Crowded market scrambles in Franco-German MPA comp | Osprey VARS testing to start this fall | Russia to send more S-300s to Syria “in the near future”

Apr 26, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

The US Naval Air Systems Command has confirmed that the V-22 Aerial Refueling System (VARS) will start testing this fall. According to a US Marine Corps statement published by the Marine Corps Times, VARS-equipped Ospreys will be capable of providing an additional 10,000 pounds of fuel to aircraft forward deployed with Marine Expeditionary Units, extending the range of aircraft such as the F-35B and other V-22s. The Corps expects its new refueling system to be operational by fiscal year 2019 and will be welcomed by the Corps as troops are being shifted across the Pacific—nearly nine thousand Marines are being moved off Okinawa, Japan, where they will be disbursed to other locations like Guam and Hawaii. Furthermore, the USMC is kicking off its largest deployment yet to Darwin Australia, at nearly 1,587 Marines as part of its annual six-month rotation.
Raytheon received Tuesday, April 24, a $12.1 million contract modification for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM). Awarded by the US Air Force, the agreement calls for production Lot 32 field spares and initial depot spares for foreign military sales (FMS) going to the governments of Australia, South Korea, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Turkey. Work will take place at Raytheon’s Tucson, Arizona facility and is expected to be complete by January 31, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Sergey Shoygu, Russia’s Minister of Defense, told the RIA news agency Wednesday that additional air defense systems will be delivered to Syria in the near future. The ministry also said that a US Tomahawk cruise missile captured in Washington’s recent airstrikes against Syrian chemical weapons facilities will be studied in order to improve its own missiles. While Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that Russia had not yet decided whether it would deliver advanced S-300 missile systems to Syria, senior Russian officials told the Kommersant newspaper that Russia is expected to provide the Bashar Assad regime with S-300 anti-aircraft defense systems soon. If Israel attacks the new air defense systems, then it will suffer “catastrophic consequences,” the officials said. In response, Israel’s Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Israel may strike the Russian-made S-300 anti-aircraft defense systems in Syria if they are used against Israel.

Europe

A week after Lockheed Martin announced its industrial team that will enter into Germany’s upcoming heavy-lift helicopter competition, Boeing has come out with its list of German collaborators who would help maintain a potential sale of CH-47F Chinooks. Speaking at the Berlin ILA air show, Michael Hostetter, director, Vertical Lift Programs in Germany said that if selected, the local companies will offer maintenance and training to the German military. The German companies —or German units of foreign companies —that Boeing has partnered with are AERO-Bildungs GmbH, Aircraft Philipp, CAE Elektronik GmbH, COTESA, Diehl Defence, Honeywell, Liebherr-Aerospace, Reiser Simulation and Training GmbH, Rockwell Collins, and Rolls-Royce. “The customer has made it very clear that they are looking for low-risk off the shelf solution,” Hostetter said, adding Boeing was able to produce a Chinook every five days at its production site in Philadelphia. He said Boeing could offer either the Foxtrot model or an extended range version, with both offering the air-to-air refueling requirement that Germany is likely to seek.
The Dutch government has had two foreign military sales (FMS) packages from the United States approved, statements released by the State Department’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said Tuesday. The first deal, valued at an estimated $110 million, covers defense articles and services in support of continuation of a Continental United States (CONUS) based Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Formal Training Unit at Tucson Air National Guard Base, Arizona. Equipment and services to be provided include up to 27 GBU-12 Inert Paveway IIs, PGU-27 Inert training rounds, Impulse Cartridges, MJU-7/B Flares, RR-188 Chaff, BDU-33/B and BDU-50/B training munitions, fuel and air refueling support, airlift services, base operating support, facilities, publications and technical documentation, pilot training, personnel training and training equipment, weapon system and software support, US Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics personnel services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The second FMS package, valued at $70 million, covers the potential sale of 3,500 M1156 Precision Guided Kits—a sale that will supply the Dutch with a precision guided, or smart, capability for its 155mm artillery projectiles and improve its capability to meet current and future enemy threats. Orbital ATK will act as principal contractor in the sale.

Asia-Pacific

Japan is looking to export its P-1 submarine hunter aircraft as part of a Franco-German program to develop a marine surveillance aircraft. If successful, it would be Tokyo’s first major foreign arms sale since World War II. Speaking to two Japanese officials, Reuters report that the three governments began discussions last year, with the P-1’s manufacturer, Kawasaki Heavy Industries, asked to discuss possible partnerships with France’s Dassault Aviation and Thales SA. “If they try and build it from scratch it will cost a lot and their potential market is small, even if Spain or other European countries buy it,” one of the sources said of the European project. However, Japan and Kawasaki will face some stiff competition with the report suggesting that Airbus is already looking into adapting its A320neo passenger jet family for military use—including a maritime patrol version—while Dassault themselves may look to offer a variant of its Falcon 8X business jet for such purposes. Boeing, with its new P-8 Poseidon, is also likely to enter. A spokesman for the German defense ministry declined to comment on discussions, adding, “Germany and France are considering many possibilities to expand the existing good cooperation between the two countries’ militaries.”
Russian news agency Interfax reports that India is on course to sign a deal with Russia later this year for the purchase of the S-400 Triumf air defense system and corresponding missiles. Quoting Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, the report said that all the technical aspects of the contract had been agreed and a price just needed to be decided. “I think that in the current year we will sign the corresponding contract document,” said Dmitry Shugaev, head of the FSMTC.

Today’s Video

Russian Su-57 prepares for Victory Day parade:

Workers strike at Leonardo’s F-35 FACO | Aero Vodochody team with IAI to export L-159 | Berlin receives different visions for Tornado replacement

Apr 25, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

The US Army has contracted AeroVironment to provide upgraded hardware and parts for the Switchblade precision strike munition. Valued at $44.6 million, the agreement will task the firm, based out of Simi Valley, California, with providing Block10C inert training vehicles and Block10C all up rounds, multi pack launchers and modular battery payloads to the service, with a scheduled completion date set for September 19, 2019. AeroVironment first rolled out its Block 10C upgrades—which give soldiers more stable and secure encrypted communications—on the Switchblade tactical missile system after the Army awarded the company a $22.8 million contract in September 2016. Capable of being stored and carried in a soldier’s backpack, the system has a strike range of more than six miles with a flight endurance of around 15 minutes, and can strike targets beyond line of sight, meaning the munition can maneuver on targets beyond covered positions or around mountain ridges.

Middle East & Africa

Chasing fresh exports after its sale of four L-159 aircraft to the government of Senegal earlier this month, the Czech Republic’s Aero Vodochody will team with Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) to improve and market the light attack and trainer aircraft. According to the technical and marketing cooperation agreement announced Tuesday, the team will integrate new avionics and other solutions on the L-159 platform as well as jointly market the aircraft. They will also integrate IAI’s virtual training solutions as part of the L-39NG training system. Financial details were not disclosed.

