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SM-2 Launch w. AEGIS
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$165M for SM-3 IIA PDR. (Sept 8/10)

Variants of the SM-2 Standard missile are the USA’s primary fleet defense anti-air weapon, and serve with 13 navies worldwide. The most common variant is the RIM-66K-L/ SM-2 Standard Block IIIB, which entered service in 1998. The Standard family extends far beyond the SM-2 missile, however; several nations still use the SM-1, the SM-3 is rising to international prominence as a missile defense weapon, and the SM-6 program is on track to supplement the SM-2. These missiles are designed to be paired with the AEGIS radar and combat system, but can be employed independently by ships with older or newer radar systems.

DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This article covers each variant in the Standard missile family, several years worth of American and Foreign Military Sales requests and contracts, key events, and the budgetary and technical background that can help put all that in context.

• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Missiles and Plans (SM-1 to SM-6)
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Budgets
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: US Contracts & Events
  • FY 2010
  • FY 2009
  • FY 2008
  • FY 2007
  • FY 2006
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Exports & Related Key Events
  • CY 2010 [updated]
  • CY 2009
  • CY 2008
  • CY 2007
  • CY 2006
  • CY 2005
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

One of the driving forces behind Airbus’ A400M military transport program, and of “pool” programs like NATO’s SALIS with Russian AN-124s or its recent SAC C-17 pool, is Europe’s shortage of transport aircraft to support military missions. This shortage will not be fixed any time soon. In the interim, NATO pools are about to be augmented by a more local partnership.

As the Netherlands struggled over proposed defense cuts in 2007, its Ministerie van Defensie signed an agreement with Germany, France and Belgium to create “European Air Transport Command” (EATC) as a coordination pool for their own military transports…

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• To Russia, With Request: The Israeli defense minister travels to Moscow to sign a military cooperation accord and to ask that Russia not sell supersonic P-800 Yakhont cruise missiles to Syria and S-300 air defense systems to Iran.

• Anglo-French Entente Cordiale: British, French defense ministers meet to talk about sharing military equipment, such as the A400M military transport plane; reports about sharing aircraft carriers are “entirely unrealistic,” says British minister Fox.

• Faking It: US Navy buys counterfeit computer chips from China, San Jose Mercury News reports. The GAO detailed [PDF] the problem of DoD buying counterfeit parts earlier this year.

• China needs to develop more “carrier-killing” capabilities to challenge US naval dominance in the Pacific, according to the state-controlled Global Times. The country is currently testing its upgraded DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile.

• The South Sudan military takes delivery of first shipment of 4 Mi-17 military transport helicopters from Russia; a total of 10 for $75 million have been ordered.

• The Boeing/Raytheon team’s 2nd government-funded JAGM missile test goes well.

• US federal prosecutors drop fraud charges against Agility over contracts to supply food and logistics to the US military in Kuwait and Iraq after a US judge blocks charges against its Kuwait-based parent company.

FAC Kfir C7
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767 aerial tanker, KC-390 tactical transports, UH-60L helicopters, M1117 armored cars. (Sept 6/10)

Colombia’s narco-terrorist FARC army has reportedly lost some of its military shine recently, thanks to years of unswerving pressure from the Colombian army. Much of that pressure has been led by the popular President Uribe, who has apparently ruled out a bid for constitutional amendments and an attempt at a 3rd term of office. Before his 2010 exit, however, a special tax levied in 2006 is set to finance about $4 billion worth of military hardware, and add stronger backing to those military gains.

Colombia’s El Tiempo newspaper reports that the deals are meant to solidify and modernize the military, and will include a wide variety of equipment from American, French, German, Israeli, and Russian suppliers. Key deliveries have now begun.

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• Can We Share? The Times of London is reporting that the UK and France are discussing an agreement to share aircraft carriers because of severe defense budget constraints in both countries, although the Wall Street Journals says the two sides are only talking about coordinating carrier retrofits so that one carrier is always available from the European theater.

• Chinese Surprise: Was a recent Chinese space maneuver using 2 satellites, the SJ-12 and SJ-06F, in preparation for a space exploration program or a space warfare program? Wired.com examines the question.

• Cool, Clear Water: Aqua-Chem gets DLA contract worth up to $386 million to supply water purification systems that provide fresh drinking water for US soldiers in remote locations.

• Up to $219 million to Northrop Grumman to provide personnel to operate the C-RAM anti-mortar defense systems at forward operating bases in Afghanistan.

• CSC snags subcontract worth up to $50 million to provide analysis support for threat detection of attacks on DoD’s networks.

• French defense industry needs to be rationalized, which includes reducing government funding for defense R&D and encouraging aerospace supplier Safran and defense electronics firm Thales to swap assets, says French defense minister.

• President Obama pledges renewed effort to reform the US export control regime for defense and high-tech goods, including consolidating the Commerce Department’s Commerce Control List and the State Department’s U.S. Munitions List.

• USAF awards a 5-year client computing/server (CCS) blanket purchase agreement (FA8771-10-A-0601) worth up to $800 million to HP to provide business desktops and notebook computers, as well as servers and storage.

• Taiwan to cut 37.5% from funding of classified programs under its proposed FY 2011 budget.

• Do budget cuts herald doom for Britain’s fabled Gurkha Regiment and Black Watch?

• Singapore is sending a UAV task group to Afghanistan. Its Joint UAV Command stood up in 2007.

• New AGM-114R Hellfire tests its multi-mode warhead on a tank, following a recent conversion contract.

• The Center for Public Integrity details allegations of abuse regarding subcontractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

• Northrop Grumman snags 5-year US Navy contract worth up to $39 million to provide security systems for USMC and other DoD facilities worldwide.

Kang Ding w. SH-60
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2 convictions. (Aug 27/10)

In 1991, Taiwan’s $2.8 billion buy of 6 Kang Ding Class multi-role stealth frigates from France, purchased the navy’s current high-end surface combatants. These ships are derivative of the Lafayette Class, which has been used as the base platform for several nations’ frigate designs – but they have critical weaknesses due to technologies not transferred to Taiwan.

That’s not the only weakness associated with this purchase. A major bribery scandal involving hundreds of millions of dollars has percolated for several years – and is also associated with a murder. It’s now associated with a court ruling that could reach $861 million, including almost $240 million in repayments from Thales itself…

• The Scandal
• Key Events & Timeline [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

FS Mistral
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French President’s ‘confirmed deal’ to become an open international tender. (Aug 20/10)

In August 2009, Russian media reported that their country was planning to take a radical step, and buy a French Mistral class amphibious assault ship (LHD) by the end of 2009. The outlet quoted the Chief of the Russian General Staff, Gen. Nikolai Makarov, who said that: “We are negotiating the purchase of one ship at present, and later planning to acquire 3-4 ships [of the same class] to be jointly built in Russia.” A Russian order would represent a sea change on several fronts – and also the extension of some trends.

France currently operates 2 Mistral class LHDs, and recently ordered a 3rd using economic stimulus funds. Unlike some other LHD designs, the Mistral class cannot operate fixed wing aircraft. Even so, it’s an important tool of power projection. Mistral class ships can carry and deploy up to 16 helicopters, including attack helicopters like France’s Tiger or Russia’s Ka-50/52. Its main punch revolves around its 4 landing barges or 2 medium hovercraft, however, which deliver armored vehicles, tanks, and soldiers to shore. The vessel is equipped with a 69-bed hospital, and could be used as an amphibious command ship…

• Mistral’s Meaning: A Method to their Madness?
• The Mistral Class BPC/LHDs
• Updates and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

Cougar 6×6, IEDed
- the crew lived.
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$78M in maintenance & upgrade contracts; New Army vehicle plan a threat to FP? (Aug 19/10)

The Cougar family of medium-sized blast-protected vehicles is produced in both 4-wheel (formerly Cougar H) and 6-wheel (formerly Cougar HE) layouts. Eventually, the wisdom of using survivable vehicles in a theater where land mines were the #1 threat became clearer, and these vehicles have gradually shifted from dedicated engineer and Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) roles to patrol and route-proving/ convoy lead functions as well. Related variants and blast-resistant designs are also produced in response to country-specific requirements (Wolfhound, Mastiff, Ridgback, ILAV Badger) and other designs cover different operational needs (Buffalo mine-clearance, Cheetah, Ocelot, and JAMMA patrol vehicles). To date, the firm has received orders from Britain, Canada, France, Hungary, Italy, Iraq, and Yemen; and Poland operates some on loan from the USA. Front line testimonials offer evidence of their effectiveness.

Cougar orders predate the USA’s MRAP program to rush mine-resistant vehicles to the front lines; indeed, the performance of Force Protection’s vehicles on the front lines was probably the #1 trigger for the MRAP program’s existence. This FOCUS article describes Force Protection’s vehicles and corporate performance, which became an issue in recent years. It also covers key events and procurements around the world related to Force Protection’s Cougar (MRAP CAT I & II), Buffalo (MRAP CAT III), and the firm’s related blast-resistant vehicle families.

• The Cougar Vehicles
• Cougar Family: Related Contracts & Events [updated]
• Appendix A: Ramping Up Production
• Appendix B: Additional Readings and Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

CH-47Fs take off
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Australian CH-47Fs; 100th CH-47F delivered; 10th Mtn gets CH-47Fs; IUID compliance contract. (Aug 6/10)

DII FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record; this FOCUS Article covers the CH-47F/MH-47G Chinook helicopter programs, in the USA and abroad. These helicopters’ distinctive “flying banana” twin-rotor design stems from the brilliant work of aviation pioneer Frank Piasecki. It gives Chinooks the ability to adjust their positioning very precisely, while carrying a large airframe whose load capacity has made it the world’s most popular heavy-lift helicopter. The USA expects to be operating Chinooks in their heavy-lift role past 2030.

The CH-47F looks similar to earlier models, but offers a wide range of improvements in almost every aspect of design and performance. While the related HH-47’s $10-15 billion CSAR-X program win has been nullified by the program’s termination, delivery orders continue for CH-47Fs and for MH-47G Special Forces configuration helicopters. International orders or formal requests have also come in from Australia, Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, and the UAE, with more countries expected to follow…

• The New Chinooks: CH-47F, MH-47G, HH-47
• The US Army’s Acquisition Plan
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: Reconciling Previous Contracts and Numbers
  
  Continue Reading… »