Latest updates[?]: An advance in aircraft simulators, allowing F-35 pilots to link with pilots of other aircraft, was announced on Wednesday by Lockheed Martin. For the first time, Lockheed, the F-35 Joint Program Office and the US Air Force successfully connected F-35, F-22, F-16 and E3 airborne warning planes in a simulated environment. Additional platforms, like the F-15, can also connect to the shared virtual environment. The success came during a Distributed Mission Training final acceptance test at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the company said.

Latest updates[?]: The USS Gabrielle Giffords joined two ships of the Japan Self-Defense Force for bilateral exercises in the South China Sea. The Kashima class training vessel JS Kashima and the Shimayuki Class training vessel JS Shimayuki of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force joined the US Navy's Independence Class littoral combat ship on Tuesday. The purpose of the exercise, the Navy said, was to "practice and enhance bilateral interoperability between the two navies and to emphasize the importance of communications and coordination."

Latest updates[?]: Advanced Electronics won a $12.4 million modification, which provides for implementation and delivery of end-user training for the CPS for two years. The scope of this contract effort will include custom contractor-developed training and original equipment manufacturer training. This is a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) acquisition between the US government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This FMS is for the total package of acquisition and fielding of 84 F-15A aircraft; the upgrade of 70 F-15SA aircraft to the F-154SA configuration; the procurement of associated equipment, weapons and spares; and the construction, refurbishment and infrastructure improvements of support facilities for the F-15SA in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter aircraft designed to outperform and outfight enemy aircraft obtaining air supremacy for the US Air Force. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) F-15SA is an advanced fighter jet aircraft version of the F-15E Strike Eagle featuring state-of-the-art sensors and a wide range of guided and smart munitions.

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $7.3 million deal for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) Operational Realtime Combat Analysis (ORCA) Increment Two. The deal provides for enhancements to the software package known as the JASSM ORCA Increment Two. The JASSM is an autonomous, long-range missile developed and produced by Lockheed Martin. This conventional, air-to-ground and precision standoff missile was designed primarily for the US Air Force (USAF). The 2,000lb class weapon offers high capability and precision in destroying stationary as well as relocatable targets. Work will take place in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Expected completion date will be by June 14, 2021.

Latest updates[?]: Taiwan’s deputy defense minister Chang Zhe-Ping has confirmed to legislators that Taipei has decided to acquire the coastal road-mobile variant of the Boeing Harpoon Block II missile. Chang said the missiles should enter service with the Navy’s Hai Feng squadron in 2023. When asked, why the country chose to buy the American weapon when the existing Hsiung Feng II & III missiles are already in service, Chang clarified that studies showed that more missiles are required to destroy 50 percent of the invading force from China. This can only be achieve rapidly by buying new missiles from abroad.

Latest updates[?]: BAE Systems Land $42.8 million for MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) canister production and ancillary hardware. The company will make Mk 41 Vertical Launching System canisters, renew Mk 13 Mod 0 canisters and produce Mk 13 Mod 0, Mk 21 Mods 1 through 3 and Mk 29 Mod 0 canisters under the modification. The Navy initially awarded a potential $954.5M contract to update and repair Mk 41 VLS canisters for the service branch and FMS customers from Denmark, Japan and South Korea. Work will take place in Minnesota and South Dakota. Estimated completion will be by July 2023.

Latest updates[?]: Raytheon Missile Systems won a $30.3 million delivery order to procure 32 Tomahawk Mid-Body Range Safety Subsystems and 32 Flight Test Kits. Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile in service with the surface ships and submarines of the US and the UK’s Royal Navy. Originally produced by General Dynamics, Tomahawk is currently manufactured by Raytheon. The Tomahawk can strike high-value or heavily defended land targets. The Block II TLAM-A missile achieved initial operating capability in 1984. The missile was first deployed in combat during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Work under the delivery order will take place in Arizona, Arkansas, Alabama, South Carolina, California, Florida, Missouri and various locations within the continental US. Completion is expected by March 2023.

Latest updates[?]: According to media reports, India’s Strategic Forces Command has begun receiving 42 Su-30MKI air dominance fighters modified to carry air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. This will significantly enhance the striking power of the air leg of India’s nuclear triad. The Sukhoi Su-30 MKI is a twin-seater, highly maneuverable, fourth-generation multirole combat fighter aircraft built by Russia’s Sukhoi Design Bureau and licensed to India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The plane will serve as the backbone of India’s Air Force through 2020 and beyond. Delhi has already acquired around 200 jets, and eventually plans to acquire 282 of them. The Brahmos is jointly developed by India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia. Capable of traveling at speeds of Mach 3.0, the Brahmos is the fastest cruise missile in the world. As Russia and India Report explained, “The BrahMos’ 3000 km per second speed – literally faster than a bullet – means it hits the target with a huge amount of kinetic energy. In tests, the BrahMos has often cut warships in half and reduced ground targets to smithereens.”

Latest updates[?]: The US Air Force awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $47.9 million contract for 469 Maverick units. According to the company, the Maverick is a precision-attack missile for the air, naval and marine forces of 30 countries. Maverick is certified for use on more than 25 aircraft, including helicopters, fighters, attack and patrol aircraft. More than 69,000 missiles have been produced to date, and more than 6,000 have been used in combat, with 93 percent accuracy. The missile’s guidance software provides attack capability around-the-clock against fixed high-value targets, high-speed moving and maneuvering armored vehicles, ships and fast boats, and targets of opportunity. Targets of opportunity provide all-altitude point-and-shoot flexibility ideally suited for time-critical strike in urban close air support and maritime operations. Raytheon will perform work in Tucson, Arizona. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2021.

Latest updates[?]: Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC won a $167.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for 263 full-rate production Lot 8 Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles or AARGM. The deal for the subsidiary of Northrop Grumman includes the conversion of US government-provided AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles into 260 AGM-88E AARGM all-up rounds and 3 Captive Air Training Missiles as well as supplies and services needed for manufacture, spares and fleet deployment. AARGM is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile compatible with US and allied strike aircraft, including all variants of the F/A-18, Tornado, EA-18G, F-16, EA-6B, and F-35. Designed to upgrade the AGM-88 High-Speed, Anti-Radiation Missile system (HARM), AARGM features an advanced, digital, anti-radiation homing sensor, millimeter wave radar terminal seeker, precise Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) guidance, net-centric connectivity, and Weapon Impact Assessment transmit. Missile Impact Transmitter capability is available for approved customers. The missile offers extended-range engagement, as well as organic, in-cockpit emitter targeting capability and situational awareness. Work under the contract will take place in California and is scheduled to be finished by March 2022.