Europe

Workers at the Leonardo-run F-35 assembly facility in Italy have gone on strike Tuesday, April 24, in protest against their working conditions. Reasons posed by the 600 members of staff for the one-day work stoppage was due to the fact that many were currently hired by Leonardo through agency contracts instead of as full time employees, and had previously imposed a ban on working overtime last weekend prior to the escalation. In response, Leonardo said full time staff positions will be offered from this year and put the number of agency staff at 520. Located at Cameri Air Base, the final assembly and checking out (FACO) facility is owned by the Italian government and operated by state defense firm Leonardo in partnership with Lockheed Martin. Cameri has delivered nine F-35As to the Italian Air Force.
Portugal has decided to cancel plans to upgrade its fleet of five C-130H transport aircraft through a foreign military sale from the United States. Approximately 29 million euro ($36 million) had been budgeted by the defense ministry in June 2016 for the upgrades, and the sale had already received approval by the US State department—although the Pentagon is known to approve some FMS packages ahead of official approval by the customer’s government. Instead, the aircraft will receive upgrades worth up to 19 million euro with the support of the Single European Sky Air Traffic Management Research (SESAR) project, while a further 2.8 million euro will be set aside for maintenance. Portugal plans to replace the Hercules aircraft with up to six new KC-390 tanker-transports from Brazilian air-framer Embraer, a program Lisbon has been involved in the development and production of though its state-owned aerospace company, OGMA, investing some 30 million euro into the program between 2012-2015.
The German Defense Ministry has received bids from Airbus and the US government to replace its fleet of 90 ageing Tornado fighter aircraft. Airbus, pitching the Eurofighter Typhoon on behalf of the Eurofighter consortium, said its platform could start replacing the Tornado mission by 2025, and as Germany already operates a fleet of 130 Eurofighters, Berlin would benefit from a streamlining of maintenance costs. However, US officials, legally required to represent the interests of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, say the Eurofighter would need to be certified to carry a nuclear bomb—a process that could take until 2030 or longer, and might force Germany to extend the life of some Tornado jets at great cost. While Airbus assured that the Eurofighter would be certified by 2035, it did say that if Germany was to purchase an existing nuclear-capable aircraft such as Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the decision would essentially kill plans by France and Germany to develop a new European fighter.

Asia-Pacific

In addition to Lockheed Martin’s rumored offer to build them a fifth-generation hybrid stealth fighter, the Japanese government may restart the flight test program of the X-2—its stealth technology demonstrator aircraft. The possibility was mentioned by an anonymous official speaking to Flight Global, who said that while nothing was certain about the future of the X-2, “We may do more testing.” Originally designed ATD-X, the X-2 formed part of Tokyo’s efforts to jump start its industrial base and explore technologies necessary for stealthy fifth- or sixth-generation aircraft. An technology demonstrator aircraft is currently based at Gifu Airbase after completing a run of 34 test flights. 50 had been originally planned. While the official declined to comment on an earlier story from Reuters that Lockheed Martin wants to offer a hybrid of its F-22 and F-35 for the long-term Japanese requirement, they did say that a number of proposals are being weighed, noting that Japan and Great Britain also have a joint study to look at “potential opportunities for the future fighter program.”
Kongsberg has secured a $153 million export order for its Naval Strike Missile (NSM). The missiles will arm the six new Littoral Combat Ships being built for the Malaysian government, with contracts signed for the NSM at the recent Defence Services Asia 2018 (DSA 2018) in Kuala Lumpur. Based on Naval Group’s Gowind Class design, the vessel will have the NSM deck mounted and integrated to the SETIS combat management system provided by the Naval Group. Designed for use by the Norwegian Navy in the anti-ship and land-attack role, a Joint Strike Missile (JSM) is currently in development that will be integrated with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
Rheinmetall Group has received an order to deliver its Skyshield air defense system to an undisclosed Asia Pacific nation, the company has said. Skyshield is a short range, ground-based air defense that consists of two 35 mm revolver cannons that can sustain a rate of fire of 1,000 rounds per minute—and also includes a fire control system with sensor unit, and two surface-to-air missile modules for a total of 16 missiles. Valued at $122 million, Rheinmetall say work on the contract has already begun, but that delivery will occur over the next three years.

Today’s Video

DefenseWeb coverage at DSA 2018| Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile:

White House wheels out new arms export policy | After West’s salvo, Russia’s Lavrov murky on S-300 deployment to Syria | Germany’s shopping spree

Apr 24, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

The Trump administration has rolled out a new weapons export policy keeping in mind that “economic security is national security.” While some in the defense industry will be disappointed that the reforms did not go far enough—particularly when it comes to the export of military drones—the new rules “create broad new language emphasizing the need to consider economic benefits when looking at potential weapon exports to partner nations,” Defense News reports. Speaking on the new rules, Peter Navarro, White House National Trade Council head, said this change will allow allies and partners “to more easily obtain” American security goods, which in turn improves the security of the Untied States while “reducing” the need for them to buy Chinese and Russian systems, while Tina Kaidanow, principal deputy assistant secretary for political-military affairs, said the change represents “efforts to do things a little bit more strategically. We need to do, the US government, a better job of strategic advocacy for some of our companies. We need to think about those areas where we can really enable sales oversea.” However, both failed to offer many hard details about what would change for conventional arms transfers, and Navarro declined to say what economic impact could potentially be in terms of jobs or dollar figures.
Boeing will take care of additional Super Hornet and Growler sensor upgrade work after receiving an $18.7 million award from the US Navy last Thursday. Awarded by the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, out of Orlando, Florida, the agreement enables Boeing to integrate advanced software to the Tactical Operational Flight Trainer sensor models on F/A/-18E/F Super Hornet and the EA-18G Growler. Work will take place across the United States with some work to take place in Japan. Contract completion is expected in July 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, said Monday that Moscow had not yet decided whether it would deliver advanced S-300 missile systems to Syria, but would not make a secret of the matter if it took such a decision, Reuters reports. Earlier in the day, the daily Kommersant newspaper, citing unnamed military sources, reported that Russia might start supplying the anti-aircraft missile systems to Syria in the near future—a suggestion the Kremlin declined to comment on. However, Lavrov had said on Friday that Western military strikes on Syria this month had removed any moral obligation Russia had to withhold the missile systems from its ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. A Russian diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity to Reuters said Israel has asked Moscow not to supply the Syrian military with the S-300s. An Israeli government spokesman declined comment.

Europe

A report in Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper on Sunday discusses an upcoming German defense ministry shopping spree with plans for 18 arms contracts totalling 25 million euros to be shortly approved by the budget and defense committees. Aimed at filling growing deficiencies in the armed forces’ equipment and capabilities, other procurements include six C-130J transport aircraft from the United States, Heron TP UAVs from Israel, new rescue helicopters, as well as upgrades to its fleet of Puma armored personnel carriers and the radar found on its Eurofighters. However, Reuters says that the list is “preliminary” and would depend on the 2018 budget. The ministry was not immediately available for comment on the report.
Serbia has received four additional MiG-29 fighter aircraft from Belarus bringing to 14 the fleet now available to Belgrade. Previous deliveries included six from Russia last October and the transferred aircraft will now undergo a three-stage period of modernization with between 180 million to 230 million euro earmarked for the purpose. According to the Russian news agency TASS,Russia’s assistance in addition to the MiGs will include 30 T-72 tanks and 30 BRDM-2 combat patrol vehicles. Also in discussion are surface-to-air gun and missile systems. Belarus had previously announced its plans to hand over to Serbia in 2018 eight MiG-29 fighter jets and two Buk missile systems on condition that Belgrade pays for their repairs.
Lithuania wants the regular deployment of both long-range and short-range advanced anti-air and missile assets in its country to allow for more regular training with NATO, Defence Minister Raimundas Karoblis has said. “Yes, of course (we are asking the Americans)”, he told Reuters on Thursday. “We are talking not only about the Patriots but also other capabilities, such as short-range Avengers, and other systems to create a regional architecture of air defence, because we are not able to do that ourselves.” While Karoblis did not expect NATO to increase defences in the Baltics immediately, he does expect the alliance to show greater commitment at a NATO leaders summit in July to deterring any threat in the Baltics. “We would like to have the permanent deployment of ground missile systems and other capabilities, but we understand that a quite significant part of these capabilities were lost by NATO after the Cold War and it’s difficult to rebuild them fast”, he said. “We need to ensure that (air defences) could be deployed (in the Baltics) at any time necessary.” Formerly part of the Soviet Union, Lithuania—along with neighboring Estonia and Latvia—have since 1991 realigned themselves by joining NATO and the European Union. Anxious since Russia’s annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, the nations have continued to ask for Western help despite growing defence budgets due to their small economies. Poland was equally alarmed by Moscow’s Crieman seizure, spending more than $5 billion on buying Patriot missiles from Raytheon after a deal in March.

Asia-Pacific

A Pentagon award last Thursday, April 19, to Northrop Grumman has tasked the firm with supplying identifying friend or foe technology compatible with the E-2C Hawkeye for the government of Japan. Valued at $51.8 million, the US Navy contract is against a previously issued basic ordering agreement and calls for supplies and services required for the delivery, installation, and testing of one Japan E-2C compatible AN/APX-122A Mode 5/S interrogator and transponder unit and will include non-recurring engineering for the developmental laboratory work, integration laboratory testing, software modifications, technical data, training, and post installation ground and flight testing support, kits, and associated hardware for aircraft integration. Work will take place at several locations across the US and in Japan with a scheduled completion time set for December 2020.

Today’s Video

China’s recent live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait:

Army nuts deliveries over Apache bolt issue | Lockheed to offer fifth-gen hybrid fighter to Japan | India finally dumps the FGFA

Apr 23, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Despite differences over who will pay for the wall along their common border, the Mexican government has been cleared by the Trump administration for the potential purchase of 8 Sikorsky MH-60R Seahwak helicopters. Announced in a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) press release on Thursday, April 19, the package is estimated to reach $1.2 billion with Lockheed Martin’s Rotary and Mission Systems outfit based out of Owego, New York acting as principal contractor in the sale. Included in sale are engines, radars, radios, naval equipment and spares, alongside deliveries of Hellfire missiles, Captive Air Training missiles, Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System (APKWS) II rockets, and Mk -54 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedoes (LHTs). The Seahawk is the US Navy’s version of the US Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk. According to the DSCA, the potential acquisition of the helicopters is part of a modernization push by Mexico’s armed forces.
Quality control issues at Boeing has caused the US Army to halt deliveries of AH-64E Apache helicopters to the service. The issue in question involves a strap pack nut on the main rotor that is corroding in coastal environments. According to Brig. Gen. Thomas Todd, program executive officer for Army aviation, the nut in question holds very large bolts that subsequently hold the rotor blades on the helicopter and is therefore determined to be a critical safety item. While Boeing had already commenced redesign efforts of the bolt in the second half of 2017, the Army decided in February to not accept Echo models of the Apache, adding in March that it would stop taking receipt of helicopters permanently until the company began fielding a new and improved, acceptable strap pack nut. Todd added that Boeing had been working at a “very thorough but expeditious pace over the last six months.” “We are in testing as we speak.” In addition to the Army, the Apaches latest model has found customers in the government’s ofIndia, Indonesia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Taiwan.
Raytheon has received a contract to provide services in support of the US Navy’s Air and Missile Defense Radar Program. Valued at more than $136.5 million, the Pentagon contract awarded by Naval Sea Systems Command enables Raytheon to provide low rate initial production work in support of the Air and Missile Defense Radar Program (AMDR) on guided missile destroyer flight III class ships. Also called the AN/SPY-6(V), the next-generation radar will be included on warships like Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) vessels. They are about 30 times as powerful as their predecessors and will be installed on Flight III variations of the Burke-class, the first of which is the USS Jack H Lucas. Work on the contract will occur in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by April 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey’s participation in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program has been called into question by a senior US diplomat as a measure to exert control over Ankara’s procurement of the Russian-built S-400 Triumf air defense system. Speaking at a congressional hearing on April 18, assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell said: “Ankara claims to have agreed to purchase the Russian S-400 missile system, which could potentially lead to sanctions under section 231 of [countering America’s adversaries through sanctions act] and adversely impact Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program.” While US officials have complained that Turkey’s S-400 systems would not be interoperable with NATO’s networks—with some expressing concerns that possession of the S-400 and the F-35 could be used to compromise the latter, with Russia and its allies gaining invaluable intelligence—the Trump administration’s statements on the issue have been some what vague. Mitchell’s testimony has now made specific threats of potential retaliation if the Turkish government follows through on the acquisition of the S-400 system. While it is not clear how Turkey’s role in the program will be effected, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) is deeply involved in the F-35A supply chain, supplying composite parts since 2008. It is also is a secondary source to Northrop Grumman for the centre fuselage, with a long-term agreement to supply 400 of the complex assemblies to Lockheed over the life the program. The Turkish Air Force have plans for the procurement of 100 F-35As, with the first batch of 13 already paid for and deliveries scheduled to begin earlier this year.

Europe

Italy’s Leonardo is looking to boost sales of its BriteCloud missile decoy system, targeting operators of the F-16, F-15, and Eurofighter. In preparation for the push, the firm has starting transforming the cylindrical BriteCloud into a square format so that it can fit on the American ALE-47 chaff and flare dispenser used by both the F-15 and F-16s. The system has already been adopted for use by British Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoon jets and Jon McCullagh, head of combat air sales for electronic warfare at the Leonardo Airborne and Space Systems Division, disclosed to Defense News that the firm has also approached the Eurofighter consortium for the BriteCloud to completed the jet’s existing towed decoy. Released when a radar-guided missile approaches an aircraft, BriteCloud includes a radar-jamming system and produces a ghost signal that fools radar guidance systems. The US has previously used the Gen-X expendable decoy, but Leonardo claims its new product is the first digital expendable decoy on the market and the most powerful to date.

