A-10s Get a Reprieve from Retirement Plans | Turkish Coast Guard Competition Swells to 25 | Lithuania & Czech Republic Adding to Mil Truck Fleets

Americas

• Following Michael Gilmore’s thoughts on the F-35 program, his report has also shed some light on the hotly contested Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) competition. His report goes into detail on how the three offerings for the USMC Humvee replacement faired in tests. While Lockheed Martin and competition winner Oshkosh met protection requirements, Humvee producer AM General fell short. The shortfall resulted in AM General losing out on a contract potentially worth $30 billion, one of the biggest Army contracts in recent times. Lockheed Martin went on to begin a legal proceeding against the award to Oshkosh; however, these were thrown out before the new year.

• Four OH-58 Kiowa Delta helicopters are ready for export to a foreign county after landing at Redtone Arsenal prior to shipping. While details as to where the helicopters are going and at what cost have remained unknown, it is possible that they could be going to Croatia after being deemed Excess Defense Articles. Back in November 2015, the Croatian Defence Ministry announced that it had selected sixteen OH-58D helicopters that the USAF would donate to Croatia. The latest model is primarily operated in an armed reconnaissance role in support of ground troops, and could contribute to the ongoing modernization of the Croatian Armed Forces to participate in NATO operations.

• The life of the A-10 attack jet will be extended until 2022 after it was announced in Secretary for Defense Ash Carter’s 2017 defense budget preview on Tuesday. Lawmakers including former A-10 pilot Rep. Martha McSally and Sen. John McCain who supported the plane’s continuation were pleased with the announcement. The close-air support aircraft will continue to see service in the operations against the Islamic State in the Middle East where it has been supporting ground troops. The deferral of the A-10’s retirement comes as continued delays seem likely for the F-35, which is due to replace the A-10 once it comes into active service. The A-10’s ability to swoop in to heights of 50 feet above ground and engage enemies has been held up as an advantage against the F-35 by supporters.

Middle East North Africa

• Interest in providing aircraft for the Turkish Coast Guard has increased dramatically in the last week with ten more interested parties joining the initial fifteen. The twenty-five bidders are both a mix of domestic and international firms, with the most recent competitors including Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training and the Turkish military-software company Havelsan. Turkey plans to purchase a Beechcraft King Air 350ER for the Coast Guard, but are looking for someone to provide the integration of subsystems into the aircraft for maritime surveillance operations. As well as maritime surveillance, the aircraft will be responsible for conducting border security and search & rescue operations.

Europe

• Both Lithuania and the Czech Republic have inked contracts for new military truck acquisitions as they continue to modernize military gear. Lithuania has signed a $65 million deal with Daimler AG for 340 Unimog trucks as part of plans to increase the size of their land forces, with the establishment of another infantry brigade. The Czech Republic is to acquire 18 N3G-V trucks from local firm Tatra. The purchases are one of several contracts signed by Prague in an effort to be prepared to participate in NATO activities as well as to deal with the flow of refugees through its borders from the Middle East.

• Rheinmetall Defence is to provide a multi-million dollar deal to modernize the skyguard air defense system of an unknown international buyer. The order, worth $427 million, will be delivered between 2017 and 2020. Upgrades will include equipping the missile/gun air defence systems with advanced radar technology. Further more, the system will be outfitted with a new target tracking radar, a latest-generation friend-foe identification system as well as cutting-edge electronic warfare components. The missile launcher will be upgraded with a new state-of-the-art electronic pod, which will enhance the system’s missile capability. Variants of Rheinmetall’s anti-aircraft guns and systems are being used in over thirty countries with Thailand recently signing a contract for four Skyguard systems earlier this year.

Asia Pacific

• Israel Aerospace industries and Korean composite manufacturer Hankuk Carbon are to develop, manufacture and sell a new vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) unmanned air vehicle for South Korea. Initial aims for the UAV will be to develop a system with a 200-300kg maximum take-off weight, and it is hoped that it will have 90% of the work done domestically in Korea. Both companies are also looking into adding shipborne take-off and landing capabilities to IAI/Hankuk’s FE-Panther VTOL UAV, which will be available by the end of 2018.

• India has received the final batch of three Mi-17V-5 military transport helicopters from Russia, bringing the total to 151. The models are the most technically advanced of Rostec Corporation’s Mi-8/17 type including a KNEI-8 avionics suite. The new suite replaces the previously used multiple systems indicators with four large multi-functional that are easy to read and reduce the intensity of pilot’s workload. The completion of the sale comes as both India and Russia continue negotiations for forty-eight more of the helicopters, which are to be used in a variety of operations such as in deserts and mountains, matching the wide variety of environments found in India.

Today’s Video

• The FE-Panter UAV:

The Evolving Landscape of Indian Defense Procurement

(click to visit)

Guest article by Sebastian Sobolev and Aleksandar D. Jovovic

Some years back, global defense companies flocked to the Indian defense market in search of opportunities that could offset declining home budgets. India’s attractiveness as a market was understandable: the country was embarked on an ambitious military modernization program to mitigate perceived threats from neighboring Pakistan and to compete with China in the maritime, air and land domains.

These initiatives ballooned military procurement accounts, which grew at an annual rate of 14% between 2005 and 2010. Yet contractors soon found themselves frustrated by opaque bureaucratic procurement processes, onerous domestic offset and work share requirements, and seemingly endless delays. With the emergence of a new government, what’s ahead for India?

F-35 Program Potentially Facing Further Delays | Kuwait Eurofighter Deal on Hold | UK MoD to Spend $1.58B on New Mil Training Fleet

Americas

• A recent report from the Pentagon’s top weapons tester has raised serious questions over the F-35 program’s “unrealistic test schedule”. Michael Gilmore’s annual F-35 report released on Monday follows a recently leaked memo from December 2015 that highlighted issues over the jet’s software development. The report flags these testing issues as potentially delaying the operational evaluation by up to a year, with flight testing not likely to be completed until at least January 2018. It had been initially hoped that testing would be completed by August 2017, after program re-baselining in 2012. As a result of these delays, Gilmore also warned against current block buying of the fighter with 250 planned to be locked-in before the (Initial Operational Test and Evaluation) IOT&E. At present, 150 fully operational jets have been delivered by Lockheed and will all require extensive modification to the Block 3F standard once development concludes.

• Ahead of the Pentagon’s February 9 official budget release, Defense Secretary Ash Carter mapped out his spending priorities on Tuesday. Among the plans include a $13 billion plan in funding for a new submarine to carry nuclear ballistic missiles over the next five years. This would be broken down into $4 billion towards research and development of new submarines, with $9 billion spent on procurement funding. The Navy may also see twelve more Super Hornet’s procured to make up for shortages caused by delays to Lockheed’s F-35 program, and longer-than-expected repair times for current Boeing F/A-18 jets. The budget also outlines a total 322 F-35s across its A, B and C models but following the recommendations in Michael Gilmore’s most recent report, this could be more wishful thinking than the eventual reality.

Middle East North Africa

• Last weekend’s expected signing of a deal for Kuwait to purchase twenty-eight Eurofighter jets has been put off. Italian Ministry of Defense officials cited “procedural” delays on Kuwait’s behalf, and that no clear date had been set. It had been expected that the deal would close quickly after some initial delays over pilot training had pushed an agreement into 2016. News of the deal came as Kuwait’s initial plan to purchase F-18 Super Hornets from Boeing was scrapped after their frustration over congressional delays in gaining approval for the sale. The loss of the sale to the Eurofighter has put into question the security of some jobs at Boeing’s St. Louis plant. The plant specializes in the manufacture of the Super Hornet, and were set to start production of the $3 billion deal before the change.

• The UAE is to acquire more of the Finnish Patria AMVs 8×8 armored wheeled vehicles. With a first batch ordered by the Emirates in 2008, Patria will provide forty more of the AMVs in a contract worth $41 million with options to purchase a further fifty. Construction of the hulls has been outsourced to Polish partner Rosomak SA, and they will be fitted with additional armor and mine protection, along with remote weapon stations armed with 12.7 mm machine guns or 40 mm automatic grenade launchers. The Patria AMV has been used in Afghanistan, Chad and is also participating in ongoing Saudi-led operations in Yemen. UAE involvement in the country has included daily air strikes along with a ground presence that has included claims of having hired Colombian mercenaries to fight there.

Europe

• The UK Ministry of Defence has signed contracts in the amount of $1.58 billion for a new military training fleet. Under the UK Military Flight Training System (UKMFS), approximately half the sum will go to Affinity Flying Services who will provide the aircraft that will be used at different stages of the training. Affinity, which is a joint venture between Kellogg Brown and Root Ltd and Elbit Systems UK, will provide three aircraft types as well as their maintenance and support. The remaining funds have been awarded to Lockheed Martin and Babcock, who have been selected to deliver all of the ground based training equipment and infrastructure to support the delivery of the fixed wing training capability. When fully operation in 2019, student pilots will learn initially on the Grob 120TP “Prefect” before going on to take part in either Multi-Engine Pilot Training on the Embraer “Phenom” 100 or Basic Flying Training on the Beechcraft “Texan” T-6C.

• French procurement agency DGA announced the finalizing of an order with Lockheed Martin for four C-130 aircraft. The models to be delivered are two standard C-130J transports, and two KC-130Js equipped for in-flight refueling of helicopters. While the exact figure of the deal is unknown, the core value of the deal is around $355 million, slightly more than the $340 million set aside in the revised multiyear defense budget for acquiring four C-130s. The orders will plug a growing capability gap in the French military caused by the Airbus A400M program. Development of the multi-purpose A400M has seen delays in delivery as Airbus looks to fix technical problems over inflight helicopter refueling capabilities, and for paratroopers to be able to jump from the side door.

Africa

• Equatorial Guinea will receive two C295 transport aircraft after officials visited Airbus’ plant in Seville last week. The planes will add to the central African nations rather modest fleet of mostly Russian made transport and fighter aircraft. The first, due in September of this year, will be used primarily for personnel transportation, medical assistance and evacuations. The second will be configured to operate on surveillance missions over the country’s territory and coastal waters. The C295 is becoming a popular selection for many militaries in Africa, with Ghana, Algeria and Egypt just a few who operate or have ordered the plane. Airbus sees sales of at least fifty C295s going to the continent over the next decade.

Asia Pacific

• The Malaysian Army’s purchase of six MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopters will include a custom weapons package including a complete missions management system not found on previous models. This will include a stores management system and helmet mounted cuing system for integrated target identification and tracking, and allows laser-guided rocket and Hellfire capability. With increased range over other models, the helicopters will be stationed with the Eastern Sabah Security Command. In 2013, a three week insurgency and standoff erupted in Sabah after Fillipino militants landed in the area making territorial claims as the Sultanate of Sulu.

Today’s Video

• Following the recent sale to Malaysia, a look at MD Helicopters latest MD530G Scout Attack Helicopter:

UAE Orders AMV IFVs

AMV at IDEX

Patria recently announced a deal with the United Arab Emirates to buy its Armored Modular Vehicle 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carriers. The Finnish vehicle offers a strong mix of features, and is the only vehicle of its class to submit to and pass the South African ARMSCOR’s mine resistance tests. Variants include an armored personnel carrier (APC), up-gunned infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), AMOS heavy mortar system, command post, workshop and battlefield ambulance. Defense Aerospace reports that all substantive information re: numbers, types, delivery dates, et. al. is being kept private at the customer’s request. Reports indicate that the UAE’s Bin Jabr Group will support the vehicle in-country, and that local production in the U.A.E. is being studied as a supplement to production in Finland.

USAF Forays into 3D Printed Parts | Turkish F-16s to Get Harris AIDEWS Pod System | Malaysia to be First Recipient of MD530

Americas

• The USAF is to use a 3-D printed part for the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. The part, a plastic end cap for seat armrests, is non-essential to keeping the battle management platforms flying, but is seen as an important first step toward using 3-D printing to repair and maintain aircraft in a cost and time effective manner. Other parts being developed are replacement air duct brackets used inside the E-3’s wings, with savings of over $0.5 million per annum. The increase in the development of 3-D printing by the air force follows the $6 million contract awarded earlier in January to Aerojet to define the standards that will be used to qualify components made using 3-D printing for use in liquid-fueled rocket engine applications. The award is part of a larger drive by the military to end its reliance on Russian-built RD-180 rocket engines used on the Atlas 5 rocket.

• Initial plans to have the US Navy’s latest unmanned jet weaponized seems less likely, as plans seem to have shifted towards a tanker role. The long deferred Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program was recently provided enthusiastically with $350 million by Congress. However, this was given on the understanding that the jet would be developed for full integration into carrier air wing operations – including strike operations – and possess the range, payload, and survivability attributes as necessary to complement such integration. No mention had been made about the need for unmanned aerial tanking capability. Instead the jet could be developed under the little known Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System (CBARS) aimed at producing an unmanned carrier-based aerial tanker, able to refuel other planes low on gas without risking a pilot. Strike capabilities would feature in a future variant of the aircraft.

Middle East North Africa

• Harris Corp. will upgrade Turkish F-16s with self-protection pods, bolstering their electronic warfare capability. The Turkish Air Force will receive 21 of AN/ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) pod systems from Harris which will include maintenance support equipment, spares, and engineering support. The addition will greatly increase the fleet capabilities as they conduct operations within their own territory and along their borders with Syria and Iraq as tensions over Russian aircraft encroaching on Turkish airspace continue. Ankara will eventually replace their F-16s with Lockheed Martin’s F-35A, with plans to acquire 100 of the Joint Strike Fighter.

• Meteor Aerospace, one of Israel’s newest companies, has given a glimpse of its Impact UAV. The development has been kept rather quiet until now, but details released include the ability to carry a 330lb payload along with a 100hp fuel-injection engine and a flight endurance of over 24 hours. Meteor, founded in 2013, has currently received orders for the Impact and other systems for $150 million, with another $100 million in potential add ons. Development is also under way for both a larger and smaller UAV system as Meteor looks to muscle its way into Israel’s extremely competitive UAV market.

Europe

• Following increased defense cooperation among Nordic and Baltic militaries, 2016 is to see a boost in logistical demands as Denmark takes the chair of the Nordic Defense Cooperation (NORDEFCO) organization. 2015 already saw Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland agree to pool resources in joint development programs and acquisitions said to be worth up to $40 billion, as well as mounting pressure for Sweden to join NATO. These common defense policies will now extend to include Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, with the planned establishment of a Nordic-Baltic Battalion Task Force (BTF) leading to increased joint international operations and more expansive multi-branch training and exercises between their armed forces.The maturation of these defense and procurement alliances have been spurred over security concerns posed by Russia.

Asia Pacific

• Malaysia is to be the first recipient of MD Helicopter’s new MD530 G-model variant with an order made for six of the armed scout helicopters. Full delivery will be completed by March of 2017, following an initial unit being delivered by this winter. Included in the deal is an electro-optical/infrared sensor, and an unspecified weapons package that could include guided and unguided rockets alongside .50cal machine guns. MD530 sales have had a strong start to 2016, recently receiving a follow on contract for twelve F-models to the Afghan Air Force after a previous twelve were delivered in 2015. The ones serving in Afghanistan are currently armed with FN Herstel gun pods and 2.75-inch rockets.

• BAE Systems has signed a contract with Bangkok Dock to license and produce another 90-meter offshore patrol vessel (OPV) for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). Based on BAE’s 80-meter River-class vessels used by the British Royal Navy, the new addition will mark the second of such a type to be produced and operated by the RTN in a deal estimated at between $60-80 million. Thailand plans to have four OPVs in operation, and it is believed that BAE will be helping to provide the two remaining, with orders expected within the next decade. Armed with a 76mm main gun and 30mm secondaries and potential for fitting a surface-to-surface missile, the OPVs will be charged with management of economic exclusive zones and the provision of effective disaster relief along Thailand’s coastal waters.

Today’s Video

• USMC V-22 Ospreys:

McSally Urging WH to Keep A-10s Flying | USN Places $2.5B Order with Boeing for Poseidons | Boeing Contracted for New Air Force One

Americas

• Rep. March McSally has written to the White House in defense of the A-10 ahead of Obama’s budget rollout this week. The former USAF pilot has been one of the biggest political supporters of keeping the close air support aircraft in service until full plans for its legacy replacement are in motion. McSally’s efforts to keep the plane have so far resulted in the USAF reportedly shelving the A-10’s retirement plan indefinitely, due to increased demand for the attack plane in military operations in the Middle East. The letter also urged the president and defense secretary to fund depot support, maintenance, and upgrades to extend the life of the A-10 fleet, such as finishing the wing replacement effort.

• The US Navy has placed an order with Boeing for twenty P-8A Poseidon aircraft in a contract worth $2.5 billion. Sixteen will replace the P-3C Orion used by the Navy for long-range, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare as well for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Four will be sold to Australia under the US Foreign Military Sales program. Included in the contract, Boeing will also be tasked with providing obsolescence monitoring, change assessment, and integrated baseline and program management reviews.

• Boeing has been awarded the first contract for the Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program which will field the next Air Force One. The $25.8 million contract will see Being perform risk reduction activities that will include the definition of detailed requirements and design trade-offs required to support informed decisions. Additional modifications will be made to this contract in the future to purchase the commercial 747-8 aircraft, as well as to design, modify and test those aircraft to meet the presidential mission.

• The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) conducted a successful non-intercept flight test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). A long-range ground-based interceptor was launched to evaluate the performance of alternate divert thrusters for the system’s Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle. A USAF C-17 aircraft was used to to fire a a target representing an intermediate-range ballistic missile over a broad area of ocean near Hawaii. The missile was then detected, tracked and given a fire control solution to engage the target from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The test of the missile has involved cooperation from several parties alongside the MDA including the USAF 30th Space Wing, the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense, and the US Northern Command.

Middle East North Africa

• Egypt has received delivery of its second batch of three Rafale fighters bringing its total number to six. A special ceremony marking the delivery was held on Thursday with French and Egyptian officials in attendance. The importance of the Rafale acquisition was stressed by Army spokesman Brig. Gen. Mohamed Samir who said that they represent a “new addition to the armament system and combat readiness, and enhances the combat capabilites of the armed forces.” Last year’s contract will see Egypt acquire twenty-four of the jets from Dassault which also included a FREMM frigate from DCNS.

Europe

• Mashinostroeniya Corporation has announced the completion of a silo-based version of the Bastion anti-ship missile system. The new variant had been developed primarily for export purposes geared at countries with smaller territory and a need to defend smaller amounts of coastline. The silo-system is capable of defending coastline of more than 600 kilometres, and are an ideal addition for its allies. As Russia utilizes a mobile complex of the system allowing for ease of transportation over its extensive coastline, the new addition shows Russian companies are developing products that will be of interest to foreign buyers, looking to increase foreign arms sales.

Africa

• Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently arrested the former chief of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu. The arrest of Amosu comes as part of an investigation into an ongoing $2.1 billion arms deal scandal. The former Alpha jet pilot’s particular involvement surrounds the purchase of two military helicopters without functioning rotors, then having them replaced and flown with rotors that were taken from an unserviceable Russian-made helicopter gunship. The EFCC is investigating many prominent former and serving military officers as well as twenty-one companies involved in monumental fraud of funds meant to go towards fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.

Asia Pacific

• Indian private companies have lodged complaints to the Indian Defence Ministry over the Future Infantry Combat Vehicle (FICV) program. The complaints come after the ministry selected the state owned Ordnance Factory Board as one of the two companies nominated as Development Agencies (DA) to develop a prototype for the vehicle. One of the two companies would then be selected to produce the FICV in a deal potentially worth $11 billion. The selection of the second DA will be chosen from up to six other private companies once all bids are entered by February 16.

Today’s Video

• Footage of the KC-46 first aerial refuelling: