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Jun 14, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Huntington Ingalls will perform early service life period work on the USS Gerald R. Ford. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, DC awarded the deal, which is valued at $687.1 million. Per the terms of the contract, Huntington Ingalls will support ship repair and modernization during continuous incremental availabilities, planned incremental availabilities, full-ship shock trials and continuous maintenance and emergent maintenance during the ship’s early service life period. The company will perform work until June 2024. The Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier or CVN 78 is the lead ship of her class. CVN 78 is the first new US aircraft carrier design in 40 years. The ship has 250% more electrical capacity than previous carriers, which will allow the ship to load weapons and launch aircraft faster than ever before. The USS Gerald R. Ford is currently undergoing sea trials. She is scheduled to be delivered in October and deployed around 2020. Issues with Ford’s nuclear propulsion system and Advanced Weapons Elevator had delayed the delivery for three months.
The US Special Operations Command awarded Boeing a $194.2 million delivery order modification. The deal procures six renew-build and one new-build MH-47G rotary wing aircraft. The MH-47G is the special operations variant of Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook multi-role, heavy-lift helicopter used by the US Army Special Operations Aviation Command. The aircraft is able to support heavy-lift missions such as troop, weapons, vehicles and other equipment transportation, as well as civil and humanitarian relief missions. It can conduct long-range missions at a low level and in adverse weather conditions during the day and at night. The CH-47F/MH- 47G modernization programs, which includes a mix of remanufactured and new aircraft, will help the aircraft remain in the Army fleet at least through the 2030s. The current modification will sustain US Special Operations Forces (SOF) heavy assault, rotary wing aircraft and mitigate the impact of the MH-47G aircraft availability in light of increased SOF operational demands.
Middle East & Africa
Boeing will supply more than 2,000 pieces of equipment to repair Kuwaiti Super Hornets under a $41 million contract. The deal is for peculiar support equipment, support equipment spares and test equipment for the maintenance and repair of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The Naval Air Warfare Center in Lakehurst, New Jersey awarded the deal. Boeing will perform work in St. Louis, Missouri and will finish in June 2022. In 2018, the US Navy placed a potential $1.17 billion contract with Boeing to develop Kuwait’s Super Hornet baseline configuration. The Super Hornets will be delivered by 2022.
Israel’s Elbit System launched a new Long Range Oblique Photography (LOROP) system that according to the company introduces Multi-Spectral sensing capability and Artificial Intelligence analytics to stand-off strategic intelligence gathering missions. The so called Condor MS integrates three high resolution Electro Optic sensors into the already widely operational Condor 2 system. The sensors are Visible & Near Infra-Red (VNIR), Medium-Wave Infrared (MWIR), and Short-Wave Infrared (SWIR). The Condor systems can be installed onboard platforms like the F-16 A/B/C/D/I, F-4, SU-30 and B-737. According to a press release by Elbit, the new Condor MS can identify a large number of targets at extremely high rates, hence significantly shortening the time frame needed to close sensor-to-shooter loops.
Europe
The US Naval Surface Warfare Center in Crane, Indiana awarded a $10 million contract to Curtiss-Wright Defense Solutions Division for removable media cartridges. The deal supports the Trident Ballistic Missile Submarine (SSBN) program and includes Foreign Military Sales funding to the UK. The Trident II D5 is the latest generation of the US Navy’s submarine-launched fleet ballistic missile. It is a three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile developed by Lockheed Martin. The missile can carry multiple independently targeted reentry bodies for a maximum range of over 7,360 kilometers. A system upgrade is incorporating requirement changes to increase performance and address obsolescence. Curtiss-Wright will perform work in Fairborn, Ohio, and will finish by October 2024.
Asia-Pacific
Japan is planning to put an experimental infrared sensor on board the ALOS-3 satellite that it plans to launch into space orbit next year. The government will mount a sensor on the satellite in order to acquire its own early warning satellite capability to detect ballistic missiles launched from North Korea and elsewhere. The image sensor that uses tiny semiconductor particles is said to be able to detect infrared rays in two wavelength bands. ALOS-3 is an earth observation satellite that continuously observes the global land area, and orbits at an altitude of 669 kilometers.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : DRDO Tests Hypersonic Prototype,Anti-Artillery System,Defence Space Agency
Jun 13, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Lockheed Martin launched the latest version of an advanced visualization and training tool for Apache AH-64 sensor system maintainers, called Rely3D. According to Lockheed Martin RELY3D is an interactive suite of applications that supports Apache aircraft maintainers with M-TADS/PNVS virtual guides, 3-D animations, wiring diagrams and more. The advanced tool is aimed at reducing maintenance time on the Apache M-TADS/PNVS system. M-TADS/PNVS provides Apache helicopter pilots with long-range, precision engagement and pilotage capabilities for mission success and flight safety during any time of the day and in any weather. Lockheed Martin developed RELY3D based on an employee idea to improve maintenance efficiency through interactive training content. The tool helps reduce training time for Apache aircraft maintainers by up to 60%, the company noted.
According to Defense News, the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter continues to face a number of serious deficiencies that could negatively impact pilots and missions. Valerie Insinna writes that documents show, the F-35 struggles with things like cabin pressure spikes that cause ear and sinus pains and loss of aircraft control with certain maneuvers. She also mentions issues with the helmet-mounted display and night vision camera that contribute to the difficulty of landing the F-35C on an aircraft carrier. The documents describe some of these problems as category 1 deficiencies, which is a designation only given to major flaws that impact safety or mission effectiveness. Most of the issues described have not been publicly communicated. However, Defense Department leaders want to decide by the end of the year if they should move forward with full-rate production.
