Americas
* Chile is assessing the procurement of a ship-borne long-range attack capability, which if comes to fruition, will make Lima the first South American government to have vessels with a capability to reach targets deep in land. IAI/Malam’s Long Range Attack (LORA) hybrid missile and ballistic weapon is currently been eyed by Chilean military officials as the system of choice, with sources suggesting that initial deployment could take place during the first half of the 2020s. In June, Israel Aerospace Industries successfully test-fired the LORA from a cargo ship.
* The US Air Force has granted contracts to both Boeing and Northrop Grumman for the Ground-based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) phase one program. Valued at $349.1 million and $328.5 million respectively, the firms will conduct technology maturation and risk reduction, to be completed work by Aug. 20, 2020. The GBSD will replace the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
* An industry team led by Lockheed Martin has successfully completed builder’s trials of the future Freedom-class Littoral Combat Ship USS Little Rock. Conducted on Lake Michigan, LCS 9 Little Rock went through a series of tests and evaluations of its primary systems and propulsion, including reaching flank speeds of over 40 knots. Four Freedom-class LCS vessels have been delivered to the Navy by Lockheed, with the Little Rock and eight others in various stages of production. They will serve alongside the larger Independence-class LCS produced by Austal USA.
Middle East & Africa
* Turkey’s main supplier of command and control suites, combat management systems (CMS) training centers and training simulators, Havelsan, has been contracted to provide a ‘Joint Warfare Center’ to the government of Qatar. While details on the contract remain scarce, it is believed that the sale will include Havelsan’s command, control, communication and intelligence (C4I) products and services with potential scope for the program to involve each of Qatar’s armed services branches. Qatar has previously hired Havelsan to provide its Cabin Team Training Simulator, Tactical Control Center, Flight and Navigation Procedures Trainer and DebriefingSystem, as well as a Full Mission Simulator for the Leonardo AW139 utility helicopter. In July, the firm opened an office in Doha as part of efforts to promote business growth in the country.
* Israel has begun an evaluation process for domestically developed systems and aerial refuelling procedures for its fleet of F-35i ‘Adir’ fighter aircraft. As part of the trials, aerial refuelling tests have been conducted from Tel-Nof air base using one of the service’s Boeing 707 tankers. The tests are an integral part of the Israel Air Force’s work towards declaring the initial operational capability (IOC) for its Joint Strike Fighters.
Europe
* Norwegian defense minister Marie Eriksen Soreide has announced a planned acquisition with German shipyard ThyssenKrupp for the production and delivery of four submarines. The $5.06 billion deal is part of a cooperation agreement between Oslo and Germany, under which Germany’s armed forces will buy two identical submarines from ThyssenKrupp and missiles from Norway’s Kongsberg. Soreide said that contracts for the deal will be signed in 2019 and delivery will commence in the mid-2020s.
* The UK Ministry of Defence (Mod) has announced the three-year extension of a British Army training contract with Saab. Under the terms of the agreement, valued at $26 million, Saab will provide its Tactical Engagement Simulation as a fully managed service, as well as delivering infrastructure, instrumentation and support personnel. The Tactical Engagement System simulates the effects of direct and indirect fire and tracks individual troops and vehicles. It also collects data in real time for after-action review.
Asia Pacific
* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has won a Japanese government competition to lead the contracting work on a new class of multi-purpose destroyers. Eight models are expected to be built over the course of the program and construction is expected to commence in 2019. Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Company has also been selected to act as sub-contractor, after MHI’s design won out against proposals from both Mitsui and Japan Marine United Corporation. Due to enter service by the end of the next decade, the vessels will be designed for a variety of missions including anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures, with the capability to operate helicopters, unmanned surface and underwater vehicles.
Today’s Video
* Cargo ship launch of LORA:
