Rolls-Royce won a $48 million delivery order for C-130J propulsion long-term sustainment. The Lockheed Martin C-130 is the US Air Force’s principal tactical cargo and personnel transport aircraft. The C-130J Hercules features a glass cockpit, digital avionics and a new propulsion system with a six-bladed propeller. The C-130J is crewed by two pilots and a loadmaster. The new glass cockpit features four L-3 systems with multifunction liquid crystal displays for flight control and navigation systems. The order provides funding for Option II. Work will take place at Robin Air Force Base in Georgia and various other locations. Completion is expected when the last engines are delivered.
The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation in Philadelphia awarded Boeing a $27 million delivery order for E-6B repair. The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a command post and communications relay aircraft manufactured by Boeing. The aircraft relays communications for ballistic missile submarine forces and provides airborne command and control for strategic forces. The E-6B features battle staff positions and an airborne launch control system equipped with land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles. The aircraft is deployed in TACAMO missions. TACAMO connects the National Command Authority with naval ballistic missile forces during emergency operations. The delivery order was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 US Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Boeing will perform work in Oklahoma and estimated completion date is March 1, 2021.
Middle East & Africa
The US Air Force awarded Boeing a $500 million contract in support of Qatar’s F-15QA. The deal is for Qatar Emiri Air Force (QAEF) aircrew and maintenance training. In 2017, Qatar placed a $12 billion order for 36 of Boeing’s advanced F-15QA heavy strike fighters. These aircraft were designed as advanced derivatives of the F-15E Strike Eagle deployed by the US Air Force, which itself was derived from the F-15C air superiority fighter with a new emphasis on long range and air to ground capabilities. Boeing will perform work under the new contract in St. Louis, Missouri and will move work to Qatar in 2021. Estimated completion is in August 2026.
Dmitry Shugayev, the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, told reporters on the sidelines of the MAKS 2019 that he will hold talks with Turkey with regards to the latter’s interest in the Su-35 and Su-57. The MAKS 2019 is the international Aviation and Space Salon. Turkey has been showing interest in Russian fighter jets as the former was removed from the US F-35 program. Erdo?an paid a one-day visit to Moscow to attend MAKS 2019, the annual Russian aviation and space fair, on August 27. The SU-35 are single-seat, twin-engine, super maneuverable aircraft. The SU-57 is is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fifth-generation jet fighter.
Europe
Estonia inked an agreement with six countries on the development of the Modular Unmanned Ground Systems (MUGS), financed by the European Defense Fund, local news reports. The project, led by Estonia and including Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Latvia, and Spain, want to develop an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV), command-and-control system, cyber defense, and integrated sensor network. Participating countries are planning to use a total of $33.8 million in funds from the EDF, to which the countries will add their co-funding. The first system prototype will be demonstrated in 2021.
Asia-Pacific
The US Navy awarded Wyle Laboratories an $8.4 million contract modification, which provides program management services for the F/A-18 Foreign Military Sales program in support of the government of Australia. The Royal Australian Air Force has operated the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft since 1984. The Hornets entered service with the RAAF between 1984 and 1990, and 69 remain in operation as of 2019. The fleet has undergone a major electronic upgrade to ensure effective operations for the next 10 years. Kyle Laboratories will perform work in Maryland, Washington, Pennsylvania, California, Virginia and Australia. Estimated completion date is in August next year.
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The US Army awarded Triumph Engine Control Systems a $7.5 million firm-fixed contract in support of the CH-47 Chinook helicopter. The deal is for the overhaul of a minimum of the fuel control main for the chopper. The CH-47D Chinook helicopter transports troops, artillery, supplies and equipment to the battlefield. Other applications include medical evacuation, aircraft recovery, parachute drop, search-and-rescue, disaster relief, firefighting and heavy construction. 163 CH-47Ds took part in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The CH-47F design features alterations to the airframe structure to reduce the effects of vibration, as well as other structural enhancements to the cockpit, cabin, aft section, pylon and ramp. Estimated completion date is August 26, 2024.
The US Navy contracted Raytheon with a $190 million low-rate initial production contract for ESSM Block 2 missiles featuring a new guidance system with a dual mode active and semi-active radar. Raytheon says in a press release that the award follows the Navy’s decision to shift from development to production on the enhanced intermediate-range, surface-to-air missile, placing the Block 2 variant on track for initial operating capability in 2020. The ESSM Block 2 program is a co-operative effort between the USN and its 11 NATO SeaSparrow Consortium partners to develop an upgraded ESSM ‘front-end’ to counter current and future threat capabilities within the existing envelope. These include anti-ship cruise missiles, anti-ship ballistic missiles, and surface threats.
Middle East & Africa
According to local reports, Israel launched airstrikes on an Iranian Qods Force facility in Syria on August 24 to thwart an armed drone attack that was planned against targets in northern Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces. The Army said it carried out airstrikes near Damascus to foil ‘imminent’ IRGC plot to hit sites inside Israel with UAVs armed with explosives. Syria claims it downed Israeli missiles. After the strikes, several Military Intelligence units, Air Force squadrons and air defense units were put on high alert. Israel has acknowledged carrying out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria in recent years, most of them aimed at arms shipments believed to be headed from Iran to its Shiite proxy Hezbollah. Direct clashes between Israel and Iranian forces have been rare.
Europe
Babcock’s Arrowhead 140 design will reportedly be picked for the Type 31e Frigate competition. The Telegraph reported that the government is to announce the winner in a major announcement at next month’s Defense & Security Equipment International show in London. The news could mean that Scottish shipyards will be working on 18 vessels in total. Including the five Offshore Patrol Vessels launched on the Clyde since 2014 and the 8 Type 26 Frigates to be built at Govan. The MoD is set to award a contract for the Type 31e frigate, with Babcock, BAE Systems and Atlas Elektronik among the main contenders.
Asia-Pacific
The Trump administration has given the green light for Japan to buy 73 SM-3 Block IIA interceptors. The deal is valued at $3.3 billion. Japan will buy up to 73 of the Raytheon-made SM-3 Block IIA missiles, which are designed to be fired by the ship-board Aegis system to intercept incoming ballistic missiles, the Pentagon said. The sale comes as North Korea is expanding its offensive missile capabilities, having proven over the past two years the ability to launch medium- and long-range ballistic missiles, potentially nuclear-tipped, that could hit both Japan and the United States.
According to the South China Morning Post, China has decided that the the Chengdu J-20 fighter will be developed further to operate from the country’s aircraft carriers. An anonymous military source says the Central Military Commission is favoring the J-20 over Shenyang FC-31. The J-20 was announced combat ready in July. It is listed in China’s latest national defense white paper as one of the new, high-tech weapons the Chinese military has commissioned.
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Raytheon won a $74.1 million contract modification that procures pre-operational support for the Next Generation Jammer-Mid Band pod through the completion of the engineering, manufacturing and development phase as well as development, test and evaluation activities. Procured support includes organizational-level maintenance, repair, supply chain management, and material support for equipment delivered under the EMD contract, and associated peculiar support equipment/test, measurement, and diagnostic equipment to support DT&E. According to the company, Raytheon’s Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band is an advanced electronic attack system that denies, disrupts and degrades enemy technology, including communication tools and air-defense systems. Raytheon delivered the first NGJ-MB pod to the US Navy for testing in July of 2019. The technology can also be scaled to other missions and platforms. It was the first of 15 EMD pods to be delivered to the USN for mission systems testing and qualification. The company will also deliver 14 aero-mechanical pods for airworthiness certification. Under the contract modification, Raytheon will perform work in Mississippi, Texas, California, Massachusetts, and Indiana. Estimated completion date is in December 2021.
The Navy tapped General Dynamics with a $44.6 million modification for low-rate initial production of the Surface Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Undersea Vehicle (SMCM UUV) or Knifefish. The Knifefish program is an ongoing effort to provide a UUV that detects and classifies undersea volume, bottom and buried mines in high-clutter environments. It is part of the Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasures Mission Package and can also be deployed from vessels of opportunity. The Knifefish system, which consists of two unmanned undersea vehicles along with support systems and equipment, uses cutting-edge low-frequency broadband sonar and automated target recognition software technology developed by the Naval Research Laboratory and successfully transitioned to industry. It acts as an off-board sensor while the host ship stays outside the mine field boundaries. The low-rate initial production effort will provide the initial systems for the Navy to test and operate. Work will take place in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Virginia, and Michigan and is expected to be finished by August 2021.
Middle East & Africa
The US Navy contracted Physical Optics Corp. with a $27.2 million contract modification in support of the Super Hornet and Growler aircraft for the Navy and the government of Kuwait. The deal exercises an option for data transfer unit production support, 160 data transfer units, 160 ground data transfer units, 14 maintenance access cables, 600 mission data transfer devices, and 459 maintenance data transfer devices in support of the Navy’s F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G program. In addition, this option exercise procures 37 data transfer units, 35 ground data transfer units, 11 maintenance access cables, 122 mission data transfer devices, and 90 maintenance data transfer devices in support of the Kuwait Super Hornet program. Boeing Super Hornets are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The EA-18G Growler is based on the Super Hornet airframe. It is an electronic attack aircraft, which is capable of disrupting, deceiving or denying a broad range of military electronic systems, including radars and communications. Work under the contract modification will take place in California and estimated completion is in August 2021.
Europe
According to local reports, a Spanish Air Force C-101 crashed on August 26, killing the pilot on board. The crash took place at La Manga del Mar Menor and was witnessed by the public. At around 9.38am, emergency services were flooded with hundreds of calls from La Manga, reporting that a plane had fallen into the sea. The aircraft was a two-seater C-101, a model used by Spain’s Patrulla Águila aerobatic display team. The pilot was later reported dead by the Spanish Defense Ministry.
Asia-Pacific
Northrop Grumman won a $9.9 million contract modification, which procures eight E-2C compatible AN/APX-122A Mode 5/S interrogators for the government of Japan. The primary role of the E-2C Hawkeye aircraft supplied by Northrop Grumman is as an all-weather airborne early-warning aircraft to the naval task force. In April, Northrop Grumman won a $51.8 million deal for identifying friend or foe technology compatible with the E-2C Hawkeye. It enabled the company to provide services for the delivery, installation and testing of one Japan E-2C Hawkeye compatible AN/APX-122A Mode 5/S interrogator and transponder. Under the modification, Northrop will perform work in Greenlawn, New York, and Melbourne, Florida. and is expected to be completed in September 2023.
The Sri Lanka Navy commissioned a frigate that was formerly in service with the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). The vessel, which has been renamed SLNS Parakramabahu, was commissioned on 22 August in Colombo in the presence of the Sri Lankan and Chinese governments and military leaders. It was previously in service with the PLAN as the Jiangwei I (Type 053 H2G) Class frigate, Tongling (542). An official video of Parakramabahu ‘s commissioning ceremony indicates that the vessel has been handed over to Sri Lanka with its primary weapon, a twin 100 mm naval gun system, intact.
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Lockheed Martin won a $2.4 billion contract modification for F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter initial spares. The deal supports the Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, non-US Department of Defense participants, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Spares include global spares packages, base spares packages, deployment spares packages, afloat spares packages and associated consumables. The F-35 Lightning is a supersonic, multi-role fighter jet that represents a quantum leap in air-dominance capability, offering enhanced lethality and survivability in hostile, anti-access airspace environments. The aircraft family is comprised of three aircraft variants. The Air Force’s F-35A variant will complement its F-22A fleet and is expected to replace the air-to-ground attack capabilities of the F-16 and A-10. The Marine Corps’ F-35B variant will replace its F/A-18 and AV-8B aircraft. The Navy’s F-35C variant will complement its F/A-18E/F aircraft. Lockheed will perform work within the US, the UK and the Netherlands.
The US Navy awarded General Dynamics a $1.1 billion fixed-price-incentive modification for the procurement of detail design and construction of Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) 6 and ESB 7, as well as definitization of ESB 6 long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support. Named after famous names or places of historical significance to US Marines, ESBs serve as a flexible platform and a key element in the Navy’s airborne mine countermeasures mission, with accommodations for up to 250 personnel and a large helicopter flight deck. The ship’s configuration supports special warfare and Marine Corps task-organized units. The ESB Class is based on NASSCO’s Alaska class crude oil carrier, and incorporates a number of changes that make it a highly flexible platform that can be used across a broad range of military support operations. The ESB is optimized to support a variety of maritime-based missions and is designed around four core capabilities: aviation facilities, berthing, equipment staging support, and command and control assets. Work will take place in California, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Virginia, and Mexico among other places. Estimated completion date is in January 2025..
Middle East & Africa
The US Navy contracted Rafael with a $13.3 million contract for intermediate level and depot level test equipment, spare parts, fixturing, repairs, training, engineering services and material support services to establish organic US government I-Level and D-Level Toplite family of electro-optic sights. Toplite family of electro-optic systems (EOS) is an advanced multi-sensor, multi-purpose, highly stabilized EO/ISR solution for homeland security and defense applications. It is used for a variety of applications on different platforms for intelligence/data collection, surveillance, reconnaissance and weapon direction. Rafael will perform work in Haifa, Israel and expected completion is in August 2024.
Europe
Portugal chose Elbit Systems to supply a complete Electronic Warfare (EW) suite for the Portuguese Air Forces’ new KC-390 multi-mission aircraft. Elbit Systems said in a press release that the Portuguese Ministry of Defense selected the company and the complete EW suite to be supplied by Elbit Systems. The Air Force’s KC-390 aircraft will be comprised of a Radar and Laser Warning Systems, IR Missile Warning System, Countermeasures Dispensing System as well as the Directional IR Countermeasures (DIRCM) system and Active ECM (AECM) system. The Embraer KC-390 is twin-turbofan-powered and can be refueled in flight. It can be used for in-flight or on-ground refueling of other aircraft.
Asia-Pacific
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is reported to have slashed the price of each Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) from $62.9 million to as low as $34.9 million each. “HAL really has no choice. If we need to sustain our production lines and the employees, we need fresh orders,” an anonymous source was quoted saying in the Times of India. The HAL Tejas is a single-engine, delta wing, multirole light fighter. It came from the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program, which began in the 1980s to replace India’s aging MiG-21 fighters.
Jane’s reports that Indonesia chose the BAE Systems 57 mm naval gun for four KCR-60M Class vessels. The country selected Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun system. A contract for the weapon systems has been signed with state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL, which will be involved in the weapon’s installation. Indonesia’s Navy operates a class of four KCR-60M Class fast attack craft. The KCR-60M was originally conceived by Indonesian defense planners as a ‘hit-and-run’ platform that could swiftly deploy guided anti-ship missiles against larger surface combatants, before quickly receding into the archipelagic background. The Bofors 57 mm l/70 naval guns are a series of dual-purpose naval guns.
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Raytheon won a $29.9 million order in support of the V-22 Osprey. Th deal provides procurement of the Software Support Activity (SSA) systems and software engineering, avionics integration and testing, software testing, avionics acquisition support, and SSA operations to include classified and unclassified software laboratories, configuration and data management as well as release of avionic software products and related systems. The V-22 Osprey is a multi-mission, tiltrotor military aircraft jointly developed by Bell helicopters and Boeing after the failure of Operation eagle claw during the Iran Hostage crisis in 1980. It is designed with both vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), and short takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities after a requirement for a new long range, High speed, Vertical take off aircraft. Raytheon will perform work under the awarded deal in Indianapolis, Indiana and estimated completion date is in December 2021.
The US Navy contracted Boeing a $23.7 million modification for engineering, logistics, and program management of the Super Hornet and Growler aircraft. The awarded deal is for reducing fleet out of reporting rates and maintenance planning. Boeing’s F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets are twin-engine multirole fighters, which are based on the F/A-18 Hornet. The single-seat F/A-18/E and the two-seat F/A-18/F fly greater ranges with heavier payloads, have more powerful engines and provide greater survivability than their predecessor. The Boeing EA-18G Growler is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, It is an airborne electronic attack aircraft which operates from either an aircraft carrier or from land-bases. The Growler aircraft has 11 weapon stations for carrying electronic mission systems and weapons and can then be used to carry out conventional strike missions when the requirements for EA and SEAD sorties are reduced. Boeing will perform work under the contract modification in St. Louis, Missouri and estimated completion is in September 2020.
Raytheon announced that the US Air Force used the company’s GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, known as GPS OCX, to support the launch of its second GPS III satellite into space. The ground system will spend 10 days maneuvering the satellite into its final orbit, demonstrating GPS OCX’s ability to simultaneously support multiple GPS III spacecraft on-orbit throughout the checkout and calibration process. GPS III SV02 is the newest generation of GPS satellites designed and built to deliver positioning, navigation and timing information apparently with three times better accuracy, and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capability than its predecessor. Prime contractor is Lockheed Martin. The GPS III satellite, also called Magellan, was launched on August 22 after years of delays. United Launch Alliance used a Delta IV rocket to launch the second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite for the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
Middle East & Africa
Vietnam and South Africa have agreed to strengthen their defense ties, with a view to undertaking joint development and production activities. The countries consider this as a strategic mechanism to promote the bilateral defense partnership and the two countries’ friendship and cooperation, local reports say. The agreement was reportedly reached between Vietnam’s Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich and South Africa’s Minister of Defense and Military Veterans Nosiviwe Noluthando Mapisa-Nqakula during their talks in Hanoi on August 22. This accord will facilitate deepened engagement in the defense industry, supported by technology transfers from South Africa to Vietnam. Such collaboration would follow agreed defense exports from South Africa to Vietnam.
Europe
General Dynamics won a $64.8 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract in support of the UK’s second hull of Dreadnought Class ballistic missile submarines, nuclear, recently named as HMS Valiant, and the UK Software Facility. The Dreadnought Class of submarines are set to gradually replace the four Vanguard Class boats from the early 2030s. Construction on HMS Dreadnought, the lead ship in the class, started in October 2016. The submersibles are 152.9m (501ft) long, displace 17,200 tonnes and will be armed with Trident II D5 missiles. The ships will be fitted with a new lighting system which can imitate night and day, making it easier for crew to get used to normal life after three months submerged. The HMS Valiant is the second Royal Navy Dreadnought Class submarine. Under the new contract, work will take place in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and estimated completion date is August 22, 2025.
Asia-Pacific
Swedish company Saab said in a press release that it has received an order from the Australian Army to extend the support of their Ground Based Air Defense (GBAD) and Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) systems until 2022. Under the contract Saab will provide support for the range of systems forming the GBAD and CRAM solutions, including the Giraffe Agile Multi-Beam (AMB) radars and RBS-70 very short-range air defense weapon system. The contract value is approximately $19.2 million. The contract is intended to ensure the availability of the GBAD and C-RAM systems. The company’s Australian subsidiary upgraded the army’s short-range air defense system with the identification friend or foe Mode 5 standard. The company integrated Giraffe AMB radar into the system and upgraded the missile firing posts and the tactical command and control system.
The DoS approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States or TECRO for the 66 F-16C/D Block 70 aircraft as well as related equipment and support. The deal is valued at $8 billion. US lawmakers have been criticizing the Trump administration for delaying the vote to avoid jeopardizing US trade negotiations with China. China has already expressed fears that the latest Lockheed Martin F-16s have the capacity to get past Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) defenses and attack the mainland. It has been lobbying forcefully against the sale to Taiwan which it considers a renegade province. Beijing regards Taiwan as a part of China awaiting reunification, but the island is self-ruled and is a close ally of the United States. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense announced in a statement on August 21 hat it is grateful for the US government’s decision to approve the sale of new-build Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 70 multirole combat aircraft.
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Latest updates[?]: Raytheon announced that the US Air Force used the company’s GPS Next-Generation Operational Control System, known as GPS OCX, to support the launch of its second GPS III satellite into space. The ground system will spend 10 days maneuvering the satellite into its final orbit, demonstrating GPS OCX's ability to simultaneously support multiple GPS III spacecraft on-orbit throughout the checkout and calibration process. GPS III SV02 is the newest generation of GPS satellites designed and built to deliver positioning, navigation and timing information apparently with three times better accuracy, and up to eight times improved anti-jamming capability than its predecessor. Prime contractor is Lockheed Martin. The GPS III satellite, also called Magellan, was launched on August 22 after years of delays. United Launch Alliance used a Delta IV rocket to launch the second Global Positioning System III (GPS III) satellite for the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center.
GPS IIIA concept
GPS-III satellites, in conjunction with their companion OCX ground control, system are the Global Positioning System (GPS) future. They offer big advantages over existing GPS-II satellites and GCS, but most of all, they have to work. Disruption or decay of the critical capabilities provided by the USA’s Navstar satellites would cripple both the US military, and many aspects of the global economy.
The time-based GPS service is the most-used application of Einstein’s Theories of Relativity. GPS has become part of civilian life in ways that go go far beyond those handy driving maps, including crop planting, timing services for stock trades, and a key role in credit card processing. At the same time, military class (M-code) GPS guidance can now be found in everything from cruise missiles and various precision-guided bombs, to battlefield rockets and even artillery shells. Combat search and rescue radios rely on this line of communication, and so does a broadening array of individual soldier equipment.
This DII FOCUS article looks at the existing constellation, GPS-III improvements, the program’s structure, its progress through contracts and key milestones, and extensive PTN (Positioning, Timing & Navigation)/ GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) research links.
Boeing won a $999 million ceiling contract for A-10 wing replacements. The deal is for up to 112 new A-10 wing assemblies and up to 15 wing kits. Boeing is teaming up with Korean Aerospace Industries for the effort. The news comes after the recent completion of Boeing’s first re-winging contract, awarded to the aerospace company in 2007. Only 109 A-10s still need to be re-winged. The planes, which entered service in 1976 and have deployed to the Middle East, Europe and the Pacific, have played an outsized role in the air campaign that began in 2014 against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, helping provide close-air support for Iraqi and US partner forces on the ground. Also dubbed the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and often painted with teeth on the nose cone, the A-10 Thunderbolt II is the US Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. Boeing will perform work under the nearly $1 billion contract at multiple subcontractor locations in the US and South Korea. Estimated completion date is August 23, 2030.
The Navy tapped General Dynamics-Ordnance and Tactical System with a $20.8 million contract modification that provides for the procurement of 66 M61A2 20 MM Gun Systems in support of F/A-18E/F aircraft production for the US Navy as well as the government of Kuwait. The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is an updated and enlarged variant of the original F/A-18A/B/C/D Hornet, using an enlarged airframe, new engines, and updated avionics and weapons systems. It is a twin-engine carrier-based multirole fighter aircraft. The M61A1 and M61A2 Gatlin guns are externally powered six-barrel 20mm Gatling gun systems that offer lightweight combat support for a variety of air, land and sea platforms. For the production modification General Dynamics will perform work in various locations in the US and Canada. Work is expected to be finished in March 2023.
Middle East & Africa
Russia and the US agree that Israel can strike Iranian targets in Iraq, Israeli Defense reports. Israel has struck Iranian targets in Iraq at least three times over the past few weeks after Russia and the United States gave the green light. Citing Western diplomatic sources, Saudi-owned and London-based newspaper Asharq al-Awsat reported that Israel attacked military positions and arms depots of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq after receiving a green light from Washington and Moscow. Moscow and Washington agreed that the Jewish state could conduct these attacks on Iranian targets in order to “ensure Israel’s security,” the source told the London-based newspaper. As part of the reported agreement, Israel would not publicly acknowledge carrying out the strikes.
Europe
Sonalysts won a $9.5 million contract to the German Navy for maintenance of the Dangerous Waters Naval Simulator to meet its simulation and training requirements, including proper levels of integration and interoperability. According to the company the Dangerous Waters Simulator allows total control over multiple air, surface, and submarine platforms in a modern-day naval environment. The SCS – Dangerous Waters allows the player to take control of over 10 of the world’s most potent naval units out of a total of more than 270 civilian and military surface, submarine, and air units included in the game. The awarded contract includes purchases to the Federal Republic of Germany under the FMS program. Work will take place in Germany and the US. Estimated completion date is in August 2023.
Asia-Pacific
The Guardian reports that Australia will become the third country to join the United States in patrolling the Strait of Hormuz. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has agreed to dispatch troops and a P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft will be in the region for one month before the end of the year. The contribution to the United States-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz is aimed at protecting freedom of navigation in the Gulf region. The United Kingdom and Bahrain are the only other countries to join the US in the Strait of Hormuz. Australia’s P-8A Poseidon has advanced sensors and mission systems, including a state-of-the-art multi-role radar, high definition cameras, and an acoustic system with four times the processing capacity of the AP-3C Orions.
According to Jane’s, Taiwan’s showcased its Cloud Leopard II M2 prototype last week. The prototype of the next-generation 8×8 Cloud Leopard II armored vehicle was showcased at the 2019 Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition. The M2 prototype is the second of two Cloud Leopard II development testbeds built by the 209th Arsenal at the MND Armament Bureau’s Materiel Production Center in partnership with the Hsinchu-based Industrial Technology Research Institute. A major modification carried over from the M1 prototype is a new hydropneumatic suspension system, which replaces the double wishbone suspension of the current Cloud Leopard APCs. The Cloud Leopard II can be used as an armored personnel carrier, infantry fighting vehicle, fire support vehicle, command and control vehicle and ambulance.
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Boeing won a $154.9 million contract modification for new-build Apache AH 64E helicopters. The AH-64E attack helicopter is the latest version of the AH-64 helo used by the US Army. It is also known as Apache Guardian. Until 2012 it was designated as AH-64D Block III. The helicopter is fitted with more powerful General Electric T700-GE-701D engines, developing 1 994 shp instead of the 1 800 shp on the previous versions. In March 2017, Boeing won the first $3.4 billion multi-year contract for the AH-64E Apache helicopter. Under the first contract, the army was supposed to receive 244 remanufactured Apaches while an undisclosed international customer was to acquire 24 new units. Under the modification, Boeing will perform work in Mesa, Arizona and estimated completion date is December 31, 2922.
The Navy tapped Sikorsky with a $48.3 million firm-fixed-price order in support of the CH-53K King Stallion. The order is to procure spare parts to repair and maintain low-rate initial production Lot Three configuration aircraft. A couple of days ago Sikorsky won a one-year $107.3 million contract from the US Navy for the long-lead items needed to manufacture its fourth batch of six CH-53K helicopters for use by the US Marine Corps. In May, the company received a $1.1 billion contract to produce 12 CH-53Ks and provide aircraft system spares and logistics support services. The King Stallion is a heavy-lift cargo helicopter. Its design features three 7,500 shp engines, new composite rotor blades, and a wider aircraft cabin than previous CH-53 variants. Sikorsky will perform work under the newly received order in Canada as well as the UK and various parts in the US. Estimated completion date is in August 2024.
Middle East & Africa
DynCorp International won a $32.8 million time-and-materials contract to train, advise and assist the security forces in Afghanistan. Since 2010, DynCorp provides specialized training to strengthen the Afghan national security forces. Under the newly awarded time-and-materials contract DynCorp will perform work in Afghanistan with an estimated completion date of August 19 next year. Army funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award. The US Army Contracting Command in Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois is the contracting activity.
Israeli defense company Elbit announced that Israel’s Ministry of Defense selected Iron Fist Light Decoupled (IFLD), the Company’s Active Protection System for the Eitan new eight-wheeled Armored Fighting Vehicle as well as the D-9 Bulldozer of the Israeli Armed Forces. The Eitan AFV is an Israeli 8×8 armored personnel carrier. At eight meters long and three meters wide, the Eitan weighs in at 30-35 tons and is operated by three crew members – a commander, gunner and driver. It can carry nine fighters in an air-conditioned environment. Its body and suspension system have been improved to maximize crew protection and survivability. Improvements were also made to the steering, electric and control systems. The IFLD uses independent optical sensors, tracking radar, launchers, and countermeasure munitions to defeat threats at a safe distance from the defended combat vehicles. The system provides 360-degree protection coverage for close-range scenarios in both open terrain and urban environments. According to the company, the lightweight system offers versatile high-performance, negligible residual penetration, and ease of integration.
Europe
The UK Ministry of Defense started the process to select a Systems Integrator for Project Morpheus, its $3.8 billion program to deliver the major part of the UK’s Land Equipment Tactical Communication and Information Systems program. In early August 2019, the MoD released an invitation to tender, seeking expressions of interest from contractors via a dynamic pre-qualification questionnaire. Morpheus will give access to fully integrated operational information technology that simplifies the user experience, allowing units to focus on the mission. Morpheus is the first installation of Defense as a Platform in the tactical environment. In Spring 2017, Morpheus entered the second Assessment Phase, termed Evolve to Open.
Asia-Pacific
Jane’s reports that Taiwan is preparing its CM-34 IFV for delivery. Officials told the news platform that the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense’s Materiel Production Center is set to deliver the first tranche of 32 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) variants of the 8×8 Yunpao armored vehicle family to the Republic of China Army at the end of 2019. The CM-34 is based on the 6×6 CM-31 designed by Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland and is derived from the common 6.35 meter long, 2.7 meter wide, and 2.2 meter high welded steel hull also used by the in-service, the CM-32 and CM-33 Cloud Leopard armored personnel carriers. The CM-34 has a combat weight of 24 tonnes as opposed to the 22 tonnes of the earlier variants.
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Lockheed Martin won a $13.4 million contract modification to provide US Trident II Strategic Weapon System efforts for the navigation subsystem. The Trident II D5 is a three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile that can carry multiple independently targeted re-entry bodies for a maximum range of over 7,360km. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the Navy’s Trident missile prime contractor, developed and produced the missile and support equipment. The company also supplies technical and logistical support at sites where the missiles are deployed. The Trident II D5 LE Program is intended to extend the service life of the weapon system until 2042, to match the hull life of the Ohio Class submarine. Earlier this month Lockheed won an $11.5 million modification for Strategic Weapon System efforts for the navigation subsystem. Work will again take place in Mitchel Field, New York. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2022.
The Naval Air Systems Command tapped Lockheed with a $32.1 million modification for modification and retrofit of delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters for the Air Force. The deal procures modification kits and special tooling. The contract will cater to the US Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. The F-35 Lightning is a supersonic, multi-role fighter jet that represents a quantum leap in air-dominance capability, offering enhanced lethality and survivability in hostile, anti-access airspace environments. Currently, it is being used by the defense forces of the United States and 11 other nations. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin’s largest program that generates more than 25% of its total sales. Lockheed will perform work in Fort Worth, Texas and estimated completion date is in June 2025.
Middle East & Africa
Jane’s reports that Iran withdrew the S-300 long-range air-defense system. Satellite images show that that system, which was deployed to Asaluyeh in May, has been withdrawn. The S-300s are Russian missile systems. Originally purchased in 2007, Iran’s S-300 order was blocked until April 2015 when the Kremlin lifted its self-imposed ban on the sale due to the international lifting of some sanctions against Iran. The country purchased and received an unknown number of S-300s in 2016, it was fully tested and implemented in 2017. Iran deployed a full S-300PMU-2 battery to an airfield in Asaluyeh from its base near Bushehr, enabling it to cover the central Gulf. The withdrawal could be seen as a sign that Tehran no longer sees an imminent escalation of tensions in the Gulf.
Europe
The crew of the HMS Lancaster moved back on board the ship after a two year overhaul in Devonport, the UK Defense Journal reports. The sip also known as the „Red Rose“ has undergone extensive upgrades mirroring the major changes across the frigate flotilla, such as the new Artisan 3D radar, improved navigational radar and new-generation Sea Ceptor missile system as the ship’s shield against air attack. The Sea Ceptor is a sea-based supersonic missile defense system developed for the British Royal Navy. The system will initially be mounted on Type 23 frigates.The Lancaster will now sail back into her homeport of Portsmouth during December. She will then enter the trials phase. Queen Elizabeth launched the Duke Class Type 23 frigate ship in May 1990.
Asia-Pacific
India gives up its plan to upgrade Jaguar’s engines. The country has decided that upgrading the Jaguar’s engines with Honeywell’s F-125IN is an expensive option and therefore will shelve the idea. Instead, the service could turn to buying more Su-30MKIs. The Print reports that the Rolls-Royce Adour 811 engines of the 1980s vintage twin-engine aircraft have seen 15-30 per cent reduction in thrust. This means the Jaguar cannot carry its full load. “The price quoted by Honeywell and the HAL for ‘re-engining’ is just too high. For the price of two such upgrades, we can get one basic Rafale,” a source said and added: “One plan is to order more Su-30 MKIs to replace those fighters that would be grounded. As far as role is concerned, one Sukhoi can play the same role as two Jaguars“.
The Japanese government is launching satellite to intercept foreign countries’ military satellites in the event of an emergency, the Japan News reports. The plan is part of efforts to strengthen deterrence amid a rapidly increasing military threat in outer space, as seen in the development by China and Russia of satellites that can attack others. The decision is to be made by the end of the fiscal year so it can be launched mid-2020. The government is considering introducing a type of satellite that can disable the operations of other countries’ military satellites.
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Raytheon won a $199.6 million firm-fixed contract for MK 15 Close-In Weapon System or CIWS upgrades and conversions, system overhauls, and associated hardware. CIWS is a fast-reaction terminal defense against low- and high-flying, high-speed maneuvering anti-ship missile threats. At sea, Phalanx is designed to defeat anti-ship missiles and “close-in” threats that have pierced other lines of defense. On land, as part of the US Army’s counter-rocket, artillery and mortar systems, it detects and destroys incoming rounds. It also helps provide early warning of attacks. The Phalanx weapon system is installed on all US Navy surface combatant ship classes and on those of 24 allied nations. The land-based version is forward deployed and has been used in combat. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $367,195,456.
The US Air Force awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $47.9 million contract for 469 Maverick units. According to the company, the Maverick is a precision-attack missile for the air, naval and marine forces of 30 countries. Maverick is certified for use on more than 25 aircraft, including helicopters, fighters, attack and patrol aircraft. More than 69,000 missiles have been produced to date, and more than 6,000 have been used in combat, with 93 percent accuracy. The missile’s guidance software provides attack capability around-the-clock against fixed high-value targets, high-speed moving and maneuvering armored vehicles, ships and fast boats, and targets of opportunity. Targets of opportunity provide all-altitude point-and-shoot flexibility ideally suited for time-critical strike in urban close air support and maritime operations. Raytheon will perform work in Tucson, Arizona. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2021.
Middle East & Africa
Syria claimed it shot down a missile that was fired toward the area of Masyaf in the Hama governorate on Thursday night, Israel Defense reports. The missile was reportedly fired from the direction of northern Lebanon toward the Masyaf area, which has been repeatedly targeted in recent years in attacks attributed to Israel. Israel is thought to have shifted to launching missiles from Lebanon into Syria to avoid Syrian air defenses in recent months. The area around Masyaf, which is thought to be used as a base for Iranian forces and pro-Iranian militias has been repeatedly targeted in recent years in attacks widely attributed to Israel.
Europe
Northrop Grumman won a $7 million follow-on contract for the Royal Netherlands Air Force AN/ALQ-131 (V) electronics countermeasures pod upgrade. Northrop Grumman has fielded more than 1,600 ALQ-131 pods, which used state-of-the-art technology to successfully protect aircrews and aircraft in every conflict since becoming operational in the 1980s, the company states. The AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Countermeasures Pod provides electronic countermeasures protection for USAF, ANG, AFRES, and FMS country aircraft. Northrop will perform work in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. Estimated completion date is February 15, 2022. This program is focused on the redesign of the ALQ-131 Digital Receiver Exciter and ALM-256 Intermediate Level Support Equipment. The contract involves 100% Foreign Military Sales to the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Asia-Pacific
Japan’s Ministry of Defense approved the purchase of 42 F-35B fighters. According to Asahi Shimbun, each aircraft is expected to cost $132 million. Funding will be made available for the purchase of 18 jets. The government indicated late last year that it intended to acquire the short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft, but no formal decision had been made until now. The F-35B aircraft is manufactured by Lockheed Martin. On May 27, US President Donald Trump said at a press conference following talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that Japan plans to buy 105 F-35 fighters. The F-35B is a single-engine fifth-generation fighter aircraft. It is the first aircraft to combine stealth technology with STOVL capabilities and supersonic speeds.
The Australian government handed over a Guardian Class patrol vessel to Samoa. The boat, dubbed the Nafanua II , was handed over to representatives from the Samoan government at Henderson, Western Australia on August 16. The delivery is part of the Pacific Patrol Boat replacement component of the $1.35 billion Pacific Maritime Security Program, which is designed to enhance maritime security cooperation across the South Pacific. Under this program, Australia will deliver 19 Guardian Class patrol boats to 12 Pacific Island countries by the end of 2023. The Police Maritime Wing of the Samoan Police Service will operate the Nafanua II.
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