Middle East & Africa
According to a press release, UVision plans to present its Hero-400EC’s Multi-Canister Launcher at the upcoming Paris Air Show. The Israeli company describes the Hero-400EC as a long-range, high-precision Loitering munition system with a low acoustic, visual and thermal signature that can locate, track and strike static as well as moving targets with high accuracy, stealth, and minimal collateral damage. The Hero-400EC loitering munition is 2.1 meters long and has a wing span of 2.4 meters as well as a maximum take-off weight of 40kg. UVision designed the weapon system to engage a range of stationary or moving targets, including armored vehicles, main battle tanks (MBTs), entrenched and fortified positions, and targets in confined urban environments. It is also suitable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) applications. The company unveiled the system in 2017. The new launcher is suitable for a wide range of land and naval applications. UVision will also reveal an advanced configuration of the Hero-120 with multi-purpose warheads.
Rafael together with IAI’s Elta Systems will upgrade the Litening 5 and Reccelite XR all-weather stand-off airborne electro-optic targeting pods with a synthetic aperture radar imagery intelligence payload, Jane’s reports. The Litening 5 is a high-resolution multi-sensor targeting pod, incorporating an upgraded 1.2K x 1.2K large aperture forward-looking mid-wave infrared and a short-wave infrared. In addition to more diverse targeting, the pods are said to feature inter-asset communications and sensor sharing capabilities. The fifth generation of the targeting pod is now capable of targeting from long range, enabling strike aircraft to employ guided weapons from standoff range without relying on external support. Litening 5 employs a new sensor package, utilizing an optical assembly and larger aperture tailored specifically for the new sensors, enabling the increased identification and recognition distance. Reccelite XR is a multi-spectral, multi-role, real-time standoff reconnaissance system that consists of an airborne pod, a wide digital datalink and a ground exploitation station. Similar to the Litening 5, Reccelite XR received an enhanced sensor package comprising megapixel-size arrays of near-infrared, mid-wave infrared, color sensors and short-wave infrared.
Europe
Rheinmetall won a $104 million order to deliver 252 unprotected transport vehicles with payloads of five and fifteen tonnes to the German „Bundeswehr“. In 2017, the German company signed an agreement to build 2,271 state-of-the-art military trucks. The agreement includes special tools and training services and is worth about $1 billion. Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles GmbH will build and deliver the just ordered vehicles until the end of the year.
Asia-Pacific
India launched an indigenously-developed Hypersonic Technology Demonstrator Vehicle (HSTDV) in its maiden test from a base off the Odisha coast on June 12. Initial reports say that the test was successful. According to India Today however, the Defense Research and Development Organization could not achieve the wanted results. The HSTDV is an unmanned scramjet demonstration vehicle that can cruise up to a speed of mach 6 and rise up to an altitude of 32. kilometers in 20 seconds. A successful test of a hypersonic technology transporter vehicle could boost the development of a hypersonic cruise missile, the Brahmos II, which is currently under development with Scramjet technology.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : Mig-29K Surprise Rafale,NASAMS-2 Puzzle,Predator Fast Track,1st Apache July
Jun 12, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Sikorsky won a $542 million firm-fixed price modification to produce six VH-92A Presidential Helicopters. Under the terms of the contract, known as Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 1, Sikorsky will begin deliveries of six VH-92A helicopters in 2021. The remaining production aircraft will be delivered in 2022 and 2023. The contract also provides spares and training support. The VH-92A is the military variant of the Sikorsky S-92. It is currently under development and will replace the Marine One US Presidential Transport Fleet. The aircraft has undergone government testing and operational assessments, including over 520 flight test hours establishing the aircraft’s technical maturity and readiness of its mission systems. Lockheed Martin delivered and installed the first VH-92A training device at the Presidential Helicopter Squadron HMX-1 in Quantico, Virginia, earlier this year. Sikorsky will perform work within the US and is expected to be finished in April 2022.
The US Navy awarded Boeing a $22.8 million contract modification for additional acoustics software support activity and engineering support for the P-8A Poseidon. The modification also incorporates virtual machine efforts and develops and integrates software for Multi-static Active Coherent Enhancements. The Poseidon is capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. It is also effective at humanitarian and search and rescue missions. The aircraft is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and ISR missions. Work will take place in Huntington Beach, California and is scheduled to be complete in January 2022.
Saab announced that the US Navy ordered additional Sea Giraffe Multi Mode Radars (MMR) for the Coast Guard’s offshore patrol cutter. Saab initially won a contract that includes multiple line item options for additional Sea Giraffe MMR systems in 2017. The deal also covered manufacturing, inspection, testing and delivery of the radars, which will be deployed on the Coast Guard’s Heritage class offshore patrol cutter. The Sea Giraffe MMR is a three-dimensional, electronically scanned, phased-array radar that offers high-radiated power, selectable waveforms and modern signal processing abilities. Saab’s Sea Giraffe AMB radar, designated AN/SPS-77 in the US, is currently deployed on the US Navy’s Independence-class Littoral Combat Ship. Saab will deliver the Radars between 2020 and 2022 and will carry out work in Syracuse, New York in the US and Gothenburg, Sweden.
Middle East & Africa
Elbit announced that its Hermes 45 Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System (STUAS) will be premiering at the upcoming Paris Airshow 2019. According to the Israeli company „Hermes 45 offers a unique combination of extended range and duration with point launch and recovery, to and from land and maritime platforms thus enhancing Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capabilities at the brigade and division levels and also for naval squadron units“. Elbit launched the small tactical-level unmanned aircraft system in 2017. It has a maximum operating endurance of more than 24 hours and a maximum takeoff weight of 65 kg, including a payload capacity of up to 15 kg, and can simultaneously operate with up to three payloads. Hermes 45 reportedly features a flight range of 200 kilometers or an extended Beyond Line of Sight range and an internal payload bay that supports multi-payload operation, including EO/IR, Marine-Radar, Terrain Dominance, Electronic Warfare and communications.
Europe
According to reports, a Russian Su-27 intercepted US and Swedish reconnaissance aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Monday. The incident is the latest in a series of similar encounters occurring at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow. The Russian defense ministry said in a statement: “On June 10, the Russian airspace control services over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea detected two air targets approaching Russia’s state border. A Su-27 fighter jet of the Baltic Fleet’s Air Defense Forces was scrambled to intercept the targets,” the statement said. The Su-27 identified the two foreign airplanes as a US Air Force RC-135 plane and a Swedish Air Force Gulfstream reconnaissance aircraft. The Baltops-2019 NATO naval drills are held on June 9 until June 21 in the southern part of the Baltic Sea. Around 40 ships and submarines, and 40 aircraft from 18 countries will take part in the military exercise.
Asia-Pacific
In a press release, Thales announced that the Australian Defense Forces awarded General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS) $15 million for the prototype and process development of a 155mm XM1113 Rocket-Assisted Projectile Round. The XM1113 RAP uses rocket technology to deliver greater thrust to the round, when compared to its predecessor, the legacy M549A1. It provides the user with cannon-launched munitions to engage targets beyond the current 30 kilometer capability. Thales Australia became a part of the GD-OTS international supply chain in 2018, enabling co-production and technology transfer for a variety of critical munitions products. According to the press release, GD-OTS is working with Thales Australia to expand the international Supply Chain enabling the US Government to make the system available to additional customers. The deal could potentially lead to additional exports from Thales’s operations at the Benalla and Mulwala sites, potentially securing and increasing jobs and investment for Thales and its local supply chain.
New Zealand’s Ministry of Defense released its Defense Capability Plan 2019 on June 11, outlining the investment priorities for the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) to 2030. The highest priority project within the plan is the replacement of the five Hercules transport aircraft. The preferred option for this replacement is the C-130J-30 Super Hercules, which is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft by Lockheed Martin. The C-130J already flies with over 21 nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. New Zealand’s current Hercules first started services in the 1960s and is getting more and more expensive and harder to maintain. The C-130J-30 is a stretch version of the C-130J adding 15 feet to the fuselage, increasing usable space in the cargo compartment.
Today’s Video
Watch: RUSSIAN PRS 1M HYPERSONIC INTERCEPTOR ! FULL ANALYSIS
Jun 11, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Northrop Grumman Systems won a $958 million firm-fixed-price contract to deliver 30 full-rate production Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar systems for the US Marine Corps. The deal includes spares parts and retrofit kits. The AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR system provides multi-faceted detection and tracking capabilities to support engagement of a wide range of hostile threats, and offers robust air traffic control capabilities to ensure the safety of Marines worldwide. The G/ATOR comes in two distinct software variants: Block I conducts air defense and surveillance missions for aviation command and control squadrons, and Block II targets the source of incoming artillery and other ground-based fires. The radar is able to detect low-observable targets with low radar cross sections such as rockets, artillery, mortars, cruise missiles and drones. Northrop will perform work within the US and is expected to be finished by January 13, 2025.
The US Navy contracted Bath Iron Works with a $61.7 million modification in support of the DDG 51 Class destroyers. The deal is for lead years services, which is a broad category encompassing necessary engineering support and configuration, baseline upgrades and new technology support, data and logistics management, analysis, acceptance trials, post-delivery test and trials and other elements of supporting construction of DDG 51 Class destroyers. DDG 51 Arleigh Burke destroyers are warships that provide multi-mission offensive and defensive capabilities. Destroyers can operate independently or as part of carrier strike groups, surface action groups, amphibious ready groups, and underway replenishment groups. The ships use the Aegis Combat System and the SPY-1D multifunction radar array. The ships were designed to use Tomahawk and other surface-to-air missiles and engage in antisubmarine warfare. Majority of the work under the contract modification will take place in Maine and is scheduled to be completed by June next year-
Middle East & Africa
Iran unveiled a new defense system called the „Khordad 15th“. The weapons system was displayed in a ceremony attended by Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami in Tehran, during which he said that it could detect targets as far away as 150 kilometers and hit several targets with the indigenous “Sayyad-3” missiles. According to reports, the missile system is a high-precision weapon capable of flying at low altitudes and able to carry a significant payload. Iran has worked in recent years to build its own weapons locally, rather than relying on foreign actors. Iran’s missile program was among the reasons cited by US President Donald Trump for leaving the 2015 nuclear deal last year and reimposing crippling sanctions. Recently Trump said he would be willing to reopen talks as long as Iran agreed to give up nuclear weapons.
Europe
China turns to the Ukraine to upgrade its military, the Washington Post reports. Chinese investors are reportedly asking staff at a Ukrainian aircraft engine factory about record-keeping and planning, the setup of production lines and the interplay between workshops. China is looking to upgrade its military and has found a willing partner in Motor Sich, because it can supply warplane engines as well as the know-how to possibly make a Chinese-built version in the future. Motor Sich has lost its biggest market, specifically supplying engines for military helicopters and other aircraft, after the Eastern Ukrainian War broke out in 2014.
Asia-Pacific
According to local reports, Kazan will be finishing up the upgrades of the Ansat helicopter next year. Ansat is a light twin-engine gas turbine multi-purpose helicopter with 7-9 seats. The fuselage has a pair of doors in pilot’s cab, and a pair of upwards and downwards opening side doors in transport compartment. After the seats have been removed, it can take 1000 kg of cargo inside. On external hook, it can take 1300 kg of load. The Kazan Helicopter Plant is upgrading the Ansat light multipurpose helicopter at the moment. Work is carried out in two stages: the first block of modernization was completed in 2018, the second will be finished next year. The company also continues work on starting a serial production of the modernized Ansat.
After the sudden crash of a Japanese F-35 into the Pacific Ocean in April, reports now saw this was caused by „spatial disorientation“ of its pilot. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force jet disappeared from radar while on a training mission with three other F-35s off northern Japan on April 9. There was no indication from the jet’s pilot, Maj. Akinori Hosomi, of any problems with the aircraft before contact was lost. The Ministry of Defense said Monday that Hosomi, a 41-year-old with 3,200 hours of flight experience, essentially flew the stealth fighter straight into the ocean during the night training mission. About 15 seconds lapsed between the pilot’s last communication and loss of contact with the plane. “We believe it highly likely the pilot was suffering from vertigo or spatial disorientation and wasn’t aware of his condition”, Defense Minister Takeshi Iwaya said in a briefing.
Today’s Video
Watch: The F-35 Could Intercept a N. Korean Missile Launch – but it Could Bring an All-Out Fight
Jun 07, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
General Dynamics won a $25.6 million firm-fixed-price contract to produce MK 46 Modification 2 Gun Weapon Systems for use on modern Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) and Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships. MK46 30mm all-weather, day/night, fully stabilized weapon system is a remotely operated system that uses a high-velocity cannon for shipboard self-defense against small, high-speed surface targets. It is the main deck gun for LPD-17 ships and is the secondary gun battery for LCS, and Zumwalt Class ships. The contract is for the procurement of two 30mm MK 46 MOD 2 GWSs for the LCS Surface Warfare Mission module, two 30mm MK 46 MOD 2 GWSs for the LPD-29, two 30mm MK 46 MOD 2 GWSs for the LPD-30, and associated spare parts. General Dynamics will perform work within the US and is expected to be finished by September 2021.
Sikorsky has flown its Optionally Piloted Vehicle (OPV) technology aboard a UH-60A Black Hawk testbed helicopter for the first time. The company said in a press release that the flight took place on May 29 and it marked the official start to the flight test program for the soon-to-be optionally piloted aircraft. “This is the first full authority fly-by-wire retrofit kit developed by Sikorsky that has completely removed mechanical flight controls from the aircraft,” Lockheed Martin said. The OPV trials are part of a wider effort led by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to demonstrate unmanned helicopter operations under its Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System program. Follow-on flight testing aims to include envelope expansion throughout the summer leading to flights without any pilots in 2020.
Middle East & Africa
Five Rafales for the Qatari Amiri Air Force arrived at Dukhan Air Base on June 5. Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani was on hand to welcome the pilots and the jets home. Qatar inked a number of major arms deals after Riyadh and its allies the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced a total economic boycott of Doha in June 2017. Qatar ordered 24 of the Rafales from France in 2015, adding 12 more last year. It also has an option to buy 36 more. In February, France formally handed the first of the aircraft over to Qatar in a ceremony in Merignac, southwestern France, where the planes are built. Qatar has separately inked deals with France for 50 Airbus A321 passenger planes as well as a deal with Britain to buy Typhoon fighters.
Europe
Aero Vodochody delivered three new L-159T2 light attack/trainer aircraft to the Czech Republic. The new T2 twin seat aircraft, which made its maiden flight in 2018, has a newly built central and forward fuselage, and is fully NVG compatible. The L-159 aircraft is operated by Czech Air Force, Iraqi Air Force and US company Draken International. According to reports, the cockpit has a multi-function display and upgraded version of the VS-20 ejection seat, while the aircraft offers single-point pressure refueling capability and carries self-protection systems in the form of countermeasures and a radar warning receiver. This makes the trainer perfect to train for the fleet of Gripens that student pilots move onto.
Finnish defense and aerospace group Patria has acquired Belgian aircraft propulsion maintenance operation Belgium Engine Center (BEC) from AIM Norway, said an official press release from Patria. BEC is a military jet engine maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) center that services the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine which powers F-15 and F-16 aircraft around the globe. The center also provides material management services for those engines. BEC has its operating base in Herstal in Belgium, and has about 90 employees. AIM Norway acquired BEC in 2016. The acquisition comes after Patria acquired Norwegian aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul specialist AIM Norway in partnership with Kongsberg of Norway in December 2018.
Asia-Pacific
The Japanese defense ministry plans to deploy a radar-equipped Aegis Ashore unit in the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Araya training area in Akita, the capital of the prefecture. However, officials found several mistakes in the survey documents that supported the need to deploy missile interceptors in Akita, local news reported Thursday. The defense ministry said on May 27 that 19 other candidate sites were “unfit” for Aegis Ashore deployment, Jiji Press reported. The government survey in question included errors for terrain data on nine other areas that provided comparisons to the designated site. The US State Department approved the Aegis Ashore systems purchase to Japan in January. Total cost of the system is estimated at more than $2 billion.
Today’s Video
Watch: China’s first sea launch: Long March-11 launches from a ship at sea
Jun 06, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems won a fixed-price-incentive-firm contract for aircraft avionics upgrades on 176 C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft. The deal is worth $499.6 million. The contract covers engineering and manufacturing development, as well as training and logistics requirements. The Hercules was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft and is able to user unprepared runways for takeoff and landing. It is now used for gunship, airborne assault, search and rescue, scientific research support, weather reconnaissance, aerial refueling, maritime patrol and aerial firefighting. The 40 variants of the aircraft, which include the C-130J Super Hercules, are used by more than 60 countries. Work will primarily be performed at L-3 Communications’ Waco, Texas, facility, with an expected completion date of Sept. 30, 2029.
The US Air Force awarded Universal Propulsion a $92 million contract to supply the Modernized ACES II Electronic Sequencer for the ejection seat on US as well as Foreign Military Sales aircraft. ACES II is an ejection seat system that senses the conditions of the ejection, such as airspeed and altitude, and selects the appropriate drogue and main parachute deployments to minimize the forces on the occupant. It is used on Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, General Dynamis F-16 Fighting Falcon, Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk, Rockwell B-1 Lancer, WB-57, and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit aircraft. Bahrain, Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates are the foreign military sales customers. Universal Propulsion will perform work in Fairfield, California, and is expected to be finished by August 2026.
Middle East & Africa
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will unveil the new tactical Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) of the Heron Family – the T-Heron – in the upcoming Paris Air Show. Ground Forces and Coast Guard as well as other protection forces will be able to use the T-Heron. It is designed for tactical missions on the battlefield and features a high level of flight safety and reliability. It reportedly is also resistant to extreme weather conditions. With its advanced, certified and proven Rotax engine, the drone can reach a maximum altitude of 24,000 feet and a top speed of 120 knots. The new UAV is capable of carrying several payloads simultaneously of up to 180 kg. The T-Heron will use the same automatic takeoff and landing capability as its family members, but will also be able to deploy from unprepared runways, so will not have to rely on being operated from airfields and can instead be forward deployed as required.
Europe
According to reports, the German Army finished its firing training for the Rafael Spike LR anti-tank guided missile. Spike is a fire-and-forget missile with lock-on before launch and automatic self-guidance. It has an imaging infrared seeker. Rafael has sold over 30,000 Spike missiles to 31 countries around the world. The German training involved the firing of 54 live Spike missiles by gunners using the new Spike integrated control launch unit (ICLU) launcher. Complex firing scenarios, like beyond-line-of-sight engagements, retargeting mid-flight, firing in total darkness in infrared, as well as having to cope with adverse weather conditions, like intense rain and strong winds were part of the exercise.
An Apache Attack Helicopter landed on the deck of the UK Royal Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, the HMS Queen Elizabeth, for the first time, to commence its preliminary ship integration testing on June 3. The Apache that conducted the first landing belonged to the British Army’s Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) and assigned to 656 Squadron Army Air Corps. Under Joint Helicopter Command, the Attack Helicopter will begin a series of tests and evaluations in a so called Platform Ship Integration Testing, or PSITs for short. The visit is also part of the commemorations of the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
Asia-Pacific
China successfully launched its first sea-based rocket. A Long March-11 solid propellant carrier rocket blasted off at 12:06 pm from a mobile platform. It is China’s first space launch from a sea-based platform and the 306th mission of the Long March carrier rocket series. The rocket reportedly also carried two communications satellites courtesy of China 125, a Beijing-based technology company that plans to launch hundreds of satellites to provide global data networking services. About six minutes after the launch into space, five commercial satellites and a pair of “technical experiment” probes – called Bufeng, or Wind Catchers – reached their designated orbits.
Today’s Video
Watch: Incredible: F-35B vs AV-8B Harrier II Short Takeoff & Vertical Landing
Jun 05, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $56.9 million contract modification to procure Mk 48 Mod 7 guidance and control (G&C) sections and Mk 48 Mod 7 Common Broadband Advanced Sonar System (CBASS). The company will also produce Functional Item Replacement (FIR) kits, spares and production support material, apart from offering related engineering services and hardware repair support, for G&C sections and CBASS kits. The MK 48 Mod 7 CBASS is an upgraded version of the MK 48 Advanced Capability Mod 6 Advanced Common Torpedo, manufactured by Raytheon. Lockheed Martin’s MK 48 Mod 7 CBASS torpedo is the US Navy’s most potent anti-surface and anti-submarine weapon in use aboard allied submarines. The torpedo has been designed to be exceedingly lethal and effective against threats operating in deep and shallow waters. Work will take place in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania and is scheduled to be finished by March 2021.
Raytheon announced that it completed the final developmental test of the latest generation of the Ship Self Defense System or SSDS, Integrated Combat System for the USS Gerald R. Ford or CVN 78. Mike Fabel, Raytheon’s SSDS program manager said that the successful dual-target test would demonstrate the maturity of the Ship Self Defense System ICS and paves the way for operational testing to begin. SSDS is an open, distributed combat management system in service on US carriers and amphibious ships. The CVN 78 SSDS Integrated Combat System incorporates several elements including Raytheon’s dual band radar, Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM), and the Rolling Airframe Missile. The USS Gerald R. Ford is the lead ship of the Ford Class Carriers. Gerald R. Ford is equipped with an AN/SPY-3 and an AN7SPY-4 active electronically scanned array multi function radar.
