Americas
* Raytheon will provide the Air Force with contractor support for the service’s principal intelligence collection system. A $393 million contract will see the company support the Distributed Common Ground System, an integrator for various intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets, with the contract covering the sustainment of various systems used as part of the DCGS, including unmanned aircraft.
* The deputy head of the Air Force ISR wants to counteract a shortfall in MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper operators by compressing the current two-person arrangement into a single role. The conversion would require changes to the system’s ground station, with Air Force officials keen to maximise manpower efficiency in the face of high drop-out rates for drone pilots.
* Raytheon has been handed an $11.2 million contract action to supply 225 Paveway II bomb kits to fulfil a US Foreign Military Sales contract to Canada. The kits convert standard dumb Mk80 bombs into smart munitions by adding a GPS/INS guidance capability. Meanwhile, the Air Force also awarded a $49.5 million IDIQ contract to two firms for spectrum warfare assessment technologies R&D, with CACI Technologies and Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. contracted to integrate sensor and EW technologies through a multispectral synthetic battlespace simulator.
Europe
* The Russian Air Force has received another batch of Su-34 fighter-bombers from manufacturer Sukhoi. This latest delivery follows a previous one in July, with the jet hitting full rate production in 2011. The Russian Defense Ministry signed a contract with Sukhoi in March 2012 for 92 of the fighter-bombers, with these scheduled for delivery by 2020.
* German small arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch has filed a lawsuit against an office of the German Economic Minister, following the denial of export licenses to Saudi Arabia in mid-2014 [German]. The company pursued export licenses for the controversy-riddled G36 assault rifle, recently vindicated despite heavy and sustained criticism from within and outside Germany. The company has been unable to deliver components to the Kingdom, following a decision by the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control to suspend delivery despite the Saudis license-producing the rifles under a contract signed in 2008.
* Russia has begun construction on two new Arctic support ships, with the multi-role vessels slated to enter service in late 2017 and late 2019 respectively. The two Project 03182 ships will be capable of accommodating a Kamov Ka-27 helicopter and support cranes. Canada also cut steel on new Arctic patrol vessels in September, with these set to enter service from 2018.
Asia Pacific
* Turkey has gifted 34 Cessna T-37 light attack/trainer aircraft to Pakistan, with the Pakistani Air Force already operating several of the aircraft. Morocco also operates the type, along with the Colombian Air Force; however the design is old, with its production line closing in 1975.
* A subcommittee in South Korea’s Parliament has passed a $58.8 million budget for the country’s indigenous KF-X fighter program, with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) planning to press ahead with the development of critical technologies required for the jet, despite the US State Department preventing F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin from exporting four key technologies to the country. The country’s Ministry of National Defense will also stand-up a KF-X project team to manage the development of these four technologies.
*The Indian Navy kicked off trials of the first of its Scorpene-class submarines on Thursday, with the future INS Kalvari launched from Mumbai shipyards to begin ten months of testing. Six Scorpene (also referred to as Project-75I) boats are due for delivery by 2020, with the Kalvari slated for commissioning next September. Indian state-owned Mazagon Docks Limited partnered with France’s DCNS to develop and build the submarines through a $3.6 billion contract signed in October 2005.
* Taiwan has confirmed that the country intends to purchase ten Sikorsky MH-60R anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters as the country’s military looks to replace its aging MD500 fleet. The government announced its intention to procure the new helicopters in July through the US’ Foreign Military Sales program, with the new helicopters intended to be deployed aboard the two new Perry-class frigates included in the country’s budget in December 2014.
Today’s Video
* Footage of the Scorpene-class INS Kalvari ahead of sea trials:
