Latest updates[?]: US Marine Corps Task Force Southwest is contracting General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to boost its UAS system intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance surge. The un-definitized contract is valued at $39.56 million and will see for General Atomics to fly its own unarmed MQ-9 Reapers in support of US Marines missions in the US Central Command area of operation. General Atomics will provide a single “orbit” supplying coverage over one particular area 16 hours a day, seven days a week. The company could have to conduct missions lasting 24-hours or more in certain cases, but with advance notice. In January NAVAIR awarded a similar contract in support of USMC deployment in Afghanistan. The Marines currently conduct advisory missions in Afghanistan’s infamous Helmand province, as well as portions of neighboring Nimroz province, both of which border Pakistan. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona and Poway, California, the CENTCOM’s area of operatio, and is expected to be completed in November 2018.

Latest updates[?]: The Navy is contracting Advanced Acoustic Concepts LLC in support of the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) platform. The cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursement modification is valued at $12.2 million and provides for software engineering services to support the LCS Mission Modules program. The Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship has been designed to counter a number of “asymmetric” threats like coastal mines, quiet diesel submarines, global piracy, and terrorists on small fast attack boats. Instead of designing a single platform that is able to take over those tasks the Navy opted for developing a ship that can be adapted to specific mission requirements by integrating swappable mission modules. Therefore, the LCS program includes packages for Mine Warfare, Anti-submarine Warfare and Surface Warfare. The LCS Mission Modules Program Office packages a variety of technologies to these ends, many of which are produced by other program offices and delivered as elements of a particular mission module. Work will be performed in Hauppauge, New York; Columbia, Maryland and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by June 2019.

Latest updates[?]: Jane’s reports that the UK military has lost another Thales WK 450 Watchkeeper to an accident. Britain’s Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Program was devised to give the Royal Artillery an advanced mid-range UAV for surveillance and is complementary to other ISTAR systems in the Royal inventory. The Watchkeeper platform is based on Elbit Systems’ Hermes 450 UAV platform. The UAV is designed to provide continuous 24/7 surveillance when needed, using unmanned air vehicles able to stay airborne for more than 16 hours each through night and poor weather. So far, the UK military has lost five Watchkeepers, three of which crashed in the last 12 months. The Watchkeeper UAV and 47 Regiment Royal Artillery that operates it were due to achieve full operating capability (FOC) earlier in 2018, but this milestone was postponed after the platform failed to obtain a key flight safety certificate in November 2017.

Latest updates[?]: DRS Sustainment Systems Inc. is being tapped by the US Army in support of its fleet of Abrams tanks. The fixed-price-incentive contract is valued at $192 million and provides for the procurement of Abrams Active Protection systems, sets of countermeasures, as well as calibration and maintenance kits in support of the tanks Enhancement program. The active protection system (APS) will equip a brigade of US Army tanks, protecting them during a deployment to Europe in 2020. Up to 80 M1A2 Abrams are set to be retrofitted with the Israeli-made Trophy system. Trophy works by ringing a tank with flat panel radar sensors that constantly monitor for incoming threats. Once an incoming tank round, anti-tank missile, or shoulder-fired anti-tank rocket is detected on a collision course with the tank, the Trophy system launches a number of explosively formed projectiles in a shotgun-like pattern at the incoming threat weapon. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2020.

Latest updates[?]: Marvin Engineering is set to supply the Air Force with launcher systems in support of its AIM-120 missile systems. The $126 million contract provides for 1,450 guided missile launchers and 925 sub-assembly components used for F-15s, F-16s and Navy F-18s AIM-120 systems. US-only AIM-120D missiles feature the C7 improvements, but the D version reportedly adds a very strong set of upgrades, making it more capable and lethal. Work will be performed in Inglewood, California, and is expected to be completed by May 28, 2023.

Latest updates[?]: The British Army’s new Ajax armored fighting vehicle (AFV) is currently undergoing field trials, before the first variants are delivered to operational units early in 2019. The Ajax is part of the multi-billion pound “Future Rapid Effects System” (FRES) program. FRES aims to recapitalize the core of Britain’s armored vehicle fleet over the next decade or more. Ajax vehicles are developed upon a highly-adaptable and capable Common Base Platform, maximizing commonality in mobility, electronic architecture and survivability. Each Ajax platform variant has extensive capabilities, including acoustic detectors, a laser warning system, a local situational awareness system, an electronic countermeasure system, a route marking system, an advanced electronic architecture and a high-performance power pack. Ajax will be the medium weight core of the British Army’s deployable Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability. It enables the soldier to be at the point of collection of accurate all-weather commander information within a network-enabled digitized platform. The current trials are the final phase of a series of evaluations to approve the vehicle for land warfare operations before it enters full service with the British Army.

Latest updates[?]: BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair is being awarded a $18.9 million contract in support of the Navy’s LPD 27 amphibious transport dock ship. BAE system will work towards the accomplishment of the post shakedown availability for the vessel. It will provide efforts including program management, planning, engineering, design, liaison, scheduling, labor and procurement of incidental material in support of the USS Portland. The USS Portland was commissioned on April 21st and is a San Antonio class amphibious assault support vessel. Its mission is to embark, transport, land, and support elements of a US Marine Corps Landing Force. It is designed to operate the Marines’ MV-22 Osprey, hovercrafts and amphibious armored personnel carriers. The Portland and its sister ships will operate as part of larger Amphibious Task Forces (ATFs) in conjunction with a full set of airpowers, additional assault ships, and air and sub-surface defense vessels. San Antonio Class vessels are potential command ships for US and joint task forces and could make excellent UAV hosts and controllers. All work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by July 2019.

Latest updates[?]: India has requested the purchase of six AH-64E Apache helicopters. The possible US foreign military sale is valued at $930 million. The AH-64E Guardian Block III (AB3) is the helicopter’s next big step forward by incorporating 26 key new-technology insertions. If the deal goes through India would receive the newest Block III helicopters and up to 180 AGM-114L-3 Hellfire Longbow missiles, 90 AGM-114R-3 Hellfire II missiles, 200 Stinger Block I-92H missiles and other equipment ranging from fire control radars to ammunition. The prime contractors will be Lockheed Martin, General Electric, and Raytheon. This proposed sale would strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and to improve the security of an important partner in a region that is currently highly contested.

Latest updates[?]: The Navy keeping up its MQ-4C Triton efforts. Northrop Grumman Systems is set to provide operator, maintenance, logistic support and sustainment engineering services in support of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator program. The $61 million contract will ensure that the aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Tritons work in conjunction with the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft on missions that include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay; plus, support for maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management, and targeting for maritime and strike missions. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland and at various forward operating locations outside the continental US. It is expected to be completed in June 2019.

Latest updates[?]: Raytheon is being tapped for the procurement of missiles in support of the Navy. The $44 million cost-only modification provides for the full-rate production and spates for the Standard Missile-6. The Raytheon-manufactured Standard Missile-6 is both an offensive and defensive long-range weapon system that is designed as an anti-air and surface warfare weapon, in addition to being capable of targeting incoming sea-based ballistic missiles. The SM-6 is based on technology derived from the SM-2 Block IV, and the AIM-120. Active guidance in the missile’s own radar improves anti-jam resistance and is especially helpful during saturation attacks against ships without active array radars. The missile comes with a “over-the-horizon” targeting mode, where it’s cued by other ships or even aircraft, then uses its own seeker for the final approach. The US Navy typically arms both naval cruisers and destroyers as the Standard Missile-6 can integrate with the AEGIS missile defense system. Work will be performed at multiple locations, including Wolverhampton, United Kingdom and Warrington, Pennsylvania, and is expected to be completed by March 2020.