Middle East & Africa
The US Air Force awarded Textron Systems a $24.3 million contract action for AC-208 contract logistics support and maintenance training for Afghanistan. The AC-208 Eliminator Armed Caravan is an advanced reconnaissance and ground attack aircraft. The Air Force awarded the aircraft’s manufacturer Orbital ATK a firm fixed price contract worth $86.4 million to supply Afghanistan with seven AC-208 Eliminator aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered to the Afghanistan Air Force under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The AC-208 deliveries are expected to conclude in 2019. Textron Systems will perform work Kabul, Afghanistan, and is expected to be finished by May 31, 2020.
Europe
Elbit Systems announced that its German subsidiary will supply the E-Lynx Soldier Radio Systems to the German Army. The E-Lynx soldier radios will come in handheld and vehicular configurations. According to Elbit, the radios provide forces with the capability to use several voice groups in a single channel and fast data services and enable effective closing of the sensor to shooter loop and accurate monitoring of forces location based on radio integrated Blue Force Tracking (BFT) capability. The systems will be used at the platoon and company levels and will be installed onboard various combat vehicles including the SPz PUMA.
The US State Department approved a possible sale of F-16C/D Block 70/72 aircraft to Bulgaria. The deal is worth $1.7 billion. Prime contractor will be Lockheed Corporation, Bethesda, Maryland. The sale would bring a US fighter platform to an Eastern European member of NATO, marking a recent continuance in the shift from dependence upon Russian-based equipment dating back to the Cold War era when imposition of Soviet puppet states and its Warsaw Pact counter-NATO edifice dominated the region. Bulgaria had initially hoped to finalize a deal for the F-16s in 2018 allowing for deliveries to run through 2021, with in-service capability initially achieved by 2020. If a deal is reached in the coming months, these timeframes will be pushed out by a year or two. The F-16 Block 70/72 is the newest and most advanced F-16 production configuration. Capability upgrades include the advanced Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar with a new avionics architecture, and structural upgrades to extend the structural life of the F-16s by more than 50 percent.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea and New Zealand signed an agreement to collaborate on defense development and production activity. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said that DAPA minister Wang Jung-hong and New Zealand’s Secretary of Defense Helene Quilter signed a memorandum of understanding in Seoul. In April, South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries Co. launched New Zealand’s future fleet tanker/replenishment vessel, called Aoteaora. It will likely be delivered and commissioned in 2020.
Today’s Video
Watch: High Alert : Why the Legendary F-15 Might Be Poised for an Epic Comeback
Jun 04, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $29.3 million contract modification to produce TB-37 Multi-Function Towed Array production units, accessories, shipping products, and spare modules for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations aboard surface warships. The TB-37, part of the AN/SQQ-89(V) Undersea Warfare/Anti-Submarine Warfare Combat System, is a next-generation passive and active sonar receiver configured as a long 3-inch-diameter array that can be towed behind surface ships. It is for Arleigh Burke Class destroyers, Ticonderoga Class cruisers, the Littoral Combat Ships, and Zumwalt Class land-attack destroyer. It is able to operate at a variety of depths to enable surface warships to detect and localize enemy submarines attempting to hide in different ocean layers of varying temperatures and salinity. Lockheed will perform work in New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Scheduled completion date is in June 2021.
The US Navy awarded Sierra Nevada Corp. a $9.8 million task order for the AN/SPN-46(V) landing system upgrade program. The deal addresses obsolescence issues, system degraders, deficiency correction and cybersecurity implementation. The AN/SPN-46(V) is a Precision Approach and Landing System. It is capable of controlling up to two aircraft simultaneously in a “leapfrog” pattern because of two dual-band radar antennas. As each approaching aircraft being assisted by the system lands, another can be “acquired”. Work will take place in St. Inigoes, Maryland and is scheduled to be finished by May next year.
Lockheed Marin won a $9.3 million order for post shakedown availability on the Navy’s future USS Billings or LCS-15. The Billings is a Littoral Combat Ship currently undergoing sea trials. It is the 17th littoral combat ship delivered to the Navy and eighth of the Freedom variant to join the fleet. She will be commissioned on August 3 in Key West, Florida and will be tasked with near-shore multi-purpose missions that utilize her ability to deploy and recover landing craft and helicopter. A vessel is typically not committed to any timetables or tasks until it completes its shakedown cruise. While the ship is assigned to the industrial activity for this purpose, this period is known as an “availability”. The awarded deal provides advance planning, accomplishment and emergent availabilities. Work will take place within the US and is expected to be completed by January 2021.
Middle East & Africa
Russia’s Ministry of Defense will soon be able to establish permanent missions within its counterparts in the Central African Republic and Sudan. Jane’s reports that the country has signed agreements with the African States that will run for seven years and will automatically renew if they are not terminated. The aim is to resolve military issues, provide training, and support the acquisition and maintenance of equipment.
Europe
The Belarusian company AGAT Control Systems will soon finish the Berkut-3, a Group 1-class drone. The UAV reportedly has a wingspan of 3 meters and a maximum take-off weight of 11 kg, and has the ability to carry a 2 kg payload. It can be assembled within 10 minutes and launched and recovered via a catapult and a parachute respectively. It is equipped with a combined inertial navigation system (INS) and GPS/GLONASS satellite navigation receiver. The system also includes a digital still camera, infrared camera, or TV camera – ground control station (GCS), datalink, and a ruggedized storage container.
Asia-Pacific
Insitu won $47.9 million to deliver ScanEagle drones to four US allies in Asia. The company will deliver 34 ScanEagles to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The order also provides for spare payloads, spare and repair parts, support equipment, tools, training, technical services and field service representatives for each nation. The drone delivers high-quality imagery for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The UAV is based on Insitu’s SeaScan miniature robotic aircraft and draws on Boeing’s systems integration, communications and payload technologies. It carries either an electro-optical or an infrared camera. Both are inertially stabilized. Insitu will perform 70 percent of the work under the new contract in Bingen, Washington as well as at multiple shore and at sea locations, including nine percent in Malaysia, five percent each in Philippines and Vietnam, and four percent in Indonesia. Expected completion is in March 2022.
Indonesia could get Su-35 supplies as soon as the end of the year, according to Russian reports. Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu stated that Jakarta would not cancel the contract on jet supplies despite the US sanctions against Russia. The sanctions aim to punish Russian President Vladimir Putin for the 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine, involvement in the Syrian war, and interference in the 2016 US presidential election. In February last year Indonesia signed contracts for the purchase of 11 SU-35s. The Defense Ministry has already signed all the necessary paperwork. However, the Trade Ministry and Finance Ministry are still in the process of approval. Indonesia is the second country after China to buy Su-35 aircraft from Russia. The Asian nation wants the fighter jets to replace its ageing fleet of F-5 Tigers.
An AN-32 transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force with 13 people on board reportedly went missing on Monday afternoon around 33 minutes after taking off from Jorhat in Assam for Arunachal’s Menchuka close to the border with China. According to the IAF the aircraft took off from Jorhat 12:27 pm, and its last contact with the ground control was at 1 pm. The IAF has deployed C-130J and AN-32 aircraft next to two Mi-17 choppers while the Indian Army has pressed into service advance light helicopters to locate the missing Antonov AN-32 aircraft. The AN-32 is a Soviet Union-origin twin-engine turboprop transport aircraft. The IAF was the aircraft’s launch customer.
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Watch: High Alert : U.S. Air Force deploys F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft to Poland
Jun 03, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
The US Air Force awarded D&D Machinery a $8.9 million contract for the C-17 Globemaster program. The deal is for the Aircraft Engine Ground Handling Trailer, which is required to incorporate I-beam rails to interface with the rollers on the engine cradle. The C-17 is a high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed transport aircraft, that can carry large equipment, supplies and troops directly to small airfields in harsh terrain. The US Air Force ordered its last C-17 in 2010. In 2012, a single C-17 was ordered to replace an aircraft that had been destroyed. The estimated total cost over the lifetime of the aircraft’s program is $328 million to $368 million. Work under the contract will take place in San Antonio, Texas and has a scheduled completion date of September 18, 2023.
General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems won a $7.5 million contract modification in support of the Navy’s AH-1Z helicopters. The company will build 37 A/A49E-7(V4) gun turrets for the US Navy’s as well as the government of Bahrain’s Vipers. The Bell AH-1Z Viper is an American twin-engine attack helicopter, based on the AH-1W SuperCobra, that was developed for the United States Marine Corps as part of the H-1 upgrade program. The AH-1Z features a four-blade, bearingless, composite main rotor system, uprated transmission, and a new target sighting system. The major components of the A/A49E-7(V4) are the M197 20MM rotary gun, gun turret, control system and ammunition handling system. The A/A49E-7(V4) gun turret system is chin mounted on the AH-1Z chopper providing the capability to position, feed, and fire the M197 20MM rotary gun. It provides air-to-air and air-to-ground capability. GenDyn will perform work under the contract modification in Maine, Vermont, and is expected to finish work by January 2022.
Middle East & Africa
The US Navy awarded General Atomics a $36.5 million modification for nine months of Group 5 unmanned air system intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. Group 5 indicates that the unmanned aerial vehicles are in the largest category of Defense Department classifications at greater than 1,320 pounds and functioning at altitudes above 18,000 feet. Specifically, the services are for Task Force Southwest and Marine Corps operations utilizing contractor-owned/contractor-operated MQ-9 unmanned air systems. Task Force Southwest is an American operation in Afghanistan under NATO’s Operation Resolute. It conducts security force assistance to train, advise, and assist missions to enable credible and sustainable Afghan National Defense and Security Forces in southwestern Afghanistan. The drones can carry precision guided bombs and missiles. The Reapers provide a wide-area persistent surveillance capability with the help of the so called Gorgon Stare System, which consists of nearly 370 individual cameras that can simultaneously grab imagery across a 40-square mile zone. Analysts can combine those images into a single mosaic map and look for significant changes or patterns of activity and track vehicles and personnel movements over large areas. General Atomics will perform work within the US and outside the continental US. Scheduled completion date is in February next year.
Europe
Belarus presented its 9m318 surface-to-air missile prototype at MILEX 2019 defense exhibition in Minsk earlier this month. Jane’s reports, that the missile, developed by OKB TSP Scientific Production Limited Liability Company, can engage high-speed maneuverable aerodynamic targets with low radar cross-section, including fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, tactical ballistic, anti-ship, cruise, and air-launched missiles, and surface and radio-emitting ground targets in an electronically contested environment. The 9M318 rocket is actually developed for the Buk-MB3 medium-range anti-aircraft missile system that can hit objects at a distance of up to 70 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 25 kilometers.
Asia-Pacific
Malaysia plans to replace its S-61 helicopter. Royal Malaysian Air Force chief General, Affendi Buang said that the service is looking at a range of helicopters including the EC725. However, Buang recently visited Russia to have a closer look at the Yak-130, which is another possible procurement for Malaysia. However, the acquisition of the lightweight aircraft is still not certain. Malaysia received the first S-61 in 1967. The Eurocopter EC725 is a long-range tactical transport helicopter specially developed to meet a French Air Force requirement for a helicopter for combat search and rescue operations. It made its maiden flight in 2000. The chopper can carry 28 troops or 12 stretchers. Alternatively it can carry 5,670 kg of payload internally. External payload capacity is around 4,500 kg.
According to Northrop Grumman, the company completed its first delivery of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye to the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force on March 29. The Japan Ministry of Defense chose the Northrop Grumman E-2D as its next airborne early warning requirement in November 2014. The Advanced Hawkeyes will help the Japan Air Self-Defense Force in surveilling and securing the country’s airspace but also its territorial waters. They can detect aircraft and ships. The APY-9 Radar fitted in the E-2D has an effective range of over 500 km or 270 nautical miles. Japan previously operated the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye since 1983 and is the largest E-2 operator outside the US.
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Watch: IDET 2019 International Fair of Defence and Security Technology Exhibition Brno Czech Republic Day 1
May 31, 2019 05:00 UTC
Americas
The Navy awarded Timken Gears and Services a $147.4 million contract modification for Main Reduction Gear shipsets for Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers. The gear is designed to transfer power from a pair of main gas turbine engines to propulsion shafts of the vessels. Each of the Arleigh Burke ships has one gear assembly for each of the two propulsion shafts. In 2016 Timken has been awarded a $1.04 billion contract for main reduction gears for the Arleigh Burke destroyers. The destroyers are equipped with the Aegis combat system which integrates the ship’s sensors and weapons systems to engage anti-ship missile threats. Timken will perform work within the US and is expected to complete work by November 2022.
Northrop Grumman Systems won $65.2 million to deliver three Triton UAVs. The company is building the MQ-4C Triton to fly maritime surveillance missions as long as 24 hours at altitudes of more than 10 miles to enable coverage out to 2,000 nautical miles. The UAV’s suite of sensors can detect and classify different types of ships automatically. The Triton is planned to be an important component of the Navy’s 21st century strategy for conducting surveillance of surface ship and submarine traffic in the vast Pacific and other oceans. The Triton UAV will work together with the Navy’s P-8A Poseidon manned maritime patrol aircraft. The contract is for the Navy and the government of Australia and also provides equipment and associated materials for three ground stations. Northrop will perform work within the US and scheduled completion date is in June 2020.
Middle East & Africa
Israel is looking at CH-53 King Stallion as a possible replacement for the CH-53 Yas’ur (Sea Stallion) helicopters that have been in Israeli service for more than 40 years. According to Jane’s, Israeli Air Force officials let Lockheed Martin know about their intention. Israel started looking for a replacement for its Sea Stallion last year. The CH-53 King Stallion, which is designed to transport dozens of fighters and heavy weaponry to operations on the front or deep inside enemy territory, can carry two heavy SUVs in its cabin. The CH-53K has three hooks for carrying cargo on ropes. The Yas’ur has only one. The King Stallion can be refueled mid-air and has cutting-edge autopilot and landing features, enabling its pilot to touch down almost without using his hands.
Europe
BAE Systems won a $39.5 million contract action for the French MQ-9 FMS Sensor Pod effort. The General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper or Predator B is a UAV capable of remotely controlled or autonomous flight operations. It is the first hunter-killer UAV designed for long-endurance, high-altitude surveillance. The drone is designed primarily for attack missions but can also be used for surveillance, close air support and reconnaissance. The MQ-9 has a a high cruise speed, a flight ceiling up to 40,000 feet and can carry a larger sensor and weapons payload than its predecessors. France introduced the Reaper in 2013, when it requested the purchase of 16 MQ-9 aircraft and associated equipment at a cost of $1.5 billion. The new contract provides for the production of FMS sensor pods, which will be utilized on the French Air Force MQ-9 Block 5 aircraft and Block 30 Mobile Ground Control Stations. Work will take place in Nashua, New Hampshire, and is scheduled to be finished by April 30, 2023.
Irkutsk Aviation Plan completed the assembly of the fifth Yak-152 prototype, according to local reports.The Yak-52 is a Russian trainer aircraft by Yakovlev Design Bureau. The first prototype flew on September 29, 2016. The aircraft is intended to provide primary pilot training, professional selection, and occupational guidance for future military fighter pilots. The Russian Ministry of Defense contracted Yakovlev in June 2015 to supply approximately 150 Yak-152 aircraft by 2020. The Yak-152 trainer aircraft has a length of 7.72m, wing span of 8.82m and a height of 2.47m. The maximum take-off weight is 1,320kg and it can carry a maximum fuel load of 200kg. It features a monocoque fuselage made up of four longerons. Reportedly, a sixth prototype is under construction.
Asia-Pacific
The Indian Air Force wants to arm its fleet of Su-30MKI multirole fighters with Rafael Advanced Defense System I-Derby extended range (ER) beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM). The Indian Air Force is reportedly in talks with Rafael to acquire the I-Derby ER, which has a range of 100 km because of it is superior to the aging Russian Vympel R-77 air-to-air missile, currently under service of the IAF. These developments come after the fire-and-forget I-Derby ER missile, which features a software-defined radar seeker and a dual-pulse solid rocket motor, was selected to be the primary AAM to arm the IAF’s indigenously designed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft following successful test-firings in July 2018.
Today’s Video
Watch: Maiden Sortie for ‘Russian-Style’ F-16 Fighter Jet
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