ViaSat Newest JTRS Winner | Raytheon Sells a Few Griffins | North Korea Deploying Very Slender Vessels

Americas

• California-based ViaSat Inc. was awarded a contract with a potential value of $478.6 million on Thursday for Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) terminals. These will give commanders the ability to communicate by voice, video and data links to forces via a line-of-sight, jam-resistant channel across ground, air and naval assets.

• Also on Thursday the Air Force signed a contract with Raytheon to procure Griffin missiles, with the deal worth $12 million. The Griffin is a precision miniature munition that utilizes parts from other Raytheon-manufactured missiles – such as the Javelin ATGM and the AIM-9X AAM – to keep costs down. The missile is currently used as part of roll-on armed kits for US C-130 transport aircraft.

• The Navy’s plans for disposing of the USS Enterprise (CVN 65), following the carrier’s inactivation in 2012, are coming under increasing scrutiny. A Congressman – Rep. Derek Kilmer – is pushing the Navy to articulate a definitive plan for the disposal, particularly as the potential work plan for his Puget Sound workforce, where US nuclear vessels have previously been recycled, has become increasingly unclear as the Navy mulls the idea of opening the disposal up for industry competition.

Europe

• Russia is reportedly planning on acquiring at least 50 new Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers in a move which would triple the country’s supersonic nuclear-capable aircraft fleet. A major upgrade program on its 16 in service Blackjacks is also reportedly set for completion ahead of schedule, with the aircraft set for delivery in 2019 – a year earlier than planned.

• France’s tender for miniature unmanned aerial vehicles is expected to garner attention from two Israeli manufacturers – BlueBird and Aeronautics Defense Systems – among several others. The requirement for thirty-five new systems is currently in the initial pre-qualification process, with a RFI expected in coming weeks. BlueBird produces the SpyLite UAS whilst Aeronautics Defense Systems produces the Orbiter Mini UAS, both of which could be offered to fulfill the French requirement.

• Airbus is preparing to deliver the first of its H145M helicopters to the German Army, with two set for delivery by the end of 2015. The Germans have ordered fifteen of the helicopters, with the Royal Thai Navy also set to see deliveries from next year onwards, following the H145M successfully receiving its European Aviation Safety Agency certification.

• General Dynamics European Land Systems has awarded a $88 million subcontract to Rolls Royce to supply diesel engines for the British Army’s Scout Specialist Vehicle. GD was awarded a $5.3 billion contract in September last year to produce 589 vehicles, with the program passing a critical design review in February.

Asia

• North Korea has reportedly deployed a new generation of fast Very Slender Vessels, following reports last year which cited 2013 satellite images of the boats then under development. The new low-profile, radar-evading vessels are thought to be capable of achieving speeds of up to 60mph. Seven of the ships are thought to be in service, with these stationed on the western side of the Korean Peninsula.

• The US has handed over a second batch of 4 UH-60M Black Hawks to Taiwan, part of a $3.1 billion 2010 Foreign Military Sale for 60 of the helicopters. The first batch of 4 was delivered last December, with Mexico having also recently requested the UH-60M. The Taiwanese delivery is set to take place in ten batches, scheduled to finish in 2019.

• Britain’s BAE Systems has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for Hawk Mk132 maintenance upgrade and development, as well as the maintenance of the Indian Air Force’s legacy Jaguar fleet, which faced problems earlier this year with upgrades to its engine.

Today’s Video

• The USS Enterprise arriving at Newport News Shipyard for inactivation in 2013:

SpaceX Cleared by AF to Compete Against ULA | Pentagon Mulls Wish List for F-35 Block 4 | Germany Attempts a ‘French End-Run’ on Behalf of Eurofighter

Americas

• SpaceX has been cleared by the Air Force for national security-related launches, injecting competition into a previous United Launch Alliance monopoly on private DoD launches. This is part of Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain’s efforts to end US reliance on the Russia-manufactured RD-180 rocket for space launches. However, the Pentagon has previously urged Congress to allow ULA to continue using the Russian rockets in order to “ensure access to space”.

• The Air Force has also successfully test-fired a Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg AFB, with the launch initiated and controlled from a U.S. Strategic Command Airborne Command Post E-6B Sentry AWACS aircraft operating the Airborne Launch Control System.

• The Pentagon is currently determining what should be included in the F-35‘s Block 4 configuration, ahead of a review later this year. Weapons that could feature in Block 4 include the Small Diameter Bomb II and the Kongsberg Joint Strike Missile, as well as potentially the B61-12 standoff nuclear bomb.

• Young and Rubicam Inc. was awarded an $84.4 million contract Wednesday for advertising services in support of Navy recruitment, with one base year and four option years. The total value of the potential five-year contract would be $457.5 million.

• Also on Wednesday, Electric Boat Corp. was handed a $46.4 million contract for planning efforts needed to conduct maintenance, upgrades and modernization on USS Montpelier (SSN 765) while it is in dry dock.

• The Brazilian Navy has received the first of a dozen A-4 Skyhawks modernized by Embraer in order to extend their service life to 2025. Originally manufactured by McDonnell-Douglas, the upgraded jets have received new communications, weapons, power and navigation systems, as well as other new components.

Europe

• The United Kingdom won’t make a decision on whether to procure a British or US-manufactured strike package to equip its F-35 fleet until 2018. The choice is between the Small Diameter Bomb II – manufactured by Raytheon in the US – or an offering from home team MBDA to fulfill the Selective Precision Effects At Range 3 (SPEAR 3) requirement.

• Airbus has reappointed its CEO Maria Amparo Moraleda Martinez, who will be in charge of the European defense giant until 2019. The shareholder vote was win by a narrow margin, with Martinez taking 40% of the vote. The French, German and Spanish governments own shares in the firm; 11% for Germany and France and Spain 4.1%.

Asia

• India’s Defense Ministry has cleared a $3 billion deal for 15 CH-47F Chinook and 22 AH-64D Apache helicopters, with the acquisition now under a Finance Ministry review before a contract is signed. The country’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) effectively cleared the procurement in August last year, following the demise of the Light Utility Helicopter program.

• India and Germany have agreed to strengthen their defense relationship, with the German Defense Minister Ursula Von der Leyen currently in New Delhi plugging the Indians for a potential sale of Eurofighters and submarines. This is not the first time the Eurofighter has been pushed by European politicians, with British Prime Minister David Cameron recently reiterating that a potential deal with India is still on the table.

Today’s Video

• The view from a Eurofighter‘s cockpit…

S-300 Maker Fights EU Sanctions with Russia Tempering (Again) Iran Proliferation Threat | Crash-Prone SU-30MKI Earns Safety Audit | Italy Ups Defense Hardware Budget

Americas

• Aerojet Rocketdyne has begun a series of hot-fire tests with the company’s oxygen rich pre-burner engine for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Hydrocarbon Boost Technology Demonstrator (HBTD) program. The HBTD program aims to provide reusable space flights through the use of a combination of liquid oxygen and liquid kerosene, hoping to fulfil the requirements laid out in the Integrated High Payoff Rocket Propulsion Technology.

• On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin was handed a $69.7 million contract to upgrade two Japanese Defense Force Atago-class Aegis-equipped ships through a Foreign Military Sale. The JDF is reportedly planning on building an additional pair of Atago-class ships, with Lockheed Martin having previously been awarded a contract in support of the class.

• Rockwell Collins was also awarded a $24.8 million IDIQ contract to supply the Navy and Australia with aircraft direction finders, radio tuner panels and high frequency radio shipsets for the P-8A Poseidon, with the contract slated for completion in 2020.

Europe

• Russian arms manufacturer Almaz-Antey, which manufactures the S-300 and S-400 air defense systems, is appealing EU sanctions imposed on the company as a result of Russia’s support to separatists forces in Ukraine. The firm has been banned from selling defense and dual-use technologies to European countries, as well as seeing its assets frozen in western Europe. The company has been on the EU sanctions list since July 2014, as well as the US Treasury’s Special Designated Nationals list.

• Separately, Russian media is reporting that the Russo-Iranian deal for S-300 air defense systems is yet to be finalized, following the signing a decree in April nominally opening the way for the potential sale. With a history of back-peddling and curtailed deals, the future of this latest deal may not be as final as the Russian Foreign Ministry makes out to be.

• Georgia has unveiled a new unmanned attack helicopter, produced by the government’s State Military Scientific-Technical Center. The armed helicopter has a reported range of 280km and appears to be armed with two M134 mini-guns and eight ground attack missiles.

• Germany’s Rheinmetall has signed an agreement with state-owned Kazakhstan Engineering to form a joint venture. Kazakhstan is pursuing an ambitious defense modernization program, with support from Israel, Russia and China bolstered by oil and gas reserves.

• Italy’s 2015 defense budget was released on Tuesday, with a substantial EUR4.9 billion ($5.3 billion) set aside for procurement expenditure. The F-35 has been allocated $634 million, with Italy a Tier Two nation in the multinational program.

Asia

• With India having begun sea trials of the INS Sindhukirti, a recently refitted and modernized diesel-electric submarine, questions have been raised over the extended time (nine years) taken to refit the sub. This lethargic refit has been blamed by the shipyard responsible – Hindustan Shipyard Ltd – on Russian experts deliberately delaying the boat’s overhaul, including insistence on sourcing components from Russia, delaying several processes significantly. The original program called for the refit to take three years. The Soviet-manufactured Sindhukirti has reportedly been fitted with Klub-S missiles – also recently supplied to Vietnam – and new sonar, as well as other new components.

• India is to review its SU-30MKI fleet following the loss of one aircraft earlier this month. The high-level safety audit is a response to not only this latest crash, but the loss of six SU-30MKIs since the Indian Air Force received the first batch in 2002, a high attrition rate for a fighter which comprises roughly a third of the IAF’s fast jet force.

• The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has declared their fleet of Wedgetail AWACS operational, achieving Full Operational Capability (FOC) in light of operations over Iraq. Following a $2 billion December 2000 procurement contract, the fleet of six Boeing E-7A aircraft achieved Initial Operating Capability in November 2012, following setbacks from 2006 onwards in a much-criticised procurement program.

• Separately, the RAAF has demonstrated a satellite data link-enabled video stream between a C-17A and an IAI Heron UAV 2,000km away. The fleet of C-17As was recently equipped with SATCOM and imagery equipment as part of the Australian Defence Force’s Plan Jericho upgrade program.

Today’s Video

• A RAAF video showing the use of the E-7A Wedgetail over Iraq:

Lockheed to Upgrade Japanese AEGIS Destroyer for ABM Use

JS Kongou

Lockheed Martin Maritime Sensors and Systems won a $124 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification to upgrade Japan’s Kongo-Class AEGIS destroyer JS Kongo [DDG-173] to give it AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense Block 2004 capability. Japan’s Kongo-Class destroyers are based on the USA’s Flight II DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class, but feature many modifications both internally and externally. The Kirishima itself was posted to the Indian Ocean as part of Japan’s contribution to the war on terror, acting as flagship for the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force.

DID has covered related Japanese contracts, including cooperation with the USA on missile defense and a related $400 million order for naval ABM components and services. Work on this contract will take place in Moorestown, NJ (78%); Baltimore, MD (15%); Eagan, MN (4%); and Aberdeen, SD (3%); and should be complete by November 2007. The project was not bid out, but was rather awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC under contracting activity N00024-03-C-6110. See also Lockheed release.

June 11/15: South Korea has requested the sale of the Aegis Combat System through a Foreign Military Sale. The potential sale of three of the systems, as well as auxiliary equipment, could be worth $1.9 billion and comes weeks after the North tested a “submarine-launched” missile. The ACS comprises the SPY-1 radar, Display System and Underwater Countermeasure System, with the Aegis system also capable of operating in a Ballistic Missile Defense capacity.

May 27/15: Lockheed Martin was handed a $69.7 million contract to upgrade two Japanese Defense Force Atago-class Aegis-equipped ships through a Foreign Military Sale. The JDF is reportedly planning on building an additional pair of Atago-class ships, with Lockheed Martin having previously been awarded a contract in support of the class.

S-97 Raider Flies | Heaviest Heavy Lift Copter Ever Upgraded, Produced Again | Bell to Let Russian Firm Build 407GXP

Americas

• Sikorsky’s S-97 Raider helicopter prototype has made its maiden flight, with this likely to be a welcome distraction from the firm’s current ailing business situation. The coaxial helicopter’s core X2 technologies will be at the heart of the Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant, a finalist for the Army’s Joint Multi-Role, Future Vertical Lift (JMR – FVL) competition.

• BAE Systems has submitted a bid for the USMC’s Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) competition, with the company teaming with Italian firm Iveco Defence to develop the ACV 1.1 design.

• Lockheed Martin has been handed a $27.3 million option for seven TB-37 multi-function towed array (MFTA) production units, as well as auxiliary equipment and support services. The work and production will be split between the US Navy and Japan under a previous Foreign Military Sale. The TB-37 is a potent anti-submarine warfare sensor, with the system offering several enhancements to the AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array System which it replaces. The TB-37 Multi-Function Towed Array is the first new surface ship array to be built for the US Navy in 25 years and is configured as a long array that can be towed behind surface ships for ASW mission sets.

Europe

• Russian Helicopters has begun series production of the company’s new Mi-26T2 model, a modernized version of the Mi-26T. The model is the most powerful heavy-lift series production helicopter ever, capable of lifting 15 metric tons, with recent reports indicating that Russia and China may have recently signed a joint construction deal for a large heavy-lift helicopter, thought to be the upgraded Mi-26T.

• Russia’s Sputnik News is reporting that US firm Bell Helicopter has signed a contract with Russian firm Urals Civil Aviation Plant (UZGA) for the licensed assembly of the former’s latest 407GXP single-engine helicopter. Bell Helicopter is a Textron company, which was recently awarded another sole-source contract from the Canadian Coast Guard.

• Polish and German defense companies are collaborating to develop a new 6×6 amphibious armored personnel carrier. Two Polish firms – Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (Polish Armament Group) and the OBRUM company will partner with Germany’s Rheinmetall Man Military Vehicles on the new vehicle, intended to form a potential option to replace the Polish fleet of Soviet-era BRDM-2 APCs.

• Poland has also released a tender for 200 “revolver-type” 40mm grenade launchers, with five firms having completed the technical dialogue with the government’s armaments directorate earlier in the year, including South African and Turkish, as well as domestic companies.

Middle East

• Egypt is reportedly ordering 46 MiG-29 fighters, according to Russian media. Two Russian industry sources leaked details of the deal on Monday to Russian newspaper Vedomosti [Russian], indicating that the deal could be worth up to $2 billion in the highest single order of MiG-29s since the end of the Soviet Union. The Egyptians have mulled purchasing Russian MiGs before – both the -29 and more advanced -35 models. The Air Force possesses a diversified fleet, including US, French and Russian aircraft, partially a result of the US’s decision to suspend military aim to the country following the overthrow of the government in July 2013.

Asia

• In addition to the recent order of 145 M777 howitzers, the Indian Army is to receive 114 upgraded Dhanush guns, based on the Swedish Bofors 155mm guns bought by the country in the 1980s. The initial $252 million contract comes on the heels of a set of successful trials, with the upgraded guns mostly (80%) Indian-manufactured. India’s attempts to both recover from the Bofors scandal and plug operational gaps previously led to a messy and ambiguous competition. A follow-on order for up to 481 guns is expected following the delivery of these 114 guns within a three-year time frame.

Today’s Video

• The above mentioned Sikorsky S-97 Raider’s first flight…

If the AF Dumps Them, Boeing Wants to Resell A-10s to Others | Turkey Wants more Phalanx | India, Israel Mull Joint Surface-to-Air Missile

Americas

• Boeing wants to sell refurbished A-10s to international customers. The US is the only operator of the Warthog, with the House recently voting to fund the fleet for another year, despite the Air Force chiefs’ efforts to cut down numbers. Boeing is currently engaged in an extensive re-winging program for the aircraft, following a $2 billion 2007 contract.

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $735 million support contract for the Air Force’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellites, Milstar and Defense Satellite Communications System III. The company was awarded a similar contract for the latter two in 2009.

• The Army also awarded a $496 million contract to four firms for advisory/assistance services to Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Forces Strategic Command and supported agencies. The contract will run until 2020, with the tender having attracted ten bids.

Europe

• Turkey has requested upgrades for its Phalanx close-in weapon systems, as well as four new systems, in a potential $310 million deal. The deal would also include Remote Weapons Stations, equipment, parts and training, as well as contractor (Raytheon) support. The Phalanx has been exported to several countries, with Australia recently requesting an upgrade package, with the UK and South Korea having imported the system, alongside other international customers. The CIWS is designed to provide a final tier defensive capability, with radar guiding a cannon to shoot down missiles and aircraft.

• France is setting aside $1.7 billion to acquire new equipment over the next four years, according to reports Thursday. A portion of this is earmarked for 4 C-130 transports, as well as seven additional Tiger helicopters, to bring the total number ordered to 67. France recently increased its defense budget by 4%, representing €3.8 billion. The model of C-130 expected to be procured is either the J or K model.

Middle East

• Saudi Arabia has requested ten MH-60R helicopters, as well as associated equipment, spares and support through a Foreign Military Sale from the US for $1.9 billion. The proposed sale also includes 38 Hellfire II missiles and 380 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons Systems rockets. Saudi Arabia evaluated the MH-60R back in 2010, also requesting 72 MH-60Ms in that year.

• Israel’s Elbit Systems signed an agreement Thursday to acquire NICE Systems’s Cyber and Intelligence division for $157.9 million, with $114.9 million set to be paid by the in Q3 this year. The acquisition will be by Elbit’s subsidiary Cyberbit.

Asia

• Alongside the news that India is pursuing closer ties to South Korea’s shipbuilding industry, the country is also reportedly talking to Russia regarding potential joint construction of warships based on the Russian Admiral Grigorovich class frigates. Russia has previously built six warships for the Indian Navy.

• India and Israel are reportedly in the final stages of organizing a deal which will see the two sides jointly develop a new medium-range surface to air missile, following reports earlier this month that confirmed that the two sides were in negotiations.

• South Korean and US forces will form a joint division next month, in what the military says is a response to threats by the North. However, this was originally announced last September. The division’s size has not been disclosed, however the number will be evenly split between the US and South Korea, combining a brigade from the South Korean Army and one from the U.S. 2nd Infantry Division.

• India has successfully landed a Mirage 2000 fighter on a highway in a test of a plan to use India’s roadways as emergency landing strips. Other nations use this strategy, including Switzerland, Germany and Sweden. Highways need to be adapted in order for aircraft to land – aside from the obvious lack of chicanes, they require lighting to be at ground level, with no telephone or electricity pylons in the vicinity.

Today’s Video

• Footage of China’s Xian H-6K flying over the Miyako Strait for the first time on Thursday. The most advanced variant of the H-6 bomber, a copy of the Russian Tupolev Tu-16, the new model boasts several upgrades over previous models. Thursday’s drill is likely to scare Japanese defense planners, given the range of the bomber and the proximity of Thursday’s flight to Okinawa.

F-35B Hopes to Dispel Operational Awkwardness Concerns on Wasp| Israel Requests 14,500 JDAM Tailkits | al-Abadi in Russia: What We Need Against ISIS is Weapons

Americas

• United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is reportedly in talks with potential buyers regarding its Sikorsky business, with Boeing, Airbus and Lockheed Martin all apparently angling for the sale. The maker of the Black Hawk helicopter, Sikorsky has been on the auction block for a while now, with a foreign buyer more likely as the Pentagon would likely not allow much more consolidation in the US helicopter market. Mexico recently requested three of the company’s UH-60M transport helicopters.

• As part of the Marine Corps’ F-35B trials currently taking place aboard USS Wasp, a F135 engine has been flown onto the ship to assess the aircraft’s ability to be repaired at sea. The engine uses a modular design to facilitate the swapping out of components, with this also making the entire engine transportable by a single MV-22 Osprey.

• General Atomics was awarded a production contract for eight additional MQ-9 Reaper Block 5 UAVs on Wednesday, with this $72.1 million contract following a similar $279.1 million order for 24 of the aircraft last month.

Europe

• Russia is reportedly seeking to develop a tracked version of its Pantsir anti-air system for use in the Arctic. The Defense Ministry has stated that it intends to possess a self-sufficient Arctic force by 2018, with the Kremlin becoming increasingly assertive in the region over recent months.

• Boeing has delivered the second of four upgraded AWACS aircraft to the French Air Force, with this resulting in the French fleet achieving Initial Operating Capability. The first of the four was delivered last July, with Boeing awarded the $323.9 million contract in January 2010.

• The French Navy has also successfully fired [French] the Missile de Croisière Naval aboard the lead FREMM frigate, the Aquitaine. Five FREMM frigates are scheduled to be delivered to the French Navy by 2019, with eight having been ordered to date. The French recently offered the Missile de Croisière Naval to Poland to equip its future fleet of submarines.

• One of the Mistral LHDs originally destined for Russia departed St. Nazaire on Wednesday for a third set of sea trials. The Sébastopol is one of two Mistrals at the heart of a diplomatic spat between Paris and Moscow, with negotiations having begun earlier this week.

Middle East

• Israel has requested 14,500 JDAM tail kits in a potential sale worth $1.9 billion. Israel previously ordered 3,000 upgraded JDAM kits in November last year, with these upgrades for the ultra-tightly coupled (UTC) capability, with that delivery set for November 2016.

• Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi travelled to Russia on Wednesday, reportedly to seek additional arms to fight IS. Iraq has bought significant quantities of Russian hardware in recent years, with the US also sending significant quantities to the beleaguered state. Al-Abadi is due to meet Putin on Thursday.

Asia

• India’s publicly-owned Hindustan Shipyard Ltd is reportedly seeking to partner with South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries to construct warships for the Indian Navy. The warships potentially covered in the agreement include submarines and destroyers. HHI assembled South Korea’s Type-214 submarines and KDX-III AEGIS destroyers.

• India’s indigenous Astra missile reportedly missed out on a test scheduled for Monday owing to a technical problem with the SU-30MKI assigned to launch the missile. This news came alongside the crash of a Flanker on Tuesday, with this the third such crash involving the Russian-manufactured fighter in five years, raising concerns over reliability. The Beyond Visual Range air-to-air missile conducted a successful test last month, the latest in a series of live-firings.

• Singapore will equip the last of its Formidable-class frigates with French manufacturer Thales’ STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 radar and electro-optical tracking system. The system also equips the Royal Navy of Oman’s Al-Ofouq-class patrol vessels.

Today’s Video

• A JDAM destroying an artillery position…

France Upgrading Their E-3F AWACS

E-3F AWACS

The French Armee de l’Air is upgrading its E-3F AWACS radar aircraft, in a $460 million program.

The E-3 Sentry AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft is based on a militarized version of the Boeing 707-320B. It remains the world’s most widely used large-jet AWACS platform, in service with the USAF, Britain, France, NATO, and Saudi Arabia. Over the years, the world’s E-3 fleet has required improvements to keep its radars and electronics current with advances in technology. France received its 4 E-3F aircraft between 1991-1992, and undertook its own RSIP improvement program from 2002-2006. Now, they’ve set their E-3F fleet’s upgrade path to Block 40/45 capability. Which is being delivered at last, after the US government suddenly attempted to get in the way…

Airbus Warns A400M Customers on Turboprop Controllers after Crash | ‘Three Dealer’ Bid Re-evaluation Decision Appealed | X-37Bs to Launch

Americas

• The Marine Corps has begun testing its F-35Bs aboard USS Wasp (LHD-1), with these tests set to last two weeks. Six of the aircraft are being tested for specific abilities as part of Operational Testing (OT-1); these include digital interoperability between aircraft and ship systems, something particularly sensitive given the aircraft’s recent software problems. The USMC decided to push ahead regardless of 2B software issues, with the intention of hitting IOC in July.

• Raytheon has further complicated the Air Force’s $1 billion appealing a federal judge’s decision last week to allow the Air Force to re-evaluate bids. The company previously filed a lawsuit when the Air Force tried to re-open the competition as a result of challenges by competitors Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin.

• The Air Force is planning on launching two X-37B Orbital Test Vehicles into orbit on Wednesday, which will see the testing of a plasma-based propulsion system previously reported here. This will be the fourth X-37 mission, with the mission also testing materials for NASA. The the third mission lasted 674 days, with no information on how long this latest will last.

• The Navy has laid down the keel of SSN 789 at Huntington Ingalls Industries. The Virginia-class fast attack sub is the newest of the class, following on the tails of the Colorado, which was laid-down in March. This new boat – the sixteenth – will be named the Indiana. Navy leader have been pushing for the Virginia-class to possess more firepower.

• On Tuesday the Army awarded LockheedMartin a $30 million modification to convert 200 ATM-114Q-6 Hellfire training missiles to ground-attack missiles (AGM-114R-9B-1), with the work set to last two years. Also on Tuesday the Navy awarded Whiting Turner Contract Co a $30.3 million contract to construct a power and propulsion high bay test facility at Philadelphia Navy Yard. The work is expected to run until November next year.

• The aircraft of the Navy’s Naval Air Arm in one graphic.

Europe

• Airbus has ordered software checks on the A400M aircraft following the crash of one of the aircraft earlier this month during a test flight. The company announced that it has released a notice to A400M customers asking them to inspect the aircraft’s Electronic Control Unit, which help control its Europrop International TP400-D6 turboprop engines. Europe’s largest defense project, the aircraft has been grounded by many users following the crash which killed four people. The aircraft has been ordered by eight nations.

• Russia will close [Russian] NATO’s supply line through its territory to Afghanistan. The rationale given is the end of provisions given under UN Security Council Resolution 1386, which cleared international troops to operate in the country, with this resolution expiring at the end of 2014. Although the number of NATO troops operating in the country is reduced from the number at the peak of the conflict and the use of Russia’s Ulyanovsk as a transit hub has subsided considerably, this closure will complicate the logistical resupply of the thousands of troops and support personnel remaining. The principle supply line is now through Pakistan. Russia threatened to close the supply line before in 2011, in an attempt to pressure NATO to limit its missile defense coverage.

Asia

• On Tuesday the Australian Defense Ministry announced a $61.4 million contract with Harris Corporation’s Australian subsidiary for tactical radio support, which will see the company maintaining 15,000 radios previously sold through various follow-on contracts in addition to an original 2010, $112 million contract.

• India is planning on deploying its SU-30MKI fighters to Britain later year, with a potential deployment to the US pencilled in for next year. The fighters will be accompanied by Il-78 refuelers, with the jets scheduled to take part in joint exercises with the Royal Air Force in July and August. If they head to the US, the Flankers may take part in the Air Force’s Red Flag exercise.

• However, one of the Indian Air Force’s Flanker fleet went down on Tuesday, with the pilots ejecting safely. The Indian fleet of SU-30MKIs has been plagued with reliability issues, with the entire fleet grounded in October last year following a similar crash.

Today’s Video

• Jumping out of a CH-47…

France, Germany and Italy Pit Industry Champions Together For New UAV | Boeing: Ours Should Have Lasers | South Koreans Deny Lockheed Meetings Held on THAAD

Americas

• Boeing Phantom Work’s President wants to put solid-state lasers on the company’s Phantom Eye developmental UAV. Darryl Davis stated that the UAV could operate at stratospheric heights with the lasers used for intelligence gathering and potentially missile defense. However, that would depend on significantly increased funding for the immature technology – something which doesn’t appear to be happening in the short term.

• On Monday, Raytheon was awarded a $7 million contract modification in support of the UAE’s Patriot systems, with this totaling 138 man-months of work. The GCC member state first procured the systems in 2008, with the country operating the PAC-3 variant.

• Raytheon announced on Monday the Small Diameter Bomb II has achieved Milestone C, with the SDB II now set for Low Rate Initial Production. The Milestone C achievement is the result of eleven flight tests, including two live-firings. The bomb’s System Verification Review slipped last year, a result of two failed tests, with the bomb initially scheduled to enter LRIP in January 2014 [p. 117].

Europe

• The Defense Ministers of three European states signed a Declaration of Intent on Monday for a two-year Medium Altitude Long Endurance UAV definition study. Germany, Italy and France are funding the collaborative work between Dassault, Airbus and Finmeccanica, which will form the basis of a decision in two years time on whether to begin development of the system. Airbus, Dassault and Alenia Aermacchi are likely to compete for production contracts if this green light is given.

• The European Defence Agency and the European Space Agency also announced on Monday that the launch of the DeSIRE II project, which is intended to use satellite communications to integrate remotely-piloted aircraft into civilian airspace. The $3 million contract with Telespazio is using a Piaggio Aero P.1HH Hammerhead UAV as a flying testbed, with a consortium of European firms working on the project,including Telespazio, e-GEOS, Selex ES, Piaggio Aero, ViaSat, Skyguide and Aedel Aerospace.

• Following the selection in April of the Airbus H225M Caracal by the Polish Defense Ministry for its tri-service helicopter modernization requirement, the helicopter is now confirmed to be undergoing evaluation and verification against Poland’s requirement set. Photos have emerged from Powidz 33rd Transport Aviation Base showing the helicopter undergoing testing to evaluate 32 requirements set by the Defense Ministry’s Armament Inspectorate.

• With rumors having circulated for some time now regarding the French-Russian Mistral issue, the French Ambassador to Russia reportedly announced on Monday that the two sides are engaged in discussions on how best to resolve the situation. The French are unlikely to go ahead with the deal, which would see two of the LHDs delivered to the Russian Navy, instead most likely seeking to repay what the Russians have invested in the contract. This will most likely be a disputed, messy affair forecast to last at least several weeks.

• Poland has released a tender for one million non-ricocheting bullets. The 5.56 x 45mm rounds are destined for GROM Special Forces units, with the tender scheduled to conclude between July and November.

Asia

• South Korea’s Defense Ministry has stated that the country is THAAD system, while US Secretary of State John Kerry again hinted at a possible deployment of US THAAD systems to the country. The issue of ballistic missile defense in South Korea has become increasingly politicized in recent weeks, with China vehemently opposing the stationing of THAAD in the country, despite the North recently conducting missile launch tests.

• Indian firms are pushing for a greater slice of the M777 contract pie awarded last week. The prospect of a much larger order than the 145-gun contract – potentially reaching around a thousand guns if the Indian Army replaces all its current legacy systems – would be boost to the Indian defense industry, with manufacturer BAE System likely to increase the Indian work share of a larger future contract.

• An Australian pilot has flown a Royal Australian Air Force F-35A for the first time, with the country a Tier 3 partner in the program.

Africa

• Airbus is reportedly talking with the South African Air Force regarding the firm’s C-296, A400M and A330MRTT aircraft. The SAAF C-130BZ fleet is currently highly inefficient, with around a third of its fleet operational at any given time. The country previously cancelled an order for eight A400M transporters in 2009. A joint procurement of A330 MRTT tankers is expected by three European states (Poland, Norway and the Netherlands) soon, to complement the aircraft’s six international customers.

Today’s Video

• Small Diameter Bomb II, introduced by the Smithsonian…