Aselsan to Develop EW Suites for Turkey in $125M Deal | Jenoptik Gets $11.38M to Support Poland’s Leopard 2 Modernization | Taiwan Plans to Build Own Subs
Mar 22, 2017 00:30 UTCAmericas
- Lockheed Martin has been given a $40 million contract modification to strip and recoat F-22 coatings for the USAF’s F-22 Raptor fleet. Work on the contract will be performed at various locations in California, Georgia, Utah, and Texas, and work is expected to be completed by the end of June 2019. At the time of the award, the company received $6.4 million. The fifth-generation tactical stealth fighter has been in service since 2005 and designed to perform air superiority missions.
Middle East & North Africa
- Israel will declare their multi-tier defense network operational from next month following the deployment of the David’s Sling interceptor system. Developed and manufactured jointly by Rafael and Raytheon, David’s Sling will be responsible for shooting down rockets fired from 100 to 200 kilometers away, such as projectiles fired by the Iranian-backed Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. The network will include the IDF’s short-range Iron Dome and long-range Arrow missiles.
- Aselsan has been contracted $125 million to develop and produce electronic warfare suites for Turkey. The partnership will see the government-controlled firm team with another state-controlled entity, defense engineering specialist STM, to deliver the suites by 2020. Speaking on the contract, industry sources said that the contract “is consistent with a Turkish policy to further nationalize its EW suites.”
Africa
- Nigerian company Homeland Integrated Offshore Services Limited will add two more Damen FCS 3307 patrol vessels to their inventory to help conduct patrols around assets operated by oil companies, as well as occasional transfers of crew and supplies. The firm works with oil companies working in Nigeria’s offshore oil and gas fields by providing engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and security services. Due to Damen’s build-for-stock policy, the first additional vessel is almost complete except for some additional items and the second will be ready within a few months, with delivery expected in the second quarter of 2017.
Europe
- Mauro Moretti has vacated his post as CEO of Leonardo amid criticisms that his three-year tenure lacked experience of global markets and failed to win the firm enough orders. He will be replaced by Alessandro Profumo, a banker who was at the helm of Italian banking giant Unicredit from 1998-2010, and who steered the bank to international growth through acquisitions and oversaw a leap in staff numbers from 15,000 to over 162,000 in over 20 countries. However, Profumo’s lack of defense experience has drawn some criticism that he has only been picked by the government in order to handle the sell off of the firm, something the government denies.
- Poland’s Jenoptik Defense & Civil Systems has been contracted $11.38 million to work as a subcontractor in support of Poland’s Leopard 2 main battle tank modernization program. Under the agreement, Jenoptik will provide 126 17-kilowatt auxiliary power units to Polish company ZM Bumar Labedy S.A., and an additional seven units to Rheinmetall Defense. Rheinmetall will receive ten electric turret and weapon stabilization systems that will be used to replace the hydraulic systems currently used to reduce heat generation inside the tank. Warsaw began the upgrade of their 126 Leopard 2 tanks in February 2016. Elsewhere, Polish and US tank operators recently began a series of tactical maneuvering exercises in preparation for an upcoming NATO training event, aimed at improving participants’ ability to shoot, move, and communicate with one another on the battlefield.
Asia Pacific
- The Taiwanese government is looking to build their own submarines with the help of US submarine technology, according to a pledge made by President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday. Speaking during a tour of a submarine in the southern naval port of Zouying, Tsai said that “strengthening underwater combat capabilities is most needed in Taiwan’s defense.” However, defense analysts point out that building the correct type of submarine may pose a challenge to Taipei, who have never built such a vessel before, and may have to rely on foreign technology to resolve issues such as integrating the hardware with various electronic systems.
- In response to North Korea’s growing nuclear missile threat, the Trump administration is looking at implementing sweeping sanctions aimed at cutting Pyongyang off from the global financial system. US officials say that the sanctions would be part of a multi-pronged approach of increased economic and diplomatic pressure – especially on Chinese banks and firms that do the most business with North Korea – plus beefed-up defenses by the United States and their South Korean and Japanese allies, according to the administration official familiar with the deliberations. However, any future sanctions would need full cooperation from the international community, especially China, who have been so far uncooperative when dealing with issues surrounding their neighbor.
Today’s Video
- The Ka-52K naval attack helicopter:
