Last updated: Tuesday Oct 03, 2023 - 05:00 UTC ()
Trident II D5 Missile: Keeping Up with Changing Times
E-2D Hawkeye: The Navy’s New AWACS
Rapid Fire | Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 05:00 UTC ()
US Navy’s Trident II Programme Bolstered By $2B Deal | Nigeria Trains Personnel On MPVs | Additional Howitzers For Ukraine
Americas
The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory won a $2 billion deal for technical and engineering support necessary to maintain and sustain the Trident II Strategic Weapon System Mark 6 Guidance Subsystem and support the strategic guidance, navigation, and control research and development efforts required to enable follow-on, full-scale development of the Mark 7 Guidance Subsystem, Columbia/Dreadnought ship construction integration efforts, and reentry subsystem. This contract award also benefits a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Pittsfield, Massachusetts; Washington, DC; Odon, Indiana; Huntsville, Alabama; Cape Canaveral, Florida; St. Petersburg, Florida; and various other locations. Work is expected to be completed September 30, 2028.
Northrop Grumman Systems won a $150 million deal, which provides for the production and delivery of long lead parts for five E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Aircraft in support of the government of Japan. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York; Rolling Meadows, Illinois; Woodland Hills, California; Menlo Park, California; Greenlawn, New York; Aire-sur-l’Adour, France; Owego, New York; Edgewood, New York; Melbourne, Florida; Marlboro, Massachusetts; and various locations within the continental US, and is expected to be completed in February 2029.
Middle East and Africa
The Nigerian Army Headquarters Department of Army Training (DAT) embarked on a two-week training program. The primary focus of this training is to equip military personnel with essential knowledge and practical skills related to the recently acquired NA TARES Mines Protective Vehicles (MPV). The training commenced on Monday, September 25, 2023, with an official opening ceremony held at the Headquarters Guards Brigade Auditorium in Abuja.
Europe
Nexter will deliver six additional Caesar truck-mounted howitzers to Ukraine to help it drive out occupying Russian forces. Ukraine has already received 30 Ceasars since last year; 18 from France and 12 from manufacturer Nexter, the French Ministry of Defense stated on X.
Asia-Pacific
Thailand’s Defense Technology Institute (DTI) has announced the successful trial of its new, 105-millimeter CS/AH2 light howitzer prototype. The test, conducted in cooperation with the Artillery Center of the Royal Thai Army, took place at the Khao Phu Lon Artillery Shooting Range in central Thailand. During the event, the artillery system fired a total of five rounds – three rounds of uphill fire at 1.5 kilometers and two rounds of lowland fire at 11.4 kilometers.
Taiwan has launched its first domestically-built submarine, marking a significant milestone in its efforts to replace an aging naval capability.
The diesel-electric attack submarine, christened the Hai Kun after a mythical sea creature in Chinese folklore, was launched at the shipyard of CSBC Shipyard in the southern city of Kaohsiung earlier on Thursday.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Video of 5th gen. Surrogate Training Aircraft (5STA) – A STA is born … 5STA!
More In-depth Contract News & Updates
Sikorsky’s $8.5-11.7B “Multi-Year 8” H-60 Helicopter Contract
| Honeywell International won a $95 million deal by the US Army for maintenance and overhaul of UH-60 Black Hawk starters. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September 28, 2028. More »
Aging Aircraft: USAF F-15 Fleet Sees Renewed Interest
| The US Air Force tapped Raytheon with a $7.5 million modification to retrofit the F-15 fleet. Work will be performed at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; and Largo, Florida, and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2025. The F-15 is a type of military airplane used by the United States and other countries. It's a powerful and fast aircraft designed for air-to-air combat, which means it's really good at shooting down other airplanes in the sky. The F-15 has two engines, which make it go really fast, and it's equipped with advanced radar and weapons systems to help pilots track and target enemy aircraft. It's often called an "fighter jet" because it's designed for fighting in the air. More »
The JAS-39 Gripen: Sweden’s 4+ Generation Wild Card
| Brazilian Defense Minister Jose Mucio has announced plans to travel to Sweden next month to negotiate a potential sale of Embraer’s C-390 Millennium military cargo aircraft to the Nordic nation. The move comes as Brazil explores the possibility of selling three to four C-390 aircraft to Sweden, while Sweden expresses interest in increasing its sale of Saab Gripen E fighter jets to Brazil. This development follows Austria’s recent decision to select Embraer’s C-390 to replace its aging fleet of Lockheed Martin Hercules C-130s, reinforcing the aircraft’s global appeal. Brazil, Portugal, and Hungary have previously placed orders for the C-390, also known as the KC-390 for the tanker variant. Additionally, the Netherlands has announced its intention to acquire this versatile freighter. More »
P-8 Poseidon MMA: Long-Range Maritime Patrol, and More
| American Systems won a $19 million modification, which exercises options and adds scope to provide developmental testing, integration, delivery, and installation of the P -8A Increment 3 Block 2 mission software into existing P-8A training systems, to include Weapons Tactics Trainers, the new Combat Systems Part Task Trainer, and the New Combat System Electronic Classroom to support P-8A aircrew training and readiness for the Navy. This contract is in support of Small Business Innovation Research Phase III topic, “N00-123 Automated Readiness Measurement System (ARMS)”. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (85%); Jacksonville, Florida (10%); and St. Louis, Missouri (5%), and is expected to be completed in October 2026. More »
The New Chinooks: Boeing’s Modern H-47 Heavy-Lift Helicopters
| Columbia Helicopters won a $54 million deal for maintenance and overhaul of the CH-47 Chinook rotor head. The Chinook CH-47 is a multi-mission helicopter manufactured by American aerospace and defense firm Boeing for the US Army and international defense forces. It’s used for the transportation of troops, artillery, supplies, and equipment to the battlefield. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of September 26, 2028. More »
