offer and acceptance for 224 AIM-120C7 AMRAAM missiles, to equip the UAE’s F-16E/Fs.

Terms were not disclosed, but the number matches the DSCA sale request of Jan 3/08. Reuters

Oct 1/08: Brazil has decided on the 3 finalists for its F-X2 fighter competition: Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Aviation’s Rafale, and Saab/BAE’s JAS-39 Gripen. EADS’ Eurofighter, Lockheed Martin’s F-16BR Block 60+, and Sukhoi’s SU-35 all failed to make the cut. Brazilian FAB release [Portuguese] | Reuters | Boeing release | Gripen International release.

Loss in Brazil

AIM-120C

Jan 3/08: Weapons. The US DSCA announces [PDF] the UAE’s official request for a variety of weapons to equip its F-16 E/F Block 60 Desert Falcon fleet, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $326 million.

The principal contractors are the Raytheon Corporation in Waltham, MA (AIM-120, Paveways); Boeing Corporation in St Louis, MO (JDAMs); and McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, OK. Equipment requested includes:

• 224 AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The C7 is the most recent version in production, but the AIM-120D model just entering service is more advanced.
  
• 224 Mk84 2,000 pound General-Purpose Bombs
  
• 200 GBU-31 tail kits for JDAM GPS-guided bombs. These will fit on the Mk84s.
  
• 450 GBU-24 PAVEWAY III dual laser/GPS guidance kits on Mk84 2,000 pound bombs
  
• 488 GBU-12 PAVEWAY II laser guidance kits on Mk82 500 pound bombs
  
• 1 M61A 20mm Vulcan Cannon with Ammunition Handling System
  
• Plus containers, bomb components, spare/repair parts, publications, documentation, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements.

Normally, General Dynamics ATP would also be included as a contractor, given the requests for Mk84s and the M61A cannon. The DSCA did not include them, but did say this:

“This proposed sale supports the prior sale of the Block 60 F-16s to the UAE… Several U.S. Air Force pilots and maintenance Extended Training Service Specialists already in the UAE are expected to remain for the next five years and will be able to support this potential sale.”

DSCA: Weapons

1998 – 2007

Allah Bless Texas!
(click to view full)

June 19/07: Support MoU. Lockheed Martin and Mubadala Development Company (MDC) of the Government of Abu Dhabi signed a memorandum of understanding today to expand their strategic relationship and jointly explore opportunities for military aircraft sustainment, maintenance, repair and overhaul, engineering and technical support in the UAE. Together, Mubadala and Lockheed Martin have identified various military aircraft airframes and engines as a part of a joint MRO business agreement.

A regional support center will be established, and Lockheed Martin will also explore participating with Mubadala in its other aerospace development activity with particular attention to research and development. Mubadala Development Company is a wholly owned investment vehicle of the Government of Abu Dhabi, one of the 7 Emirates in the UAE and the home of most of the country’s fighter fleet. MDC’s mandate is to generate sustainable economic benefits through the development of business ventures related to a wide range of sectors including aerospace and aviation in partnership with local, regional and international investors. Lockheed Martin release.

June 18/07: The US DSCA announces the UAE’s request for:

“United States pilot proficiency training programs and munitions, services and support for F-16 aircraft which includes: 105,000 20mm cartridges, aircraft modifications kits, maintenance, participation in joint training Continental United States (CONUS) pilot proficiency training program, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals training, F-5B transition and continuation training, fighter follow-on preparation training, participation in joint training exercises, fuel and fueling services, supply support, flight training, spare/repair parts, support equipment, program support, publications, documentation, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services and other related program requirements necessary to sustain a long-term CONUS (CONtinental US) training program.”

Training would take place at Alliance International Airport in Fort Worth, Texas, with the Alliance Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Worth, TX and Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training and Support also at Fort Worth, TX as the main contractors. If all options are exercised, the agreement could be worth up to $201 million. The Netherlands and Singapore have moved to set up their F-16 pilot training programs in the USA, which offers a lot more space to fly in and combat-seasoned pilots as trainers; this would represent a similar service. This course will go from fighter fundamentals training to a “capstone” course that takes experienced pilots and significantly improves their tactical proficiency.

Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals in Texas is a precursor to F-16 Block 60-transition training, which UAE pilots will receive in Tucson, AZ.

DSCA: Training

July 18/06: A good “slice of life” release for the F-16 program generally can be found in this Lockheed Martin release:

“Most recently – in April – Lockheed Martin achieved a significant production milestone with the delivery of its 4,300th F-16 aircraft that is now in service for Oman, which purchased 12 Advanced Block 50 F-16s in the Peace A’sama A’safiyah (Clear Skies) Program. Clear Skies is a U.S. Government Foreign Military Sales program. The Omani F-16s are just one of six F-16 aircraft programs now in production at the Fort Worth facility. Lockheed Martin is currently producing F-16 aircraft for Chile, Israel, Oman, Poland and the UAE. Greece has also recently placed an order for 30 F-16 aircraft planned for delivery in 2009.”

May 3/05: Delivery. The UAE celebrates the arrival of its first Lockheed Martin F-16E/F aircraft. The first “Desert Falcon” F-16s to be based in the UAE were received by the Crown Prince, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Lockheed Martin release.

1st delivery

Dec 6/03: 1st flight. The F-16F Block 60 completes its first flight successfully.

Aug 27/03: Radar. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Electronic Systems sector announces delivery of the first AN/APG-80 agile beam AESA radar to Lockheed Martin Corporation for the new F-16 block 60.

Following formal radar acceptance tests in mid-July 2003, the radar was delivered to Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics Company facility in Fort Worth, TX. The radar will be installed in the first F-16 Block 60 airframe by the end of September. First flight of this aircraft is scheduled for late November 2003. Testing of additional software modes will continue into 2004, using test radars on board the company’s BAC 1-11 test bed aircraft in Baltimore.

July 18/2000: Training. Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems in Akron, OH announces an award from the UAE for an F-16 Block 60 Training System valued at $50 million over 7 years. The WST will serve as the primary training device for the combat-ready pilot to achieve front seat training goals and the ULT shall be the primary training device at the squadron level. This group also produces the U.S. Air Force’s F-16 Mission Training Center, and the Israeli Air Force’s F-15I/AUP Flight and System Trainer.

The UAE’s F-16 Training System, which will include Unit Level and Weapon Systems Trainers, will incorporate many features of the U.S. Air Force F-16 Mission Training Center, also in development by Lockheed Martin in Akron. A demonstration of the Brief/Debrief Station (B/DS) and its unique mission-recording feature was a key element in the win. Weapon Systems Trainers will include a dome-type visual system and the Unit Level Trainers will each have a 150-by-40-degree out-the-window visual system. The Training System’s components will interface via local and long-haul networks, and will interface with UAE’s existing Mirage 2000-9 training systems.

Lockheed Martin NE&SS-Akron will supply a mission observation center, support integration between the F-16 and UAE’s Mirage 2000-9 training systems, and provide performance evaluation, mission scenario engagement, post-mission review and accounting, and a training management information system. Lockheed Martin Information Systems in Orlando, FL, Lockheed Martin Systems Support & Training Services in Cherry Hill, NJ, and French visual system supplier SOGITEC Industries SA will join Lockheed Martin NE&SS-Akron on the 7-year program under subcontract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX.

March 5/2000: Officials of the UAE and Lockheed Martin announce contractual agreements for 80 F-16 E/F aircraft and associated equipment for an estimated $6.4 billion. The aircraft will be produced by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company of Fort Worth, TX. The firm’s release states that:

“The contract solidifies the U.A.E.’s May 1998 selection of the F-16 after a long and thorough process in which the Block 60 aircraft was evaluated against other advanced fighters including the Eurofighter Typhoon, France’s Rafale and Boeing’s F-15E.”

80 F-16E/F Block-60s

Nov 29/98: FlugRevue:

“Matra BAe Dynamics has signed a major contract to supply Mica air-to-air missiles and Black Shahine air-to-ground missiles to the UAE, the Lagardère group said on November 24. The contract was estimated to be worth 12 billion francs ($2.09 billion). Confirmation of the missiles purchase follows last week’s signing of a contract for 30 new Mirage 2000-9 built by Dassault Aviation. The UAE purchase marks the first export sale of the infra-red model of the Mica, which complements an electromagnetic version which Abu Dhabi is also buying. The long-range strike missile, known by its Arabic name Black Shahine, is based on the Apache and Scalp EG stand-off weapon being built for France and the Storm Shadow which will equip Britain’s Royal Air Force.”

The USA’s refusal to let the UAE mount these missiles on F-16E/F fighters would become a source of controversy.

Additional Readings Background: F-16E/F Desert Falcon & Ancillaries

• F-16.NET – F-16E/F Block 60

• Lockheed Martin – F-16 Fighting Falcon

• Lockheed Martin Code One Magazine, via WayBack (Q3 2003) – UAE Air Force/F-16 Block 60

• Lockheed Martin, via WayBack – F-16 UAE Training System. See also July 18/2000 entry, above.

• Maxwell AFB Air Chronicles PIREP by Capt Gilles Van Nederveen USAF, via WayBack (Fall 2000) – The F-16 Block 60: A High-Tech Aircraft for a Volatile Region

• GE – Model F110-GE-132 Enhanced Fighter Engine

• Northrop Grumman – AN/APG-80 (F-16)

• Northrop Grumman – AN/AAQ-32 Internal FLIR Targeting System (IFTS)

• Northrop Grumman – Falcon Edge Integrated Electronic Warfare Suite (IEWS)

• DID – New Options: Denel & Tawazun’s Precision Weapons Partnership. The Al-Tariq GPS-guided glide bomb. It has been integrated with the Mirage 2000-9 so far, but it’s unlikely to stop there.

News & Views

• UAE’s The National, via WayBack (Sept 29/09) – UAE wants its fighters its own way. In this case, Rafales with uprated engines to 20,000 pounds thrust each, an AESA radar, and integration with MBDA’s Meteor long-range missile. The article also reveals the licensing-for-exports deals associated with the UAE’s funded modifications to the Mirage 2000 and F-16 platforms, which made several hundred million dollars in the Mirage’s case. The deal would pay out if other countries buy a version of the F-16E/F, but Lockheed Martin’s 2012 introduction of a different F-16V upgrade design makes F-16E/F royalties less likely.

• Flight International, via WayBack (Nov 11/07) – Dubai 2007: UAE shows off its most advanced Falcons

• Lockheed Martin Code One Magazine, via WayBack (Q2 2000) – UAE Signs Agreement For Block 60 F-16 Desert Falcon

• Lockheed Martin – F-16IN Super Viper. F-16E/F derivative, competing for India’s order against the Boeing F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet, Dassault’s Rafale, EADS Eurofighter, Russia’s MiG-35, and Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen NG. They eventually introduced the F-16V as a global offering, which may have enough changes in it to sidestep the UAE deal’s provisions re: export royalties.

Americas

• Thales Defense and Security is being tapped to support worldwide aircraft deployment by the US military. The awarded firm-fixed-price contract provides for up to 29 Deployable-Instrument Landing System (D-ILS) production units and has a value of $12.2 million. The highly mobile D-ILS units will be used in airfield environments to precisely guide pilots on their final approach during low-visibility or low-ceiling weather conditions. The Thales D-ILS essentially provides the equivalent of fixed-based Instrument Landing System capability at tactical airfields and environmentally diverse regions such as sites hit by natural disasters. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $126 million. Work will be performed in Clarksburg, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by July, 2023.

• The US Army is looking for work in support of its Waveform Development Environment Ecosystem. Thales Defense & Security, Rockwell Collins, Northrop Grumman, Harris Corp and General Dynamics are set to compete for each order of the hybrid contract valued at $249 million. Waveform Development Environment Ecosystem is the US Army’s multi-year program to facilitate the rapid development and production of software-defined radio waveforms. This technology is needed to provide troops with the ability to securely send and access large amounts of encrypted data simultaneously. Part of this ecosystem is Joint Tactical Radio System (JSTARS) or Rifleman radio. The Rifleman radio can create self-forming, ad hoc, voice and data networks. What’s even more significant is that they also enable any leader at the tactical level to track the position of individual soldiers who are also using the radio. That’s a big deal in urban environments, which can force a squad or platoon to split up. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 12, 2023.

• Lockheed Martin is being awarded a modification in support of the Navy’s LCS program. The un-definitized contract action modification has a value of $450.7 million and provides for long-lead-time material and detail design in support of the construction of four Multi Mission Surface Combatant ships. Lockheed Martin MMSC (Multi-Mission Surface Combatant) is a derivative of the US Navy’s Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship. The MMSC platform can be configured with a variety of sensors and weapons based on operational requirements of the naval customer. It also allows for interoperability with the US Navy and allied naval forces in joint operations. Its mission capabilities include anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, mine warfare, electronic warfare, and special operations. This modification brings the total cumulative face value to over $1 billion. The contract also includes a $225.3 million US foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Work will be performed at multiple locations inside and outside the continental US. They include Crozet, Virginia; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Baltimore, Maryland and the UK. Production is expected to be completed by October 2025.

Middle East & Africa

• Jane’s reports that Saudi Arabia is purchasing five new corvettes with a price tag of $2.1 billion. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been negotiating the deal since 2015, with the last vessel expected to be delivered in 2022. The contract will involve around seven million hours of work at the company’s shipyards in Bahía de Cádiz, Ría de Ferrol and Cartagena. According to the data from Navantia, the ships will be based on the Avante 2200 design. The total displacement of these corvettes is over 2,500 tons, the length of the hull is 98.9 m. The two diesel power plants will provide a speed of up to 25 knots. The crew will consist of 92 sailors. The ships will be armed Harpoon anti-ship missiles, ESSM surface to air missiles, a Super Rapid naval gun built by Leonardo, a CIWS system, torpedo launchers and remote weapon stations. The multi-purpose vessel is especially designed for surveillance and maritime traffic control missions, search and rescue missions and assistance to other ships, among others. In addition, the vessels will provide an important capacity for defense of strategic assets, intelligence gathering and anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, anti-surface and electronic warfare missions.

Europe

• Leonardo and General Atomics will jointly work on integrating Leonardo’s SAGE electronic warfare surveillance system onto the MQ-9B UAS. SAGE analyses the electromagnetic spectrum across the Land, Sea and Air domains in order to map the source of active emissions. Using highly accurate Direction Finding (DF) antennas, SAGE builds target locations and provides situational awareness, advance warning of threats and the ability to cue other sensors. The sensor with a 360° radar-warning-receiver capability allows to identify the location and parametric data of specific RF emitters from a single platform, thus enhancing the tactical electronic intelligence picture and situational awareness. SAGE is already in service with the South Korean Navy, Brazilian Navy and Indonesian Air Force. The two companies plan to integrate SAGE into the MQ-9B airframe without the need for external pods. First orders will be possible as soon as 2019.

• Swedish defense contractor Saab is unveiling its next generation RBS15 Gungnir anti-ship missile system. The RBS15 missile family is optimized for the littoral environment. According to the company the Gungnir will be offered in both air-launched and surface-launched configurations, a highly advanced target seeker and a range of more than 186 miles. The system is backwards compatible to that it can easily be integrated with the Mk3 system. RBS-15 fire-and-forget missiles grew out of Sweden’s need for missiles that excelled in littoral warfare situations like Sweden’s fractured coastlines and innumerable bays. They have a longer reach and heavier punch than counterparts like the Harpoon. The option to engage targets from the air, as well as from land and sea gives the ability to perform coordinated attacks, with multiple missiles, against a wide range of naval and land-based targets thereby increasing mission flexibility and success. The RBS15 Mk4 development and production program started in March 2017. One month later a first order with a value of $362 million was placed, with deliveries to take place from 2017 to 2026.

Asia-Pacific

• The government of Taiwan is set to receive support for its fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft as part of a US foreign military sale. URS Federal Services will provide a maintenance and supply support to meet all of the 21st Fighter Squadron mission objectives under this firm-fixed task order valued at $7.3 million. Taiwan is currently in the middle of a modernization program that seeks to improve the island’s ability to control the sea and deny enemies to take that control. The ultimate issue for Taiwan is one of numbers. In the air, quantity has a quality all its own. The current fighter jet availability is quite low with just 74 out of 146 F-16s considered to be operational. This task order provides safe, efficient and effective maintenance for sortie production of Taiwan’s 14 Block 20 F-16 aircraft for the Taiwan Air Force. Work will be performed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by end of July, 2019.

• The government of Japan is in dire need to replace its ageing fleet of F-2 fighters. The country is currently searching for a Japan-led international collaborative development for a new fighter jet. Lockheed Martin already issued a development proposal that is a big favorite. The company would build a high-performance stealth machine integrating F-35 electronics onto a F-22 platform. However, the plane will be more expensive than initially thought thus raising concerns to the program’s cost effectiveness. Lockheed estimates the initial price tag to be around $177 million per plane, essentially making it more expensive than the F-35. Japan will start retiring its fleet of 90 F-2s by 2030. Development of a new plane takes about 10-years therefore the Ministry of Defense intends to specify any concrete development policy by the end of the year.

Today’s Video

• Watch: Torpedoes and anti-ship missiles sink ship during RIMPAC 2018

Despite China’s ominous military buildup across the strait, key weapons sales of P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, Patriot PAC-3 missiles, and diesel-electric submarines to Taiwan had been sabotaged by Taiwanese politics for years – in some cases, since 1997. The KMT party’s flip-flops and determined stalling tactics eventually created a crisis in US-Taiwan relations, which finally soured to the point that the USA refused a Taiwanese request for F-16C/D aircraft.

That seems to have brought things to a head. Most of the budget and political issues were eventually sorted out, and after a long delay, some major elements of Taiwan’s requested modernization program appear to be moving forward: P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, UH-60M helicopters, Patriot missile upgrades; and requests for AH-64D attack helicopters, E-2 Hawkeye AWACS planes, minehunting ships, and missiles for defense against aircraft, ships, and tanks. These are must-have capabilities when facing a Chinese government that has vowed to take the country by force, and which is building an extensive submarine fleet, a large array of ballistic missiles, an upgraded fighter fleet, and a number of amphibious-capable divisions. Chinese pressure continues to stall some of Taiwan’s most important upgrades, including diesel-electric submarines, and new American fighter jets. Meanwhile, other purchases from abroad continue.

Tracking the Programs: Patient Progress & Stalled Sales

Fortunately for Taiwan, there is movement beyond the stalled backwaters of F-16 and submarine sales. Can a combination of foreign weapon sales approvals and domestic efforts break Taiwan’s defense equipment logjam? Can the broader US-Taiwan defense relationship be saved, or is it eroding fatally?

Those are questions for the future. This Spotlight article will focus on the here-and-now instead, chronicling key developments and purchases as they arise.

Aerial Acquisitions

In the modern era, control of the air is the first requirement of effective defense. For an island country, control of the sea, or the ability to deny that control to enemies is equally strategic. Taiwan’s key modernization efforts in both areas remain troubled, which impairs the amount of real deterrence, and security, their military modernization can bring them.

ROCAF Mirage 2000-5
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The ultimate issue for Taiwan is one of numbers. In the air, quantity has a quality all its own. Taiwan expects to retire its F-5 and Mirage 2000v5 fighters by 2020. The ROCAF is moving to modernize its old F-16 fighters, but any fighter has a fixed airframe life, measured in flight hours. Modernization is a medium term solution, not a long term one, and does nothing to address the growing numeric imbalance across the strait. Even as US military studies suggest that the USAF and US Navy will find it more and more difficult to fly fighter reinforcements to Taiwan, and keep them in its airspace.

With 24 ROCAF F-16 fighters out of service for upgrades at any point, 16 in the USA for training at Luke AFB, and 30% of the remaining machines (32) unavailable for other maintenance, Taiwan’s fleet of 146 F-16s shrinks to about 74 F-16s in operational service. If equivalent rates hold true for the 71 locally built and upgraded F-CK-1C/Ds, that means about 50 operational Hsiung Ying fighters, for a total available fighter fleet of just 124 machines. Most of which will be 1980s level technology.

Consistent reports indicate that the USA has asked Taiwan to hold off on their request to add 66 new F-16s, in order to avoid a direct “no.” Reports suggest that a strong lobbying effort from China is dooming that effort, even as the PLAAF continues to add aircraft like the 4+ generation J-10, and equally advanced long-range SU-27 family fighters to its arsenal.

The Obama administration confirmed that perception in September 2011, when it opted to approve ROCAF F-16 fleet upgrades, rather than new F-16C/D Block 52 sales. They attempted to thread the needle by offering more advanced technology than the equipment in F-16 Block 52s, which have been sold to countries like China’s ally, Pakistan. The question is whether this is actually a worst-of-all-possible worlds outcome: showing weakness abroad on Taiwan, failing to extend the F-16 production line and American jobs at home, and offering cutting-edge technology that risks falling into the hands of Chinese intelligence.

The USA is also selling Taiwan the newest version of its attack helicopter, the AH-64E Apache Guardian. Its Longbow radar mast allows it to use radar guided, fire and forget missiles, and it also carries Stinger missiles for defense against enemy aircraft. Engine and communications upgrades, including the ability to control UAVs remotely, round out that package. The 30 Apaches would serve alongside Taiwan’s 60+ AH-1W Cobra attack helicopters, as a rapid reaction force able to counterattack beachheads and exploit the hilly island’s natural chokepoints.

Sea Control

At sea, the situation is simultaneously less overtly perilous, and less hopeful. China’s navy is certainly growing, but is not yet overwhelming. The problem is that without air superiority as cover, no Taiwanese surface navy can expect to survive, in order to maintain control of the seas around Taiwan. Britain faced the same equation in World War 2, and prevailed by winning in the air.

ROC Seadragon sub
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If that isn’t possible, a good submarine force is the classic military solution. Submarines are capable of either destroying efforts to cross the strait, or strangling Chinese trade as it moves through Southeast Asia’s key choke points. Modern missiles give them vastly longer offensive reach, and modern submarines are very difficult to find and target once they put to sea. For a nation like Taiwan, they’re the ultimate conventional deterrent against invasion.

Taiwan’s comprehensive failure to field this trump card stems even more directly from Chinese pressure. The USA approved a sale request in 2001, but they haven’t produced conventionally-powered subs for many decades, and don’t want to be the supplier. Without that option on tap, Chinese diplomacy has utterly strangled Taiwan’s efforts to find a party who is (a) able to make diesel-electric subs; and (b) is willing to sell them to Taiwan. The Republic of China currently relies on 2 submarines that are too old for anything but training missions, and 2 Hai Lung (Sea Dragon) class submarines. The Hai Lungs were ordered from the Dutch firm Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (RDM) in 1981, as a derivative of their Zwaardvis (Swordfish) class. A follow-on order for 4 more submarines was blocked by the Dutch government in 1992 thanks to Chinese pressure, and RDM went out of business a few years later.

Since then, Taiwan has explored a number of alternatives to obtain diesel-electric submarines, without success. They are even reportedly considering building their own boats from foreign designs. Australia’s experience suggests that this course may be fraught with peril, and Taiwan has a number of technology gaps to address: ship design technology, torpedoes, sonar, propulsion systems, combat systems, and submarine periscope lenses. On the other hand, if the alternative is no submarines at all, and submarines are one of your most critical national defense needs, the perils of caution may outweigh the risks of inexperience. Taiwan seems determined to face the peril, and a report is expected by June 2014.

Land Defense

CM11 tank
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Land defense improvements currently center on portable missiles, mobility, and massed counterattack against amphibious or paradropped beach-heads. The missiles provide dispersed, hard-to-target defenses against enemy aircraft and armored vehicles. Helicopter mobility allows rapid response to enemy airdrops or pre-positioned guerrilla units. Massed counterattack means the heavy armor of tanks, which remain the most important and element for crushing enemy beach-heads.

Taiwan’s situation with respect to tanks isn’t very good. The Republic of China Army currently fields about 480 M60A3 tanks acquired in the 1990s, but the M60 first entered US service in 1960, and the A3 version entered US service in the late 1970s. They’re joined by 450 much older CM11s (modified M48H 105mm turrets with improved fire control, mated to M60 hulls), and 300 of the M-48 medium tanks whose base design dates back to the 1950s: 50 M48A3s, and 250 CM12s (modified CM11 turrets mated to M48A3 hulls).

Contracts & Key Events

Patriot Radar
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This article focuses on foreign imports, and the vast majority come from the USA. The US DSCA references to “the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States” are diplo-speak for “Taiwan” or “Republic of China”. DID uses the conventional term instead. Note that DSCA requests are not contracts; those are separate announcements, and sometimes years pass between the two events. Having said this, a DSCA request does open the door to contracts as permitted weapons exports through the Foreign Military Sales process, unless Congress moves to block the proposed sale within 30 days.

Note that upgrades to the ROCAF’s locally-designed and built F-CK-1 fighters are covered in a separate article, as an Indigenous Taiwanese program that sits outside this article’s scope.

2014 – 2018

 

FFG 7

July 18/18: US FMS The government of Taiwan is set to receive support for its fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft as part of a US foreign military sale. URS Federal Services will provide a maintenance and supply support to meet all of the 21st Fighter Squadron mission objectives under this firm-fixed task order valued at $7.3 million. Taiwan is currently in the middle of a modernization program that seeks to improve the island’s ability to control the sea and deny enemies to take that control. The ultimate issue for Taiwan is one of numbers. In the air, quantity has a quality all its own. The current fighter jet availability is quite low with just 74 out of 146 F-16s considered to be operational. This task order provides safe, efficient and effective maintenance for sortie production of Taiwan’s 14 Block 20 F-16 aircraft for the Taiwan Air Force. Work will be performed at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by end of July, 2019.

December 29/17: Ground Tests-F-16V USAF test pilots are in Taiwan as part of ground testing of Republic of China Air Force (RCAF) F-16V Viper fighter aircraft modernized by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp (AIDC). Four models have currently been upgraded to the V standard from their original A/B configuration, with improvements to include new mission computers, navigation equipment, large color multifunction displays, Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (AIFF) transponders, updated electronic warfare suite, and the Link-16 tactical data link, as well as an AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR). Flight testing is to take place in 2018. Also expected next year, are deliveries of AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, which have an improved seeker head capable of high off-boresight cueing via a helmet mounted display, and are more maneuverable and have more range than existing air-to-air missiles currently in Taipei’s arsenal.

September 05/17: Taiwan has completed integration of the AN/ALQ-131 pods with Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology on its F-16s. The electronic warfare pods are part of a series of upgrades to bring its fleet of F-16A/B aircraft up to the V-model standard, improving the fighters’ air-to-air and air-to-ground surveillance capabilities and combat capability to meet the needs of advanced warfare. However, while Taipei had initially planned to acquire 42 pods from the US at a cost of $160 million, rising development costs had eaten up the budget and Taiwan could only afford to buy 12 pods.

April 11/17: Taiwan is in need of five types of submarine technology for their domestic submarine program, according to local defense analysts. Modern torpedo tubes and periscopes are believed to be some of the tech missing by Taipei, as well as the possible need for air-independent propulsion technology or an equivalent to allow the submarine to be practically silent when operating in a submerged environment. The government has allocated spending of $94.81 million for the program’s design phase, due to run until December 2020, and have already dispatched delegations to find foreign suppliers of the technology it requires. While several nations have established submarine programs, most may shy away from selling such tech to Taiwan for fear of upsetting relations with China.

January 18/17: Taiwan’s military has laid out a timeline for their indigenous advanced jet trainer program, with the aircraft slated to make its flying debut in June 2020. State-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) is currently on a hiring spree, looking to recruit additional engineers in order to get blueprints completed by the middle of this year. Taipei expects to have a working prototype rolled out by September 2019 and into production by 2021. AIDC has also begun work on the Republic of China Air Force’s F-16V upgrade program. Under the Phoenix Rising Project, the team will upgrade Taiwan’s F-16A/B fleet by 2023.

September 2/16: Sikorsky is to produce and deliver 24 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to Taiwan. The $135 million sale will see the aircraft uniquely configured for the Taiwanese government with delivery by October 2018. This follows a recent $158 million contract modification to produce 14 more Black Hawks for the US Army.

April 20/16: Taiwan is currently embarking on a project to develop its own indigenous fighter engine. Work is being undertaken by the country’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) and is seen as part of the incoming Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) push to prioritize Taiwan’s defense industry. The engines are being developed for locally produced jets such as the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF) and AT-3 trainers. While about 90% of the IDF and AT-3 are produced in Taiwan, some key technologies such as its engine is built in cooperation with foreign companies before the plane is assembled domestically.

March 3/16: Taiwan’s new government is keen on developing their own indigenous jet trainer aircraft to replace its AT-3s. The military fears however, that the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) lacks the skills necessary for the development, alongside Taiwan’s inability to manufacture its own engines. The military may instead prefer the acquisition of the Alenia Aermacchi M346, with the AIDC participating in a 20% workshare of the project.

July 21/15: Lockheed Martin and Alenia Aermacchi have both responded to a Request for Information for Taiwan’s advanced jet trainer, according to Taiwanese media [Chinese]. The US company is expected to offer the T-50 Golden Eagle aircraft, in conjunction with South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), whilst the Italian firm will likely push the M-346 AJT. Taiwan’s defense ministry is expected to make a decision regarding the purchase of new trainers to replace the current fleet of F-5E/F and AT-3 aircraft next year, with the winning aircraft design likely to be assembled in Taiwan by Aerospace Industrial Development Corp.

Dec 09/14: Frigates. Taiwan has a NT$5.5 billion ($176M) budget approved and ready to acquire 2 Perry-class frigates whose sale is well on its way to finally be approved by the US, after years of stalling (q.v. Sept 10/14). The US Senate approved S. 1683 on December 4, and since a similar bill (HR. 3470) had already been passed by the House in April, a reconciled law should be on the President’s desk soon.

China is not happy, but they’re making a lot of fuss for 2-4 weaponless ships that the US Navy gave up upgrading and Australia found tough to modernize.

Sources: Reuters: “Taiwan says to buy two U.S. frigates despite China anger” | Xinhua: “China firmly opposes US arms sale to Taiwan“.

P-3C arrives

Nov 3/14: Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, TX receives a $271.8 million firm-fixed-price modification to install 142 F-16S aircraft upgrade kits. The total cost is, of course, much larger, since the kits must also be bought – which is at least a $1.85 billion proposition (q.v. Oct 1/12). Work will be performed in Taiwan, and is expected to be complete by May 31/22.

This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. The USAF’s Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-12-C-6016, PO 0006).

F-16 upgrade installation

Oct 29/14: UH-60M. A Taiwanese Army official tells a legislative committee that UH-60Ms will begin to arrive soon, with the first 6 to arrive in mid-December 2014, and the rest of the 60 arriving in 6 more batches into 2018. Of the 60 UH-60Ms, 45 will be used by the Army, and the other 15 will be used for disaster relief by the Ministry of the Interior’s National Airborne Service Corps.

In other news, the 2 pilots who crashed their AH-64 onto a city roof are “still undergoing a series of flight tests before they can resume training missions.” Could be a while, guys. On the P-3 front, a flight simulation system has recently become operational in Taiwan to help train people for the sea control plane. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan to take delivery of first batch of Black Hawks in December”.

UH-60 contract schedule

Oct 28/14: Minehunters. Italy’s Intermarine S.p.A. and Lockheed Martin win a contract to support local construction of 6 mine countermeasures vessels (q.v. Sept 5/12), which will be built at a brand-new Ching Fu Shipbuilding facility in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. The ships are expected to be about 52m long and 700t.

Intermarine will build the 1st hull at its shipyard near La Spezia, Italy, but Ching Fu will finish it and build the remaining 5 ships. Lockheed Martin’s role is focused on the combat system. Sources: Intermarine SpA, “Mine Countermeasure Vessels” | Defense News, “New Spanish Frigate Detailed, Deal for Taiwan Minesweepers Announced”.

6 minehunters

Oct 23/14: Jet Trainers. Defense Minister Yen Ming says that Taiwan wants to buy advanced trainers. Right now, the progression out of basic flight training goes from T-34 turboprops, to the AT-3 jet trainer, to the supersonic F-5E/F as a Lead-In Fighter Trainer. The T-34s will remain for now, but the AT-3s and F-5E/Fs would be retired.

The announcement comes right after a dual-crash of AT-3 jet trainers during a routine aerobatic training mission in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. Lt. Col. Chuang Pei-yuan was killed.

The question is which trainer will be available to Taiwan, given the likelihood of Chinese counter-pressure. The big 4 are Britain’s Hawks, Italy’s M-346 Master, Korea Aerospace/ Lockheed’s supersonic T-50 Golden Eagle family, and Russia’s Yak-130. Beyond, Czech firm Aero is releasing new L-159T and L-169 trainers, which can perform the same air policing and light attack roles as the Hawks, Yaks, and Golden Eagles; and Boeing & Saab are supposedly working on their own jet trainer offering. Since even Boeing & Lockheed have international partners, which of these countries will have the fortitude and willingness to offer them to Taiwan?

On the other hand, if Taiwan moves some of its indigenous F-CK-1 fighters into the F-5F’s LIFT role, their advanced AT-3 trainer replacement options would expand to include Brazil’s Super Tucano, Swiss Pilatus trainers, and Beechcraft’s T-6 family from the USA. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan set to purchase advanced trainers in 2017: defense minister”.

Oct 19/14: Submarines. The Taiwanese submarine Hai Hu (Sea Tiger) launches a pair of UGM-84 Harpoon missiles, demonstrating a successful upgrade that vastly increases the submarine’s reach to over 100 nautical miles. Taiwan now employs all 3 types of Harpoon missile, launched from its frigates, F-16s, and submarines. Sources: Agence France Presse, “Taiwan tests submarine-launched missiles: report”.

Subs: Harpoon capability

Oct 19/14: AH-64E. Taiwan receives the last 6 helicopters, completing delivery of the 30 it ordered under the TWD 59.31 billion ($1.95 billion) contract. It now has 29 available for service (q.v. April 25/14). Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan takes final delivery of Apache helicopters”.

A-64Es all delivered

Oct 14/14: PATRIOT. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $595.5 million foreign military sales contract modification, covering FY 2014 production for Kuwait, Taiwan, Qatar, and the UAE. They’re selling 152 PAC-3 cost reduction initiative missiles, 15 PAC-3 launcher modification kits, and the associated ground equipment, tooling, and initial spares. $543 million is committed immediately.

The PAC-3 CRI missile was used as the base for the PAC-3 MSE missile, but the MSE missile also added a number of new technologies, and changed the missile’s structure. In contrast, PAC-3 CRI missiles offer PAC-3 performance at a slightly lower cost.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Lufkin, and El Paso, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; Huntsville, AL; and Anaheim, CA; and will continue until May 31/16. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-14-C-0034, PO 0008).

PAC-3 missiles: Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, UAE

Sept 10/14: Frigates. Taiwan won’t get its 2 Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates (q.v. Aug 5/10, April 22/12, Nov 13/13) on schedule, because the US Senate can’t be bothered to authorize the sale. That will keep 2 aging Know Class frigates in continued service until 2016. The Chinese-language United Daily News reported Tuesday that the frigates were expected to be delivered in 2016, under a project budgeted at NTD 5.56 billion ($185.42 million) in total.

Note that the frigates being decommissioned by the USA had all major weapons removed long ago, making them essentially large Coast Guard cutters with sonar and torpedoes. Source: Taiwan’s Want China Times, “Delivery of US Perry-class frigates to Taiwan could be delayed”.

Sept 10/14: Submarines. US CNO Admiral Jonathan Greenert confirmed that he had a conversation with Taiwanese officials during a recent visit, covering the sale or provision of submarines to Taiwan. Neither he nor the Taiwanese would talk about the content of that conversation.

The best case scenario would involve the USA transferring a few key technologies like periscope lenses, torpedoes, and combat systems, albeit at technology levels that don’t surpass what they believe China to have. That way, stolen technologies wouldn’t matter. The worst case scenario is that the issue was discussed, and Greenert explained why no help is likely.

The event was held by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and focused on the US’s Asia Pacific rebalancing strategy. Sources: Taiwan’s Want China Times, “US chief of naval operation discusses sub deal with Taiwan”.

Sept 2/14: P-3Cs. Weapons for Taiwan’s P-3Cs become an issue:

“The Chinese-language China Times yesterday cited a recent report by the Control Yuan’s National Audit Office as saying that…. 12 P-3C Orion maritime surveillance aircraft from the US cost US$1.96 billion and are under the operational command of the Air Force 439 Composite Wing unit…. [but] the US disagreed with a plan to have the aircraft carry ordinances, such as mines and depth charges, made by Taiwanese manufacturers.”

Taiwan’s P-3s can carry Harpoon anti-ship missiles, but they really need modern torpedoes in order to engage enemy submarines successfully. Depth charges can be used against submarines, but their limit of 50m handicaps them. Meanwhile, mines would turn them into a potent blocking force if they can survive long enough over the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan has American Mk-46 lightweight torpedoes available for use aboard its destroyers and frigates, but until the P-3s are ready and able to deploy their own torpedoes, CNA News quotes a ROCAF commander who says that submarine contracts from Taiwan’s P-3s would be passed on a nearby ship. If there is one.

Aug 30/14: Tien Kung. Lin Yu-fang of the parliament’s defense committee says that Taiwan plans to spend TWD 74.8 billion (about $2.5 billion) from 2015 – 2024, buying the locally-made Tien Kung 3 (Sky Bow 3) medium range air defense missile system to replace the aging Hawk batteries, and defend the island against aircraft and cruise missiles.

That will make the Tien Kung 3 Taiwan’s lower-tier air defense counterpart to its new PATRIOT missiles, but the country denies that the Tien Kung 3 will be used to equip its 10,500t, American-built Kee Lung (Kidd) Class destroyers. Those ships will continue to rely on Raytheon’s SM-2 missiles for protection. Sources: Defense News, “Taiwan to spend $2.5 billion on anti-missile systems” | Taiwan’s Want China Times, “Taiwan denies Tien Kung missiles to be deployed on destroyers”.

Aug 20/14: AH-64E. Deliveries are a bit delayed. Taiwan is set to take delivery of 6 more AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in late August, which would bring their fleet to 23. This batch was supposed to arrive in May, and the delay is reportedly due to shipping issues. The final batch is now expected in October. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan set to take August delivery of more Apache helicopters”.

Aug 20/14: F-16S: Lockheed Martin announces a successful Critical Design Review for integration of Northrop Grumman’s SABR radar in an F-16 (q.v. July 31/13). The SABR AESA radar will equip Taiwan’s F-16S upgrade, as well as Lockheed Martin’s global F-16V offering. Lockheed Martin is now describing Taiwan as the F-16V’s launch customer. Sources: Lockheed Martin, “F-16V Completes Major Capability Milestone”.

Aug 11-12/14: Fighters, incl. F-35B? Taiwan’s MND reaffirms its continued interest in F-16C/D or better fighters, while openly stating their goal to acquire F-35s at some point:

“Ministry of National Defense spokesman Maj. Gen. Luo Shou-he said Taiwan’s Air Force is ideally looking for aircraft with short-take off and vertical-landing capabilities and acknowledged that “it is our goal to acquire F-35s.” He admitted that it would be nearly impossible to obtain the fighters in the short term, “but we will continue to make effort on this issue.”

That seems to point clearly to F-35Bs, which make excellent sense when facing an opponent with thousands of runway-damaging ballistic missiles. The MND also denied China Times reports that the Mirage 2000-5 fleet was had maintenance issues because the French weren’t cooperating, leading to cannibalization of existing fighters. The MND said the fighters were being well-maintained by the French – the question is how much credence to give that assertion. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan to seek U.S. sales of more advanced fighter jets: official” and “F-16C/D jet fighters still a consideration: Defense Ministry”.

July 15/14: Crash investigation. The AH-64E crash (q.v. April 25/14) is ruled as pilot error:

“The investigation report shows that the primary causes of the accident were the combination factors of human errors and environment,” Maj. Gen. Huang Kuo-ming told reporters.

The environment refers to fast descending clouds, which disoriented the pilots while they were flying at a low altitude. Still, they should have checked the instruments to maintain adequate height. Taiwan has received 18 of their 30 helicopters, though they only have 17 now. Sources: Defense News, “Pilots Blamed for Taiwan Apache Crash”.

June 3/14: Submarines. ROC Ministry of National Defense (MND) Navy Command Headquarters has confirmed that Taiwan will try to replace part of the pressure hull on one of its existing Tench/ Guppy-II Class submarines. The boats were modernized to Guppy II standards in 1949, and transferred to Taiwan without torpedo systems in 1973, for use in anti-submarine training. Once in Taiwan, they were renamed SS-791 Hai Shih (ex-Cutlass) and SS-792 Hai Pao (ex-Tusk). Attempts to restore their torpedo firing capability reportedly failed, leaving them as surveillance and training vessels only.

The first problem is that they’re the world’s oldest serving submarines. While their core diving mechanism is simple and reliable, their continued safety under the compressing water pressure of a dive is a concern. MND has said that China Shipbuilding Corp (CSBC) and the Ship and Ocean Industries Research and Development Center (SOIC) have been appointed to oversee replacement of SS-791 Hai Shih’s lower pressure hull, in an TWD 450 million (about $15 million) program that will take place at a Navy Maintenance Command dry dock. Some old piping may also be replaced.

SS-791’s problem is the entire pressure hull, and its external hull would still be 70 years old after the replacement. A mistake would kill the boat, and even success may not leave Taiwan with an operational training submarine. But perhaps that isn’t the point. This is a good initial step, if the goal is moving CSBC and SOIC toward the capabilities they need to build a design provided by the USA, or to lead a local project to reverse-engineer and build a new submarine. If an unsafe submarine is sacrificed in the process, that may be seen as an acceptable “last hurrah.” Sources: China Post, “Old Taiwanese submarine to get new pressure hull: MND” | Taipei Times 2007, “Feature: World’s longest-serving sub feted” | San Francisco Maritime National Park Association, “Museum documents an operating US, WW II built submarine in Taiwan”.

Crash

April 25/14: Crash. During a training exercise, a Taiwanese AH-64E crash-lands on the roof of a low-rise residential building in Taoyuan county. Guys, that’s not what we were supposed to be training today.

The Helicopter is a complete wreck, but the pilots suffer only minor injuries, and no residents are hurt. Sources: The Daily Mail, “How did they get out alive? Lucky escape for pilots of Apache attack helicopter after it crashes into a housing block in Taiwan” | South China Morning Post, “Two Taiwan pilots injured as Apache chopper crashes into building”.

AH-64E crash

April 10-14/14: Frigates. The US House of Representatives passes HR.3470, a bill authorizing the sale of 4 decommissioned US frigates to Taiwan. It also officially reaffirms US support for the Taiwan Relations Act, which has lately found itself honored mostly in the breach. The bill was passed by voice vote, so there are no exact totals. The next step is consideration by the US Senate, which requires cooperation from Senate Foreign Relations committee chair Bob Menendez [D-NJ].

Success would bypass the State Department’s DSCA and make the USS Taylor [FFG-50], USS Gary [FFG-51], USS Carr [FFG-52], and USS Elrod [FFG-55] available to Taiwan, though Defense Minister Yen Ming has said that Taiwan would only buy 2. Taiwan would also have to add weapons back if they want anti-aircraft or anti-ship capabilities. The frigates have some residual value as anti-submarine platform without that, but Chinese control of the air and prominent use of missile attack craft would give them very short lifespans unless these capabilities are restored in some way. Taiwan was happy for the gesture, while China followed with predictable staged theatrics. Sources: GovTrack on HR 3470 | The Diplomat, “US House Approves Frigate Sale to Taiwan” | Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan planning to buy two warships from U.S.: defense minister” | Reuters, “China angered by latest U.S. arms sale plan for Taiwan” | Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs [in Chinese].

April 5/14: F-16. A CNA report says that the ROCAF will begin the process of upgrading its F-16 fleet in the second half of 2016, after the initial jets that are in the USA for compatibility testing etc. are finished. They don’t have an end date for the conversions yet. Sources: Taiwan’s Want China Times, “Taiwan air force to start upgrading F-16s from 2016”.

April 4/14: Submarines. So, good news?

“Minister of National Defense Yen Ming told a legislative committee that the United States “is willing to help us build the submarines together.”

The question is, what does that actually mean? the US hasn’t disavowed helping Taiwan acquire submarines over the past 8 years, they just haven’t done anything. Sources: Kyodo News International, “Washington agrees to help Taiwan build attack submarines”.

Feb 5/14: P-3s. Despite problems with the flight control systems in some recent deliveries (q.v. Jan 2/14), the ROCAF says that their overall delivery timetable will not be delayed, and could even be ahead of schedule. Sources: FOCUS Taiwan, “U.S. delivery of P-3C aircraft to Taiwan on schedule: military”.

Jan 27/14: F-16s. There are rumors that the USAF will remove the The Combat Avionics Programmed Extension Suite (CAPES) program from the 2015 budget request, in favor of a general F-16 service-life extension program (SLEP). We’ll know more in early March 2014. Taiwan was already complaining about having to pay most of the integration costs for the new configuration, but a USAF pullout would raise prices again. With the economy going soft, that could become a problem.

One option would be to make a troublesome switch from riding the USAF’s coat-tails and adopt the South Korean model for a BAE-led upgrade, which will integrate a different set of avionics that includes Raytheon’s RACR AESA radar instead of Northrop Grumman’s SABR AESA. Unfortunately, South Korea is still in the study phase, so even the ROKAF couldn’t tell Taiwan what’s involved in a switch. Singapore has also formally requested upgrades to its F-16 fleet, but the RSAF doesn’t seem to have decided on their exact configuration either, and their use of Israeli technology in some areas could be hard to duplicate.

Unless NGC strongly believes that Singapore will pick their SABR radar over Raytheon’s RACR, they’re the contractor with the most to lose if Taiwan’s upgrade fails. Can they deploy enough lobbying resources to keep CAPES, and hence their confirmed foothold in F-16 radar replacement? Stay tuned. Sources: Defense News, “F-16 Upgrade Dropped From US Budget Proposal, Sources Say”.

Jan 22/14: AH-64E. The China Post reports:

“The Army Aviation Special Forces Command yesterday said the grounding of the Apaches is set to be lifted in mid-February following the six-day Chinese New Year holiday that runs from Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, once they replace the main transmission boxes. So far, the command has received several batches of new main transmission boxes and has installed them in half of the 12 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters.”

A subsequent report moves that date back a bit. The groundings will be lifted during the week of Feb 10/14. Sources: Taiwan’s China Post, “Army to lift grounding order on Apache helicopters after CNY” | “Grounding order for Apache helicopters to be lifted next week”.

Jan 21/14: Size cuts. Taiwan’s Defence Minister Yen Ming (KMT Party) proposes to cut Taiwan’s military by 20%+, from a current size of 215,000 to 170,000 – 190,000. There doesn’t seem to be a firm plan, only vague statements that cuts would take place across all 3 services, “in stages contingent upon the government’s budgets, the acquisition of new weapons and demographic changes.”

The news report touts it as “the latest sign of warming ties with former rival China”, which would cast this as a foolish move. Before jumping on that, however, we’d refer readers to the demographic reference. There has been a small widening at the very bottom of Taiwan’s population pyramid lately, but the proportion of children aged 0-14 has dropped from a 1990 census of 26.9% to 15.65% in 2010. If you’re trying to recruit a military, that matters. As StrategyPage recently noted:

“Some Taiwanese politicians, desperate to find volunteers for the military have proposed that the descendants of Chinese soldiers who fled to northern Burma and Thailand after the communists won the Chinese Civil War in 1949, be granted Taiwanese citizenship if they join the Taiwanese Army…. Taiwan, like many other nations during the last two decades, is finding that moving from conscription to an all-volunteer military is not easy. For two years now the military has been only able to recruit 30 percent of the soldiers it needs to be all-volunteer by 2014.”

This issue isn’t specific to American equipment, of course, but it will affect those buys. Recruitment shortfalls usually indicate that the high-end of the recruiting pool is suffering the most – exactly the people who will be needed to operate and maintain advanced new equipment. Sources: Channel NewsAsia, “Taiwan to slash armed forces by up to 20 percent” | StrategyPage, “Attrition: Taiwan Wants To Recruit From The Lost Army”.

Jan 2/14: P-3Cs. Taiwan’s 2nd P-3C sea control aircraft arrived on Dec 12/13, but 2 more were still hung up in Guam by a malfunction in the flight control system. P-3C #3 received a fix and arrived on Dec 17/13, but #4 is still waiting in Guam as of this date.

Why the delay? No P-3C supply facility at the military base in Guam, and U.S. personnel on Christmas vacation. At least Taiwan isn’t paying for the repairs; since that’s true, we can also expect corrective action within the refurbishment process. The rest of the 2013 – 2015 delivery schedule remains intact (q.v. Oct 31/13), but Taiwan’s 40 year old fleet of 11 twin-engine S-2T Trackers won’t formally retire until 2017. Focus Taiwan, “Malfunction delays U.S. delivery of P-3C aircraft to Taiwan”.

Jan 2/13: AH-64Es. A 2nd batch of 6 attack helicopters arrives, but none of the new helicopters are cleared for flight yet. Taiwan has checked its own AH-64Es and found no obvious problems, but they’re still waiting for the US Army report that will clarify why the US AH-64E’s main transmission failed in December. Training will take place in simulators until then.

AH-64Es #13-18 will arrive in March 2014, #19-24 will arrive in May 2014, and #25-30 will arrive in July 2014. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan to receive six more Apache choppers Thursday”.

2013

Long-range radar ready; National programs to develop a new fighter and a submarine gain traction; The real American problem with submarines for Taiwan.

AH-64E
click for video

Dec 17/13: AH-64Es. Taiwan’s Army is notified of a main transmission failure in a US Army AH-64E attack helicopter. They respond by grounding all 6 Apache helicopters, pending a full investigation by the U.S. into the cause of the malfunction. Sources: Defense News, “Taiwan Grounds New US-Made Apache Helos Over Malfunction Fears” | Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan to receive six more Apache choppers Thursday”

AH-64Es grounded

Dec 17/13: BMD Radar. Raytheon IDS in Sudbury, MA, has been awarded a $6.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursement contract modification to create a testing environment related to the Taiwan Surveillance Radar program. The TSR is a huge, fixed radar installation based on an improved version of the PAVE PAWS system, used to track ballistic missiles thousands of kilometers away. Taiwan reportedly shares its data with the USA.

The technical term for this contract is “follow-on support string upgrade engineering change proposal.” In English, they’ll create a controlled site-like testing environment in the USA to test modifications, and perform system troubleshooting. You certainly don’t want to use the main radar for that. Work will be performed in Sudbury, MA and is expected to be complete by Nov 8/17. The USAF Life Cycle Management Center/HBNA at Hanscom AFB, MA manages the contract (FA8730-13-C-0003, PO 0005). The same contract was also posted on Dec 13/13.

Dec 9/13: Submarines. Taiwan’s United Daily News reports that defense minister Yen Ming and Navy Command Headquarters chief Adm. Chen Yung-kang are strong supporters of a made-in-Taiwan submarine program. Partisan wrangling over the USA’s request for a NT$ 10 billion “contract design fee” (about $340 million) is generally seen as the key obstacle to progress on the 2001 sale approval, but the report also cites:

“…the U.S. Navy’s reluctance to build diesel-electric submarines at a U.S. shipyard because it fears that Congress would ask it to buy the conventional submarines to save money if an American shipyard had the capability to build such a ship.”

Taiwan’s shipbuilding industry association is scheduled to come up with a comprehensive assessment report by June 2014, and the military is reportedly doing its own due diligence in parallel. This won’t be easy. Taiwan would need to update its ship design technology, and would neither either considerable help or external sources for torpedoes, sonar, propulsion systems, combat systems, and submarine periscope lenses. Sources: FOCUS Taiwan, “Talk of the Day — Taiwan thinking of building its own submarines”.

Nov 13/13: On the list. Submarines remain high on Taiwan’s agenda, but they aren’t the only items. The ROCN will replace 2 of its FF-1052 Knox Class anti-submarine frigates in 2014, using 2 refurbished FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates. The rest may be replaced with local catamaran corvettes that have more of a surface warfare bent. The ROCN also seem to like the new minehunters, as they reportedly want to build some local MCM ships based loosely on their 2 new Ospreys. That’s a smart decision, and feasible for smaller shipyards.

Taiwan’s Marines reportedly want to buy another 48 AAV-7 amphibious personnel carriers, bringing their total fleet to 102 and allowing them to retire their ancient LVTP-5A1s.

The Air Force would like precision strike weapons, but if they’re thinking in terms of JDAM-type weapons, that won’t help them get inside Chinese air defenses. They’ll probably need to use their own weapons for that, and JDAMs are approved for export but the Air Force has delayed the purchase until 2014 or later. The ROCAF plans to go outside the USA entirely for its new jet trainer, but replacements for the AIDC AT-3 Tzu Chung have been canceled before. The last AT-3 was delivered in 1990, but South Korea’s T-50 family is reportedly quite tempting. China has been antagonizing South Korea lately, and a TA-50 sale would also provide Taiwan with a local interceptor and light attack jet. Sources: Defense News, “Taiwan Still Hungry for More US Arms”.

Nov 4/13: AH-64. Taiwan’s first 6 AH-64E attack helicopters have been re-assembled in Taiwan’s Kaohsiung Harbor, after arriving by ship. Four were flown to the Aviation and Special Forces Command in Tainan’s Guiren Township for initial flight testing, and the other 2 will arrive as part of the official ceremony on Nov 7/13. The US reportedly asked Taiwan’s military authorities not to reveal the AH-64E’s cockpit layout or configuration in its public display. If only it were that easy (q.v. Oct 28/13).

The helicopters will become operational in April 2014, with Guiren Air Force Base in Tainan serving as a training and basing focal point. More than 60 Taiwanese pilots and maintenance personnel returned to Taiwan in August 2013, after completed 20 months of training in the USA that will let them act as instructors. Still, there were limits, which echoed circumstances surrounding the delivery of Taiwan’s AH-1W Cobras over a decade ago:

“While Taiwanese pilots and maintenance personnel managed to get a full understanding of the aircraft software and hardware, the pilots were unable to obtain training in certain special flight skills. The Taiwanese trainees were asked to leave the classroom or training site whenever the American instructors were giving lectures on certain critical courses or special flight maneuvers, the officials said.”

They’ll have to figure those out on their own. A 2nd batch of Apache helicopters is scheduled for delivery in late December 2013, and 3 more batches of 6 will complete deliveries by the end of 2014. Sources: Focus Taiwan, “Taiwan takes delivery of first Apache choppers” | Focus Taiwan, “Talk of the Day — AH-64E Apache choppers debut in Taiwan” | Flight International, “Taiwan receives first batch of AH-64E Apaches” | Focus Taiwan, “Apache choppers to bolster Taiwan’s combat capability: expert”.

AH-64Es arrive

Oct 31/13: P-3Cs. President Ma Ying-jeou yesterday touted the P-3’s capabilities, during an official ceremony at Pingtung Air Base. The delivery schedule is supposed to fly in planes #2-4 by the end of 2013, planes #5-9 in 2014, and #10-12 in 2015, when the full P-3 squadron will be commissioned. Taiwan’s aged S-2Ts are scheduled to be decommissioned by 2017. Sources: Taipei Times, “President hails P-3C patrol aircraft”.

Oct 26/13: Espionage. Taiwan’s MND announces that a Major and 12 other officers are under investigation for selling details concerning Taiwan’s upgraded E-2C 2000 (aka. E-2K) AEW&C air surveillance planes. The last 2 planes only arrived in Taiwan on March 8/13.

E-2Ks aren’t the most modern version, but they are the most widespread type in the US Navy, so compromising their radar system or battle management system is a problem for the US Navy, as well as for Taiwan. National Party Rep. Ting Shou-chung acknowledged to Voice of America that this kind of leak could make the USA more reluctant to share advanced technology with Taiwan, but basically, it’s too late to fix the damage. Poor security has been a problem in Taiwan for some time now (q.v. Additional Readings). Even so, recent years have seen authorization and delivery of the USA’s most modern attack helicopters (AH-64E) and air defense missiles (PATRIOT PAC-3), a large ballistic missile defense radar, and some of America’s most modern AESA fighter radar technology for Taiwan’s F-16s. More significant technologies aren’t likely to be available to Taiwan anyway, the USA can’t take back what’s already given, and it’s more than unlikely that the USA would derail existing contracts. Sources: MND announcement [in Chinese] | Epoch Times, “Taiwanese Major Sells Military Secrets to China”.

Espionage: Hawkeye 2000 compromised

Sept 23/13: P-3Cs. Taiwan will be receiving its first P-3Cs at Pingtung AB within the next day or two, depending on Typhoon Usagi’s progress and course. Four of the 12 planes are expected by the end of 2013.

Subsequent reports indicate that the plane arrived on Sept 25/13. Sources: Taipei Times, “P-3C maritime patrol aircraft to arrive in Taiwan”.

Aug 8/13: AH-64E. Boeing in Mesa, AZ receives a $92.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, as part of Taiwan’s AH-64E buy and associated support. The Pentagon says that this brings the cumulative total face value of this contract to $716.7 million. The original DSCA request, including 30 helicopters, weapons and 6 years of support, had a maximum of $2.532 billion (q.v. Oct 3/08).

FY 2009 procurement funds are being used, which was the year Taiwan placed the order. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL acts as Taiwan’s agent (W58RGZ-09-C-0147, PO 0025).

SABR AESA
click for video

July 31/13: F-16s. Raytheon’s RACR AESA may have won the South Korean F-16 upgrade contract, but refits for Taiwan and the US military will use Northrop Grumman’s SABR instead. It will also become the standard radar for Lockheed Martin’s “F-16V” new-build/ upgrade offering, replacing Northrop Grumman’s own APG-80 AESA used in the F-16E/F.

The Taiwanese deal still needs a firm radar contract, but this is a 10-figure combined opportunity. It’s a huge win for Northrop Grumman, whose AESA radars also equip USAF F-22A (APG-77) and global F-35 family (APG-81) fighters. Northrop Grumman.

SABR AESA radar picked

July 28/13: Submarines. US Under Secretary of Defense James Miller responds to Rep. Robert Andrews’ [D-NJ] letter by repeating what we already know. Taiwan’s government approved full funding for an American study re: diesel submarine design and feasibility in 2008, but the State Department and Pentagon still haven’t agreed to conduct one.

He adds, disingenuously, that “Taiwan has not submitted any requests for technical assistance or export licensing support pertaining to a submarine program.” First, the State Department’s DSCA would have to allow such a request to go forward to the Pentagon. Second, export licensing support and technical assistance would have their parameters defined by a feasibility study. Taipei Times.

May 14/13: Support. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. in Hurst, TX receives a maximum $85.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, foreign military sales (FMS) contract for engineering and technical support services to Iraq and Taiwan. Orders will be placed as required.

Iraq operates Bell IA-407s, and also has a handful of UH-1N twin-Hueys. Taiwan’s heliborne strike force currently relies on OH-58D Kiowa Warrior scouts and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, and a dwindling stock of aging single-engine UH-1H Hueys remains the backbone of their utility helicopter fleet. It’s reasonable to assume that most of these funds will be spent in Taiwan.

The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-13-D-0131).

April 25/13: PATRIOT PAC-3. Deputy Defense Minister Andrew Yang says that Taiwan has already deployed a PATRIOT PAC-3 battery in the north, which is ahead of the expected 2014 date. He adds that Taiwan will deploy the next 3 PAC-3 batteries in the south. Focus Taiwan.

April 24/13: AH-64. A $19.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, as part of Taiwan’s order for AH-64E helicopters and related support. The Pentagon says that this order brings the total cumulative face value of this contract to $624.4 million, of the maximum $2.532 billion noted in the October 2008 DSCA request. DID is having a hard time squaring that with known announcements.

Oddly, the Pentagon’s notice cites FY 2009 procurement contract funds as the source; presumably, they’re referencing Taiwan’s original order funding. The US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL acts as Taiwan’s FMS agent (W58RGZ-09-C-0147, PO 0022).

April 9/13: Keep an eye out. It didn’t take long for Taiwan’s long range mountaintop radar in Hsinchu County to come in handy. The Americans have reportedly asked the ROCAF to strengthen radar sweeps toward Northeast Asia for possible missile launches, and relay surveillance information. The Hsinchu radar is in the BMEWS class, with the ability to detect and track ballistic missiles from a range of up to 5,000 km. China Post.

UH-60M OFT
(click to view full)

April 8/13: UH-60M. L-3 Link Simulation & Training announces a contract for 2 Taiwan Army UH-60M Operational Flight Trainers (OFTs). The contract is the result of a letter of agreement between the U.S. and the Taiwan Army, and is the 1st export of their UH-60M OFT. The 1st trainer will be operational at Shinshou Training Facility in Q4 2014, and the 2nd will follow in Q1 2015. A companion contract provides for 1 year of support, with a 1-year extension option. The US Army’s Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO-STRI) will manage the purchase as Taiwan’s agent.

The OFTs are mostly similar to those used in the US Army’s Flight School XXI program. A 6-degree of freedom electric motion system is coupled with a supplemental motion system that simulates helicopter vibration. High-fidelity software is designed to accurately simulate each platform’s engine, electrical, hydraulic, navigation and communications systems, and even aircraft survivability equipment. It’s even compatible with night vision goggles. The big difference will be a Taiwan geo-database, for faithful reproduction of flights over their home terrain.

April 5/13: As the US DSCA submits South Korea’s request for stealth-enhanced F-15SE Strike Eagles and F-35A stealth fighters, US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers points to that process as a clear example of the political weakness in Washington. “The threats the [South] Korean air force face are the same as those of Taiwan’s air force,” and the argument that China could easily ground Taiwan’s F-16s by staging a massive missile attack on air bases applies equally to North and South Korea. Taipei Times | Read “Korea’s F-X Multi-Role Fighter Buys: Phases 2 & 3” for full coverage of South Korea’s fighter modernization.

March 13/13: Beyond F-16s. Citing a newly released quadrennial defense review, Taiwan’s media say that the ROCAF wants to step beyond their upgraded F-CK-1s, and develop a new fighter with features like lower radar cross-section, long-range, and aerial refueling receiver, as well as the ability to launch missiles against land targets or ships.

Taiwan’s military currently estimates that the fighter and small submarine development programs will cost about NT$500 billion (about $16.9 billion). Which means they’ll be lucky to keep the real total below $20 billion. Senior officials are also careful to add that they haven’t given up on getting more F-16s, which could squeeze development budgets for something new.

On the other hand, Liberty Times quotes KMT Legislator Lin Yu-fang statements that “For our national survival, we need to build up our defense capability under our own steam,” as a result of the USA’s increasing reluctance to assist Taiwan. Focus Taiwan.

March 13/13: Submarines. Taipei’s MND responds to reports that Taiwan has given up on buying new submarines abroad, by confirming that they’re “reviewing the relevant plans and budgets” for a 4-year local development project that was brought to the TWD 7 billion (about $236 million) National Defence Industrial Development Foundation in late 2012.

The ROCN actually foresees a budget closer to TWD 10 billion (about $340 million) to fund design, equipment acquisition, building industrial capability, and testing for a 1,000t – 2,000t submarine. Even that figure seems awfully low for a country that hasn’t built submarines before, and probably won’t be able to use an existing design as a base. Asia One.

March 8/13: E-2 AWACS. The last 2 upgraded Hawkeye 2000s arrive at Kaohsiung International Airport Station in southern Taiwan for follow-up tests and inspections (q.v. Nov 8/11 entry). This completes Taiwan’s E-2T Hawkeye upgrades, and restores its militarily critical AWACS fleet to full strength. Focus Taiwan.

All E-2 upgrades delivered

Feb 19/13: P-3s. StandardAero-San Antonio Inc. in San Antonio, TX receives a $10.6 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract modification, exercising an option for the overhaul of 16 T56-A-14 propulsion systems for the Government of Taiwan under the Foreign Military Sales Program.

That model of the T56 is unique to the P-3 family, and that number of engines would equip 4 refurbished P-3s. Or serve as fleet spares, which is more likely.

Work will be performed in San Antonio, TX and is expected to be complete in February 2014. All funds are committed immediately, and the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages the contract on behalf of its FMS client (N00019-09-D-0014).

Feb 8/13: P-3s. Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training in Owego, NY receives a $9.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to incorporate engineering change proposals (ECPs) in Taiwan’s 12 P-3 aircraft. Upgrades will improve both Harpoon Block II compatibility, and improved radar and signals emission location.

Specifically, the ECP implements the Complimentary Navigation Message, which updates RINU-G and Control Display Unit software with a message set that helps the radar/GPS guided Harpoon Block 2 Missile with precision targeting. They’ll also replace the standard AN/ALR-95 Electronic Support Measures system with the more advanced AN/ALR-97. The final modification upgrades technical publications to reflect the “Mode-T” software instead of the “Mode “4” software.

Work will be performed in Owego, NY (31%); Jacksonville, FL (18%); Van Nuys, CA (16%); Aberdeen, MD (14%); Cedar Rapids, IA (13%); McKinney, TX (3%); Marietta, GA (3%); and Woodland Hills, CA (2%), and is expected to be complete in February 2014. All Foreign Military Sales contract funds are committed immediately, and will be managed by the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ on behalf of their ROC client (N00019-09-C-0031).

Feb 1/13: Long-Range Radar. Agence France Presse reports that Taiwan’s US-made long-range early warning radar is now deployed near the northern county of Hsinchu, on its mountaintop perch. The NT$40.9 billion (about $1.35 billion at 2013 conversions) project loks similar to existing Pave Paws stations, and reportedly has a 5,000 km range. The added warning time for ballistic missile attacks is just minutes, but it matters a bit more when minutes were all you had before. The ability to add a bigger picture view on top of the short range PATRIOT radars is very important for national command and control.

As a bonus, the radar’s ability to see into Chinese airspace, and even to monitor North Korean launches, makes it an equally valuable asset to the USA. If Taiwan decides to share that data, which is a reasonable assumption, it becomes a more valuable ally. AFP.

SRP long-range radar deployed

2012

F-16 upgrade program begins; A domestic submarine program?; Budget for 4 frigates in 2013?; Stinger missiles; Harpoons prepped.

F-16V
click for video

Oct 24/12: Planes? No tanks. Defense Minister Kao Hua-chu tells a legislative hearing that the cost of Taiwan’s F-16 upgrades is the reason for delays to tank purchases and self-propelled artillery upgrades. He adds that before requesting the 70-ton M1s, they would have to conduct a compatibility evaluation on the country’s infrastructure, such as roads, highways and bridges.

It’s certainly possible for large purchases to squeeze out less important items, within a defense budget. Then again, it’s also pretty common for a party that doesn’t really want to implement stronger defenses to use this sort of thing as an excuse to avoid doing what needs to be done. The KMT’s recent record makes it hard to tell which interpretation is the truth. Focus Taiwan.

Oct 1/12: F-16s. Lockheed Martin announces a contract valued at up to $1.85 billion to begin upgrading 145 ROCAF F-16A/B Block 20 fighters to the “F-16S” (not T?) configuration, including an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, embedded global positioning, electronic warfare upgrades, and other avionics improvements. Note Lockheed’s use of the word “begin”; the complete upgrade is very likely to cost more than $1.85 billion.

The F-16S upgrades will follow the Sept 21/11 DSCA request, which Lockheed Martin has firmed up into a global offering. The firm’s proposed F-16V was announced at Singapore’s airshow in February 2012.

Contract: F-16 upgrade

Sept 5/12: Minehunters. The ROCN plans to spend TWD $35.9 billion ($1.2 billion) to buy 6 domestically built minehunting ships over a 12-year period, but that budget has yet to obtain final legislative approval:

“Although information on the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) mine warfare capabilities remains sketchy, naval analysts, including James Bussert of the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Virginia, believe each of the three PLAN fleets comprises one squadron of mine layers. The US Navy estimates the PLAN uses as many as 30 types of mines (including submarine-launched) and has an inventory of between 50,000 and 100,000…. Taiwan has strategic oil reserves of approximately 1.45 million kiloliters of crude, which would last the nation for about 30 days. Besides disrupting shipments of crude and natural gas, which could bring Taiwan to a standstill, the mining of Taiwanese harbors and waterways would severely undermine the confidence of global cargo fleets and thereby cause serious damage to Taiwan’s economy.”

The question is whether they will build their own design to accompany the new Osprey Class (q.v. Aug 2-10/12), or a foreign design. Sources: Taipei Times, “Taiwan plans to build six minehunting Navy ships”.

Aug 28/12: PATRIOT. The Taipei Times reports that new PATRIOT PAC-3 defense sites will begin construction in September 2012 around Greater Taichung and Greater Kaohsiung cities. A private contractor will handle the NT$ 61.4 million (about $2 million) contract, but the move has a significance that’s out of proportion to its size.

The PAC-3 systems would join Taiwan’s 3 upgraded PAC-2/ Config-3 units, currently deployed around the capital city of Taipei in Wanli, Nangang, and Sindian. The 4 new PAC-3 batteries from the October 2008 notification are reportedly being considered for a number of sites, including Greater Taichung’s Dadu Mountain, Greater Kaohsiung’s Jenwu District, Greater Tainan’s Hutoupi, protection for Taiwan’s E-2 2000 Hawkeye early-warning planes at Pingtung’s airport, and possibly the small airport terminal at Chiayi. About 386 missiles have been ordered so far, and the full PAC-3 systems are scheduled to arrive in 2014-2015. Another 2 PAC-3 batteries would follow under the 2010 DSCA request, as part of a future purchase phase.

Aug 2-10/12: Minehunters. Taiwan’s 2 Osprey Class minehunting ships arrive after their 2-year refurbishment and training period in the USA, and are inducted into the ROCN in welcoming ceremony at the Zuoying naval base, in the southern port city of Kaohsiung.

Taiwan’s fleet of minehunters now numbers 10 ships, but these are by far the newest and most capable. Designed in the 1990s instead of the 1950s, Osprey Class ships are equipped with an array of mine-hunting devices including Raytheon AN/SQQ-32 sonar, remotely-operated AN/SLQ-48 Mine Neutralizing Vehicles (MNV), video sensors, remotely-controlled mine detonators, cable cutters, and a pair of .50 caliber machineguns. The minehunters have a cruising speed of 10 knots, and mission endurance of 15 days. China Post | Taiwan Today | Defense Update.

2 Minehunters arrive

Aug 3/12: P-3s. The good news is, a Taiwanese P-3C Orion aircraft recently completed its 1st functional trial flight in late July 2012, and Taiwan should begin receiving its new P-3C sea control aircraft in 2013. The bad news is, the military’s plan to build a hangar at an air base in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan has gone nowhere.

The ROCAF says that the new planes could be placed in C-130H hangars, but that isn’t a long-term solution. The problem appears to be lack of jurisdictional clarity between the ROCAF and Navy over who will control the planes, and hence who will issue the RFP. Focus Taiwan.

July 24/12: Tanks. The Taipei Times reports that Taiwan is looking to join countries like Morocco, and try to obtain refurbished M1 Abrams tanks. The tanks used in Iraq and Afghanistan need major maintenance overhauls, and one option for the Army would be to sell the tanks to allies, and let them pay for the RESET costs.

“Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General David Lo… told local media yesterday that efforts to acquire used battle tanks from the US were currently under evaluation… Deputy Minister of National Defense Chao Shih-chang… [said] the Army was seeking to procure 200 tanks to bolster its forces, adding that the great bulk would be deployed in Hukou Township… [with] the 584th Armored Brigade… Taiwan’s efforts to procure the 70-tonne main battle tank go back to the early 2000s, when it requested M1-A2s from the US, a request that Washington turned down.”

July 13-22/12: Upgrade MoU signed. Reports indicate that the US and Taiwan have signed the $3.7 billion MoU to upgrade Taiwan’s F-16s, with upgrades occurring at a rate of 24 fighters out of service at a time, beginning in 2016 and continuing to 2028. The actual Letter of Acceptance (contract) is expected to be finalized within a couple of months, but it has a number of reported twists and conditions that are puzzling.

One of the oddest is that Taiwan will have no say in which radar (Northrop Grumman SABR or Raytheon RACR) is picked in 2013-2014, and then installed. Meanwhile, Lockheed Martin’s recent agreement with state-run AIDC appears to have shut BAE out of the picture, without the opportunity to compete or be evaluated.

Another odds proviso is that Taiwan won’t recover it’s engineering costs to integrate the new AESA radars, if the US Air National Guard adopts the same radar and methods to retrofit its own F-16s. Taiwanese sources told Defense News that the MoU allows “some” reimbursement if other F-16 customers adopt the same retrofit. The most likely near-term customers are Korea and Singapore. AIDC [in Chinese] | Defense News | Defense Update | Reuters India (abridged) | Reuters, via Aviation Week.

July 11/12: LMCO-AIDC MoU. At the 2012 Farnborough Air Show, Taiwan’s AIDC and Lockheed Martin sign a memorandum of understanding to expand their strategic relationship, and jointly explore opportunities for the Taiwan F-16 A/B Retrofit Program.

The MOU defines potential collaboration on F-16 retrofit modifications, F-16 component parts manufacture and other potential offset projects. Its practical effect is to shut BAE Systems out of any competition (vid. March 14/12 entry). Lockheed Martin | Reuters.

F-16 upgrade MoU

June 25/12: F-16s. Reports from Taiwan indicate that the Ministry of National Defense is giving the USA’s May 2012 draft Letter of Acceptance for F-16 modernization some hard thought, as it screens the items and prices in the USA’s rumored $3.8 billion response. A decision is expected by the end of July.

The United Evening News reports that the $600 million cost for the AESA radars in particular has created unease among “senior government officials,” who are reportedly asking for other options. There’s certainly precedent for installing previous-generation APG-68v9 radars in early-model F-16s instead, as is being done for Pakistan. It would be a major improvement on Taiwan’s current radars, and equal other F-16C/D Block 52 fleets around the world, but would remain a generation behind AESA performance. Both Raytheon and Northrop Grumman are touting their RACR/SABR next-generation radars as drop-in refits for older F-16s, but Taiwan is being told that additional system engineering work would be required. The Pentagon has reportedly promised to remit some of those custom design costs, if other countries choose to add AESA radar systems to their F-16A/Bs in the future. The China Post | Focus Taiwan | Agence France-Presse.

May 29/12: AH-64 helicopters. Boeing in Mesa, AZ received a $97.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification “of an existing contract to procure Block III Apache AH-64D attack helicopters in support of Foreign Military Sales.” Which means Taiwan. Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 30/17. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-09-C-0147).

This brings total ROC Apache Block III contracts to $683.8 million so far, of the maximum $2.532 billion noted in the October 2008 DSCA request. This current total includes equipment like fire control radars and air-launched Stinger missiles, which were part of that request.

May 17/12: Minesweepers. Taiwan’s CNA reports that the former USS Oriole and USS Falcon Osprey Class coastal minehunting ships are scheduled for delivery to Taiwan in July after being refitted and reactivated. They are due to be commissioned into service in October 2012.

May 17/12: F-16s. The US House of Representatives approves Rep. Kay Granger’s [R-TX-12] amendment to the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 4310), which requires the Obama administration to approve the sale of 66 new F-16s to Taiwan. It’s 1 of 19 amendments that passes on a voice vote, before the House passes HR 4310.

Granger’s amendment is companion legislation to her House Bill (H.R. 2992) that “Directs the President to carry out the sale of no fewer than 66 F-16C/D multirole fighter aircraft to Taiwan”, and to Sens. Cornyn and Menendez’ Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act of 2011 (S.1539). Unless the Senate also passes a similar amendment to the 2013 budget, however, it won’t matter. Neither HR 2992 nor S 1539 has passed individually, and the final 2013 defense budget needs to pass both the House and the Senate with the same text. The wording is also somewhat questionable, as the President isn’t really the decider, and can always offer the excuse that the State Department never forwarded a request. Which is true – the State Department is blocking that request. Forcing approval of that request, either by State’s DSCA or via legislation removing this request from DSCA’s hands, might have been a better tactic. Rep. Granger | The Hill.

May 6/12: UH-60Ms. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in Stratford, CT received a $43.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for engineering services, to convert 4 more UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters “to the specific unique configuration for Taiwan.” In other words, to finish the 4 helicopters bought on June 30/11. This brings the total cost of those 4 helicopters to $91.8 million, or $23 million per machine so far.

Work will be performed in Stratford, CT, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by Taiwan’s FMS agent, the US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

4 UH-60Ms

May 2/12: Link-16. Data Link Solutions in Cedar Rapids, IA receives a $9.4 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to Taiwan of MIDS-LVT terminals, as a Foreign Military Sale transaction.

Work will be performed in Wayne, NJ (50%), and Cedar Rapids, IA (50%), and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/14. This contract was competitively procured via FBO.gov and the SPAWAR E-commerce website, with 2 offers received. The competition was real, as Taiwan has shifted its buys back and forth over time. US Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego, CA manages the contract, on behalf of its FMS client (N00039-10-D-0031).

April 27/12: F-16s. Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX] has lifted his hold on the confirmation of former Obama aide Mark W. Lippert, as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. It comes after Obama’s Director of the Office of Legislative Affairs, Robert L. Nabors II, sends a letter that promises to consider sales of new F-16s to Taiwan. Careful reading shows that this is all it promises, and Obama’s former aide will play a large role in any decisions. Unless there’s another reason to believe in a policy about-face, therefore, it’s unreasonable to expect any change, despite this language:

“We understand your desire to see Taiwan’s air force modernized with the addition of new F-16C/Ds… especially given the pending retirement of F-5s… [The new ASD] would use the position as the U.S. Chair of the U.S.-Taiwan Defense Review Talks and the interagency Monterey Talks to oversee the development of a combined review of Taiwan’s long-term defense strategy and resourcing plan, to include on Taiwan’s air and missile defense needs… We recognize that China has 2,300 operational combat aircraft, while our democratic partner Taiwan has only 490… The Assistant Secretary, in consultation with the inter-agency and the Congress, will play a lead role as the Administration decides on a near-term course of action on how to address Taiwan’s fighter gap, including through the sale to Taiwan of an undetermined number of new U .S.-made fighter aircraft.”

April 22/12: More frigates? Media reports say that Taiwan may look to increase its fleet of FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates from the current set of 8. The defence ministry has reportedly briefed President Ma Ying-jeou, and is said to be ready to include a budget for 4 more in 2013.

These frigates are generally sold for very little money, except the cost of refurbishment. Taiwan’s FFG-7 frigates are fully armed, and include the original pop-up launcher for SM-1 air defense and Harpoon ship attack missiles. The US Navy has removed missiles from its own frigates, however, so adding them back would be part of the refurbishment contract, if Taiwan wants that. Bangkok Post. See also Aug 5/10, Jan 10/10.

March 20/12: Cracked AMRAAMs. The Taipei Times reports that the ROCAF currently has 120 AIM-120C-5 and 218 AIM-120C-7s in inventory, with deliveries that began in 2004. Unfortunately, some of them were experiencing cracking in their pyroceramic radome nose cones. American investigators concluded that Taiwan’s high humidity, plus the pressure created by supersonic flight, were the problem. The ROCAF will respond by improving storage and rotation cycles.

The Taipei Times does note that Taiwan’s radar-guided MBDA MICA and locally-built Tien Chien II missiles aren’t having this problem, despite being exposed to the same conditions.

March 14/12: F-16s. Lockheed Martin and BAE are both pushing to perform Taiwan’s F-16 upgrades, as part of a wider competition in this area between the 2 firms. BAE’s recent wins in providing fire-control and advanced ethernet capabilities for 270 US ANG F-16s, and upgrades for some Turkish F-16s, sends notice that Lockheed can expect competition in Taiwan, South Korea (up to $1.6 billion for 134 KF-16s), and Singapore (70 F-16C/Ds).

Taiwan will be a challenge for BAE, because its armed forces and government have a long-standing relationship with Lockheed Martin that they may be loath to jeopardize. Defense Update.

March 13/12: Thai Submarines. Thailand has dropped plans to buy 4 second-hand German U206A submarines, and let their option rights expire on Feb 29/12. Reports say that Thai Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat refused to approve the deal, after several reviews of the navy’s submarine purchase plans.

The tiny 550t submarines are especially well-suited for shallow, constricted waters and near-coast operations. They’re old, but they’d fit Taiwan’s needs extremely well, offering a bridge buy whose layout and plans would also help teach Taiwanese designers. Or, the stealthy, shallow-water U206s may find another global buyer who values their unique specialties, and has a near-term need. Colombia has already bought 2 of the 6 submarines available. Europe Online.

Feb 27/12: Submarines. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense officially denies a magazine report saying that Taiwan was going to buy Greece’s U214 Papanikolis Class submarines, since Greece couldn’t pay.

The Hong Kong-based Chinese-language magazine, Asian Week (probably “Yazhou Zhoukan”), added that HDW officials has visited Taiwan in October 2011, and been told that a deal was possible for under $800 million each, plus 10-20 years guaranteed support, and US approval. The report added that HDW had officially informed the US about the proposal. Taipei Times.

UGM-84 Harpoon
(click to view full)

Feb 22/12: Harpoons for subs. Modernizations will allow Taiwan’s navy to arm its 2 submarines with UGM-84 Harpoon missiles, beginning in 2013. The move will greatly increase their submarines’ reach, allowing attacks from up to 70 miles away. That makes it much harder for enemies to protect themselves against a submarine attack, by widening the required search field.

Taiwan already equips its F-16s and some navy ships with other variants of this missile, but a submarine’s stealth adds a new level of difficulty for Taiwan’s enemies. Local reports indicate that integration will involve the addition of a stand-alone fire-control system for the missiles, to avoid the added time and expense of full integration. It will also require either changes to the torpedo tube mechanisms, or conversion/addition of a dedicated torpedo tube. For tactical reasons, it’s much better to have all torpedo tubes missile-capable, as this allows fast salvos of multiple missiles. Since firing a missile announces the submarine’s presence and location rather loudly, attacks on well-defended naval groups (like, say, an invasion force) will be much more effective as a missile swarm, rather than using the classic kung-fu movie approach where the attackers conveniently fight the defender one at a time. If, indeed, the submarine lives long enough to keep launching more attacks. See also July 29/10 entry. Taipei Times | 9abc | India’s Zee News.

Sub modernization

Feb 21/12: Submarines. The Taipei Times reports confirmations from the ROC Navy that it will begin a domestic submarine program in 2013, with “assistance from one or a number of foreign countries”, in order to create a small 1,000t – 1,500t design. The goal is reportedly to deliver a prototype within 3-4 years, and the ROCN would reportedly seek budgets for the program within 2 months.

Semi-native sub program?

Feb 13/12: PATRIOT. The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include information about Taiwan’s PATRIOT PAC-3 missile orders. Looking through past years as well, one sees 386 PAC-3 missiles ordered from FY 2010-2013: 96 in FY 2010, 96 in FY 2011, 154 in FY 2012, and 40 missiles for FY 2013.

Feb 7/12: Minesweepers. An article about the Iranian mine threat to the Strait of Hormuz notes that the former US Navy Osprey Class minehunting ships Oriole and Falcon have been authorized for sale to Taiwan (vid. Jan 29/10 entry), but are still being refurbished in Texas.

Jan 5/12: Stingers. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AA receives a $7.8 million firm-fixed-price contract, to buy FIM-92H Block 1 Stinger missiles for Taiwan. The designation FIM-92H refers to FIM-92D missiles, which have been upgraded to the current FIM-92 RMP Block I standard. They can be used with air-to-air launchers on helicopters, or they can equip troops on the ground.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/16. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by Taiwan’s contract agents at US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0520).

2011

$5.3b F-16 upgrade program; Taiwan is a security risk for secrets; Political dogfight over F-16s in USA; Taiwan to try building submarines itself?; Major PATRIOT missile buy; AH-64D Block III attack helicopter buys; Upgraded E-2 surveillance planes returning; 1st 4 UH-60M helis ordered; Plans for new torpedoes.

ROCAF F-16A Block 20
fires AGM-65 Maverick
(click to view larger)

Dec 30/11: PATRIOT. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA receives a $34.3 million firm-fixed-price contract, providing initial funding for 3 Taiwanese Patriot fire units and training equipment. DID is investigating possible connections to the Dec 16/11 announcement.

Work will be performed in several locations within Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, Italy, Greece, and Canada, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2016. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract, incl. services as Taiwan’s agent (W31P4Q-12-C-0069).

Dec 30/11: PATRIOT. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $606 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for FY 2012 PATRIOT requirements – which includes missiles, launchers, and ground support for Taiwan. Within the PATRIOT system, Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3 missile, the missile canister 4-packs, a fire solution computer, and the Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES).

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 30/15. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract, as Taiwan’s FMS agent (W31P4Q-12-C-0002).

Dec 30/11: AH-64D. Longbow Limited Liability Corp. in Orlando, FL receives an announced $64.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, but Longbow LLC pegs its actual value at $181 million, with options to extend performance past 2015, to 2017.

It’s said to include 15 Longbow Block III Fire Control Radar assemblies for Taiwan’s AH-64Ds, marking the Block III version’s 1st export order.

For the US Army, the order includes 14 Block III Radar Electronics Units, which are smaller then their predecessors, and offer lower weight, maintenance and power requirements. The Army is also buying 14 Unmanned Aerial System Tactical Common Data Link Assembly (UTA) systems and spares, which provide a 2-way, high-bandwidth data link that lets the helicopter crew control nearby UAV flight paths, sensors and lasers at long ranges, while receiving high-quality imagery from the UAVs on the helicopters’ own displays.

Work will be performed in Orlando, FL, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/15. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract, including its work as Taiwan’s FMS agent (W58RGZ-10-C-0005). Lockheed Martin | Northrop Grumman.

Dec 30/11: AH-64D. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $13.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification to fund FIM-92H Block-1 Stinger missiles and their air-to-air launchers for Taiwan. China’s near-certain air superiority in the event of a conflict makes aerial combat weapons for Taiwan’s attack helicopters a smart move. Their maneuverability and near-earth flight profile would make them a very difficult foe for many fast jets.

Taiwan’s DSCA request was for up to 173 missiles, which will be used on its AH-64 helicopters (q.v. Oct 3/08 entry). A $45.4 million contract has already ordered 171 of the missiles, plus ancillary equipment that included 24 of 35 requested Stinger Captive Flight Trainers with live guidance systems, but no rocket motors (q.v. June 25/09).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/16. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract, as Taiwan’s FMS agent (W31P4Q-09-C-0520).

Dec 27/11: E-2s. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY receives a $6.9 million delivery order modification exercising an option for sustainment, engineering and technical services, and travel in support of ROCAF E-2Cs.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (70%), and Pingtung Air Force Base, Taiwan (30%), and is expected to be completed in January 2013. The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract on behalf of its FMS client.

Dec 19/11: E-2s. Taiwan gets 2 of its E-2Ts back as Hawkeye 2000s. The arrival of the 2 planes in Kaohsiung city brings their fleet size back to 4, with 2 more still in the USA for upgrades. Taiwan News.

Dec 16/11: PATRIOT. Raytheon announces a $685.7 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract from Taiwan for additional PATRIOT fire units, featuring current electronics, an improved man-machine interface, and claims of lower life-cycle costs. The firm adds that this award is in addition to the 2009 contract for new systems, and the 2008 contracts to upgrade Taiwan’s existing systems. Work under this contract will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; El Paso, TX; and Huntsville, AL.

When queried, the firm clarified that this order will be built from the ground up as PATRIOT PAC-3, and that “fire unit” means the complete system, including radars, generators, antenna, ECS command module, and missile launchers. Taiwan is already beginning to build experience with the equipment, as Raytheon recently delivered the first upgraded Configuration-3 radar system, 10 months ahead of the original requested program plan. See also Taipei Times.

Major PATRIOT contract

Dec 15/11: Submarines. More reports that Taiwan is moving toward its own submarine program, per the Sept 19/11 entry below. The story adds one expert’s recommendation that the money and time might be spent on fast-attack missile boats like the Chinese Type 022. Which would be a good recommendation, if standard combat scenarios weren’t assuming PLAAF control of the air over the Formosa Straits.

The Taipei Times also reports that Taiwan turned down a proposed 2003 deal to buy up to 8 Sauro Class boats from Italy as they were decommissioned. The Fincantieri submarines had entered service between 1980 and 1992, which means they would have had limited remaining service life, and Taiwan decided that it was better not to buy them. Unfortunately, no deal for new submarines turned up.

Dec 7/11: AH-64 helicopters. Boeing in Mesa, AZ received a $141.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for “services in support of 30 Apache AH-64D attack helicopters for Taiwan.” See also the June 10/11 and Oct 8/10 entries for that order.

Work will be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of Dec 30/17. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL, who is acting as Taiwan’s agent (W58RGZ-09-C-0147).

Dec 7/11: BMD Radar. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Sudbury, MA receives a $42.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for the Surveillance Radar Program. Specifically, this system includes a UHF phased array radar integrated with Taiwan-furnished Identification Friend-or-Foe beacons; 2 Missile Warning Centers; and communications and interface architecture and protocols to specific nodes within Taiwan’s military communications infrastructure, consistent with US restrictions

The SRP is a Foreign Military Sales Program managed by the USAF Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, MA, to provide Taiwan with the elements of a missile and air defense capability. Work will be performed in Sudbury, MA, and is expected to be complete by Nov 9/12 (FA8722-05-C-0001, PO 0062).

Dec 7/11: PATRIOT. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $12.7 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursable contract. The award will modify an existing contract for technical services in support of Taiwan’s PATRIOT air defense missile system.

Work will be performed in El Paso, TX, and Taipei, Taiwan, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL, who is acting as Taiwan’s agent (W31P4Q-11-C-0317).

Nov 8/11: E-2s. Taiwan ships its 3rd and 4th E-2T Hawkeyes to the USA for upgrades to Hawkeye 2000 configuration (vid. Oct 3/08 entry). The move leaves Taiwan without any operational E-2Ts, as the first 2 planes aren’t expected to return from their upgrades until the end of 2011.

In their absence, the ROCAF does have 2 newer E-2C+ Hawkeye 2000s to rely on, but the move remains a calculated risk. Taiwan News.

Oct 5/11: PATRIOT. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $20.4 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, to provide PATRIOT technical assistance services to Taiwan. Work will be performed in El Paso, TX; Taipei, Taiwan, and Andover, MA; with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0317).

Nov 18/11: F-16 dogfight. Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX] sends a letter to President Obama, that also clarifies Taiwan’s current position re: the F-16s:

“Shortly after your Administration announced the F-16 A/B upgrade package, I wrote to President Ma to ask him for clarification on Taiwan’s military requirement for new F-16C/Ds. On Oct. 14, I received an unequivocal response, stating that Taiwan needs both the upgraded F-16A/Bs and the new F-16C/Ds to fulfill its “self-defense needs in qualitative and quantitative terms.” The sale of new F-16C/Ds to Taiwan also has the backing of 47 Democrats and Republicans in the Senate and 181 Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives who this past year have sent letters of support to your Administration. In your recent speech to the Australian Parliament, you stated that “The United States is a Pacific power, and we are here to stay.” I applaud this rhetoric, but it will ring hollow unless it is followed by meaningful action…”

Nov 14/11: A day after the New York Times publishes an editorial urging President Obama to sell out Taiwan, Rep. Ed Royce [R-CA-40] tells a Formosa Foundation group in Los Angeles that Congress is not contemplating abandonment. That may seem like harsh language, but the New York Times op-ed reads:

“President Obama… should enter into closed-door negotiations with Chinese leaders to write off the $1.14 trillion of American debt currently held by China in exchange for a deal to end American military assistance and arms sales to Taiwan and terminate the current United States-Taiwan defense arrangement by 2015.”

“Sell out” is a perfectly appropriate description. New York Times | Taipei Times.

Pakistani F-16D-52
(click to view full)

Sept 21/11: F-16 Block… 59s? The US DSCA issues up to $5.95 billion in ROCAF F-16 related upgrade and support requests, over 3 separate notifications. The procedure for Foreign Military Sale mode requests is that if Congress doesn’t block the sale within 30 days, negotiations and contracts can commence. The US military is technically the buyer and contract manager, but they do so on behalf of their FMS client. The exact DSCA requests include:

Pilot Training: Many foreign militaries train their combat pilots in the USA, taking advantage of America’s larger swathes of open airspace for training, and of training alongside combat-proven American pilots. Taiwan already trains its F-16 pilots at Luke AFB near Glendale, AZ, and a buy request worth up to $500 million would continue funding this program over the long term.

The training provides a “capstone” course that takes experienced pilots and significantly improves their tactical proficiency. Funding would cover flight training, supply and maintenance support, spare and repair parts, support equipment, program management, publications, documentation, personnel training and training equipment, fuel and fueling services, and other related program requirements.

L-3 Communications Corporation in Greenville, TX would be the lead contractor for this service, but there would be about 90 U.S. contractors providing various forms of aircraft maintenance and logistics support at Luke AFB. US DSCA [PDF].

Spare Parts: This Foreign Military Sales Order II program (FMSO II) request would provide funds for blanket spare parts orders, under the Cooperative Logistics Supply Agreement (CLSSA), to support Taiwan’s F-16A/B Falcon, F-5E/F Tiger II, and F-CK IDF Ching Kuo fighters, and C-130H Hercules transport aircraft. The estimated cost is up to $52 million.

Procurement of these items will be from many contractors providing similar items to the U.S. forces, and implementation of this sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives. US DSCA [PDF].

RACR retrofit
(click to view full)

F-16 Fleet Retrofit: This request [PDF] would retrofit up to 145 F-16A/B Block 20 fighters. The technologies involved in some aspects of this retrofit are something of a surprise, as they go beyond the new F-16C/D Block 52 aircraft Taiwan was said to be looking for – a type that was recently sold to China’s ally Pakistan. These retrofits are more advanced than that, rising to a technology level that would be ahead of any F-16 the USAF flies, and similar to (but not the same as) the UAE’s unique F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcons.

The estimated cost is up to $5.3 billion. The most advanced gear includes:

• 176 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars. The only F-16s currently flying with AESA radars are the UAE’s F-16E/Fs, which carry Northrop Grumman’s AN/APG-80. Northrop Grumman (SABR) and Raytheon (RACR) are both offering AESA radars that retrofit into the same nose space as the original F-16 radars, while offering 2x-3x performance improvements over even the Block 52’s AN/APG-68v9 radar. Despite their retrofit target market, a sale would hand over some of America’s most advanced fighter radar technologies, derived from platforms like the Navy Super Hornets’ APG-79 (RACR) and the F-35’s APG-81 (SABR).

• 176 Electronic Warfare Management systems, incl. possible upgrades to 82 ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) pods to incorporate Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) technology; and/or 176 of Terma’s AN/ALQ-213 EWMS; or ITT’s new AN/ALQ-211v9 AIDEWS(Airborne Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite) pods with DRFM; or Northrop Grumman’s AN/ALQ-131 pods with DRFM. DFRM is a major step-change in EW effectiveness. It can do more things at once, do them faster, and is easier to modify with new programming. F-16 sales to Pakistan pointedly specified solutions without DFRM.

• HAVE GLASS II application. This is a special coating that reduces the plane’s radar reflectivity. Recent F-16 sales to Pakistan did not include this technology.

Other performance improvements would involve:

• Engineering and design study on replacing existing F100-PW-220 engines with F100-PW-229 IPE engines, designed for longer life and improved performance.

• 128 Night Vision Goggles

• 176 Embedded Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation Systems

• Upgrade of 158 BAE APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Combined Interrogator Transponders. These are the “bird slicers” just ahead of the cockpit.

To improve the plane’s offensive performance, especially in ground strike mode, Taiwan wants the following ancillary equipment and weapons:

• 128 of VSI’s Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems. These Helmet Mounted Displays track the pilot’s head movements, and make a huge difference when using “high off boresight” missiles like the AIM-9X, which has a wide sighting cone.

• 40 Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder short range air-to-air missiles. By comparison, recent F-16 Block 52 sales to Pakistan pointedly specified previous-generation AIM-9M missiles.
  
• 56 AIM-9X Captive Air Training Missiles, with no motor or warhead
  
• 5 AIM-9X Telemetry kits, with a working motor, but telemetry instead of a warhead
  
• 153 LAU-129 Launchers with missile interface, which can fire AIM-9X Sidewinder or medium range AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles

• 16 GBU-31v1 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) GPS-guidance kits for existing 2,000 pound bombs.
  
• 80 GBU-38 JDAM kits for existing 500 pound bombs.

• 64 CBU-105 Sensor Fused Weapons with Wind-Corrected Munition Dispensers (WCMD). These are GPS-guided cluster bombs, whose tuna-can shaped submunitions spin out to hunt and destroy enemy vehicles and tanks over a wide area.

• 112 Dual Mode/ Global Positioning System Laser-Guided Bombs, either Raytheon’s Enhanced Paveway, or Boeing’s Laser JDAM.
  
• 16 x 2,000 pound: GBU-10 Enhanced Paveway II or GBU-56 Laser JDAM
  
• 16 x 2,000 pound: GBU-24 Enhanced Paveway IIIs, with longer glide range and “bunker buster” penetrator warheads
  
• 80 x 500 pound: GBU-12 Enhanced Paveway II or GBU-54 Laser JDAM

• 86 tactical data link terminals; especially useful for ground support strikes

• Upgrade 28 of Lockheed Martin’s electro-optical infrared targeting Sharpshooter pods.

• Buy another 26 of Lockheed Martin’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper or Northrop Grumman’s AN/AAQ-28 LITENING targeting & surveillance pods. The most current SE variants of these pods offer major advances in performance; the question is whether Taiwan would get those.

Also included in the buy request: More 20mm ammunition, alternate mission equipment, update of Modular Mission Computers, new cockpit multifunction displays, communication equipment, Joint Mission Planning Systems, maintenance, construction, repair and return, aircraft tanker support, aircraft ferry services, aircraft and ground support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support.

F-16 manufacturer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company in Fort Worth, TX would be the prime contractor, but additional contracts could include:

• BAE Advance Systems Greenland, NY
  
• Boeing Integrated Defense Systems in St Louis, MO
  
• Goodrich ISR Systems in Danbury, CT
  
• ITT Defense Electronics and Services in McLean, VA
  
• ITT Integrated Structures in North Amityville, NY
  
• ITT Night Vision in Roanoke, VA
  
• L3 Communications in Arlington, TX
  
• Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Dallas, TX
  
• Lockheed Martin Simulation, Training, and Support in Fort Worth, TX
  
• Marvin Engineering Company in Inglewood, CA
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems in Garland, TX
  
• Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems in Baltimore, MD
  
• Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, CT
  
• Raytheon Company in Goleta, CA
  
• Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems in El Segundo, CA
  
• Raytheon Missile System in Tucson, AZ
  
• Symetrics Industries in Melbourne, FL
  
• Terma in Denmark

Taiwanese sources state that these buys would be paid for over a period of 10-12 years, once contracts are negotiated. Implementation of this sale will require at least 5 contractor representatives for engineering and technical support, over the first 2 years of the program. Another 2 trips per year will be required for U.S. Government personnel and contractor representatives for the duration of the program, for program and technical support. See also: Focus Taiwan | Bloomberg | Reuters.

Sept 21/11: Reactions Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX] is among those who remain unimpressed by the upgrade offer. He has added a Senate rider that incorporates the language of his “Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act” (vid. Sept 12/11), as an amendment to H.R. 2832, the House Trade Adjustment Assistance bill that’s now making its way through Senate concurrence. The core of his disagreement is that upgrades don’t meet Taiwan’s request, and confirm Chinese influence on weapon sales that violates of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act. This also seems to be the widespread perception in Taiwan, though the KMT is defending the deal as expected.

Upgrades also won’t keep the F-16 production line rolling in Cornyn’s state past mid-2013, whereas a 66-plane order would add several years of continuation for about 2,000 jobs.

Cornyn’s amendment fails in the Senate. On the other hand, Rep. Kay Granger, [R-TX-12, which is Fort Worth] has introduced an S.1539 companion bill in the Republican-controlled House. If it passes there, it could find itself back in the Senate as a stand-alone bill. See also Focus Taiwan re: Taiwanese politics | Sen. Cornyn statement | Rep. Granger statement | Rep. Duncan Hunter [R-CA] op-ed | US-Taiwan Business Council [PDF] | Associated Press | Breitbart Big Peace op-ed re: security issues | Houston Chronicle | Miami Herald | Fort Worth Telegram Sky Talk re: House bill | WSJ Washington Wire || Special addition: FP magazine offers Taiwanese YouTube editorial animation videos.

DSCA: F-16 upgrade request

GR9 in Afghanistan w.
Sniper, Paveways
(click to view full)

Sept 19/11: Fighter Plan B – Go VTOL/STOVL! The Washington Times reports that a U.S. Defense Department study has concluded Taiwan’s best response to the threat of massive Chinese missile strikes against its airfields, is by buying short-takeoff and vertical-landing jets such as the V/STOL(Vertical/ Short Take Off and Landing) AV-8B Harrier II, or the new F-35B Lightning II STOVL(Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing capability) model. Read “Plan B: A V/STOVL Fighter for Taiwan?” for the full analysis and report.

Sept 19/11: Submarines. Focus Taiwan reports that Taiwan is considering building its own diesel-electric attack submarines:

“The military has commissioned a local shipbuilder to contact a non-U.S. country capable of building submarines for cooperation in building conventional submarines… sources said the Naval Shipbuilding Development Center has been very busy studying the blueprint of the country’s two… submarines… Moreover, naval authorities are preparing to send personnel abroad to study production technology or negotiate technology transfers for building pressure-resistant hulls, the most difficult part in submarine production, the sources said. Initially, the military may start from building small submarines weighing in the hundreds of deadweight tonnages.”

Maybe they can get a real deal from Germany for its 500t U-206As?

Sept 14/11: F-16 dogfight. Foreign Policy magazine reports that Sen. John Cornyn will not stall Senate confirmation of Ashton Carter as the Deputy Secretary of Defense. That kerfuffle had nothing to do with the Taiwanese sale; instead it involves assurances of Carter’s full support for the F-35 program, which faces strong budget pressures, and is assembled in Fort worth, TX.

Sept 12/11: F-16 dogfight. Amid rumors that the Obama administration will refuse Taiwan’s F-16 request, Sens. John Cornyn [R-TX] and Robert Menendez [D-NJ], introduce S.1539, The Taiwan Airpower Modernization Act of 2011. It would remove the decision from the administration’s hands, and force the USA to approve the sale of 66 new F-16s to Taiwan. This would not force a sale itself, of course, since Taiwan must choose to buy. But it would remove all approval road blocks.

The bill’s co-sponsors include Sens. Richard Blumenthal [D-CT] and Joe Lieberman [I-CT], Sens. Tom Coburn and James Inhofe [both R-OK], and Jon Kyl [R-AZ]. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, who must then approve it for submission to the Senate. GovTrack for S.1539 | Bloomberg | Fort Worth Star-Telegram | Texas Insider.

Aug 30/11: Security Sieve. The Wall St. Journal publishes Taiwan is Losing the Spying Game, by Taipei Times deputy news chief and Jane’s Defence Weekly correspondent J. Michael Cole. Key excerpt:

“…another factor may be at work: the penetration of almost every sector of Taiwanese society by Chinese intelligence. For the U.S. government and defense manufacturers, any arms sale to Taiwan carries the risk that sensitive military technology will end up in Beijing… Anyone who has followed developments in Taiwan over the years knows how deeply Chinese forces have infiltrated Taiwan’s military, especially its senior officers… Taiwan’s reputation has not been helped by a string of embarrassing cases involving members of the armed forces or civilians who spied for China… Even more damaging are the instances when culprits got away with a light sentence… Whether warranted or not, Taiwan is increasingly perceived as leaking secrets like a sieve.”

Taiwanese leaks

August 17/11: F-16 dogfight. According to the Taipei Times, President Ma Ying-jeou said the island was still seeking to acquire F-16C/Ds while the Ministry of National Defense denied having been notified by Washington officials of a refusal to proceed with the sale. The US State Department is saying no decision has been made yet. Vice President Joe Biden was in China until yesterday but this issue was not on the agenda, according to the Washington Times.

August 14/11: F-16 dogfight. No sale? That’s what Republic of China MND officials say that a US DoD delegation told them at the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition. This would confirm reports from June 2011, though the decision remains to be officially confirmed by US sources – something expected to happen by October 1st. In an interview with Defense News, deputy defense minister Andrew Yang said just last week:

“If we don’t get the F-16C/Ds to replace our vintage fighters, then we lose our leverage and immediately face the challenge of fulfilling our responsibility of preserving peace and stability in the region. [..] Otherwise, the U.S. has to send its own military to replace our daily patrols in the region.”

Instead, retrofits on older F-16A/Bs are being offered, reportedly including ASEA radars, targeting pods and other upgrades. After all, even the USAF is considering upgrading its F-16 fleet to guarantee a smooth bridge until it has enough F-35s. Whether all, or only some, of the 146 jets would be upgraded appears to still be up in the air. AviationWeek | DefenseNews | Taipei Times.

July 14/11: F-16 dogfight. The US State Department is trying to convince Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX] to lift his hold on the nomination of Bill Burns as deputy secretary of state. Cornyn is demanding that the administration (and the State Department, who handles formal sales requests) clarify its policy on Taiwan arms sales first. Foreign Policy magazine.

June 30/11: UH-60s. A $48.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 4 “green” (basic) Black Hawk helicopters and government-furnished equipment to contractor-furnished equipment in support of Foreign Military Sales to Taiwan. Work will be performed in Startford, CT, with an estimated completion date of May 30/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W58RGZ-08-C-0003).

A series of queries that ended up with the US Army have confirmed that these are UH-60Ms, and are just the basic airframes plus installation. That still leaves key items like engines (which will be installed, but are bought separately), defensive systems, training, and spares to be handled by other contracts, and leaves the prospect of modifications by the receiving country for that country to address. This is also the pattern used by Sweden’s recent CSAR/MEDEVAC buy. Note that there is a larger Taiwanese UH-60M request outstanding (vid. Jan 29/10 entry).

June 27/11: F-16 dogfight. Defense News reports that Taiwan’s June 24 petition to submit a letter of request (LoR) for new F-16 fighter jets was blocked by the U.S. State Department, under orders from the U.S. National Security Council.

Current US laws require Taiwan’s defense needs to be the sole criterion for judging military sales requests. This request could be worth more than $8.5 billion, and would extend the F-16 production line for several more years beyond its current planned closure, in 2013.

June 14/11: The Taipei Times reports that:

“A senior military official who requested anonymity said the Ministry of National Defense had been forced to return NT$1 billion (US$34 million) allotted for military equipment purchases to the national treasury because Washington was stalling on a decision to sell the submarine plans and F-16C/D aircraft long requested by Taipei… starting next year, it would only allocate the “lowest operational necessity” costs for the potential purchase of the submarine plans and F-16C/Ds, the official said, adding that the funding would very likely be lowered to about US$10 million and become symbolic funding rather than actual funding. This does not mean that the Republic of China government has grown pessimistic about or is no longer interested in acquiring the F-16C/Ds and submarine plans from the US, the official said…”

June 10/11: AH-64s? Reports surface that Taiwan has signed a contract for 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III attack helicopters under its Sky Eagle program, making it the type’s 1st export customer.

Per earlier contracts & requests, Taiwanese AH-64s will include Hellfire Longbow fire-and-forget light strike missiles and Stinger anti-aircraft missiles among its weapon options. In exercises, helicopters have proven to be very challenging opponents for fixed-wing aircraft, and the growing aerial imbalance over the China Strait makes some form of aerial engagement capability a necessity for any Taiwanese attack helicopter. The Dec 3/08 DSCA entry set a maximum estimated price of $2.532 billion for 30 helicopters, all associated equipment and initial support, and requested stocks of Stinger and Hellfire Longbow missiles.

US Army AH-64 project manager Col. Shane Openshaw is quoted as the source for the news, and says that Taiwan’s helicopters will be delivered from 2012-2013. The contract signing is consistent with April 2011 reports, and this will be treated as the full contract signing – but see also April 12/11, Oct 8/10, July 26/10, April 12/10, June 25/09, and Oct 3/08 entries, plus Flight International | Rotorhub | Asian Skies blog.

AH-64E attack helicopter order

May 26/11: F-16s 45 American Senators (out of 100) write to President Obama, supporting Taiwan’s request to buy 66 F-16C/D Block 50/52 fighters, in order to help keep pace with China’s buildup. Its authors include Senate Taiwan Caucus heads Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and James Inhofe (R-OK), as well as Senate China Working Group leaders Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Joe Lieberman (I-CT). Expressed concerns include both the imbalance created by China’s buildup of advanced fighters, and the economic benefits of the F-16 production line. The President is expected to ignore the letter, however, and the US State Department continues to stall the necessary approvals for the request to go forward. Full text [PDF] | Foreign Policy magazine | Flight International.

May 24/11: Harpoons for subs. US FBO.gov discusses the ongoing effort to arm Taiwan’s 2 submarines with Harpoon missiles:

“The Naval Air Systems Command, Precision Strike Weapons – PMA-201, intends to award a sole source contract to The Boeing Company, St. Louis, MO, for the acquisition of Encapsulated (ENCAP) Harpoon Certification Training Vehicle (EHCTV) Servicing Site and Weapons Station (WS) Support Equipment (SE) in support of the Taiwan Navy ENCAP Harpoon program. It is anticipated that a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) delivery order against Blanket Ordering Agreement N00019-11-G-0001 will be issued. This acquisition is being pursued on a sole source basis under the statutory 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. It is anticipated that a Firm-Fixed Price type contract will be issued. THIS NOTICE IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS.”

May 23/11: Submarines. Taiwan’s government denies that it has backed off of its program to buy 8 diesel-electric submarines, amidst reports that the program has been scaled down to 4 boats. The USA agreed to the 8-boat sale in 2001.

Nevertheless, the main problem remains, no matter how many are ordered. Despite policy papers from think-tanks like the neo-conservative AEI, The USA doesn’t produce diesel-electric submarines, and the countries who do make them have been too intimidated by Chinese threats of trade retaliation to supply them. Asia Times believes the rumors may be a political ploy by the Ma KMT government, which sees its support slipping before the 2012 elections and knows that defense is a weak issue. Floating the rumor and then responding looks like action, though it changes nothing. Iran’s Press TV | Asia Times.

May 16/11: Torpedoes. Taiwan’s military reportedly plans to budget $860 million to purchase new Mk54 and Mk48 torpedoes over the a 10-year period.

$300 million will reportedly be used to buy 600 Mk54 lightweight torpedoes, replacing existing Mk46s. They’re designed to launch for ships, and from aircraft like Taiwan’s incoming P-3C Orion sea control planes.

Another $160 million will be spent on the purchase of 40 Mk48s, replacing the existing German-made SUT heavyweight torpedoes Taiwan acquired with its 2 Hai Lung II (Zvaardis) Class subs built by the Netherlands. Another $400 million would cover 100 Mk48s, if Taiwan finds a way to source and purchase the 8 diesel-electric submarines it wants. See also July 20/10 entry, Focus Taiwan.

May 10/11: Defense committee member Rep. Lin Yu-fang [Nationalist Party] is quoted as saying that Taiwan intends to push back the due date for buying Patriot missiles from 2014 to 2017, and postpone buying Black Hawk helicopters from 2016 to 2019-2020. He says that those monies will be spent instead on the transition and recruitment costs associated with scrapping conscription, and fielding an all-volunteer force by 2015.

Defense Ministry spokesman Luo Shou-he cited the reason as production delays by U.S. defense contractors, but the contractors don’t seem to think so. Agence France Presse, via My Sinchew | AP, via Washington Post.

April 12/11: Defense News reports that representatives from the U.S. government and Boeing will arrive in Taipei in May 2011, to wrap up the AH-64 Block III Foreign Military Sale deal. Author Wendell Minnick.

