Americas
The US Army has awarded Bell Textron a contract to provide three 412 EPX medium utility helicopters as part of the agency’s foreign military sales program. The $37.7-million order will be delivered to an undisclosed recipient due to “potential customer sensitivities,” the US Army Cargo Helicopters Project Office told FlightGlobal. Concurrently, a US Department of Defense representative confirmed that the platforms will be distributed to more than one buyer.
The US Coast Guard has shipped the modified MH-60T Jayhawk medium-range recovery helicopter to the Air Station Astoria in Oregon under its service life extension program. The modernized aircraft is part of an ongoing effort to extend the operational lifespan of the coast guard’s existing Jayhawk fleet — in service since the 1990s — by fitting them with new hulls, electrical wire harnesses, and main rotor blades. Through the process, the helicopters will gain about 20,000 more additional flight hours.
Europe
European missile house MBDA successfully completed the first test-firing of its Teseo MK2/E evolved anti-ship missile on 14 October 2024 as part of a multi-year development programme for the Italian Navy, the company reported on 4 November. The Teseo MK2/E is a new-generation missile that MBDA says “brings a substantial improvement in the anti-ship capabilities of the Teseo missile family”, which is known internationally as the Otomat missile family.
Middle East & Africa
Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant issued 7,000 additional army draft orders Monday for individuals from the country’s ultra-Orthodox community, historically exempted from mandatory service until a June Supreme Court decision. Gallant approved the Israeli army’s “recommendation to issue an additional 7,000 orders for screening and evaluation processes for ultra-Orthodox draft-eligible individuals in the upcoming phase, which is expected to begin in the coming days,” the defense ministry said in a statement.
Asia-Pacific
The US State Department has approved a foreign military sale, valued at an estimated $4.92 billion, involving the E-7 Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft to South Korea. The principal contractor for the sale is Boeing. The deal aims to bolster South Korea’s capabilities in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and airborne early warning and control capabilities.
