Americas
Epsilon Inc. won a $184.5 million deal to procure IT and cyber security (CS) support for the classified IT networks to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity of the F-35 Joint Program Office ensuring the range of IT and CS are maintained within Department of Defense (DOD), Special Access Programs, and US Cyber Command security standards and mandates. Work is expected to be completed in October 2029. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin has announced an increase in the production of key equipment across its facilities in the US. In particular, the company will focus on scaling up the production capacity of its Javelin, HIMARS, GMLRS, and PAC-3 MSE systems. Lockheed Martin President Tim Cahill said that “by bringing advanced processes and tools to production lines, we are ensuring the delivery of capabilities that address emerging threats across all domains.”
Middle East & Africa
Saudi Arabia is in talks with Leonardo to expand their collaboration by localizing the production of helicopter components. Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Bandar Alkhorayef, and Leonardo Chairman Stefano Pontecorvo met in Milan to discuss a deal to support manufacturing aircraft structures, propellers, and advanced electronic flight systems.
Europe
Greece has declined a request from the Baltic nations of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia to take part in air patrols over their airspace. The Baltic countries, which lack their own fighter jets, had asked Greece to send F-16s to contribute to the NATO air policing mission, which helps safeguard their skies. Greek officials have explained this refusal by pointing to their country’s overstretched military resources and existing responsibilities in the Balkans. The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) is already heavily involved in patrolling the airspace of Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia, and is preparing to take on similar responsibilities for Bulgaria in 2025. This means that the HAF is currently undertaking patrols every 15 days in the Balkans, a commitment it shares with Italy. Bulgaria itself possesses limited air-defence capabilities, relying on outdated MiG-29 fighter jets until newly purchased F-16s become operational in 2025.