Report: Germany to Select MEADS | Long Range Strike Bomber Decision To Be Quick | Russia Courts Peru for T-55 Upgrades

Americas

• The Air Force is reportedly set to award a contract for the next-generation Long Range Strike Bomber “within one to two months”. The competition between Northrop Grumman and a Lockheed Martin/Boeing team will lead to a program valued at between $44 and $55 billion, with this equating to between 80 and 100 bombers. The LRS-B program will realign from from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command from October.

• General Electric and Pratt & Whitney were both awarded $105 million modifications on Friday to cover a potential contract award for the Adaptive Engine Technology Development order, with the Air Force also reportedly looking to open future competition for F-35 upgrades.

• The Navy announced Friday that it has achieved Initial Operating Capability with the Block II Rolling Airframe Missile aboard the USS Arlington (LPD 24). The joint program with Germany was recently included as part of a $1.6 billion overhaul package by the US Navy intended to provide improved protection to carriers and amphibious ships.

• In other Navy news, the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) has been successfully “no-load” tested on CVN-78. The system – manufactured by General Atomics – uses electricity as a propulsion system, as opposed to current steam-based catapults. The new system will offer improved performance, reduced stress on aircraft and other benefits. EMALS will be complemented by the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) – also manufactured by General Atomics – with this system seeing schedule delays and reportedly likely to miss its March 31st deadline next year.

• On Friday, 21 firms were awarded a $7.9 billion IDIQ contract for Network-Centric Solutions-2 (NETCENTS-2) network operations and infrastructure solutions, with an initial period of 3 years.

• Peru and Russia are reportedly in talks regarding potential modernization of the South American state’s approximately 200 T-55 main battle tanks. With previous reports suggesting that the Russians would be willing to sell the more advanced T-90S to the Peruvians, the reports regarding the T-55s also stated that Peru is not considering any new procurement contracts.

Europe

• The German Defense Ministry has reportedly selected the MEADS system as a replacement for its existing Patriots. The Defense Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the reports circulating in German media, with an official decision expected to be announced in June. MEADS – Medium Extended Air Defense System – has been jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and MBDA, with funding received from three partner nations; the US, Germany and Italy. If the system has been selected over competitor Raytheon – who are offering upgrades to the in-service Patriots – then this would be a much-needed boost to the MEADS consortium, which urgently needs a buyer having failed to impress the US Army owing to cost and schedule overruns.

• Latvia has installed a NATO air defense system to improve air surveillance over the Baltic states. The TPS-77, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is a mobile Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), with the new system set to complement two existing systems currently in operation in order to monitor the entirety of Latvia’s eastern border. Those were ordered in 2007.

• Turkey is reportedly looking to equip its domestically-produced UAVs with indigenous Bozok missiles, set for serial production by Tubitak SAGE. The Turkish Aerospace Industries Anka UAV is the most likely candidate for the new missiles.

Asia

• India’s fourth Komrota-class ASW corvette is set to be launched on Tuesday, with the INS Kavaratti the last of the Indian Navy’s Project 28 ships. The ships – built by Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers (GRSE) – have been designed to succeed the Kora-class. Russia also recently unveiled a new destroyer design – the Project 23560E Shkval destroyer.

Today’s Video

• The Anka UAV in action…

Spurned by US, Jordan Offered Armed UAVs by China | GPS Launch RFP Out | RQ-4 to Get Spruced Up

Americas

• The Air Force has launched a tender for the launch of a next-generation Global Positioning System satellite, releasing a RFP for the launch vehicle production, mission integration and launch operations. The latest Lockheed Martin GPS-III satellite was recently announced as being ready for system testing.

• The Pentagon is set to award $4 billion in contracts for modernization of the RQ-4 Global Hawk over the next five years, with the program funded to 2020. The program recently achieved milestone C, a key requirement for the platform to progress with modernization efforts.

• Raytheon has been awarded another contract for the Tactical Boost Guide program, with DARPA exercising a $19.5 million option, bringing the total value of Raytheon’s contract with the agency to $24,390,645. The TBG program seeks to develop air-launched tactical range hypersonic boost glide systems, with DARPA working in conjunction with the Air Force.

Europe

• Norway has requested 200 AIM-9X Block II missiles. The potential $345 million deal will likely see the missiles equip the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s (RNoAF) fleet of F-16s. The Norwegians helped develop the IRIS-T missile as part of a German-led multinational program, with this missile supposedly meant to replace the AIM-9 missiles in service with many NATO countries.

• The Spanish Air Force has taken over the investigation of the crashed A400M, which came down outside Seville. The government initially tasked civilians from the Defense and Transport Ministries to investigate, however that responsibility has passed to the Spanish Air Force’s CITAAM investigative body.

Middle East

• China is offering to sell Jordan armed UAVs, according to a California Republican. The Obama administration denied Jordanian requests for MQ-1 Predators last October.

Asia

• The State Department has approved a possible sale of 48 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles to Japan. The submarine-launched Block II version of the missile is designed to improve the missile’s ability to attack targets in congested littoral environments, where nearby land masses and other ships can provide cover for targets. The Foreign Military Sale would be worth $199 million, with the missiles manufactured by Boeing. The company is meanwhile offering the latest version of the missile – known as the Harpoon Next-Gen – to the US Navy.

• India has cleared three defense procurement deals worth a total value of $3.8 billion, media reported Thursday. These include 145 M777 howitzers through a government-to-government Foreign Military Sale with the US, with Indian firms set to provide maintenance and ammunition.

• The government also cleared the procurement of Russian Ka 226T light utility helicopters, following the restart of the program’s procurement process in March. The helicopters will be manufactured in India.

• Airbus and TATA have teamed to supply the Indian Air Force with new transport aircraft, edging out home side HAL in the process. The partners will supply 56 C-295 transporters, with that particular deal worth $1.89 billion. Forty of the planes will be manufactured in India, with the remainder purchased in ready-to-fly condition.

• The Indian Defence Acquisition Council also cleared the construction of India’s second domestically-manufactured aircraft carrier, to supplement the INS Vikrant currently under construction in Cochin Shipyard. The ship will be called the INS Vishal (Giant). In a further boost for the Indian Navy, the DAC cleared the procurement of six indigenously-developed BrahMos missile systems, with these set to equip Talwar and Delhi class ships.

• L-3 has been selected to supply the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with SATCOM terminals, according to a company press release. The $81.8 million contract, awarded by prime contractor Raytheon as part of Joint Project 2008 Phase 5B1, will enable more ADF units to connect to the Wideband Global SATCOM network, with this latest contract a follow-on to a similar 2013 contract to supply 51 Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs). This latest contract will see the firm supply 236 VSATs, with these split between the company’s Hawkeye and Panther systems.

Today’s Video

• The 155mm M777, soon to be in the hands of the Indian Army…

Pentagon Unhappy with Law Sidelining ULA’s Russian Parts | Report: China Seeking STOVL | France Offering Poles Subs with Cruise Missiles

Americas

• US arms sales experts are expected to travel to the Gulf following the President’s GCC summit on Wednesday and Thursday, which will include discussions on integrated defense systems. President Obama is expected to push for arms sales, particularly capable anti-ballistic missile capable defense systems, most likely to assure GCC member states of the US’s commitment to their security despite the recent framework agreement with Iran.

• DefSec Carter and DNI Clapper have urged Congress to allow United Launch Alliance, a Lockheed Martin/Boeing joint venture, to use Russian RD-180 engines for “assured access to space.” If the current law were to change from the current 2015 defense authorization law banning the use of Russian engines in US launches, ULA would be capable of competing for 18 out of 34 competitive launches between 2015 and 2022, versus the current 5 as the law stands, with the Air Force pushing for more launches by the private sector.

• It has emerged that a F/A-18F Super Hornet crashed on Tuesday , shortly after takeoff from the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). The two aviators were recovered and are without serious injury, with the Super Hornet in question assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 211. The carrier is in the Persian Gulf, with VFA 211 conducting operations against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Another Super Hornet was involved in a crash in January 2014, with that incident determined by the Navy to have been avoidable.

• Meanwhile, Raytheon announced that it has successfully flight-tested the APG-79(V) X AESA radar system, intended to extend the service lives of F/A-18C/D aircraft by 15 to 20 years. This latest test builds on a previous successful test in January, with new features such as Synthetic Aperture Mapping (SAR) announced with the company’s press release.

• The Air Force has test fired two AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles from a F-22 Raptor fighter. This test-firing is a step towards the F-22’s Increment 3.2B upgrade program, with Lockheed Martin awarded a contract last October to modify 220 F-22 Configurable Rail Launchers to accommodate the AIM-9X. Full operational fielding of the AIM-9X by the F-22 is not expected until 2017.

Europe

• France has reportedly offered Poland cruise missiles and submarines. The French have offered the Poles the MBDA Missile de Croisière Naval if they buy three Scorpene submarines. Poland is undertaking a substantial defense modernization program, with three submarines scheduled for delivery by 2023 under the country’s Orka program, which is reportedly already fully-funded. The evaluation of a tender for new submarines is expected to take place in Q4 this year.

• In conjunction to reports from earlier this week which stated that the Russian Defense Ministry is planning to procure new BMP-3 IFVs, new reports have stated that these will be augmented by 250 BMD-4M and BTR-MDM Rakushka armored personnel carriers. The first batch of these vehicles is thought to have been delivered already, with paratroop units set to receive a total of 62 BMD-4M and 22 BTR Rakushkas by the end of the year. The Russian President’s Office announced Wednesday that the country’s land forces would conduct training exercises with Chinese, Indian, Mongolian and Belorussian counterparts later this year.

• Denmark’s Terma has signed an memorandum of understanding with Turkish firm Aselsan to integrate radar and electronic warfare systems on fighter aircraft, including the transfer of ownership and intellectual property rights of Terma’s F-16 Modular Reconnaissance Pod from Terma to Aselsan. The latter opened a $157 million radar and EW manufacturing plant in March, with Terma opening an EW competence center in 2010.

• Dutch pilots are heading to Italy to train on the Italian Air Force’s fleet of Alenia Aermacchi T-346 trainers, following a cooperative agreement signed between the two countries’ air force chiefs. The Italian firm is still in the running for the Air Force’s T-X program, despite the company’s US prime contractor General Dynamics withdrawing itself from the competition in March.

Asia

• China has reportedly begun work on a Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) capability for the PLA Navy (PLAN). The equipping of the Liaoning carrier would free J-15 fighters tasked with air defense for strike missions. China has previously attempted to acquire STOVL-capable aircraft, with these previous projects dropped owing to cost and technical limitations. The J-15, a copy of the Russian Su-33, achieved its first carrier landing in 2012. Building on previous media coverage, these latest reports state that work on the future aircraft’s engine have begun, with AVIC Chengdu Engine Group and China Aviation Engine Establishment reportedly signing an agreement to cooperatively develop the engine, with this thought to have taken place in March. Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU) in Xian is also thought to have developed a STOVL swivel nozzle last year.

• India is reportedly looking to acquire two Boeing 777-300 (extended range) aircraft as equivalents to Air Force One and Two. The aircraft will be bought from commercial airline Air India and fitted with self-protection technologies such as missile countermeasures by manufacturer Boeing, with the Defence Acquisition Council the contracting authority.

Today’s Video

• The T346 at Farnborough…

Judge: AF can Re-Evaluate Raytheon 3DERLL Win | Spain Too Grounds A400M Flights | Russia Hedges, Buys More BMP-3s

Americas

• The Air and Missile Defense Radar, currently under development by Raytheon, has passed a Critical Design Review. the AMDR is now over 40% through its EMD phase, with the system completing a hardware CDR last year. Raytheon was awarded a $385.7 million EMD contract in October 2013, with protests from competitor Lockheed Martin following soon after; however these were dropped in January 2014.

• Raytheon suffered a setback this week with a federal judge freeing the Air Force to re-evaluate bids for the 3D Expeditionary Long-Range Radar (3DERLL), with the company initially winning the lucrative contract in October last year. Raytheon filed a lawsuit against the Air Force when it tried to open up the competition through re-evaluating its original decision, with competitors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman protesting the initial contract award. The value of the program could reach $1 billion, with the Air Force planning to buy sixty of the new radar systems.

• Defense News reported Tuesday that Italian firm Selex ES, a Finmeccanica company, and Northrop Grumman have partnered in order to bring the European firm’s infrared technology into the US, as well as for potential Foreign Military Sales. The Infrared Search and Track technology developed by Selex ES is employed on the Eurofighter Typhoon, with the company recently signing a contract with Saab for sixty Skyward-G infrared search and track systems to equip the Gripen E. The new transatlantic team could challenge Lockheed Martin’s dominance of the North American market with its Legion infrared pod.

• A Colombian Army UH-60L Black Hawk crashed earlier this week, killing four and injuring another two. The helicopter went down in the central Meta department, with the accident being attributed to mechanical failure. The Colombians operate the fourth largest fleet of Black Hawks worldwide, with the government first requesting the L variant in 2005 and currently operating 56 of the model.

Europe

• Spain has grounded Airbus A400M test flights following the crash at the weekend. Other states have grounded their fleets, including the RAF, Luftwaffe and Malaysia. Airbus conducted another test flight on Tuesday in an attempt to quash safety fears, with an A400M flying from Toulouse to Seville, the scene of the crash.

• Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract to supply the Romanian Air Force and Royal Thai Air Force with Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods. These will equip the F-16s of both air forces, with Romania acquiring a dozen of the jets in October 2013 from Portugal, with a Foreign Military Sale from the US following a month after for weapons, equipment and support. Thailand has been upgrading its sixteen-strong F-16 fleet for a number of years, including radar improvements in 2013.

• Russia is continuing to buy BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, despite the recent unveiling of the new Kurganets-25 vehicle, as well as promises of a contract in the near future. The Russian Defense Ministry has reportedly signed a three-year contract with the BMP’s manufacturer for “hundreds of vehicles”.

• Turkey and Russia have reportedly tested a jointly-developed short-range air defense system (SHORAD). The Russian Igla man-portable system has purportedly been integrated with a Turkish platform, with these thought to be naval assets.

Asia

• India’s planned procurement of Airbus A330 MRTT refueling aircraft is reportedly on track, with the Defence Minister telling Parliament that negotiations with the European manufacturer are at the “contract negotiation committee stage”.

• Pakistan has successfully test-fired its Chinese-manufactured HQ-7B/FM-90 air defense system, according to media reports. A Chinese clone of the French Thales/Thomson CSF Crotale air defense system, the Pakistanis first unveiled the SAM system in March.

Today’s Video

• The A330 MRTT refuelling…

DoD China Report: Much Modernization, but Geared to Region | China May Be Interested in Mistrals Denied Russia | India Forgot to Order More Ammo

Americas

• The Navy awarded Boeing a $14.6 million contract for aircraft armament equipment for the Navy’s Growler and Super Hornet fleets. Also on Monday, Lockheed Martin was handed a $13.7 million contract modification to produce Aegis modernization requirements for the Navy’s Ticonderoga-class.

• Strike Fighter Squadron 101 is set to relocate to Naval Air Station Lemoore from Eglin Air Force Base by January 2017, with the base having beaten out NAS EL Centro to be chosen as the US Pacific Fleet’s F-35 base. The Navy also plans to move two F/A-18 squadrons, VFA-136 and VFA-11, from NAS Oceana to the megabase in June 2016 and January 2017, resulting in NAS Lemoore ultimately being home to approximately 60% of the Navy’s strike fighter force.

• The DoD has released its annual report to Congress assessing China’s military capabilities, which include analysis of how the country’s military has been investing significantly in new operational capabilities, including anti-access/area denial, amphibious assault and others. The upshot: much modernization, but little designed to go beyond short-duration regional conflicts. The report also details recent Chinese forays into anti-satellite tests and the country’s nuclear forces. The report can be found here.

Europe

• Turkey has signed a $1 billion contract with domestic shipyard Sedef for the country’s first generation of Landing Platform Dock (LPD). The Turkish firm will partner with Spanish company Navantia, with the new amphibious vessels scheduled to enter service in 2021.

• Contrary to recent reports that the Mistrals previously destined for Russia could be scuttled, Chinese media has reported that the two ships may be sold to China, with the French Navy’s Mistral-class Dixmude vessel currently in Shanghai with a group of other vessels. The rumours may amount to nothing, particularly as the two Mistral vessels have been constructed to Russian specifications and to refit them would cost a significant sum. However, merely keeping the two ships maintained is costing French taxpayers an estimated €5 million a month, with this putting increasing pressure on the government to sacrifice any profit margin in order to reduce current overheads as the ships float idle.

• Lithuania has reportedly bought howitzers from Germany, following reports last month that the Baltic country has also sought to procure other hardware, including Boxer APCs. The contract value hasn’t yet been announced but the model of howitzer is the PzH2000.

• The Russian Defence Ministry has been given permission from Russian Prime Minister Medvedev to launch a US telecommunications satellite. The Intelsat DLA-2 satellite will be launched from the Baikonur center, with the previous DLA-1 satellite launched from the European Space Centre in French Guyana in October last year.

Middle East

• The Israeli Ministry of Defense announced Monday that it has signed a contract for four Sa’ar-class corvettes, manufactured by Germany’s TKMS. Discussions between the two countries over the supply of Littoral Combat Ships to protect Israel’s offshore gas reserves have been in the works since 2009, with the Germans agreeing to a discount in October last year, with the German government further subsidizing the deal, funding approximately a quarter of the contract’s value. The $480 million deal will see TKMS buying $181 million-worth of Israeli-manufactured equipment as offsets. Whilst the Israeli MoD did not announce the precise type of corvette the Israeli Navy will receive, it is likely to be the Blohm Voss-class 130 corvette, with modification to Israeli specifications.

Asia

• With India’s aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya due for an underwater refit next year, the country’s navy is currently weighing up options for whether the work will go to a publicly-owned shipyard, or to a private contractor. Cochin shipyard on the South-West coast of India was the site of a November 2012 refit for the carrier, with the private yard – Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Company – seeing a $553.5 million construction contract in 2010 for Indian Offshore Patrol Vessels.

• India’s indigenous carrier INS Vikrant, currently under construction at Cochin, has also appeared to show substantial improvement in recent satellite imagery, with some reports indicating that the ship may be undocked for the first time this month.

• India’s ammunition reserves may only be sufficient for 20 days of intense conflict, according to a Comptroller and Auditor General report recently published. The shortage has reportedly been most severe in larger caliber munitions, including artillery and tank rounds, with this shortage having grown increasingly significant from 2009 onwards.

Today’s Video

• USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) firing the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile…

AIM-120D Deployed Early in Pacific | Saudis May Get Bunker Busters | A-400Ms Grounded, Waiting for Crash Data

Americas

• General Electric Aviation was awarded a $2 billion IDIQ contract Friday in part to fulfill a Foreign Military Sale to Taiwan for the company’s T700 engine, with the contract stretching to 2020. The T700 engine family powers a number of US-manufactured helicopters, including the UH-60 Black Hawk, which Taiwan purchased 60 of in 2010. GE Aviation is not unaccustomed to significant contracts, with the company awarded a major multi-year contract extension in 2009. Friday’s contract covers not only the Taiwanese FMS but also US defense and other government agency requirements.

• The Canadian government will soon begin compiling a shortlist of firms competing for contracts as part of the $24 billion Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program, which will see up to fifteen ships replace the existing Iroquois- and Halifax-classes. With Irving Shipbuilding having been selected as prime contractor, two additional firms will design the CSC and integrate the ships’ systems, with a decision regarding the winner of these expected in 2017.

• The Navy is planning to spend $1.6 billion on carrier and amphibious ship defenses in order to protect the Service’s fleet of F-35s. The new defenses will focus on supersonic threats, with a series of overhauled technologies including new missiles and radars set to be integrated into Ship Self Defense Systems (SSDS). Key components of these future systems include the Rolling Airframe Missile and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

• The US has reportedly deployed the AIM-120D AMRAAM missile to the Pacific, with recent photographs appearing to show the Raytheon-manufactured missile equipping a F/A-18E Super Hornet. Previous statements indicated that the missile wouldn’t be deployed until later this year, with the missile achieving Initial Operating Capability only last month.

• The US is mulling the sale of GBU-28 “bunker buster” bombs to Saudi Arabia, with the munitions currently only sold to Israel. The GBU-28 was developed by Raytheon, following 2005 contract.

• The Navy will hold a Sundown Ceremony on Monday for the SH-60B helicopter, as the last detachment of the Sikorsky-manufactured helicopters is rotated out of service. Replaced by the MH-60R, the older helicopter entered service thirty years ago in 1985.

Europe

• Following the crash of an Airbus A400M transport aircraft in Seville, Spain on Saturday, the Royal Air Force, Luftwaffe and Turkish Air Force have grounded their fleets. The aircraft was on an Airbus test flight, with the crash killing four crew members. The destroyed aircraft was due for delivery to Turkey in June, which would have made it the third Turkish A400M, following a 2003 contract for ten of the aircraft.

• Serial production of Russia’s new Kurganets IFV is reportedly set for 2017, with the new platform unveiled as part of the recent military parade in Moscow marking the end of the Second World War. The new vehicle has shown a number of new technologies, including a remote weapons station and elements of an active protection system. The Russian Ministry of Defense has ordered a batch of the vehicles for field trials and testing.

Asia

• India’s indigenously-developed Tejas Mk I light combat aircraft has come under serious criticism from the country’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), with 53 deficiencies cited in a recent report. A major concern is the lack of defensive countermeasure capability, with the jet reportedly failing to meet Indian Air Force (IAF) survivability standards. The LCA achieved initial operating clearance in December 2013, with the project severely delayed from its original scheduled induction date of 1994. The CAG report to Parliament also highlighted how the IAF will likely be forced to induct the aircraft without a trainer variant available for pilot training, with a repair and overhaul facility also yet to be established at manufacturer HAL’s facilities, a requirement previously set out by the IAF.

• North Korea has appeared to have launched a missile from a submarine, with state media releasing photos of the launch on Saturday. The country has been attempting to miniaturize nuclear warheads to fit on ICBMs, with the US military categorizing North Korea’s ICBM as operational last month.

Today’s Video

• A Russian Buk anti-air system catches fire during the country’s Victory Day Parade on Saturday…

SM-6 at Full Rate Production | French Contemplate Scuttling Would-Be Russian LHDs | NATO Testing Drones for Anti-Sub Missions

Americas

• Raytheon’s Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) has moved from low-rate to full-rate production, following the Navy’s decision in January to expand the number of ships the missile is deployed on from 5 to over 35.

• The SOM-J stand-off cruise missile designed for the F-35 will soon begin Phase IIB risk reduction, the final stage before integration testing. Jointly developed by Turkish firm Rocketsan and Lockheed Martin, the missile will reportedly soon begin flight testing on Turkish F-16 Block 40 aircraft. The SOM-J is designed specifically to fit in the F-35’s petite weapons bay, with development work on the missile slated for completion in 2018.

• On Thursday, General Atomics was awarded a $84.8 million performance-based logistics contract for the Army’s Gray Eagle UAV.

• The Air Force handed Northrop Grumman a $99.1 million requirements-type contract for nuclear safety cross check and performance analysis, evaluation and verification. The company was the sole bidder for the contract, which will see the firm assessing both the software and hardware used to ensure Minuteman III safety. The company was previously awarded contracts for the ICBMs’ propulsion system and Environmental Control Systems.

• A contract was also awarded Thursday to RQ Construction LLC of Carlsbad, CA for the construction of a Special Forces Battalion operations facility at Joint Base Louis-McChord in Washington. The $45.1 million construction contract will run for two years.

Europe

• French newspaper Le Figaro has reported [French] that the French government may opt to scuttle the two Mistral-class LHDs originally built for Russia, with the French Navy having little desire [French] to integrate the ships into their own fleet. The French have held off delivering the two vessels, originally ordered in 2011, owing to Russia’s involvement in the Ukrainian conflict. Discussions between Russia’s Putin and France’s Hollande last month must have amounted to little, with the Russians previously pressing the French to make a decision on delivery by June.

• Italian shipyard Fincantieri and Finmeccanica business Selex ES have been awarded a $3.9 billion Italian shipbuilding contract. The OCCAR-administered programs cover the construction of both a new logistics ship and six offshore patrol vessels, with roughly two-thirds of the work share going to Fincantieri and the remainder to Finmeccanica. The two companies form the Raggruppamento Temporaneo di Impresa (RTI) consortium, with Selex ES the principal company in the relationship and Fincantieri the agent. The logistics ship is scheduled for delivery in 2019 and the OPVs between 2019 and 2025, with Fincantieri contracted for ten years of logistics support.

• The German Army has approved [German] the Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle for service, with seven vehicles forming an initial training contingent. The Puma will replace the current in-service Marder IFV, with the Germans placing an order for 405 Pumas in July 2009.

• NATO is testing three autonomous underwater vehicles in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. The testing is being conducted in the frigid waters owing to the “operational relevance” of the region; – read the detection of Russian subs. NATO also tested autonomous sub-surface vehicles off the Italian coast last year. Conducted by NATO’s Centre for Maritime Research & Experimentation (CMRE), the tests are being run as part of the anti-submarine warfare exercise known as Exercise Dynamic Mongoose (seriously).

• Airbus Defence & Space has partnered with Cisco to merge complimentary technologies in the fields of defense, security and satellite communications. Under the agreement, Airbus will be able to embed Cisco technologies into its own systems and solutions, with the companies teaming on both the development of products and services and marketing.

Asia

• On Thursday South Korea unveiled a new attack submarine. The sixth 214-class sub, built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., is a 1,800-ton boat powered by Air Independent Propulsion. The South Koreans ordered the first batch of 214-class subs in 2000, with an additional order for six boats set for delivery by 2020. The South Korean Navy recently stood up an independent submarine command, becoming the sixth country in the world to possess such an independent structure.The command is based at Jinhae Naval Base, in South Gyeongsang, managing its fleet of 13 boats.

• Two Ka-31 anti-submarine helicopters have been returned to India following their overhaul in manufacturing nation Russia. The first pair of helicopters returned to the Indian Navy will be followed by another four, with the six Ka-31s part of the nine ordered in 2004. The nine were augmented in 2009 with an additional batch of five helicopters.

• Australia has begun construction of new facilities for its future fleet of F-35A Joint Strike Fighters. The current government has publicly stated it intends to procure up to 72 F-35As; however only two have actually been contracted for.

Today’s Video

• Raytheon’s Standard Missile production line…

South Korea to Order 5 More U-214 AIP Submarines to Bridge to Indigenous Boats

Sohn Won-Yil & Nimitz

The German Type 214 was selected by Korea over the French/Spanish Scorpene Class that has been ordered by Chile, India, and Malaysia. Some would argue that U-214s are the most advanced diesel-electric submarines on the market, with an increased diving depth of over 400 meters, an optimized hull and propeller design, ultra-modern internal systems, and an Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system that lets the diesel submarine stay submerged for long periods without needing to surface and snorkel air.

South Korea ordered its first 3 KSS-II/ Type 214 boats in 2000, which were assembled by Hyundai Heavy Industries. The Batch 2 order will add 6 more of the 65m, 1,700t boats, effectively doubling the ROKN’s number of modern submarines. The latest development is a $16 million order for Saab electronic systems for the 2nd batch of 214 submarines.

Kuwait Reportedly to Drop $3 Billion on F-18s | Japan’s $3 Billion to Go to V-22s | Rafale Deals Put French Fighter Between $220 and $300 million Per

Americas

• Reuters reported Wednesday that Boeing is on the cusp of being awarded a more than $3 billion contract for 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, with the potential customer named as Kuwait. The Kuwaitis currently operate the older F/A-18 Hornet fighter. The sale, combined with a USN request for a dozen of the aircraft, should be sufficient to maintain the company’s St Louis production lines past their slated 2017 closure.

• Small business Quantitech Inc. was awarded a $10 million contract on Wednesday to support the Counter-Rocket, Mortar & Artillery (C-RAM) program directorate in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the one-year contract covering integration of the C-RAM into the Air and Missile Defense Planning and Control System.

• Also on Wednesday, Raytheon was handed a $27 million contract for Army Long Range Advanced Scout Surveillance System (LRAS3) configuration and integration. A hundred of the units will be configured under the contract, with the systems moving from Block 0 to Block 1 configurations. The systems principally equip Humvee vehicles, providing scouting capabilities from around 15km away.

Europe

• Following previous observations of Russian armored vehicles during preparations for the country’s Victory Day parade this Saturday, more detailed pictures have emerged of the Armata family of vehicles. The new photographs show modernized weapons stations and turrets, previously covered during preparations.

• Norway has chosen to buy the Supacat High Mobility Transporter (HMT) Extenda vehicle for its land forces, with an option to double the number of procured vehicles in the initial $38.4 million contract, announced Wednesday, although the number of vehicles Norway plans to buy was not disclosed. Other international customers for the UK-based company’s selection of HMTs include Australia and the UK.

Middle East

• Israel has awarded a $310 million contract to General Dynamics Land Systems for upgrade kits which will be fitted to the country’s indigenously-developed Namer MkIV armored personnel carrier. Announced by the Israeli MoD and funded through US military assistance, the number of Namer APCs is set to increase following the reversal of a decision in 2014 to cut orders, a result of Israel’s experience of urban conflict in Gaza during the summer of 2014.

• The US approved $11.7 billion-worth of Foreign Military Sales to Iraq over a seven year period, 2007-2013. The latest of these is a potential sale of 1.2 million-plus rounds of 40mm, 81mm and 155mm ammunition – manufactured by American Ordnance and AMTEC Corp. – in a deal expected to be worth $395 million.

• US President Barak Obama is expected to push the GCC to create a regional defense system when he hosts the Council’s leaders at the White House and Camp David on the 13th and 14th May. The recent Patriot customer is now thought to be Saudi Arabia, with the THAAD system also operated by several GCC nations. Arab states have invested considerably in anti-ballistic missile capable systems in recent years. However, the GCC currently lacks an integrated air and missile defense system.

Asia

• Japan has formally requested the sale of V-22B Block C Osprey aircraft from the US. The $3 billion potential FMS includes seventeen aircraft, forty engines and a variety of auxiliary equipment. In November the Japanese defense ministry announced that it intended to purchase seventeen tiltrotor aircraft, without specifying the V-22B; however joint manufacturers Bell-Boeing confirmed soon afterwards that it was the Osprey that the Japanese intended to purchase. This would be the first international export for the Osprey, with plans for an Israeli contract unclear despite the US making the V-22 available in 2013. South Korea has also expressed interest in acquiring the aircraft.

• The State Department has also approved two potential missile sales to Indonesia and Malaysia. The potential FMS to Indonesia is a $47 million sale of AIM-9X-2 Sidewinder missiles, including thirty Block II All-Up-Round variants of the missile. The sale to Malaysia is for ten AIM-120C7 AMRAAM missiles for a pricetag of $21 million. The AMRAAM missiles are set to equip the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s fleet of F/A-18D Hornets.

• France reportedly offered India a 25% price drop in order to seal the deal for 36 Rafales in April. The French also agreed to an extended maintenance schedule, with the 36 fighters thought to be the minimum number they would sell. The deal is thought to bring the per-unit cost of the Rafale to around $220 million, far below the approximate $300 million pricetag which became the death-knell for the Indian negotiations with Dassault. The recently announced Qatari order saw a comparable cost of $290 million per aircraft.

Today’s Video

• Down the scope of a LRAS3 sight…

Joint RFP Coming for A330 MRTT | DISA OKs 23 Cloud Providers | SAIC Buys Scitor | Smell in Denmark: Piranhas

Americas

• The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) granted 23 cloud services Provisional Authorizations to host mission data, the DoD announced on Monday. The cloud hosts have been granted authority to host data up to an Impact Level 2, which doesn’t include information classified as secret, only that which is Non-Controlled and Unclassified. Among these 23, commercial firms AT&T, Amazon Redshift, Microsoft, IBM and Verizon are alongside defense contractor Lockheed Martin and US Government services including the Treasury and the USDA National Information Technology Center. This announcement comes in the context of recent announcements that the Army is seeking to transition an increasing portion of its data storage to cloud-based hosts.

• The Air Force has opened registration for a $2 million Air Force Prize, which will see competitors demonstrating their ability to develop a “small, lightweight, fuel-efficient turbine engine.” The design must be capable of producing 100bhp, with a minimum of 2bhp per pound, along with a host of other technical specifications.

• SAIC has acquired intelligence firm Scitor Holdings in a $790 million deal finalized Tuesday. The acquired business will join the SAIC Intelligence Community Customer Group. Scitor has experience working on classified contracts with the Air Force and intelligence community.

• On Tuesday six firms were awarded a five-year $49.9 million order dependent contract by the Army for persistent intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance concepts research and development.

• The RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle has been given milestone C approval from the Defense Acquisition Executive. The Global Hawk demonstrated interoperability and software maturity prior to milestone C, with the program fully funded throughout the Future Years Defense Program.

Europe

• Three European nations are expected to issue a joint RFP for Airbus Defence & Space A330 Multi Role Tanker/Transport aircraft in coming days. Poland, Norway and the Netherlands will pool the procured aircraft and jointly operate them once they have been bought. The three nations have stated their intention to allow other European countries to join their select group, which announced the A330 as the only military off-the-shelf option capable of fulfilling their requirements. Following this, the Organisation Conjointe de Coopération en matière d’ARmement (OCCAR) prepared negotiations with Airbus for a potential acquisition. The fleet of multi-rote tanker transport aircraft (MRTT) is expected to enter service in 2019. Other European operators of the A330 MRTT include the UK, with India and Saudi Arabia also international customers for the aircraft, among a host of other nations.

• OCCAR also announced that it is taking over management of two Italian naval shipbuilding projects. The Multipurpose Combat Ship Program and the Logistic Support Ship Program have been integrated into OCCAR, bringing the total number of European programs it manages up to twelve, alongside the management of the Netherlands and German Boxer program. The first ships in each class are due for delivery in 2020 and 2019 respectively.

• Denmark is buying Swiss Piranha V 8×8 armored personnel carriers. The new APCs will replace the fleet of legacy M113s, with the Danes planning on buying at least 206 new Piranhas. The Piranha beat off competition from the VBCI and three other competitors, including the BAE Systems CV-90. The Danish MoD previously ordered 45 of the CV-90 IFVs.

• Turkish firm Otokar has unveiled a variety of new vehicle models at the IDEF 2015 exhibit currently underway in Istanbul. A lighter anti-tank variant of the Tulpar APC – known as the Tulpar-S – has been displayed, which features a remote weapon station manufactured by Aselsan, another local firm. The RWS features four Kornet anti-tank missiles and a machine gun.

• Russia is reportedly pushing upgrades for equipment previously sold to Turkey. These include the BTR-80 armored personnel carrier and Mil Mi-17V helicopters, which were ordered by Turkey in the 1990’s, as well as anti-tank missiles and other equipment.

Asia

• India and France are planning on establishing a joint committee to operationalize the deal for 36 Rafale fighters struck by Indian PM Modi in April. The committee is to finalize negotiations by the end of July, with Dassault reportedly looking for an Indian partner to facilitate the manufacture of the Rafales under India’s new “directed offsets” policy, with an Indian manufacturing line set to augment the busy Dassault production line in France.

• Following its latest successful test last November, the medium-range Akash surface to air missile (SAM) was inducted into the Indian Army on Tuesday. The missile’s first successful test-firing was in the 1990’s, with the missile already equipping the Indian Air Force, which is looking to potentially increase the number it fields.

• The first pair of F-model CH-47 helicopters have entered service with the Australian Army, with five more scheduled for delivery by August. The seven helicopters were ordered in 2010 contract along with training simulators and spares for $470 million. The Aussie F models are US-configured, in comparison to other international customers such as the UK and Canada which ordered modified versions.

Today’s Video

• A promo vid for the Tulpar APC…