Americas
PoleZero Acquisitions won an $8.9 million modification, which increases the ceiling of the contract to provide for the production and delivery of up to 12 additional Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Antenna Interface Units (AIUs); 22 Very/Ultra High Frequency (V/UHF) AIUs; 12 UHF AIU Communications Tray (COMM-Tray); and 18 V/UHF AIU COMM-Tray assemblies and subassemblies in support of the P-8A aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It is capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. It is also effective for humanitarian and search and rescue missions. Work will take place in West Chester, Ohio. Estimated completion will be in March 2023.
The number of COVID-19-cases in the US military passed the 30,000 threshold this week, the Pentagon reported. The Department of Defense now has recorded 30,392 cases of the coronavirus among military personnel, with civilian, contractor and dependent cases bringing DoD’s total case count to 43,634 as of Friday afternoon. The Army had 10,245 total cases last week. The Marines reported 3,746, the Navy had 7,166, the Air Force had 4,789, the National Guard had 4,151 and other Defense Department agencies had 295. The Army’s increase in cases, from Monday’s Pentagon report to Friday’s, was 548 cases, with the Marines up by 301, the Navy up by 278 and the Air Force up by 194. The National Guard, which has troops activated around the country to assist in COVID-19 response, reported 294 cases this week.
Middle East & Africa
A US Air Force C-17 delivered pallets of food and water to Beirut, Lebanon after the explosions at a local warehouse that lead to at least 220 deaths and 7,000 injuries. Personnel from the 379th Air Expeditionary Win, Air Mobility Command’s 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron and 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron on Al Udeid Air Base, and the Area Support Group Qatar from Camp As Sayliyah worked to palletize food, water and medical supplies delivered to Beirut later that day.
Europe
Snipers assigned to 3rd Battalion, 15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division completed helicopter sniper training with the assistance of 5th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, 101st Airborne Division at Smârdan, Romania. The team fired at targets while hovering from a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk on August 6th, 2020, at Smârdan, Romania. 3rd Battalion was the home of one of a small number of Special Reconnaissance Platoons created to better bridge the gap between conventional forces and Special Forces. The 15th United States Infantry Regiment is a parent regiment in the United States Army.
Leonardo announced that it was part of a new team launched to support the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD’s) Mission Data for Information Advantage (MD4IA) program. Known as Team NOVUS, the group includes Leonardo, Thales, BAE Systems, Sigma, Meta Mission Data, and MASS. The company said in a statement that “the founding members are committed to a transformative MD4IA enterprise approach that is built on outcome-based relationships and an agile delivery culture. Discussions are continuing with like-minded companies to enhance the Team NOVUS response to the MD4IA challenge.”
Asia-Pacific
Taiwan’s Lungteh Shipbuilding launched the first of four fast minelaying ships being built for the Republic of China Navy (RoCN). The 41 m-long vessel, which bears the designation FMLB-I (Fast Mine Laying Boat-I) on its hull, entered the water in a ceremony held at the company’s facilities in Yilan County. Work on the ship, which is expected to be handed over to the RoCN by the end of 2020, began on May 24, 2019, with the keel being laid on November 14. The first mine laying vessel is expected to be delivered this year, according to plans.
Today’s Video
Watch: TAIWAN DEPLOYS AMERICAN MADE F-16A VIPERS ARMED WITH HARPOON ANTI SHIP MISSILE TO TAKE ON CHINA !
