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CBO Estimates $11B Per Year For Fleet Maintenance | Trump Comments On Iran’s Retaliation | Rheinmetall Awarded $60M Order Package

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Americas January 9/20: CBO Estimate According to an estimate by the US Congressional Budget Office, it will cost $11 billion per year to maintain the aviation fleet of the Navy and Marine Corps at is current size for the next 30 years. A report published by the CBO estimates what it would cost to keep […]
Americas

January 9/20: CBO Estimate According to an estimate by the US Congressional Budget Office, it will cost $11 billion per year to maintain the aviation fleet of the Navy and Marine Corps at is current size for the next 30 years. A report published by the CBO estimates what it would cost to keep the Navy and Marines’ fleet at its current size of 4,000 between 2020 and 2050. The office’s projections are based on procurement schedules and costs extrapolated from Department of Defense documents, the report said, as well as the retirement ages and costs for the aircraft being replaced. Costs would range from from $7 billion to $17 billion and total $280 billion, the report said. The costs would vary year to year as specific aircraft programs are phased out and added, the report said. CBO predicts a temporary drop after 2030 as several large programs wind down or end, and rebound in the mid-2030s as the Pentagon begins a new production cycle to replace them. The MV-22B tiltrotor, the CH-53K helicopter and the F-35B/C fighters are all scheduled to sunset in the 2030s.

Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense won a $28.3 million contract with a five-year ordering period and five one-year options for the MK 150 MOD 0 4.0 second Delay Detonator, and the MK 164 MOD 0 Non Electric Dual Detonator. The MN50 is a 4.0 second delay detonator with 7′ of pyrotechnic lead with one non-electric delay detonator on one end and an inline initiator on the other end. The MP29 is a non-electric dual detonator with 40′ of dual, no flash pyrotechnic lead with two non-electric detonators on one end and two inline initiators on the other end. They are used for demolition breaching, critical target destruction and obstacle clearing for U.S. Naval Special Warfare Command. Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Company manufactures precision energetics systems. The Company’s products include explosive breaches, demolition systems, reactive armor, and accessories for military applications in the United States. The company will perform work under the contract in Graham, Kentucky. Estimated completion will be by January 2030.

Middle East & Africa

Iran launched missile strikes late Tuesday against two Iraqi military bases that house US Forces in retaliation for the airstrike that killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani last week. More than a dozen ballistic missiles targeted the Al Asad and Erbil bases, the Pentagon has said. Iran’s supreme leader called his country’s missile strike a “slap” to the Americans, but said Iran’s real revenge will be forcing the US to pull out of the region. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Iran does “not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression.” Addressing the nation for the first time after Iran’s missile attack on UStroops in Iraq, President Trump said he would not allow the Iranian regime to obtain nuclear weapons and indicated he was willing to de-escalate the situation in the Middle East. “As long as I am president of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,” Mr. Trump said.

Europe

German company Rheinmetall announced in a press release that it has been awarded orders for additional equipment for the Bundeswehr’s Puma infantry fighting vehicle. Its Düsseldorf-based technology group is to supply spare parts and special tools worth a total of about $60 million. The Puma is one of the most protected IFV currently available. It has a welded armor hull with add-on modular armor. It has an option of three various protection levels to suit operational needs. Weight of the vehicle vary from 29.4 to 43 tons accordingly to a protection level. The base model has a front and flank protection against 30 mm rounds, while vehicle has an all-round protection against 14.5 mm machine gun fire.

Asia-Pacific

The Indonesian Air Force has deployed four F-16s to Natuna under Operasi Lintang Elang 20. Roesmin Nurjadin Airbase Commander, First Marshall Ronny Irianto Moningka told reporters on January 7 that this is a routine deployment and that there is no intention to provoke any party, especially China, which has sent its coast guard vessels and fishing boats to waters off Natuna. The American made aircraft, that has become the centerpiece in the Indonesian Air Force, will patrol Indonesia’s sovereign territory in the operation dubbed as ‘Operasi Lintang Elang 20.’ Also the Jakarta Post reported that Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Natuna Regency, an archipelago of hundreds of islands in the southern South China Sea on Wednesday. Indonesia and China are in a dispute over Beijing’s naval activities in Indonesia’s exclusive economic zone, or EEZ. Widodo, who was re-elected in 2019, made the trip to the Natuna islands Wednesday morning, meeting with the area’s governor and Indonesia’s Joint Defense Area Command commander Rear Adm. Yudo Margono, according to the report.

Bangladesh is to receive the last of five UK-surplus Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules transport aircraft in the coming weeks, according to Jane’s. Bangladesh had ordered the surplus C-130Js in two batches of two and three aircraft in 2018 and earlier in 2019, respectively. The first of the five aircraft was rolled out by Marshall ADG during an official ceremony in mid-July 2019. The Bangladesh Air Force has previously noted that the acquisition of C-130J aircraft from the RAF provides a key enhancement to its current airlift capability. As well as performing in-country support of the aircraft, Marshall ADG will also be modifying the aircraft, including designing, developing, and installing medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) capability to enable the Bangladesh Air Force to carry out tasks within the country and overseas in support of UN missions.

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Watch: The A 10 thunderbolt, Also known as the warthog, The ‘flying gun’ and the tankbuster, in action

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