2011-02: Up to the Gunwales in ELGTRs

Paveway-II ELGTR

In February 2011, Lockheed Martin in Archbald, PA received a $21.9 million contract modification, exercising an option for 7,665 Paveway-II enhanced laser guided training rounds (ELGTRs) for the US Navy (7,217, for $20.5 million = 94%) and the governments of Pakistan (300 for $866,850 = 4%), Spain (88 for $254,276 = 1.2%), and Malaysia (60 for 173,370 = 0.8%). Those funds also buy 589 associated wooden containers for the U.S. Navy (500) and the governments of Pakistan (74) and Malaysia (15); 23 replacement-in-kind wooden containers for the governments of Pakistan (1) and Spain (22); plus associated data, and requested engineering efforts.

Paveway ELGTRs are lower-cost training rounds that mimic Paveway laser-guided bombs, right down to the carriage and release envelope, flight characteristics, and guidance system. The Enhanced LGTR provides significantly improved accuracy of 3m CEP, and is also smaller and cheaper than using a real Paveway bomb for necessary live fire training. Lockheed Martin has manufactured over 100,000 of them since 1992, for a wide range of customers.

Work will be performed in Archbald, PA, and is expected to be complete in June 2013. US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract for its Navy and Foreign Military Sale customers (N00019-10-C-0092).

Update

February 19/17: Poland has placed another missile order with Lockheed Martin for their F-16 Fighting Falcon fleet. Valued at $1.9 million, the contract will see the company provide Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR), providing realistic Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb training for pilots. The deal also covers the provision of technical data, logistics support and introduction to service training to the Polish air force.

M119 Howitzer to Get LBOP Muzzle Brake | FMS of Air Tractors to Kenya Targeted For Closer Review | Saab Offering Sensor Package for India’s LCA Tejas

Americas

• The US subsidy of Elbit Systems, Elbit Systems of America, has been contracted by the US Army to provide and maintain mortar fire control systems for the service. An indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, the maximum value of the deal could amount to $102 million and will be carried out over five years. The company said the shipment of mortar fire control systems — both mounted and dismounted — along with a lightweight handheld mortar ballistic computer, will improve the accuracy of mortars.

• US Army engineers from Watervliet Arsenal have designed a 105mm low blast overpressure muzzle brake (LBOP) for the service’s M119 howitzer. This is the first time that a large-caliber device of this kind has been developed for an existing gun platform. Army engineers have said that the LBOP will greatly increase the howitzers battlefield performance by radically reducing the weapon’s recoil and will reduce its noise output from “between 13 percent to 48 percent at various quadrant elevations and crew locations.”

• Lockheed Martin has been contracted by the DoD for Trident II ballistic fleet missile production and deployed system support. The $540 million contract modification supports production efforts for the US.Navy and the British Royal Navy, who deploy the missile on their Ohio-class and Vanguard-class submarines respectively. Lockheed Martin received roughly $453 million in weapon procurement funds from the Navy, plus an additional $50.7 million from the Royal Navy. The company also received $36 million in fiscal 2017 operation and maintenance funds, which are set to expire at the end of the current fiscal year.

Africa

• A planned sale of 12 Air Tractor aircraft to Kenya may be halted while allegations of faulty contracting practices, fraud, and unfair treatment are investigated. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the possible $418 million sale in January, with L-3 Communications acting as the prime contractor. However, US Representative Ted Budd has now introduced a resolution to halt the Foreign Military Sale of the Air Tractors to Kenya saying, “the proposed sale would reward a $13 billion company [L-3] that has never produced airplanes of this type and would cost $283 million dollars more than a small business in North Carolina [Iomax], which is currently producing the needed aircraft.” Citing credible allegations of faulty contracting practices, fraud, and unfair treatment surrounding this sale, Budd said that Iomax claims it can fulfil the contract for $180 million, and it has 48 weaponized border patrol aircraft in service, as opposed to zero for L-3.

Europe

• After four years of investigation, Austria has filed a lawsuit against Airbus and the Eurofighter consortium over alleged deception and fraud linked to the 2003 purchase of Eurofighter jets. The investigation into the $2.1 billion deal by the Defense Ministry found that the defense groups gave misleading information on the purchase price, deliverability, and equipment of the jets, and are seeking damages that could amount to $1.17 billion. Vienna’s purchase of 15 fighters has faced scrutiny since the outset of the deal, with allegations that money was pocketed by politicians, civil servants, and others via brokers for side deals accompanying the purchase.

• On his first trip to Europe as US Secretary of Defense, Jim Mattis warned NATO allies that they must honor military spending targets to ensure that Washington does not “moderate” support for the alliance. Speaking in Brussels, Mattis also took aim at some NATO members for ignoring security threats, including those posed by the Kremlin, but the main thrust of his words was that allies should spend the magic 2% of economic output on defense. While some of Europe’s wealthier economies are preferring to spend taxes on education and welfare rather than defense, the former Eastern Bloc nations of the alliance are all on course toward reaching that magic number.

Asia Pacific

• Saab is continuing a defense partnership with Indian industry, offering a sensor package for India’s s LCA Tejas fighter. Included in the technology transfer is the company’s Airborne Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) fighter radar integrated with a compact electronic warfare suite. The package will also have synergies with the systems developed for the Gripen fighter, currently being pitched to New Delhi to fill their Navy requirement for carrier-based fighters.

• India is also being offered United Engine Corporation’s (UEC) AL-41F turbofan engine as part of upgrades connected to the Su-30MKI modernization proposal. The power plant is currently being installed on Russian Su-35 and PAK FA fighters, and is being called significantly superior to its predecessors. India’s air force has a fleet of over 200 Russia-designed Su-30MK aircraft built under license by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, and is looking to have them overhauled to the MKI standard, making them 4++ generation aircraft.

Today’s Video

• Tactical Robotic’s Instant Eye: Now in use with the USMC:

USMC Completes Instant Eye UAV Training | Textron’s G-CLAW Achieves Results in Testing | India’s DRDO Busily Making Deals & Collaborations

Americas

• Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet Block 3 proposal will focus on adding firepower and an increased ability to network with other carrier-borne aircraft, such as the F-35C, in the US Navy. The new plan moves away from the company’s 2013 Advanced Super Hornet concept which focused on stealth, instead optimizing the Navy’s integrated network architecture. Under this proposal, Boeing believes the Navy could detail a plan to procure the Super Hornet Block 3 as soon as the fiscal 2018 budget proposal, and a fiscal 2019 buy would mean Boeing could have aircraft off the production line in the early 2020s.

• The USMC has completed their training with Instant Eye, a new hand-held UAV designed to support reconnaissance missions in heavily clustered areas. Up to 300 marines from Task Force Southwest took part in the testing, and will now go on to train, advise and assist troops in Afghanistan later this spring. Unlike most UAVs, which require either a runway or throwing for launch, the Instant Eye’s rotary wings make it capable of taking off and landing at 90-degree angles, and it has been praised for its stealth and maneuverability.

• Textron has announced that their G-CLAW precision-guided glide missile has been successfully tested. The October 2016 test saw the munition track and engage static and moving targets, confirming its lethality. Designed for anti-personnel and anti-materiel strikes, the missile can be integrated with various aircraft, including the company’s Cessna Caravan and Textron AirLand Scorpion jet. The company is currently participating in this year’s Aero India Expo.

Middle East & North Africa

• Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) has awarded TUSAŞ Engine Industries (TEI) a contract to develop and manufacture a new indigenous turboshaft engine. The engine will be used in Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) new clean-sheet T-625 utility helicopter, as well as the TAI T-129 ATAK attack helicopter and TAI Hürkuş turboprop-powered trainer and light combat aircraft. At present, Ankara depends on foreign turboshaft designs, such as the General Electric T700, which require them to secure licenses and approval for exports.

Europe

• A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), claiming that the UK government failed to reach the NATO target to spend 2% of national income on defense, has been rejected by the government. The report stated that spending had fallen to 1.98% in 2016 as a result of the British economy growing faster than the defence budget. Also found in the report was that only Greece and Estonia spent 2% or more, with the UK falling short by about $471 million. A government spokesperson dismissed the figures as being “wrong.”

Asia Pacific

• India’s Defense Minister has announced intentions to start a second production line for the HAL Tejas fighter within the next three months. Valued at $203.47 million, Manohar Parrikar said the line will produce 16 Tejas fighters for the Indian Air Force. News of the second production line points to the Indian government’s commitment to weaning itself from foreign defense products and encouraging indigenous industry, also known as “techno-nationalism.” This, however, hasn’t come without its problems after the Indian Navy rejected the navalized version of the Tejas for being too heavy.

• India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has claimed to be close to a deal to sell their short range surface-to-air Akash missile to Vietnam. The sale would be the first of its kind between the two countries, following a steadily growing defensive relationship that has seen New Delhi already help the Vietnamese military with training and patrol vessels, as well as the granting of a $500 million credit line in order to buy defense equipment. A further deepening of ties manifested in the missile sale is expected to draw criticism from China, currently locked in a territorial dispute with Hanoi in the South China Sea, as well as their own border dispute with India.

• A joint venture will be launched by MBDA Missile Systems and Larsen & Toubro in order to develop missile-based solutions for India’s armed forces. Called L&T MBDA Missile Systems Ltd, the venture will collaborate with the Defense Research and Development Organization to supply 5th-generation anti-tank guided missiles for coastal batteries and high-speed target drones. The partnership will see L&T own 51% of the joint venture’s shares, while MBDA will own the remaining 49% in accordance with the country’s regulations.

Today’s Video

• 2015 flight tests of Textron’s G-CLAW:

UH-69V Black Hawk Files Fledgling Flight | Germany Nattys Up to NATO Neighbors | South Korea Talks Tit-for-Tat Test

Americas

• Northrop Grumman has announced the first successful flight of the UH-60V Black Hawk helicopter. An upgrade from the UH-60L model, the latest configuration includes a digital cockpit provided by Northrop, and fitted with the Future Airborne Capability Environment standard, allowing integration of new avionics equipment in the future. The modernization program will be carried out on the US Army’s UH-60L helicopter fleet, and based on the AH-1Z and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye upgrades performed for the USMC and Navy.

Middle East & North Africa

• An Israeli Defense Ministry report has revealed that Israeli manufacturers have earned about $1.03 billion since 2010 from projects related to Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program. Last year saw a total of $258 million in contracts, mostly for fighter helmets, representing a 33% increase in procurement over previous years. Big winners in 2016 were Elbit Systems and its US partner Rockwell Collins, which are jointly manufacturing the state-of-the-art helmet for the F-35.

Europe

• German initiatives to deepen defensive ties with its neighbors continues as it moves forward with a plan set up a joint fleet of Lockheed Martin Corp C-130J transport planes with France and join a Netherlands-led fleet of Airbus A330 tanker planes. The plans join other collaborative agreements with Norway, Romania and the Czech Republic, and come at a time when NATO members face increasing pressure from the United States to spend more for their own military and reach NATO’s target of devoting 2 percent of gross domestic product to defense spending.

• Airbus will breath a sigh of relief after an investigation into an oil leak that grounded a A400M transporter which was carrying a German government minister on board does not point to a fundamental new problem with the plane. Initial reports suggested that the leak appeared to be linked to the hydraulic system used to adjust the turbine blades in one of the four powerful A400M engines. However, it is now suggested that the leak had been found between the propellers and the nacelle, or engine housing, which are part of the power system but not components of the engine itself. Last week’s breakdown was on a trip that was meant to showcase the aircraft’s capabilities as Airbus seeks to win back confidence in the troubled A400M project.

• A subsidiary of the state-run Ukrainian defense manufacturer Ukroboronprom -Artem- has recently test-fired new missiles from MI-8MSB helicopters. Built for the Ukrainian Air Force, the 80mm weapons are designed to integrate with attack helicopters to engage ground targets as well as air platforms, including enemy rotorcraft. Testers fired new missiles individually using starter kits to hit pre-determined targets. The kits have a ripple-fire capability, which can discharge all units in half a second.

• Engine-maker Rolls Royce has posted a record headline loss of $5.8 billion on Tuesday, as a drop in Sterling after Brexit and a fine to settle corruption charges ended a rather difficult year. The company had already undergone restructuring following a series of profit warnings. Rolls said that the company will now need to make further cuts after stating that its underlying profit halved to $1.01 billion last year, which actually beat analysts expectations.

Asia Pacific

• The South Korean military is considering its own test of a precision-guided cruise missile in response to Pyongyang’s latest ballistic missile test, a military official confirmed on Monday. It has been suggested that Seoul may offer the public a behind-the-scenes look at the Hyeonmu missile, in order to demonstrate how North Korea would be punished for any further provocation. Seoul is also considering moving up the scheduled live-fire drill involving a long-range air-to-surface high precision guided missile in another show of force against the North.

• India’s Ministry of Defense has announced their successful interception of an incoming ballistic missile in the exo-atmosphere as they develop a two-layered ballistic missile defense system. The target mimicked a hostile incoming ballistic missile and was launched from a ship in the Bay of Bengal, with the interceptor launched from Kalam Island. Additional details of the test remained undisclosed.

Today’s Video

• Ukraine’s new 80mm air missiles:

USAF Conducts Successful Launch Test of Minuteman III | IAI Intros Export Version of Heron TP UAV | Poland Looks at Multiple Providers for New Helis

Americas

• The USAF has completed a successful test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III missile. Officials from the service said the operational launch was conducted to verify the ICBM’s capability as a nuclear deterrent. For the test, a missile was taken from a silo at Minot AFB, ND, and reassembled at Vandenberg, CA. The ICBM was fitted with a re-entry vehicle, and traveled approximately 2,200 miles to a test range near the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

Middle East & North Africa

• Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has introduced the export version of Heron TP UAV. This XP model has been adapted from the baseline model operated by the IDF and German military, and complies with the restrictions imposed by the international missile technology control regime 2 (MTCR 2) agreement. Another alteration includes the reduction in payload capacity from more than 1t to 450kg (991lb). Potential export customers include India, a recent signatory of the MTCR-2 agreement, and the UAV will be demonstrated at this year’s Aero India 2017 conference.

Europe

• The Finnish government has offered Estonia the opportunity to join in their procurement of used K9 Thunder howitzers from South Korea. Finland has been in talks with Seoul for a number of years over the K9, testing the howitzer late last year. Reports suggest Estonia plans to procure 12 units of the weapon while Finland has yet to decide on final numbers to replace their Soviet-era weapons. A decision on the deal is expected for later this month.

• French special forces have received their first batch of 25 heavy vehicles from Renault Trucks Defense. The country’s procurement agency, the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), has contracted RTD for a total of 443 vehicles-220 heavy vehicles and 241 light vehicles- and said the trucks will improve interoperability and the level of performance of the vehicle fleet of the special forces’ ground, air and maritime components. The technical specifications of the heavy vehicle were not disclosed.

• Poland will purchase 16 new helicopters this year, half destined for the Navy and the rest to the country’s special forces. Two will be Sikorsky Black Hawks, with the remainder to be chosen from offers from Lockheed Martin, Leonardo and Airbus Helicopters. Delivery of the Black Hawks is expected for next month after being produced by Lockheed Martin’s Polish subsidiary PZL Mielec. The 16 aircraft will go toward the replacement of Poland’s Soviet-designed Mil Mi-8, Mi-14 and Mi-17 helicopters.

Asia Pacific

• India’s state-run Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) is seeking permission to buy six A330s from Airbus and convert them into early warning radar platforms. The deal is currently before the Cabinet Committee on Security and once clearances are given, the DRDO claim they can have the indigenously-built Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) integrated on the first aircraft and delivered to the Indian Air Force within seven years. The IAF has also recently inducted an indigenous AWACS platform on a Brazilian-made Embraer-145 aircraft.

• An op-ed in The Hill pitches the idea that the Trump administration sells the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to Taiwan. In the piece, Yeni Wong and Kent Wang, US-based academics specializing on Taiwan, argue that Taiwanese F-16 fighters would struggle to defeat China’s new fleet of Su-35 and J-20 fighters in an upcoming conflict. They propose that the F-35 would “help the country’s security and secure its democracy,” and the Pentagon “should seriously consider to selling advanced fighters to Taiwan at the earliest opportunity.”

• South Korean military officials have said the latest missile tested by North Korea was a new type of solid-fuel intermediate-range missile, the Pukguksong-2, using submarine-launched ballistic missile technology, not the older Musudan-class earlier reported. Pyongyang utilized a “cold eject” launch system, where the missile is initially propelled by compressed gas before its rocket engine ignites. In response, The US, Japan and South Korea requested urgent UN Security Council consultations on the test, with potential for further sanctions to be discussed. China said that they opposed North Korean missile tests that run contrary to UN resolutions, however they rejected suggestions from Washington and others that they could be doing more to rein in its neighbor.

Today’s Video

• GT-221GM Minuteman III Launch:

Canada, Australia Contract for Heron UAVs

Heron 1, Canada

Israel Aerospace Industries’ Heron is a large MALE (Medium Altitude, Long Endurance) UAV in the MQ-1 Predator’s Class. It is primarily used as a surveillance UAV over land and sea, and can be equipped with a number of modular radar, sensor, and even electronic intelligence packages. The 2006 war in Lebanon also demonstrated that they could be armed, if necessary. Herons are known to serve with Israel (Heron 1 and Heron TP), India, Turkey, and in France as the EAGLE/ Harfang variant. They have also been used successfully by US SOUTHCOM as drug interdiction aircraft; a leasing deal with El Salvador is reportedly pending, and Brazil is also showing interest.

Canada has a long-term JUSTAS program that includes UAVs in this class, and the Heron will fill the Phase 1 near-term MALE UAV requirements – but the longer-term procurement choices remains in limbo. Meanwhile, the Heron UAV was leased to serve the Canadian Forces in Afghanistan, under an August 2008 arrangement. In 2009, Australia added itself as a second customer.

US Army $3B Contract With Eight Firms for New Missile Defense | GD Land Sys to Upgrade 141 LAV’s for Canada | Germany’s A400M Track Record 1-8

Americas

• The US Army has contracted eight defense firms to participate in a $3 billion contract to develop new missile defense solutions for the service. Those tasked with the work include BAE Systems, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Dynetics, QWK Integrated Solutions, Teledyne Brown Engineering, KBRwyle Technology Solutions and Science Applications International Corporation. Under the accord, companies will design, develop, demonstrate and integrate services for the Domain 1 – Space/High Altitude and Missile Defense Program. The effort aims to facilitate research on appropriate hardware and software components to bolster US missile defenses. Completion of the work is expected for February 8, 2026.

• Canada’s Light Armored Vehicle III (LAV III) Upgrade Program will see General Dynamics Land Systems upgrade 141 Light Armored Vehicles. Valued at $308 million, the upgrades will bring the vehicles up to the latest LAV 6.0 standard, improving the vehicles’ performance and survivability while reducing long-term maintenance costs. Based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha III, the LAV III is the third generation of light armored vehicles used by Canada’s army.

• Those who suffered property damage as a result of last October’s rogue JLENS blimp rampage will have to sue in order to get any compensation. A US Army investigation decided that “no government employees, agencies or entities were responsible or negligent” in the incident and thus would not be paying out. Disgruntled residents of Maryland and Pennsylvania will instead have to either sue the Army in federal court or pursue a state lawsuit against Raytheon. The service received 35 property damage claims after the surveillance balloon broke free of its moorings while dragging its mooring line across the two states before deflating enough to be shot down by State Troopers.

Africa

• Manufacturer Embraer has been granted permission from the Brazilian government to sell pre-owned A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Nigeria. The Nigerian Air Force said the light attack aircraft will boost their operational capabilities in tackling insurgents in the country such as Boko Haram. Three Super Tucano’s will be transferred between both nations’ airforces following the completion of legal procedures.

Europe

• Only one of eight A400M transport aircraft operated by the German military is ready for use. The disclosure comes just days after Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen was forced to switch aircraft in Lithuania due to the aircraft experiencing an engine oil leak. Of the seven out of action, three A400Ms have broken down, two are undergoing scheduled maintenance while one more is having a retrofit. The seventh has just been delivered and is having acceptance trials. Technical problems have plagued the A400M program, putting it years behind schedule, with Germany’s share of the costs having risen to $10.2 billion from an initial estimate of $8.6 billion.

• Defense ties between the Netherlands and Germany continue, with both governments agreeing to put a German short-range air defense unit under the command of the Dutch military. The change is based on a broader agreement for a mixed German-Dutch 414 Tank Battalion, which is expected to be fully formed by 2019, according reports. Both nations are planning to jointly develop a new short-range air defense system as part of the expanded cooperation, following Berlin’s announcement last week that it was replacing its aging short-range air defense systems in order to fill a gap in capabilities.

Asia Pacific

• Saab has offered to build the world’s most modern fighter aircraft factory in India if New Delhi selects the JAS-39 Gripen E to fill an upcoming 200-250 unit fighter requirement. The company has already been in talks with nearly 100 aerospace and defense firms in India to provide components for the production of the plane which would lay the industrial base for India to design, develop and build future fighters. Rival competitor Lockheed Martin has offered to transfer the production line of their F-16 Block 70 fighter to India if selected, even though President Donald Trump’s protectionist administration may want to take a fresh look at such plans.

• North Korea has conducted their first ballistic missile test since US President Donald Trump’s tenure. Believed to be an intermediate-range Musudan-class missile rather than an ICBM, the munition landed in the Sea of Japan early on Sunday morning. The test is being viewed as a provocation to the new US administration following President Trump’s vow to get tough on the isolated dictatorship’s nuclear ambitions. The White House response so far has been measured, avoiding a chance for potential escalation, however tensions are rising with China over the planned deployment of the THAAD system in South Korea, with Beijing reportedly expelling 32 South Korean Christian missionaries from the Chinese-North Korean border in January.

Today’s Video

• South Korea and US plan to run THAAD simulation:

Canada Up-Armoring its LAV-IIIs

LAV-III, FOB Robinson

Original Post date: December 3, 2008
The Government of Canada recently awarded “EODC Engineering, Developing and Licencing Inc.” of Ottawa, Canada C$ 81.5 million (about $65.5 million ) worth of contracts to provide for add-on-armour kits, modules and spares for its LAV III wheeled armored personnel carriers. LAV-III vehicles are known as Piranha-III in Europe, and are the base platform for the USA’s Stryker family of vehicles. Canadian LAV-IIIs have seen extensive use on the front lines of Afghanistan, where they have both achieved important successes and demonstrated key limitations.

JLENS: Co-ordinating Cruise Missile Defense – And More

JLENS Concept

Experiences in Operation Iraqi Freedom demonstrated that even conventional cruise missiles with limited reach could have disruptive tactical effects, in the hands of a determined enemy. Meanwhile, the proliferation of cruise missiles and associated components, combined with a falling technology curve for biological, chemical, or even nuclear agents, is creating longer-term hazards on a whole new scale. Intelligence agencies and analysts believe that the threat of U.S. cities coming under cruise missile attack from ships off the coast is real, and evolving.

Aerial sensors are the best defense against low-flying cruise missiles, because they offer far better detection and tracking range than ground-based systems. The bad news is that keeping planes in the air all the time is very expensive, and so are the aircraft themselves. As cruise missile defense becomes a more prominent political issue, the primary challenge becomes the development of a reliable, affordable, long-flying, look-down platform. One that can detect, track and identify incoming missiles, then support over-the-horizon engagements in a timely manner. The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) certainly looked like that system, but the Pentagon has decided to end it.

Leonardo to Carry on with USAF T-X Competition | Elbit Tapped with $110M to Upgrade and Maintain Mi-17s | Greece MoD Looking to Modernize F-16s to V-Variant

Americas

• Despite not having a US-based partner and prime contractor, Leonardo is to go it alone in the USAF T-X trainer competition. Raytheon withdrew from the partnership last month. The Italian firm’s US-subsidary, Leonardo DRS, will now act as prime contractor, although it remains unclear where the T-100 advanced jet trainer will be assembled if the company secures the contract.

• Bell Helicopters will provide long-lead items and components for the US Navy’s AH-1Z aircraft. valued at $49 million, the agreement covers 27 Lot 15 AH-1Z Vipers operated by the USMC, and work is expected to be completed by March 2018. According to manufacturer Bell, the AH-1Z is the only helicopter in the world to feature air-to-air missile attack capabilities.

Middle East & North Africa

• Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will supply signals and communication intelligence capabilities to various unnamed customers in contracts worth $30 million. IAI subsidiary ELTA Systems will deliver advanced communication intelligence system (COMINT) to an unidentified operator in Europe and a signal intelligence (SIGINT) suite to an undisclosed buyer in Asia. The COMINT system is designed to provide real-time intelligence and tactical information for military operators, as well as cooperate with existing defense communication networks, while the SIGINT is comprised of ELK 7071 COMINT and ELL-8385 ELINT systems, and can be integrated on military aircraft.

• An unnamed Asia-Pacific customer has contracted Elbit Systems to upgrade and maintain Mi-17 helicopters. The $110 million award will include work on dozens of helicopters and will take place over a five-year performance period. Some of the region’s operators of the aging Mi-17 include Afghanistan, Iraq, Indonesia, India, and Pakistan.

Europe

• A Greek publication has revealed that the country’s Defense Ministry plans to upgrade their fleets of 155 F-16C and F-16D aircraft to the V-variant. The cost of the modernization is expected to run between $1.7 and $2 billion. It was also revealed that the ministry wishes to lay the foundation with Washington for an eventual procurement of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, that would be paid over a period of time. In addition, Athens is looking to have maintenance work done on their S-300 air defense system, however information on a deal remains unclear.

Asia Pacific

• Indonesia and South Korea have opened a joint program office in Sacheon, South Korea, in order to collaborate on the KF-X/IF-X fighter program. 74 personnel from PT Dirgantara Indonesia have made the move to work on the program, and will work with staff from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The opening of the office comes just a year after both governments signed a $7.1 billion agreement to jointly develop the KF-X/IF-X 4.5-generation fighter. In exchange for their capital, Jakarta will receive 50 IF-X fighters as well as a certain amount of knowledge and technological transfer.

• Textron Systems has been tapped to provide contractor logistics support for the Cessna C-208B Caravans used by the Afghan air force. Valued at $9.35 million for the first year, the contract has the potential to reach a maximum of $50 million over the next five years, and will include transfer of capabilities in addition to maintenance training. Manufactured by Textron, Afghanistan operates about 26 C-208Bs for use on a wide variety of missions.

• Israel’s Rafael is ramping up efforts to offer their systems to India’s indigenous Tejas fighter. The Indian Air Force is currently evaluating the company’s Python 5 and 54nm (100km)-range I-Derby ER air-to-air missiles for the Tejas, while it is also promoting its Litening 5 targeting pod and BNET secure radio. Yuval Miller, executive vice-president and head of Rafael’s Air and C4I Systems division, stated that the wide cooperation involved on the Tejas’ development could make it easier to bring the Light Combat Aircraft to the 4.5-generation standard.

Today’s Video

• The US Navy’s Spike missile program: