T129 ATAK

Turkey has been looking to modernize its attack helicopter fleet since the mid-1990s, but the process has mostly served as an object lesson in how not to buy defense equipment. This competition faced many difficulties; after numerous snafus, technology transfer and production issues, and canceled competitions, all 3 invited American manufacturers had abandoned the competition entirely.

Even the “final” round seemed imperiled, following reports of the Turkish military’s deep dissatisfaction with the choices; nevertheless, the competition survived long enough to pick a “winner”: an updated version of the A129 Mangusta. Now, signed industrial arrangements contracts with AgustaWestland allow the 12-year program to move forward at last. But Turkey didn’t just buy helicopters – they bought the model, lock, stock, and rotor:

• Program and Finalists
• T129: The Winner
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: “I Coulda Been A Contenda…”
• Appendix B: Additional Readings and Sources
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AIM-120C from F-22A
(click for test missile zoom)

Raytheon’s AIM-120 Advanced, Medium-Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) has become the world market leader for medium range air-to-air missiles, and is also beginning to make inroads within land-based defense systems. It was designed with the lessons of Vietnam in mind, and of local air combat exercises like ACEVAL and Red Flag. This DID FOCUS article covers successive generations of AMRAAM missiles, international contracts and key events from 2006 onward, and even some of its emerging competitors.

One of the key lessons learned from Vietnam was that a fighter would be likely to encounter multiple enemies, and would need to launch and guide several missiles at once in order to ensure its survival. This had not been possible with the AIM-7 Sparrow, a “semi-active radar homing” missile that required a constant radar lock on one target. To make matters worse, enemy fighters were capable of launching missiles of their own. Pilots who weren’t free to maneuver after launch would often be forced to “break lock,” or be killed – sometimes even by a short-range missile fired during the last phases of their enemy’s approach. Since fighters that could carry radar-guided missiles like the AIM-7 tended to be larger and more expensive, and the Soviets were known to have far more fighters overall, this was not a good trade…

• Some MRAAM History, and AMRAAM’s Design Approach
• AMRAAM: Versions & Derivatives
• AMRAAM’s International Competitors
• AMRAAM: Program [updated]
• AMRAAM: Contracts & Key Events, FY 2006-Present [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
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BAE’s Hawk:
over the top

The UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) spent 6 years chasing BAE Systems, over allegations that bribes were paid to secure foreign deals in a number of countries. Bribes are the least of the allegations involved in some international defense deals, and contract wins without inducements would be far more surprising in countries like Saudi Arabia, Tanzania, and South Africa. Nevertheless, the UK does have laws to prevent British firms from paying them.

An SFO investigation into the giant Saudi Al-Yamamah aircraft deal was killed in December 2006 on national security grounds, after the Saudis threatened to cut off anti-terrorism cooperation and intelligence sharing. The government’s decision was upheld by the British House of Lords, but the SFO continued to pursue other reports concerning Chile, the Czech Republic, Romania, South Africa, Tanzania, and Qatar. The US Department of Justice, meanwhile, never let go of the Saudi deal.

BAE Systems was reportedly given about a month by the UK SFO to plead guilty concerning its activities in 3 countries, or face formal charges. Several months later, in 2010, a settlement was reached that included the SFO – and the US DoJ, who got the lion’s share. A held-up deal with Tanzania has now settled, leaving an “investigation” in South Africa, plus the Czech case and its potential repercussions.

• Deals, Plea Bargains & Options [updated]
• Events & Developments [updated]
• Additional Readings
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• The Pentagon’s DOT&E office updated its Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP) guidebook [PDF] to reflect the latest guidance on information assurance, the design of experiments (DOE), and reliability growth.

• The US Department of State plans to resume military aid to Egypt.

• Could the USAF’s divested C-27Js end up serving with the Coast Guard? They’re doing a business case, because “free” can turn out to be expensive.
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• Among the acquisition targets under consideration by EADS North America: digital imagery providers.

• The latest batch of old USAF aircraft sold as scrap metal will be available for auction next week.

• The US Air Force’s Air Mobility Command has been working on reducing the amount of fuel used to balance KC-135 tankers and C-5 Galaxies. They used to load 8,800 pounds of fuel to maintain the center of gravity of KC-135s but upgrades such as heavier avionics now provide some of that weight. Obviously reducing weight at takeoff also lowers fuel consumption.
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3BCT-101st, Iraq-
no Chavis turrets?

Navistar subsidiary International Military and Government LLC (IMG) in, Warrenville, IL has won billions of dollars in MRAP program contracts, to produce several variants of its blast-resistant vehicles. The Category I MRUV vehicle’s role is similar to a Hummer’s, albeit with more carrying capacity and much more protection. That has become a staple for IMG’s entry, dubbed the “MaxxPro” by its manufacturer. Their collaboration with an Israeli firm who provides up-armored vehicles for the Marines successfully overcame lukewarm initial interest, but even successful survivors of Aberdeen’s tests where challenged to offer enough protection against the ERP class of land mines that began to appear in Iraq.

Nevertheless, the MRAP program became a production race – and Navistar did very well under those competitive terms. In the end the military’s desire for standardization of its fleets exerted something of a gravitation pull on the competition. A July 2007 order vaulted Navistar into 1st place for initial MRAP Program vehicles ordered. A position they kept:

• MRAP Competitors, Navistar Totals
• MaxxPro Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
• Appendix A: Appendix A: The MRAP Story, and the MaxxPro Story
• Appendix B: MPV or APC to Face EFPs? (June 2007)
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South African JAS-39D
c. Gripen International

As a neutral country with a long history of providing for its own defense against all comers, Sweden also has a long tradition of building excellent high-performance fighters with a distinctive look. From the long-serving Saab-35 Draken (“Dragon,” 1955-2005) to the Mach 2, canard-winged Saab-37 Viggen (“Thunderbolt,” 1971-2005), Swedish fighters have stressed short-field launch from dispersed/improvised air fields, world-class performance, and leading-edge design. This record of consistent project success is nothing short of amazing, especially for a country whose population over this period has ranged from 7-9 million people.

This is DID’s FOCUS Article for background, news, and contract awards related to the JAS-39 Gripen (“Griffon”), a canard-winged successor to the Viggen and one of the world’s first 4+ generation fighters. Gripen remains the only lightweight 4+ generation fighter type in service, its performance and operational economics are both world-class, and it has become one of the most recognized fighter aircraft on the planet. Unfortunately for its builders, that recognition has come from its appearance in Saab and Volvo TV commercials, rather than from hoped-for levels of military export success. With its 4+ generation competitors clustered in the $60-120+ million range vs. the Gripen’s claimed $40-60 million, is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Sweden’s lightweight fighter?

• JAS-39: The Gripen Program
  • Saab’s JAS-39A-D Gripens
  • Partnerships & Production
  • JAS-39NG: The Way Forward
  • Future Gripens?
  • Export Opportunities
• JAS-39 Gripen: Major Events [updated]
• JAS-39 Gripen: Contracts & Awards
• Additional Readings & Sources
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• Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Bob Pap made his annual State of the Coast Guard address [PDF]. On acquisition:

”[T]here was a time when the Coast Guard operated 8 polar ice breakers. How did that happen? In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt passed a hand written note to Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau – Morgenthau passed the note on to the Commandant, Admiral Russell Waesche, – it simply read, Henry I want the world’s best icebreakers, [signed] FDR’

I guess Federal acquisition Rules must have been easier then!”

• 7 US Marines died on Wednesday night in a crash between an AH-1W Cobra and a UH-1Y Huey during training west of the Yuma Training Range in California.
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Yak-130

A February 2006 report noted that a $4 billion arms sale was brewing between Algeria and Russia involving fighter aircraft, tanks, and air defense systems, with the possibility of additional equipment. Those options came through the following month, as a high-level Russian delegation in Algeria closed up to $7.5 billion worth of arms contracts. The Algerian package remains post-Soviet Russia’s largest single arms deal. As an instructive comparison, annual Russian weapons export orders from all customers were just $5-6 billion per year in 2004 and 2005.

T-90 tank

Reuters South Africa quoted Rosoboronexport chief Sergei Chemezov as saying that “Practically all types of arms which we have are included, anti-missile systems, aviation, sea and land technology.” The actual contents of that deal were murky, though DID offers triangulation among several sources to help sort out the confusion. A number of these deals have evolved over time, and other public-source information has helped to sharpen the picture a bit. The subsequent crash of Algeria’s MiG-29 deal, and its ripple effects, are also discussed:

• Detailing the Deal: The Algerian Package [updated]
• Structuring the Deal: Anatomy of a Euro Squeeze Play [updated]
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: Algeria’s Appetite for Advanced Arms
• Appendix B: Russia’s Arms Industry Woes
• Appendix C: Additional Readings
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• Truth, Lies, Afghanistan – and what this has to do with the Army’s Future Combat Systems.

• Pakistan received its 18th and final new F-16C/D Block 52 fighter, and its 1st 2 upgraded F-16 fighters, under a multi-billion set of deals with the USA and Turkey.

• India’s potential AH-64D Block III attack helicopter buy may have an additional bonus: the use of FIM-92H Stinger ATAS anti-aircraft missiles on other Indian helicopters as well.
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