Americas
Canada’s promised $400 million National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) for Ukraine remains grounded, with delivery shrouded in uncertainty. While the Liberal government touted the acquisition in January 2023, National Defence now admits plans are still being worked out with the United States, including crucial details like delivery timelines.
Crew Training International won a $15 million modification for the MQ-9 Aircrew Training and Courseware Development Contract. The modification is for the exercise of the six-month extension of services. Work will be performed at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada; Holloman AFB, New Mexico; March Air Reserve Base, California; and Hancock Air National Guard Base, New York, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2024. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $736,981 are being obligated at time of award. Air Combat Command, Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, is the contracting activity.
Middle East & Africa
Israeli biopharmaceutical company MediWound has received $6.7 million in additional funding to produce a non-surgical burn treatment for the US Army. The award follows a 2023 contract to develop the firm’s proprietary NexoBrid field-care solution for the US Department of Defense in collaboration with the multinational biomedicine group Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC). The agreement increases the initiative’s overall budget to $14.4 million.
Europe
NATO members in Europe have inked a contract for up to 1,000 Patriot missiles to bolster air defenses in the face of the threat from Russia, the alliance said Wednesday. The announcement of the contract, estimated to be worth $5.5 billion, comes as Moscow has unleashed repeated barrages of deadly missile and drone strikes against Ukraine in recent days. NATO’s procurement agency said the deal agreed upon by an initial group of countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, and Spain would see Patriot missile production stepped up in Europe.
Germany has delivered three additional Gepard anti-aircraft guns to the Armed Forces of Ukraine as part of its latest military aid for the war-torn country. The delivery included 30,000 shells for air defense tanks, as well as 2,500 155mm artillery shells, two Wisent 1 mine clearance tanks, 10 Vector reconnaissance drones, two border patrol vehicles, and two airborne missile protection systems.
Asia-Pacific
According to Defense News, Singapore has hired ST Engineering to upgrade the country’s Formidable-class frigates, part of the Navy’s overarching effort to become more flexible and to integrate unmanned technology into the fleet. The contract, announced by the firm Dec. 14, comes as Singapore’s military grapples with limited troop size and training spaces. The country has embarked on numerous joint training exercises and sent troops to various countries to ease the problem, but end strength remains a challenge.