Americas
* The US Army awarded Monday, a $95 million US Army contract to Raytheon for engineering services on the 155mm Excalibur Precision Guided Extended Range Artillery Projectile program. Used by both the Army and US Marine Corps, the latest version of the GPS-guided artillery munition can be fired from several models of the Howitzer with a range of more than 23 miles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of January 25, 2023.
* Defense ministers from France and Argentina have signed contracts for the delivery of five Super Etendards to the Argentine Navy. Originally agreed in November, news of the $12.5 million sale was announced by French President Emmanuel Macron, as he met his Argentine counterpart, Mauricio Macri, at the World Economic Forum, in Davos, Switzerland. “We have congratulated ourselves for the agreement signed by our defense ministers for the sale of five modernized Super-Etendard and their equipment for the Argentine armed forces,” the French president told a joint press conference. The Dassault Aviation-built aircraft had previously been in use with the French Navy since 1978, and were removed from active duty in July 2016. Argentina flew Super Etendards during the Falklands War with the UK, however, none currently remain operational.
* Raytheon’s Canadian operation has landed a USD$570 million in-service support contract to upgrade the radar systems for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). 21 sets of the system are covered under the deal, which includes engineering services, project management, support and disposal services, as well as the procurement of spares and test equipment. The contact is valid until 2031. Canada utilizes the rapid-fire, radar-guided gun system onboard its 12 Royal Canadian Navy Halifax-class frigates while others are used for training. Ottawa also plans to install the system on new joint support ships that are due to enter service from 2021.
* The Pentagon announced Tuesday, the awarding to Raytheon of a $2.3 billion contract in support of the Patriot air-defense system. Under the terms of the deal, Raytheon will provide ongoing support of software, refresh for obsolescence, and will also include support of systems outside of the continental US, as well as for partner nation’s Patriot systems. Work will take place at various locations depending on each order, with a scheduled completion date set for January 31, 2023.
Middle East-North Africa
* Iraq’s F-16 fighter program has received a $400 million contract that covers the provision of base operations support, base life support, and security services in support, to be undertaken by Sallyport Global Holdings. Awarded by the USAF on Monday, work will support F-16-related contractor personnel at Balad Air Base, Iraq, running until January 30, 2019. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $196,000,000 will be obligated at the time of the award.
* Footage taken on January 17 by a CNN news crew at a Saudi military base, shows that the remnants of a Burkan-2H ballistic missile launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen on December 19, 2017, was not intercepted by Saudi’s Patriot interceptors. While the news crew “reiterated the Saudi claim, saying the missile was shot down about 15 miles (24 km) from Riyadh…the remnants it filmed showed no sign that it had been hit by the fragmentation from a Patriot PAC-2 missile or been struck by one of the new PAC-3 ‘hit-to-kill’ missiles Saudi Arabia is buying. It also appeared the re-entry vehicle (RV) containing its warhead separated from its main body as designed,” according to analysis by Jane’s. Another missile launched on November 4 was also met with claims that Patriot interceptors had downed the intruding missile, however, fragments later displayed showed it had detonated after hitting the ground as they would have been difficult to recover after an aerial detonation.
Europe
* Reuters reports that Ukraine has tested an indigenously made cruise missile, National Security and Defense Council Secretary Oleksandr Turchynov said Tuesday. While Turchynov did not reveal the range of the missile—dubbed the Nepture—he did say that it was in line with international agreements. “Successful flight tests of new missile weaponry, namely of a land-launched cruise missile, were held. Flight performance and performance of all systems of this new Ukrainian weaponry were checked during the tests,” he said. Footage of the launch (see Today’s Video below) shows the missile’s body is based on the Kh-35, a Soviet-designed subsonic anti-ship missile put into service in Russia in 2003. The state-owned Ukroboronprom said the missile is capable of sinking warships with displacements of up to 5,000 tons—which would include all of the Russian landing ships and frigates currently in service. Since Russia’s annexation of the Crimea in 2014, Ukrainian forces have been battling Russian-baked separatists in Ukraine’s eastern Donbass region.
Asia-Pacific
* Photographs have emerged of Kazakhstan’s first delivered upgraded Su-25UBM attack aircraft, following a period of modernization in Belarus. Coming in the twin-seat trainer variant, the modded aircraft has seen its analogue controls replaced with digital ones, an engine overhaul, new aviation and radio equipment, and an expanded weapons envelope that includes the capabilities to fire the R-73 air-to-air missile. The Kazakhstan Air Force operates 12 Su-25 single seat aircraft and two twin-seat variants.
Today’s Video
* Ukraine tests indigenous Neptune cruise missile:
