Lockheed Martin Tapped For Trident Missile Production | IDF To Adapt Spike Missiles To Urban Warfare | Saab Signs Partnering Agreement With Australia

Americas

Lockheed Martin Space won a $13.9 million contract modification for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. The Trident II D5 is one of the most advanced long-range submarine-launched nuclear missiles in the world. It is the primary US sea-based nuclear ballistic missile, and is deployed aboard US Navy Ohio Class ballistic missile submarines. The US Navy operates 14 of these ballistic missile submarines, each of which can carry as many as 24 Trident II missiles. Although the Trident II is designed to carry as many as 12 multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads, current treaties reduce this number to four or five. Work will take place in Florida, California, and other various locations. Work is expected to be finished by September 30, 2024.

The Trump administration plans to shift $3.8 billion away from the military services’ weapons accounts to pay for wall construction along the nation’s southern border despite the Pentagon’s assertion that it needs to focus on a high-end military competition with China and Russia. In a reprogramming notice signed by acting Pentagon comptroller Elaine McCusker on February 13, the department details plans to move dollars out of an array of weapons coffers – including from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, and America Class Amphibious Assault Ship – over to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Middle East & Africa

According to Israel Defense that the Israeli Defense Forces will adapt the Spike missile to current threats. A senior officer reportedly told the newspaper: “We will develop a version that is more suitable to urban warfare,” The missile system is important to the IDF, and is expected to remain so in the coming years. However, the IDF understands that the threats are changing and now includes greater emphasis on urban warfare in fighting columns of Syrian, Egyptian or Iraqi armor. “The balance between the need for the anti-tank Spike missile and the need for it as a solution for urban warfare has changed. We are working together with Rafael to develop a more suitable and inexpensive version of the missile for this purpose,” the officer said.

Europe

Oshkosh Defense won a $407.3 million modification to procure Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and associated kits. Oshkosh Defense will deliver JLTVs to the US Marines, Lithuania and Slovenia. On November 21, 2019, the Defense Materiel Agency of Lithuania under the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense and the US Department of Defense signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance concerning procurement of 200 units of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle or JLTV. The JLTV was developed by American Company Oshkosh Defense for the US Army and Marine Corps, to replace the aging fleet of High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV/Humvee). The JLTV family now consists of three base vehicle platforms, Utility, Close Combat Weapons Carrier and General Purpose. The Utility base vehicle platform is a two-door configuration, the General Purpose and Close Combat Weapons Carrier base vehicle platforms are a four-door configuration. Work under the modification will take place in Wisconsin. Estimated completion date is January 31, 2022.

Asia-Pacific

Japan is said to be developing an electronic warfare system that will jam the datalink of North Korean ballistic missiles with its ground control stations. The development will start this year and is expected to take five years to complete. The equipment can block North Korean ballistic missiles with radio waves. With this, it will also be possible to deal with missiles immediately after the launch.

Saab has signed an agreement with Australia to provide combat management systems for Navy’s surface ships. According to the agreement, Saab will deliver its Next Generation’ Combat Management System (CMS) to Australia’s new Arafura Class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and the Supply class auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) ships. Saab will also modernize the 9LV CMS currently in use in the Anzac Class frigates and will provide the software for the future tactical interface for the Hobart class air warfare destroyer (AWDs) when their current CMS is modernized.

Today’s Video

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Australia’s Hazard(ous) Frigate Upgrades: Done at Last

The FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Class frigates make for a fascinating defense procurement case study. To this day, the ships are widely touted as a successful example of cost containment and avoidance of requirements creep – both of which have been major weaknesses in US Navy acquisition. On the other hand, compromises made to meet short-term cost targets resulted in short service lives and decisions to retire, sell, or downgrade the ships instead of upgrading them.

Australia’s 6 ships of this class have served alongside the RAN’s more modern ANZAC Class frigates, which are undergoing upgrades of their own to help them handle the reality of modern anti-ship missiles. With the SEA 4000 Hobart Class air warfare frigates still just a gleam in an admiral’s eye, the government looked for a way to upgrade their FFG-7 “Adelaide Class” to keep them in service until 2020 or so. The SEA 1390 project wasn’t what you’d call a success… but Australia accepted their last frigate in 2010, and the 4 remaining ships will serve until 2020.