New wing for JASSM-ER | Gripen pulled out of Belgian fighter comp | CH-5 UAV available for export

• Lockheed Martin has been granted a $37.7 million contract for the continued development of a new wing design for the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER). The new wing design will provide greater range for the missile, which currently can strike targets more than 550 miles away. Speaking on the award, Jason Denney, program director for Lockheed’s Long Range Strike Systems said the company has “developed a novel design that provides additional standoff range to further increase pilot survivability in an Anti-Access-Area Denial threat environment.” This further increase in the range of the missile will be incorporated into production lot 17.

• A report on the investigation into the detachment of a boom on a KC-100 tanker aircraft on November 1, 2016, has blamed a sheared Dual Rotary Voltage Transducer (DRVT) rotary crank as one of the primary cause of the incident. The issues started during a routine training flight over Idaho when the tanker was about to refuel F-15s and a C-17. During the exercise, the boom immediately began to move erratically and well outside of its operational and structural limits after the operator lowered it. Unable to control the boom, the aircraft declared an emergency and proceed to land at Mountain Home Air Force Base. The boom detached while en route to the base.

• Additional long lead time construction materials have been ordered by the US Navy for the construction of the Ford-class CVN 80 Enterprise. Work will be carried out in Newport News, Va., and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Navy 2017 shipbuilding funds of $148.7 million will be obligated to the project. Long lead parts involve the lengthy planning, development and work of certain components and subsystems needed for the vessel. These include examples like shipboard nuclear power plants to the thousands of tons of steel needed to construct an aircraft carrier hull. The Enterprise is powered by A1B nuclear reactors and can generate two-and-a-half times the electrical power of its Nimitz-class predecessor, giving it the capacity to mount future weapons and electronics like laser weapons. It also has an electro-magnetic aircraft launch system rather than standard steam-powered catapults.

Middle East & North Africa

• The US Air Force has awarded Textron Aviation Defense a $8.8 million contract to refurbish 15 T-6A Texan II training aircraft for the Iraqi Air Force. Work on the foreign military sale will be conducted at Inman Ali Air Base in Iraq, with a completion date scheduled for the second quarter of 2018 in order to meet Iraq’s demand for F-16 pilots in 2019. The light turboprop training aircraft serves as the main training platform for Iraqi pilots operating its main fleet of F-16IQ Block 52 fighters.

Europe

• Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen has been pulled out of Belgium’s fighter competition, leaving Brussels with the choice of either the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon, or Lockheed Martin F-35. While Sweden’s FMV defence materiel administration had initially touted the Gripen as a cost-effective solution that can easily fill the operational requirements required by Belgium, the request included the requirement that the delivering nation also provides extensive operational support—something that would require a change in both Swedish foreign policy and political mandate. As a result, Sweden and the FMV choose not to submit an answer to the Belgian request.

• The British Royal Air Force (RAF) is to drive funds into Eurofighter Typhoon fleet enhancement from savings made through a new in-service support model. Known as the Typhoon total availability enterprise (Tytan), the 10-year arrangement between the RAF and industry partners BAE Systems and Leonardo is expected to reduce the Typhoon’s per-hour operating cost by 30-40%, generating savings of at least $712 million over the agreement’s lifetime. These funds will then be generated back into upgrading the aircraft. UK-specific initiatives already introduced via the Tytan contract include increasing the intervals between scheduled major maintenance activities, which will increase aircraft availability and reduce repair bills. Deep maintenance initially scheduled after every 400 flight hours has previously been extended to a 500h interval, and is expected to be stretched further to 750h.

• Slovakia has become the first recipient of the latest variant of Saab’s Carl-Gustaf M4 multi-role weapon. Deliveries of the 84mm man-portable reusable anti-tank weapon system took place last month and will go towards replacing the older M3 variants currently in use by Slovakia. Weighing less than 15.5 pounds, the new lightweight design offers soldiers significant mobility improvements, and is compatible with future battlefield technology developments, such as intelligent sighting systems and programmable ammunition.

Asia Pacific

• The China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has announced that its CH-5 UAV is available for serial production and export to overseas. The drone has been described as on-par in terms of endurance and payload to the US-made General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, but at much cheaper cost. Current CH-series operators include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), while another Chinese UAV vendor, the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG), is believed to have sold its Wing Loong to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt. Potential markets to be targeted by CASC include Latin America, North Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and potentially even Eastern Europe.

Today’s Video

• China’s CH-5 completes flight trials:

Shanahan confirmed as Dep. Defense Sec. | USS North Dakota tests Tomahawk with Block III Payload Tubes | India gears up for LUH

• Leidos has received a $64 million task order for the integration and demonstration of three Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Enhanced (ARL-E) ground surveillance and intelligence aircraft. Work and testing will take place at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., and will take part in demonstration flights prior to delivery to the US Army. The aircraft are the upgraded version of the ARL, which replaces the ARL’s de Havilland Canada Dash 7 airframe with a twin-engine Bombardier Dash-8 turboprop aircraft, and is equipped with dual-optical high definition sensors, laser rangefinders and target designators, a long-range surface search radar, and radio wave direction finders which can give precise coordinates of enemy communication signals.

• Two Tomahawk vertically-launched cruise missiles have been successfully test-fired from the Virginia-class submarine USS North Dakota. The test aimed to verify the capabilities of the recently installed Block III Payload Tubes, designed to replace the original Virginia-classes 12 vertical launch missile tubes. Integration of the tubes are part of upgrades to the class’s missile launch systems—which includes the Virginia Payload Module launch system—and will triple the capacity for Tomahawks and allow greater flexibility for installing other vertical launch weapons systems. Improved Tomahawk Block IV missiles are expected to be deployed from 2019 and will be in the US Navy inventory beyond 2040.

• Former Boeing vice president Patrick Shanahan has been confirmed by the US Senate as deputy secretary of defense. The Senate voted 92-7 in favor of the appointment, despite concerns by some in the political arena—Senate Armed Services Committee chairman John McCain, R-Ariz found his answers during his confirmation hearing on arming Ukraine as “unsatisfactory,” while other senators were opposed to a defense contractor getting a post in Trump’s Pentagon. Shanahan will replace Robert Work as deputy defense secretary, who has held the post since 2016.

Middle East & North Africa

• Three Turkish defense firms will be asked to submit proposals to Turkey’s Altay tank program, which could reach beyond $10 billion. BMC, Otokar and FNSS—all private companies—will bid to secure a contract for the serial production of an initial batch of 250 Altay tanks, with Turkey planning to produce a total of 1,000 units. Ankara’s decision to include three bidders in the program comes after Otokar produced and successfully completed qualification tests of an Altay prototype, including mobility and endurance testing on rough terrain and climatic conditions, firing tests with various scenarios, and survivability testing. However, last month, the Turkish procurement agency deemed Otokar’s serial production sole-source offer as too expensive, instead opening up the competition to include other bidders.

Europe

• The delivery schedule for Su-30SM fighters to Belarus has been delayed due to “technical changes in the aircraft’s equipment set.” Originally scheduled to begin next year, Belarus will instead have to wait until 2019 for deliveries to start at a rate of four per year for a total of 12 models. Already this year, the Belarusian Armed Forces has received six Mil Mi-8MTV-5 helicopters, the fourth battery of Tor-M2 air defense missile systems, a Protivnik-G radar, two Torn-8P radio control and radio monitoring stations and various kinds of modern sniper rifles and special weapons from Russia.

• Rheinmetall has signed a framework agreement with the German military for the delivery of DM11 120mm tank ammunition. The first delivery is valued at an initial $43 million deal and calls for a potential order for 5,000 rounds of 120mm training ammunition, and multi-year orders could see a total contract value reach into the hundreds of millions of euros. DM11 120mm ammunition would be used on the German military Leopard 2 main battle tanks and can be retrofitted with any 120mm smoothbore gun with modern fire control. It has been in use by Berlin since 2014 and has been exported to other countries using the Leopard 2 tank.

Asia Pacific

• In an effort to help the Philippines tackle a jihadist insurgency, the US is to transfer two Cessna 208B Caravans equipped for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The archipelago nation has seen a recent flare in violence on the muslim majority southern island of Mindanao, where its obsolescent Rockwell OV-10B Bronco aircraft and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) FA-50 fighters have been conducting raids against enemy forces. The aircraft were ordered in a $14 million May 2016 contract awarded by the US Department of Defence to L-3 Communications, which called for the modification of Cessna 208Bs to the ISR mission. Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and the Philippines—countries all dealing with insurgencies—had been earmarked for the aircraft.

• The Indian government is to kick start a multi-billion program to acquire 110 light utility helicopters (LUH) for the Indian Navy. New Delhi plans to send out an expression of interest to domestic companies, including Bharat Forge, Reliance, Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Aerospace and Tata Advanced Systems, who in turn will act as a strategic partner with a selected overseas original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to produce the aircraft. 30 helicopters will be bought off-the-shelf from the foreign manufacturer, while the rest will be produced domestically with the local partner. Airbus, Russian Helicopters, Sikorsky, and Bell Helicopters are all expected to take part in the LUH program.

Today’s Video

• US ISR aircraft for the Philippines:

India discusses Jaguar purchase | Two offers expected for Renault Trucks Defense | LOC to deliver Bradley modification kits

Americas

• The US Army has awarded LOC Performance a $49.1 million contract modification to an existing order for Bradley Fighting Vehicle modification kits and installation. Under the terms of the deal, LOC will produce and supply 276 additional Bradley Engineering Change Proposal 1 kits and two sets of spare parts, which will be used to upgrade Bradley Fighting Vehicles weight-bearing systems and underbelly armor. Work will be conducted at Plymouth, Minn. with a completion date scheduled for April 30, 2019. The Engineering Change Proposal 1 installs heavy load-bearing tracks, torsion bars to restore ground clearance and improved underbelly armor on the Bradleys. This in turn improves the vehicle’s capability to handle the stress placed on its chassis caused by the installation of armor upgrades and Bradley Urban Survivability Kits.

• Lockheed Martin will deliver Patriot Advanced Capability-3 anti-ballistic missile systems to several international customers after receiving a $130.3 million contract from the US Army. The order calls for the delivery of 35 missile segment enhancements, 100 launcher modifications kits, parts, software, and missile round trainers. Recipients of the systems include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the Untied Arab Emirates, the Republic of Korea, and Taiwan. Work will primarily take place at the company’s Grand Prairie, Texas facility, as well as other sites across the US, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2020.

Africa

• The Nigerian armed forces have began to receive deliveries of 4×4 armored personnel carriers from the Streit Group. Its first batch of 25 vehicles included the firm’s Spartan APCs and Typhoon 4×4 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles. It’s expected that a total of 177 vehicles will be delivered. The Spartan provides protection against both ballistic and blast threats with crew compartment protection of CEN Level BR6 armor. The Typhoon 4×4 MRAP features a V-shaped armored hull as well as blast protection to STANAG 4569 Level 3. Nigeria will use the vehicles to better tackle the ongoing insurgency by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the country’s north and east.

Middle East & North Africa

• Israel has increased the scope of its Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 “Lavi” advanced jet trainers after the successful upgrade of the aircraft’s software. Additional external fuel tanks have already been added to the trainers with future enhancements to include the addition of live bombs which will allow for the advanced training of air-to-surface strike missions. The aircraft are also being employed to support advanced training involving “fourth-generation” fighters.

• Turkish F-16 Block 30 fighters are scheduled to get structural and avionic upgrades aimed at increasing the fleet’s combat capabilities. A total of 35 aircraft will undergo the modernization, 25 of which will be upgraded jointly by Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and manufacturer Lockheed Martin, while the remaining ten will be upgraded at a Turkish Air Force support and maintenance unit in Eskisehir in Central Anatolia. Deliveries of the modernized aircraft will begin in 2018 and completed by the end of 2023. This is likely to be the last Turkish F-16 upgrade program as the fighters will be eventually phased out in favor of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Europe

• Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo has two interested buyers for its armored vehicles unit, Renault Trucks Defense (RTD), in a deal estimated to be worth $573 million. The interested parties expected to submit offers by the July 24 deadline include French-German tank maker KNDS and Belgian group CMI. Sources close to the deal added that private equity groups which initially expressed interest in RTD are not expected to take part in the auction, which is organized by Rothschild. Volvo’s decision to shed RTD from its portfolio comes as the firm looks to dump non-core assets as part of efforts to streamline a group that has been built on a series of large acquisitions. It has already sold its aerospace unit and external IT operations as well as a large real estate portfolio.

Asia Pacific

• Indian officials have commenced negotiations to buy ex-French Air Force Jaguar strike fighters. The aircraft had been offered to New Delhi by France about six months ago, and the issue is expected to be discussed during a meeting between both countries’ air force chiefs in India this week. While it remains unknown how much France wants in exchange for the warplanes, Indian officials said that they are actively considering acquiring them after proper refurbishment.

• India’s Dassault Rafale fighters on order from France will be equipped with Israeli firm Rafael’s Litening targeting pod. Yuval Miller, head of the Israeli company’s air and C4I systems division said that the pods, produced to the latest 4I island will be manufactured in India in partnership with a local firm. The Indian air force already uses the Rafael-produced pod on several types of combat aircraft, having acquired the system in the Litening III standard. Rafael also is to supply its advanced 4I version of the system for use by the Aeronautical Development Agency’s Tejas light combat aircraft.

Today’s Video

• MiG-35 at MAKS 2017:

RAF Eurofighter fires Brimstone | Turkey and Eurosam agree on missile defense system | SK prosecutors raid KAI offices

Americas

• Airbus Helicopters has received a $35.2 million contract modification for the supply of parts and logistical support for the US Army’s UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter. The deal includes orders for spare parts and logistical support to account for higher flying hours by the UH-72 fleet than originally projected. Work will be conducted at Grand Prairie, Texas, with a scheduled completion date set at December 31, 2017. $35.2 million in 2017 Army operations and maintenance funds have been obligated for the project.

• The first Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer to be commissioned in five years has been named the USS John Finn, during a ceremony at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii. Named after US Navy sailor Chief John Finn, Finn had been awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the attack on Pearl Habor, and at the time of his death in 2010, was the oldest living recipient of the award. In preparation for the vessel’s commissioning, acting Secretary of the Navy Sean Stackly said that Finn “distinguished himself through heroic service to his fellow Sailors and our nation. I know the men and women who make up the crew of USS John Finn will carry his legacy forward with the same selfless service he distinguished more than 75 years ago.”

Middle East & North Africa

• Despite recently agreeing to purchase the S-400 air defense system from Russia, Turkey has also signed an initial agreement with the Franco-Italian Eurosam consortium for the development of a missile defense system. According to the deal, Turksh companies and Eurosam—which is owned by the multinational European missile maker MBDA and France’s Thales—will work together to produce SAMP/T Aster 30 long-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) systems, which is already in use in several NATO member countries. The SAMP/T Aster 30 system uses a network of sophisticated radars and sensors – including 3D phased array radar – enabling it to be highly effective against all types of air threats. The system can intercept missiles with a 600 kilometer range and it can operate in standalone mode or can be integrated in a coordinated network such as NATO missiles defense system.

Europe

• An investigation into fraud surrounding Austria’s 2003 purchase of Eurofighter jets has moved forward after Green party lawmaker Peter Pilz filed an official complaint with Vienna prosecutors against Daimler. Daimler, which was the parent company of Airbus’ predecessor EADS, is being accused by Pilz of deceiving the Austrian Economy Ministry about side deals intended to boost the local economy that were required by Vienna to agree the purchase. Pilz added that after years of research, they have “a seamless chain of evidence” that shows that new projects presented by firms tendering for the fighter contract were in fact already underway. Daimler company spokeswoman Ute Wueest von Vellberg said the criminal charges were unfounded.

• Russia’s next-generation fighter-interceptor jet is being designated the PAK DP, according to director general of the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MiG), Ilya Tarasenko. Research and development work of the aircraft is expected to start in 2019 and will replace the MiG-31 which is expected to be phased out of service in the next ten years and replaced by a more sophisticated warplane. Meanwhile, Russia’s next generation strategic bomber, known as the Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex (PAK DA), is due to make its maiden flight in 2025-2026 and is expected to enter serial production shortly after.

• Following a series of flight trails earlier this year, a British Eurofighter Typhoon has test-fired a Brimstone air-to-surface missile for the first time. The missile’s integration is part of Phase 3 Enhancements developed for the jet in a wider a program known as Project Centurion, which aims to deliver a series of upgrades that will improve the strike abilities of RAF-operated Tornado GR4s and Typhoons. The missile is expected to enter service in 2018.