March 23/11: P-3 MPA. CAE announces a series of military contracts in more than 10 countries valued at approximately C$ 100 million, including a contract to build P-3C training devices for the Taiwan Navy. They’ll design and manufacture a P-3C Level D operational flight trainer (OFT) as well as a P-3C operational tactics trainer (OTT) for the P-3’s sensor operators. Both training devices will be delivered to Taiwan in 2014.

Feb 17/11: AMRAAM missiles. Focus Taiwan covers a ROCAF report on the May 2010 AMRAAM International Users’ Conference, in which the USAF’s 649th Armament Systems Squadron raised the issue of “Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages (DMSMS).” In English, that means people who manufacture some parts of the missile are either going out of business or ceasing production. The 649th ARSS said component shortages could begin as soon as 2012, and recommends that countries revise their AMRAAM support contracts to include maintenance and warranty clauses.

The longer term hope is to issue contracts for Raytheon to develop replacement components, as part of a joint logistics support plan extending to around 2030. Taiwan will join some other AMRAAM users in raising the issue of humidity, which makes it harder to store and maintain the missiles, and could accelerate their spares problem.

Jan 6/11: P-3C. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors Tactical Systems in Eagan, MN receives a $47.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for the initial outfitting of 12 Taiwanese P-3Cs with new avionics components.

Work will be performed in Eagan, MN, and is expected to be complete in December 2012. The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Lakehurst, NJ manages the contract, on behalf of its foreign Military Sales customer (N00019-09-C-0031).

2010

USA’s non-public Direct Commercial Sales process now open to Taiwan; Major $6+ billion FMS request for 60 helicopters, 2 minehunting ships, sub-launched missiles & PATRIOT air defense upgrades; AH-64 helicopter buy; Sub-launched Harpoon missile buy; ATACMS ballistic missile buy; Up to 20 “Search & Rescue” helis; E-2C early-warning aircraft upgrades; We could use some new tanks; Military balance keeps tilting against Taiwan.

ATACMS from M270

Dec 30/10: E-2C. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY receives a $6.6 million delivery order modification, exercising an option for engineering, technical and sustaining services in support of Taiwan Air Force E-2C aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (75%), and at the Pingtung Air Force Base, Taiwan (25%), and is expected to be complete in December 2011. The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract on behalf of its Foreign Military Sale customer (N00421-05-G-0001).

Dec 26/10: P-3C. The China times in Taipei reports that Taiwan will receive its first P-3C Orion sea control aircraft in 2011. They end up being about 2 years ahead of themselves. Agence France Presse.

Dec 23/10: E-2 Hawkeyes. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY receives an $11.9 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to convert 2 E-2T aircraft into E-2C Hawkeye 2000 aircraft. These efforts will also support the transition to an anticipated performance based spares & maintenance solution for the aircraft.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY, and is expected to be complete in September 2012. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract on Taiwan’s behalf (N00019-10-G-0004).

Dec 23/10: Missiles. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $916.2 million firm-fixed-price contract, with some cost-plus-fixed-fee contract line item numbers. They’ll provide 226 ATACMS missiles; 24 launcher modification kits; ground support equipment; contractor field support; and initial spares in Foreign Military Sales to United Arab Emirates, and Taiwan.

This order is probably deliberately ambiguous. ATACMS missiles are used with tracked M270 MLRS (2 pods) and FMTV medium truck-mounted M142 HIMARS (one pod) systems, with the ATACMS missile replacing all 6 of a pod’s 227mm rockets. In exchange, it offers a GPS-guided strike range of around 150 miles – which could technically cross the Taiwan Strait at its narrowest points, but in practice would be limited to the very useful ability to hit any target in Taiwan from a central firing location.

Taiwan doesn’t operate the HIMARS systems the UAE has purchased, or the MLRS. On the other hand, its 57 Thunderbolt 2000 systems mounted on HEMTT heavy trucks do carry rocket pod options that include 2 sets of 6 227mm rockets each, which indicates potential ATACMS compatibility. The UAE’s latest DSCA request included 100 ATACMS missiles and 60 training rockets, but a 2006 request could cover another 200 missiles. This leaves Taiwan’s actual ATACMS order ambiguous, pending more direct clarification.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Lufkin, TX; Ocala, FL; Camden, AR; and Chelmsford, MA, with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/13. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command, AMCOM in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

DSCA: ATACMS missiles

Oct 8/10: AH-64 order. Boeing in Mesa, AZ receives a $141.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 31 AH-64D Apache helicopters and 2 fixed-site Longbow crew trainers, matching “the Taiwan AH-64D aircraft configuration.” Work is to be performed in Mesa, AZ, with an estimated completion date of July 30/15. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the US Army’s AMCOM Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W58RGZ-09-G-0147).

This is just the initial contract. The amount is enough to get work started, but won’t even come close to paying for 31 helicopters. See April 12/10, and also Oct 3/08, which identified the helicopters as AH-64D Block IIIs. Past experience, and the specifics of this Pentagon announcement, strongly imply that Taiwan’s AH-64D Block IIIs may not be the same as other nations who order the type.

Sept 13/10: Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas & Grand Prairie, TX received a $7.8 million firm-fixed-fee and cost-plus-fixed fee contract for PAC-3 FY 2010 subset efforts to include the following: United States enhanced launcher electronics system kit cables; Taiwan control interface circuit card assembly redesign; Taiwan power and control circuit card assembly redesign; Taiwan missile test set; Taiwan portable four-pack test set; Taiwan seeker digital processor parts; United Arab Emirates (UAE) portable 4-pack test set; UAE guidance processor unit redesign – tooling and test equipment.

The estimated completion date is Oct 31/12, with work to be performed at Dallas, TX (95.74%), Camden, AZ (0.25%), and Ocala, FL (4.01%). One bid was solicited and one bid received (W31P4Q-10-C-0002).

Sept 6/10: BMD progress. Taiwan expects its initial missile defence shield to be ready in 2011, including 6 batteries of Patriot PAC-3 missiles, a “long-range early warning radar system,” and an integrated command and control system that also incorporates its own “Tien Kung” missiles. The China Times places the overall cost at about T$ 300 billion (currently about $9.39 billion), with about T$ 150 billion going toward the Patriot systems and T$ 40 billion to the long-range radar. Agence France Presse.

Aug 12/10: DCS OKed. The U.S. Department of State confirms that it will allow U.S. companies to make a number of defense sales to Taiwan as Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), instead of as Foreign Military Sale (FMS) packages. Items expected under $100 million or so in expected DCS deals include support for Taiwan’s air defense radar system, and an improved radar for its F-CK Ching-kuo fighters.

For Taiwan, DCS sales have 2 big advantages over FMS transactions. One is that they don’t have to pay middleman fees to the US military units who must oversee and manage the entire process. If the item in question can be competitively sourced and is well-understood, that can lower costs. The other, bigger advantage is that they don’t require the same level of public notification and political approval, which gives them a lower political profile. See the “Additional Readings” section below, for more on the differences between DCS and FMS sales. Taiwan’s CNA | CNA follow-up.

FMS, or DCS

Aug 5/10: Frigates. Reports surface that America will sell Taiwan 2 more refurbished FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Class Perry frigates for $40 million. On the other hand, “The Ministry of National Defense declined to comment on the report and a spokeswoman at the American Institute in Taiwan said she was not aware of it.”

The ROC Navy already operates 8 similar FFG-7 derivative Cheng Kung Class frigates, alongside its 6 high end Kang Ding Class Lafayette derivatives. AFP via Taipei Times | Pakistan’s The News International

July 29/10: Harpoon order. A $66 million firm-fixed-price contract for:

• 32 Lot 85 Harpoon missile bodies (HMB) for the government of Taiwan
  
• 4 Harpoon canister grade “B” missiles for the government of Canada
  
• Associated spares and support.
  
• Harpoon missile spares for the governments of Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Japan, the United Kingdom, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey and Singapore, to include containers;
  
• Plus Block II guidance section upgrade kits; wire bundle assemblies; and guidance control units.

• GM-84 Harpoon missile body consists of the Guidance Section, Warhead Section, Sustainer (propulsion) Section, and the Control Section. The Harpoon missile body, along with an appropriate air, canister (ship) or other launch kit (to include wings, fins, booster if applicable for UGM-84s), makes up a Harpoon AUR. This contract combines purchases for the governments of Taiwan ($43.8M; 66.4%), Canada ($10.1M; 15.3%), Portugal ($7.6M; 11.5%), the Netherlands ($3.2M; 4.8%), Japan ($514,864; 0.8%), the United Kingdom ($263,986; 0.4%), Israel ($194,635; 0.3%), Pakistan ($169,360; 0.3%), Turkey ($31,643; 0.1%), and Singapore ($2,584; 0.1%) under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (55.3%); McKinney, TX (10.7%); Toledo, OH (6.2%); Huntsville, AL (4.5%); Lititz, PA (3.7%); Middletown, CT (2.7%); Grove, OK (2.3%); Galena, KS (1.6%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Motherwell, UK (1.2%); Elkton, MD (1.1%); Kirkwood, MO (1%); Anniston, AL (0.8%); Clearwater, FL (0.7%); McAlester, OK (0.6%); Melbourne, FL (0.6%); and various locations in and outside the contiguous U.S. (5.5%). Work is expected to be complete in June 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-10-C-0053).

Harpoon missiles

July 26/10: Hellfire missiles. The Longbow, LLC joint venture in Orlando, FL received a $39.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for engineering services supporting the Hellfire and Hellfire Longbow missiles. Work is to be performed in Orlando, FL (50%); Baltimore, MD (25%); United Arab Emirates (10%); and Taiwan (15%), and will run to Sept 30/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, AMSAM-AC-TM-H in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-10-C-0256).

The Hellfire Longbow missile is a fire-and-forget version of the Hellfire anti-armor missile. Unlike the semi-active laser guided Hellfires, Hellfire Longbow missiles rely on millimeter-wave guidance, and work in conjunction with the mushroom-shaped Longbow radar mast that’s mounted on top of the AH-64D attack helicopter’s rotor. Taiwan became a Hellfire missile customer in 2005, but doesn’t operate the Longbow variant yet.

July 20/10: Radars. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Sudbury, MA receives a $29.2 million contract modification for the surveillance radar program, which aims to provide Taiwan with elements of its missile and air defense system. This is a foreign military sales program managed by the 850th ELSG/PK at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA, and $8,324,987 has been committed (FA8722-05-C-0001, P00073).

July 20/10: Taiwan’s Liberty Times reports that Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou ordered the country’s defense ministry to draft a draw up a shopping list of weapons Taiwan needs. It reportedly includes MK-54 lightweight torpedoes to replace aging Mk-46s, “dozens” of M1A2 tanks, and amphibious landing vehicles. Taiwan’s current tank corps is headlined by a set of about 480 M60A3 Patton tanks, which are 1960s-1970s technology, and a larger set of M48 variants, whose design dates from the early 1950s. UPI.

July 19/10: Tilting balance. A report sponsored by Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense, and published in Taiwan’s naval studies journal, estimates that China will increase the number of short- and medium-range missiles pointed at the island to 1,960 by the end of 2010. That would rise from the last current count of 1,300-1,400. The report estimates that these missiles would have the ability to destroy 90% of Taiwan’s infrastructure. AP | Reuters | RTT News | Taiwan News.

This day also marks the start of an annual computerized wargame by Taiwan’s military, simulating an invasion by China. During the 5-day drill, Chinese forces attack from Guangzhou and Nanjing, while Taiwanese forces test counter-attack strategies. eTaiwan News | Agence France Presse.

June 23/10: E-2s. Taiwan News reports that upgrades are beginning for Taiwan’s E-2T fleet of early warning aircraft. The ROCAF retains 2 E-2Ts and 2 newer E-2C+ Hawkeye 2000s, but it sent 2 “folded and wrapped” E-2Ts by truck from Kaohsiung’s Hsiaokang Airport to the city’s port under heavy escort, for loading onto a Taiwanese freighter and shipment to the USA.

Upgrades are being done in batches of 2, and are expected to finish up in 2012, at a total cost of NT$ 5.6 billion (currently about $175 million). See also July 21/09, Oct 3/08.

E-2 upgrades

June 1/10: Patriot. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA receives a $21.3 million firm-fixed-price contract, covering spares for Taiwan’s PATRIOT Config-3 upgrade, and for Kuwait’s Patriot radar upgrade.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of June 30/13. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

April 30/10: Patriot. BAE Systems in Sealy, TX received a $5.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 8 of its M1086A1P2 and 9 of its M1A096A1P2 Patriot vehicles with Patriot kits installed for the country of Taiwan, as well as 7 M1088A1P2 FMTV tractor-trucks, for a total of 24 vehicles purchased with this modification. Work is to be performed in Sealy, TX, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, MI (W56HZV-08-C-0460).

Taiwan appears to have chosen FMTV medium trucks, as opposed to the Oshkosh HEMTT heavy trucks used by the US Army. While Oshkosh will own the next FMTV medium truck contract as well, BAE Systems retains the rights to key variants, and are currently the only production source for FMTV vehicles.

Chinese Type 022
(click to view full)

April 12/10: Corvette. Taiwan unveils a proposed design for a 1,000 tonne “carrier killer corvette,” as some media sources describe it. The catamaran design looks a lot like China’s current Type 022 catamarans, but would be armed with Taiwanese Hsiungfeng III ship-to-ship missiles. At this point, the project itself is not a firm decision, and could be built locally (most likely) or become a foreign tender.

While fast attack craft with advanced ship-killing missiles are always dangerous to carriers, they are also very dangerous to amphibious assault groups in an invasion scenario. Other potential uses could include coastal patrol, and even acting as a naval “cavalry screen” against China’s Type 022s, in order to buy space for American naval forces. See: Naval OSINT (with picture) | Defense News | Manichi Daily News, Japan | Singapore Straits-Times | UPI.

April 12/10: AH-64s. Defense News reports that a contract for 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopters is expected to be signed in May 2010, for arrival in Taiwan between the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. Focus Taiwan.

March 16/10: Tilting Balance. The U.S. – China Economic and Security Review Commission holds a public hearing on “Taiwan-China: Recent Economic, Political, and Military Developments across the Strait, and Implications for the United States.” Much of the debate surrounds Taiwan’s remaining request for F-16s, either implicitly or explicitly. Mark Stokes, of Project 2049, lays out a framework for thinking about these issues in his testimony:

“Aerospace power will become an increasingly powerful instrument of PRC coercion… Aerospace power likely will dominate any conflict in the Taiwan Strait and could shape its ultimate outcome… The cross-Strait security situation often is viewed within the context of a military balance. However, PLA capabilities should be judged against specific political objectives in a given scenario and assessed in light of Taiwan’s vulnerabilities, as well as assumptions upon which U.S. decisions… are made… An amphibious invasion is the least likely yet most dangerous scenario… Coercive strategies could include a demonstrations of force as seen in the 1995/1996 missile exercises, 1999 flights in the Taiwan, or in the future a blockade intended to pressure decision makers in Taiwan to assent to Chinese demands, strategic paralysis involving attacks against the islands critical infrastructure, limited missile strikes, flights around the island, just to name a few.

A coercive campaign could be geared toward inflicting sufficient pain or instilling fear in order to coerce Taiwan’s leadership to agree to negotiations on Beijing’s terms, a timetable for unification, immediate political integration, or other political goals. Military coercion succeeds when the adversary gives in while it still has the power to resist and is different from brute force, an action that involves annihilation and total destruction.”

See also RAND’s testimony regarding the overall military balance, and the challenge of Chinese missile salvos aimed at RoCAF air bases. Hearings page | Taipei Times | WIRED Danger Room.

Feb 25/10: Javelin missiles. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Orlando, FL received a $21 million firm-fixed-price contract for FY 2009-2011 hardware production of Javelin anti-tank missile systems to Taiwan.

Javelin is a joint venture between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin. Work is to be performed in Tucson, AZ (50%, Raytheon), and Orlando, FL (50%, LM), with an estimated completion date of Jan 17/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received by Aviation & Missile Command Contracting Command, CCAM-TM-H in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0376). See also Oct 3/08 entry.

More Javelin missiles

Feb 22/10: Tilting balance. The Associated Press receives a US Defense Intelligence Agency report (DIA-02-1001-028) that supposedly says Taiwan’s air force is not ready to withstand an attack from China. While the Taiwanese have 400 combat aircraft to serve in various roles, “far fewer of these are operationally capable.” The F-5 fleet is near the end of its combat life, and its F-16A/B Block 20s need upgrades. Its Mirage 2000v5s are the most advanced in the fleet, but they are so expensive to maintain, and have had such chronic difficulties with the aircraft’s turbine fan blades, that Taiwan is considering retiring them.

That’s significant for Taiwan’s F-16 request, because under the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, decisions on Taiwan’s weapon requests must be “based solely” on judgments concerning Taiwan’s defense needs, without other political considerations. AP | Defense News | Reuters

Feb 11/10: War by other means. Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Kuan Bi-ling alleges, and the Fisheries Agency confirms, that Chinese pressure on Indonesia has led to a government-recommended boycott of fishing vessels made in Taiwan. The economic impact is estimated at NT$ 100 million per year. The move is not a military move, but it does have some military implications. It’s both a protectionist strike in favor of China’s growing shipbuilding sector, and a way of weakening Taiwan’s breadth of expertise in that area. Taiwan News.

Feb 3/10: EC225 helicopter order. Taiwan is spending $112 million for 3 of Eurocopters’s EC225 Super Puma MkII+ helicopters in search and rescue (SAR) configuration, with an option for up to 17 more machines.

The order is carefully calculated, and the ROC government says the helicopters are for civilian use. The choice of helicopter is also careful, as China’s own Ministry of Communications already operates 2 EC225s for SAR duties, as does Japan’s Coast Guard to the east. On the other hand, EC225s could be converted to medium military helicopters quite quickly – a point that has been brought up before over Eurocopter’s EC175/ Z-15 and Z-9 joint ventures in China. France uses the military EC725 for SEA and Special Forces duties, and Mexico and Brazil have also ordered it. To this point, China has been silent concerning this order. Taiwan News | Defense News | DNA India | The Guardian, UK | Reuters.

EC225s

Jan 31/10: F-16 dogfight. eTaiwan News quotes Premier Wu Den-yih, who says that Taiwan and the U.S. are still discussing F-16s and diesel-electric submarines:

“The premier also told reporters that the government would calculate if the cost of the package announced by the U.S. was not too high. The weapons had to come at a reasonable price for a useful quality level, he said. Wu said discussions on the F-16 jets were most likely to bear fruit, while the price tag for the submarines was “scary.” …Opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen said yesterday that Taiwan’s success in achieving the arms purchase was the result of hard work by the previous DPP administration.”

Link 16 Display
(click to see situation)

Jan 29/10: DSCA – One from category A, one from category B… The US DSCA announces up to $6.45 billion in official requests to recapitalize Taiwan’s battlefield helicopter fleet with 60 UH-60Ms, complete the upgrade of its Patriot missile system to PAC-3 status with missiles and command facilities, add Link-16 capability to key assets, purchase 2 Osprey Class minehunter ships, and buy 12 Harpoon Block II test missiles.

In response, the Chinese embassy in Washington, DC, released a statement condemning the move. There are reports that China will cut off military-to-military cooperation with the US, boycott Obama’s planned nuclear summit in April 2010, and even levy trade sanctions. As media like the UK’s Financial Times point out, however, growing protectionist sentiment in the USA makes trade sanctions against American firms an extremely risky move for the Chinese. China Post | Radio Taiwan International | Taiwan News | Taiwan Today | AllGov | The Australian | BBC News | UK’s Financial Times re: China’s risks | New York Times | Reuters | Times of India | Wall Street Journal | Voice of America | China Daily | China’s Xinhua | China’s Xinhua re: sanctions. See also Taiwan News: “The shadow over Taiwan’s arms procurement.”

UH-60M Black Hawks. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request for up to 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters to replace its aged UH-1H Huey fleet, at an estimated cost is $3.1 billion. The principal contractors will be United Technologies’ subsidiary Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, CT (UH-60M), and General Electric Aircraft Engines in Lynn, MA. The DSCA adds that:

“The purchaser has requested offsets; however, at this time they are undetermined and will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and contractors.”

Specific equipment sought includes:

• 60 UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters
  
• 120 T-700-GE-701D engines installed
  
• 18 spare T-700-GE-701D engines
  
• 69 AN/APR-39Av2 Radar Warning Receivers
  
• 69 AN/ALQ-144Av1 Infrared Countermeasure Sets
  
• 69 AN/AAR-57 Common Missile Warning Systems
  
• 69 AN/AVR-2B Laser Detecting Sets
  
• 120 GAU-19/A .50 cal Machine Gun Systems
  
• 310 AN/AVS-9 Aviator Night Vision Goggles.
  
• Associated .50 cal ammunition, pyrotechnics, cartridges and propellant actuated devices, to equip the guns and countermeasures systems.
  
• Plus “other explosives including devices,” Po-Sheng Communication/Data Link Systems, ammunition, spare and repair parts, tools and support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, and other support.

Taiwan doesn’t operate Black Hawks yet, but its Navy operates S-70C Seahawk helicopters, so it has some experience with the general type. Implementation of this proposed sale may require the assignment of 2 contractor representatives for a period of up to 2 years.

DSCA: UH-60M request

MIDS-LVT/ Link 16: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request to buy 35 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems Low Volume Terminals (MIDS/LVT-1), 25 MIDS On Ships Terminals, plus spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, training personnel training and training equipment, repair and return, software and hardware updates, publications and technical documentation, and U.S. Government and contractor engineering and support services. The estimated cost is $340 million.

This may seem like an afterthought, but it’s actually a critical contract. MIDS-LVT terminals are a standardized way of embedding “Link 16” datalinks into ships, aircraft, and land systems. By transmitting encrypted information to each other and filtering out duplications, Link 16 allows participating platforms to see the same tactical picture – what one sees, all can see. This dramatically improves awareness amidst the inevitable “fog of war” , and can help to minimize friendly fire incidents. LVT-1 terminals are used in aircraft, as well as ground units like Patriot missile systems. They include both Tactical Air Navigation System, and voice capabilities.

The prime contractor will be selected through a competitive procurement conducted by the U.S. Government, involving ViaSat and the BAE Systems/ Rockwell Collins joint venture Data Link Solutions. Implementation of this proposed sale will require multiple trips involving U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in training, program management, and technical reviews.

DSCA: Link-16 datalinks

Osprey Class minehunters The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request to buy 2 Osprey Class coastal mine-hunting ships, including refurbishment and upgrade, overhaul of their AN/SQQ-32 sonars, transportation, support and test equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and U.S. Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is $105 million.

The USA’s 12 Osprey Class mine-hunters were built from 1993-1999 out of fiberglass-reinforced plastics, in order to minimize their magnetic signature. These 804t/ 57m vessels locate mines using the high definition SQQ-32 sonar, then neutralize them using a remotely controlled UUV(Unmanned Underwater Vehicle). Despite continued threats in critical global areas like the Strait of Hormuz, and adequate performance, the Osprey Class was taken out of US Navy service in 2006-2007. Taiwan would join Egypt (2), Greece (2), Lithuania (2), and Turkey (2) as customers for these second-hand vessels. Approval for the transfer of Oriole [MHC-55] and Falcon [MHC-59] was authorized back in the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-229), but the US State Department had dithered over the request (q.v. Nov 18/09 entry).

For this contract, a U.S. Prime contractor for the refurbishment will be chosen after a competitive source selection. Implementation of this sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government personnel or contractor representatives.

DSCA: Minehunters request

Harpoon Block II missiles. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request for 12 “Harpoon Block II Telemetry” missiles. The DSCA release cites 10 “RTM-84L” and 2 “ATM-84L” missiles, which have telemetry payloads for missile tests, instead of the warheads found on standard RGM-84 (ship-launched) and AGM-84 (air-launched) variants. In addition to the missiles, Taiwan would receive containers; training devices; spare and repair parts; supply/technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; and U.S. Government and contractor support.

The estimated cost is $37 million, the prime contractor will be Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, Missouri, and implementation of this sale will not require any additional U.S. Government personnel or contractor representatives.

The Harpoon Block II could be militarily significant, because its GPS guidance and improved clutter resolution allow it to attack land targets, as well as ships. See also the Oct 3/08 entry, requesting submarine-launched Block II missiles. Taiwan is building its own “HF-2E Hsiung Feng” land attack cruise missiles with much longer ranges, however, so the Block II’s land-attack capability would not be a new military development in the region.

DSCA: Harpoon missile request

Patriot Missiles & C2. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request to complete its Patriot upgrade plans, adding PAC-3 missiles and additional command equipment.

• 114 PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles
  
• 26 M902 Launching Stations
  
• 3 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 1 AN/MSQ-133 Information and Coordination Center
  
• 1 Tactical Command Station
  
• 3 AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Stations
  
• 3 Communication Relay Groups
  
• 5 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 1 Electronic Power Plant III (EPP)
  
• Plus battery and battalion maintenance equipment, prime movers, generators, electrical power units, trailers, communication equipment
  
• Also personnel training and equipment, tool and test sets, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, Quality Assurance Team support services, and U.S. Government and contractor support.

The estimated cost is $2.81 billion, and the principal contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA, and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX. “The recipient, which already has PAC-3 missiles in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles… Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives.” See also Dec 23/09, Oct 16/09, Jan 26/09, and Oct 3/08 entries.

DSCA: PATRIOT missile request

Jan 14/10: E-2s. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, N.Y., received a $6 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement to provide engineering, technical and sustaining services in support of Taiwan’s 6 E-2T/E-2C+ Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (75%), and at Pingtung Air Force Base, Taiwan (25%), and is expected to be complete in January 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages this contract (N00421-05-G-0001).

Jan 14/10: P-3C planes, shipped by land. Since the P-3 production line isn’t active any more, all 12 of the mothballed P-3s slated for Taiwan had to come from stored US Navy aircraft at AMARG’s “boneyard” near Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ. The problem is that all 12 were labeled “non-flyable” due to structural fatigue, which made the 2,000 mile trip to Lockheed Martin’s refurbishment and re-winging facility in Greenville, SC, a bit of a challenge.

After considering and rejecting rail transport due to offloading and re-loading risks, the AMARG team decided to use a flatbed truck. That’s an unusual method, but it worked. Their approach has stirred interest from other P-3 operators, and even US federal government agencies. Read “Delivering Your Plane, By Truck” for more.

Jan 10/10: Frigates? Reports surface that Taiwan plans to buy 8 FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates from the USA, then outfit them with more advanced systems. Australia has already laid down a blueprint for that kind of modernization, adding SM-2 Standard and RIM-162 ESSM anti-aircraft missiles to their FFG-7 Adelaide Class frigates at great expense. But reports in the Taipei-based China Times speak of refitting the frigates with an AEGIS combat and radar system. That would break new technical ground, and may prove difficult to add, given the FFG-7 ships’ limited “growth space.” Agence France Presse | Information Dissemination.

Jan 3/10: The Washington Post adds fuel to speculation that approval of additional equipment sales for Taiwan – but not F-16s – is imminent:

“The Obama administration is expected to approve the sale of several billion dollars in Black Hawk helicopters and anti-missile batteries to Taiwan early this year, possibly accompanied by a plan gauging design and manufacturing capacity for diesel-powered submarines for the island…”

Taiwanese Patriot batteries already exist, of course, and their expansion contract is a done deal as of late December 2009. The next step is exporting the PAC-3 missiles themselves. Washignton Post | Radio Taiwan.

2009

Major order for new PATRIOT missile ground systems; P-3 sea control planes ordered; Taiwan buys Stinger air-air missiles for its coming AH-64 attack helicopters.

Patriot system
(click for explanation)

Dec 23/09: Patriot SAM. Raytheon announces Foreign Military Sales contract awards totaling $1.1 billion to fund new production of Patriot Air and Missile Defense System for Taiwan. The awards include ground-system hardware through an initial contract valued at $965.6 million, and an initial spares contract valued at $134.4 million.

See the Oct 3/08 DSCA release; this is the contract for the radars, ground stations, and other ancillary equipment besides the missiles themselves. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages this contract for new-production Patriot fire units, which will include new advances in technology, improved man-machine interfaces, and (hopefully) reduced life-cycle costs over earlier generations.

Major PATRIOT contract

Dec 10-13/09: UH-60s yes, U214s maybe? Reports surface that Taiwan will not get its F-16s approved, but will get its purchase of UH-60s approved. The reports add that a 3-way sale would let Taiwan buy U214 submarines from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’ HDW subsidiary. Radio Taiwan International | Taiwan Today.

Nov 18/09: F-16 dogfight. Rep. Ileana Ross Lehtinen [R-FL] introduces co-sponsored bill H.R. 4102. The bill cites key provisions of the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act that are not being followed, including the stipulation that weapon requests be “based solely” on judgments concerning Taiwan’s defense needs, without other political considerations. It also cites Taiwan’s expressed desire for F-16 C/D fighters, and the lack of any arms transfer notifications to Congress for Taiwan during calendar year 2009 – despite Taiwan’s expressed desire for F-16s, H-60 Blackhawk helicopters, diesel submarine design, and additional Patriot PAC-3 systems. Nor have the Osprey class minehunter coastal ships Oriole [MHC-55] and Falcon [MHC-59] been transferred, even though Congress authorized the sale of these ships in the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-229).

The bill is essentially a Congressional freedom of information request, requiring reports 90 days after enactment and at least annually thereafter, so that Congress is aware of any discussions conducted between any executive branch agency and the Government of Taiwan during the covered period; and any potential transfer of defense articles or defense services to the Government of Taiwan. This would prevent unelected agencies from using their refusal to present requests to Congress as a way to keep such sales off of the political agenda.

The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs; if it is not killed by that committee, it would proceed to a floor vote. See Taiwan Today | Bill tracking via GovTrack.

Oct 16/09: Patriot SAM. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $77.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for Taiwan’s Patriot hardware upgrade program. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA (8%), and Burlington, MA (15%), with an estimated completion date of June 30/15. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0001).

See also the Jan 26/09 and April 23/08 entries, below.

July 21/09: E-2s. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Bethpage, NY receives an unfinalized $154.1 million contract to upgrade all 6 of Taiwan’s E-2 Hawkeye AWACS aircraft from Group II configuration to the more advanced Hawkeye 2000 (H2K) export configuration. See Oct 3/08 entries for more details.

Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (40%); St. Augustine, FL (22%); Rolling Meadows, IL (6%); Dayton, OH (6%); Windsor Locks, CT (5%); Greenlawn, NY (4%); Mississauga, Canada (4%); Marlboro, MA (4%); and other various locations throughout the United States (9%); and is expected to be complete in June 2013. As Northrop Grumman is the E-2’s manufacturer, this contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-09-C-0040).

E-2C 2000 AWACS upgrade

June 30/09: F-16s. A Flight International article says that Taiwan may see progress regarding its F-16 orders:

“Taiwan’s plans to buy new Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fighters appear to be gaining some traction, with the outgoing de-facto US ambassador to the island saying that senior officials in Washington are likely to consider the issue shortly… Taiwan’s defence minister Chen Chao Min said this week that, contrary to media reports, Washington had not asked Taipei to choose between upgrades to its existing F-16A/Bs and new F-16C/Ds. Requests for mid-life upgrades for the F-16A/Bs and the new fighters are proceeding in tandem, he added.”

June 25/09: Stinger SAMs for AH-64s. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $45.4 million firm-fixed-price contract from Taiwan for 171 FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, 24 Captive Flight Trainers (CFT) with seekers but no rocket motors, 68 Air to Air Launchers (ATAL), 7 Launcher Circuit Evaluators, 2 Digital Launcher Test Sets (DLTS), 60 Coolant Reservoir Assemblies, 3 Launcher Emulators, one Lot of CFT Spares, one Lot of ATAL Spares, and one Lot of DLTS Spares.

The missiles will equip Taiwan’s 30 requested AH-64D Block III Apache attack helicopters; see also Oct 3/08 entries.

Work is to be performed in Tucson, AZ with an estimated completion date of July 31/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the US Aviation & Missile Command Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AlL (W31P4Q-09-C-0520).

March 16/09: Tilting balance. Taiwan’s Defense Ministry announces its defense review, including plan to cut its troop numbers by 60,000, and end the standard 12 months of compulsory military service within 5 years. This will leave the island with 215,000 troops.

The review adds that China currently has at least 1,300 ballistic missiles pointed at Taiwan, and has deployed advanced Russian-made SU-27 and SU-30 fighters near the island. Defense News.

March 16/09: F-16 dogfight. Taiwan News reports that the country intends to continue pursuing F-16 fighters. The country does not have a formal embassy in the USA, but the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) serves the same functions. TERCO spokesman Vance Chang responded to media requests by noting that the F-5E/F fighters that make up most of the country’s air force have been in service for more than 34 years.

“The planes now are obsolete and spare parts are difficult to obtain… [given China’s ongoing modernization] our air superiority capability is at a serious disadvantage.”

The U.S.-Taiwan Business Council represents about 100 companies, including Lockheed Martin. The organization’s president, Rupert Hammond-Chambers, adds that under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act, the USA “has an obligation to assist Taiwan to maintain a credible defense of its air space, which includes modern fighters.” This would explain a July 2008 US Navy PACOM evaluation that deemed the F-16s militarily unnecessary, a silly position on its face but explicable if one begins from the desired political result.

March 13/09: P-3 MPAs. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors Tactical Systems in St. Paul, MN receives a $665.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of phased depot maintenance, structural service life extension, and avionics modification to refurbish and sell 12 P-3C maritime patrol aircraft to the government of Taiwan. This contract also provides for ground handling, support equipment and publications.

Work will be performed in St. Paul, MN (50%); Greensville, SC (27%) and Marietta, GA (23%), and is expected to be complete in August 2015. This contract was not competitively procured, and is managed by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-09-C-0031). See also the Sept 12/07 DSCA request.

P-3C MPAs

March 11/09: F-16 dogfight. Taiwan’s speaker is quoted as saying that the US has refused to sell Taiwan 66 more F-16s for about $5 billion, in order to augment and modernize the Republic of China’s fighter defense fleet. Wang Jin-pyng was quoted as saying that:

“The U.S. doesn’t want to give them to us… They wouldn’t name a price. It’s mainly because mainland China would oppose the sale.”

See: Taiwan News | Reuters | Washington Post.

Feb 23/09: P-3 MPAs. Defense News reports that Taiwan, the U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin have finally settled issues over price and offset options, and are to soon sign a $1.3 billion contract to refurbish and supply 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft. Taiwan had traditionally been opposed to buying refurbished aircraft taken from AMARC in Arizona, but re-starting the P-3C production line was not a realistic option. Lockheed Martin has re-started a production line to re-wing existing P-3Cs, however, and countries like Norway, Canada, and even the US Navy have been taking advantage of that capability to extend the service lives of existing aircraft.

Delivery of the P-3s would end the career of Taiwan’s 37 ancient S-2T Trackers, which are reportedly down to just 3 operational aircraft, even as China’s own submarine fleet grows by leaps and bounds.

Jan 26/09: Patriot SAM. Raytheon announces a $154 million Foreign Military Sales contract to upgrade more of Taiwan’s Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems ground systems and radars from Configuration-2 to Config-3 standard, enhancing the ROC’s ability to deal with threats like China’s growing array of ballistic missiles pointed at the island.

Work under this contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; the Warfighter Protection Center in Huntsville, AL; the Mission Capability and Verification Center at White Sands, NM, and by Raytheon Technical Services Company in El Paso, TX.

FY 2006 – 2008

$6+ billion request for PATRIOT missiles & systems, new AH-64 attack helicopters, E-2 early-warning aircraft upgrades, Javelin anti-tank missiles, submarine-launched Harpoon missiles, and aircraft spares; $1.96 billion request for 12 P-3C sea control aircraft; 2 new E-2 Hawkeye 2000 early warning planes commissioned.

Oct 3/08: DSCA Shopping Lists. It would appear that the financial crisis in the USA has a silver lining for Taiwan’s military, as a series of DSCA announcements worth $6.363 billion are issued to Congress’ extended session. All export requests are listed in DSCA releases as being “…consistent with United States law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8. The U.S. is committed to providing military assistance under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act.”

Purchase requests include:

Ar/Missile Defense – Patriot PAC-3 [see announcement, PDF]:

• 330 PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles
  
• 24 Launching Stations
  
• 4 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 2 Tactical Command Stations
  
• 2 Information and Coordination Centrals
  
• 12 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 6 Communication Replay Groups
  
• 4 Engagement Control Stations
  
• 282 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) (115 AN/VRC-88E, 96 AN/VRC-90E, 13 AN/VRC-91E, and 58 AN/VRC-92E) radios
  
• 9 Electronic Power Plant III (EPP)
  
• 50 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems (MIDS, provides Link 16 data sharing)
  
• Plus battery and battalion maintenance equipment, vehicles, generators, electrical power units, personnel training and equipment, trailers, communication equipment, tool and test sets, spare and repair parts, publications, supply support Quality Assurance Team support services, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics services, technical documentation, and other related elements of logistics support.

See also Nov 9/07 request re: upgrading its Patriot PAC-2 batteries to be PAC-3 compatible (Config-3). The estimated cost of this request is $3.1 billion, and the prime contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX. Taiwan has not previously purchased PAC-3 missiles, but they do use PAC-2s. They will require several U.S. Government representatives for 2-week intervals twice annually, to participate in program management and technical reviews.

DSCA: PATRIOT request

Hawkeye 2000 test aircraft
(click to view full)

Ar/Missile Defense – Hawkeye 2000 [see announcement, PDF]:

Taiwan already flies 2 E-2C+ Hawkeye 2000 and 4 E-2T Hawkeye aircraft for airborne early warning and control, and wants to upgrade the E-2Ts to the Hawkeye 2000 configuration used by the USA, France, Japan and others. The upgrade will include provisions for the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (Link 16 for a common battlespace picture), avionics, navigation and non-navigation upgrades, and aircraft electrical, mechanical, and survivability upgrades, all necessary hardware installations, support equipment, spares and repair parts, installation and training, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support.

American Hawkeye 2000s also have Cooperative Engagement Capability, which allows them to provide shared battlespace pictures and targeting for properly equipped Patriot PAC-3 and PAC-2 missiles. If CEC is not included, the JTIDS/Link 16 can be used to share a battlespace picture and provide advance warning, but cannot be used for targeting.

The estimated cost is up to $250 million, and the prime contractor will be Northrop Grumman Corporation in Bethpage, NY. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 6 contractor representatives to the recipient for a not to exceed a 5-year period.

Taiwan has requested industrial offsets with this order; they will be defined in negotiations with Northrop Grumman.

DSCA: E-2C 2000 AWACS upgrade request

Air Force – Aircraft Parts [see announcement, PDF]:

This blanket order would allow Taiwan to requisition follow-on spare parts as required to maintain its C-130H Hercules transports, F-5E/F Tiger II fighters, F-16A/B fighters, and F-CK IDF fighter aircraft. The requisitions can include communication equipment, radar, and other related elements of logistics support, as well as spares. The estimated cost is $334 million, and items will be ordered from appropriate contractors as needed.

Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives to the recipient.

AH-64D w. Arrowhead
(click to view full)

Army – Apache Longbow attack helicopters and weapons [see announcement, PDF]. Taiwan currently flies AH-1W Cobras in this role, and an attack helicopter deal has been in the works since 2002. The AH-64D beat Bell’s AH-1Z Viper on the grounds that it was battle proven, while the AH-1Z remains developmental.

Taiwan is requesting 30 AH-64D Apache Longbow Block III attack helicopters, the helicopter’s most modern configuration which is just beginning to enter service in the USA. The helicopters will be equipped with 30 Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (MTADS/PNVS “Arrowhead”), 17 AN/APG-78 Fire Control Radars and AN/APR-48 Radar Frequency Interferometer (FCR/RFI), 69 T700-GE-701D Turbine Engines. Composite horizontal stabilators, crew and maintenance trainers, depot maintenance, all necessary support equipment, tools and test equipment, integration and checkout, spares and repair parts, training and training equipment, and other forms of support are included in the base purchase.

The request also includes applicable weapons for these helicopters: 173 FIM-92F Stinger Block I Air-to-Air Missiles, 35 Stinger air-air missile Captive Flight Trainers with live guidance systems but no rocket motors, 1,000 AGM-114L Longbow Hellfire anti-armor missiles that can use the APG-78 and their own radar’s millimeter-wave guidance for “fire and forget” capability, and 66 M299 Hellfire missile launchers.

The estimated cost is $2.532 billion, and Taiwan has requested industrial offsets; these will be defined in direct negotiations with the contractor(s). Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 2 U.S. Government personnel for a period of 6 years to provide intensive coordination, monitoring, and technical assistance. In addition, 6 contractor representatives will be in country serving as Contractor Field Service Representatives for a period of 5 years, with the possibility of a 5-year extension. The principal contractors will be:

• The Boeing Company in Mesa, AZ and St Louis, MO (AH-64)
  
• General Electric in Lynn, MA (Engines)
  
• Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando, FL (Longbow Hellfires, M299, Arrowheads)
  
• Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY
  
• Northrop Grumman Corporation in Baltimore, MD (Longbow Hellfires)
  
• Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ (Stinger missiles)
  
• Inter-Coastal Electronics in Mesa, AZ
  
• BAE Systems in Rockville, MD

DSCA: AH-64D request

Army – Javelin missiles [see announcement, PDF].

Taiwan wants to buy 182 more man-portable Javelin anti-armor missile rounds and 20 command launch units, plus 40 missile simulation rounds, trainers, rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries, support equipment, spare and repair parts, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $47 million.

Raytheon/Lockheed-Martin’s JAVELIN Joint Venture in Orlando, FL will be the prime contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale will require a U.S. Government Quality Assurance Team consisting of 1 contractor and 2 U.S. Government representatives in country for 5 days to accomplish the initial deployment of the missiles. Taiwan won’t need more help than that, as they were one of the Javelin “fire and forget” missile’s early customers in 2002.

DSCA: Javelin missile request

UGM-84 Harpoon launch
(click to view full)

Navy – Harpoon missiles [see announcement, PDF].

Taiwan requests 32 UGM-84L Sub-Launched Harpoon Block II missiles for its 2 Seadragon Class submarines. Harpoon Block II includes GPS guidance that makes them easier to use near shore (for instance, against amphibious landing ships on final approach), and also gives the missiles some land attack capability out to their 150 mile range. Taiwan’s request adds 2 UTM-84L Harpoon Block II Exercise missiles, 2 Advanced Harpoon Weapons Control System (Version 2) for installation on the Seadragon Class, 36 Harpoon containers, 2 UTM-84XD Encapsulated Harpoon Certification and Training Vehicles, test equipment and services, spares and repair parts for support equipment, and other forms of support.

The estimated cost is $200 million, and the contractor is Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St Louis, MO.

The US DSCA notes that “The recipient has previously purchased both air and surface launched HARPOON missiles and will be able to absorb and effectively utilize these submarine-launched missiles.” As such, no additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives will be required.

DSCA: Sub-launched Harpoon missiles request

Sept 29/08: Taiwan News reports that:

“The Pentagon was expected to notify the U.S. Congress of its intention to sell the arms to Taiwan by the end of its current session last Friday. Taiwan has expressed worries that if the U.S. missed the deadline, the Legislative Yuan would have to start the process of approving a budget for the arms package from the start… Congress had been extended to deal with the current financial crisis, and therefore the arms deal could still be approved.

The package includes Patriot missiles, Apache helicopters, diesel-powered submarines, anti-tank missiles, submarine-launched missiles and P-3C Orion anti-submarine aircraft, but not new F-16 fighter jets Taiwan was hoping to buy.

The U.S. State Department notified the Taiwanese media late on Friday that government departments were still reviewing the deal, and that once it was approved, Congress would be immediately notified.”

This did not sound like anything close to a sense of urgency, but events would prove otherwise. Pro-China elements in the US State Department are still blocking approval of Taiwan’s unofficial request for F-16C/D fighters.

April 23/08: Patriot SAM. Raytheon announces a $79 million Foreign Military Sales award from the U.S. Army to provide Taiwan with Patriot Configuration-3 radar upgrade kits and related engineering and technical services. This is part of a much larger order; see Nov 9/07 entry for more.

Work will be performed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; the Warfighter Protection Center in Huntsville, AL; and the Mission Capability and Verification Center in White Sands, NM.

Nov 9/07: PATRIOT upgrade request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] “The Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States” formal request to upgrade and refurbish their 3 existing PATRIOT fire units’ ground support equipment to the latest Army Configuration 3 under a $939 million contract. Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA will be the prime contractor. Although the purchaser generally requires offsets, at this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale and no additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives will be required.

Obviously, this effort is less helpful than acquiring new Patriot PAC-3 missiles to add to Taiwan’s defense. Instead, they are adding Patriot PAC-3 radar and communications enhancements to Taiwan’s existing Patriot batteries, turning them into a PAC-2 GEM+ type configuration in use by a number of US allies. The PAC-2 missile is larger than the PAC-3, and uses a fragmentation warhead instead of the PAC-3 missile’s “hit to kill” approach. Patriot’s widely-touted performance during the 1991 Desert Storm operation turned out to be significantly overstated, but when coupled with PAC-3 class radars et. al., it has demonstrated useful capabilities against incoming ballistic missiles. The specific sale includes:

• 2 PATRIOT, MIM-104 (Patriot-As-A-Target)
  
• Radar Enhancement Phase 3 (REP-3)
  
• Classification, Discrimination and Identification Phase 3 (CDI-3)
  
• Remote Launch Communication Enhancement Upgrade (RLCEU)
  
• An Electric Power Plant.
  
• 36 AN/VRC-88E SINCGARS EXP Vehicle Short Range Radio Systems
  
• 32 AN/VRC-90E SINCGARS EXP Vehicle Long Range Radio Systems
  
• 4 AN/VRC-91E SINCGARS EXP Long Range Radio Systems
  
• 11 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS EXP Dual Range Radio Systems

It also includes non-MDE (Military Designated Equipment under US Arms transfer laws) items such as
all necessary modification kits, communication support equipment, tools and test equipment, integration and checkout, spares and repair parts, installation and training, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, other related elements of logistics and program support, and 4 telemetry kits for its live fire training.

DSCA: PATRIOT upgrade request

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

Sept 12/07: P-3 MPAs. The US DSCA announces [PDF] the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States” official request for 12 ‘excess’ P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, with strong surveillance and anti-submarine capabilities. The estimated cost is $1.96 billion. DSCA adds that:

“This sale is consistent with United States law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8. The United States is committed to providing military assistance under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act. The recipient’s current patrol aircraft are reaching the end of their fatigue and operational service life. To maintain national security it is necessary that recipient replace these fixed-wing aircraft with an airborne operational capability for land-based maritime patrol and reconnaissance, including economic exclusion zone surveillance and protection, command and control, anti-submarine warfare, and anti-surface warfare. The recipient can absorb these additional aircraft into its inventory.”

Offset agreements associated with this proposed sale are expected, but they will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and contractors. Principal contractors include Lockheed Martin of Eagan, MN; Lockheed Martin Aircraft Center of Greenville, SC; Rockwell Collins of Cedar Rapids, IA; Raytheon Company of McKinney, TX, EDO (Condor Systems) of Morgan Hill, Ontario Canada; and L3 Wescam of Ontario, Canada. There may be up to 32 U.S. Government and contractor representatives with varying technical skills and disciplines who will be required, following the delivery of the aircraft, to provide support for 1 year after the last aircraft delivery. The exact request includes:

• 12 ‘excess’ P-3C Orion aircraft with T-56 engines. It is likely that they will begin with ‘boneyard’ stored aircraft that need refurbishing to fly, and significant modifications to be viable for any significant period. Some parties like Norway, for instance, are making their P-3s viable by completely replacing their wings as part of their general overhaul.
  
• Aircraft activation, aircraft life extension and avionics modification, transportation
  
• 3 excess TP-3A aircraft (non-operational, to be used as airframe spares) with T-56 engines
  
• 15 Data Link terminals
  
• 19 MIDS-LVT Link 16 terminals
  
• 2 MIDS On-Ship Terminals

Plus a mobile operation command center, Command Control Communications Computer Intelligence Surveillance, Reconnaissance, (C4ISR) network integration, training devices, medical services, support and test equipment, engineering technical services, supply support, operation and maintenance training, ground support C2 facilities, documentation, spare/repair parts, publications, documentation, personnel training, training equipment, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, and other related support elements.

DSCA: P-3C MPA request

April 16/06: President Chen Shui-bian presides over the commissioning of 2 E2C+ Hawkeye 2K planes recently purchased from the United States, and calls for an end to KMT blocking of his special military budget requests. The 2 new planes join 4 E-2Ts bought in 1995. China Post.

Additional Readings

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

Background: Policy

• Republic of China, Ministry of National Defense – National Defense Report (English)

• US DSCA Defense Institute of Security Assistance Management – A Comparison: Direct Commercial Sales & Foreign Military Sales [PPT]. See also “A Comparison of Direct Commercial Sales and Foreign Military Sales for the Acquisition of US Defense Articles and Services” [PDF]. From October 2008.

Background: Equipment

• Naval Technology – Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Vessels, United States of America.

• DID – AH-64E Apache Block III: The Once and Future Attack Helicopter.

• Lockheed Martin Code One magazine – F-16 Evolution. Explains the different Blocks & capabilities. Stops short of the subsequent F-16S/V, though the F-16E/F Block 60 has a number of similarities. From September 2008.

• Global Security – Hai Lung II [Sea Dragon] class Submarine. Details the many twists and turns in Taiwan’s attempts to buy new diesel-electric submarines.

• DID – Ships Ahoy! The Harpoon Missile Family

• Naval Technology – P-3C Orion Maritime Patrol Aircraft.

• DID – Timely Defenders: Keeping Patriots in Shape. PAC-2, PAC-3, and PAC-3 MSE.

News & Views

• Defense News (Nov 26/13) – Taiwan’s BMD Radar Gives Unique Data on China. Tags it as a modified AN/FPS-115 Pave Paws UHF long-range radar, with potential jamming capabilities given its high output.

• Asia Times (Jan 12/12) – Taiwan’s Project Diving Dragon resurfaces. Are reports of an indigenous submarine project just disinformation for KMT political advantage?

• Wall St. Journal (Aug 30/11) – Taiwan is Losing the Spying Game. “…the penetration of almost every sector of Taiwanese society by Chinese intelligence… any arms sale to Taiwan carries the risk that sensitive military technology will end up in Beijing.”

• The Diplomat (July 11/11) – Why Taiwan Needs Submarines.

• American Enterprise Institute (June 13/11) – U.S. Navy Needs Diesel Submarines. The neo-conservative think-tank cites Taiwan’s buy as one reason, and a combination of budget realities and changing US Navy missions as the other.

• Flight Global (June 13/11) – Taiwan’s AH-64 deal: a knife for a gunfight. The crux: helicopters are hard to operate without air superiority.

• Jamestown Foundation (April 13/11) – Taiwan’s Ballistic-Missile Deterrence and Defense Capabilities.

• Wall Street Journal (Dec 13/09) – Interview with Ma-ying Jeou :Taiwan’s Détente Gamble.

• StrategyPage (Nov 26/09) – Taiwan Arms Itself Despite Chinese Pressure. But it’s getting more difficult.

• StrategyPage (Oct 23/09) – The Losers Game. “In most cases, Taiwanese planners now believe that the Chinese could succeed… While many Taiwanese still see the United States as the ultimate guarantor of Taiwanese independence, they see China as increasingly capable of grabbing the island before the U.S. can intervene. So while the Taiwanese don’t have to be strong enough to defeat a Chinese invasion, they do have to be strong enough to hold the Chinese back until American reinforcements can show up.”

• World Politics Review (Oct 7/09) – Restoring the Military Balance in China-Taiwan Relations.

• Taiwan Link (Oct 3/08) – Taiwan Arms Sales: A New Phase Begins. Offers analysis concerning the overall relationship, as well as specific sales.

• Defense News (May 5/07) – Taiwan F-16 Plan Faces Opposition in Washington [dead link] “To further complicate the problem, the legislature has whittled the procurement deal down by eliminating the PAC-3s and submarines and replacing the package with a study on submarine designs, an upgrade for Taiwan’s current PAC-2s and the 12 P-3s – and still that budget has been delayed by additional political wrangling…” Also: “A very senior U.S. person is blocking the F-16 sale to Taiwan. Even if Taiwan passes the defense budget, it will not affect this decision to block the sale. A State Department rep at the meeting did not want to give any room to negotiate on this issue,” said a U.S defense contractor here.”

• DID (Oct 4/06) – F-16 Sale Nixed: KMT Opposition to Taiwan’s Defense Claims Latest Victim.

• DID (Nov 1/05) – Taiwan Orders F-16 Training in USA, But Larger Defense Buys Remain in Limbo.

Mitsubisihi F-2s
(click to view full)

Japan already produces F-15J Eagle aircraft under license from Boeing, and in 1987 they selected Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jet as the basis for a “local” design that would replace its 1970s era F-1s. The aim was to produce a less expensive fighter that would complement its F-15s, provide a bridge for key aerospace technology transfers, and give Japan’s aerospace industry experience with cutting-edge manufacturing and component technologies.

The F-2’s increased range is very useful to Japan, given their need to cover large land and maritime areas. Nevertheless, a combination of design decisions and meddling from Washington ensured that these fighters ended up costing almost as much as a twin-engine F-15J Eagle, without delivering the same performance. As a result, production ended early, and the 2011 tsunami made Japan’s fleet even smaller. The remaining fleet will continue to receive upgrades, in order to keep them combat capable for many years to come.

Japan’s F-2 Program F-2: The Aircraft

MHI’s F-1 w. ASMs
(click to view full)

Japan’s Mitsubishi F-1 heralded the revival of Japanese fighter design, but it was never really a front-line air combat fighter. Rather, it was derived from a trainer, and given secondary strike capabilities.

Japan’s F-2 aimed to take the next step, and become a full front-line fighter. While it looks like the F-16 from which it was derived, it’s noticeably bigger. Changes include a 17″ longer fuselage, larger horizontal tails, 25% more wing area, more internal fuel storage, and 2 more weapon store stations than the F-16.

F-2A vs. F-16C
(click to view full)

The aircraft is powered by GE’s uprated F110-129 engine generating 17,000 pounds of thrust, or 29,600 pounds with afterburners on. The centerline and inner-wing hardpoints are “wet,” and can carry drop tanks with up to 4,400kg of fuel for long range combat air patrols.

Mitsubishi Electric supplies a locally-designed X-band J/APG-1 AESA fire control radar, and a J/ARG-1 AESA datalink transmitter. Weapons carried include the AIM-9L Sidewinder and MHI AAM-3 short range air-air missiles, license-built AIM-7F/M Sparrow medium range air-air missiles (built until 2010), MHI’s Type 89 ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles, rocket launchers, and bombs that can include GPS-guided JDAM weapons.

Upgrades are underway.

Mitsubishi’s AAM-4B active-seeker medium range air-to-air missile is being added, along with a radar upgrade to APG-2 status. Together, they’ll give the F-2 the ability to attack multiple aerial opponents from medium range. They’ll also allow the fighters to fire and leave, if desired, instead of having to close into visual range while providing a radar lock for the AIM-7 Sparrow.

F-2: The Program

F-2A & F-4J Kai
(click to view full)

As noted above, the point of the F-2 program was to produce a cheaper fighter to complement its F-15s, provide a bridge for key aerospace technology transfers, and give Japan’s aerospace industry experience with cutting-edge manufacturing and component technologies. Unfortunately, the US Congress proved to be a significant program obstacle, raising many questions about technology transfer issues. That delayed the program by at least 2 years, and the resulting changes led to a better but more expensive design.

In the end, the F-2 delivered on its techno-industrial promises. Mitsubishi’s heavy use of graphite epoxy and co-cured composite technology for the wings encountered some teething problems, but proved to be a leading-edge use of a technology that provides weight savings, improved range, and some stealth benefits. This technology was then transferred back to America, as part of the program’s industrial partnership.

2003 Guam exercise
(click for video)

On the flip side, the ambitious goal of developing a fighter that used so many new technologies exacted a price. At a reported $108 million per plane in 2004 dollars, the F-2 is as expensive as the F-15s it seeks to supplement. Unfortunately, its overall performance, smaller radar size, and single engine make it a less capable aircraft. As a result, a program originally intended to field 130 fighters ceased production at 94.

At least 18 F-2s were damaged in the 2011 tsunami, leaving a reduced fleet. That fleet will continue to receive upgrades, including upgrades to their Japanese radars, improved missiles, avionics improvements, and other required upgrades over time. Japan is also moving to try and rehabilitate and upgrade up to 13 of the 18 damaged planes.

Upgraded F-2s will continue flying alongside Japan’s F-15Js, and Japan’s next-generation F-35A fighters. With the JASDF’s F-4J and RF-4J Kai(zen) Phantom IIs slated for retirement, and China bent on aggressive moves in and around Japan, every fighter will count.

F-2: Industrial Partnerships

The government of Japan has overall F-2 program responsibility, and funds the program. Under the agreement, Japan is responsible for producing approximately 60% of the aircraft and the other 40% is produced in the USA. The Japanese defense ministry’s Technical Research and Development Institute is also involved in designing ongoing upgrades, in collaboration with program partner firms.

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the prime contractor and has design responsibility for portions of the airframe and avionics, the digital flight controls, the active phased array radar, and certain support equipment. MHI is also responsible for overall systems integration, and all components are assembled by at their Komaki South Plant near Nagoya, Japan. MHI delivered the first production aircraft to the Ministry of Defense in September 2000.

Composite wing
(click to view full)

Key Japanese subcontractors include Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI). FHI is responsible for developing the aircraft nose cone, the composite upper skin for the wing, and the horizontal and vertical tail assemblies. KHI is responsible for the center fuselage. The aircraft’s fly by wire system is a co-development with Japan Aviation Electric and Honeywell. Ishikawajima Harima Heavy Industries (IHI), another Japanese participant, produces the F110-GE-129 engines under license to General Electric of the United States.

Lockheed Martin provides about 40% of the overall fighter: all the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80% of all left-hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment. They also support MHI and the JASDF as they incorporate new weapons like Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), and aid in other support activities. Lockheed Martin components are shipped to MHI’s Komaki-South facility, where they are assembled with other components by MHI to form the F-2.

Contracts & Key Events 2011 – 2018

Tsunami destroys 18 F-2s; Upgrade plan & budgets; Some damaged F-2s to be restored.

F-2 with AA-3s
(click to view full)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is the prime contractor for the F-2. Lockheed Martin is the major subcontractor under the terms of their partnership.

July 18/18: Too expensive? The government of Japan is in dire need to replace its ageing fleet of F-2 fighters. The country is currently searching for a Japan-led international collaborative development for a new fighter jet. Lockheed Martin already issued a development proposal that is a big favorite. The company would build a high-performance stealth machine integrating F-35 electronics onto a F-22 platform. However, the plane will be more expensive than initially thought thus raising concerns to the program’s cost effectiveness. Lockheed estimates the initial price tag to be around $177 million per plane, essentially making it more expensive than the F-35. Japan will start retiring its fleet of 90 F-2s by 2030. Development of a new plane takes about 10-years therefore the Ministry of Defense intends to specify any concrete development policy by the end of the year.

April 25/18: Japan mulls its options In addition to Lockheed Martin’s rumored offer to build them a fifth-generation hybrid stealth fighter, the Japanese government may restart the flight test program of the X-2—its stealth technology demonstrator aircraft. The possibility was mentioned by an anonymous official speaking to Flight Global, who said that while nothing was certain about the future of the X-2, “We may do more testing.” Originally designed ATD-X, the X-2 formed part of Tokyo’s efforts to jump start its industrial base and explore technologies necessary for stealthy fifth- or sixth-generation aircraft. An technology demonstrator aircraft is currently based at Gifu Airbase after completing a run of 34 test flights. 50 had been originally planned. While the official declined to comment on an earlier story from Reuters that Lockheed Martin wants to offer a hybrid of its F-22 and F-35 for the long-term Japanese requirement, they did say that a number of proposals are being weighed, noting that Japan and Great Britain also have a joint study to look at “potential opportunities for the future fighter program.”

April 23/18: Lockheed offer 5th gen hybrid Reuters reports that Japan is to be offered a fifth-generation fighter platform by Lockheed Martin that will fuse the export-banned F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The hybrid platform is the US defense giant’s entry into Japan’s competition to build its own stealth fighter—the F-3. In March, the Japanese government issued a third Request for Information (RFI) for the F-3 to foreign defense companies and sent a separate document outlining its requirements in more detail to the British and United States governments. In addition to Lockheed, Tokyo expects designs from Boeing and BAE Systems. Japan’s last indigenous fighter effort was the F-2, which entered service in 2000, was built jointly by Mitsubishi Heavy and Lockheed Martin. Mitsubishi has also participated as a partner manufacturer for Lockheed Martin’s F-35, controlling airframe assembly of Japanese F-35s at its Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya.

March 6/18: International Partners Wanted Japan will seek an international partner to help develop and build a successor for its F-2 fighter fleet, abandoning plans on a solo development of a next-generation fighter. The Ministry of Defense is expected to send out a request for information (RFI) over such a collaboration to US aerospace firms later this week, however, there are also plans inplace to simply acquire additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Derived from the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the F-2 has been in operation with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force since 2000, Tokyo plans to retire the F-2 from the 2030s.

November 29/17: Despite announcing a multi-year pause on developing its own next-generation stealth fighter—or possibly pitching in with a new European fighter project—a Japanese defense official has told Aviation Week that its X-2 stealth demonstrator has collected more data than required during 34 flights since its first flight in April 2016. 50 flights had been planned but were not needed. While further details on the testing remains scant, the official mentioned that radar signature was one area of outperformance, while its IHI XF5 engines also did better than expected under the adverse conditions of high angles of attack.

November 15/17: Delays Japan is likely to delay plans to develop its next advanced stealth jet, the F-3, despite having tested its $350 million ATD-X demonstrator aircraft—a forerunner for the F-3—in 2016. Funding for a F-3 program, which is expected to reach $40 billion over its lifetime, is likely to be diverted instead into to purchasing additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, as well as new ballistic missile interceptors for its Patriot and planned Aegis Ashore systems. Also stalling the F-3 program is bureaucratic indecision on whether to pursue a solely indigenous development or to seek international collaboration. A decision is expected in 2018, meaning that the program is unlikely to feature in 2019’s five-year defense equipment plan.

October 25/16: For the first time since WW2, UK and Japanese fighters will duke it out in aerial combat drills at Japan’s northern Misawa Air Base. Four RAF Eurofighter Typhoons and a C-17 support plane touched down on Saturday and will face off against and fly with Japanese F-15s and domestically built Mitsubishi F-2s in an exercise dubbed Guardian North 16. The exercise is also being seen as an opportunity by Tokyo to see the Typhoon in action as it ponders the replacement of the F-2 and the choice of using a cheaper non-stealth superiority fighter based on an existing design or a much more expensive program to develop their own indigenous stealth fighter.

October 17/16: Lockheed Martin has offered to collaborate with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on jointly developing a new fighter for Japan. LM President Marillyn Hewson made the disclosure saying the company will participate in a second round of Request For Information by Japan’s Ministry of Defense next year. Set to be the replacement for Tokyo’s current fleet of F-2s, other potential collaborators who have responded to the initial RFI include Boeing.

July 29/16: Plans for October? Mitsubishi’s X-2 stealth demonstrator is to go on public display at Gifu Air Base, Japan, on October 30. This will be one of the first times regular punters can get up close and personal with the new jet following its maiden flight in April. For those rushing to check those dates, authorities have advised to leave the cars at home and come via rail.

July 21/16: Industry partners already lining up for the Japanese F-3 program include US giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing. The new program is set to replace the existing F-2 fighter with a next generation stealth fighter based on the X-2 Shinshin experimental aircraft. With the F-3 planned for 2027, any partners taken into the development program stand to earn from a $20 billion project.

April 28/16: After numerous delays in its maiden flight which occurred last week amid much excitement from manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the X-2 stealth demonstrator will have a year long test campaign involving around 50 flights. With the maiden flight described as “ordinary” by Hirofumi Doi, manager of Japan’s Future Fighter Program at the defence ministry’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA), future testing will help ATLA gather data on advanced fighter technologies such as stealth, thrust vectoring, data links, and other areas. Depending on this data, flight testing of the X-2 could easily be extended, leading the way for a potentially busy period for the demonstrator.

April 25/16: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced the successful maiden flight of its X-2 stealth demonstrator. The test flight now makes Japan the world’s fourth nation to test-fly a stealth aircraft. After performing a number of basic maneuvers, the X-2 left Nagoya Airport and landed at the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Gifu Air Base. In development since 2009, the X-2 program has seen MHI cooperate with 220 domestic companies alongside Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) to develop the necessary technologies.

April 14/16: Mitsubishi’s X-2 stealth demonstrator has moved one step closer to its first flight after a series of taxi and runway tests since January. The aircraft has now moved into the Vr stage whereby the aircraft accelerated to rotation speed, and the pilot pulled the nose wheel off the ground. Testing took place at the Nagoya Airfield on April 9, and precedes the plane’s maiden flight, expected by the end of the month.

April 13/16: The first flight of Mitsubishi’s X-2 (formally ATD-X) stealth demonstrator is expected to take place toward the end of this month. Initially scheduled for February, the maiden flight was pushed back by the developers out of caution, but the jet has been spotted undertaking runway and taxiing tests over the last number of weeks. The X-2 is being developed to lay the basis for a Japanese made replacement of Mitsubishi’s F-2, due to be retired in 2028.

March 24/16: The Japanese government has opened talks with western fighter manufacturers such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, over their participation in helping to build the country’s next F-3 series of fighter jets. Talks come as the Mitsubishi developed ATD-X experimental stealth aircraft prepares for its first test flights within the next few days. The indigenous ATD-X would be part of any attempt by Japan to develop their own F-3 fighter, with analysts expecting such a program to cost at least $40 billion. While this may prove too costly, Japan is anxious to continue developing its stealth technologies as it tries not to fall behind regional rival China.

March 8/16: Mitsubishi’s X-2 has been performing well in taxi tests according to Japan’s Acquisition Technology and Logistics Agency (ATLA). The agency was happy with the progress it was making, saying they were “proceeding with tests, performing very careful maintenance, and making some minor adjustments.” However, the agency hasn’t commented on the jet’s future flying schedule, or how many test flights will take place in 2016. The maiden flight had been originally planned for February.

February 12/16: The Mitsubishi X-2 Shinshin was recently photographed while out for its first taxi test at Nagoya airport. After its unveiling to the public just last month, a maiden flight for the stealth demonstrator, formally known as the ATD-X, is just weeks away, bar any upcoming technical problems. The Shinshin, which means “spirit of the heart,” is Japan’s first foray into developing experimental stealth technologies and will form the basis for its fifth generation F-3 fighters planned for 2027.

January 29/16: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has unveiled to the press their latest ATD-X stealth fighter prototype at their plant in Komaki. The fifth generation stealth fighter was developed alongside Defense Ministry’s Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) with the aim of seeing if an indigenously produced stealth fighter could be developed in Japan along with researching the technologies required. With its first test flight due this year, full scale production could be under way as early as 2018. The new jet will replace the aging Mitsubishi F-2 and F-15, while complementing its F-35 acquisition as Japan looks to take more responsibility over defending it’s territory and population.

December 29/15: Mitsubishi’s ATD-X stealth fighter is to make its maiden flight in February 2016 according to the Japanese Ministry of Defense. The indigenous fighter is set to complete taxiing and ground trials in late January prior to the voyage. The demonstrator model is Japan’s first attempt at developing an entirely domestically produced stealth fighter, but has been suffering from delays. It is hoped that the ATD-X program will eventually lead to their own F-3 fighter to be produced by 2027.

December 7/15: Japan has made plans to test its very own fifth generation stealth jet, making it only the fourth country in the world to do so. The maiden flight of the ATD-X will take place in the first quarter of 2016 and aims to replace the current F-2 fighters in service. The development program is the most expensive in Japan’s history, costing $324 million. Japan’s announcement comes at a time when President Abe is modernizing the Japanese Self-Defence Force and new laws to send Japanese troops abroad. The re-militarization has received much chagrin from neighbours China and South Korea as well as domestic protests against Japan’s resurgent ultra-nationalism.

Dec 19/13: Lockheed Martin announces that they’ve delivered the first F-2 aft and leading edge flaps as part of a “restoration plan to replenish Japan’s F-2 fleet,” in cooperation with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).

Discussions with Lockheed Martin confirmed that Japan will try to repair and refurbish up to 13 of the 18 fighters damaged in the 2011 tsunami. With initial F-35 price soaring over $120 million per plane, this is a much cheaper way to try and increase the JASDF fleet. If it works, of course. Sources: Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin Supports Japanese F-2 Restoration Program”.

Dec 12/13: Budget. Japan’s 5-year military budget features a slight increase, with political cover provided by an aggressive new Chinese “Air Defense Identification Zone” that includes Japanese territory. Japanese moves will include shifting a 2nd squadron of F-15Js to Naha Air Base in Okinawa, but they’ll need to cover the territory that the shifted F-15s are leaving.

They’re also moving to begin some F-15 and F-2 upgrades, beginning with trials for some features. F-15 improvements top out at YEN 17.58 billion, while F-2 upgrades could total up to YEN 24.3 billion (about $240 million). That includes 30 sets of APG-2 radars (YEN 9.4 billion), 12 “fuselage upgrades” (YEN 3.8 billion), adding JDAM capability to 4 planes as an initial step (YEN 4.4 billion), and an integration & testing trial with an unspecified targeting pod, which could become a mass upgrade (YEN 6.7 billion). Sources: Japan MoD, “Defense Programs and Budget of Japan: Overview of FY2014 Budget Request” and “Defense of Japan 2013” annual white paper in Additional Readings | Asahi Shimbun, “A lot of new equipment purchases in latest 5-year defense plan” | Taiwan’s Want China Times, “Japan increases defense budget in wake of ADIZ controversy”.

Feb 25/12: Radar & Missile upgrades. Aviation Week reports that Japan is planning to spend YEN 36 billion (about $468 million) to upgrade about 60 F-2 fighters with the Mitsubishi Electric Corp. AAM-4B missile, and improve their J/APG-1 fire control radar to a new APG-2 standard.

The AAM-4B will be the same size as the AIM-7 Sparrow missile, but it will have an AESA radar seeker head, in order to allow active homing and lock-on after launch. These abilities allow the launching fighter to leave the area or shift attention to other targets, instead of having to remain vulnerable while homing in on the target until impact. A reported 20% range improvement over the AIM-7M Sparrow, and a 40% improvement in autonomous guidance distance over the AIM-120B AMRAAM, would really improve the F-2’s overall air-to-air performance. Japan might get similar improvements from buying the latest AIM-120C7 AMRAAM, though it’s hard to tell. What’s certain is that they wouldn’t get the same design and production experience.

The J/APG-2 involves J/APG-1 upgrades. Despite AESA technology’s natural advantages, Aviation Week points out that the APG-1 is not seen as a top of the line radar. It was an early AESA example, and many features were limited to “best we could do at the time” technologies. Upgrades seem to revolve around improvements to radiated power and signal processing. All the JASDF will say, is that the APG-2 and AAM-4B will give F-2As a new ability to engage multiple targets from medium range.

The new systems were developed by the Japanese defense ministry’s Technical Research and Development Institute with considerable help from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (missile integration) and Mitsubishi Electric (radar upgrades). Sources: Aviation Week, “Japan’s Air-to-Air Upgrades”

Fleet upgrades

April 20/11: Tsunami aftermath. Japan seems willing to try and repair some of the 18 Matsushima F-2s damaged in the tsunami, though they’re concerned that with the final F-2 delivery scheduled for this autumn, a parts shortage is a real possibility.

Repairs and parts production could keep the production line busy longer than expected. Still, as Kyle Mizokami points out, inundation with seawater can’t be good for the planes’ electronics and structures. New Pacific Institute | Sankei Shimbun [in Japanese].

Post-tsunami
(click for video)

March 12/11: Tsunami! With nuclear plants in danger of full meltdown, and thousands dead in the wake of a 1-2 punch from an 8.9 earthquake and its tsunami, losing 18 F-2 fighters is a minor cost in the overall scheme of things. Still, Japan’s low military spending levels, and its need to finance reconstruction, mean that the JASDF has taken a significant hit. IAF News:

“The Sendai airport authority in Miyagi Prefecture said the airport’s runways were submerged by tidal waves. The Air Self-Defense Force’s Matsushima Air Base in Miyagi was inundated with seawater, damaging 18 F-2 fighters and a number of other aircraft possibly permanently, the Defense Ministry said.”

Strategy Page points out that the 21st Fighter Training Squadron at Matsushima was also the site of most F-2 pilot training. Flight International (incl. photos/ video) | Liveleak video | IAF News | Strategy Page.

Tsunami takes out 18 F-2s

2002 – 2010

Confirmed contracts for 49, as total F-2 orders rise to 94.

F-2B
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April 8/08: +8. Lockheed Martin announces the 12th and final contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), valued at approximately $250 million. Lockheed Martin will manufacture all of the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80% of all left-hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment, for 8 additional F-2 production aircraft.

This award brings the total aircraft under contract to 94, which is the total that the Japan Government has authorized for production. Lockheed Martin is also working with MHI to define appropriate post-production support arrangements. Lockheed Martin release.

March 31/07: +5. Lockheed Martin receives a $150 million contract from MHI to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. Lockheed Martin release.

March 31/06: +5. Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $145 million to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. This is the 10th annual contract for F2 production, bringing the total aircraft under contract to 81. At this point, more than 60 F-2 fighters are in service in Japan. Lockheed Martin release.

March 31/05: +5. Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $125 million to manufacture components for 5 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 76. Lockheed Martin release.

March 31/04: +6. Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $130 million to manufacture components for 6 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 71. Lockheed Martin release.

April 27/03: Industrial. Lockheed Martin announces a new 3-year labor agreement with District Lodge 776 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), the largest union at its Fort Worth, TX aircraft manufacturing facility. The new contract will allow the union members to report to work as usual on Monday, April 28/03, and resume their production of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, major portions of the F/A-22 Raptor, and components for Japan’s F-2 fighter, among other projects.

March 31/03: +8. Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at $160 million to manufacture components for 8 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award brings the total aircraft under contract to 65, with 36 total F-2s delivered by the end of the month. Lockheed Martin release.

March 29/02: +12. Lockheed Martin receives a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) valued at over $200 million to manufacture components for 12 additional F-2 production aircraft. This new award is the 6th annual contract under the MHI-LMCO partnership, and brings the total aircraft under contract to 57; by the end this month, 28 F-2s had been delivered to the JDA. Lockheed Martin release.

1995 – 2001

From prototype delivery to 1st deployment.

F-2 fighter

October 2001: Deployment. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force deploys the first F-2 to Misawa AB in northern Japan. Source.

Deployed

April 20/2000: Industrial. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company’s military aircraft design and production facility in Fort Worth, TX is awarded the coveted Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. Named after internationally acclaimed industrialist Shigeo Shingo of Japan, the Shingo is sometimes referred to as the Nobel Prize of manufacturing.

Lockheed Martin ‘s release says that they are the largest single company, and the first aerospace prime contractor, ever to receive the award. It adds that they earned the award for several outstanding achievements, including substantial progress in implementing lean manufacturing principles in the production of the F-16, F-22 and Japan F-2 fighter aircraft. Other award criteria included the company’s successful partnering with customers and suppliers, application of innovative product development, et. al. Lockheed Martin release.

February 24/98: Industrial. Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems has implemented an automated control process to streamline its procedures for documenting non-conforming material in the factory that produces the F-16 and major components for the F-22 and F-2 fighters. The change is one aspect of a lean manufacturing and quality improvement initiative that began in 1992.

Under the new process, 7 steps are streamlined into 4. The Quality Assurance Inspector enters the Quality Assurance Report (QAR) QAR directly into the PAAC data management system via computer. It is then reviewed by personnel who enter the QAR disposition into the system, which automatically performs transactions and creates rework or repair orders based on disposition. A laser printed paper QAR copy is routed with parts and then sent to the Quality Assurance Inspector who closes the QAR.

The old process took between 20 to 30 days to complete. With the automated system, up to 10 days can be cut from the cycle. By 2001, by 2001, Lockheed projects project net cumulative savings of over $1 million from this system, plus significant cycle time improvements and lower QAR rates. The automated process has already been successfully implemented in the F-22 program, and is scheduled to be implemented in the F-2 program by the end of February 1998. It will be fully implemented in the F-16 program by the end of 1998, and will be applied to future programs such as the Joint Strike Fighter. Lockheed Martin release.

October 1995: 1st flight. First flight of F-2 prototype aircraft.

March 1995: Delivery. Delivery of the first prototype F-2 aircraft.

Additional Readings Background: F-2 Fighter & Program

• Lockheed Martin – F-2 Defense Fighter

• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries – F-2

• Aerospace Web – Mitsubishi F-2 Multirole Fighter

• Air Force Technology – F-2 Attack Fighter, Japan

• Military Today – Mitsubishi F2

• Japan MoD – Defense Programs and Budget of Japan: Overview of FY2014 Budget Request [PDF]

• US GAO (1997, #NSIAD-97-76) – U.S.-Japan Fighter Aircraft: Agreement on F-2 Production. Includes issues with technology transfer.

News & Views

• Japan MoD – Defense of Japan 2013. Annual white paper.

• Aviation Week (Feb 24/12) – Japan’s Air-to-Air Upgrade. J/APG-2 radar and AAM-4B missile.

• Lockheed Martin Code One magazine (Q1 2001) – Full Production, Full Deployment For The F-2

• Lockheed Martin (Nov 8/99) – 3-D Woven Composites for the Joint Strike Fighter.

• MRO Today (1999) – Lean manufacturing of F-2 wing boxes cuts waste, raises quality

Fire!

On October 6, 2006, Saab Bofors Dynamics and the Polish companies MESKO and BUMAR signed a contract for production of the RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile. MESKO and BUMAR are procuring the RBS15 Mk3 on behalf of the Polish Ministry of Defence, and the contract value is EUR 110 million (about $140 million). The ordered missiles will arm Poland’s Project 660 Orkan Class corvettes, which are currently part of a broad fleet modernization effort via a 2001 upgrade contract with Thales Naval Netherlands. The RBS15 is currently in service with Sweden and Germany (via partner Diehl BGT Defence in September 2005); Poland is the second NATO country to adopt it.

The contract became effective when a separate industrial offset agreement was signed with the Polish Ministry of Economy…

RBS15 Cutaway
(click to view full)

RBS-15 fire-and-forget missiles grew out of Sweden’s need for missiles that excelled in littoral warfare situations like Sweden’s fractured coastlines and innumerable bays. They have a longer reach and heavier punch than counterparts like the USA’s Harpoon; the RBS15 Mk3 has a range up to 200 km (120 miles) but a weight of 800 kg (1,750 pounds) and corresponding size. A set of rocket boosters are used to launch the missiles, after which they use their turbojets until target impact. They can be fired from ships, land vehicles, or aircraft to hit ships or land targets as required, using a combination of radar and GPS guidance during an stealthy, terrain-hugging approach that includes programming for indirect attack vectors, evasive maneuvers, and re-attacks. Additional features like salvo launch, which allows several missiles to arrive at the same target simultaneously from different directions, increase the missile’s lethality.

Note that Saab has never released public domain range figures. 200 km/ 125 miles is the RBS15 Mk3’s estimated operational range given flight profile variances; its maximum range is commonly believed to be about 250 km/ 155 miles. The earlier RBS15 Mk2 has a reputed 100 km/ 60 mile operational range, and 150 km/ 90 mile maximum range.

Updates

July 18/18: Mk4 introduced Swedish defense contractor Saab is unveiling its next generation RBS15 Gungnir anti-ship missile system. The RBS15 missile family is optimized for the littoral environment. According to the company the Gungnir will be offered in both air-launched and surface-launched configurations, a highly advanced target seeker and a range of more than 186 miles. The system is backwards compatible to that it can easily be integrated with the Mk3 system. RBS-15 fire-and-forget missiles grew out of Sweden’s need for missiles that excelled in littoral warfare situations like Sweden’s fractured coastlines and innumerable bays. They have a longer reach and heavier punch than counterparts like the Harpoon. The option to engage targets from the air, as well as from land and sea gives the ability to perform coordinated attacks, with multiple missiles, against a wide range of naval and land-based targets thereby increasing mission flexibility and success. The RBS15 Mk4 development and production program started in March 2017. One month later a first order with a value of $362 million was placed, with deliveries to take place from 2017 to 2026.

April 20/17: Saab has been contracted by the Polish Navy to conduct maintenance and logistics support for the service’s RBS15 MK3 surface-to-surface missile system. First bought by Warsaw in 2006, the RBS15 system has been used by Poland as a naval defense platform and has been typically integrated on the country’s three Orkan-class fast attack craft. Produced jointly by Saab and Germany’s Diehl Defense, the system features a prelaunch programmable active radar seeker, which enables a fire-and-forget capability in all weather conditions.

April 5/11: Jane’s Maritime Review reports that the first batch of at least 2 Saab Bofors Dynamics RBS15 Mk 3 surface-to-surface antiship missiles was delivered to the Polish Navy “around mid-February 2011”, adding that:

“Poland’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has not confirmed the delivery. According to the current delivery plan 12 missiles should be handed over during 2011 while the remaining 24 should arrive by the end of 2012.”

Oct 6/06: Saab Bofors Dynamics and the Polish companies MESKO and BUMAR sign a contract for production of the RBS15 Mk3 anti-ship missile. MESKO and BUMAR are procuring the RBS15 Mk3 on behalf of the Polish Ministry of Defence, and the contract value is EUR 110 million (about $140 million). See Saab release

Americas

• Northrop Grumman is being awarded a contract modification in support of the Navy’s fleet of MQ-4C Tritons. The cost-plus-fixed-fee modification is valued at $41.2 million. It increases the contracts ceiling and extends the period of performance on the delivery order to provide test, maintenance and logistics support services to sustain MQ-4C UAVs mission control and operator training services. The Triton is a high-end multi-mission unmanned air system. The drone conducts a number of ISR missions and boosts a number of SIGINT capabilities to capture enemy communication and radar transmissions. Work will be performed at various location inside and outside the continental US, including Patuxent River, Maryland and Yigo, Guam. It is expected to be completed in March 2019.

• Boeing is being tapped to further support the SOCOMs MH-47G Block II renewal program. The cost-plus-fixed-fee type contract has a value of $17.8 million and provides for the procurement of long lead components and parts in support of the helicopter. The MH-47G Chinook is the Special Operations variant of the combat-proven family of helicopters that first saw service in 1962 during the Vietnam War. The awarded contract is required to satisfy an urgent need to sustain Special Operations Forces heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft to ensure that the aircraft are available for operations in light of increased SOF operations demands. The majority of the work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania.

• The Navy is looking to acquire additional tugboats in support of its fleet. Dakota Creek Industries is being awarded a $52.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for the detail design and construction of four-yard tug 808-class harbor tugboats. These tugs are designed to provide ship assist, barge and general towing, and escort services. The Valiant-class tugs have an extendable, pivoting brow for use when personnel transfers are required. There are four staterooms, 2 singles for the chief engineer and the tug master, and two doubles for the other crew members. There is also a galley and mess area. The deckhouse is well insulated to reduce vibration and sound levels in the accommodations areas. The pilothouse is windowed all around. This contract includes options inclusive of two additional craft which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $84.4 million. Work will be performed in Anacortes, Washington, and is expected to be completed by October 2020.

Middle East & Africa

• The US military is looking for helicopter services to support its operations in Africa. Erickson Helicopters is being awarded a task order valued at $20.4 million. It provides for rotary wing services for Special Operations Command Africa. Erickson utilizes a versatile fleet aircraft to offer a robust number of aircraft solutions for critical mission support. Coupled with sophisticated logistical support, and an adaptable crew, the company meets the dynamic and ever-changing demands of battlefields around the globe. The company conducts a variety of missions, ranging from troop passenger transport to Low Altitude airdrops. US Army Special Forces in Niger have been working with host nation security forces to help counter the activities of several terrorist and insurgent groups operating in the region. The most well-known of these groups is Boko Haram. As part of a long-term effort to assist Nigeria and neighboring countries to counter Boko Haram US special operations forces have been providing training and assistance to not only Nigeria but to Chad, Mali, Cameroon, and Niger. The helicopters will operate out of Arlit, Niger and fly to various points throughout Africa. Performance is from August 2018 through June 15, 2019.

• Jane’s reports that Israeli defense contractor Rafael expects to declare its Spice 250 operational in 2019. The Spice 250 is a precision-guided stand-off glide munition that can deliver a 250 lb. warhead to a range of 100 km. The new bomb is offered with a range of warheads for various missions, such as destroying lightly-fortified bunkers, SSM and SAM batteries, vehicles or radar stations. The Spice-250 like other models in the series, operates using an internal navigation mechanism and homing using image matching. This capability makes it immune to GPS jamming. The company successfully completed a number of system trials against static targets in 2017; these were followed, earlier this year, by a more challenging series of shots against moving targets on land, naval targets, and time-critical targets, which were also completed successfully. In both trials program, the release platform was an F-16I multirole fighter aircraft.

Europe

• The Dutch government is planning to buy four unmanned Reaper drones in the coming week. A Letter of Agreement could be signed next week at the Farnborough International Airshow outside London. When the deal was initially approved by the US State Department in 2015 it had a value of $339 million. The Reaper is 36 feet long, with a 66-foot wingspan and a maximum takeoff weight of 10.500 lb. Its 6 pylons can carry heavier reconnaissance payloads, as well as an impressive array of weapons including JDAM family bombs, Paveway and Sidewinder missiles. The Dutch government said the intent to purchase was announced in 2016 as part of the Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle program.

• Portugal’s UAV manufacturer Tekever is currently introducing a new, twin-engine fixed wing UAV designed for maritime surveillance missions. The drone has a length 13 ft. of and a width of 23 ft., it can fly at speeds of 60 mph for about 20 hours while carrying a 100 lb. payload. The UAS can provide autonomous surveillance of large maritime and land areas, with onboard multi-sensor pattern detection. The AR5 is designed to address maritime concerns such as environmental protection, fisheries monitoring, the identification of oil pollution, and the prevention of drug trafficking. The AR5 can carry payloads including maritime radar, synthetic aperture radar, and the automatic identification system (AIS). This allows it to identify ships using an AIS transponder, which shows a vessel’s name, position, speed, course and heading and identification number.

Asia-Pacific

• Taiwan plans to acquire a new missile defense system under its Jinyi Project to replace its aging anti-aircraft weapons. The Tianjian II missile will be the main defense platform. In early July the Army Command announced that it solicits information from manufacturers on a new air defense weapon system. The Taiwanese government so far spent about $981 million on the development of the “New Field Air Defense Missile System”.

Today’s Video

• Watch JGSDF firing the SSM-12 anti-ship missile at RIMPAC 2018

Americas

• The Navy is contracting Flour Marine Propulsion LLC for work on nuclear propulsion. The cost-plus-fixed fee contract is valued at $1,2 billion and provides for work at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory. The Naval Nuclear Laboratory falls under the Department of Energy and provides advanced nuclear propulsion work and technical support to the Navy. They specifically work on the Navy’s aircraft carrier and submarine nuclear fleet. The USA has had an all-nuclear submarine fleet for over 50 years, a policy that dates back to the visionary Admiral Hyman Rickover. On the surface, America’s aircraft carriers became an all-nuclear fleet with the retirement of the USS Kitty Hawk. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative estimated value of this contract to $13 billion. Work will be performed in Pennsylvania, New York and Idaho.

• GE Aviation Systems LLC is being tapped to support the US’s fleet of tanker aircraft. The awarded firm-fixed-price modification has a value of $18 million and provided for additional spare parts on the KC-130J propeller system. The KC-130J is a version of the classic C-130 Hercules. The KC-130J is a multi-role, medium-sized fixed-wing aerial refueling aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin primarily for the US Marine Corps. The US Navy and the USMC currently operate a fleet of 47 KC-130J Hercules aircraft. The plane is powered by four Rolls-Royce AE 2100D3 turboprop engines. Each engine, driving an all-composite six-blade R391 propeller, develops a power of 3,425kW. Work will be performed in Sterling, Virginia and is expected to be completed in May 2022.

Middle East & Africa

• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to receive support for its Vision 2030 plans as part of a US foreign military sale. Kratos Technology & Training Solutions is being awarded a $53 million contract modification under the International Program the company will provide program planning, logistics and a variety of technical services and instructional services in support of Saudi Arabia. These services support all levels of Royal Saudi Naval Forces’ Vision 2030 goals. Saudi Arabia is almost completely reliant on outside military purchases. One of the 2030 plan’s pillars is developing a domestic military production capacity so that it is less dependent on the US and foreign military purchases. Work will be performed at various locations in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, Jubail, Jeddah, Dammam, and Ras al Ghar.

• Jane’s reports that the Air Force of Mali is adding four light attack aircraft to its fleet. The African nation has purchased four Embraer EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucanos. The country had ordered a total of six aircraft in 2015, however after a series of financial issues the order was reduced to four. According to the company the Super Tucano is designed to carry a fighter’s typical array of weapons, either smart or conventional. Its armament line-up is fully integrated with its avionics system and comprises most advanced ordnance and sensors. The Super Tucanos delivered to Mali are armed with 12.7 mm machine guns and can carry 70 mm rocket pods and 300 lb. bombs. The government also indicated that it also acquired 20 mm cannon pods for the aircraft. With this delivery, Mali joins Angola, Burkina Faso, and Mauritania as African operators of the Super Tucano.

Europe

• The United Kingdom is looking to boost its inventory of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs). The US State Department is determined to approve the possible foreign military sale valued at $650 million. The UK wants to buy up to 200 AIM-120D missiles. The AIM-120D features C7 improvements and adds a number of strong upgrades to the missile. The new hardware and software is rumored to offer improved jamming resistance, better operation in conjunction with modern AESA radars, and an improved high-angle off-boresight “seeker cone,” in order to give the missile a larger no-escape zone. Less-publicized improvements reportedly include a dual-pulse rocket motor, for up to 50% more range and better near-target maneuvering. The UK will be the first export customer of the AIM-120D. The deal also includes missile containers, weapon system support, training and warranties. The principal contractor will be Raytheon Missile Systems Company.

• Italy’s Guardia di Finanza is increasing its maritime patrol mission capabilities. The militarized police force will purchase an ATR 72-600 that will be outfitted by Leonardo. Valued at $51.2 million the contract includes the plane, training and logistics support. If a number of unspecified options are exercised the total value of the contract could reach $250 million. According to Flightglobal, the twin-engine turboprop will be capable of performing a number of roles, including maritime patrol, search and rescue, anti-piracy and anti-drug smuggling operations, and surveillance of territorial waters. The plane is expected to be delivered sometime in 2019.

Asia-Pacific

• The Indonesian Navy is establishing a new squadron primarily tasked with UAV maritime surveillance missions. The Skadron Udara 700 will be based in Juanda Surabaya and will operate the ScanEagle UAS. Indonesia is currently anticipating the delivery of four Insitu ScanEagle UAVs and associated equipment, from the US government. The UAVs are being provided under a grant by the US government under a capacity-building program for Southeast Asian navies known as the Maritime Security Initiative (MSI). The ScanEagle is solidly based on Insitu’s original “Insight” platform, with different variants distinguished by their payloads and accompanying equipment rather than their aerodynamic design. The UAVs are launched by catapult, and autonomously recovered using a folding “skyhook” and catch-line. The Indonesian MSI package seeks to specifically improve the country’s maritime patrol capabilities, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance integration, and equipment maintenance capacity.

Today’s Video

• EA-6B Prowler flies

Americas

• The US Army is tapping Boeing to increase its transport capability. The awarded contract modification is valued at $131.1 million and provides for the procurement of four MH-47G Block II aircraft. The MH-47G Chinook is a variant of the world’s most popular heavy-lift helicopter, that has been optimized for Special Forces Operations. The most obvious difference of this helicopter variant is its big aerial refueling tube at the front. Less obvious modifications include additional sensors for surveillance, “aircraft survivability equipment,” dual embedded Global Positioning Systems, a redundant navigator for improved accuracy and reliability, and various advanced datalinks that allow the display of Near Real Time Intelligence Data (NRTID). The USA expects to be operating Chinooks in their heavy-lift role past 2030. Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of June 29, 2020.

• Weston Solutions is being contracted by the US Army Corps of Engineers to support its remediation efforts. The $27 million firm-fixed-price contract provides for the remediation of hazardous, toxic and radioactive waste as well as military munitions. Hazardous, Toxic and Radioactive Waste projects are implemented at former military sites that have been contaminated during weapons tests and other kinds of operations. The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program for example was initiated to identify, investigate, and clean up or control sites throughout the United States that were part of the Nation’s early atomic weapons and energy programs. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order. The contract is expected to be completed by July 10, 2023.

• Raytheon is set to provide the Missile Defense Agency with the sustained capability to defend against ballistic missile threats. The awarded multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (MAIDIQ) contract has a minimum amount of $10.000 and a maximum amount of $4.1 billion. The primary purpose of this contract is to provide autonomous acquisition and persistent precision tracking and discrimination to optimize the defensive capability of the ballistic missile defense system and counter evolving threats. The tracking and discrimination capability is at the heart of a ballistic missile defense system, stopping a missile attack begins with detecting a launch. THAAD for example uses the AN/TPY-2, an X-Band, phased array, solid-state radar developed and built by Raytheon. The TPY-2 is employed for surveillance at ranges of up to 1,000 km (600 miles) as well as target identification and target tracking, thanks to its high-power output and beam/waveform agility. Targeting information is uploaded to the missile immediately before launch, and continuously updated during the flight.

Middle East & Africa

• Jane’s reports that the government of Qatar’s order of Rafale fighter aircraft will be delivered between 2019 and 2022. The first Qatari squadron is being set up at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base in southwest France, there more than 200 pilots and technicians have been trained. The current F3 standard includes full integration with the Reco NG reconnaissance pod, implementation of all currently planned modes for the RBE2 radar, anti-ship attack with the Exocet or follow-on ANF, and support for an improved tanker pack. Qatar made an initial purchase of the Rafale in 2015 and gradually increased its order to 36 planes.

• The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is set to receive support for its F-15 Fleet Modernization program as part of a US foreign military sale. Titan LSC has been awarded a $68.4 million indefinite-delivery-requirements contract that provides for the acquisition of various different commercial vehicles and trailers in support of the RSAF program. Titan will facilitate delivery to the Dhahran Supply Depot at King Abdul Aziz Air Base and maintain operations in the Dammam Metropolitan Area in Saudi Arabia as a liaison for the operation. In October 2010 Saudi Arabia negotiated a $30-60 billion arms package with the USA including an order of 84 F-15 Strike Eagles. Work will be performed at Titan LSC, Amman, Jordan, and in the subcontractor’s facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The contract is expected to be completed by July 10, 2021.

Europe

• The government of Denmark has voiced its intent to purchase 29 AIM-120 C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM). The State Department is determined to approve this foreign military sale which has a value of $90 million. The potential deal includes the missiles, a spare guidance section and other equipment ranging from missile containers to training services. At present, the AIM-120-C7 is the most advanced AMRAAM approved for export beyond the USA. The AIM-120-C7 is currently in production for almost all export customers, with an improved seeker head, greater jamming resistance, and slightly longer range. Additional work continues to improve the C7’s resistance to electronic countermeasures, and the 2-phase EPIP program. The missiles would equip Denmark’s future F-16 and F-35 fighter jets.

• The government of Slovakia has decided to purchase 14 new F-16 fighters to replace its Russian made MiG-29 jets. The deal has a potential value of up to $1.3 billion. The Lockheed produced plane thus successfully competed against Saab’s Gripen. In April, the US State Department approved the potential sale of 14 Block 70/72 F-16Vs for Slovakia. The Slovakian defense ministry said in a press statement “the US offer was more advantageous for the Slovak Republic in terms of all parameters, and in this regard the ministry refused to speculate that the reason for choosing the F-16 aircraft was later delivery and thus prolongation of dependence on Russian technology.” The ministry compared the price of 14 F-16, ammunition, pilot training costs and ground staff, logistics, infrastructure completion, delivery times and other operating costs, up until the 2040s horizon.

Asia-Pacific

• The Nepalese Army intends to purchase on AW-139 Helicopter. The Nepalese government intended to purchase three helicopters in total for disaster response and rescue operations, however part of the purchase was cancelled as the price ceiling exceeded an earlier deal. The AW139 delivers best-in-class performance with a maximum cruise speed of 165 knots and a range in excess of 500 nm. It also has the largest cabin in its class, which can accommodate up to 15 passengers. The AW139 Chopper delivery date has not been disclosed yet.

Today’s Video

• Britain shows off its F-35s

Americas

• Vencore Services and Solutions is being tapped to support the US Air Force’s Technical Applications Center (AFTAC). The awarded contract has a value of $49.8 million and supports R&D operations to develop future nuclear monitoring equipment. Nuclear surveillance is needed for the monitoring of treaties and observing global nuclear developments. Vencore will provide services that are heavily focused on organizing a group of highly-specialized scientists, engineers, and analysts to work in support of nuclear detection missions. The company will develop the future systems and other advanced detection technologies, including new analysis- methods and techniques. Consisting of more than 3,600 sensors worldwide, AFTAC operates and maintains a global network of nuclear event detection equipment called the U.S. Atomic Energy Detection Systems (USAEDS), the largest sensor network in the US Air Force. Once a disturbance is detected underground, underwater, in the atmosphere or in space, the event is analyzed for nuclear identification, and the findings are reported to national command authorities. Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida. It has an estimated completion date of August 20, 2024

• The Navy is currently testing its MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS. A press release confirms that the UAV finished its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado. The MQ-8C “Endurance Upgrade Fire Scout” is based on Bell Helicopter’s 3-ton 407 model, which serves as the base for the Iraqi Air Force’s manned IA-407-armed scout helicopters. MQ-8C is effectively a full-sized light naval utility helicopter, with 8 hours endurance carrying a 1,250-pound payload, and a maximum underslung payload of more than 2,600 pounds. The crew of the Coronado and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, or VX-1, conducted combat simulations to evaluate the Fire Scout on target identification, intelligence and surface warfare, the results of which will help the Navy decide how best to use the rotorcraft. The unit also evaluated best practices concerning pairing the Fire Scout and MH-60S Seahawk helicopters. The Fire Scout has a range of nearly 600 miles and can fly to up to 12,500 feet. The Fire Scout can be armed with Hellfire and Viper Strike missiles, alongside several other weapons systems.

• The US Army is again boosting the upkeep of its Abrams tanks. Honeywell International Inc. is being awarded a contract modification valued at $119.6 million in support of the Army’s Total Integrated Engine Revitalization Automotive Gas Turbine program for M1 Abrams tank engines. Approved for production in 1990, the M1A2 represents the US Army’s technological improvement of the basic M1A1 design and the most modern battle tank in the world. It is equipped with a 120mm gun and is protected by depleted uranium armor. Over 10.000 Abrams tanks have been built so far, many of which were exported to militaries across the world. Work will be performed in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of March, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

• Jane’s reports that the Tunisian Navy commissioned its second Multi Service Offshore Patrol Vessel (MSOPV) 1400 and a third Istiklal-class patrol boat at the port of La Goulette. The Syphax is the second of four MSOPV 1400s currently being built for the Tunisian Navy. The ship is being built and developed by Romanian defense contractor Damen. The MSOPV is Damen’s second generation offshore patrol vessel design and was revealed several years ago. It incorporates Damen’s Sea Axe hull shape for superior seakeeping – since the hull is designed to reduce water resistance, the new OPV is fuel efficient and capable of speeds up to 25/26 knots. A Multi-Mission Bay can be equipped with dedicated mission modules (e.g. mission containers) for missions such as counter piracy, counter-drug operations, anti-mining warfare, search-and-rescue and so forth. The Multi-Mission Bay is also equipped with a nine-meter RHIB, which can be launched over a dedicated slipway through the rear of the vessel while the OPV is sailing. Meanwhile, the third OPV, Hannon, commenced initial sea trials in the Black Sea late last June.

Europe

• The Czech Ministry of Defense is looking into a variety of systems to replace its obsolete Russian-designed 2K12 Kub mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems. The government has allocated about $450 million for procuring a new SHORAD SAM system with a range of 9 miles. It is yet unclear what kind of system the government is looking for. Currently there are several types of SHORAD systems on the market. Earlier this year, Estonia, which is also a NATO member opted for MBDA’s Mistral. However, considering its limited range of 4 miles, it seems unlikely that this system will be ordered. Another option could be Israel’s Iron Dome, which has an all-weather-range of up to 43.5 miles. The Ministry plans to equip the 25th ADM Regiment with four batteries, each equipped with up to eight ready-to-fire missiles.

Asia-Pacific

• India’s plan to build and commission its second indigenous aircraft carrier has been postponed again. Steadily declining budgets, technological hurdles and prolonged delays by the Ministry of Defense in approving the program make it very unlikely that the Vishal will enter service by 2030-2032. The proposed 65,000–70,000 ton conventionally powered ‘flat top’ carrier would be capable of embarking 50–60 fixed- and rotary-wing platforms and cruise at 30 knots, but it would also cost between $12 – 13 billion. India’s Navy has currently one carrier in operation the refurbished Soviet-era Kiev-class Vikramaditya. By 2018–19, Vikramaditya was to have been supplemented by INS Vikrant, the 37,000-tonne Project 71 carrier with a short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR) configuration that has been under construction since 2009 at Cochin Shipyard Limited, southern India. At this point the Vikrant is scheduled to enter service by October 2020. The Indian Navy plans to field three carrier battle groups under its Maritime Capability Perspective Plan.

• The Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet EA-18G Growlers is expected to achieve its initial operational capability (IOC) in the coming months. Australia is currently only the second operator of the aircraft, after the US Navy. The EA-18 is more than 90% common with the standard F/A-18F Super Hornet, sharing its airframe, AESA radar, stores management system and weapons options. The exception is the Super Hornet’s Vulcan Gatling gun is substituted with electrical equipment. Additional electrical equipment is added throughout the airframe, and Raytheon’s internally-mounted AN/ALQ-227 communication countermeasures system uses a dedicated, omni-directional antenna for signals detection, analysis, and recording. In May 2013, then Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Minister for Defense Stephen Smith announced that 12 new-build EA-18G Growlers would be acquired for the RAAF, in place of an earlier plan to modify 12 ‘pre-wired’ RAAF F/A-18Fs to Growler configuration. The production of Australia’s 12 EA-18Gs was formally contracted as part of a larger US Navy buy of 44 Super Hornets and Growlers in July 2014.

Today’s Video

• Spectacular Typhoon Display – Yeovilton International Air Day 2018

MQ-8B Fire Scout
(click to view full)

A helicopter UAV is very handy for naval ships, and for armies who can’t always depend on runways. The USA’s RQ/MQ-8 Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle has blazed a trail of firsts in this area, but its history is best described as “colorful.” The program was begun by the US Navy, canceled, adopted by the US Army, revived by the Navy, then canceled by the Army. Leaving it back in the hands of the US Navy. Though the Army is thinking about joining again, and the base platform is changing.

The question is, can the MQ-8 leverage its size, first-mover contract opportunity, and “good enough” performance into a secure future with the US Navy – and beyond? DID describes these new VTUAV platforms, clarifies the program’s structure and colorful history, lists all related contracts and events, and offers related research materials.

MQ-8: The Platform MQ-8B Fire Scout

MQ-8B Fire Scout
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The MQ-8AB Fire Scout (see Northrop Grumman’s full 655k cutaway diagram) is based on the Schweizer 333 light commercial helicopter. Up to 3 MQ-8Bs were envisioned in a ship’s complement, if it wished to fully replace 1 H-60 Seahawk medium helicopter slot.

The 9.4-foot tall, 3,150-pound MQ-8B Fire Scout can reach speeds of up to 125 knots, and altitudes of 20,000 feet. It’s capable of continuous operations that provide coverage up to 110 nautical miles from the launch site. Flight International quotes FCS Class IV UAV program chief engineer Michael Roberts as saying that the MQ-8B’s:

“Endurance with full fuel and a baseline 55kg [120 pound] payload is more than 8h, and flight time with a 250kg payload is more than 5h, and to get more out of the engine we’ve upgraded the main rotor transmission [to be rated for 320shp continuous power, with a 5 minute emergency rating of 340shp].”

The Fire Scout’s baseline payload includes a Brite Star II chin turret with electro-optical/infrared sensors and a laser rangefinder/designator. This allows the Fire Scout to find and identify tactical targets, provide targeting data to strike platforms, track and designate targets for attack, and perform battle damage assessments. The turret could be swapped out in order to mount different sensor suites, including hyperspectral sensors, 3-D LADAR/LIDAR, etc. FLIR Systems’ Star SAFIRE III, Northrop Grumman’s Airborne Surveillance Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS), and Telephonics’ RDR-1700B/ ZPY-4 wide-area maritime scan radar have been qualified on the platform, and Arete’s DVS-1 COBRA beach mine detection system was expected to deploy on the MQ-8B.

At present, the Fire Scout is being modified to arm itself with up to 8 APKWS II laser-guided 70mm rockets, per an urgent US Navy request. The Pentagon has stopped production of the MQ-8B, so it remains to be seen whether they’ll invest in any more payloads after that. Odds aren’t good.

If they did, the MQ-8B Fire Scout could also carry gun pods, or small smart weapons like Raytheon’s Griffin-A short-range laser-guided mini-missiles, and Northrop Grumman’s own GBU-44 Viper Strike precision glide weapons. Even Lockheed Martin’s larger Hellfire II laser-guided missiles would be possible, but it would carry fewer of them than a full-size helicopter.

MQ-8C: Is Bigger Better?

S-100, armed
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Compared to a standard medium naval helicopter. the MQ-8B is small. On the other hand, it’s substantially bigger than its European competitors. Schiebel’s S-100 Camcompter, for instance, weighs just 250 pounds empty. It can carry up to 110 pounds of payload, distributed among belly, side, and nose stations, with a maximum takeoff weight of just 440 pounds. Over 200 have been ordered by the UAE, the Russian Coast Guard, and other customers. Saab’s Skeldar V-200 is about the same size as the Camcopter.

MQ-8C test
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Instead of looking for numbers and lower-cost with a mid-tier VTUAV, however, the US Navy is pushing for larger and more expensive unmanned platforms within the Fire Scout program. The MQ-8C “Endurance Upgrade Fire Scout” is based on Bell Helicopter’s 3-ton 407 model, which serves as the base for the Iraqi Air Force’s manned IA-407 armed scout helicopters.

MQ-8C is effectively a full-sized light naval utility helicopter, with 8 hours endurance carrying a 1,250 pound payload, and a maximum underslung payload of more than 2,600 pounds. To put that in perspective, it could sling-load 10 empty Camcopters.

The MQ-8C is slated to debut with US Africa Command under an urgent operational request, with 19 purchased from FY 2012 – 2019. Uses will primarily involve Special Operations Forces, but the Navy also envisions deploying it from the Littoral Combat Ship. Fielding was slated to begin in FY 2014 – which later slipped to early FY15 – and the MQ-8C’s future is the future of the Fire Scout program. Current plans involve 96 UAVs, but that will happen only if production is restarted in FY 2020 or later.

MQ-8: The Program

Navy MQ-8B CONOPS
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The Fire Scout program is managed by the Navy’s PMA-263 Unmanned Vehicles program office, under PEO Strike Warfare and Unmanned Aviation at Patuxent River, MD.

Fire Scout began as a Navy program in 2000, became an Army program instead, morphed into a joint Army/Navy program, then became a Navy-only program again in 2010. In 2009, the Navy cut their planned buy from 168 MQ-8B VTUAVs to 121, and by 2012 they had terminated MQ-8B production at just 23 machines.

The follow-on MQ-8C Endurance Upgrade is based on the larger Bell 407 airframe instead. The FY 2014 budget listed the potential for up to 179 MQ-8Cs after the cancellation of the MRMUAS program, but current US Navy plans reportedly involve around 119 total MQ-8s of both types: 23 MQ-8Bs and 96 MQ-8Cs. The program will extend beyond FY 2019, but the 17 MQ-8Cs ordered are as far as Pentagon budgets will plan right now:

In general, Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Development Center in Rancho Bernardo, CA manages the contract and provides engineering services. System design work on the Fire Scout is performed at Northrop Grumman’s Integrated Systems Western Region Unmanned Systems Development Center in San Diego, CA; while the VTUAVs are assembled at Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS.

The basic MQ-8B airframe is manufactured in Elmira, NY by Schweizer Aircraft Corporation. The basic MQ-8C airframe is manufactured in Mirabel, Quebec, Canada by Bell Helicopter Textron. The MQ-8B Fire Scout Industry team includes:

MQ-8A firing Hydra
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The MQ-8B’s “economic production” rate was given as 10 per year, with capacity for up to 33 per year. While the eventual average unit cost of the MQ-8Bs was expected to be about $10 million in present dollars, low-rate production raises the cost for each VTUAV bought that way, since the same required fixed costs aren’t producing as many machines as they could.

That’s no longer a current issue with MQ-8B production effectively at zero, but this dynamic is worth keeping in mind during the MQ-8Cs order run. Years with production rates of at least 5 machines have a flyaway cost of around $16 million, but current plans show only one year like that: FY 2014.

MQ-8: Past and Future

The MQ-8’s initial history had it rising from the ashes like a phoenix. In January 2002, the US Department of Defense decided not to fund the RQ-8 program beyond initial test production. A year later, everything had changed. Northrop Grumman made significant improvements to usable power, payload capacity, and range; then drew attention to them by moving the vehicle near the Navy’s major test facility in Patuxent River, MD. By January 2003, the Navy had announced its intention to evaluate Fire Scout for possible deployment on the new Littoral Combat Ships, and funding was restored by Congress in July 2003.

Could the same thing happen again? Based on testing reports, it has no chance of happening to the MQ-8B, which was halted at 23 machines. The MQ-8C could still do well, and regain some momentum as a Special Operations/ Littoral Combat Ship platform, but it will have to overcome current US Navy plans.

The MQ-8B’s August 2003 selection as the US Army’s brigade-level Class IV Future Combat Systems UAV fared even worse than the Navy buy. The Army liked its ability to operate at low ground speeds, to operate in remote and unprepared landing zones, to move with the brigade, and to acquire and track targets in complex and urban terrain. Unfortunately, FCS Class IV was slowed by software and hardware (esp. JTRS radio) development delays. By February 2010, instead of having MQ-8Bs on the front lines, the US Army had only a couple of suggestive exercises using MQ-8 prototypes. Meanwhile, other VTUAV and UAV technologies had moved ahead. The US Army responded by dropping the Class IV UAV program, even before it dissolved Future Combat Systems as a whole. That’s why the MQ-8B’s eventual land deployment to Afghanistan happened in 2011 with the US Navy.

It’s said that the larger Fire-X/MQ-8C, based on a the same Bell 407 airframe that was once tapped to become the Army’s next armed scout helicopter, has attracted Army interest again. Time will tell if that turns into a commitment of any kind.

Other Markets

Bringing it in…
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Beyond the US Navy and Army, opportunities still beckon, but Fire Scout will have to compete.

At home, December 2006 Flight International article saw the Fire Scout as a top competitor for the US Marine Corps’ 2008-2010 (now postponed) VUAS contest, in order to replace their RQ-2 Pioneer UAVs around 2015 or so. Naval deployment and weapons integration strengths should keep the MQ-8 family around as a contender for USMC interest.

