Report: Carrier Test of F-35B Found Half Unflyable Any Given Moment | Typhoon Upgrades to Flight Test | Boeing Washes Hands of India’s HAL on Quality Issues

Americas

• Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft have begun receiving new Interrogator Friend or Foe (IFF) systems, as part of the fleet’s Block 40/45 upgrade program. The $60 million upgrade will see the new IFF system rolled out across the Air Force’s fleet of 31 E-3s. The AN/UPX-40 systems include Mode 5 enhancements, with the Saudis also requesting Block 40/45 upgrades in August 2014, including 20 of the new IFF systems. France has also upgraded it’s E-3 fleet with Block 40/45 enhancements.

• The six Marine Corps’ F-35Bs which underwent testing on USS Wasp in May reportedly showed poor reliability performance, with the aircraft reportedly only achieving availability of around 50%. This is undoubtedly a factor Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joe Dunford has considered as he finalizes the jet’s paperwork for achieving Initial Operating Capability. A decision on whether the F-35B is ready for limited combat operations is expected imminently, with the USMC deciding in March to push on to a timetabled IOC target of fourth quarter 2015, despite issues with the fighter’s 2B software.

• Confirming reports from June indicating that Brazil was looking to refinance its procurement of 36 Saab Gripen NG fighters, Sweden has reportedly agreed to reduce the commercial interest rate applied by the Swedish Export Credit Corporation from 2.54% to 2.19%. Brazil cut the amount of funding it planned to take from Sweden in June, with the original sales contract announced in October 2014. The revised agreement will now be transferred to Brazil’s Federal Senate to be signed-off. Meanwhile, Brazilian prosecutors announced in April 2015 that they were planning to investigate the $5.4 billion Gripen deal.

Middle East North Africa

• Saudi Arabia has requested the sale of numerous ammunition types for the country’s land forces, in a potential deal estimated to value $500 million. The long list of items has been cleared by the State Department, with the ammunition types varying from 7.62mm and .50 Cal rounds to M67 hand grenades, 2.75 inch rockets, M18A/M18A1 Claymore mines, M1A2 Bangalore Torpedoes and Guided Precision Aerial Delivery Systems, with the most numerous requested item being the M430A1 40mm High Explosive Dual Purpose round, with KSA requesting a million.

• Israel is expected to stand-up its first squadron of F-35A fighters in coming days, as the Israeli Air Force plans for the delivery of its first ‘Adir’ fighters in 2017. The Israeli defense ministry initially placed an order for 19 aircraft in 2010, with a second batch order following in February 2015, bringing the total number of Israel Joint Strike Fighters – designated the F-35I – on order to 33. The IAF will also stand-up a second squadron of F-35Is, with a third also being considered.

Europe

• Selex ES has been awarded a $30 million contract to supply the Royal Air Force with Radar Warning Receivers to fit its fleet of 24 AS330 Puma helicopters. The British Ministry of Defence is also reportedly set to sign a contract to upgrade the Sky Guardian RWRs on the Royal Air Force’s fleet of CH-47 Chinook helicopters, with the Sky Guardian also manufactured by Selex ES.

• BAE Systems is preparing to begin flight testing of the Eurofighter Typhoon‘s Phase 2 Enhancements package over coming weeks, with P2E including the integration of the Royal Air Force’s MBDA-manufactured Meteor BVR air-to-air missile and Storm Shadow cruise missile. Firing of the Meteor and Storm Shadow are expected to begin in August and September/October respectively, with P2E scheduled for roll-out from 2017.

Asia

• Boeing has ended its contract with state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, citing shoddy production quality of HAL-manufactured components for India’s P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft under construction by Boeing, as well as components for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The $4.7 million contract in question was signed in February 2010.

• Malaysia is reportedly buying British-manufactured Thales Starstreak Very Short Range Air Defense (VSHORAD) systems, along with Weststar GK-M1 vehicles, radar systems and auxiliary equipment. Thales UK and Weststar subsidiary Global Komited agreed in April 2014 to jointly market the point air defense system to Malaysia, with the Starstreak system also ordered by Thailand and Indonesia in November 2012 and January 2014 respectively.

• Boeing has revealed the first Australian EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft, with this the first of twelve Growlers ordered through a Foreign Military Sale contract in June 2014. The Australian government requested a F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler sustainment program in April 2015, estimated to value $1.5 billion. A second Growler is scheduled to complete testing in August, with the pair of aircraft then set for delivery to Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake for RAAF pilot training, before delivery to Australia in 2017.

• Boeing was also awarded a $20.5 million delivery order on Thursday for intermediate-level support service for the twelve Australian EA-18G Growlers, as well as for the provision of support equipment for the US Navy’s new squadron of Growlers, set for stand-up in 2017. $15.2 million of the contract total has been allocated for the US Navy and the remaining $5.3 million for the Royal Australian Air Force.

Today’s Video

• Footage from a JPADS drop:

Reports: China to Sell J-10 Fighter to Iran, Syria?

Chinese J-10

DID’s Benelux reader David Vandenberghe tips DID to the original RIA-Novosti report that Iran has signed a contract with China for the delivery of two squadrons (24) of its J-10 fighter planes, which are powered by Russian engines and avionics. Representatives of the Iran Aircraft Manufacturing Industrial Company said China would deliver the jets during the in 2008-2010 time frame. Novosti adds that “Experts, estimating one fighter at $40 million, put the contract’s value at $1 billion.” Iran’s most advanced fighters are currently MiG-29s, many of which once belonged to Saddam Hussein and fled to Iran during the 1991 Desert Storm war, and a handful of F-14 Tomcats that have been ingeniously maintained over the years.

The Chinese J-10 is based on plans sold by the Israelis in the 1980s, after their Lavi fighter program had been canceled. The massacre at Tiananmen Square ended cooperation with western aerospace firms, however, forcing China to install Russian AL-31FN engines instead of American F100/F110s. This in turn forced a slew of alternations owing to changes to the aircraft’s new inlet requirements, weight distribution, center of gravity, et. al. Russian avionics with their own set of space requirements also had to be installed and tested to replace American/Israeli equipment, which led to further design changes. Then there were the indigenous Chinese efforts, including the Type 1473 pulse-Doppler (PD) fire-control radar to replace Israel’s Elta or the American APG-68. The end result entered service in 2003 after well over a decade in development, and is a rather different aircraft than the Lavi. Nonetheless, it retains the aircraft’s canard-delta layout and some of its capabilities, and its aerodynamic layout and known/reported characteristics suggest an aircraft that is equal or slightly superior to American F-16 C/Ds. This could complicate Israeli strikes on targets related to Iran’s nuclear program, though many other variables would also come into play for such scenarios.

If the deal pans out at all… recent reports have thrown it into question.

Air Force Special Forces Retain Old Hercules for Laser Testbeds | Pentagon Exploring Laser/Sound Non-Lethal Tech | Finmec Thinks Better of Selling DRS Tech

Americas

• The Air Force has reportedly retained some aging C-130U Hercules aircraft for use as airborne laser testbed aircraft. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) plans to use the aircraft to test both offensive laser weapons and defensive lasers designed to act as less-than-lethal options. DARPA has been field testing the use of lasers against hostile projectiles, with the Air Force expecting to field airborne lasers on larger cargo aircraft models from 2021. However, the further development of these capabilities could be hamstrung by sequestration and a lack of political will.

• The Pentagon’s Joint Non-Lethal Weapons program is reportedly planning to test a laser-based non-lethal weapon in coming months, with a view to evaluate the longevity of the project by May 2016. The Non-Lethal Laser-Induced Plasma Effects weapon is based on technology capable of creating significant noise effects to disperse crowds and distract individuals. The project has been seeded with two $1.5 million contracts awarded to GEOST and Physical Optics Corp, which will develop the sound and light effects respectively.

• Italian firm Finmeccanica is now reported to have retracted its plan to sell off US-based DRS Technologies, after announcing its intention to flog the defense technology firm in March. The subsidiary has been performing well in recent months, including winning a $384 million contract for hardware insertions to equip Navy submarines, as well as a $100 million contract to provide surveillance systems for the Canadian Army’s LAVs. Finmeccanica acquired the firm in 2008, in a deal worth approximately $5.8 billion.

• Four companies were awarded a combined up-to $900 million IDIQ, five-year contract on Tuesday to provide Wide Mission Support services to Special Operations Command (SOCOM), whilst two firms – General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems Inc and Alliant Techsystems Operations – were awarded two contracts totaling $32.1 million for the 120mm Advanced Multi-Purpose (AMP), XM1147 High Explosive Multi-Purpose with Tracer (HEMP-T) tank cartridges, following an industry day in May 2014.

• Argentina is reportedly developing a new basic trainer for the country’s pilots, with the new design referred to as the IA-100. The Brigadier San Martin Argentine Aircraft Factory is the company thought to be developing the new aircraft, with the company unveiling a basic trainer concept demonstrator known as the Unasur-1 in October 2013. The new design will also be offered on the civilian market, in addition to military customers.

Middle East North Africa

• Italy’s Finmeccanica-Selex ES has been awarded a contract to supply Qatar with Kronos mobile multifunctional radar systems. The low-level Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems will be used to monitor Qatari airspace, with the government announcing their intention to procure the system in March 2014. At that time the contract was valued at approximately $467 million.

Europe

• European defense firms Nexter and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) are expected to sign a merger agreement on Wednesday at the French Defense Ministry, following a year of exclusive negotiations. The two firms announced their intention to merge last July, with the deal subsequently pushed back earlier this year. The joint venture, known as KMW And Nexter Together (KANT), will be based in Amsterdam and have a combined revenue thought to total approximately $2.2 billion. The French state-owned Nexter and private German firm KMW are both manufacturers of armored vehicles, producing the VBCI and Leopard main battle tank respectively, among other designs.

• In other industry news, UK aerospace component manufacturer GKN has acquired Fokker Technologies in a $779 million deal announced on Tuesday. The company is based in the Netherlands and produces components for the Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-16 fighters and Boeing AH-64 and CH-47 helicopters, as well as NHI Industries’ NH90 helicopter.

• The US Department of Defense and the UK’s Ministry of Defence have signed an agreement to jointly train reserve forces, allowing members of both nations’ reserve forces living in the other state to train with host-nation forces. The Foreign Resident Program is the first agreement of its type between the transatlantic partners, which also marked the 30th anniversary of the Military Reserve Exchange Program this year.

Asia

• India’s Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is buying nearly 6,000 motorbikes to assist counterinsurgency operations against Naxalite guerrillas in the country’s east. The bikes are intended to be quieter and more agile than cumbersome 4×4 vehicles, as well as less susceptible to IED blasts.

Today’s Video

• Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons and Indian Air Force Su-30MKI Flankers combine during Exercise Indradanush this week:

Saudis to Get Patriot PAC-3s Too | Turkey Air Defense Deal Not Done | Rafale in the Money with Two Anticipated Sales

Americas

• On Wednesday the Navy awarded a $4.34 billion IDIQ contract to Leidos Inc. for the Defense Healthcare Management System Modernization program, with the contract detailing a two-year initial ordering period followed by two three-year option periods, in addition to a two-year award term. $35 million is being committed initially, with Leidos beating out five other bids to win Wednesday ‘s contract.

• Rheinmetall and ELTA Systems Ltd have been awarded two contracts by the Canadian government to supply Integrated Soldier Systems and ten EL/M-2084 medium-range radar systems, the radar system employed with the Israeli Iron Dome system. The radar systems will serve in both Counter-Rocket, Artillery & Mortar (C-RAM) and air surveillance operational contexts. The two contracts total approximately $391 million, with Rheinmetall Canada acting as the prime contractor. The Integrated Soldier System contract contains options for up to 4,144 of the systems.

• Brazil will receive the final eight of thirty-four Krauss-Maffei Wegmann-manufactured air defense guns within coming weeks. The Gepard 1A2 35mm Self Propelled Anti-Air Guns were ordered from the German Army in May 2013, with the contract valued at $41 million. The Gepard was phased out of service with the Bundeswehr from 2010, replaced with the multi-tiered air defense system Brazil is implementing ahead of the 2016 Olympics, with Russian hardware forming a large part of the inventory.

Middle East North Africa

• Saudi Arabia has requested Patriot PAC-3 missiles and auxiliary equipment through a potential $5.4 billion deal, which would modernize the Kingdom’s current stockpile of Patriot missiles. This DSCA request comes on the heels of a $1.5 billion contract announced by Lockheed Martin earlier this month, which will see Foreign Military Sales partners worldwide upgraded with new PAC-3 and PAC-3MSE interceptors, including Saudi Arabia, as well as another DSCA request from October 2014 for PAC-3 missiles, with that request valued at $1.75 billion.

• Morocco will receive three ex-US Army CH-47D Chinook helicopters, after the completion of seven months of refurbishment. The delivery of the helicopters is part of a US Army Security Assistance Command Foreign Military Sale program valued at $78.9 million, with Columbia Helicopters undertaking the refurbishment work with a $6 million contract awarded in August 2014.

• The United Arab Emirates has requested four AN/AAQ 24(V) Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM) systems, in a potential sale estimated to value $335 million. Manufactured by Northrop Grumman, the DIRCM systems are intended to equip the aircraft of the UAE’s Head of State, President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Europe

• Turkey is thinking of renegotiating a possible deal with China over the sale of HQ-9 air defense systems, to fulfill the country’s T-LORAMIDS competition. Chinese official media announced in March that the non-NATO system had won the $3.4 billion competition, beating out bids from the Eurosam consortium and Raytheon/Lockheed Martin, with the Patriot. Turkish President Erdogan is traveling to Beijing in coming weeks, with the leader likely seeking to improve on the Chinese offer. Meanwhile the Turkish defense procurement agency has established parallel negotiations with the European and US teams.

• France is anticipating an additional pair of export orders for its Rafale fighter, with Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates reportedly the most likely candidates. Reuters also reported Thursday that negotiations between India and France are now also discussing the possible supply of additional Rafales on top of the 36 ordered in April. Malaysia is looking to replace its MiG-29 Fulcrums, with the UAE recently restarting negotiations for the Rafale as it looks to swap out its fleet of Mirage 2000-9 fighters. The Gulf state has previously articulated a potential buy of sixty Rafales.

• Airborne technology firm UTC Aerospace Systems is developing a smaller version of its Reconnaissance Airborne Pod for Tornado (RAPTOR) EO/IR pod, which currently fits the Royal Air Force’s Panavia GR4 Tornado fleet. With these scheduled for retirement in 2019, the company is looking to produce a smaller RAPTOR pod for integration with the RAF’s Eurofighter Typhoons.

• Following initial reports from early July, Germany has awarded an eight-year contract to Airbus Defence & Space and Lockheed Martin Overseas Services Corp. to re-wing the German Navy’s fleet of P-3C orion maritime patrol aircraft. The contract will cover eight P-3C aircraft, with Lockheed Martin manufacturing the new Mid-Life Upgrade kits on a production line opened in 2005 and Airbus responsible for integration and installation of the kits. Previous estimates put the value of a ten-aircraft contract at approximately $626 million. Norway has also invested in upgrading its Orions through a re-winging program. Germany previously requested aircraft mission computer, acoustic systems and simulator equipment for its Orion fleet, detailed in a DSCA request from April 2014.

Asia

• The Indian Air Force has asked state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd to cease development of the HJT-36 Sitara Intermediate Jet Trainer, following repeated revisions to the jet’s R&D schedule. The IAF operates the Hawk and Pilatus PC-7 as its advanced and basic trainers respectively, whilst lacking an intermediate development aircraft for its flight crews. The IAF announced in August 2014 that alternatives to the IJT were being explored, with the country’s Defense Ministry subsequently floating an Expression of Interest for alternative designs, with this sent to several European and North American firms, as well as Korea Aerospace Industries. Textron AirLand was not sent the EoI, despite Indian Air Chief Marshall Arup Raha reportedly expressing interest in using the company’s Scorpion aircraft as an IJT.

• Australia has received the country’s seventh C-17A transporter, the first of two aircraft ordered in April to complement the six already in service. The second of the pair is expected by the end of the year, with the aircraft all operated by the Royal Australian Air Force’s 36 Squadron in Queensland.

Today’s Video

• The Gepard 1A2 firing

DOJ Looks at Alleged Sikorsky Overcharging | Marines Shop Sniper Rifles | Star-Crossed ALIS System Updated in F-35s

Americas

• The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into alleged overcharging of the Navy through a contract handed to a Sikorsky business unit in 2006. The contract allegedly saw Sikorsky Support Services Inc subcontract another subsidiary – Derco Aerospace – for T-34 and T-44 aircraft spare parts, adding overheads and profit in the process, from 2006 to 2012 and violating the False Claims Act. The total damages the government could claim amounts to $148 million, with Lockheed Martin reportedly aware of the issue during due diligence investigations prior to buying Sikorsky for $9 billion earlier this month.

• The Marine Corps is reportedly looking to evaluate various sniper rifles to replace the in-service M40A5 rifle. The options under consideration reportedly include the Mk21, currently fielded by SOCOM and the Army. The M40A5 has a problem with range, particularly when compared to other rifles in service with US forces and allies, such as the British L115A3.

• The F-35B’s Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) – the system designed to monitor and relay critical aircraft system data – has received its final software upgrade ahead of the fighter achieving Initial Operating Capability. The system has also received critical hardware modifications. IOC for the Marine Corps’ first F-35Bs is expected later this year, with the Corps deciding in March to push on according to schedule, despite issues with the jet’s 2B software.

• On Monday, New Mexico State University was awarded a $75 million IDIQ contract to support the Information Operations Vulnerability/Survivability Assessment program, an effort by the Army Research Laboratory to identify the susceptibility of systems to hostile information warfare threats. Also on Monday the Air Force handed a $732 million contract to Carnegie Mellon University to operate the Software Engineering Institute, with the contract running for five years. The Institute is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), funded by the DoD.

• Argentina is reportedly negotiating with Israel Aerospace Industries regarding a procurement of Kfir Block 60 fighters. The Argentinians sent a delegation to Israel to finalize negotiations for the aircraft in March 2014, with the Argentine Air Force submitting a list of technical requirements which would be a prerequisite for any sale. The Kfir Block 60 is reportedly priced at around $20 million, considerably less than more modern fighters, with the aircraft’s operating cost also thought to be much lower. Argentina previously attempted to procure Saab Gripen E fighters, running into a brick wall when the British government announced that it would not allow British-manufactured Gripen components to ultimately end up in Argentine hands.

Middle East North Africa

• Egypt may purchase a second and third FREMM frigate from France, to complement the first vessel transferred to the Egyptian Navy in late June. The Egyptian Navy is also set to receive four Gowind 2500 corvettes between 2017 and 2019, with the current negotiations also reportedly including a possible sale of four additional corvettes.

Europe

• The German Army has officially received its Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) from Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, following the fleet’s approval [German] in May, along with a delivery of seven vehicles as a training contingent. The German BWB procurement agency placed an order for 405 of the vehicles in July 2009 to replace the Bundeswehr’s fleet of Marder IFVs, subsequently revising the number down to 350 in July 2012. The full force of Puma vehicles is expected to be completed by 2020, with batches currently being received and passed to units for training before returning to home bases.

• Turkish Aerospace Industries is looking to export its T129 attack helicopter, with the company angling for a US export license in order to do so. TAI is hoping to find a customer in Poland, which requires around thirty attack helicopters under its Kruk competition. The country’s defense ministry announced in April that a winner will be announced by the end of the year.

• Lockheed Martin has been contracted to provide an additional six years of logistics support to the British Ministry of Defence, under the company’s Joint Asset Management Engineering Solutions (JAMES) program. The program has been in operate since 2005 and is designed to track equipment throughout the supply chain and inventory, as well as monitor the status and condition of items. The $29 million contract builds on the JAMES system’s December 2010 full increment capability, which included inventory management and Maintenance, Repair, Modification & Overhaul (MRMO) as part of a JAMES upgrade. The UK MoD has been heavily criticized in recent years over supply chain inefficiencies.

Asia

• India is looking at how the country could relax current ‘blacklisting’ policies for defense firms accused of wrongdoing. Currently, companies can be excluded from bidding or signing agreements with the Indian government if they are suspected of breaching Indian law, regardless of whether these accusations emerge as valid or not. The Defence Procurement Policy body is contemplating a move to a system similar to that of US and British government policies, which give these governments room to negotiate with firms accused of wrongdoing, without necessarily excluding them from ongoing or future contract negotiations. These arrangements include Deferred Prosecution Agreements, which can allow the government and the company to establish sanctions and other measures in return for non-prosecution.

Today’s Video

• The Puma IFV:

Land Panther: Germany’s Tracked Puma IFV

Drivers wanted…

Germany has always been known for producing excellent armored vehicles. A combination of features that arguably make it the world’s best tank, and fire sale prices stemming from Germany’s rapid disarmament, have made the Leopard 2 the standard main battle tank in Europe and beyond. The same level of innovation and execution was shown in the late 1960s, when Germany’s Marder became the west’s first Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV). Designs like the American M2/M3 Bradley, Sweden’s CV90 family and new SEP, Singapore’s Bionix-II, and Korea’s new XK-21 have stepped far beyond that legacy, however, and even the Russian region has continued to update their BMP designs. Meanwhile, the nature of military operations has changed to emphasize modularity, out of country missions, advanced electronic communications, and strong protection against threats like land mines.

The Marders need to be replaced, and this became a priority even within Germany’s limited defense budget. In response, German armored vehicle leaders Rheinmetall & KMW formed a 50/50 joint venture to design and produce a solution that would address these issues, and return Germany to a leadership position in the tracked IFV field. Enter the new Puma IFV – which has just received a EUR 3 billion production order from Germany.

Air Force Has It in for A-10s to Allies Too | Marines to Narrow ACV Field to Two | Pakistan in Deal for Chinese Subs

Americas

• The Air Force has quashed Boeing’s hopes of selling refurbished A-10s to international customers, following the floating of the idea in May. With the House protecting the A-10 from comprehensive retirement for another year, the Air Force is planning to mothball outgoing A-10s, thereby saving a reported $4.2 billion in sustainment over a five year period.

• Lockheed Martin will upgrade US Army and international partners’ Patriot systems through the Foreign Military Sales program in a deal worth $1.5 billion. The contract will supply PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE interceptors for Taiwan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. These states all operate the PAC-3, with Saudi Arabia requesting $1.75 billion-worth of PAC-3 enhancements in June 2014, with Qatar ordering the PAC-3 in October as part of a $11 billion equipment deal with the US. South Korea announced in April 2014 that the country’s Patriot systems would be upgraded to the PAC-3 configuration between 2016 and 2020, with a budget of around $1.25 billion.

• The Navy awarded Raytheon a $180.4 million contract for Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW) missiles for Saudi Arabia and the US Navy on Friday. The contract covers the full rate production of 200 AGM-154C-1 Unitary Joint Stand-Off Weapon missiles for the Navy and 355 AGM-154 Block III C Unitary Joint Stand-Off Weapon missiles for Saudi Arabia, fulfilling a Foreign Military Sales requirement valued at $122.7 million, with the Navy’s contract worth $57.7 million. Saudi Arabia requested the missiles in October 2013, with Raytheon handed $13.3 million in June 2014 to deliver design specifications and drawings for the JSOW C Block III variant to the Saudis.

• Also announced on Friday, the Navy awarded a $78 million contract modification for six low rate initial production RQ-21A Blackjack UAVs. Also known as the ScanEagle, the Boeing-owned manufacturer Insitu Inc. unveiled a new version of the UAV in October last year, the ScanEagle 2. The first version has seen significant export success, in countries as diverse as Colombia, Yemen, Japan and the Netherlands, with Iran producing an unlicensed version known as the Yasir.

• The Marine Corps is reportedly scheduled to downselect two designs for its Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) program in late 2015, with five designs currently on offer. The requirement calls for a 8×8 armored vehicle capable of transiting over open water as well as operate ashore. The five designs have been undergoing testing, with the USMC planning to progress the two downselected bids through a development phase.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel has reportedly supplied Jordan with AH-1E/F Cobra attack helicopters, with these thought to number around sixteen. The Israelis purchased over a hundred of the attack helicopters after they were progressively phased out of US service, maintaining two squadrons until these themselves were all retired by 2013. Jordan operates a dozen Cobras, with the new airframes intended for use as border security assets along the country’s porous border with Syria and Iraq.

Europe

• Poland’s Defense Ministry has launched a tender for over 880 unarmored and armored 4×4 vehicles to replace the Polish armed force’s fleet of Honker and UAZ469 vehicles. The majority of the vehicles will be soft-skin variants, with an additional forty requiring armored protection. The new fleet is expected to enter service between 2016 and 2022, with interested companies comprising numerous European, US and Polish companies.

• The Royal Air Force has stood-up its first operational A400M transport squadron, with LXX Squadron based at RAF Brize Norton. Replacing the fleet of C-130 Hercules, the RAF received its third A400M aircraft in early June, with the RAF having ordered twenty-two aircraft in total. Initial Operating Capability is slated for the squadron by September, following the anticipated delivery of the first seven aircraft.

Asia

• Pakistan and China have reportedly signed a deal for eight diesel-electric attack submarines, following reports from April which first flagged the sale, after Pakistan’s Prime Minister approved the procurement. Initial discussions regarding the sale date back to 2011. The deal’s value has not been disclosed but will reach several billion dollars, possibly between $4-5 billion. The model of submarine is thought to be an export variant of the Type 041 Yuan-class, known as the S20.

• Taiwan is expected to soon place an order for eight to ten Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters, according to reports this weekend. The helicopters are thought to be destined for the country’s Navy, with a contract announcement expected later this year. The Taiwanese Navy currently operates the Sikorsky S-70C helicopter, with the new helicopters set to bolster the force’s anti-submarine warfare capability.

• Iran has reportedly unveiled an indigenously developed simulator for its fleet of MiG-29 fighters. The Iranian Air Force is thought to operate thirty Fulcrums, with the country previously developing simulators for its fleets of Sukhoi Su-24 and Mirage F1 aircraft.

Today’s Video

• Operating the ScanEagle:

F-35’s Cannon Testing: Don’t Blink | Boeing Keeping F-18 Line Hot | BAE Resorting to Discounts on Eurofighters

Americas

• The F-35’s GAU-22/A 25mm cannon has been tested on the ground at Edwards Air Force Base, with the General Dynamics-designed weapon having been developed for both internal and external gun systems of the Joint Strike Fighter. The cannon is mounted on an external pod for the F-35B and C variants, with the Air Force’s F-35A variant positioning the weapon internally. The four-barrel system allows the fighter to let loose just 180 rounds per reload, allowing for three short passes at best, or a total of 2.57 seconds of firing at maximum rate. That last problem featured heavily in criticism of the Air Force for floating the idea – since backtracked – that the F-35A could serve as the main ground forces protection platform. The Marines use the same cannon in their Harriers, but stock 300 rounds in the starboard pod. The program has been busy testing other weapons in recent weeks, including the Marines testing live JDAM bombs in early July. The Pentagon has been mulling what to include in future F-35 weapon tranches, with options including the Small Diameter Bomb II and Joint Strike Missile, as well as several others.

• Boeing is committing to keep its F-18 production line open in response to new and forecast orders from both the US and international customers. The company was worried that insufficient orders for new Super Hornet and Growler aircraft would fail to materialize and keep the production line economically viable. Boeing considered slowing the production rate in March, to extend the time available for more orders to come through the door. Recent orders from the US Navy and Kuwait have bolstered the company’s confidence in keeping the production line open.

• It has emerged that a Standard Missile-2 Block IIIA air defense missile exploded soon after launch from the USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) earlier this month, with the explosion leading to a fire on deck. The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer was firing the missile as part of testing in the Atlantic when the incident took place. Malfunctions involving solid fuel missiles such as the family of Standard Missiles are rare, with this incident causing limited damage to the USS The Sullivans and no reported injuries.

• Special Operations Command (SOCOM) has awarded a $83.1 million contract to Polaris Defense for tactical all-terrain vehicles. The Polaris ATV was reportedly selected partially as a result of its ability to fit in rotary-wing transport platforms, including the V-22 Osprey, MH-47 Chinook and MH-53 Pave Low, as well as larger fixed-wing platforms.

• Problems with the refueling system of Boeing’s K-46A tanker currently in development for the Air Force are likely to delay the awarding of $3 billion in low rate production contracts to the company by around eight months, as initial production is now slated to slip to April next year from the timetabled deadline of next month. The company was forced to revise its profit forecast last week after taking a $536 million charge for delays with the tanker’s refueling system, the second such charge the company has absorbed through a fixed-price contract to develop and manufacture the Air Force’s future tanker.

• An Air Force U-2 reconnaissance plane has demonstrated its ability to co-ordinate complex attack scenarios, recently re-targeting a Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) whilst flying at high altitude, using data sent from a F-22 fighter via a ground relay station. The U-2 also demonstrated its ability to relay data between a F-22 and F-18 Hornet. The tests evaluated Air Force Open Mission System standards, using a Lockheed Martin Skunk Works design known as Enterprise OMS. The U-2 used for the tests was also employed to demonstrate Lockheed Martin Open Systems Architecture in December 2014, with the testbed aircraft on loan from the Air Force.

Europe

• General Dynamics is moving the company’s assembly line and testing facilities for the SCOUT SV armored vehicle from its Santa Barbara Sistemas facility in Spain to Merthyr Tydfil in south Wales, with the move announced by British PM David Cameron on Thursday. The move is part of a $607 million contract awarded by the Ministry of Defence to General Dynamics to provide in-service support to the new fleet of 589 vehicles out to 2024, themselves procured in September last year through a $5.8 billion contract. Under the contract announced on Thursday, General Dynamics will assemble, integrate and test 489 of the 589 vehicles in Wales.

• The Balkan states of FYR Macedonia and Montenegro are hoping to secure an invitation to NATO later this year, with Poland’s Foreign Minister scheduled to discuss the topic during a three-day visit to Montenegro alongside officials from other NATO member states. Both prospective member countries are confident of meeting the minimum requirements for membership, despite Macedonia clashing with NATO member Greece, particularly over the country’s name, with polls indicating that a marginal majority of their populations are in favor of joining. Fellow Balkan states Albania and Croatia were admitted in 2009, with any further expansion in South East Europe likely to antagonize Russia.

• The Royal Navy is also trying to retain its highly trained pool of nuclear engineers with a one-off bonus of £24,000 ($37,500). Fearful of an exit en masse to the private sector, as well as other public bodies, particularly as the United Kingdom looks to expand its use of nuclear power. The service currently has approximately 4,500 nuclear engineers engaged on projects such as the new sea-based nuclear deterrent, known as Successor, with this planned to replace the Vanguard-class SSBN boats currently in service.

Middle East North Africa

• The Lebanese government has requested 1,500 TOW-2A guided missiles from the US, with the State Department approving the possible Foreign Military Sale, estimated to value $245 million. 1,000 of the missiles requested are the anti-armor variant and the remaining 500 bunker busting variants, with the order also including fifty launchers. The Lebanese government has recently received the first weapons purchased from France in November last year with Saudi financing the deal worth around $3 billion. Shipments of these weapons (including Milan anti-tank missiles) began in April. The country’s government also received weapons from China earlier this month, with these thought to have been donated by the Chinese government. The US has sent approximately $1 billion in military aid to Lebanon over the last eight years, previously supplying older versions of the TOW-2 system.

Asia

• BAE Systems has reportedly cut the per-unit cost of Eurofighter Typhoons by 20% over a five-year period, with company officials hoping that the reduced price will boost the chance of export orders. The jet will soon begin a round of weapons testing for advanced weapon designs, including the MBDA Meteor BVR air-to-air missile and the Storm Shadow crusie missile, with BAE Systems also reportedly planning to test an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system later this year. With the French Rafale recently seeing export success in Egypt and India, the Eurofighter consortium is looking to offer the Eurofighter in larger numbers to both these countries as well as other states, particularly as the Typhoon begins to incorporate more advanced weapons and sensors.

• The Australian government has donated two Balikpapan-class landing craft (LCH) to the Philippines. The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) decommissioned the last of the fleet of LCHs in November 2014, with the two LCH vessels bolstering the Philippines Navy humanitarian relief capability.

• The Royal Thai Air Force appears to have received the three EC725 helicopters contracted for October 2014 and September 2012. The Airbus-manufactured helicopter has also been exported to Brazil, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico. The model was also recently selected by Poland under a different name designation.

• The Indian government has removed some of the bureaucratic shackles previously hindering Indian defense firms from selling their wares abroad. The country’s defense ministry has removed the so-called ‘ultimate end user’ certificate requirement, which required clearance for the transfer of Indian-produced goods at each stage of a multinational supply chain, eating into both time and cost for customer and supplier. Under the revised legislation, Indian companies can now export certain types of equipment and other products abroad with the level of required certification only extending to the state immediately receiving the goods.

Today’s Video

• Video footage of the B61-12 guided nuclear bomb during it testing earlier this month. The test was a collaborative effort between the Air Force and the National Nuclear Safety Administration (NNSA):

Lightning Rod: F-35 Fighter Family Capabilities and Controversies

Grim Reapers F-35C

The $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike fighter program may well be the largest single global defense program in history. This major multinational program is intended to produce an “affordably stealthy” multi-role fighter that will have 3 variants: the F-35A conventional version for the US Air Force et. al.; the F-35B Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing for the US Marines, British Royal Navy, et. al.; and the F-35C conventional carrier-launched version for the US Navy.

This article will serve as DID’s central repository explaining and contrasting all 3 F-35 variants, detailing the fighter family’s core technologies and features, and laying out the core industrial framework whose “political engineering” has made the program almost impossible to kill. It will also summarize the core arguments that swirl around the fighter’s future capability, and provide useful background links regarding the program and its key technologies.

Virginia-Class Sub Launches UUV | Brits Train Others on MANPAD Mitigation | China Sea Nations in Amphib Aircraft Race of Sorts

Americas

• In a Navy first, the USS North Dakota (SSN 784) successfully launched and recovered an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) during its two-month deployment to the Mediterranean. Previous reports indicated that the UUVs tested would include the autonomous Remus 600, which was partially funded by the US Office of Naval Research.

• The Chief of Naval Operation Adm. Jonathan Greenert wants to buy ten Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDGS) to the tune of two a year, according to his Navigation Plan announced this week. This will bring the total number to be procured by 2020 to seventy-two. The Plan also calls for the procurement of the Navy’s Small Surface Combatant frigates by 2019, as well as investment in deterrent and attack submarines. The latter would involve boosting the fleet of Virginia-class boats to twenty-two within five years, in addition to the maintenance of the Ohio-class ballistic missile boats, with a replacement eyed for 2031.

Europe

• Russia is reportedly opting to focus on the development of upgraded Tupolev Tu-160M2 bombers over development for its PAK DA strategic bomber project, with serial production of the upgraded Cold War design scheduled to begin in 2023. This will shunt the PAK DA project timeline backward, with the Russia Air Force scheduled to receive batches of three Tupolev bombers a year from 2023 onward. The Russian Defense Ministry recently announced its intention to procure at least fifty of the Tupolev strategic bombers, with an upgrade program for in-service Tu-160s nearing completion ahead of time.

• An interdepartmental team from the British government and the airline sector, comprised of Police, Royal Air Force and transport officials have begun training overseas governments on how to prevent missile attacks on airliners. The threat of MANPADS proliferation has prompted the creation of the ‘Counter MANPADS Team’, with Israel testing counter-missile systems for use on commercial airliners last year, deploying these on some flights. Israeli firms have been quick to fill customer demand for the systems, particularly as the weapons have proliferated across the Middle East North Africa region, including Libya, Syria and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula; the last of these catalyzing Israel’s push to fit certain flights with counter-missile technology.

• Russian forces in the Eastern Military District are planning to live-fire Iskander-M tactical ballistic missiles in September, following the delivery of a brigade of the missiles this month. The 500km-range missile was recently offered to Saudi Arabia, with Armenia also a potential export customer. Rosoboronexport announced its intention in April to sell the system abroad following the fulfillment of orders from the Russian armed forces.

Middle East North Africa

• Egypt has taken delivery of its first three two-seat Rafale fighters, in time for the opening of a new Suez waterway in August. Egypt surprised many by ordering twenty-four of the jets in February, in a deal worth $5.9 billion. Photos emerged last week showing the three aircraft in flight, with the Egyptian Rafale fleet reported to come equipped with a plethora of advanced French missiles manufactured by MBDA and Safran.

Asia

• In a characteristic set-back, India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will see its Final Operating Clearance delayed until next year. The schedule has slipped consistently for the indigenous fighter, with FOC previously pushed back to December this year. The Indian Defense Ministry has blamed the delays on late delivery of components from foreign manufacturers; however the program also came under severe criticism from the Indian government’s principal oversight body in May, with the aircraft’s performance in question after over three decades of development. The new FOC for the aircraft is now reported to be timetabled for March 2016.

• Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) has reportedly begun final assembly of the world’s largest amphibious aircraft at a subsidiary’s facility in the south of China. The AG600 aircraft is intended to be used for long-range sea rescue and firefighting missions, as well as resupply and other tasks. Other states with a geopolitical interest in the region have also been investing in amphibious aircraft capabilities; including Japan’s US-2, which has also attracted interest from India and Indonesia.

• The Philippines announced an increase to the country’s 2016 defense budget of 25% earlier this week, with the defense spending budget now set to reach approximately $552 million. The country has exchanged rhetoric with China and other regional powers over claims to South China Sea territory, with this latest budgetary increase part of a five-year modernization plan announced in 2013. The 2016 defense budget is now set to equate to five times that of the 2013 budget.

Today’s Video

• The REMUS 600 UUV: