Latest updates[?]: Boeing won a $999 million ceiling contract for A-10 wing replacements. The deal is for up to 112 new A-10 wing assemblies and up to 15 wing kits. Boeing is teaming up with Korean Aerospace Industries for the effort. The news comes after the recent completion of Boeing's first re-winging contract, awarded to the aerospace company in 2007. Only 109 A-10s still need to be re-winged. The planes, which entered service in 1976 and have deployed to the Middle East, Europe and the Pacific, have played an outsized role in the air campaign that began in 2014 against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, helping provide close-air support for Iraqi and US partner forces on the ground. Also dubbed the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the US Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. Boeing will perform work under the nearly $1 billion contract at multiple subcontractor locations in the US and South Korea. Estimated completion date is August 23, 2030.

Latest updates[?]: The Guardian reports that Australia will become the third country to join the United States in patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has agreed to dispatch troops and a P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft will be in the region for one month before the end of the year. The contribution to the United States-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz is aimed at protecting freedom of navigation in the Gulf region. The United Kingdom and Bahrain are the only other countries to join the US in the Strait of Hormuz. Australia’s P-8A Poseidon has advanced sensors and mission systems, including a state-of-the-art multi-role radar, high definition cameras, and an acoustic system with four times the processing capacity of the AP-3C Orions.

Latest updates[?]: The Navy tapped Sikorsky with a $48.3 million firm-fixed-price order in support of the CH-53K King Stallion. The order is to procure spare parts to repair and maintain low-rate initial production Lot Three configuration aircraft. A couple of days ago Sikorsky won a one-year $107.3 million contract from the US Navy for the long-lead items needed to manufacture its fourth batch of six CH-53K helicopters for use by the US Marine Corps. In May, the company received a $1.1 billion contract to produce 12 CH-53Ks and provide aircraft system spares and logistics support services. The King Stallion is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter. Its design features three 7,500 shp engines, new composite rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin than previous CH-53 variants. Sikorsky will perform work under the newly received order in Canada as well as the UK and various parts in the US. Estimated completion date is in August 2024.

Latest updates[?]: The Naval Air Systems Command tapped Lockheed with a $32.1 million modification for modification and retrofit of delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters for the Air Force. The deal procures modification kits and special tooling. The contract will cater to the US Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. The F-35 Lightning is a supersonic, multi-role fighter jet that represents a quantum leap in air-dominance capability, offering enhanced lethality and survivability in hostile, anti-access airspace environments. Currently, it is being used by the defense forces of the United States and 11 other nations. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin's largest program that generates more than 25% of its total sales. Lockheed will perform work in Fort Worth, Texas and estimated completion date is in June 2025.

Latest updates[?]: Honeywell International won a $110.9 million contract modification to revitalize engines of the US Army’s Abrams tanks. The modification provides spare parts for the Honeywell-made AGT1500 gas turbine engine for the M1 Abrams family of vehicles. Honeywell’s AGT1500 engine provides superior acceleration and mobility to the M1 Abrams, making it the platform of choice for the US Army, Marine Corps, National Guard, and many international allies. The new agreement is part of the Army’s Total Integrated Engine Revitalization or TIGER program to meet the Anniston Army Depot production of the Advanced Gas Turbine 1500 engine for the Abrams tanks and TIGER field repair site requirements. Work will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of February 22, 2022.

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $56 million deal for combat system engineering support on the Ship Self-Defense System (SSDS). Under the contract, the SSDS combat system engineering agent and software design agent primary deliverables will be SSDS tactical computer programs, program updates and associated engineering, development and logistics products. The contract will manage the in-service SSDS configurations as well as adapt and integrate new or upgraded war-fighting capabilities. Lockheed will perform work in Moorestown, New Jersey and San Diego, California. Estimated completion date is in December.

Latest updates[?]: Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions won a $31.1 million contract modification or one E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System III Weapons Systems Trainer and one Aircrew Procedures Trainer, including technical data. The Hawkeye is an advanced all-weather, carrier-capable tactical Early Warning Aircraft. The Advanced Hawkeye is assigned aboard aircraft carriers and provides airborne early warning and command and control to carrier air wing. The E-2D can act as a sensor to guide the fleet's weapons onto targets that other aircraft and ships can not locate. Also it warns of incoming anti-ship missile attacks. Rockwell will perform work in Norfolk, Virginia and estimated completion is in April 2024.

Latest updates[?]: After the current protests in Hong Kong, Thailand’s military has prepared a plan to evacuate its citizens living in Hong Kong in case the security situation there deteriorates. Bloomberg reports that the Air Force is ready to deploy two planes, a Lockheed C-130 Hercules and an Airbus A340, if the Thai government orders an evacuation. The Hercules is a turboprop transport aircraft. The aircraft is able to land and takeoff from unprepared runways. Hong Kong citizens have been protesting against a bill allowing extraditions to China. The protests are already lasting for 11 weeks and have made headlines due to the police clashing with demonstrators at Hong Kong’s airport. Flights had been cancelled at the beginning of the week, because of the violence of the protests.

Latest updates[?]: The US Marine Corps is moving one step closer towards operating its own MQ-9 fleet with the first two Marines graduating from the Basic Sensor Operator Course on August 9. „The graduation of these two lance corporals is a small step in their training,” Marine Liaison to the 558 FTS Major Matthew Bailey said. “It’s probably lost on them how important it is, but this is a major milestone for the Marine Corps UAS community. The two marines will be assigned as sensor operators for the MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aircraft System. The MQ-9 Reaper is the primary offensive strike Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for the US Air Force. Given its significant loiter time, wide-range sensors, multi-mode communications suite, and precision weapons, it provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets. The Marine Corps in March laid out plans to establish their own MQ-9 Force. The Marine Corps has been on a path to expand it’s UAS assets and enhance intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. This brings the push for expanding into group five UAS’. Group five UAVs can weigh in above 1320 pounds, normally fly higher than 18,000 feet above sea level, and at any speed. These assets can stay in the air longer, with a much larger payload, and observe a much larger area.

Latest updates[?]: According to a press release by Raytheon, Bahrain inked an agreement to purchase the company’s Patriot air and missile defense system. This allows the US government to begin contract negotiations with Raytheon for production of an undisclosed quantity of systems and missiles. "Raytheon's Patriot Integrated Air and Missile Defense System will ensure the Kingdom of Bahrain is well equipped to defend against ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and manned and unmanned aircraft," said Ralph Acaba, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. Patriot is a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather air defense system to counter tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and advanced aircraft. It is in service throughout the US, Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Poland, Sweden, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Romania, Spain and Taiwan.