The US Coast Guard has frozen development work on its planned “Eagle Eye” tilt-rotor UAV. In its absence, the Fire Scout stands a reasonable chance of being selected as an interim or future UAV provider, though the MQ-8C’s size growth could create an opening for smaller platforms that can operate from smaller ships. So far, the US Coast Guard remains very far behind the curve on UAVs, and has only begun trialing smaller options like Boeing’s catapult-launched ScanEagle.

The MQ-8 VTUAV family has yet to attract foreign orders, though the UAE and Saudi Arabia have reportedly expressed interest. Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8s are clearly aimed at customers who want larger VTUAVs that carry either weapons or cargo, and are willing to a buy a UAV whose size allows those things.

Within that segment, Kaman & Lockheed’s K-MAX is now a fielded cargo alternative with the USMC. Boeing’s troubled A160 Hummingbird offers the lure of exceptional endurance, with a payload somewhere between the MQ-8B’s and MQ-8C’s. Boeing is also working with European firms like Thales, using its more conventional MH-6 Unmanned Little Bird. Northrop Grumman’s Fire-X beat these options for the MQ-8C Fire Scout contract, but other customers will make their own choices.

Meanwhile, Fire Scout’s much smaller Schiebel S1000 Camcopter competitor has been ordered in numbers by Jordan, Russia, and the UAE. The clear trend on the international stage is for Fire Scout to face smaller and cheaper European competitors, from the Camcopter to Saab’s Skeldar, Indra’s Pelicano, etc. The Europeans see a strong market for smaller VTUAVs to operate from remote outposts, from small ships like Offshore Patrol Vessels, and from larger naval vessels that still need to carry a full-size helicopter.

Fire Scout Contracts & Key Events

Unless otherwise noted, all announced contracts were awarded to Northrop Grumman in San Diego, CA, and/or managed by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD.

FY 2015 – 2018

1st MQ-8Cs.

Expecting a sunset? July 12/18: Test – Test The Navy is currently testing its MQ-8C Fire Scout UAS. A press release confirms that the UAV finished its Initial Operational Test and Evaluation from the littoral combat ship USS Coronado. The MQ-8C “Endurance Upgrade Fire Scout” is based on Bell Helicopter’s 3-ton 407 model, which serves as the base for the Iraqi Air Force’s manned IA-407-armed scout helicopters. MQ-8C is effectively a full-sized light naval utility helicopter, with 8 hours endurance carrying a 1,250-pound payload, and a maximum underslung payload of more than 2,600 pounds. The crew of the Coronado and Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, or VX-1, conducted combat simulations to evaluate the Fire Scout on target identification, intelligence and surface warfare, the results of which will help the Navy decide how best to use the rotorcraft. The unit also evaluated best practices concerning pairing the Fire Scout and MH-60S Seahawk helicopters. The Fire Scout has a range of nearly 600 miles and can fly to up to 12,500 feet. The Fire Scout can be armed with Hellfire and Viper Strike missiles, alongside several other weapons systems. May 9/18: More airframe orders Bell Helicopter will receive a contract modification valued at $21.7 million. The modification relates to a contract that provides the US Navy with airframes in support of its MQ-8 Fire Scout program, including the delivery of Bell 407 variant commercial airframes, as well as associated Bell 407 unique components, and preservation and storage associated with the system. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the newer MQ-8C Fire Scout variant is the latest unmanned autonomous helicopter being developed for the Navy for reconnaissance, aerial fire support and other naval missions. It is larger than its predecessors, using the Bell 407 airframe rather than the Sikorsky 330 and 330 airframes used on previous variants. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the order close to $31.5 million. Work will be performed in Ozark, Alabama, and is expected to be completed in December 2020.

March 21/18: Airframe orders Bell Helicopters will provide the US Navy with airframes in support of the MQ-8 Fire Scout program. The work order falls under a $9.8 million contract awarded last Friday, March 16, and calls for the delivery of three Bell 407 variant commercial airframes, as well as associated Bell 407 unique components, and preservation and storage associated with the system. Work will take place at Ozark, Alabama, with a contract completion date set for December 2020. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the newer MQ-8C Fire Scout variant is the latest unmanned autonomous helicopter being developed for the Navy for reconnaissance, aerial fire support and other naval missions. It is larger than its predecessors, using the Bell 407 airframe rather than the Sikorsky 330 and 330 airframes used on previous variants.

December 7/17: Testing-IOC The US Navy expects to enter the initial operational test and evaluation phase of the MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter this spring, with sea-based testing onboard a littoral combat ship to follow later that summer. Derived from the four-bladed, single-engined Bell 407, the rotorcraft will replace the smaller MQ-8B based on the Sikorsky S-333, and offers a greater payload, range and endurance than its predecessor. While waiting for the MQ-8C to come online, the Navy continues to fix issues experienced with the B variant such as a capability for the advanced precision kill weapon system (APKWS), and is also working on an interim fix for its MQ-8B radar.

May 9/17: Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $36.8 million contract to integrate radar systems on the MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV for the US Navy. The pre-existing contract will include software updates, testing programs, and installation and support systems, and work will be carried out both in the US and in the UK through to May 2020. Research and development funds previously allocated for Fiscal 2016 will include $11.8 million set to expire at the end of the fiscal year.

April 12/17: An MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV has been tested onboard a littoral combat ship (LCS) for the first time. 37 recovery evolutions were conducted onboard the USS Montgomery over the course of seven days in order to verify the MQ-8C launch and recovery procedures and test interoperability between the unmanned helicopter and the ship. A larger version of the MQ-8B, the “C” variant was given Milestone C status by the Navy earlier this month and will begin initial operational test and evaluation this fall.

October 19/16: MQ-8C Fire Scout UAVs will be supplied with Leonardo’s 2-panel Osprey AESA radar following the dismissal of a protest by rival bidderTelephonics. Five radars will be delivered to the US Naval Air Systems Command in the first financial quarter of 2017 and will be used for integration, test and evaluation on-board the Bell Helicopter 407-derived MQ-8C, and the USN holds an option to buy a larger quantity for operational use. The radar will provide only 260-degree field of view and will come equipped with air-to-air targeting mode.

September 29/16: A MQ-8B Fire Scout was used to laser designate a moving target for an AGM-114N Hellfire missile fired from an MH-60S for the first time. Conducted on September 14, the test was part of a program to use the drone as a remote designater for the helicopter to shoot moving targets . The successful Hellfire shot marks a significant milestone in the integration between Navy-manned helicopters and unmanned assets.

September 13/16: Northrop Grumman has landed a $108 million Navy contract to provide 10 MQ-8C Fire Scout drones. The unmanned system provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, target acquisition, laser designation, and battle management and can operate from any air-capable ship or land base. Delivery of the new systems will be completed by August 2019.

June 30/16: The MQ-8B deployed on board USS Coronado (LCS-4) is the first to be equipped with the new AN/ZPY-4(V)1 radar. Previously, the unmanned helicopter was fitted with the RDR-1700 maritime surveillance radar under an urgent requirement. Compared to the previous radar, the AN/ZPY-4(V)1 will increase the search area of the LCS, improving the ability to simultaneously track up to 150 targets and increase detection accuracies out to 70 nautical miles.

June 10/16: Leonardo-Finmeccanica’s new Osprey X-band active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar has been selected by the US Navy for mounting on its MQ-8C VTOL unmanned aerial vehicle. Consisting of three panels for 360 degree field of regard, the Osprey contains incorporated algorithms from the company’s other radar product lines such as the Seaspray maritime search radar and Vixen air-to-air radar. This now makes it possible for the MQ-8C to function with an airborne early-warning capability while operating on small ships.

April 25/16: The USMC has borrowed a number of MQ-8C Fire Scouts from the US Navy to test how they could be operated from the amphibious assault ships. It is believed that they may want a Group 4 or 5 unmanned aerial system (UAS), which are larger and have longer range and endurance, and that are capable of conducting ISR and fires missions. At present the RQ-21 Blackjack is operated from the corps ships, but that system, a smaller Group 3 system, is launched from a small catapult and recovered by hooking onto a tether, all of which limit the payloads that can be put on the aircraft.

January 14/16: The US Navy is to have Northrop Grumman provide software sustainment services for their MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned helicopters in a contract worth $8.02 million. Northrop has been continuously advancing the capabilities of the MQ-8B since its introduction in 2006. By next year, they plan to have mine-detection sensor capabilities in coastal waters to be used in the protection of LCS class vessels.

December 2/15: Northrop Grumman has completed the three week operational assessment of the MQ-8C Fire Scout. The naval UAV took part in 11 flights, spending over 83.4 hours in the air. The MQ-8C was also tested against maritime and surveyed land targets and will begin ship based testing in the 2017 fiscal year. The Fire Scout is currently being developed for the Navy, however the program had been been adopted and dropped by both the Navy and Army in the past. With the successful tests announced, one wonders will the Army wish to jump back on board?

August 26/15: Northrop Grumman’s naval UAV the Fire Scout is completing endurance demonstrations, flitting about for 10 hours at a time.

April 16/15: The Fire Scout MQ-8C’s IOC deadline has been pushed back a year, owing principally to the limited availability of Littoral Combat Ships for testing. The first MQ-8C system was delivered to the Navy in December.

Dec 3/14: MQ-8C. Northrop Grumman announces it delivered the 1st operational MQ-8C to the US Navy. Tests are to begin this winter aboard USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and last into the summer 2015, so operations should start a year from now if the aircraft performs as expected. Land-based tests had already taken place back in August on small sloped platforms meant to simulate at-sea take-offs and landings.

FY 2014

 

MQ-8C 1st flight

May 12/14: MQ-8 MUT. USS Freedom [LCS 1] operates an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and MQ-8B Fire Scout VTUAV together off the coast of San Diego, CA for VBSS (visit, board, search & seizure) exercises. Flying them together doesn’t seem like much, but operating safely in the same space as a manned helicopter is something that needs to be worked out very thoroughly before it can be used operationally.

Fire Scouts can maintain longer surveillance over a target or area of interest, but these helicopter UAVs lack the total firepower and/or troop capacity of an MH-60R or MH-60S. Sources: NGC, “Northrop Grumman, US Navy Conduct Successful Simultaneous Manned, Unmanned Helicopter Flight Tests Aboard the Littoral Combat Ship”.

April 2/14: FY14 order. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, CA, is being awarded a $43.8 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract modification for 5 MQ-8C VTUAV and 1 ground control station. Unless the line is restarted after FY 2020 begins, this is the last MQ-8C order. Including development and demonstration vehicles, NGC says they have been contracted for 19 MQ-8Cs.

All funds are committed immediately, using FY 2013 and 2014 US Navy aircraft budgets. Work will be performed in Dallas, TX (32%); Ozark, AL (27%); Rancho Bernardo, CA (25%); Moss Point, MS (15%); and Point Mugu, CA (1%), and is expected to be complete in December 2015. US NAVAIR in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-12-C-0059). Sources: Pentagon, NGC, “Northrop Grumman to Build Five More MQ-8C Fire Scouts for the U.S. Navy”.

5 MQ-8Cs

March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish. With respect to the Fire Scout:

“The engineering design of the MQ-8C is complete as it is based on the MQ-8B design, which appeared to be stable before halting production. The program completed operational test and evaluation of MQ-8B in December 2013 and a Quick Reaction Assessment of MQ-8C will be completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014. The program plans to conduct an acquisition strategy review in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 that assesses overall program health, including production readiness.

….a Quick Reaction Assessment is planned for MQ-8C 3 to 4 months prior to ship deployment, which is expected to be in the first quarter of fiscal year 2015. The program is planning to test the MQ-8C at-sea in 2014 on the DDG-109 and on the Littoral Combat Ship in 2015.”

March 4-11/14: Budgets. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. The MQ-8 sees a cut in buys, and in the program. While the GAO still publishes the program goal as 175, this has changed to a maximum of 119 total MQ-8Bs (23) and MQ-8Cs (96), with only 17 MQ-8Cs bought until FY 2019:

“The Navy has truncated MQ-8B procurement with the last LRIP buy in FY11. 21 of the 23 LRIP aircraft (90%) have been delivered. Once delivery is complete, the 23 aircraft will support 8 Fire Scout systems. MQ-8B airframes will continue to support maritime based ISR from FFGs, support LCS DT/OT events and LCS deployments. MQ-8B airframes will sunset through attrition…. Forty-Eight (48) systems are planned to utilize the MQ-8C air vehicle (96 air vehicles), for a total of 119 air vehicles which includes Primary Inventory, backup inventory and attrition aircraft.

….The Navy will use the MQ-8[B] system from FFGs to provide up to 1/2 orbit of support to SOF until [MQ-8Cs] are available and LCS become available through the Global Force Management Process.”

Despite the goal of 96 MQ-8Cs, FY 2015-2019 buys no VTUAVs, just ancillary equipment which includes GCS, UCARs, special payloads, shipboard TCDL [datalink] systems, and various forms of support. That means the last MQ-8C orders take place in FY 2014, and orders must wait until FY 2020 or later. Statements that key LCS systems like COBRA may move to the MH-60S fleet suggest that the MQ-8C line may not be restarted, since a stalled production line attracts little political support in times of austerity.

Big program shift

Jan 23/14: Sub-contractors. L-3 Corp. Systems West in Salt Lake City, UT receives a $17.6 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract modification for supplies and services associated with Littoral Combat Ship configurations of the Hawklink Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) Surface Terminal Equipment, and with Vortex Mini-TCDL Shipset components. While Hawklink is most closely associated with the MH-60R Seahawk helicopter, these supplies and services are in support of the Fire Scout MQ-8B/8C.

The high definition Hawklink interface creates point-to-point Internet-equivalent connectivity between a helicopter and ships up to 100 nmi away, enabling both to publish and subscribe for information. That would allow a ship or strike group to request data from the helicopter’s sensors via its AN/SRQ-4 terminal, including sonobuoy data or real-time video, while sending other messages and data to the helicopter’s AN/ARQ-59 system. Terminals can also be configured for interoperability with several generations of CDL surface terminals deployed by the US Army, US Air Force, and American allies.

Funds will be committed as needed. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, UT (90%), Point Mugu, CA (5%), and the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, MD, (5%), and is expected to be complete in December 2014 (N00019-13-D-0001).

November 2013: India. India Strategic magazine says that the Fire Scout will be competing with Saab’s smaller Skeldar VTAUV for a shipborne VTUAV contract:

“The Navy has plans to have at least two more squadrons of UAVs to be controlled from ships to increases the range of surveillance. There are plans to introduce rotary UAVs on ships. The contenders are the Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8 Firescout with the Telephonics RDR 1700B or General Atomics Lynx radar and Skeldar from SAAB… [error deleted here]. Notably MIL-1553 specs and [other onboard systems] are looked at by the Indian Navy’s WEESE i.e. ‘Weapons, Electronic, Electrical Systems Engineering’ Group at New Delhi which has assembled the data bus for integration in to [the destroyer] INS Delhi and other class of ships.”

This is India, so it’s entirely possible that nothing will happen for many years, but the Indian Navy is very familiar with UAVs, and has been operating land-based Searcher II and Heron UAV fleets for over a decade. India’s Coast Guard has also trialed Schiebel’s S100 Camcopter, and other competitors may yet emerge. Sources: India Strategic, “Indian Navy’s Quest to employ and equip its warships with UAVs”

Nov 15/13: MQ-8B. The Littoral Combat Ship USS Fort Worth [LCS 3] spends Nov 5-13/13 conducting testing with the MQ-8B Fire Scout UAV in the Point Mugu Test Range, CA. Fort Worth is scheduled to deploy in 2014 with “The Mad Hatters” of HSM-35, Detachment 1. The Navy’s first “composite” Air Detachment will include both a manned SH-60R helicopter and smaller MQ-8B Fire Scout helicopter UAVs. Sources: USN, “USS Fort Worth Launches First UAV, Demonstrates LCS Capability”.

Nov 14/13: +3 407s. Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. in Hurst, TX receives an $8.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for 3 Bell 407 ‘analog’ helicopters. They don’t have all the equipment you’d find in even a civil 407, because most of that gets added when they’re turned into MQ-8C Fire Scouts. All funds are committed, using the Navy’s FY 2013 procurement budget.

Work will be performed in Fort Worth, TX (52%); Mirabel, Canada (46%); and Ozark, AL (2%), and is expected to be complete in June 2014. This contract wasn’t competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-14-C-0022).

Oct 31/13: 1st MQ-8C flight. A pair of flights, actually. The 1st was just a 7-minute check-out to validate the autonomous control systems, while the 2nd was a 9-minute circuit around the airfield at at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, CA.

Meanwhile, the MQ-8B is back from Afghanistan (q.v. Aug 16/13), but the platform is also in the middle of its 7th at-sea deployment on board US Navy FFG-7 frigates. A tour aboard the USS Freedom [LCS-1] is next. Sources: NGC, Oct 31/13 release.

1st MQ-8C flight

FY 2013

6 more MQ-8Cs; 1st MQ-8C delivered; MRMUAS competition canceled, which will expand Fire Scout; Just how much is the Fire Scout program expanding?; Pentagon testers say MQ-8B production stopped in 2012 – very negative review explains why.

Fire-X (MQ-8C) test
(click to view full)

Aug 16/13: Next steps. After logging over 5,000 flight hours in Afghanistan, the Navy’s MQ-8B detachment and their contractor operators have packed up and headed home. Fire Scout program manager Capt. Patrick Smith discussed the UAV at AUVSI 2013.

Next steps for the MQ-B include a November 2013 deployment aboard USS Freedom [LCS 1], and delivery of the Telephonics ZPY-4/ RDR-1700B surface scanning radar (q.v. Dec 20/12), which has had its final delivery pushed back from June 2014 to December 2014. The larger MQ-8C now intends to begin formal Navy flight tests in October 2013, with the 1st at-sea tests involving the USS Jason Dunham [DDG 109] in 2014.

Smith adds that Navy is now looking at a total buy of 96 MQ-8B/C UAVs, which implies a total of 73 MQ-8Cs – just 40% of the number listed in the FY 2014 budget. Source: Defense News, “Fire Scout ends Afghan mission; future includes new variant, LCS work”.

Aug 6/13: Deployment. US NAVAIR praises the achievements of 4 MQ-8B Fire Scouts from HSM-46, aboard the USS Samuel B. Roberts [FFG 58] in the Mediterranean Sea. The detachment flew 333 hours in June 2013, blowing past the previous monthly record by more than 100 hours.

That figure is over 10 hours per day for the detachment, with some days featuring over 18 hours of coverage. It’s the 6th deployment of Fire Scout helicopters aboard US Navy ships. Source: US NAVAIR, “Fire Scout surpasses flight hour record aboard USS Samuel B. Roberts.”

July 19/13: MQ-8C. Northrop Grumman announces their 1st MQ-8C delivery to the US Navy “in early July,” in preparation for ground and flight testing. Source: NGC.

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage. The MQ-8 undergoes yet another big procurement shift, as the planned total jumps to 202 UAVs over the life of the program, supporting both Special Operations and the Littoral Combat Ship. The program will also include a limited number of land-based control stations, mission training devices, and engineering moves to ensure stocks of parts that are going out of production, or their replacement by new designs.

“The MQ-8 is currently deployed on FFG ships and may be deployed on alternate class of ships to support the Special Operations Forces (SOF) mission. In support of the SOF mission, aircraft were moved forward in the budget starting in FY 2012 and additional ship control stations will be procured for outfitting of the FFG/DDG and alternate class of ships such as the Joint High Speed Vessel. MQ-8 will perform land-based operations in support of the ISR Task Force and Army units…. In addition, specialty payloads and communications equipment will be procured in support of SOF ISR, ISR Task Force, shipboard requirements. Weapons Stores Management Systems are included in the aircraft cost starting in FY 2013 that support on-going RDCs.

There will be 34 MQ-8C Endurance Upgrade aircraft procured between FY12-FY18 to support an AFRICOM JEONS RDC. The increase over PB13 results from the Navy canceled Medium Range Maritime UAS program prior to Milestone A and the need to sustain the SOF 3 orbit requirement. Initial spares and repairs are needed to support the RDC operational tempo of 27,000 flight hours per year. All aircraft procured in FY12-FY18 are MQ-8C. The MQ-8 Endurance Upgrade capability will start transitioning to a Navy program of record in FY14 to support Littoral Combat Ship requirements. The Navy is evaluating the VTUAV procurement quantity requirement in light of the Endurance Upgrade capabilities and will lay in the updated procurement profile during future budgets. [This submission marks down another 145 MQ-8Cs after FY 2018.]”

March 12/13: MQ-8B. US NAVAIR states that:

“After exceeding the 8,000-flight-hour mark Friday [presumably for its entire flight career], an MQ-8B Fire Scout assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 22 Detachment 5 prepares to land aboard USS Robert G. Bradley for a “hot pump” and re-launch while conducting maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) operations in the Mediterranean Sea March 11. Fire Scouts aboard Bradley are routinely flying 17-hour days while providing 12 hours on station ISR coverage in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility.”

March 11/13: MQ-8C. A $71.6 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract modification to deliver 6 MQ-8C VTUAVs and 7 ground control stations, using FY 2012 & 2013 Navy aircraft funds.

The company is now under contract to produce 14 MQ-8Cs, of a planned rapid acquisition program total of up to 30. Both figures include test aircraft.

Manufacturing and assembly operations are already underway for the 407-based variant, with airframe modifications being made at Bell’s facility in Ozark, AL (27%), and final assembly being completed at Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS (15%). Other locations include Dallas, TX (32%); Rancho Bernardo, CA (25%); and Point Mugu, CA (1%) (N00019-12-C-0059). See also Northrop Grumman.

6 more MQ-8Cs

Feb 13/13: MRMUAS. Military officials announce plans to end the Medium-Range Maritime Unmanned Aerial System program, which was going to produce a surveillance UAV with up to 8 hours endurance.

With funds tight, and the MQ-8C available as an interim solution, the potential gains from offerings like BAE/OVX’s compound ducted fan concept was deemed less important. Which leads to the question of what happens after the initial rapid buy of MQ-8Cs. sUAS News.

MRMUAS canceled

Jan 31/13: MQ-8C. Greenwich AeroGropup’s Summit Aviation delivers the MQ-8C’s 1st Faraday Cage assembly, designed to protect the UAV’s electronics from lightning, electro-magnetic interference, etc. NGC.

Jan 17/13: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The MQ-8s are included, and the news isn’t good. The overall program has stopped production at 23 MQ-8Bs, and may supplement them with 31 MQ-8C Fire-X/ Endurance Upgrade Fire Scouts (3 test + 28 Urgent Operational Requirement).

MQ-8C testing hasn’t really begun yet, but the verdict on the MQ-8B is really poor. Reliability well below program planning levels has created a “critical” shortage of spares, and produced “unacceptable values for Availability, Mean Flight Hours Between Operational Mission Failures, and Mean Flight Hours Between Unscheduled Maintenance Actions.” It’s so far below plan that the MQ-8B hasn’t had Initial Operational Test & Evaluation, and probably isn’t going to, even though MQ-8Bs are now being armed in response to an urgent Navy requirement. Its communications relay remains a problematic issue.

On the bright side, software improvements tested in 2012 now allow dual air vehicle operations, something that should transfer to the MQ-8C. Frigate deployments continue to show the value of a VTUAV system, and at the moment, there’s no sign that the MQ-8Bs will be retired. On the other hand, it would take a long string of successes to have the MQ-8 program even approach its original scope.

MQ-8B stopped, panned

Dec 20/12: Radars. A $33.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to develop, integrate, test, and deliver 9 radar systems for the MQ-8B. The Navy wants a wide-area surface search radar (vid. July 7/11 entry), which would sharply improve the UAV’s effectiveness for missions like anti-piracy, blockades, near-port monitoring, search & rescue, etc.

Northrop Grumman has confirmed to us that they’ll be using the Telephonics RDR-1700B [PDF]radar, which has been tested with the MQ-8B over the last few years (vid. Oct 19-23/09, Sept 19/08 entries), and a Jan 8/13 Telephonics release makes it clear that they’ll be using the AN/ZPY-4(V)1 upgrade, complete with moving target indicator functions and the ability to track AIS ship transponders. Subsequent reports establish the number as 12 radars, plus 3 spares.

$15.8 million is committed on award, and $11.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year on Sept 30/13. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (70%) and Patuxent River, MD (30%), and is expected to be complete in June 2014. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C 2304c1 (N00019-13-C-0020).

New ZPY-4 radar

Dec 20/12: Support. A $19.2 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for MQ-8B spares and deliveries.

All funds are committed, and $19 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/13. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (90%), and Patuxent River, MD (10%); and is expected to be completed in November 2013. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C 2304c1 (N00019-13-C-0007).

Oct 5/12: Support. A $24.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for MQ-8B spare parts and supplies.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (36%), Horseheads, NY (30%); Salt Lake City, NV (11%); Sparks, NV (11%); and various other locations within the United States (12%); and is expected to be complete in April 2014 (N00019-10-G-0003).

FY 2012

USN commits to add MQ-8Cs, signs development contract; 2 quick crashes ground MQ-8B fleet; Experience highlights serious problems with MQ-8B targeting, communications relay; Ground control system completing Linux transition; MQ-8B & MH-60 testing

MQ-8B, Afghanistan
(click to view full)

Sept 27/12: Radars. A Telephonics release touts successful completion of their “AN/ZPY-4(V) Maritime Surveillance Radar.” This release touts it as “an enhanced version of the radar designed and built for the US Navy’s MQ-8 Fire Scout.” It has been upgraded with a Ground Moving Target Indicator (GMTI) mode, and incorporates the US Navys Ocean Surveillance Initiative (OSI) in the software. With OSI, it can receive ship Automatic Information System (AIS) transponder data, and identify compliant vessels. Subsequent releases make it clear that the USN has shifted to this radar for the Fore Scout contract.

Sept 27/12: Support. A $28.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for software sustainment and development, non-recurring engineering support, and obsolescence efforts for the MQ-8B.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (90%), and NAS Patuxent River, MD (10%); and is expected to be complete in September 2013. All contract funds will expire at the end of the fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304c1 (N00019-12-C-0126).

Sept 20/12: Personnel. US NAVAIR describes their efforts to develop in-house expertise with the MQ-8B. That’s a bit of a challenge, because the end of the Afghan deployment means that the detachment will revert back to a contractor-operated structure. The officers in charge and sailors who deployed are being moved to shipboard deployments, and the new Unmanned Helicopter Reconnaissance Squadron (HUQ-1) training squadron in Naval Air Station North Island, CA.

July 10/12: Training. Northrop Grumman opens a new UAV training facility for Fire Scout operators at at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL. It offers improved flight simulators, plus hands-on maintenance and classroom instruction. NGC.

June 6/12: Linux TCS. Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems in Dulles, VA receives a $27.9 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to “complete Linux transition” on the MQ-8’s TCS ground control system. Linux is emerging as a key standard for American UAV ground control systems. The MQ-1/9 Predator/ Reaper’s ground stations are being migrated from Windows to Linux, and AAI’s multi-UAV OneSystem/UGCS already use the open-source computer operating system.

Work on this contract will be performed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, and is expected to be complete in February 2014. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, and $5.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00019-12-C-0102). See also March 25/09 entry.

May 8/12: LRIP-5. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector in San Diego, CA received a $25.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, buying 3 MQ-8B Fire Scout vehicles and 1 ground control station as Low Rate Initial Production Lot 5. This appears to be the FY 2011 order.

Work will be performed in Moss Point, MS (55%), and San Diego, CA (45%), and is expected to be complete in December 2013. US Naval Air Systems Command manages the contract (N00019-07-C-0041).

LRIP-5: 3 more

April 23/12: MQ-8C contract. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA gets an unfinalized, not-to-exceed $262.3 million contract to finish developing the Fire-X/ MQ-8C, based on Bell Helicopter’s 407 model. They’ll develop, manufacture, and test 2 VTUAVs, produce 6 air vehicles; and supply spare parts in support of the “VTUAV endurance upgrade rapid deployment capability effort.”

Work will be performed in Moss Point, MS (47%); San Diego, CA (46%); and Yuma, AZ (7%), and is expected to be complete in May 2014. $24.9 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-12-C-0059). See also NGC.

MQ-8C development

April 10/12: Grounded. US NAVAIR announces that they’re suspending operations of their remaining 14-UAV Fire Scout fleet, in the wake of the last 2 crashes. While the fleet is grounded, NAVAIR will be reviewing the incidents, the MQ-8B’s technical components, and their operational procedures.

Later queries to NAVAIR reveal that the grounding is over by the end of April 2012.

Since 2006, the MQ-8B Fire Scout has accumulated over 5,000 flight hours, with more than 3,000 flight hours tallied during operational deployments. US NAVAIR.

Grounded

April 6/12: Crash. An MQ-8B operating in northern Afghanistan crashes, while conducting a routine surveillance mission in support of Regional Command North. Source.

Crash

March 30/12: Crash. An MQ-8B Fire Scout operating off USS Simpson [FFG-56], and returning from a maritime surveillance mission in support of Africa Partnership Station, cannot achieve UAS Common Automated Recovery System (UCARS) lock on. Operators tried multiple approaches and exhaustive troubleshooting, but couldn’t achieve UCARS lock, which meant they couldn’t risk a landing attempt on the ship. Their only option was to position it a safe distance from USS Simpson, terminate the flight, and perform a night-time recovery. Source.

Crash

March 21/12: Arming the MQ-8B. US NAVAIR announces that they are working to get the MQ-8B tested and operationally-cleared to fire laser-guided 70mm APKWS rockets, per an urgent US Navy request. The 1st of a series of tests on the newly-installed hardware began March 7/12. Even though the Fire Scouts have conducted armed Army tests before, it is the first time the US Navy will arm an unmanned aircraft. Jeremy Moore is Fire Scout weapons system integration lead, and Bill McCartney is the Fire Scout’s Air Vehicle flight test lead. McCartney:

“We had a very tight timeline to conduct trade studies and complete design reviews… Now, we are starting to execute tests, and there is little time in the schedule for repeats.”

Feb 13/12: MQ-8Bs and Cs. The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include a section on the MQ-8B Fire Scout, which has survived cuts. The MQ-8C will also move forward:

“The MQ-8 system will support Surface Warfare, Mine Countermeasures Warfare, and Anti-Submarine Warfare mission modules while operating onboard Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). The MQ-8 is currently deployed on [frigates] and will be deployed on [destroyers] to support the Special Operations Forces (SOF) mission. In support of the SOF mission, aircrafts were moved forward in the budget starting in FY 2012 and additional ship control stations will be procured for outfitting of the FFG and DDG ships… A limited number of land-based ground control stations supplement… [and] will also support depot level maintenance/ post-maintenance activities. Mission training devices will be procured and integrated into the land-based ground control stations for predeployment and proficiency training… In addition, specialty payloads and communications equipment will be procured in support of SOF ISR and ISR task force. Radar payloads and Weapons Stores Management System are included in the aircraft cost starting in FY 2013 that support on-going RDCs.

A minimum of 28 MQ-8C Endurance Upgrade aircraft are being procured between FY12-FY15 to support an AFRICOM JUONS(Joint Urgent Operational Needs Statement) RDC. Initial spares and repairs have increased to support the RDC operational tempo of 27,000 flight hours per year.”

Jan 17/12: Testing report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2011 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The Fire Scout program is included, and the review is mixed. For starters:

“The Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) approved in 2007 is outdated and does not contain a clear path to successful completion of IOT&E. The TEMP does not clearly define the objectives of near-term testing nor prioritize future upgrades…”

Initial OT&E is scheduled for March 2012, which is almost 3 years after the original June 2009 plan. DOT&E considers previous issues with poor reliability, and with excessive cautions, warnings, and advisories, to be fixed. Operations controlling 2 MQ-8B UAVs in the air, which weren’t possible before, were demonstrated in September 2011. On the other hand, issues with UAV and datalink reliability, target geo-location errors so large that the system “does not support precision attack missions”, limited available frequencies, and an unreliable communications relay suite are all listed as problems that threaten a successful IOT&E. Beyond IOT&E, the report cites issues with incomplete technical publications, spare parts support, and pre-deployment training.

Some of this can be attributed to deployment pressures. DOT&E itself says that “time spent training additional operators and maintainers, modifying air vehicles, integrating non-program of record payloads, and a requirement to provide spare parts to three operating locations, delayed the program’s efforts to address those deficiencies.” They would also like the program to get some clarity re: future plans, especially the issue of the MQ-8B vs. the MQ-8C, which has resulted in “in the lack of a coherent long-range schedule to be ready for IOT&E and field the system.”

Nov 14/11: Helico-operation. Inside the Navy reports that the USN is testing communications between manned MH-60s and unmanned MQ-8Bs, in the hopes that the two working in tandem could expand the Navy’s reach.

The US Army recently finished a test in which a Predator family UAV was controlled by an AH-64D Block III attack helicopter, which could give orders to the UAV and its payload, and receive video etc. from the MQ-1C. A similar configuration at sea could extend the MQ-8B’s controllable range, while enhancing the MH-60R’s effectiveness. Even a lesser configuration, in which MH-60R/S helicopters acted only as a communication relay, would offer benefits for the Navy.

FY 2011

MQ-8B to Afghanistan; Navy will convert Army’s 8 Fire Scouts; Fire-X picked as “MQ-8C”; Navy approves arming MQ-8Bs; COBRA mine-detection tested on MQ-8B; LCS flight tests begin; Army may be also interested in larger VTUAV.

MQ-8B in Afghanistan
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Sept 29/11: Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Unmanned Systems in San Diego, CA received a $7.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order for MQ-B software sustainment services. They’ll include analysis of engineering change proposals; development of plans of action and milestones; laboratory facility studies and analysis; software upgrades; configuration management and quality assurance; and keeping the technical documentation up to date.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in June 2012. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year – which is Sept 30/11 (N00019-10-G-0003).

Sept 28/11: Afghanistan. An $18.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to extend MQ-8B intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services in Afghanistan (90%, q.v. April 8-13/11 entry), and at Patuxent River, MD (10%) until October 2012. $1.4 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0094). On Nov 8/11, NGC’s Fire Scout operations lead, Rick Pagel says:

“We are providing a level of situational awareness many soldiers in the field have never experienced… In the first five months we surpassed 1,500 hours with over 400 flights. Since Fire Scout doesn’t require a runway, we are conveniently nearby and arrive on station quickly.”

They haven’t experienced it, but their grandfathers may have. The US Army used light propeller planes called “Grasshoppers” in a similar fashion during World War 2.

Sept 22/11: Weapons. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA received a $17.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the MQ-8B’s Rapid Deployment Capability Weaponization Program. See also Aug 19/11 entry.

This contract includes the installation, engineering, manufacturing, and data development of the weapons systems, which include 12 Stores Management Systems. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (75%), and Grand Rapids, MI (25%), and is expected to be completed in March 2013. $14.8 million will expire at the end of the fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0087).

Armed MQ-8B

Aug 29/11: A $10.5 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract in support of the MQ-8B Fire Scout system. Logistic support services includes: logistics management, maintenance support, supply support, air vehicle transportation, training services, logistics management information, technical data updates, flight operations and deployment support.

Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, MD (40%), San Diego, CA (20%), and various locations outside the continental United States; and is expected to be complete in August 2012. $6.4 million will expire at the end of the fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0075).

Aug 19/11: Weaponization approved. Aviation Week reports on 2 key milestones for the program. One is the addition of the MQ-8C/ Fire-X.

The other is weapons approval for the MQ-8B, beginning with the APKWS-II laser-guided 70mm rocket that’s already cleared for use from Navy ships. Raytheon’s laser-guided short-range Griffin mini-missile is slated for a demonstration before the end of August 2011, and will be the platform’s next weapon, as opposed to Northrop Grumman’s own GBU-44 Viper Strike.

The report also adds confirmation from official sources that an MQ-8B from USS Halyburton was indeed shot down over Libya by enemy fire.

Weapon approval for MQ-8B

Fire-X: MQ-8C?
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Aug 16/11: Fire-X recommended. In the wake of a joint urgent operational need statement from Special Operations Command and the US Navy for a longer-endurance VTUAV, the office of the secretary of defense validates the requirement. The Fire Scout program office has decided to recommend the NGC/Bell 407 Fire-X design over the Lockheed/Kaman K-MAX, or Boeing’s A160T Hummingbird, but the Navy hasn’t formally accepted their recommendation yet.

The requirement is to develop the larger MQ-8C within 24 months, for deployment in 2014, with plans to acquire 28 air vehicles over 3 years. USN Fire Scout program manager Capt. Patrick Smith reportedly said at AUVSI 2011 that “Our recommendation is to go with the 407 airframe, based on the time frame limitations,” though the A160 and K-MAX have both been flying for far longer. The first unmanned Fire-X flight took place on Dec 16/10. Source.

Aug 3/11: The FFG-7 frigate USS Halyburton returns to port in Naval Station Mayport, FL with 2 MQ-8B VTUAVs on board. US NAVAIR:

“HSL-42 Det. 2 simultaneously fielded manned SH-60 and unmanned MQ-8B flight operations for airborne support of Halyburton’s transits through the Straits of Hormuz and Bab Al Mandeb. The MQ-8B operators pushed the unmanned helicopter to its operational limits, setting records for maximum altitude, range, and endurance. More than one thousand deployment flight hours were recorded, with 438 hours flown by Fire Scout.”

Aug 3/11: Army, again? Flight International covers ongoing developments among American UAV programs, including the MQ-8:

“Despite the backlog of MQ-8Bs and an apparently forthcoming order for the MQ-8C – an improved version based on a new airframe – the navy has an open tender for a replacement. The replacement is called the medium range maritime UAS (MRMUAS), and entry into service is planned for 2018-19.