Asia-Pacific

Reuters reports that Japan is to be offered a fifth-generation fighter platform by Lockheed Martin that will fuse the export-banned F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The hybrid platform is the US defense giant’s entry into Japan’s competition to build its own stealth fighter—the F-3. In March, the Japanese government issued a third Request for Information (RFI) for the F-3 to foreign defense companies and sent a separate document outlining its requirements in more detail to the British and United States governments. In addition to Lockheed, Tokyo expects designs from Boeing and BAE Systems. Japan’s last indigenous fighter effort was the F-2, which entered service in 2000, was built jointly by Mitsubishi Heavy and Lockheed Martin. Mitsubishi has also participated as a partner manufacturer for Lockheed Martin’s F-35, controlling airframe assembly of Japanese F-35s at its Final Assembly and Check-Out (FACO) facility in Nagoya.
In pursuit of what it called the air force’s want for a better fighter, India has pulled out of its partnership with Russia in the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program. In the works since 2007, the program has seen cooperation between Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau (Sukhoi) in developing and manufacturing a new fighter dubbed the Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, or “Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation” (PAK-FA). Now called the Su-57, seven prototypes are currently in flight-testing since the first took to the skies in 2010. With $8.63 earmarked for the procurement of 127 PAK-FAs that were stealthy, possessed 360-degree radar and had more powerful engines, the Indian Air Force (IAF) have now claimed that the aircraft being offered was not stealthy enough for a fifth-generation combat aircraft. India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is said to have conveyed the decision to a Russian ministerial delegation in February.

Today’s Video

DoD warns China & Russia with new weapons development:

The hypersonics are coming with $928 million USAF contract | DARPA’s Gremlins program enters Phase III | Is PAC’s JF-17 Malaysia’s fighter solution?

Apr 20, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Lockheed Martin landed Wednesday, April 18, a $928 million US Air Force contract for the delivery of an undefined number of hypersonic conventional strike weapons. According to the Pentagon statement, Lockheed’s work includes the design, development, engineering, systems integration, test, logistics planning, and aircraft integration support of all the elements of a hypersonic, conventional, air-launched, stand-off weapon. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama, with no contract completion date given. “We are excited to get to work on the hypersonic conventional strike weapon program,” John Snyder, Lockheed Martin vice president of Air Force Strategic Programs, said in an emailed statement quoted by CNBC. Hypersonic missiles are capable of traveling at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, which is at least five times faster than the speed of sound, or about one mile per second. Meanwhile, commercial airliners fly subsonically at just below Mach 1 while modern fighter jets can travel supersonically at Mach 2 or Mach 3.
Raytheon has received an award for the design, testing, and deployment of the Barracuda mine neutralization system—a platform that aims to move mines deeper into the ocean in order to safely detonate and eliminate them. Valued at $83.3 million, the contract awarded by the US Naval Sea Systems Command defines the Baracuda as “an expendable, autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle intended to identify and neutralize bottom, near surface and drifting sea mines,” with the aim that it “will field a shallow water capability and be an expendable modular neutralizer consisting of a kill mechanism, propulsion, sensors, and communications buoy that enables wireless communication to the deployment platform.” The contract contains options that could take the contract’s value in excess of $362.7 million. Work will take place primarily at Portsmouth, Rhode Island, but also DeLeon Springs, Florida, and is expected to be completed by November 2022.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has granted Dynetics Inc a $32.4 contract for Phase III of the Gremlins program. Work to be carried out in the contract includes the research, development, and demonstration of safe and reliable aerial launch and recovery of multiple unmanned air vehicles, with traceability to an objective system capable of employing and recovering diverse distributed payloads in volley quantities. Work on the contract will occur in multiple locations across the United States and is expected to be complete in January 2020. The Gremlins program looks to develop low-cost, reusable unmanned air systems that can be deployed from a C-130 transport plane. According to Dynetics, Phase III will demonstrate the ability to launch multiple Gremlins air vehicles and safely recover them onto a C-130 aircraft by the end of 2019.

Middle East & Africa

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement this week that it expects delivery of a further six T-50IQ advanced jet trainer aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) by the end of the year. So far, Baghdad has received 12 T-50s in two batches since contracts were signed for a total of 24 aircraft in 2013. The news comes following the recent visit of Iraq’s ambassador to South Korea, Haider Shayya al-Barak, to KAI’s South Korean headquarters, where he received updates on the program.

Europe

Growing diplomatic tensions between Greece and Turkey has entered a new realm of pettiness after two Turkish fighters harassed a Chinook helicopter ferrying the Greek Prime Minister. The incident, which took place near the islet of Ro onTuesday afternoon saw the F-16s, flying at an altitude of 10,000 feet, ask the Greek helicopter pilot, which at that moment was at 1,500 feet, to provide flight details, according to defense sources. In response, the Hellenic Air Force (HAL) immediately scrambled two fighters and the Turkish formation then retreated. The incident comes just a week after a HAF pilot died after his Mirage 2000-5 fighter jet crashed near the island of Skyros—he had been returning from intercepting two Turkish Air Force F-16 fighters that had intruded into Greek airspace. While the crash does not appear to be due to the Turkish mission, it made the situation in the region more tense.
Sikorsky, Lockheed Martin’s helicopter subsidiary, revealed on Wednesday its industrialization plan for competing in the German Air Force “Schwerer Transporthubschrauber” (STH) Program, or effort to buy new heavy-lift helicopters. Offering its CH-53K King Stallion, Sikorsky has already teamed up with German defense giant Rheinmetall Group—who will take care of in-service support if Berlin chooses the King Stallion—and the Sikorsky CH-53K team plans to host German companies in an industry chalet during the ILA Berlin Airshow April 25-29, where it will showcase plans for the long-term sustainment of the CH-53K by German aerospace industry. Companies expected alongside Rheinmetall include MTU, ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH, Autoflug, HYDRO Systems KG, Rockwell Collins Germany, Jenoptik, Hensoldt, Liebherr, and Rohde & Schwarz. Germany is looking to replace its legacy fleet of CH-53G, some of which have been in service since the mid-1960s, with a new capability. Facing off against the CH-53K is Boeing’s CH-47F Chinook.
BAE Systems has signed a maintenance support contract with Milrem LCM for Estonia’s fleet of CV9035 Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs). Milrem, an Estonian firm owned by the Finnish Patria Group, specialises in combat vehicle life-cycle management and will provide maintenance and repair services for CV9035 vehicles from its facilities in Estonia. BAE Systems is also teaming with Milrem to pursue an opportunity to modernize CV90 Support Vehicles under a program for the Estonian Center for Defense Investment later this year. The program will likely cover the maintenance, repair, and rebuild of an additional 37 CV90 MkI vehicles procured from Norway. Estonia is one of seven European nations that operate variants of the CV90. Its first batch of IFVs arrived in Estonia in October 2016, followed by a second shipment in December 2017.

Asia-Pacific

Speaking to Jane’s on the sidelines of this year’s Defence Services Asia (DSA) expo being held in Kuala Lumpur, an official from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has revealed that preliminary talks have kicked off that may see the JF-17 fighter sold to Malaysia. While stressing that no serious talks have started yet, the anonymous official said that PAC was will to form collaborative partnerships with local industry in Malaysia through which technologies could be transferred to facilitate either localised component manufacturing or maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO). Rumours had surfaced that Malaysia was interested in the JF-17 in 2015, but these had been previously downplayed by its defense ministry. This time, if talks were to mature to a further stage, the JF-17 may offer a cost effective solution to the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s requirement for a twin-engine multirole combat aircraft. The RMAF program, which was announced more than a decade ago, has been hindered largely due to a lack of funds.

Today’s Video

The impact of hypersonic weapons:

Raytheon wraps up JSOW testing on F-35C | Ukraine looks to muscle in on Russia’s mod work in India | Army releases THAAD-Patriot integration contract

Apr 19, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Raytheon has wrapped up development testing as part of efforts to integrate its Joint Standoff Weapon C (JSOW C) onto the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter. Speaking in a company press release, Raytheon said the low-cost, air-to-ground missile is on track for full deployment in 2019. The latest test took place at the US Navy’s China Lake ranges in California with participation from Raytheon, the F-35 Joint Program Office, and the F-35’s manufacturer Lockheed Martin. “With JSOW C in its internal weapons bay, the Navy’s F-35C can now eliminate the toughest ground targets from significant standoff ranges,” said Mike Jarrett, vice president of Raytheon Air Warfare Systems.
After being delivered to the Marine Corps’ F/A-18 Super Hornet squadrons in February, fighters from VMFA-115 fired the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) during recent training. The low-cost 2.75 rocket utilizes a laser guidance kit that gives it a precision-kill capability and allows the Super Hornet pilots to maintain a forward-firing, moving-target capability while increasing available ordnance per aircraft and provides a more efficient weapons match versus target sets currently seen in theater. Prior to the firing, the squadron’s crews completed ground training and in-flight training to ensure the weapon worked effectively. The F/A-18 is the second Navy fixed-wing platform to carry APKWS. It is also employed from the AV-8B as well as rotary-wing platforms including the UH-1Y, AH-1Z and MH-60S/R. The Navy and USMC have fired thousands of combined fixed- and rotary-wing shots and hundreds in combat scenarios.
Lockheed Martin received Tuesday, April 17, a $200 million modification for continued Terminal High Altitude Air Defense (THAAD) and Patriot system integration work. According to the Pentagon statement, the order covers “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, Phased Array Tracking to Intercept of Target (PATRIOT), Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missile segment enhancement integration and PATRIOT launch on remote development.” Work will take place at Grand Prairie, Texas with scheduled completion estimated for February 28, 2022. According to a tender published in October 2017, the contract aims to accomplish the development of capabilities in support of THAAD MSE Integration and PATRIOT Launch on Remote; design and implementation of an updated Fire Solution Computer software and architecture; Launcher Interface Network Kit software development activities; and a trade study to assess feasibility of launching a PAC-3 MSE from a THAAD launcher. Earlier this month, the Army announced that the two systems successfully talked in a test conducted by the Missile Defense Agency and the service at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. During the test, both THAAD and Patriot picked up a live short-range Lynx missile target suing their radars and tracked the target individually, but both systems “exchanged messages through tactical data links and verified interoperability between the weapons systems,” according to an MDA statement.

Middle East & Africa

Nigeria’s Senate is seeking answers from the government as to why $462 million was released to pay for new military helicopters. The upper house of parliament announced Tuesday that it would invite the central bank governor alongside the ministers of finance and defence to answer for the funding , which Senator Sam Anyanwu claims was withdrawn from the federal account in March and paid to an American manufacturer without the approval of lawmakers. A tweet sent by the senate said “Senate Resolves to invite the CBN Governor and Ministers of Finance and Defense to shed more light on the release of the funds.”
Two local firms have been selected by the Turkish government to upgrade its navy’s Barbaros-class frigates. The consortium involved—defense electronis specialist Aselsan and military software firm Havelsan—will perform half life-cycle full modernization work that will run to 2025. Anselsan announced that its share of the contract cost approximately $115 million. The Turkish Navy operates four Barbaros-class multipurpose frigates which feature anti surface warfare (ASuW), anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) capabilities.

Europe

Russian media reports that Azerbaijan is close to placing an order for ten sets of the Belarusian “Polonaise” multiple rocket launch system (MRLS). Based on the Chinese A-200 system, the Polonaise comes rigged on a Volat MZKT-793000-300 8×8 all-terrain chassis. While contracts for the deal have yet to be signed, the Kommersant report says legal documents are in their final stages with just the matter of financing to be concluded. Once finalized, it will be the first export of the Belarusian system. The sale is likely to be met with negative reaction in Armenia—with whom neighboring Azerbaijan has had strained relations—but should be consoled by the deterrent posed by its own Iskander short-range ballistic missile system purchased in 2016.

Asia-Pacific

A comment piece in Defense News explores the growing relationship between Ukraine and India in the realm of defense co-operation at the expense of Russia. “India, which represents 12 percent of global arms purchases, is critical for both countries, and their rivalry will only intensify,” writes Pavlo B?rbul, CEO of Spets Techno Export, which is a subsidiary of Ukrainian defense company Ukroboronprom. As India looks to foster its growing strategic partnership with the United States, Ukraine has benefitted taking over much repair and modernization of India’s Soviet-era weapons, which constitute an essential part of all armaments of the Armed Forces of India. At present, there are over 400 contracts between India and Ukraine with growing areas including: the modernization of tanks and armored vehicles; modernization of radar and air defense assets; design and manufacture of various vessel classes; supply of components for Indian submarines; maintenance of Indian aircraft and helicopters; and the implementation of joint Ukrainian-Indian research projects. The loss of the Indian market may cause some issues for Russia, who is looking to drum up business in new markets as China increasingly pursues its own domestic defense production.