Asia Pacific

• Prosecutors in South Korea have raided the offices of the nation’s only aircraft manufacturer, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), after allegations that the firm inflated the research and development costs of a weapons program. Although the project in question has yet to be officially revealed, South Korean media believe that the wrongdoing occurred during the development of the Surion helicopter, where KAI allegedly defrauded the state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration out of $41.8 million. This marks the first investigation since reformist prosecutor Yoon Seok-yeol was appointed as head of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors‘ Office. Yoon was a member of an independent counsel team involved in the probe that impeached former President Park Geun-hye and her administration on corruption charges.

• The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) has taken delivery of two overhauled F-7 jets as Chinese specialists help the island nation conduct overhauls of two further F-7 aircraft at the Aircraft Overhaul Wing located at SLAF base, Katunayake. It is expected that the Chinese will help with a number of further overhauls before withdrawing, leaving the SLAF with the capability to independently handle future work. While initial overhauls are being conducted solely on Chinese-made airframes—Columbo operates PT-6 trainers and Y-12 transport aircraft in addition to the F-7s—it may be possible to overhaul other aircraft as well. Sri Lanka currently has a number of Russian-made MiG-27s and the Israeli Kfirs, however, they are either grounded or deemed unserviceable.

Today’s Video

• HALO jumps for the armchair general:

Turkeys moves closer to S-400 deal | France and Germany announce new fighter effort | More GMLRS rockets for Army and USMC

Americas

• Lockheed Martin has received a $471 million contract for Lot 12 production of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) missiles for the US Army and foreign military customers. Work and production will take place in Camden, Ark., and Dallas, Texas, with an expected completion date in the summer of 2019. The rockets are deployed from the M270A1 MLRS and M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System mobile rocket launcher vehicles, and is in use with several NATO members, as well as being the primary rocket artillery system of US Army and Marine Corps.

• The US Special Operations Command has awarded Boeing a $27 million contract to conduct preparatory work on the production of Block 2 MH-47G Chinook special operations helicopters. Under the terms of the agreement, the work will include incorporating new and existing stockpiles of government and contractor components to upgrade CH-47 airframes to the MH-47G variant, with the airframes being modified under the auspices of the Technology Applications Program Office. The variant also includes upgraded digital avionics and flight control systems, a monolithic airframe instead of assembled sheet metal for greater strength and modifications for easier transportation by cargo aircraft. It features other changes to make it better suited for air assault operations and can be refueled in mid-air for greater range.

Africa

• Nigeria has received the first five of ten of Super Mushshak trainers for its air force. The batch were received at the NAF’s 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna, and will take over from four trainers previously loaned by Pakistan last December so Nigeria could commence training pilots immediately. Other aircraft destined for Nigeria from Pakistan include three JF-17 multi-role fighters, while 12 A-29 Super Tucanos are on order with Brazilian firm Embraer.

Middle East & North Africa

• Bloomberg reports that Turkey has agreed to pay $2.5 billion for the purchase of two S-400 air defense systems from Russia. A NATO member since 1952, the sale is deemed as a big blow to the alliance—both politically and operationally—as Ankara begins to gravitate towards the Kremlin amid tensions surrounding US support for Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq, and pressure from EU members opposed to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s crackdown at home in the wake of last year’s attempted coup. Turkey has also been increasing its insistence that arms sales to the country is coupled with technology transfers, allowing it to grow its own defense industry, something the West has been reluctant to do. The Russian sale is expected to see the two batteries produced in Turkey and contracts could be signed by the end of the year.

Europe

• Croatia is to send out request for proposals to five countries this week as part of its MiG-21 replacement program. Sweden, the US, South Korea, Israel, and Greece have all been named by the Croatian Defense Ministry as possible suppliers, indicating that prospective fighter options include Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen, Lockheed Martin’s F-16, the Dassault Mirage, Israeli Kfir, and a version of KAI’s T-50. Out of the list of potential suppliers, austerity-striken Greece stands out as an interesting option—its inventory includes over 100 hundred F-16C and D variants, as well as over 40 Mirage 2000s. An F-16 deal could also see upgrades to the new Viper variant.

• Prior to entertaining (an unimpressed) US President Donald Trump with some brass band versions of Daft Punk hits for Bastille Day, French President Emmanuel Macron joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel last Thursday, July 13, to announce a new Franco-German fighter program. The effort is part of a move by both governments to shape the future of the European fighter industry and its three existing programs—the Eurofighter, France’s Rafale and Sweden’s Gripen—as well as boosting defense cooperation and inter-operability between Paris and Berlin. Analysts say that the system could include both manned and unmanned aircraft and will replace Germany’s Eurofighters and France’s Rafale fleets. The program is unlikely to include UK-based Eurofighter consortium member BAE Systems after the UK’s decision to leave the EU last year.

Asia Pacific

• The Malaysian government is to shelve plans to purchase new fighter aircraft, instead focusing on upping its aerial surveillance capabilities. The decision comes as pro-Islamic State fighters continue to battle security forces in Marawi in the southern Philippines. Malaysia and Indonesia, which share the nearby island of Borneo, are working with the Philippines to conduct air and maritime patrols along their shared borders in the Sulu Sea. Current surveillance assets operated by Malaysia include four Beechcraft BT200T aircraft, however, they are now looking to add a further four, larger aircraft with longer range, with sources adding that possible options include commercial-based platforms that are more affordable than a military specific one. The procurement is expected to be completed by 2020, after which, Kuala lumpur may revisit the fighter purchase.

