Americas
* A B-52 has dropped the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) precision-guided bomb from its internal bomb bay for the first time. The test was carried out to certify the new Conventional Rotary Launcher being developed for the legacy bomber. Following the successful drop, testers will now continue with dropping the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, Miniature Air Launched Decoy, and the MALD Jammer from the launcher.
* Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $241 million US Navy contract modification for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Under the deal, Lockheed will provide replacement electronic components for the aircraft with work to be completed by December 2018. The contract combines purchases for the USAF, USMC, Navy, foreign military sales customers and international partners.
Middle East North Africa
* Pakistan is looking to secure second-hand F-16 fighters from both Jordan and European nations via the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) route. The renewed searching comes as the deal to secure the planes from the US collapsed after members of Congress opposed to the fighters being procured under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program to subsidize the deal. Instead, Islamabad is now looking for a Third Party Transfer of the F-16s, if someone is willing.
Africa
* South Korea’s KAI has just broken into the African market with contracts signed to provide four KT-1 trainers to Senegal. The West African nation is the forth export customer for the basic trainer following Turkey, Peru, and Indonesia in adopting the aircraft. A spokesperson for KAI has claimed that the Senegal sale will help make further inroads for the company in the African market.
Europe
* Speculations have arisen over who has ordered a number of MiG-35 jets following an earlier story that 46 turbofan engines were being ordered for the fighter. The contract is worth at least $2 billion. While the customer is being kept a secret, Egypt is being touted as the most likely customer following a string of defense buys from Russia. Further down the list includes Syria, whom Moscow has been aiding in the ongoing civil war, and Iran, although any offensive weapons sold to Iran can be vetoed by the UN Security Council for the next five years.
Asia Pacific
* Saab has sent a proposal to Indonesian authorities to sell Gripen C/D fighters to their air force (TNI-AU). If selected, the Gripens would replace a well-seasoned fleet of Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighters, in service since 1980. The government’s replacement program initially seeks to procure 16 aircraft at a cost of $1.5 billion, but this could be expected to increase if territorial disputes in the region require Indonesia to beef up its capabilities further.
* It’s been reported that restrictions placed on Japan’s RQ-4 by the US is limiting Tokyo’s capabilities. Ideally, Japan wanted the RQ-4 to provide round-the-clock surveillance against neighboring North Korea and China. Now the Defense Ministry has discovered that the drone can only loiter for at most three times a week. Washington is only willing to supply optical sensors for Japanese Global Hawks, AIS tracking of ships and electronic emissions gathering sensors will not be provided at the outset. As a result, Japan may look to Israeli industry to supplement its UAV requirements with the IAI Heron.
* Boeing is to deliver four P-8 Poseidon aircraft to the Australian government. A US Navy contract modification awarded Boeing a $100 million order to produce and deliver the aircraft by June 2017. Once delivered, the P-8s will engage in long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
Today’s Video
* The KT-1 Basic Trainer.:
