SM-2 Launch w. AEGIS
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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. New material is indicated in green type.

The latest addition includes a $47.8 million order for engineering and technical services to support the Standard Missile program…

• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Missiles and Plans (SM-1 to SM-6)
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Budgets [updated]
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: US Contracts & Events
  • FY 2010 [updated]
  • FY 2009
  • FY 2008
  • FY 2007
  • FY 2006
• The Standard Missile Naval Defense Family: Exports & Related Key Events
  • CY 2009 [updated]
  • CY 2008
  • CY 2007
  • CY 2006
  • CY 2005
• Additional Readings
  
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Kfir C2 w. ALQ-167
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Over the last 12 years, ATAC has performed a wide range of flight training operations for the US Navy, US Air Force and Air National Guard, including participation in US Navy fleet training, acting as adversary fighters for the “TOPGUN” program, Red Flag exercises and F-22 Raptor training; participating in JTAC/ FAC-A/ CAS ground controller training; and even serving American research & development programs. Under their agreement with US Navy, their services have also been used to train militaries in the UK, Canada, Japan, the Philippines, and others.

Unlike most other contractors, who operate Learjets and similar business aircraft, ATAC operates fighters and attack jets…

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Into that good night
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The 5th-generation F-22A Raptor fighter program has been the subject of fierce controversy, with advocates and detractors aplenty. On the one hand, the aircraft offers full stealth, revolutionary radar and sensor capabilities, dual air-air and air-ground SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) capabilities, the ability to cruise above Mach 1 without afterburners, thrust-vectoring super-maneuverability… and a ridiculously lopsided kill record in exercises against the best American fighters. On the other hand, critics charge that it’s too expensive, too limited, and cripples the USAF’s overall force structure. Meanwhile, close American allies like Australia, Japan and Israel, and other allies like Korea, are pressing the USA to abandon its “no export” policy. Most already fly F-15s, but they’re interested in an export version of the F-22 in order to help them deal with advanced – and advancing – Russian-designed aircraft, air-to-air missiles, and surface-to-air missile systems.

This DID FOCUS Article covers both sides of the F-22 controversies in the USA and abroad, and it will also be updated over time to cover and backfill contracts and events related to the F-22A Raptor program. This article has been restored to full public access, as F-22 program winds down to its end.

Recent updates include significant votes in the House and Senate, which will effectively end American F-22 production. But contracts continue, including a $474.2 million contract for 4 Lot X F-22A aircraft…

• The F-22 Raptor: Key Capabilities
• The F-22 Raptor: Criticisms & Controversies
• F-22 Raptor: Program and Events
  • Events: 2009
  • Events: 2008
  • Events: 2007
  • Events: 2006
  • Events: Pre-2006
• F-22 Raptor: Contracts & Production
  • Contracts: FY 2009 [updated]
  • Contracts: FY 2008
  • Contracts: FY 2007
  • Contracts: FY 2006
  • Contracts: Pre-FY 2006
• Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
  • The F-22 & Key Components
  • The F-22 Program
  • Official Reports
  • Controversies & Events
    
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Patriot system
(click for explanation)

DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. The USA’s Patriot anti-air missile system offers an advanced backbone for medium-range air defense, and short-range ballistic missile defense, to America and its allies. This article covers domestic and foreign request and contracts for Patriot systems. It also compiles information about the engineering service contracts that upgrade these systems, integrate them with others, and ensure that they continue to work.

The Patriot missile franchise’s future appears assured. At present, 12 nations have chosen it as a key component of their air and missile defense systems: the USA, Germany, Greece, Japan, Israel, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UAE. Poland, Qatar, and Turkey have all indicated varying levels of interest, and some existing customers are looking to upgrade their systems.

New material is in green type to make it more visible. The latest additions to our coverage include a continued effort to improve performance and efficiency in supplying spare parts, and the last engineering services contract of FY 2009…

• The Patriot Missile Family
• Patriot Engineering Services Contracts, FY 2004 – Present [updated]
• The USA’s Patriot Programs
• Other Patriot-Related Contracts & Events, FY 2006 – Present [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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Harpoon in flight
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The sub-sonic, wave-skimming *GM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s sole anti-shipping missile, with the minor exception of small AGM-119B Penguin missiles and anti-tank Hellfires carried on some H-60 helicopters. The Harpoon has been adapted into several variants, and exported to a wide variety of world navies. Its best known competitor is the French/MBDA *M39/40 Exocet, but recent years have witnessed a growing competitive roster at both the subsonic (Israel’s Gabriel family, Russia’s SS-N-27 Klub family, Saab’s RBS15, Kongsberg’s stealthy NSM, China’s YJ-82/C-802 used recently in Lebanon) and supersonic (Russia’s SS-N-22 Sunburn/Moskit and some SS-N-27 Klub variants, India’s PJ-10 BrahMos derived from Russia’s SS-N-26) levels.

At present, the Harpoon family includes air, sea/land, and submarine-launched versions of the GM-84 missile. Variants such as the land attack SLAM variant and the modern AGM-84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) will also be covered in this DID FOCUS Article, which describes the missiles themselves and covers global contracts involving this family since Oct 1/06.

The most recent additions involve the reported cancellation of the US Navy’s Harpoon Block III program, and land target tests for SLAM-ER and Harpoon Block II…

• GM-84 Harpoon Family: The Missiles
• GM-84 Harpoon Family: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

RIM-162: sections
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The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is 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.

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 customers outside this consortium include Japan, Korea, and the United Arab Emirates.

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 latest addition is a significant order for consortium countries, and for the UAE…

• ESSM: The Missiles and the Program
• ESSM-Related Contracts & Key Events (1999 – Present) [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
  Continue Reading… »

DDG-173 Kongo
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Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors of Moorestown, NJ received a $7 million modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5144) for Japan Aegis Modernization Lifetime Support efforts for Kongo and Atago class ships under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program (100% for Japan).

Lockheed Martin will provide planning, scheduling, and execution support for Japan Aegis Modernization to support Kongo and Atago class destroyers, which are being outfitted with ballistic missile defense capabilities.

DID has more on Japan’s Kongo and Atago class ships…

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Link 16 Display
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Jam-resistant Link-16 radios automatically exchange battlefield information – particularly locations of friendly and enemy aircraft, ships and ground forces – among themselves in a long-range, line-of-sight network. For example, air surveillance tracking data from an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft can be instantly shared with fighter aircraft and air defense units. More than a dozen countries have installed Link 16 terminals on over 19 different land, sea, and air platforms, making it an interoperability success story.

While recent advancements may make AESA radars the future transmitters of choice, Link 16 is the current standard. The Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS LVTs) were developed by a multinational consortium to provide Link 16 capability at a lower weight, volume, and cost than the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System (JTIDS). This free-to-view DID article throws a spotlight on the program, explaining Link 16 and covering associated contracts around the world.

The latest developments include better service in Europe, a MIDS-JTRS related development, and several multinational orders…

• The MIDS-LVT Program [updated]
• Into the Future: FAST & MIDS JTRS/ MIDS-J
• MIDS/ Link 16 Contracts & Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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CSC received a task order from the Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk to provide operations, maintenance and management support to the Navy Enterprise Network (ONE-NET) in the Far East, including Japan, Korea, Singapore and Guam. The task order, awarded under the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Schedule 70 contract, has a one-year base period and an estimated total value of $29 million. Teaming with CSC is C4 Planning Solutions in Blythe, GA. This task order follows a $75M ONE-NET task order awarded to CSC under the GSA ANSWER contract in 2005.

DID has more on the Navy’s worldwide ONE-NET network…

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F-22: Climbing Mt. Fuji?
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Back in February 2006, InsideDefense.com’s Inside The Air Force (ITAF) reported that momentum was building within the Air Force to sell the ultra-advanced F-22A Raptor abroad to trusted U.S. allies, as a way of plussing up numbers and production. The USAF originally initially intended to purchase 700-800 F-22 fighters, but that was cut to 442, then 381, and recently cut again to just over 180. These cuts have had obvious effects on the cost per aircraft, and on the ratio of aircraft to total R&D + production money spent. With F-22 production set to terminate around 2010, and increasing concern over the capability gap between other US fighters and global competitors like the SU-30 family, MiG-35, et. al., some USAF planners are becoming concerned. Extending the F-22 production line through exports is also a way of extending the USA’s decision options.

One of the most likely export prospects is Japan. The Raptor has been discussed at a 2007 summit meeting, and in a number of other venues. Meanwhile, BAE Systems is looking to pounce with its Eurofighter if the US remains intransigent, and Boeing has offered an interesting F-15SE option of its own. A recent Reuters report indicates that Japan is beginning to pick up F-22EX supporters, however, including a prominent US Senator…

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