Latest updates[?]: The Navy's Blue Angels squadron is set to receive new wings. Boeing is being awarded with a firm-fixed-price delivery order valued at $17 million. The contract provides for necessary work needed to convert nine F/A-18E and two F/A-18F aircraft into a Blue Angel configuration. The Blue Angels were formed in 1946 following WWII as a public relations and recruiting tool to inspire airshow crowds to pursue excellence in all of their endeavors and as a recruiting asset to attract potential candidates to join the US Navy. Work is likely to include removing the jet’s 20mm Vulcan cannon, enhancing the the aircraft’s fuel systems for prolonged inverted flight, adding an oil tank and extra plumbing to the Super Hornet’s exhaust for the smoke system, as well as other smaller changes. Flight controls on the Blue Angels’ F/A-18’s are usually modified to make formation and inverted flight easier. The flight control stick between the pilots’ legs uses a spring to exert 40-pounds of forward bias force meaning the pilot constantly exerts slight rearward pressure compared to a normal Hornet to maintain level flight. Work will be performed at Boeing's facility in St. Louis, Missouri and is scheduled for completion by December, 2021.

Latest updates[?]: The government of Australia is set to receive a new engine for one of its P-8 Poseidon aircraft at a cost of $12.8 million. The Poseidon is powered by a CFM56-7B27AE engine is produced by CFM International belongs to the family of high-bypass turbofan aircraft engines. The CFM56-7 first ran on 21 April 1995 and has a takeoff thrust range of 19,500–27,300lb. It powers commercial Next-Generation 737s and military versions of the airframe including the AWACS and C-40 Clipper. Work will be performed at multiple international locations, including Villaroche, France and Durham, North Carolina. Delivery of the engine is scheduled for September 2019.

Latest updates[?]: The Navy is ordering torpedo replacement kits from Lockheed Martin Sippican. The firm-fixed-price, cost and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification has a value of $59.1 million and provides for the production of G&C sections and CBASS kits used on the Mk48 Mod 7 torpedo. The Mk-48 is a huge 533mm torpedo (19 feet long, 3,500+ pounds) with advanced homing, wire guidance capabilities, and devastating consequences when its 300kg warhead hits a target. The Mk48 Mod 7 CBASS is an upgraded version of the MK 48 Advanced Capability (ADCAP) Mod 6 Advanced Common Torpedo (ACOT). CBASS includes a Broadband Sonar Analog Receiver, preamplifier and interfacing hardware. This gives the retrofitted torpedoes the ability to transmit and receive over a wide frequency band, and takes advantage of broadband signal processing techniques to improve their targeting & tracking capabilities. According to the Lockheed's website the company delivers at least 20 Mod 7 CBASS kits per month to the US Navy. This contract combines purchases for the US Navy and international allies. The governments of the Netherlands, Canada and Turkey will each receive the kits under the US foreign military sales program. Work will be performed at Lockheed's facilities in Marion, Massachusetts; Braintree, Massachusetts and Lemont Furnace, Pennsylvania. The kits are scheduled for delivery by March 2021.

Latest updates[?]: The government of Australia is set to receive support services for its destroyers as part of a US foreign military sale valued at $23.9 million. Lockheed Martin will provide the Royal Australian Navy with engineering and logistics support for its Aegis combat system installed on the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer Hobart Class vessels. Australia’s 7,000t destroyers are based strongly on Spain’s 5,800t F-104 Mendez Nunez AEGIS “frigate”, with some features from the subsequent 6,390t F-105 Cristobal Colon. Hobart will provide air defence for accompanying ships in addition to land forces and infrastructure in coastal areas, and for self-protection against missiles and aircraft. The Aegis Combat System incorporating the state-of-the-art phased array radar, AN/SPY 1D(V), in combination with the SM-6 missile, will provide an advanced air defense system capable of engaging enemy aircraft and missiles at ranges in excess of 93 miles. The destroyers can also be deployed in law enforcement operations, defence aid to the civil community, collection of environmental data, rescue operations and diplomatic roles. Work will be performed in Adelaide, Australia and three US locations including Moorestown, New Jersey, among others. Work is scheduled for completion by January 2020.