Today’s Video

From 2017: AV-8B Harrier fires APKWS in Asia-Pacific region:

JASSM-ER makes combat debut in Syria | F-35 to get anti-ballistic missile capability, says MDA head | DC wants South Korea to pay more for assets

Apr 17, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Breaking Defense reports that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could be capable of detecting and tracking ballistic missiles by 2025. The projection was made by Head of the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves, when speaking to the Senate appropriations subcommittee on defense on April 11. He added that the stealth fighter could take down a ballistic missile by having a new “fast missile that’s hung on the bottom of” the fighter. “I’d say six to seven years to essentially work out the Concept of Operations (and) develop the capabilities — (whether) it’s sensor-based or a new fast missile that’s hung on the bottom of an F-35 for the BMDS (Ballistic Missile Defense) mission — integrate those capabilities, test them, and deliver them into a theater of operations,” Greaves said. While the military has tested out this concept in the past—in 2014, an F-35 infrared sensor installed on a surrogate aircraft successfully tracked a launch and transmitted tracking data over the military’s standard Link-16 network, while in in 2016, an actual Marine Corps F-35B detected and tracked a missile, then passed the data over the Navy’s NIFC-CA network to the Aegis missile defense system, which shot the threat down—this is the first time a senior official has given a timeline on incorporating a F-35 into missile defense.
Researchers from Canada’s University of Waterloo are developing a quantum radar they claim will detect stealthy aircraft and missiles. The university’s Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) have been given $2.7 million (USD$2.1 million) in funding from the Department of National Defense to develop the radar, which promises to help radar operators cut through heavy background noise and isolate objects—including stealth aircraft and missiles—with unparalleled accuracy. The new technology will also help radar operators cut through electromagnetic noise caused by geomagnetic storms and solar flares. Stealth aircraft rely on special paint and body design to absorb and deflect radio waves—making them invisible to traditional radar. They also use electronic jamming to swamp detectors with artificial noise. With quantum radar, in theory, these planes will not only be exposed, but also unaware they have been detected.

Middle East & Africa

The USAF has fired Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) missile in combat for the first time. 19 such missiles were launched from two B-1B Lancer bombers during last weekend’s sortie against Syrian chemical weapon research and storage facilities, and were joined by 57 Tomahawk missiles launched from US naval assets, as well as Storm Shadow and SCALP missiles from British and French warplanes. While Russian sources in Syria claim that Russian and Syrian air defenses managed to down 71 or the total 105 cruise missiles launched during the Friday night operation—claims Washington refutes—a report on the mission by the Aviationist reckon the newer missiles—in particular the JASSM-ER, SCALP and Storm Shadow—would have been highly effective against their targets. Despite the geo-political posturing, the $1.3 million per unit JASSM-ER has now officially debuted with potential buyers of the missile, like Japan, getting a preview of its capabilities.
Morocco’s air force is to withdraw its F-16 fighter aircraft from the Saudi-led coalition currently engaged in Yemen in order to bolster security capabilities at home. News of the pullout came at the weekend amid reports of rising tensions between the Moroccan military and militants from the Polisario Front—a separatist group backed by Algeria that aims to rid the Western Sahara region of Moroccan interference. Morocco controls the vast majority of the Western Sahara territory, with a security wall and buffer zone keeping the Polisario Front and the Sahrawi people they represent confined to its arid interior. According to sources from the air force, the move was not a pullout from the Saudi coalition itself, but rather a move to strengthen the Moroccan military capabilities, and said military action will be taken if the Polisario separatists set up any permanent structure or facility in the Sahara territory east of the Moroccan-built security wall. Polisario officials meanwhile announced their intentions to set up a capital in Bir Lahlou which would alter the buffer zone. In 2009, Morocco purchased 18 single-seat F-16Cs and six two-seat F-16D in $841.9 million deal and comes equipped with AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles.

Europe

Two workers were injured in northern France after an inert bomb fell off from a Mirage 2000D. The incident happened at the Faurecia automobile parts factory in Nogent-sur-Vernisson on April 10, with a witness saying the noise from the impact was louder than the noise of the jets flying overhead. The bomb—used as a stand-in for the real thing in training exercises—was made of metal and plastic, and contained no explosives. Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air) spokesperson Olivier Celo apologised to those injured, and said: “We cannot explain the reasons for this drop [at the moment]; it is a very rare thing to happen.” The aircraft in question was one of two Mirages that had been on a routine flight from an airbase near Nantes.

Asia-Pacific

Discussions coming out of South Korea’s Jeju Island island last week suggest that the US is trying to get South Korea to pay more for rotationally-deployed military assets sent to the peninsula. At present, the arrangement sees Seoul cover the cost of stationing American troops in the country, however, now Washington wants them take over the tab when a US carrier strike group or flight of bombers are stationed in the country. While the exact figure of how much the US pays for these deployments is unknown, local experts predict that the cost of sending a strategic bomber to South Korea comes in at $5.6 million. But the talks did not include who would pay for THAAD, the Terminal High Altitude Area air defense system that was deployed to South Korea last year to much local protest. Both countries agreed that the US would cover the cost of THAAD’s deployment while the South would provide the land and infrastructure, but South Korea’s National Defense Minister Song Young-moo said last February that Seoul was “preparing a strategy” in case Washington tries to turn the table around and ask the country to cover deployment costs as well.
India’s indigenous LCA Tejas fighter has participated in its first major combat exercise—Gagan Shakti. The exercise is taking place between April 10 to 23 and will see the Indian Air Force will mobilise more than 1100 combat, transport and rotary wing (helicopter) aircraft in order to practice the real time scenario, to be conducted day and night, of Combat with the enemy encompassing along Pakistan border in the Western areas and along China border in the Northern areas. During the event, the Tejas is expected to take part in both offensive and defensive roles from a forwarding base and will be tested on its air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities.

Today’s Video

Doc on the Tomahawk:

F-35 program ends SDD phase | CAMM, Sea Ceptor system offered to Finland’s Squadron 2020 corvettes | Rafael offers upgrade package for SAAF Gripens

Apr 16, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Northrop Grumman will this year begin the production of the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft to have in-flight refueling (IFR) straight from the factory. Officials said that production of the line’s 46th model—a total of 75 have been ordered by the Navy—will begin later this year and delivered to the customer in 2020. A modified Advanced Hawkeye with a refueling probe has so far took on fuel from KC-130, KC-135, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and the KC-10. According to Defense News, the Navy has had a longstanding requirement to make the E-2D capable of being refueled by USAF and Navy tankers, but a lack of funding at the time the aircraft began production meant the Navy couldn’t afford it. The new production cost is expected to be an additional $2 million on top of the ones currently rolling off the production line, however, retrofitting the 45 models made to date is estimated to cost about $6 million per airframe.
After 11 years, Lockheed Martin said that the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the F-35 program is winding down after the completion of its final developmental test flight on Wednesday, April 11. The program so far has seen 9,200 sorties and 17,000 flight hours for three major variants. According to a company press statement released on Thursday, Lockheed said that the final flight saw a F-35C CF-2 complete a mission from Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, to collect loads data while carrying external 2,000-pound GBU-31 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and AIM-9X missiles. Developmental flight testing is a key component of the F-35 program’s SDD phase, which will formally be completed following an Operational Test and Evaluation and a Department of Defense decision to go into full-rate aircraft production.
Speaking at a hearing of the US Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging threats, Air Force Lt. Gen. Marshall Webb told lawmakers that the service still lacks adequate funds for a program to add a laser to the AC-130J gunship. The Head of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC), Webb was answering a question from Sen. Martin Heinrich on why the service is moving slowly from testing a four-kilowatt laser to a 30-kilowatt version and now directly to a 60-kilowatt laser. “We’re $58 million short of having a full program that would get us a 60-kilowatt laser flying on an AC-130 by 2022,” Webb stated. In February, Webb told a roundtable discussion with reporters at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, that the “challenge on having the laser is funding.”

Middle East & Africa

Both the governments of the Ivory Coast and Senegal have signed a framework agreement with Indonesian aircraft manufacturer PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PT DI) for the delivery of aircraft for transportation and maritime patrol missions. The agreements will see two NC-212s and one CN-235 delivered to the Senegal Air Force while Ivory Coast has placed an order for one CN-235. Valued at $75million, contracts are expected to be finalized in July or August this year, with deliveries expected to take place within 18 months of signing.
Israeli defense firm Rafael has offered a series of upgrades to South Africa that would upgrade its JAS-39 Gripens to the 4.5 generation standard. Working in conjunction with the warplane’s manufacturer Saab, included are offers to swap the current Litening 3 targeting pod with the 4.1 version and install a IP Mobile Ad-hoc Network Software Defined Radio. Also included in the package are the provision of Python 5 and the I-Derby ER air-to-air missiles which offer a 100 km range.

Europe

Missile consortium MBDA is looking to sell its Sea Ceptor naval air defense system to Finland as part of efforts to help arm the latter’s fleet of Squadron 2020 corvettes. The firm’s offer is based on its Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM), and is being made through the three companies—Atlas Elektronik, Lockheed Martin Canada and Saab—currently on the short list to supply the combat management system to the Finnish authorities. Speaking to Defense News, Paul Stanley, MBDA vice president for northern Europe, said that bidders for the CMS deal will propose an “air defense system as part of a package, with recommendations,” after which Finnish authorities will then “make a selection.” That indirect approach in the tender leaves the missile maker relying on the combat systems integrator, which is expected to offer Raytheon’s Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) and Barak from Israel, he said. The Sea Ceptor system has already been certified and installed on three of the British Royal Navy’s Type 23 frigates and will be installed on the service’s next generation Type 26 and Type 31 frigates. Exports have also been secured for new Zealand, Chile, and Brazil, while Spain is also looking to conduct a study for its own Sea Ceptor package. MBDA has also teamed with Lockheed Martin to develop a lightweight version of the MK41 launcher for CAMM, known as the extensible lightweight launcher (ExLS), which is intended to fit on smaller naval vessels.

Asia-Pacific

As part of efforts to sell amphibious aircraft to the Indian Navy, Japanese manufacturer ShinMaywa Industries has entered into a partnership with Mahindra Defence that will see the establishment of MRO and manufacturing and assembly facilities for the US-2 seaplane. “This partnership between two companies familiar with the aviation business is positive especially for MRO and maintenance services in the Indian defence aerospace sector,” says SP Shukla, chairman of Mahindra Defence. Mahindra—who supplies armoured vehicles, decoys, torpedos and electronics to India’s armed forces—also envisages a strategic partnership for future variants of the amphibious turboprop. Flight Global states that the joint venture “between Mahindra and Shinmaywa is the first major sign that New Delhi may be moving forward with its long-held plans to acquire US-2s for a number of roles, such as crew rotation at sea, supply of spares to ships, long-range search and rescue and surveillance.” Earlier reports from 2014 state that as many as 18 US-2s could be purchased, however, no firm order has ever been made.

Today’s Video

Azerbaijan shows off new military hardware in music video/political broadcast for President Ilham Aliyev:

F-35 deliveries halted in latest Lockheed-Pentagon row | Osprey JPO on export sales push, Israel interested | German Tornados can’t fly at night

Apr 13, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

A contractual row between the US Department of Defense (DoD) and Lockheed Martin has resulted in the Pentagon ceasing to accept deliveries of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. While it is not clear when exactly the suspension of deliveries began, it follows a previous halting for 30 days in 2017 after corrosion where panels were fastened to the airframe were discovered on 200 aircraft. Sources close to the issue speaking to Reuters claim the recent halting was due to arguments over who would foot the bill to cover the sending of Lockheed technicians to travel around the world to remedy last year’s issue on jets based overseas. Two unnamed foreign military sales customers have also stopped accepting aircraft.
The first range test of Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) from an F/A-18 Super Hornet will take place later this year. Speaking to Military.com, Lockheed’s vice president of strike systems, Alan Jackson said captive-carry testing is currently underway following a successful jettison release test last year. The munition has already been tested and dropped from the B-1B bomber and will be operationally fielded on the platform this September following two more flights this summer. Based on the AGM-158B JASSM-ER, the LRASM hosts the sae capabilities but can also detect, identify and attack moving, maritime targets. In addition to the Super Hornet, Lancer, and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the LRASM can also be deck-launched from a vertical launch system on a Navy destroyer.
Jane’s reports that the US Air Force intends to commence integration of the next-generation Long-Range Stand-Off (LRSO) cruise missile on the B-52H bomber from next year, despite the fact no contractor has been selected to develop the missile. According to a pre-solicitation notification released by the Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) on April 10, the service intends to award the bomber’s manufacturer Boeing with $250 million for the integration and testing work from January 1, 2019 until December 31, 2023. As to the development of the missile itself, both Lockheed Martin and Raytheon are currently competing—which intends to replace the AGM-86 Air-Launched Cruise Missile (ALCM)—to develop the LRSO, with the former’s design expected to draw on its AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). Raytheon have yet to reveal any information on its proposed solution. The program is currently in the technology maturation and risk reduction (TMRR) phase and is expected to be ready for fielding in about 2030.

Middle East & Africa

Israel is considering joining the potential procurement of V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft with a larger heavy-lift package that aims to replace its fleet of aged CH-53 Yasur helicopters. Tel Aviv had initially put a pause on buying six Ospreys last year, three years after the US State Department cleared the potential sale. However, the freeze was short-lived with Israeli officials restarting talks over their purchase late last year. According to NAVAIR officials, any sale of V-22s would be part of a package with heavy-lift helicopters—Israel is considering both the Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion and the Boeing CH-47F Chinook—adding that European countries such as Italy, Norway, Spain and the UK have also been targeted as potential foreign buyers for the Osprey. The export push comes as the V-22 joint program office looks to fill vacant production capacity ahead of the release of a third multi-year production contract for V-22s this summer. According to Flight Global, the next five-year production plan calls for introducing CMV-22s with the US Navy, and delivering 17 V-22s ordered by Japan, along with additional shipments to the USMC and AFSOC.

Europe

European missile consortium MBDA and Lockheed Martin have successfully completed qualification testing of the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) from Lockheed’s Extensible Launching System (ExLS) 3-Cell Stand Alone Launcher. MBDA’s Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) is a highly compact missile that enables multiple weapons to be fitted in limited spaces. It is the most modern air defence missile of its class on the market and has recently completed a highly successful series of firings by the British Royal Navy. The ExLS allows CAMM to come in a quad-pack arrangement which allows to store and fire 4 missiles from a single cell and is specifically designed for use on smaller naval platforms that are unable to accommodate the larger 8-cell MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS). A MBDA press release said the qualification tests took place in the UK towards the end of 2017.
German ministers have told its lawmakers that the air force’s Panavia Tornado fighters are unable to fight at night. According to local media, the problem is two part: Firstly, the current lights used by displays “are not suited for night-vision mode”, meaning pilots would be blinded by them should they use light enhancing goggle. Secondly, it has been reported that certification officials are unsure they can obtain documentation from the goggles producer that would be required for a fleet-wide approval. Germany’s Tornado fleet are not new to such issues. Earlier this year, it was reported that the fuel used by the German Tornado fleet appears to have been mixed with ‘too much bio-diesel’.

Asia-Pacific

Ahead of its stall at this week’s Defexpo 2018 in Chennai, India, MBDA’s one-year old joint venture with Indian engineering firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T)—L&T MBDA Missile Systems Limited (L&T MBDA)—has given updates on the various guided weapons systems being offered to the Indian military. The 5th Generation Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM 5) is being offered to the Armed Forces under the Buy (Indian – IDDM) procurement category, with a fully functional simulator to feature at Defexpo. Meanwhile, the joint venture is offering to the Indian Navy, for its Naval Surface Platforms—the Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SRSAM) and the Medium Range Anti-Ship Missile System—both of which are being offered under the Buy and Make (Indian) Category. The JV added that it was also preparing to participate in various ‘Make’ category projects. India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative aims to develop India’s industrial and manufacturing base through its defense procurements.

Today’s Video

Flying demo of Pakistan Army Mi-35:

Saudi order restarts SLAM-ER’s production line | Lockheed officials make F-16 sales push in Slovakia | Cobham selected for KF-X oxygen systems work

Apr 12, 2018 05:00 UTC

Americas

Boeing has been selected to provide both the US Navy and government of Australia with training systems for P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Valued at $35.9 million, the deal allows the air-framer to provide P-8A Poseidon maintenance device training system upgrades for both customers and falls under a firm-fixed-price contract modification to an existing award and combines purchases for the Navy ($18,063,363; 51 percent); and the government of Australia ($17,905,905; 49 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will take place in Jacksonville, Florida and Edinburgh, Australia, running through to January 2020. The Poseidon is an anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft designed to work in conjunction with the MQ-4C Triton, a UAV used for maritime patrol operations, and is also on order with the UK, Norway, and India. In March, Boeing’s 100th Poseidon entered final assembly in Renton, Washington and the firm says its current order backlog will keep its production line running until 2022.
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing a $24.1 million contract for extra, unspecified design work on the new Air Force One. Announced by the Pentagon on Tuesday, the notice merely states that the order tasks Boeing with advancing “the maturity of the air vehicle design beyond the preliminary design level on the VC-25B,” and “supplements work already taking place under the PAR contract, including the acquisition of two commercial Boeing 747-8 aircraft and VC-25B preliminary design activity.” Work will be carried out at Seattle, Washington, with contract completion expected for December 2019. According to Flight Global, the USAF awarded Boeing a $600 million contract in September 2017 to cover preliminary design work on two new Air Force One aircraft that will replace two 747-200-based Air Force One aircraft delivered in 1991. Scheduled to begin flying in 2021, the White House costs the total program at $3.9 billion.
In what is a major first for the company, Orbital ATK announced the successful test of a partially-3D printed warhead designed for hypersonic weapons. Taking place on March 29, the testing comes just sixty days after conception, with three out of five of the warhead’s major components made using additive manufacturing. Speaking to Defense News, Orbital said the test aimed to examine what effects the fragmentation will have on various targets. Orbital decided to try additive manufacturing on a warhead design for hypersonic applications because the Defense Department is moving full speed ahead with hypersonic technology development in the coming years as it decides how it will employ such weapons. Hypersonic weapons are anything that can exceed Mach 5, which is five times faster than the speed of sound.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) has announced thats its military has now received six indigenous Anka-S unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). Ten drones were ordered by the Turkish Air Force in 2013. In a statement released Sunday and reported by the Daily Sabah, SSM said that UAVs were “produced within the scope of the contract signed between SSM and [manufacturer] TAI to meet the operational needs of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) , while two more Anka-S’s were added to the units delivered to Turkish Air Force Command and used effectively in the field, thus increasing the total number of these UAVs in the inventory to six. Build by Turkish Aerospace Industries, the Anka-S is the serial production variant and can be identified by the modified radome that houses a ViaSat’s VR-18C Highpower SATCOM antenna.
The production line of the AGM-84 Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) is being restarted all for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to a US Navy contract awarded to Boeing on Tuesday, the $64 million contract will see the SLAM’s updated H/K expanded response (ER) variant put back into production with the deal also covering the redesign of obsolete, nearly obsolete, or uneconomical parts to support production and improve future sustainment. The majority of the work will take place at St. Charles, Missouri with a scheduled completion time set for March 2019. As well as the US and Saudi Arabia, the SLAM-ER is in use with the air forces of South Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Saudi F-15SA warplanes are likely to carry the munitions.

Europe

Lockheed Martin officials have been undergoing a sales push in Slovakia, touting its F-16V as a potential solution to Bratislava’s ageing MiG-29 fighter aircraft. News of the visit comes just a week after US State Department approval to potentially sell the American-made warplanes to Slovakia was announced by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)—even though Slovakia will not officially select a winner until this summer—and an offer was formally presented by Lockheed officials to the Slovakian government on Tuesday, April 10. If Slovakia were to select the upgraded F-16, the company said deliveries of the first four aircraft could commence in late 2022. Slovak Defence Minister Peter Gajdos is expected to submit his opinion on the most effective solution to the cabinet by June 29, 2018, with Saab’s JAS-39 Gripen the F-16V’s competition.

Asia-Pacific

British aerospace equipment manufacturer Cobham has been selected by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to provide oxygen systems for South Korea’s indigenous fighter effort—the KF-X. The multi-year agreement covers the aircraft’s development phase and tasks Cobham with designing an onboard oxygen generating system that includes technologies such as the Next Generation Oxygen Concentrator—which creates breathable oxygen from engine bleed air—and the Electronic Seat Mounted Regulator that allows pilots to control the flow of oxygen. This will be the forth contract given to Cobham for various systems on the KF-X. So far the firm has been tasked with providing missile ejection launchers, communication, navigation and identification conformal antennas, as well as the fighter’s external fuel tanks and pylons.

Today’s Video

A 2017 South Korean live-fire test of the SLAM-ER:

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