• South Korea is to start production of a new indigenous air defense radar capable of North Korean UAVs. Developed by LIG Nex1 Co. Ltd, the system is truck mounted with its own power supply, allowing for flexible and rapid deployment. Once produced, the radars will be deployed with naval and army troops in South Korea’s northeast territories.

Today’s Video

• French army band play Daft Punk:

Final F-15SG’s delivered to Singapore | Thailand’s PM defends T-50 plans amid backlash | Arrests made in Israeli submarine probe

Americas

• US Special Operations Command’s C-130J aircraft are scheduled to receive new electronic warfare systems aimed to enhance the aircrafts’ survivability equipment to detect, identify, locate, deny, degrade, disrupt and defeat various threats. BAE Systems will conduct the work, installing its Radio Frequency Countermeasure (RFCM) system—designed to be integrated on the USAF’s AC-130J Ghostrider and MC-130J Commando II aircraft—over the next 30 months in a $67 million contract modification. The contract’s total value, including all options, is expected to exceed $300 million.

Middle East & North Africa

• A high court in London has ruled that British arm sales to Saudi Arabia can continue, after claims by anti-arms trade campaigners that the weapons may have been used to kill civilians in Yemen. UK and EU arms sales rules state that export licences cannot be granted if there is a “clear risk” that the equipment could be used to break international humanitarian law. However, this was not deemed the case by judges despite uncomfortable disclosures for the government, including documents in which the export policy chief told the business secretary, Sajid Javid, then in charge of licensing, “my gut tells me we should suspend [weapons exports to the country]”. The group behind the judicial review, the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), said it would appeal the decision. Since the conflict in Yemen started in March 2015, the UK Government has approved no less than 194 export licences for arms and related equipment to Saudi Arabia, worth more than $4.2 billion.

• Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under fire after David Shimron, his lawyer and cousin, was arrested by Israeli police as part of an investigation into a $2.5 billion deal to buy submarines and naval patrol craft from Germany. The arrest comes amid accusations of bribery, money laundering, fraud and conspiracy. Mickey Ganor, who acted as an agent for the German ThyssenKrupp shipyard in the deal, and who is also a client of Shimron, was also arrested as part of the probe, while other individuals questioned include Netanyahu’s former pick for his national security adviser and a senior naval commander. Known as Case 3,000, the scandal is one of several ongoing investigations into Netanyahu and his closest circle.

Europe

• UK Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has announced that Whitehall will spend $52 million on upgrading the anti-missile defense system of its Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. The Eurofighter consortium member Leonardo will undertake the work on the jets’ Defensive Aids Sub System (DASS), and the government said it would help the aircraft in missions against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The work will sustain approximately 65 jobs at Leonardo’s site in Luton, 30 miles north of London, as well as a further 41 jobs at fellow consortium member BAE Systems’ site in Warton, northwest England.

• Leonardo is also chasing a UK MoD contract to provide air combat training for the British military under the Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) program. The Italian firm—in collaboration with an unnamed UK company—is likely to face stiff competition from Airbus, making this a re-run of a recent duel over helicopter training, which saw Airbus emerge the victor. Other likely contestants include Canadian firm Discovery Air Defence Services, UK engineering firm Qinetiq and French defense contractor Thales. Under the program, London is looking for a single company or consortium to fulfill the prestige contract to train its military pilots with methods including aggressor training, or simulating ‘bad guys’ in mock battles. The winner will stand to gain $1.6 billion over fifteen years for their services.

Asia Pacific

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $41.8 million foreign military sale contract to provide lifetime software maintenance for the AEGIS systems in the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart-class destroyers. Work will primarily take place in Moorestown, N.J., and several other sites in the United States and Australia, with a completion time expected by November 2019. The Hobart-class guide-air warfare guided missile destroyer is the newest ship class in the RAN. Equipped with Aegis Combat System and AN/SPY1 radar to detect and destroy enemy aircraft and missiles, the vessels come with a MK 41 Vertical Launch System capable of firing Standard surface-to-air missiles and mounts Sea Sparrow point-defense missiles. It will also carry torpedoes and other undersea munitions for anti-submarine operations. A total of three Hobart-class vessels will be constructed by Canberra, with the first expected to enter active service next year after further testing and outfitting.

• Singapore is believed to have received the final eight F-15SG fighter jets from Boeing, bringing the believed total of the nation’s fleet to 40 units. The variant is the most advanced F-15 model on the market and comes equipped with the Raytheon AN/APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned array radar as well as Lockheed Martin’s Sniper targeting pod. News of the delivery comes from data provided by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) website, which stated that the last of eight F-15SGs on its civil register had its registration canceled in the middle of June, with export being listed as the reason for cancellation, and its new destination listed as Singapore. Singapore’s Defence Ministry has denied to confirm that the jets have been delivered citing operational security.

• Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has been forced to defend his country’s recent announcement that it will purchase eight more KAI T-50TH advanced jet trainers from South Korea, after accusations that the order is a waste of taxpayers money. Prayut, a retired Royal Thai Army officer, urged the public to understand the necessity of the purchase, saying that there was an urgent need to replace its ageing Czech-made L-39 aircraft, which have been in service for more than 30 years. He added that the choice of South Korea as the vendor for the L-39’s replacement should also be seen as proof that the government does not favor any specific country for procurement, alluding to recent big ticket purchases from China instead of long-time ally, the US. Critics unfazed by the PM’s words are planning to mount legal action if the sale is not delayed.

Today’s Video

• Animated tour of Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier:

THAAD continues 100% intercept streak | Textron to compete for Navy ISR work | Romania cleared for Patriots

Americas

• Tuesday saw the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and US Army successfully complete the first ever test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system against an incoming intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). Orbital ATK provided the target, which was air-dropped North of Hawaii by parachute from the cargo hold of a C-17 aircraft before its rockets ignited and the missile simulated an intermediate range ballistic missile threat. Meanwhile, in Kodiak, Alaska, THAAD radars detected, acquired and tracked the target and developed a fire control solution. The interceptor was then launched, destroying the target’s re-entry vehicle through kinetic force. This success leaves THAAD with a 100 percent track record for all 14 intercept attempts since flight testing began just over a decade ago.

• Textron Systems’ Aerosonde small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) will join Boeing’s Insitu-built Scan Eagle SUAS in competing for US Navy ship-based surveillance work after the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded Textron a potential maximum of $1.73 billion indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract for their systems. Speaking on the announcement, David Phillips, Textron Systems Vice President of Small/Medium Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems, said that the Navy requirements state that the UAS operating on ships must use the same aviation fuel already aboard Navy ships rather than using their own fuel or battery-powered systems, and must also stay within a tight footprint on the ship and be completely roll-on/roll-off, meaning no modifications can be made to the ship and the system must be completely removed from the ship’s deck when not in use. Textron already operates hundreds of Aerosonde vehicles including in US European Command, US Africa Command and US Central Command.

Middle East & North Africa

• Bell Helicopters Textron has been awarded a $22 million US Army contract modification for continued contractor logistics support of Iraq’s Bell 407GX fleet and other helicopters. The deal expands the previous contract for another year and adds the 407GX and associated spares and parts to the company’s work order. Work will be conducted at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by August 2017. Iraq already uses the older Bell 206 and variants of the Bell UG-1 “Huey” series of helicopters as part of its fleet.

• Israel is to soon demonstrate a smart helmet-mounted system that will allow tank commanders to see through the walls of tanks for safe and effective ground-maneuvering combat. Developed by Elbit Systems, the vehicle-adapted Iron Vision is expected to bring Israel into the world of closed hatch operations, keeping commanders free from sniper fire in urban environments by eliminating the need for them to stick their head out of the tank’s turret. The helmet is one of several upgrades planned for an improved Merkava Mark IV tank, known as the Barak, or Lightening, which also include a second-generation version of Rafael’s Trophy active protection system, precision-rounds and an Elbit-developed, upgraded C4I system that integrates armor, infantry, artillery and other ground-force elements on the same, cyber-secure digital network.

Europe

• The US State Department has approved the possible sale of Patriot missile defense systems to Romania. Estimated to be worth $3.9 billion, the sale includes the provision of seven Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units consisting of: seven AN/MPQ-65 radar sets, seven AN/MSQ-132 engagement control stations, 13 antenna mast groups, twenty-eight M903 launching stations, 56 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) missiles, 168 Patriot Advanced Capabilty-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, and 7 Electrical Power Plants (EPP) III. If approved, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon will act as main contractors. A NATO member since 2004, the procurement comes as Bucharest looks to modernize its Soviet-era equipment and improve its defense capabilities as tensions with neighboring Russia continue.

• The Netherlands has been cleared to purchase additional AGM-114R Hellfires, adding to a previously implemented deal for the missiles. Approved by the US State Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), the sale calls for 70 extra missiles, bringing to 250 the total number of missiles to be acquired by Amsterdam, in addition to training rounds, spares, support, and equipment. The missiles will be used on Dutch-operated AH-64D Apache helicopters.

Asia Pacific

• Australia has been cleared by the DSCA for the sale of tanks rounds and F/A-18 Super Hornet upgrades. The first deal, valued at an estimated $50 million, calls for the delivery of 120mm tank ammunition and related support services in order to sustain necessary training levels for Australia’s tank operators and to maintain operational readiness and training requirements. The second sale, estimated to cost $101.4 million, calls for upgrades to Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, including 32 Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS JTRS) with four channel Concurrent Multi-Network (CMN-4), and 39 AN/ALQ-214A(V)4 Countermeasure Systems.

• Rafael has completed integration of its I-Derby air-to-air missiles on India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), with test-firing scheduled for the end of 2017. The Israeli firm also confirmed earlier reports that the fighter could be equipped with the latest Extended Range (ER) version of the missile, and is also looking to offer its Spike ER air-to-surface missile to meet an Indian requirement for helicopter-launched weapons. The Spike tender will also come with a new launcher to meet New Delhi’s technical specifications.

Today’s Video

• THAAD’ll do:

Lockheed receives $5.6b F-35 order | DSCA clears JLTVs for UK | Thailand orders T-50s

Americas

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $5.6 billion contract modification to an existing contract for Lot 11 low-rate acquisition of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The US Navy contract modification provides for the procurement of 74 fiscal 2017 aircraft, comprised of 48 F-35A aircraft for the Air Force, 18 F-35B aircraft for the Marine Corps, and eight F-35C aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps. Work will primarily be carried out in Fort Worth, Texas, El Segundo, Calif., Warton, Britain, Cameri, Italy and other sites across the United States. The work is projected to be finished be December 2020. An additional contract modification that will provide $2.2 billion for 50 F-35s slated for allied and FMS sales is anticipated later this month.

• A $93 million DoD contract has been awarded to Boeing for engineering and technical support for the USAF’s E-3 Airborne Early Warning and Control System radar aircraft. The deal will also generate technical requirements for the E-3s of Japan, NATO, Britain, Saudi Arabia and France. Work will be performed at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be complete by July 9, 2022.

• Saab is to partner with Lockheed Martin in a $288 million contract to provide combat training systems to the US Army. The firms’ modular training solution, known as the Vehicle Tactical Engagement Simulation System (VTESS), combines multiple training systems for vehicle crews into a single product line for trucks and smaller vehicles, and laser transmitters for both small arms and main guns for armored vehicles. Saab’s portion of the work includes the provision of laser simulators, detectors and electronics to help troops conduct live combat exercises using existing vehicles and weapons systems. Deliveries will take place between 2017 and 2018.

Middle East & North Africa

• Bahrain has awarded a direct commercial sale contract to Lockheed Martin for the provision of Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for its F-16 fleet. Valued at $22.45 million, deliveries of the pods, along with spares and support equipment for integration, will take place in early 2018 in order to meet the Gulf monarchy’s urgent needs. The Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod combines sensor detection with laser and GPS-targeting information to precision guided weapons. It can also serve in a surveillance role to provide exact locations of targets. Bahrain is the 25th international customer for the program.

Europe

• The Trump administration has cleared and notified Congress of the sale of AN/AAR-57A(V)7 Common Missile Warning Systems (CMWS) to the Netherlands. Amsterdam will receive a total of thirty-two sets of AN/AAR-57A(V)7 systems in conjunction with 33 AN/AVR-2B laser detecting sets, stipulated in another Foreign Military Sale (FMS) case. Also included in the amended FMS case would be mission equipment, hardware and services required to implement customer unique post modifications, communication and navigation equipment, special tools and test equipment, ground support equipment, technical data, publications, MWO/ECP, technical assistance, and training, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost of the modified sale amounts to $58.2 million.

• Washington has also cleared the $1.035 billion sale of Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTV) and accessories to the UK. Under the deal, as many as 2,747 vehicles will be delivered, alongside baseline integration kits, basic issue item kits, B-kit armor, engine arctic kits, fording kits, run-flat kits, spare tire kits, silent watch kits, power expansion kits cargo cover kits, maintainer and operator training, and US logistics and support services. If approved by Congress, JLTV manufacturer Oshkosh Defense will act as main contractor.

• Pentagon officials have briefed the German military on the F-35 JSF as a replacement to its aging Tornado fighter jets. However, Berlin has yet to make any procurement decisions as it mulls over an off-the-shelf purchase of an existing fighter or participate in a new European next-generation fighter development program. The German Air Force requested the F-35 briefing in May, and the Defense Ministry plans to send Washington a formal “letter of request” for information about the F-35 and Boeing Co’s F-15 and F/A-18E/F fighter jets later this summer, the ministry spokesman said. It is also requesting information from Airbus on a next-gen weapons system.

Asia Pacific

• Thailand’s military government has approved the $258 million purchase of eight T-50 advanced jets from South Korea. News of the sale comes after accusations levelled at the government that its recent defense purchases have come exclusively from China, including the controversial sale of three submarines that provoked questions over its transparency. Bangkok has moved to dissuade the acquisitions, saying that it was not buying exclusively from China and is still making purchases from other countries, including old ally the US. The T-50 sale is the second phase of a 2015 deal in which Thailand bought four jets from South Korea.

Today’s Video

• China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, leaves Hong Kong after its maiden visit:

US lawmakers to oppose Turkish arms sales | AK-12 passes field trials | Sikorsky targets Germany for King Stallion

Americas

• Orbital Alliance Techsystems Operations has been awarded a $53.6 contract modification to deliver M1156 precision-guidance kits to the US Army. The agreement will see the firm provide PGKs for converting standard Army unguided 155mm artillery shells into GPS-guided munitions used by conventional artillery. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minn. and is scheduled for completion by April 27, 2020.

• The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has issued a request to potential bidders for its Next Generation Jammer increment 2 program, which looks to develop a low-band jamming pod for the Boeing EA-18G Growler and complement the service’s ongoing work on Increment 1’s mid-band frequency jammer. Industry has been asked to show how existing technologies can meet requirements for a new low-band transmitter, which are generally used to jam early warning radars and voice communication frequencies. The contract will only ask to demonstrate, not mature, technology for increment 2, and will explore frequency coverage, effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP), spatial coverage and spectral purity.

Middle East & North Africa

• A US lawmaker is to oppose the sale of F-35 fighters to Turkey, citing an attack on protesters by government bodyguards outside the Turkish ambassador’s residence in Washington two months ago. The protest is being lodged by Rep. David Cicilline (D-Rhode Island), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who has proposed the ban as an amendment to the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed by the House Armed Services Committee last month. The House is expected to take up the bill and deal with amendments this week. Cicilline’s amendment, if passed, would see the transfer of the jets to Ankara blocked until US President Donald Trump certifies the government of Turkey is cooperating with the criminal investigation and prosecution of Turkish government employees involved in the the May 16 attacks. Other amendments aimed at Turkey include an amendment disapproving of a proposed $1.2 million sale of Sig Sauer-made semi-automatic handguns to Turkey, and a visa ban on those involved in the attack and that the administration report on the incident and what the State Department is doing by way of victim compensation and fixing security lapses.

Europe

• Kalashnikov Concern has announced that its 5.45 mm AK-12 assault rifle has passed all military field tests, paving the way for use as the main weapon in the Russian Ratnik (Warrior) future soldier system. Based on the AK-200, this is the second-generation of the AK-12, which first passed trials in 2012. However, requirements by the Russian armed forces resulted in a number of design changes and the second-generation AK-12 is based on the AK-400 with a more simplified design and more economic parts. The rifle is one of nine new firearms developed for the Ratnik program which also include a 7.62×39 mm assault rifle and dozens of pieces of combat equipment.

• With CH-53K King Stallion helicopters recently completing their first long-range flight test from West Palm Beach, Florida to NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, where it will continue flight testing, manufacturer Sikorsky has begun courting German industry in an effort to line up orders for the new heavy-lift helicopter from Berlin. The two day event, held in West Palm Beach, saw the delegates told that if the King Stallion is selected, German suppliers would be responsible for the majority of the work when it comes to platform sustainment. Germany is expected to issue a request for proposals for the replacement of its fleet of 81 CH-53GA/GS helicopters, originally delivered in the 1970s, in mid-2018, with deliveries to commence in 2023. Boeing is also likely to pitch its CH-47 Chinook as the “proven” helicopter.

Asia Pacific

• Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has said that his government is developing a missile defense program in order to protect its forces. Turnbull, who was speaking on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Germany last weekend, has already ruled out the Lockheed Martin-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, saying that the system “was not suitable” for Australian needs. A 2016 Australian DoD white paper outlined the need for procuring such a system, saying that while the threat of an intercontinental ballistic missile attack on Australia is “low,” longer-range and submarine-launched ballistic and cruise missiles could threaten Australian territory, and shorter-range ballistic and cruise missiles pose a threat to deployed forces.

• Pakistan has successfully test-fired an improved version of the Hatf-IX Nasr short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). Improvements made to the missile include an extended range of 70 km, up from the initial 60 km, as well as increased flight maneuverability. Footage released by the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) shows that three Nasr (v2) units were tested in succession at the target, each launched from a different firing trajectory, showcasing the missile’s maneuvering capabilities. Fired from multi-barrel missile launchers, the Nasr was developed by Pakistan as one of its ‘tactical nuclear weapons’ (TNW) developed to dissuade military action by India.

Today’s Video

• Pakistan’s Nasr missile test:

MDA to test THAAD | P.1HH resumes flight testing | Bulgaria postpones Gripen negotiations, again

Americas

• The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will test this week, the intercept of an intermediate-range ballistic missile target using the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. Despite being planned months ago, the test will garner added significance in the wake of North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on July 4, that has heightened concerns about the threat from Pyongyang throughout the region and beyond. The THAAD system being used for the test is deployed to Alaska, the only part of the United States within range of a North Korean ICBM.

• Colorado Engineering has won a $3 million contract to design, fabricate and test graphics processing units (GPU) for the F-35 Block 4 radar upgrade program. The long awaited Block 4 software update is expected to provide the F-35 with improved radar and electronic warfare systems, and allow the aircraft to carry additional weapons used by both the US military and other F-35 customers. Other additions include upgrading the Lockheed electro-optical targeting system and adding a wide-area high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mode – dubbed “– Big SAR” to the Northrop Grumman APG-81 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.

• Boeing has been awarded a $14.3 million modification to a existing foreign military sales contract for parts changes on CH-47F Chinooks used by the Netherlands and Turkey. The deal will coverobsolete parts changes to account for low- or non-existent production of spares for older model airframes. Work for the project will be conducted in Ridley Park, Penn., and is expected to be completed by Dec. 21, 2020.

Europe

• Piaggio has resumed flight testing of its P.1HH HammerHead UAV, after the first model crashed in May last year. The second prototype made a successful flight on July 5, at Birgi military airport in Trapani, Sicily. However, the company did not release any further information on either the recent flight or the planned flight test schedule. Piaggio so far have eight orders for the aircraft, to be delivered to the UAE from 2018, and an expression of “great interest” from the Italian military, who have been helping Piaggio by providing Italian bases for testing.

• Austria will be ditching the Eurofighter Typhoon from 2020 and will replace it with cheaper aircraft either bought or leased from another supplier, according to the Defense Ministry. The move comes as Vienna takes legal action against Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium for alleged deception and fraud in the procurement of the Eurofighter fourteen years ago. Maintenance costs, believed to be $5 billion during the Eurofighter fleet’s lifespan, is another factor for choosing another aircraft. The ministry added that by buying and operating a new fleet comprised of 15 single-seater and three twin-seater supersonic jets over the same period could be 2 billion euros cheaper than continuing its current program.

• Bulgaria has once again post-ponded discussions on procuring Gripen fighter aircraft, once month after Prime Minister Boyko Borissov signaled that the talks would start soon despite his criticism of Bulgaria’s previous interim government for announcing them. Now, an investigation will take place by a parliamentary commission into the interim government’s actions, which will also check whether President Rumen Radev influenced the process. Radev, who appointed the interim government after Borissov’s previous government resigned late last year, called the commission “a tribunal for political influence” and stressed that military experts had made the decision in favor of the Gripen aircraft.

Asia Pacific

• The Indian Defense Ministry is expected to soon release an Expression of Interest document for local firms to supply 110 light utility helicopters to the Indian Navy in conjunction with a foreign firm. A “Make in India” project, the procurement comes as New Delhi deemed the Ka-226T helicopters—manufactured by Russia and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL)—unsuitable for its needs. Indian firms expected to be interested in the deal include Mahindra, L&T and Bharat Forge, along with foreign partners like Airbus Helicopters, Russian Helicopters, Sikorsky and Bell Helicopters.

• Australia now operates a full fleet of 12 Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, after the first two units arrived in February. The aircraft will be based at Royal Australian Air Force Base Amberley. Minister for Defense Marise Payne said that the Growlers “will work with Army and Navy to deliver a networked joint force able to maneuver and fight in the electromagnetic spectrum.” Australia is the only country outside of the US to operate the Growler, and has already conducted successful weapon firings and integration flights with RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornets and US Navy EA-18G Growlers as part of Operational Test and Evaluation.

Today’s Video

• K-300P live-firing: