Americas
Austal won a $7.7 million contract for the accomplishment of post shakedown availability (PSA) for the littoral combat ship (LCS) US Ship Oakland (LCS-24). Work includes correcting government-responsible trial card deficiencies, new work identified between custody transfer and the time of PSA and incorporating the approved engineering changes that were not incorporated during the construction period (which are not otherwise the building yard’s responsibility under the ship construction contract). The LCS is a set of two classes of relatively small surface vessels designed for operations near shore by the US Navy. LCS-24 is the 12th Independence-variant littoral combat ship. Last month, the ship successfully completed acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. Work will take place in San Diego, California. Estimated completion date will be by December 2021.
General Electric won a $180.6 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, which procures commercial depot level services for the repair and overhaul of T700-GE-401/401C turbo shaft engines, cold section modules and power turbine modules for the Navy H-60 Seahawk helicopter as well as the Marine Corps H-1 Cobra and Bell UH-1 Huey aircraft. The General Electric T700-GE-401 was the first engine qualified under the rigorous US Navy salt ingestion tests, where it proved its suitability for naval operation. The Sea Hawk is a twin-engine helicopter. It is used for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, drug interdiction, anti-ship warfare, cargo lift, and special operations. The H-1 Cobra is a two-blade rotor, single-engine. Th Huey is a utility military helicopter. Work will take place in Wingsfield, Kansas. Expected completion will be by June 2025.
Middle East & Africa
France says it has killed the leader of al-Qaeda in North Africa, Abdelmalek Droukdel, in an operation in Mali. Defense Minister Florence Parly said Droukdel along with members of his inner circle had been killed in the north of the country on Wednesday. French forces had also captured a senior Islamic State group commander in Mali in an operation in May, she said. As head of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Droukdel was in charge of all affiliates in North Africa and also commanded al-Qaeda’s Sahel affiliate, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM).
Europe
According to media outlets quoting an anonymous senior defense official report that Trump has ordered the Pentagon to withdraw 9,500 of the 34,500 troops permanently assigned to Germany as part of a longstanding arrangement between the two countries. Defense officials said they had no immediate comment on the subject and referred questions to the White House National Security Council, which did not respond to queries. The reduction plan, pushed by US Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell, has been closely held within the White House. Grenell has also served for the past several months as acting director of national intelligence, following Trump’s firing of his predecessor, acting director Joseph Maguire, over concerns about Maguire’s staff’s loyalty.
Asia-Pacific
A Indonesian Army Mi-17V5 helicopter has crashed on June 6 in Kendal district. The helicopter is assigned to the Army Aviation Education Center and was on a training flight. Four out of the nine people on board were killed. “The helicopter was flying very low and getting lower until it crashed with a very loud sound,” said Eka, a witness quoted by Kompas TV. “Two passengers escaped before it crashed and after that there were three or four explosions.”
A former Air India 777-300ER airliner that is slated to be the VVIP transport for the Indian government has arrived at Fort Worth. The aircraft was photographed in its new official livery. The plane will be used to ferry the President and the Prime Minister of the country. It will arrive in India and will be put out on the field this year. The Indian Air Force has made several visits to the Boeing facility where they frequently contributed with the progress and development of the aircraft.
Today’s Video
Watch: USS RUSSELL MOVED INTO TAIWAN STRAIT – THIS TIME CHINA DIDN’T FALSELY CLAIM OF EXPELLING U.S WARSHIP