BAE Unveils Amphibious Combat Vehicle Prototype | SK’s DAPA to Begin Developing Taurus-Class Missile | Beijing Gets Early Delivery of Four Su-35s

Americas

• BAE Systems has unveiled their first Amphibious Combat Vehicle 1.1 prototype, part of a $103.7 million contract to deliver 16 prototypes to the USMC. Developed to combine open-ocean amphibious capabilities with land mobility, the vehicles will provide armored transport for infantry personnel traveling from a ship to a shore. The Marine Corps expects to begin testing the prototypes in the first quarter of 2017.

• The US Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs office has awarded BAE Systems $368 million to perform weapon system engineering services for US and UK Ohio- and Vanguard-class submarines. Tasks to be performed will include weapon system integration, engineering, and testing. BAE will also provide IT support, assist with training programs, and develop fleet documentation materials.

Middle East & North Africa

• Boeing will supply military flight training equipment and services for the government of Saudi Arabia, following the awarding of a foreign military sales contract by the Pentagon. Valued at $59.9 million, the deal will see company provide one Database Generation System, one Full Mission Trainer, and an Integrated Avionics Trainer database to Riyadh.

Europe

• UK PM Theresa May has come under increased pressure by opposition lawmakers and campaigners for her government’s continued support of the supply of munitions to Saudi Arabia. May came under pressure in the House of Commons following the decision by the US to limit the supply of certain munitions that have been used in military strikes by the Saudi Air Force in Yemen. In defense of the sales, May hailed the bilateral cooperation between both governments in their counter-terrorism initiatives saying that the information gained from Saudi Arabia over the years had saved countless lives.

Asia Pacific

• South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) will commence research on an indigenous Taurus-class cruise missile. Development work on the missile will begin in 2018, with the aim being to produce around 200 missiles for deployment on the upcoming KAI KF-X fighter jet. Costing $690 million, the new missiles will give Seoul an increased cruise missile range from 280 km to 500 km.

• Beijing received an early Christmas present this year with the advanced delivery of four Sukhoi Su-35 fighters from Russia. Initially expected for delivery in 2017, the shipment process was expedited to send the first batch before the new year. Signed last November, the $2 billion deal will see Russia provide China with 24 Su-35s alongside ground equipment and spare engines.

• Despite recent diplomatic tensions between the US and the Philippines, the US State Department has cleared the $25 million sale of two Saab AN/SPS-77 Sea Giraffe 3D Air Search Radars to the archipelago’s navy. Manilla plans to install the radars on two Hamilton-class cutters acquired through the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program which will aid them in monitoring their waters. The sale also aims to improve interoperability with the US Navy, allowing the two armed forces to collaborate on missions more effectively.

• US aerospace and defense firms looking to increase their presence in the Asia-Pacific region are looking to next year’s International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) 2017. The biennial event is organized by the Korea Aerospace Industries Association (KAIA), Korea Defense Industry Association (KDIA) and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), and will allow foreign firms to get closer to buyers and decision-makers there, particularly those involved in the modernization of South Korea’s defense forces. Kallman Worldwide will be organizing the US effort, with a 1,250 sqm US International Pavilion to act as a destination for buyers looking for an efficient way to meet a critical mass of US suppliers, an on-site business hub for US exhibitors looking to maximize their exposure and time at the event, and a forum for all to share ideas and insights.

Today’s Video

Taxi test of the Saab Gripen E:

US State Dept Signs Off on $1.7B FMS to Kuwait | CAR Reports Islamic State Established Robust Supply Chain | Germany Seeks Further Penalties on Airbus Delays

Americas

• January will see Boeing move the HQ of their defense unit from St Louis to Washington, DC. A company spokesperson said of the move, that “it is driven by our commitment to improve our ability to engage with customers and decision-makers in Washington,” and had been on the cards for some time. The announcement also coincides with a recent push by President-elect Donald Trump to get defense contractors, such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin, to cut costs, but this has been dismissed as a reason for the change of office.

• Communication data links on all three variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been tested by the USAF. The pilots focused on the Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), a direct communications link that allows operators to transmit secure tactical information, and is beneficial for interoperability between the F-35 and the 4th generation planes it is meant to replace, such as F-16s and F/A-18s. MADL also allows for F-35s to share information on air and ground threats in order to more effectively target and engage them.

Middle East & North Africa

• Accusations of war crimes and rising civilian casualties in Yemen has lead the Pentagon to limit military support to Saudi Arabian-led forces fighting in the country. Washington will also revamp future training of the kingdom’s air force to focus on improving Saudi targeting practices, a persistent source of concern for the Obama Administration. Riyadh will lose out on foreign military sales cases for air-dropped munitions and precision-guided munitions.

• The US State Department signed off on a $1.7 billion foreign military sale with Kuwait for the recapitalization of 218 of the kingdom’s M1A2 tanks. Work included in the deal involves the supply of 240 M2A1 machine guns; 480 7.62 M240 machine guns; 240 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS radios; 1,085 night vision goggles; technical support; and training services. A number of defense contractors will be included in the program, with General Dynamics, Raytheon, Meggitt, Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Honeywell, all involved.

• Visits to former Islamic State facilities by the Conflict Armament Research (CAR) group, has resulted in a report on the state of the self-described caliphate’s arms production capabilities. Although using a range of non-standard materials and chemical explosive precursors, the jihadists have been able to establish a “robust supply chain” of raw materials from Turkey, and the technical precision of its work meant that it could not be described as “improvised” weapons production. The six facilities were located in eastern Mosul and were visited last month following the area’s reclamation by Iraqi special forces.

Europe

• Germany will still seek to give further penalties to Airbus over the severe delays experienced to the delivery of A400M Atlas transport aircraft. A Defense Ministry report to parliament stated that the European multinational A400M program is years behind schedule, with Germany’s share of the costs having risen to 9.6 billion euros ($10.2 billion) from an initial estimate of 8.1 billion euros. Initial aims of the program would have seen Germany receive 11 A400Ms in 2016, for a total of 17. Instead, it will have received just seven by the end of the year.

• Saab will provide RBS 70 simulators to the Lithuanian Armed Forces. Lithuania, having imported the portable air defense system since 2004, will see the inclusion of the simulators as a significant improvement to their training capability, allowing for soldiers to practice their deployment and engagement of targets in an exact “virtual” replication of the real world environment that they operate in. Under the contract, Saab will work with the Lithuania-based Baltic Institute of Advanced Technology to integrated customized 3D maps into the simulators. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2018.

Asia Pacific

• Delivery of the first of five leased TC-90 aircraft from Japan to the Philippines will take place in March, 2017. In addition, it was announced that equipment previously stripped from the aircraft by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force will be replaced with new avionics before delivery. Manilla plans to use the TC-90s for humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, rescue operations and maritime security patrols.

Today’s Video

It’s been 10 years since the F-35’s maiden flight. Testimony from Lockheed Martin test pilot Jon Beesley:

Canada’s New Fighter Jet Competition Will Consider F-35 | Pentagon Approves Sale of Early Warning Radar to Qatar | India Orders $490M in MBRL

Americas

• Justin Trudeau has said that the F-35 will be considered in an upcoming competition for new fighter jets. The Canadian PM previously backed out of the F-35 program due to costs, and Canada has now bought 18 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets as an interim measure. “It’s an open and transparent competition we’re going to be engaged in and the various aircraft and aircraft producers will have an opportunity to make their best case,” Trudeau told a news conference when asked whether Canada might be more likely to opt for the F-35 if the costs fell.

• A USAF study has found that it will be soon possible for solid-state slab lasers to be demonstrated on an Air Force Special Operations AC-130 gunship. The study found that existing lasers will fit within the aircraft’s size, weight, power and budget limits, and would also be designed so the technology could be upgraded over the years as the service requires higher power levels. Although technologies must achieve a technology readiness level 6 to enter into a program of record, capabilities with a lower TRL are suitable for a near-term demonstration.

Middle East & North Africa

• Israel has received their first two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, making them the only Middle Eastern country to own a fifth-generation fighter. Greeting the arrival were Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the President of Israel Reuven (Ruvi) Rivlin, the Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and US Defense Secretary Ash Carter, currently on his last world tour as part of the Obama Administration. The USAF provided a KC-135 tanker to refuel the new planes.

• US Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that the Pentagon has agreed to sell a long-range early warning radar to Qatar. Carter said the radar will have a range of 5000 km and will enhance Qatar’s missile defense capabilities, therefore mitigating the threat from Iranian ballistic missiles. It was announced in July 2013 that Qatar had requested a Raytheon AN/FPS-132 Block 5 long-range early warning radar at an estimated cost of $1.1 billion.

Europe

• The German Air Force has received their first upgraded A400M Atlas military transport aircraft. According to manufacturer Airbus, the tactical upgrades include improvements in airdrops, paratrooping, and self-defense. Berlin intends to replace their legacy fleet of C-130 airlifters with the updated planes, however delays to the plane’s delivery have resulted in friction between the government and Airbus. The government has also awarded Rheinmetall a $143 million contract to upgrade 90 Fox armored transport vehicles for the country’s armed forces.

• French government officials have signed a deal with aerospace research office Onera to upgrade the ground-based “Graves” space-surveillance system. Worth some $42 million, the modernization contract will run for five years, with a further three years under option. The French air force operates the radar to locate and track satellites and objects in orbit at 400 to 1,000 km above the Earth, allowing the service to track foreign spy satellites gathering visual and signals intelligence on France. It also tracks space debris that could threaten French satellites.

Asia Pacific

• Despite issues surrounding faulty ammo, the Indian government has ordered 36 homemade Pinaka Mark-1 multi-barrel rocket launchers (MBRL) at a cost of $490 million. Four different prime contractors will take part in the deal: state-owned organizations Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) and Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), as well as private sector defense companies Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and Tata Power SED. Under the contract, BEML will supply a variety of vehicles for the MBRL, while L&T and Tata Power will supply the launcher systems and OFB will supply an unspecified number of rockets.

• South Korea has taken delivery of 60 KEPD 350K missiles from Germany’s TAURUS Systems. The missiles were delivered to K2 air base in the city of Daegu. A certification process will now take place in order to assess the safety and reliability of installing the Taurus missiles on US-manufactured F-15K fighters. South Korea’s defense ministry has agreed to acquire a total of 170 Taurus missiles, and it plans to introduce the remaining 110 in two intervals in 2017.

Today’s Video

First F-35s land in Israel:

Now a Twitter-Lashing for LM | Germany to Launch 2017 Competition to Replace Navy Helos | SK Conducts First Live Fire Exercises in Four Years

Americas

• Lockheed Martin is the latest defense firm to receive criticism from Donald Trump, after the US President-elect lashed out at the costs of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Taking to his usual medium to the masses, Twitter, Trump stated “the F-35 program and cost is out of control,” and “Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and other) purchases after January 20th.” Shares at Lockheed dropped 4 percent after Trump’s tweet, while shares of several other defense contractors also weakened. Trump also suggested that he was considering imposing a lifetime ban on US military procurement officials going to work for defense contractors, a move that could dramatically reshape the defense industry.

• Raytheon has won a $101 million US Navy contract to repair 10 weapon replaceable assemblies for F/A-18 Hornet aircraft. Under the contract, the company will support and repair weapon assemblies for the fighters’ AN/ALR-67(V)3 advanced digital countermeasures. The devices are equipped to all variants of Hornet and Super Hornet aircraft serving under the US Navy, allows pilots to intercept faint signals, and improves situational awareness.

• Brazil’s former president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, has been charged by federal prosecutors with interfering in a government tender for fighter aircraft, in order to favor the Saab Gripen fighter. Lula, who was no longer in the presidency when the suspected illegal practices happened, was accused of having used his influence over the subsequent Workers Party government to help Saab win the 2013 F-X2 fighter competition for 36 jets worth around $5.6 billion. The Swedish fighter won out against competition from Boeing’s F-18 Super Hornet and Dassault’s Rafale.

Middle East & North Africa

• Operators of the Airbus C295 will have the option of converting the aircraft into an airborne early warning and control (AEW) platform equipped with an Elta AESA radar. The announcement was made by Igo Licht, Elta’s vice-president of marketing and sales. Licht added that the conversion process is very cost effective and the medium transport could also be equipped with communications intelligence and signals intelligence sensors.

Europe

• 2017 will see the German government launch a competition for the replacement of their navy’s fleet of 21 Westland Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. A selection is expected to be made by the end of that year, however that is not allowing for any slippages. A likely contender is the NH90 Sea Lion, recently flown for the first time as the German Navy’s new asset for search and rescue and transport missions. Other offerings include the Sea Lynx’s successor, the AW159 Wildcat, and the Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk.

• Officials at Raytheon have expressed confidence that the US government will grant export licenses for eight Patriot missile defense systems to Poland within the next few months. Speaking to Polish media, John Baird, vice president of Raytheon Poland programs said “concrete decisions are expected within the next few months.” Warsaw is also in talks to procure the Patriot’s rival, the Medium Extended Air Defense Systems (MEADS), with Lockheed Martin.

Asia Pacific

• The South Korean military has conducted the first live-fire exercises of their Chunma mobile air defense missile system for the first time in four years. A self-propelled guided surface-to-air missile (SAM) system, Chunma can detect and track low-flying planes traveling at speeds of up to 300 kilometers per hour and 20 km away, and intercept them at an altitude of 5 km within 10 seconds. The early December exercise comes as Seoul prepares defense capabilities against a heightened threat from North Korea.

• An anonymous US military official has spoken out on the current state of North Korean ballistic missile capabilities. Pyongyang is now able to put a nuclear warhead atop of a missile, however, the regime is not sure whether the warhead can survive re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere. The same official added that North Korea is working hard to overcome the problem, a reason for the ramp up in tests recently.

Today’s Video

Su-35 land at base near Finnish border:

Boeing Strikes Back on AF1 Criticism | US State Dept Clears Sales of over $7B to Gulf Partner Nations | Bulgaria Looks to Italy, Portugal, US & Sweden to Replace MiG-29s

Americas

• Boeing has struck back at cost criticisms of the Air Force One replacement program. The company, replying to comments made by US president-elect Donald Trump that the program was too expensive and should be scrapped, said they could make the aircraft cheaper, as long as some USAF and Secret Service conversion requirements were dropped. Boeing has so far been awarded $170 million to study the capabilities of the aircraft. The Pentagon has estimated that it will cost taxpayers around $3.2 billion for the whole project.

• Engineers from Boeing have been working on USAF F-15Es, replacing old APG-70 radars with the state-of-the-art APG-82 AESA radar. The work has been underway since September on planes located at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Dubbed as the RMP Eagle modernization program, more than 90 jets will receive the overhaul which is expected to be completed within the next seven to nine years.

Middle East & North Africa

• The US State Department has cleared a number of multi-billion dollar arms deals to several Gulf partner nations. Saudi Arabia is to receive 48 Boeing CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters, alongside associated engines, systems and parts, in a deal worth $3.51 billion. Another $3.5 billion sale will see the UAE receive Boeing AH-64E attack helicopters and associated services. Twenty-eight of those helicopters are remanufactured while nine are new. Meanwhile, Qatar will receive spare C-17 engines and parts in an $81 million deal, as well as the continuation of logistics support services and equipment in a $800 million foreign military sale. The clearances come despite increased concerns regarding a Saudi-led coalition intervening in the ongoing civil conflict in Yemen.

• Morocco has been cleared to purchase Raytheon-made TOW 2A Radio Frequency Missiles. Valued at $108 million, the sale includes 1,200 TOW 2A RF missiles and 14 TOW 2A fly-to-buy acceptance missiles. Morocco is regarded as a key US ally in maintaining stability in North Africa, following the increase in jihadist activity across the region.

Europe

• Second-hand Eurofighters from Italy are being sought by the Bulgarian government as part of a competition to replace older MiG-29 fighters. The government has earmarked $808.63 million for the procurement of fighter aircraft, and have asked Italy, Portugal, the US and Sweden to make offers to supply them. Alongside the Italian Eurofighters, Sofia will choose between new Gripen jets from Sweden’s SAAB and second-hand US F-16s from Portugal, equipped with US weaponry.

• Modernization plans for the Su-34 will see the addition of new weapons and electronic warfare systems. The Russian fighter-bomber has exhibited a broad range of weapon capabilities during combat operations in Syria, possessing a 30 mm cannon, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and KAB-500S laser-guided bombs. Plans are already underway to integrate more anti-ship munitions such as the Kh-35 missile, and there are even plans to adapt the Su-34 to launch a new generation of so-called aeroballistic missiles.

Asia Pacific

• The Pentagon has contracted Madison Research Corp. in a $23 million firm-fixed-price FMS contract to  supply 450 thermal batteries, 466 rocket motors, 150 safety and arming devices, and 248 warheads for Taiwan’s MIM-72A Chaparral air defense missile system. Work will be completed by December 10, 2017. The US-made Chaparral is a self-propelled SAM system based on the AIM-9 Sidewinder.

• Efforts to secure a deal to bring Su-35s to Indonesia are still ongoing. Jakarta has been in negotiations to purchase eight of the Super Flanker for some time, looking to secure a good price on the replacement of its F-5E/F Tiger IIs. Minister of Defense Ryamizard Ryacudu stated that he hoped that Indonesia’s status as a loyal Russian arms buyer, would see favorable treatment in price offers.

Today’s Video

Turkey’s

Turkish Defense Minister watches Hisar-O launch:

Canada Selects Airbus C-295 for Search & Rescue | Poland to Spend $14.5B For Mil Mod Campaign | UK Contracts BAE to Build 2 Add’l River Class Vessels

Americas

• Airbus has been selected as the winner of the Canadian government’s competition for new search and rescue aircraft. The C-295 won out against offerings from Leonardo’s C-27J and Embraer’s KC-390 by offering the best pricing for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s requirements. Under the $2.3 billion program, Airbus will collaborate with key Canadian firms, including PAL Aerospace on in-service support, Pratt & Whitney Canada for engines, CAE for training and simulation, and L3 Wescam for the electro-optic sensors.

• Ukraine’s Antonov have offered their services to build Donald Trump a new Air Force One, if he intends to scrap the current order with Boeing. The offer came in the form of a tweet and has yet to be replied to by the US president-elect. One of the Soviet Union’s top aircraft producers, Antonov has produced only around twenty planes since Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

Middle East & North Africa

• Lockheed Martin will provide spare parts for the Royal Saudi Air Force’s F-15 Strike Eagle fighters. The $67 million USAF contract covers parts for Infrared Search and Track systems, Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods, and LANTIRN Extended Range navigation pods. Lockheed Martin has been providing sensor systems for the kingdom’s Boeing-made fleet since 1996.

Europe

• Poland has announced that they will spend $14.5 billion between 2017-2022, as part of a massive military modernization campaign. The priority procurements for the Polish Armed Forces are to include new air defense systems, 14 multi-purpose helicopters, 1200 UAVs, three coastal defense vessels and two mine destroyers, as well as an undisclosed amount of submarines that are to be jointly acquired by Poland and another NATO ally. Other areas where funding will be allocated include expanding air defense, naval, cybersecurity, tank and armored vehicle, and territorial defense capacities.

• The Germany Navy is to purchase more capable air defence radar systems for three F-124 frigates, in an effort to become part of NATO’s broader missile defence system. Experts have said the new system will cost about 450 million euros and is likely to be built by France’s Thales, which built the radars in current use, and has been chosen by the Netherlands to supply new radars for their frigates. Meanwhile, German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp has announced that ithey suffered a cyber-attack by southeast Asian hackers in February, making off with project data from ThyssenKrupp’s plant engineering division and from other areas yet to be determined.

• BAE Systems has been contracted by the UK government to build two additional River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels for the Royal Navy. The $360 million deal adds two more manufacturing and support projects to the five-ship program, bringing the total contract value to $797 million. Work on the two vessels, named Tamar and Spey, will involve more than 100 companies from Britain. The designs build on existing River-class ships with variants already used by the navies of Brazil and Thailand.

Asia Pacific

• Aging Cheetah and Chetak helicopter fleets operated by the Indian Army and Air Force will be ground for comprehensive safety checks by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The ruling came in the wake of a fatal crash in West Bengal in November that killed three soldiers. Both helicopters’ air-worthiness is being questioned as New Delhi waits to release funding for a $1 billion replacement program that will see the purchase of Russian Kamov-226T light utility helicopters. Previous attempts to replace the Cheetah and Chetak failed to make it over the line, amid corruption allegations and technical issues.

• An agreement has been signed by the governments of Australia and France, allowing for the sharing of classified information on defense programs. In a joint-statement issued by both ministries, officials said that the treaty will “directly support the delivery of the Future Submarine Program and will further enable greater cooperation on a range of national security matters.” Australia picked French firm DCNS in April for exclusive negotiations for design and construction of the Future Submarine Program, worth AU$50 billion (US$37 billion) over 50 years.

Today’s Video

BAE Systems’ River-class Offshore Patrol Vessels:

Boeing Blusters Over Tweet | US State Dept Clears $668M Stryker Sale to Peru | $619B Defense Bill May Send MANPADS to Syria

Americas

• President-elect Donald Trump proved a tweet can be worth a billion dollars, with $1 billion being temporarily wiped off Boeing’s stock market value, after Trump deemed the company’s new Air Force One offering too expensive and called for it to be dropped. Boeing maintained that it has so far only received a $170 million contract for capability exploration work, far from the $4 billion price tag Trump was claiming. While $2.87 has been officially budgeted for the Air Force One replacement program from 2015 through to 2021, production contracts have yet to be awarded.

• The US State Department has cleared the sale of 178 reconditioned Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles to the government of Peru. Valued at $668 million, the deal also includes supporting weapons, Remote Weapon Stations, Global Positioning System navigation capabilities, special tool sets, and testing equipment. Once delivered, the vehicles will be used to support border security, disaster response, and counter-terrorism missions.

• Veyance Technologies will carry out Abrams track assemblies for the US Army. Valued at $77 million, the contract was awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency. Work is expected to be completed by 2017.

Middle East & North Africa

• UK Prime Minister Theresa May has reaffirmed her government’s commitment to increase defensive cooperation with Gulf allies. Addressing the Gulf Cooperation Council, May said Britain wanted to “make a more permanent and more enduring commitment to the long-term security of the Gulf” and invest more than 3 billion pounds in defense spending in the region over the next decade. British support will also go towards countering “Iran’s aggressive regional actions”.

• The recent $619 billion defense bill passed by Congress will provide for the possibility of sending Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) to rebel groups fighting in Syria. While the bill does impose certain restrictions on the shoulder-fired antiaircraft weapon, it represents a significant shift from prior iterations of the legislation. The version of the bill the Senate passed in June made no mention of MANPADS.

Europe

• Statoil has confirmed that they will drop the use of H225 Super Puma helicopters, even if Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority decides to lift a ban imposed after a fatal crash off Norway in April. The Norwegian state-controlled oil firm stated that it would instead rebuild its capacity with the Sikorsky S-92. Following last April’s Super Puma crash that killed 13 oil workers flying from a Statoil-operated oil platform, unions representing oil workers expressed concern about the H225 helicopter and asked for a permanent ban.

• Dutch F-16s will be fitted with AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasure pods, following an agreement between the Royal Netherlands Air Force and Northrop Grumman. Under the agreement, the company will aim to improve threat detection and jamming capabilities for the aircraft, a move they add will make pilots safer in an evolving threat environment. The pods will give Dutch fighters a fifth-generation electronic warfare technology and makes a significant leap in capability for electronic countermeasures.

Asia Pacific

• Australia has been cleared to purchase AEA-18G Growler Aircraft Electronic Warfare Range Systems in a $115 million foreign military sale. The deal includes two systems, personnel training, integration testing, and other supporting equipment. Alongside the US, Australia is the main customer of EA-18G Growler aircraft.

Today’s Video

The world’s largest rocket. June launch of a Delta IV Heavy:

ULA Receives $269M Contract Mod for Delta IV | EU & UN Train Somaliland Coastguard | Rheinmetall and Day & Zimmerman Form Joint Venture RDZS

Americas

• President-elect Donald Trump has urged for the cancellation of the new Air Force One. Believing that manufacturer Boeing “is trying to do a little number,” Trump took to Twitter saying “Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!” In 2015, the USAF announced plans to acquire Boeing’s 747-8 to replace the two current Air Force planes used to transport the US president. $1.65 billion has been earmarked for the purchase, although exact figures have yet to be released.

• United Launch Alliance has received a $269 million contract modification to execute production services for the Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle. The deal will see the joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin support launch vehicle configuration for the USAF. Satellites launched with the vehicles are used to support a variety of missions, including national security, telecommunications, and interplanetary exploration.

• The Pentagon’s chief arms buyer, Frank Kendell, is hopeful that a three-year block buy of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will go ahead. Covering some 400 F-35 units for both the US military branches and partner nations, the agreement is expected to generate large savings through bigger economies of scale between the fiscal years 2018 through 2020. Negotiations with lead contractor Lockheed Martin, however, have been slow as seen in the year-long negotiations of the fighter’s ninth batch, while the government’s chief weapons tester, Michael Gilmore, has long argued about the need to test the planes before buying and building larger quantities.

Middle East & North Africa

• Officials from the EU and supported by the UN, have carried out maritime security training with the Somaliland Coastguard. European Union Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) sailors, supported by staff from EUCAP Nestor, carried out radar training on board the Spanish offshore patrol vessel, ESPS Relampago, in Berbera Bay, as a precursor to an engagement the following day on board EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Tromp. On the following day, EUCAP Nestor’s Head of Operations, Chris Reynolds, EU NAVFOR Force Commander, Commodore Rene Luyckx, and representatives from UNSOM’s Rule of Law and Security Institutions Group, hosted Somaliland representatives on board HNLMS Tromp alongside Berbera Port for the Joint Maritime Security Seminar (JMSS). The JMSS follows a series of engagements conducted in recent months by EU NAVFOR and EUCAP NESTOR in Mogadishu and Bosasso, where maritime security and the strengthening of Somali maritime capacities were discussed.

Europe

• Mid-life upgrades of Finnish F/A-18 fighters will see the inclusion of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio System (MIDS-JTRS), following approval by the US State Department. 90 units of MIDS-JTRS will be sold to Helsinki at a cost of $156 million. MIDS-JTRS is the communication component of the Link 16 military technical data exchange network, used by the US, NATO, and approved partner nations.

• A joint-venture is to be established between the German manufacturer Rheinmetall and the Philadelphia-based family-owned enterprise Day & Zimmerman. The focus of the joint venture is the production of medium-caliber ammunition for the US market and will include the 25mm ammo used by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The new firm will be known as Rheinmetall, Day & Zimmermann Solutions, or RDZS.

Asia Pacific

• Vietnamese Su-30 pilots will be trained by India. While the cost of the training is yet to be finalized, the numbers and scope of the program is expected to be resolved quickly after both governments’s defense ministers reached a provisional agreement during bilateral discussions on Monday. Indian sailors have already trained their Vietnamese counterparts in operating the Kilo-class submarines.

Today’s Video

The world’s largest rocket. June launch of a Delta IV Heavy: