Americas
Lockheed Martin won a &632.1 million deal, which provides engineering, maintenance, logistics and material support to continue to develop, sustain and produce software builds, as well as carryout developmental flight tests in support of the F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customer, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants’ funds. The deal also provides unique sea trials on aircraft carriers for the government of the United Kingdom. Work will take place in Texas, Florida, Maryland, New Hampshire, California, United Kingdom and Canada. Expected completion is in March 2024.
A 50kW-class high energy laser integrated on a Stryker has shown that the weapon can defeat 60mm mortar rounds and drones during four weeks of continuous live-fire exercises at White Sands Missile Range. The laser system is part of the US Army’s Directed Energy Maneuver-Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) effort. The system is provided by Raytheon Intelligence & Space and the integrator is Kord, a wholly-owned subsidiary of KBR.
Middle East & Africa
According to Israel Defense, Israeli company Mobius Protection Systems announced it has secured a new order from Leonardo, for the production of its energy-absorbing seat systems. The value of the order has not been disclosed. Mobius will supply its energy-absorbing seats to Leonardo for installation in the manned turret of the Centauro II vehicle.
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has laid the keel for the landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious assault ship on order for the Qatari Emiri Naval Forces. An official keel-laying ceremony was held at the shipbuilder’s yard in Palermo on May 17. Fincantieri is building the LPD for Qatar under a contract awarded in 2016.
Europe
Belgium is to acquire nine CAESAR NG (new generation) self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) under the expansion of the Capacité Motorisée (Motorized Capability, CaMo) programme with France, the ministries of defense (MoDs) of the two countries announced. Belgian Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder and her French counterpart, Florence Parly, signed the CaMo 2 intergovernmental agreement on the $65 million procurement of the SPHs for delivery in 2027. The French and Belgian MoDs expected the Direction générale de l’armement (DGA), France’s defense procurement agency, to announce the contract in the coming weeks.
Asia-Pacific
The US Army activated a new air cavalry squadron tasked with providing permanent reconnaissance support to US forces in South Korea. The 5th Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade was activated in a ceremony on Camp Humphreys, the largest US military base overseas. The new squadron consists of roughly 500 soldiers and 24 AH-64E Apaches, the latest version of the Army’s attack helicopter. The 5-17th air cavalry squadron also includes RQ-7B Shadows, unmanned aircraft systems that provide reconnaissance and surveillance assistance to aviation brigades.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Belgium acquires nine Caesar NG 155 mm from France
