Americas
Boeing has revealed that deliveries of the remaining T-7A Red Hawk trainer aircraft to the US Air Force have been hit by fresh delays due to supply chain issues. The company said it completed delivering the first three test aircraft in 2023 but failed to transfer the fourth and fifth aircraft under contract. According to company vice president Evelyn Moore, there have been various challenges with unspecified T-7A parts that are now hampering deliveries.
According to Defense Post, California drone developer Skydio has entered the final phase of the US Army’s program to replace the RQ-28A vertical takeoff and landing quadcopters. Signed in 2021, the Short Range Reconnaissance Tranche 2 initiative developed Skydio’s X10-D small unmanned aerial system incorporating FLIR’s Boson thermal camera device for enhanced quality imaging and accurate radiometric readings in day or night scenarios.
Middle East & Africa
Fortem Technologies has announced its intent to supply advanced counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) solutions to Saudi Arabia. The American firm specializing in drone detection and neutralization said it is ready to offer its leading C-UAS technology to the Gulf kingdom as well as provide necessary hardware and software support.
Europe
A $908 million order for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles by the government of the Netherlands has been approved by the US State Department. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said Monday it submitted certification to Congress for the foreign military sale, including extended-range and inert JASSMs and various test vehicles. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will be the prime contractor fulfilling the order, which specifies 120 units of AGM-158B/B-2 JASSM-ER all-up rounds and 15 AGM-158 Inert JASSMs along with their test instrumentation kits. The Dutch government also ordered JASSM separation, jettison and instrumented test vehicles.
The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) is exploring options for its retired Mirage 2000 fleet, with India emerging as a potential buyer for the 18 Mirage 2000 EGM/BGM jets grounded in 2022. This move comes amidst broader questions about the future of the Mirage 2000-5 fleet and the HAF’s evolving fighter force composition. Eighteen Mirage 2000 EGM/BGM jets, previously operated by the 332nd Squadron face an uncertain future after their 2022 grounding due to lack of support. Reports suggest the HAF is exploring a potential sale to India, a user of the same platform, aiming to strengthen bilateral ties rather than maximizing financial gain. The jets’ condition necessitates a modest price tag, with sources predicting a few million euros at best.
Asia-Pacific
According to Defense News, South Korea will export air defense systems to Saudi Arabia as part of a $3.2 billion deal signed in November, but only revealed this week by the former’s Defense Ministry. The announcement comes as Saudi Arabia hosts the World Defense Show, running Feruary. 4-8, during which the two countries inked a memorandum of understanding to bolster defense cooperation.