The newest stumbling block in the navy’s programme is the possible inclusion of the army… After [canceling the MQ-8B and] making do with the RQ-7 Shadow, the army has re-declared its interest and is studying a joint buy with the navy… The contest is still open but several clear contenders have emerged, and first among them is Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8C… Boeing is likely to put forward the A160, and EADS has briefed the army on its own options… Requirements concerning lift capacity, endurance, range and even intended function are not yet written in stone… Both army and navy are examining possibilities for weaponisation…”

July 7/11: Defense News reports that the Pentagon is looking to shift $920 million in funding to surveillance-related projects, in order to support ongoing wars. That includes $32.6 million for 9 radar units that give the MQ-8B a wide area surface search capability, plus $1 million to:

“…develop and integrate an upgrade… [that] extends the Fire Scout’s combat radius, increases its payload, and improves on-station endurance to meet the urgent SOF (Special Operations Forces) maritime ISR requirements outlined.”

June 21/11: Shot down. NATO loses communication with the USS Halyburton’s MQ-8 Fire Scout, during a reconnaissance and targeting mission over western Libya, near Zlitan. It was delivering intelligence data from about 5,000-7,000 feet, with no sign of malfunction before its crash. Libya claims to have shot it down, which turns out to be true. Aviation Week | IEEE | RTT News.

Shot down over Libya

June 14/11: US NAVAIR discusses the MQ-8B Fire Scout’s Afghan deployment:

“Fire Scout’s initial flight in theater took place May 2. Only 19 days later, PMA-266 Detachment Alpha established initial operational capability during its first tasked mission from the [ISAF] Regional Command North area of responsibility… Cmdr. Brian Stephens, Officer in Charge (OIC) for PMA-266 Detachment Alpha. “In less than one month, we have flown more than 200 flight hours and completed more than 80 sorties and we are on track to fly 300 hours per month.” PMA-266 Detachment Alpha is a government owned/contractor operated deployment. The detachment includes a military OIC and assistant OIC, [5] Navy intelligence analysts, and 21 Northrop Grumman contractors…”

May 16/11: Convert 8. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems Unmanned Systems in San Diego, CA receives a $42 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, to convert 8 Army Fire Scouts to the Navy configuration. A logical move, since the Army has abandoned the program.

Work will be performed in Moss Point, LA (71%), and San Diego, CA (29%), and is expected to be complete in February 2013 (N00019-07-C-0041).

Conversion: 8 Army to Navy

April 8-13/11: To Afghanistan. The Navy ships 3 MQ-8B Fire Scouts and 2 ground control stations to northern Afghanistan for about a year, to support Army and coalition forces. It will be operated by a team of U.S. Navy sailors and Northrop Grumman employees. Pensacola News Journal | Satnews Daily | StrategyPage.

Combat deployment

Feb 25/11: The MQ-8B Fire Scout marks a new single-day flight record of 18 hours – but that’s a single aircraft in a series of flights over 24 hours, not a single 18-hour flight. These were operational flights, though, from the frigate USS Halyburton [FFG 40], while on anti-piracy missions in the Indian Ocean with the 5th Fleet.

Northrop Grumman’s release adds that in late January 2011, operators from the Halyburton located a disabled boat using Fire Scout’s Brite Star II sensor.

November 13-24/10: LCS. The MQ-8B Fire Scout flies dynamic interface (DI) testing flights from the U.S. Navy’s littoral combat ship, USS Freedom [LCS-1], off the coast of southern California. DI testing is designed to verify that Fire Scout control systems have been properly integrated on the ship. It includes a series of shipboard takeoffs and landings from various approaches, subjecting the system to various wind directions and ship speeds.

As of February 2011, this marks the 4th ship and the 3rd ship class that has flown the Fire Scout. Previous flight operations have been conducted from the Austin class amphibious ship USS Nashville [LPD-13], and the Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates USS McInerney [FFG-8, now Pakistan’s PNS Alamgir] and USS Halyburton [FFG-40]. Additional DI testing will be conducted on the first-of-class USS Independence [LCS-2] by 2012. Northrop Grumman.

Oct 13/10: Sensors. The Navy successfully conducts the 1st flight test of the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis (COBRA) Block I system at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ, on board the MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off unmanned aerial vehicle. The tests were successful.

The AN/DVS-1 COBRA system is designed to detect minefields and obstacles to prepare for amphibious assaults in the beach zone and inland areas. The COBRA Block I system will enter low-rate initial production under a Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract, with the first production unit scheduled for delivery to the fleet in FY 2012. US Navy.

FY 2010

Army FCS dies, and so does its MQ-8B plan; 1st Navy deployment; 1st ever UAV drug bust; Navy wants more MQ-8Bs; Navy considering larger VTUAV; MQ-8B autonomous cargo drop; MQ-8B a bit too autonomous over Washington; NGC begins private “Fire-X” project; Program cost increases; UAE & Saudi interest

Corrosion check
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Aug 2/10: Going rogue. An MQ-8B based at Webster Field, VA loses communication 75 minutes into a routine operational evaluation test flight, then flies about 23 miles NNW at 17,000 feet, into the National Capital Region’s restricted airspace. The FAA was notified, and the MQ-8B program suspended while the fault is investigated. The problem appears to have been a software fault, and the program expects to resume testing in September 2010. Southern Maryland Newspapers Online’s Aug 27/10 article adds that:

“The Navy is seeking to give the Fire Scout program a 50 percent budget boost as part of an 89-page “omnibus reprogramming request” submitted to Congress last month. The Navy Times, which obtained a copy of the funding request, reports that the Navy is seeking to shift $13 million to the program to finish operational testing aboard the frigate Halyburton.”

See also: Engadget.

Going rogue

July 14/10: UAE. Northrop Grumman announces the end of Fire Scout desert trials in the United Arab Emirates. Tests lasted for 10 days in early July 2010, and included numerous takeoffs and landings in hot, windy and sandy conditions in temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122F), and at altitudes up to 3,000 meters (9,842 feet). The Fire Scout mission demonstrations also included “non-line-of-sight” operations, and its sensors’ ability to gather and transmit high fidelity video imagery. See also Oct 21/09 entry.

June 30/10: +3. Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector in San Diego, CA received a maximum $38.3 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for 3 Low Rate Initial Production MQ-8Bs.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in October 2012 (N00019-07-C-0041).

LRIP: 3 more

June 4/10: Rust never sleeps. US Navy Fleet Readiness Center East begins a new role as one of the Navy’s depot repair points for the MQ-8B, accepting 2 VTUAVs for maintenance and a corrosion assessment. That assessment has already resulted in an improved finish to the main rotor head, and is expected to recommend other modifications before they return to the fleet in mid-June 2010.

The Navy currently plans to field 121 Fire Scouts, and currently has 7: 1 trainer, 2 at Northrup Grumman for development work, and 4 serving in the Navy. US NAVAIR.

May 14/10: Rust never sleeps. Civilian artisans from Fleet Readiness Center East perform maintenance and corrosion assessments on 2 MQ-8B Fire Scouts at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, NC. Corrosion resistance is a key design feature of any naval aircraft, and experience often teaches things that design didn’t anticipate. Hence the in-depth post-deployment checks. US Navy.

May 4/10: Fire-X. Northrop Grumman announces a private development partnership with Bell Helicopter Textron to turn Bell’s 407 helicopter into a medium-range “Fire-X” VTUAV, using Fire Scout’s systems, for a US Navy medium VTUAV competition expected to begin in 2011. When questioned by DID, Northrop Grumman representatives said that:

“We plan to conduct that demo at the Yuma Proving Grounds… We consider Fire Scout and Fire-X to bemembers of the same portfolio of unmanned systems… We have not been notified of any changes on the MQ-8B Fire Scout program of record.”

Requirements creep does happen, however, and if so, a formal change to a program of record is generally the last step, rather than the first. The firms are moving ahead on a fast track, and Fire-X’s first flight is expected by the end of CY 2010. The Bell 407 was the initial basis for the USA’s ARH-70 Arapaho armed reconnaissance helicopter before that program was canceled, and is the base for Iraq’s ongoing ARH program. Fire-X will carry ISR sensors, offer cargo capabilities, and is expected to provide weapons integration as well. Control will be via the Navy’s Tactical Control Station, the U.S. Army’s One System ground control station, or other standards-based systems. Northrop Grumman | The DEW Line.

April 30/10: Medium VTUAV? The US Navy’s OPNAV Assessment Division (N81), with technical support from NAVAIR, NAVSEA and SPAWAR, issues a solicitation that seems to raise the bar for VTUAVs deploying on Navy warships, introducing competition to an arena once owned by the MQ-8B Fire Scout.

The FBO solicitation “Persistent Ship Based UAS RFI” calls for a UAV that can operate from standard Navy ships by 2016-2020, providing mission radius from 300-1,000 nautical miles, on-station endurance of at least 8 hours for a single UAV and up to 72 hours for multiple UAVs, and an operating ceiling of 15,000 – 25,000 feet. Its payload capacity of 600-1,000 pounds must support basic day/night surveillance, including still & full motion video with target quality resolution of small vehicles and personnel, laser designation and range finding (LD/RF), communications interception, and wide area radar. They’d like it to be able to carry weapons, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for ground surveillance, or Electronics Intelligence (ELINT) and Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) packages.

The solicitation is a open RFI, but those characteristics are well beyond the MQ-8B’s maximums. An improved Bell Textron Eagle-Eye VTUAV might qualify… and so would existing specs for Boeing’s A160T Hummingbird Warrior.

Medium VTUAV RFI, Fire-X begins

April 15/10: The MQ-8B returns from its first operational naval deployment, a 6-month SOUTHCOM cruise in the eastern Pacific Ocean aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigate USS McInerney [FFG 8]. US Navy.

Busted!
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April 3/10: USS McInerney [FFG 8] becomes the first ship to make a drug bust using a VTUAV. The ship’s Fire Scout was on a post-maintenance check flight, when the operators spotted suspected narcotics smugglers. The US Navy release says that:

“The Mission Payload Operator completed testing and received permission to pursue. Over the course of three hours, Fire Scout monitored the go-fast with McInerney. With its state-of-the-art optics and extremely small profile, Fire Scout was able to maintain an unprecedented covert posture while feeding real-time video back to McInerney.

Fire Scout proceeded to capture video of the “go-fast” meeting with a fishing vessel for what appeared to be a refueling/logistics transfer. McInerney and its embarked USCG LEDET moved in and seized approximately 60 kilos of cocaine and caused the suspected traffickers to jettison another approximately 200 kilos of narcotics.”

April 1/10: Post-Army SAR. The Pentagon releases its April 2010 Selected Acquisitions Report, covering major program changes up to December 2009. The Fire Scout makes the list – and the reason is a slowed production schedule, forcing the Navy to pay the program’s fixed costs over a longer period of time:

“VTUAV (Vertical Takeoff and Land Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle) – Program costs increased $466.5 million (+21.6%) from $2,158.3 million to $2,624.8 million, due primarily to an increase in air vehicle unit cost resulting from extending procurement at the minimum sustaining rate (+$279.6 million) and the stretch-out of the ground control station and air vehicle procurement profiles from fiscal 2010 to beyond fiscal 2015 (+$164.9 million). There were also increases for initial spares due to component cost increases (+$54.4 million), for integration costs to support an additional ship class (+$35.9 million), and for overseas contingency operations funds to purchase equipment for land-based operations (+$13.4 million). These increases were partially offset by a decrease in other support costs (-$29.3 million) and the application of revised escalation indices (-$49.9 million).”

SAR – Army out

Feb 23/10: Army cancels. Northrop Grumman responds to DID’s queries on the subject, and confirms that the Army’s MQ-8B has been canceled:

“Yes, the Army did cancel the Class IV MQ-8B Fire Scout UAS, their only Vertical Unmanned Aerial System (VUAS) program of record in January, 2010. Obviously, we’re disappointed… In the meantime, we had a very successful demonstration of Fire Scout at the Army’s Expeditionary Warrior Experiment, Ft Benning, Ga. from mid Jan to mid Feb (just days after the Army cancelled the program officially). It was a great opportunity to show soldiers all the things that Fire Scout can do. In addition to its RSTA missions (which the opposition forces at AEWE hated because it revealed their every move), we also demonstrated cargo resupply for small units, comms relay (provided assured comms to all participants in AEWE) and deployment of other unmanned ground systems and unattended ground sensors… We believe that over the long term that the Army wants and needs a vertical unmanned aerial system to support its mission requirements. We continue to have discussions with them…”

The Army probably does need a VTUAV, and MQ-8B will remain an up-to-date platform thanks to development for the US Navy. The Fire Scout may end up taking a short break before receiving an Army order, or this change could open the door to new competitors. Boeing’s A160T Hummingbird VTUAV’s unique rotor technology gives it a larger payload and much longer operating time. This has sparked interest from American Special Forces, and the US Marines. Lockheed Martin and Kaman are competing against the A160T for a USMC resupply contract, and their K-MAX unmanned helicopter could also become a future Army contender if it wins.

Army cancels

Feb 25/10: AEWE Robotic synergy. Northrop Grumman discusses the MQ-8B’s performance in the recent Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) exercise at Fort Benning, GA. Going beyond previous missions for reconnaissance surveillance target acquisition (RSTA), communications relay, and cargo pod resupply, Fire Scout also demonstrated broader autonomous capabilities, and interoperability with ground robots.

In its most unusual mission, the Fire Scout flew to a named area of interest, surveyed the area to ensure it was clear, and landed autonomously within its pre-planned landing point. When the UAV’s on-board skid sensors detected contact with the ground, a command was sent to release a Dargon Runner robot. The UAV then took off and loitered at a higher altitude to observe and provide a communications relay for the robot’s controller. NGC release | NGC video [Windows Media].

Feb 15/10: Unmanned re-supply. Northrop Grumman announces it demonstrated the resupply capability of its MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing tactical unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV). The company conducted the demonstration at the US Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment (AEWE) being held in February 2010 at Fort Benning, GA.

For the AEWE mission, Fire Scout had 2 ruggedized containers attached to external pylons. Fire Scout flew autonomously from take-off to the cargo drop to landing. Fire Scout is equipped with a payload interface unit, which allows it to release the cargo pod without the presence of a soldier. Fire Scout’s skid sensors detected contact with the ground. Upon touchdown, the autonomous mission was preplanned for release of the cargo pod, and the aircraft took off again. The VTUAV also used its electro-optical/ infrared optical payload during the mission to practice reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition techniques.

Feb 10/10: GAO Report. The US GAO issues #GAO-10-493T as it testifies before the House Armed Services Committee: “Opportunities for the Army to Position Its Ground Force Modernization Efforts for Success.” An excerpt:

“Although the details are not yet complete, the Army took several actions through the end of calendar year 2009. It stopped all development work on the FCS manned ground vehicles – including the non-line of sight cannon – in the summer of 2009 and recently terminated development of the Class IV unmanned aerial vehicle and the countermine and transport variants of the Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment [MULE] unmanned ground vehicle. For the time being, the Army is continuing selected development work under the existing FCS development contract, primarily residual FCS system and network development.”

Dec 1/09: USCG still thinking. Aviation Week reports that the US Coast Guard is still considering its UAV options in the wake of the Eagle Eye tilt-rotor’s cancelaton:

“As part of its ongoing analysis, the service has participated in numerous exercises with other platforms… including Boeing’s A160 Hummingbird, an AeroVironment vehicle and ScanEagle tested on board a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship.

Land-based tests of Fire Scout can “only go so far . . . The next step is to figure out how to get it onboard ship,” says Posage. Over the next few weeks, notional plans are being mapped out for just such a test. In a recent call with reporters, Adm. Ron Rabago, Coast Guard acquisitions chief, said the service hopes “to do a cutter-based test in Fiscal 2010.”

Nov 24/09: LRIP-1 delivered. Northrop Grumman announces that it has completed the first year of Fire Scout Low-Rate Initial Production, with the delivery of all 3 MQ-8B Fire Scouts to the U.S. Navy.

At present, 2 of the 3 Fire Scouts are deployed aboard the USS McInerney for a scheduled operational deployment to complete a Fire Scout Military Utility Assessment (MUA), with a US Coast Guard liaison on board. Prior to the current deployment, Fire Scouts have been aboard the USS McInerney 4 times since December 2008, completing 110 ship takeoffs and landings and 45 landings with the harpoon grid, accumulating over 47 hours of flight time.

Oct 19-23/09: Sensors. A company-owned MQ-8B Fire Scout equipped with a Telephonics’ radar and FLIR surveillance turret performs demonstrations for the U.S. Coast Guard Research and Development Center, under a sub-contract awarded in September 2009 by ABS Group. The test took place in the Chesapeake Bay, and were conducted from the Naval Air Station at Patuxent River, MD. Following the maritime sensor demonstration, the Coast Guard participated in a multiple day virtual exercise at the Northrop Grumman Unmanned Systems Development Center in Rancho Bernardo, CA. NGC release.

Oct 21/09: UAE & Saudi Arabia. Abu Dhabi paper The National reports significant interest in the Fire Scout in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Gulf nations reportedly see the VTUAV’s capabilities as being very useful in the shallow waters of the Persian/Arabian Gulf and Red Sea, with additional potential for surveillance of critical infrastructure. The report adds that:

“Northrop, which has been developing unmanned systems since the 1940s, puts the potential worldwide market for the Fire Scout at more than 2,000 over the next five years, with more than half coming from international sales… If the UAE decides to purchase the Fire Scout, it would join smaller unmanned systems in its fleet.

The Government has spent the past decade researching the new technology, and has purchased small unmanned surveillance helicopters from Schiebel of Germany and CybAero of Sweden. In 2007, it created its own UAV investment company, now called Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments Company.”

Oct 5/09: 1st deployment. An MQ-8B Fire Scout deploys aboard the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate USS McInerney [FFG-8] after over 600 hours of flight testing, with 110 take-off and landings from the frigate. USS McInerney will work with the US Navy’s 4th Fleet on a counter-narcotics deployment in the Caribbean and Latin America, using the Fire Scout in its missions and refining Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures. The move is also a form of live Operational Evaluation for the Fire Scout. US Navy NAVAIR.

1st deployment

FY 2009

Slow orders continue; Army testing of UAV and ground control.

RQ-8A: Tow me, launch me.
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Sept 21-25/09: GCS. MQ-8B #P7 completes flight tests at Yuma Proving Ground, CA under the command and control of a new ground control station (GCS). Flight activities will continue at Yuma, in preparation for the Army’s Expeditionary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, GA.

Northrop Grumman’s new GCS is compatible with NATO’s STANAG 4586, which means that its Vehicle Specific Module can interface with any STANAG 4586 compatible Core Unmanned Control System (CUCS) module such as that used in the Army’s Universal/One System GCS. The Fire Scout’s GCS contains a Tactical Common Data Link for primary command and control and sensor data downlink, plus multiple radios for voice and secondary command and control. The equipment is hosted on commercial personal computers inside, and the GCS intercommunication system is digital, with an external wireless system for other crew members. Mission planning is accomplished with the Army standard Aviation Mission Planning System. Northrop Grumman | NGC video [Windows Media].

Aug 11/09: Northrop Grumman announces that MQ-8B number P7, a land-based version, successfully completes its RSTA(reconnaissance surveillance and target acquisition) / ISR(intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance) demonstration at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.

This RSTA/ISR demonstration was conducted with the use of a high-magnification electro-optical, infrared (EO/IR) payload, which includes a long range laser designator and rangefinder (LR/LD). Full motion video was relayed down to ground operators in real time over a Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL). After an autonomous launch, Fire Scout demonstrated its ability to find, fix, and track hostile forces during a real-time operational scenario in complex terrain at night.

June 30/09: Northrop Grumman announces that MQ-8B number P7 has successfully completed first flight operations at Yuma Proving Grounds, AZ. Unlike current Navy-configured Fire Scouts, P7 was built in an operational land-based configuration for the US Army.

P7 is the first MQ-8B to fly without flight test instrumentation normally installed for developmental flights, and is supported by P6, the first company owned Fire Scout. P7’s capability demonstrations will continue throughout summer 2009, with missions in support of land-based operations as a priority.

April 6/09: Sensors. FLIR Systems, Inc announces a $4.1 million Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) delivery order from Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8 project for FLIR’s BRITE Star II surveillance and targeting turrets. Work will be performed at FLIR’s facilities in Wilsonville, OR. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2009, and conclude in 2010.

March 25/09: TCS. Raytheon in Falls Church, VA received a $16.5 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus award fee, cost plus incentive fee contract (N00019-98-C-0190) to provide additional funds for the development of the MQ-8’s Tactical Control System Block 2, Version 4 software. TCS is an unmanned aircraft system control that can simultaneously control multiple unmanned aircraft and payloads. The TCS system has been confirmed by the NATO STANAG (Standardization Agreement) Committee as being STANAG-4586 conformed, and is currently the only unmanned system command and control software owned by the U.S. government.

TCS uses a Linux-based operating system, and this contract extension will add key capabilities, including upgrade software to control radars and a universal hand control. The contract will also provide support to TCS integration and testing leading to operational evaluation on the MQ-8B Fire Scout program this summer. Work will be performed in Falls Church, VA (82%), Dahlgren, VA (10%), and San Pedro, CA (8%), and is expected to be complete in March 2010. See also: Raytheon release.

Jan 23/09: +3. A $40 million not-to-exceed modification to a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-07-C-0041) for 3 Low Rate Initial Production RQ-8Bs, including electro-optical surveillance payloads and support. In addition to the UAVs, Northrop Grumman will supply 3 Ground Control Stations, 3 Light Harpoon Grids, 3 UCARS (UAV common automatic recovery systems), and 6 Portable Electronic Display devices.

This is the last of is the last of 3 planned low-rate initial production (LRIP) buys, before OpEval and an expected decision on full rate production. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in March 2011. See also Northrop Grumman release.

LRIP: 3 more

FY 2008

Navy MQ-8B moves beyond LCS, will get radar; USCG opportunity?

RQ-8A & LPD-13
(click to view full)

Sept 19/08: Sensors. One of Northrop Grumman’s company-owned MQ-8Bs uses a non-developmental (i.e. not yet part of the program) Telephonics RDR-1700B search, surveillance, tracking and imaging radar system to search for, detect, and track multiple targets during a test surveillance mission. at the Yuma Proving Ground, AZ.

See also March 19/08 entry. The ultimate goal is to demonstrate a maritime search radar capability, and this flight was the first of several radar demonstrations that will eventually include an over-water search trial. NGC release.

Aug 20/08: Sensors. FLIR Systems, Inc. announces that they have completed the initial flight test of their BRITE Star II sensor and targeting turret on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-8B.

March 25/08: Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ won a $17.3 million cost contract for “applied research and advanced technology demonstration of an advanced Multi-Mode Sensor Suite to support [VTUAV] intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting missions in the littoral combat environment.”

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete in September 2012. This contract was competitively procured under a Broad Agency Announcement; 5 offers were received by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in China Lake, CA (N68936-08-C-0034).

March 19/08: Sensors. The Navy has decided to commit funds in 2009 to develop a radar capability on Fire Scout, a gap that had been one of the US Coast Guard’s objections to buying it. Demonstrations have been conducted in 2003 using a Predator’s Lynx SAR on an RQ-8A alongside an electro-optical/infrared system.

A similar demonstration will now take place using a non-developmental Telephonics RDR-1700B maritime surveillance and imaging radar on an MQ-8B Fire Scout owned by Northrop Grumman. Radar integration and installation will take place at Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Development Centers in San Diego, CA and in Moss Point, MS. Demonstration flights will be conducted at Webster Field; Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD; or Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. NGC release.

March 3/08: USCG Opportunity? After receiving the service’s formal “Deepwater alternatives analysis” in February 2008, US Coast Guard Chief Acquisition Officer Rear Adm. Gary Blore forwards recommendations to Coast Guard senior leadership in a formal decision memorandum. Commandant Adm. Thad Allen is expected to approve Blore’s decision in the near future.

The report reportedly recommends that the Coast Guard adapt the Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Scout helicopter UAV for its new Bertholf Class National Security Cutters, and the Coast Guard has asked for $3 million in its FY 2009 budget to study UAVs that might replace the suspended Eagle eye tilt-rotor project. The service doesn’t anticipate deployment before 2014, however, on the ground that no current design meets its needs yet. Rear Adm. Blore notes that the Fire Scout does not yet have a surface-search radar package, for instance, and says that it can’t be deployed out of sight of its carrying ship. Inside the Navy’s March 10/08 report [PDF] | Gannett’s Navy Times report | Aero News report

Feb 20/08: Northrop Grumman announces that the US Navy will move to integrate the Fire Scout into another “air capable ship” besides the Littoral Combat Ships. Landing isn’t the issue; it’s a question of testing the interface, integrating the data management, and looking at maintenance and supportability. The Navy and Northrop Grumman are working together to define and develop a roll-on/roll-off Fire Scout ship deployment package that would make expanding the number of compatible ships much easier.

According to the current schedule, the Navy will conduct Technical Evaluation on the Fire Scout on the designated ship in the fall 2008 and OpEval in the summer 2009. The Fire Scout will reach Initial Operating Capability soon after OpEval in 2009. No details are given re: ship type, but the Navy’s DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers and GC-47 Ticonderoga Class cruisers are natural choices, and both are undergoing modernization programs that may ease integration. LCS Initial Operational Test and Evaluation (IOT&E) efforts are still planned for FY 2011. NGC release.

Dec 21/07: +3. A $15 million modification to a previously awarded (Sept 14/07?), unfinalized contract action for 3 Low Rate Initial Production Fire Scout VTUAV air vehicles, including support. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in July 2009 (N00019-07-C-0041).

LRIP: 3 MQ-8Bs

Dec 15/07: The first MQ-8B flight test with expected shipboard equipment takes place at the Webster Field annex of Naval Air Station in Patuxent River, MD. The Test and Training Control Segment replicates the containerized consoles and other equipment being integrated into Littoral Combat Ships, and integrates the latest B2V4 Tactical Control Segment (TCS) software designed and produced by Raytheon’s Intelligence and Information Systems business. Block 2, Version 4 incorporates provisions for both the baseline FLIR Systems BRITE Star II electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) payload, and the Northrop Grumman COBRA multi-spectral mine detection payload. Additional payloads will be integrated into the air vehicle and control segment in the future, via a standardized interface.

The current phase of flight test for the VTUAV program covers operations with the new control segment and land based shipboard recovery system testing using UCARS (UAV Common Automatic Recovery System) in preparation for the sea trials in 2009. The next major phase of flight test in early 2008 will include operations with EO/IR payloads using the Tactical Common Data Link (TCDL) data link. NGC’s Jan 7/08 release.

FY 2007

Milestone C allows low-rate production; Army MQ-8B testing begins; 1st Navy MQ-8B flies.

Approach.
(click to view full)

Sept 14/07: A $7.1 million modification to a previously awarded undefinitized contract action for supplies and additional long-lead production items in support of Fire Scout low-rate production. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA, and is expected to be complete in March 2009 (N00019-07-C-0041).

Sept 10/07: C-130 loading. A cooperative effort between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps and Northrop Grumman Corporation demonstrates joint service interoperability, and certifies the MQ-8B for transport in C-130 airlifters (2 per C-130).

As part of an ongoing Navy Fire Scout contract, a Navy MQ-8B was transported from Northrop Grumman’s Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS to Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD facility in the American northeast for flight test operations. The Navy is continuing Fire Scout developmental testing at nearby Webster Field in St. Inigoes, Md. As part of the effort, a US Army MQ-8B was also loaded into the US Marine Corps KC-130T airlifter, to demonstrate that a tandem load was possible.

The transport then unloaded the Army Fire Scout, and took Navy, Marine Corps, U.S. Department of Defense and Northrop Grumman personnel aboard who are associated with the development of procedures, test plans, and equipment required for air transport of the MQ-8B. NGC release.

May 31/07: Milestone C. The U.S. Department of Defense has announced that the MQ-8B Fire Scout has reached Milestone C, signifying the beginning of its low-rate initial production (LRIP) phase. The Fire Scout is the first unmanned aircraft system (UAS) within the U.S. Navy and the third UAS of all U.S. military branches to reach Milestone C. The Fire Scout program remains on track to conduct payload flights in fall 2007 and enter initial operational evaluation, and then achieve initial operational capability in 2008 as planned. Northrop Grumman release.

Milestone C

May 22/07: Army. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces a successful engine run of the first U.S. Army Class IV UAV MQ-8B Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), its proposed division-level UAV in its Future Combat Systems (FCS) mega-project.

The engine run marks completion of final assembly of the initial manufacturing phase of the first Army Fire Scout. The FCS Fire Scout has now completed the initial assembly process and “will await delivery of mission avionics and sensors (see note above, re: delays).” The event took place at NGC’s Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS. Northrop Grumman release.

December 2006: Navy. The U.S. Navy’s MQ-8B Fire Scout made its first flight in December 2006 at the Webster Field annex of Patuxent River Naval Air Station in St. Inigoes, MD. See this US Navy release for test details.

1st Navy MQ-8B flight

Dec 14/06: +2. A $16.2 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-award-fee contract for 2 MQ-8B Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff Unmanned Vehicles (VTUAV) including Concept of Operations support. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA and is expected to be complete in October 2008. All contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-00-C-0277).

The Navy now has (7+2=) 9 Fire Scouts on contract with Northrop Grumman.

This award will assist the Navy in refining the Fire Scout concept of operations, including operational test and evaluation as well as some spiral development preparations and test of future payloads. Northrop Grumman will work closely with the Navy to refine the system description, including core capabilities, and anticipated deployment and employment for the VTUAV system and other aviation assets aboard the Littoral Combat Ship. Operational requirements may include real-time video imagery collection, intelligence gathering, communications-relay capability, precision targeting and battle damage assessment. See Northrop Grumman Feb 6/07 release.

2 MQ-8Bs

FY 2005 – 2006

1st autonomous landing on board ship; RQ-8B becomes MQ-8B; Push to finish development.

Touchdown.
(click to view full)

July 28/06: A $135.8 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-award-fee contract for continued development and testing of the RQ-8B Fire Scout. The award specifies the remaining portion of the work to complete the program’s systems development and demonstration (SDD) phase through 2008. A total of 9 Navy MQ-8B Fire Scouts are planned under the VTUAV SDD contract.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (81%); Moss Point, MS (7%); Horsehead, NY (6%); Wilsonville, OR (4%); and Wayne, NJ (2%) and is expected to be complete in August 2008. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

Development extended

March 20/06: A $29.3 million modification to a previously awarded contract for the continued development and testing of the RQ-8 Fire Scout vertical takeoff unmanned air vehicle (VTUAV). Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (85%) and Elmira, NY (15%), and is expected to be completed in June 2006. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

Jan 17/06: 1st sea landing. A RQ-8A Fire Scout Vertical Takeoff and Landing Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) System lands on USS Nashville [LPD-13], completing the platform’s first autonomous landing aboard a Navy vessel at sea.

1st autonomous at-sea landing

Dec 15/05: $8.3 million modification adds funds for shipboard testing of the RQ-8 Fire Scout, including shipboard installation and flight testing on the wave-piercing catamaran High Speed Vessel USS Swift.

Dec 8/05: TCDL. Spinoff from the Oct 7/05 award. Northrop Grumman gives Cubic of San Diego an $11 million subcontract to supply the its high-speed data link, plus air and ground data terminals, to serve as the wireless connection between the Fire Scout and control stations aboard Littoral Combat Ships.

Fire Scout is scheduled to be operational in 2008, so the data link will be integrated into the Fire Scout beginning in March 2007, with a testing period to follow. The RQ-8B Fire Scout is the first Defense Department UAV to incorporate Cubic’s tactical common data link (TCDL). Cubic has about 5,950 employees and annual sales of $722 million. Washington Technology

Oct 7/05: $5.8 million modification for the design, manufacture and test of a shipboard compatible control station for the Fire Scout VTUAV so it can operate from the USA’s new Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). Work on this contract will be performed in Owego, NY (65%) and San Diego, CA (35%) and is expected to be complete in June 2006 (N00019-00-C-0190).

July 22/05: The RQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned air vehicle (UAV) successfully fires 2 test rockets at Arizona’s Yuma Proving Grounds, marking the first successful live weapons fire from an autonomous unmanned helicopter. NGC release.

June 30/05: +2. $15.2 million modification to buy 2 MQ-8B Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicles, including 2 associated payloads and non-recurring engineering services. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

2 MQ-8s

June 30/05: RQ-8 to MQ-8B. The upgraded, new model Fire Scout is formally redesignated from RQ-8B to MQ-8B per a letter from HQ USAF/XPPE. The switch designates a shift from a pure reconnaissance platform to one with multi-mission capability that includes attack roles.

MQ-8 now

April 5/05: $11.7 million modification or the procurement of Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) hardware for the U.S. Army in support of the Future Combat System as its Class IV brigade-level UAV. Hardware to be procured includes 8 each airframes, identify friend or foe transponders, and radar altimeters and 16 each global positioning systems/inertial navigation systems, antennas; pressure transducers; and precision differents. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

FY 2000 – 2004

Initial contract; Program sidelined, then restarted.

General Dynamics Team
Trimaran LCS Design
(click to enlarge)

March 26/04: TCS. Raytheon Co. in Falls Church, VA received a $36.8 million not-to-exceed, cost-plus-award-fee/ incentive-fee modification for tactical control system (TCS) software to support the Navy Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) integration onto the littoral combat ship. It will also provide the TCS engineering and test support for the Fire Scout system to achieve initial operational capability. Work will be performed in Falls Church, VA (56%); Dahlgren, VA (30%); San Pedro, CA (10%); and State College, PA (4%), and is expected to be complete in March 2008. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

March 2/04: A $49 million ceiling-priced undefinitized modification for the continued development and testing of the Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) System, including the procurement of two engineering and manufacturing, development RQ-8B Fire Scout UAVs. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

2 RQ-8s

May 1/01: +1. A $14.2 million modification exercises an option for one (1) Fire Scout Vertical Take-Off and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (VTUAV) System, its associated support equipment, data, and initial training. It’s issued under a cost-share, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-00-C-0277).

1 VTUAV

Feb 9/2000: EMD/SDD? A $93.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee, award-fee contract for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase of the vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial vehicle (VTUAV) program (N00019-00-C-0277).

EMD Phase

Additional Readings & Sources Background: Fire Scout

• Northrop Grumman – Fire Scout. Covers both the MQ-8B and MQ-8C.

• NAVAIR – MQ-8B Fire Scout.

• Designation Systems – Northrop Grumman RQ/MQ-8 Fire Scout

• Naval Technology – Fire Scout – VTUAV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, USA

• Schweitzer USA – S-333 Overview. Manned base for MQ-8B, Schweitzer is now owned by Sikorsky.

• Bell Helicopter – The Bell 407. Commercial helicopter serves as the base for the MQ-8C. It also comes in 407AH and 407GT armed versions.

Related Platforms

• DID FOCUS Article – The USA’s New Littoral Combat Ships. Will become a key platform for both Fire Scout types.

VTUAV Alternatives

• DID – A160 Hummingbird: Boeing’s Variable-Rotor VTUAV

• DID – K-Max unmanned helo

• EADS Cassidian – Tanan 300 – Unmanned Aircraft System. They also offer the even smaller Surveycopter Copter 4, which is more like a larger, vertical takeoff mini-UAV.

• Indra – Unmanned Platform. Includes its Pelicano VTUAV.

• Saab – Skeldar V-200 Maritime. Smaller than the MQ-8B.

• Schiebel – S-100 Camcopter. Smaller than the MQ-8B and directly aimed at the naval market, but has also been used on land by Jordan, Libya and the UAE.

• Gizmag, via WayBack – The Snark – the meanest VTOL UAV on the planet. From New Zealand based competitor TGR Helicorp. It claims a stealthy design, with radar shaping, recycling of exhaust gasses to minimize IR signature, endurance over 12 hours on a diesel fuel engine, and a payload of 1,500+ pounds that has included Maverick and Sidewinder missiles. The firm entered receivership in May 2008.

News & Views

• India Strategic (November 2013) – Indian Navy’s Quest to employ and equip its warships with UAVs. Says the MQ-8 is a candidate, alongside Saab’s Skeldar.

• Flight International, via WayBack (April 27/11) – Vertical take-off UAVs come of age

• Jane’s Eurosatory 2010, via WayBack – Indra Pelicano UAV aimed at naval operations. Smaller, designed for use from ships as small as Offshore Patrol Vessels.

• DefenceIQ, via WayBack (Sept 28/10) – The Maritime Drone: Offshore Patrol Vessels Launch UAVs Into the Fray [incl. video]. Smaller Offshore Patrol Vessels are becoming more popular with navies as budgets constrict, and a combination of new threats and irresponsible global bodies makes the maritime domain more dangerous. Indra’s Pablo González Sánchez-Cantalejo talks about the match between OPVs and maritime UAVs for their BAM/ Pelicano projects.

• Flight International, via NAVAIR archive (Dec 13/06) – Born survivor – An in-depth look at the Northrop Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout vertical take-off and landing UAV. More extensive background re: the program’s near-death experience in 2002, and the myriad of design changes between the RQ-8A and R/MQ-8B versions.

• DID (Oct 11/05) – Four FCS UAV Subcontracts Awarded. Explains the FCS UAV program, and the various levels of UAVs within it. The MQ-8B was the Level IV solution, until the entire FCS program was cancelled.