by Joe Katzman | Nov 15, 2024 | Africa - Other, Avionics, Contracts - Awards, Elbit Systems, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, Finmeccanica, FOCUS Articles, GE, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Other Corporation, People, R&D - Contracted, Radars, Support Functions - Other, Training & Exercises
South African JAS-39D (click to view full) As a neutral country with a long history of providing for its own defense against all comers, Sweden also has a long tradition of building excellent high-performance fighters with a distinctive look. From the long-serving...
by Joe Katzman | Nov 6, 2024 | Australia & S. Pacific, BAE, Bases & Infrastructure, Boeing, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Intent, Corporate Financials, Events, Israel, Issues - Political, Lockheed Martin, New Systems Tech, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Project Failures, R&D - Contracted, Radars, Raytheon, Specialty Aircraft, Testing & Evaluation, Thales, Transformation, USA
E-7A Wedgetail over New South Wales (click to view full) The island continent of Australia faces a number of unique security challenges that stem from its geography. The continent may be separated from its neighbors by large expanses of ocean, but it also resides...
by Joe Katzman | Oct 17, 2024 | Australia & S. Pacific, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Intent, Contracts - Modifications, Field Innovations, Field Reports, FOCUS Articles, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Other, Missiles - Anti-Armor, Raytheon, Sensors & Guidance, United Arab Emirates (UAE), USA, Warfare - Lessons, Warfare - Trends
Javelin, firing (click to view full) The FGM-148 Javelin missile system aimed to solve 2 key problems experienced by American forces. One was a series of disastrous experiences in Vietnam, trying to use 66mm M72 LAW rockets against old Soviet tanks. A number of...
by Joe Katzman | Oct 13, 2024 | Boeing, Contracts - Awards, Issues - Political, Transport & Utility, USA
Happy ‘trails… (click to view full) The C-17 has had more money-driven last hurrahs than The Who. Even so, FY 2010 featured the USAF’s last planned orders of C-17 Globemaster III short field, heavy-lift transport jets. The Pentagon had been trying to...
by Joe Katzman | Jul 28, 2024 | Boeing, Bombs - Smart, Contracts - Awards, Design Innovations, Lockheed Martin, New Systems Tech, Raytheon, Sensors & Guidance, USA
GBU-53/B, aka. SDB-II (click to view full) The 250 pound GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb gives American fighters the ability to carry more high-precision GPS-guided glide bombs, without sacrificing punching power against fortified targets. The initial award to Boeing was...