Latest updates[?]: The US Special Operations Command is determined to keep its incumbent MEUAS II-B program running. Insitu is being awarded a $5000 minimum, $232 million maximum additional task order for maintaining its mid-endurance unmanned aircraft systems intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance services. MEUAS II-B is a fee-for-service or "power by the hour" contractor-owned and operated UAV network deployed in support of SOCOM operations. The catapult-launched mid-sized ScanEagle provides SOF units on the ground with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information.

Latest updates[?]: The Air Force is working on the next operational resiliency phase for one of its satellites. Lockheed Martin Space Systems is being awarded a $32.0 million contract modification for work on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Satellite Vehicle 4. The AEHF system is a series of four military communication satellites which will entirely replace the current in-orbit Milstar system. The main function of the AEHF spacecraft in geostationary orbits will be to provide secure, survivable and near-worldwide satellite communications. Advanced EHF satellites will provide at least 10 times greater total capacity, and offer channel data rates 6 times higher, than current Milstar II communications satellites. They’ll offer 24-hour low, medium, and high data rate satellite connectivity from 65 N to 65 S latitude, worldwide. AEHF SV-4 was initially expected to launch in spring 2017. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $9,2 billion. Work will be performed at the company’s location in Sunnyvale, California, and is expected to be completed by end of January 2021.

Latest updates[?]: The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division is procuring support equipment for its fleet of E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Northrop Grumman will supply the Navy with 45 end items of Peculiar Support Equipment (PSE) at a cost of $29.9 million. The firm-fixed-price order includes the delivery of updated software sets, system specification documents and obsolescence management. E-2D support activities are conducted through the PEO(T) and PEO(U&W) programs led by the Supporting Program Executive Office. Both programs provide flight line and intermediate maintenance level test equipment & automated test equipment for the E-2D. The E-2D gives the warfighter expanded battlespace awareness, especially in the area of information operations delivering battle management, theater air and missile defense, and multiple sensor fusion capabilities in an airborne system. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed in August 2021.

Latest updates[?]: The US State Department is currently in the process of approving a possible foreign military sale to Denmark. The North-European country has requested the purchase of up to 46 SM-2 Block IIIA All-Up Rounds and other related equipment for an estimated cost of $152 million. SM-2 Block IIIA missiles have greater capability at even lower altitudes than previous SM-2 versions, a more powerful fragmentation warhead, and can use Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination (ICWI) to improve performance against supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. The missiles are provided as medium range (50 mile) rounds that can be fired from AEGIS rail launchers, AEGIS vertical launch systems, and Tartar rail launchers. The deal would also include a telemetry omni-directional antenna, warhead dud capable missiles, the Mk13 Vertical Launching System Canisters and operator manuals. The system will be installed on the Royal Danish Navy's IVER HUITFELDT Frigate Class ships. In combination with the Anti-Air Warfare System (AAWS) combat system the missiles will enhance anti-air warfare capabilities. The principal contractors will be Raytheon and BAE Systems.

Latest updates[?]: The US Army is continuing to boost its heavy-lift capabilities. Boeing is being awarded with a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $181.2 million. The deal provides for the procurement of up to 156 Block I configured CH-47F Chinook helicopters. The CH-47F builds the backbone of the US Army Cargo Helicopter Modernization Program, it’s the latest variant of the helicopter platform that was introduced in 1962. The CH-47F has 4,868 shaft horsepower from each of its engines, increasing fuel efficiency and enhancing lift performance by approximately 3,900 pounds. The new engines will enable the CH-47F to reach speeds in excess of 175 mph and transport up to 21,016 pounds. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion expected by December 2022.

Latest updates[?]: The Royal Thai Army (RTA) is currently adding four Hermes 450 drones to its inventory. The long-endurance tactical unmanned aerial vehicles are produced by Israel’s Elbit System. The Hermes 450 is a common medium surveillance UAV, with a 10 m wingspan and a maximum take-off weight of 1,212 lb. The 450 offers about 17-20 hours endurance at up to 18,000 feet altitude, and about 396 lb. of payload capacity via up to 2 body mountings and optional wing pylons. The UAVs will be used for operations including target designation; intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and mapping. The system is also expected to be used to track insurgency movements and drugs smuggling. The procurement of the Hermes 450 drones was finalized in 2017 at a total cost of $30 million.