Raytheon Missile Systems won a $493.4 million contract, which provides for recertification and modernization of Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) Block IV all-up round missiles to include the integration of navigation and communication kits that result in a modernized TACTOM Block V missile. The Tomahawk is a mature missile weapons system. The current version, called the Block IV Tactical Tomahawk, or TACTOM, has a data link that allows it to switch targets while in flight. It can loiter for hours and change course instantly on command. The US Navy wants to recertify and modernize the missile, extending its service life by 15 years, and resulting in the new Tomahawk Block V series. Work ist expected to be complete in September 2023. Also, Raytheon Missile Systems, is awarded a $147,8 million contract for the full rate production and delivery of 90 Lot 16 Block V Tactical Tomahawk (TACTOM) All Up Round (AUR) Vertical Launch System missiles and other hardware and related services for the Navy. Additionally, this contract procures TACTOM Block IV AUR recertification AGR-4 Spares. Estimated completion date will be in August 2022.
Lockheed Martin won a $137 million contract for the US and UK and provides Strategic Weapon System Trident Fleet Support, Trident II Strategic Systems Programs, Shipboard Integration (SSI) Increment 8, SSI Increment 16, Columbia Class and UK Dreadnought Navigation Subsystem development efforts. Trident ist a submarine-launched ballistic missile. It is equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. Work will take place in New York, California, Florida and Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by November 2022.
Middle East & Africa
The Islamic State Central Africa Province claimed responsibility for a raid that overran security forces in Mocímboa da Praia in northern Mozambique, highlighting the growing strength of the Islamist insurgency in the north of the country. Mocímboa da Praia is a coastal town about 60 km south of the ‘Gas City’ that is being established on the Afungi peninsula to exploit the vast natural gas reserves recently discovered in Cabo Delgado, a comparatively poor and predominantly Muslim province. National police chief Bernadino Rafael announced at a press conference that “groups of criminals” had attacked the town and that “the defense and security forces are doing everything in their power to restore peace and order”.
Europe
Raytheon won a $104.7 million contract for radar system spare parts for the P-8 aircraft. The P-8A is a a militarized version of the Boeing 737 commercial aircraft. It has an active multi-static and passive acoustic sensor system, inverse synthetic aperture radar, new electronic support measures system, new electro-optical/infrared sensor and a digital magnetic anomaly detector. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated performance completion date is September 8. 2023. Using customers are Navy, United Kingdom, Norway and South Korea. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2023 Navy working capital funds and Foreign Military Sales funds.
Russian plant Myasishchev has completed the modifications to a An-140-100 for aerial photography work, UAC Russia announced. The aircraft will soon undergo flight testing. The twin-engined aircraft has been adapted with specialized equipment for cartographic work. The modernized aircraft will soon have to undergo checks and begin test flights. A series of comprehensive tests is to be carried out under different conditions on the ground and in the air to confirm the safety and reliability of the structure and the operability of the installed equipment.
Asia-Pacific
Rolls Royce won a $14.3 million order, which provides for organizational level maintenance for AE1107C engines, parts provisioning, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force training as well as a field service representative, sustain engineering, logistics analysis and authorized military overhaul facility support for the government of Japan. The AE 1107C engine is a 7,000shp turboshaft. Work will take place in Indiana and Japan. Work is expected to be complete by June 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : 3Km/Sec BrahMos-II Hypersonic,FOC Tejas Range Extended,IAF A330 MRTT Lease
QTC Medical Service won A $999 million contract to provide commercial health services for the Reserve Health Readiness Program-III. The Reserve Health Readiness Program is a Department of Defense, Defense Health Agency program that helps to supplement the Reserve Components’ readiness mission and satisfy key deployment requirements by providing medical and dental services to all Reserve Component forces. The Defense Health Agency established the program for military reserve components to access periodic health assessment, post-deployment health reassessment and individual medical readiness services. The Army Contracting Command received three bids for the Reserve Health Readiness Program-III support contract via an online solicitation. Work locations as well as funding will be determines with each order. Estimated completion date is March 25, 2025.
Sikorsky Aircraft won a $125.4 million for a firm-fixed-price advanced acquisition contract to procure long lead items for low-rate initial production of the seven Lot 5 CH-53K heavy-lift aircraft. The CH-53K is designed to transport US Marines, heavy equipment and supplies from amphibious assaults to destinations ashore. Work will take place in Stratford, Connecticut. Expected completion will be by August 2021.
Middle East & Africa
Several european countries have announced the temporary withdrawal of their troops from the anti-Islamic State (IS) coalition and NATO Training Mission in Iraq. The withdrawals follow an announcement by Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) on March 20 that it had ceased training Iraqi security forces to reduce the spread of COVID-19 following a decision by the Iraqi military to suspend its own training. The French Armed Forces Ministry announced that it would withdraw about 100 troops involved in the training ‘pillar’ of Operation ‘Chammal’ in Iraq and national support elements from the OIR headquarters in Baghdad the next day until the situation allows the resumption of these activities. However, the ministry said it would continue the fight against Islamic State with personnel in OIR structures in Kuwait and Qatar, the French maritime deployment, and air support from Jordan and Qatar.
Europe
Germany has decided to adopt the American F/A-18F Super Hornet as well as additional fighters of the Eurofighter Typhoon. for their recent program to acquire a strike fighter to replace their fleet of Panavia Tornados. Currently, German plans to procure ninety Eurofighters, and forty-five Super Hornets to replace ninety Tornados. The Super Hornet also has a dedicated electronic warfare variant, the EA-18 Growler, of which fifteen will be procured as part of the contract.
Asia-Pacific
Japan’s defense minister Taro Kono told reporters on March 27 that his ministry will decide on the development of the successor to the F-2 fighter by end of this year. Kono said Tokyo is still undecided between selecting US or UK as joint development partners. He said the new fighter needs to have strong network capabilities and carry more missiles than the F-35.
Australia is still planning to hold exercise Pitch Black at RAAF Darwin in July despite the current COVID-19 travel restrictions, Australian Defence reports. Besides the usual participants from South East Asia, Japan Air Self Defense Force is expected to make its exercise debut by sending its F-2 fighters there. However, the exercise could still be canceled as the Australian Defense Department is reevaluating the status of upcoming events. “In line with the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and Australian Government, Defense is currently reconsidering the status of its upcoming events, including Exercise Pitch Black to ensure the safety of personnel involved“, a spokesperson said.
Today’s Video
Watch: M1150 ‘SHREDDER’ ASSAULT BREACHER VEHICLE IS NOT ONLY WICKED LOOKING BUT A TACTICAL MASTERSTROKE !
Raytheon won a $9.9 million modification for fiscal 2020 production of Aegis modernization (AMOD) requirements. The contract modification covers the production of spy transmitter ordnance alteration kits for the multi-mission signal processor, radio frequency coherent combiner, sidewall capacitor and travelling wave tubes. The AMOD program fields combat system upgrades will enhance the anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense capabilities of Aegis equipped DDG 51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers and CG 47 Ticonderoga-class cruisers. The Aegis Modernization program effectively extends the life of in-service Aegis ships as they age. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by December 2021.
Allison Transmission won a $68.5 million contract for new X1100 Abrams transmissions, transmission upgrades, transmission sustainment kits and service support. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. The X1100 series of transmission systems houses two reverse ranges, four forward ranges and a cross-drive design that consolidates braking and steering features into a compact rugged device. Work locations will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is March 23, 2023.
Middle East & Africa
The first Somali National Army battalion to be trained by the British Army graduated on March 18. “Over 400 SNA soldiers have been trained over 12 months forming the first battalion,” the UK Embassy in Somalia announced the following day. At the graduation ceremony the UK handed over a military barrack that will house up to 450 Somali troops and act as the military headquarters for the 8th Brigade in South West State.”South West State is one of Somalia’s six federal states. The new barrack is located in Baidoa, the capital of Bay region. Training began in January 2019, with the new Baidoa Security Training Centre being completed in the following month.
Europe
According to Jane’s, Saab has shifted the focus of its Gripen E/F testing away from basic flight trials towards the aircraft’s tactical and sensor suites as the program ramps up ahead of the first upcoming deliveries to Sweden and Brazil. Speaking at Saab’s annual Gripen Seminar on March 26, the company’s head of the programme, Eddy de la Motte, said that, with flight-characteristic tests having proceeded to plan, the focus is now on validating the aircraft’s mission systems. The Gripen E/F is fitted with the Selex ES-05 Raven active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar and the Selex ES 60 Skyward G-IRST. The company also announced on March 26, that it has performed the first metal cut for the two-seater fighter aircraft Gripen F, marking an important milestone in the program. Gripen F is under development for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and shares the same advanced design and features as Gripen E, but with seat, displays and controls for a second crew member.
British Army personnel have been delivering vital supplies to the staff of the National Health Service. Fifty British Army personnel have begun delivering supplies to frontline NHS staff battling the coronavirus pandemic. The soldiers are distributing kits known as personal protective equipment (PPE), such as masks, safety glasses, gloves, aprons and protective suits. Recently, the Ministry of Defense confirmed that they plan to put an additional 10,000 military personnel at a higher readiness and place Reserves on standby to support public services as part of a new ‘COVID Support Force’, the Defense Secretary has announced.
Asia-Pacific
Valiant Global Defense Services won a $16.3 million modification for Korea Battle Simulation Center operations and wide area networking support services for US Forces Korea. Valiant Integrated Services provides security services. The 411th Contracting Support Brigade of the US Forces Korea is the contracting activity and the project will be via the FY2020 Army operations and maintenance budget. Work will take place in South Korea. Estimated completion date is March 31, 2025.
Today’s Video
Watch: EYE ON CHINA, U.S MARINES MAY NOT USE M1 ABRAMS TANKS IN FUTURE CONFLICTS !
Lockheed Martin won a $832.8 million contract modification to exercise an option for the production of Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support the US government and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Foreign Military Sales case requirements. The THAAD interceptors and associated one-shot devices will be procured under fixed-price incentive (firm target) contract line items. The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) element provides the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) with a globally transportable, rapidly deployable capability to intercept and destroy ballistic missiles inside or just outside the atmosphere during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. Work will take place in Texas, California, Alabama and Arkansas. Estimated completion date is April 1, 2026.
BAE Systems has received a $339 million order from the Army to deliver 48 M109A7 Self-Propelled Howitzers, the company’s latest deal since the program was approved for full-rate production in February. The M109A7 SPH and M992A3 CAT vehicle set is a vital program enhancement for increased combat capability and sustainment of the Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs). The program offers enhanced indirect-fire artillery capabilities to the ABCTs with new technologies for power generation and survivability.
Middle East & Africa
The UK Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic display team has cancelled its annual oversea training deployment due to the coronavirus, and will review its air display commitments for the 2020 season. The decision was announced by the RAF on March 24. It will see the BAE Systems Hawk T1-based display team remain at their homebase of RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire when they would normally decamp to Greece over the coming weeks to take advantage of the good weather conditions. “Given the current restrictions in the UK and many European partner nations to contain the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, the decision has been taken not to send the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, overseas for work-up training this year,” the RAF said in a statement.
Europe
The Spanish Ministry of Defense has utilized an Airbus-owned and operated A400M transport aircraft to deliver face masks to help combat the coronavirus. The airlift, which took place the day prior to Airbus’ announcement on 24 March, saw aircraft MSN56 fly “thousands” of masks from the company’s Toulouse headquarters in southern France to Getafe Air Base near Madrid, in Spain. As noted by Airbus, the masks which were part of a consignment of two million delivered to Europe from China, are destined for use in the Spanish health system. “This air-bridge will enable the delivery of a significant supply of masks to the Spanish public health network in support of current Covid-19 crisis efforts. This comes on top of donations by Airbus in recent days to provide thousands of masks to hospitals and public services around Europe. The company will continue to provide support with additional flights planned to take place in the coming days in co-ordination with national authorities,” the company said in a statement.
Asia-Pacific
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has confirmed that the company is negotiating with Hillwood Aviation for the purchase of four to eight T-50A advanced jet trainers. The US Air Force’s Air Combat Command plans to lease those jets from Hillwood Aviation to train its fighter pilots at their future operational bases. According to a notice posted online by the US General Services Administration in January, the US Air Combat Command plans to contract Hillwood Aviation to provide four to eight of KAI’s T-50A Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer aircraft to help its aviators develop relevant tactical skills before they begin their formal training with the Boeing T-7A Red Hawk.
India is now leasing aerial refueling tankers instead of buying them, Hindustan Times reported. High costs had derailed two previous attempts to acquire new tankers to supplement the Il-78 fleet. Two anonymous sources said leasing the tankers will be more financially viable. India is still exploring whether to wet or dry lease the aircraft. The doors to leasing military hardware were opened for the first time last week with the government unveiling a draft policy on arms acquisition that allows the armed forces to go in for leased capability to cut down on costs associated with purchasing weapons and systems.
Today’s Video
Watch: COUNTER COMMUNICATION SYSTEM OF U.S SPACE FORCE IS OPERATIONAL !
The FlightSafety Services on a $25 million contract for a multi-country KC-46 aircrew and maintenance simulator training. The contractor will provide KC-46 aircrew and maintenance training to support the U.S. government and Air Force Security Assistance Training international partners’ mission objectives. The KC-46 is built as an empty 767 airframe in Everett, Wash., then transferred to the south end of Paine Field, called the Military Delivery Center. The jet’s military systems, including the refueling and communications equipment, are installed there. The KC-46 Pegasus is a wide body, multi-role tanker that is capable of carrying a fuel capacity of 212,000 pounds. Work will take place at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Estimated completion will be in September 2026.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $29.7 million modification for program management office and engineering services in support of the Surface Ship Undersea Warfare System model AN/SQQ-89(V). The AN/SQQ-89 Undersea Warfare Combat System is a naval anti-submarine warfare system for surface warships developed. The system presents an integrated picture of the tactical situation by receiving, combining and processing active and passive sensor data from the hull-mounted array, towed array and sonobuoys. Work will take place in Virginia, New York and Pennsylvania. Expected completion will be by March 2021.
Middle East & Africa
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) revealed the installation of new avionics in an Alpha Jet it has reactivated when the aircraft was recommissioned by the 407 Air Combat Training Group at Kainji Air Base on March 21. According to Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, the avionics upgrade is the first of its kind on the Alpha Jet. It has also significantly improved the aircraft navigation and communications systems, thus increasing safety, reliability, and overall efficiency.
Europe
All over Europe, armies are mobilizing against the outbreak of the coronavirus. UK military chiefs have been ordered to make preparations to call thousands of ex-service personnel back into the Armed Forces to fill gaps in their 20,000-strong force dedicated to support civilian agencies during the Covid-19 crisis if its members start falling sick. According to the Financial Times, the Armed Forces have placed up to 20,000 troops on standby as part of a “covid support force” which could set up makeshift hospitals in vacant hotels and help police officers. A group of 150 military personnel are due to start training next week in how to drive oxygen tankers in order to support the National Health Service’s treatment of coronavirus patients requiring ventilation and critical care.
The British Army announced they have suspended face-to-face recruiting and basic training operations. The Army says training will continue vie online learning tools after face-to-face interaction was postponed indefinitely. An army spokesman said the “virtual platoons” will use the existing Defense Learning Environment, an online portal to which all soldiers have access. No recruits will be ordered to go home. If personnel are worried about spreading or catching the virus, or of placing family members at risk, they will be able to continue living in training barracks, the spokesman said.
Asia-Pacific
North Korea appears to have once again test-fired the same type of short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), similar in appearance to some of the missiles used by the US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), it had launched on August 10 and 16 2019. Although no further details were provided about the road-mobile system, images released by the media outlet showed that two missiles were fired from a tracked transporter-erector-launcher. The move, which marked North Korea’s third firing of SRBMs this year, is a further indication that Pyongyang continues to modernize its tactical missile systems. The country had tested its super-large multiple rocket launcher from its eastern regions on and March 2 and 9, after having tested the SRBM system four times in 2019.
Today’s Video
Watch: Japan commissions first Maya-class guided-missile destroyer!
BAE Systems won an $8.6 million contract modification, which provides for the procurement of 20 E-2 parachute survival ensemble units and 130 FLU-10 inflators for the Navy, in addition to 60 E-2 parachute survival ensemble units and 70 FLU-10 inflators for the government of Japan. The E-2 Hawkeye is the Navy’s all-weather, carrier-based tactical battle management airborne early warning, command and control aircraft. The E-2 is a twin engine, five crewmember, high-wing turboprop aircraft with a 24-foot diameter radar rotodome attached to the upper fuselage. Work will take place in Phoenix, Arizona and Orchard Park, New York. Estimated completion will be in November 2023.
Oshkosh Defense LLC won a $17.4 million contract modification to exercise an option covering priced man-hours, labor, material and fees on material for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) system technical support JLTV retrofit efforts. Estimated completion date is December 30, 2020. The company also won a $16.8 million modification to exercise options for packaged kits for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle family of vehicles with an expected completion date of November 30, 2023. Oshkosh Defense is a global leader in the design, production and sustainment of best-in-class military vehicles and mobility systems. The company developed its JLTV for the US Army and Marine Corps, to replace the aging fleet of High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV/Humvee). Work will take place in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Middle East & Africa
Russia and Turkey are negotiating the possible delivery of an additional batch of S-400 Triumf air-defense systems to Ankara, the director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSVTS), Dmitry Shugayev, said on March 16. He reported that the negotiations are at an advanced stage and technical issues have been agreed. “We are planning to sign the second contract for the S-400s in the foreseeable future. This deal suggests some involvement of the Turkish side in the production of hardware,” said Shugayev, describing the co-operation with Turkey as “mutually beneficial”. Turkey has received a first S-400 regiment and its crews are being trained.
Europe
Leading aerospace companies have responded to the UK government’s call to develop and build ventilators to help cope with the worsening coronavirus pandemic. Airbus and GKN are set to join other aerospace and automotive companies to develop and build a ventilator prototype in the coming days, ahead of large-scale production within a month. Other aerospace companies named at this stage comprise Meggitt, Thales, and Renishaw, while McLaren and Nissan are to lead two separate consortia from the automotive sector. According to the Financial Times (FT) which first reported the development, the three consortia aim to manufacture 5,000 ventilators urgently, with a further 30,000 to follow in time. The Birmingham-based research centre High Value Manufacturing Catapult is to lead the overall effort, which is being backed by the UK government’s business ministry.
Both the Farnborough International Airshow (FIA) and the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) scheduled for later this year were cancelled within minutes of each other on March 20. The organizers of FIA said that the 2020 running of the biennial event, which was due to take place from July 20 to 24, will not now happen as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. At about the same time, the organizers of RIAT, which was due to take place from July 17 to 19, said the same thing. The FIA and RIAT events are arguably the two most important gatherings in the UK aviation calendar and the loss of both will come as a huge setback to the industry.
Asia-Pacific
India has won a $40 million defense deal to supply military radars to Armenia. Under the deal, India will supply four indigenously-built weapons-locating radars to Armenia. Russian and Polish firms were also in the race for the deal. The supply of the equipment to Armenia has already begun under the ‘Make in India’ initiative and this is being considered as a big achievement. Reports also stated that Armenia had conducted various trials of the systems offered by Russia and Poland. Even though the Russian and Polish systems were good, they decided to ahead with the reliability of the Indian system.
Today’s Video
Watch: U.S SUCCESSFULLY TESTS COMMON-HYPERSONIC GLIDE BODY HYPERSONIC WEAPON !
Lockheed Martin Space won a $601.3 million modification for the submarine-launched ballistic missile (model) Trident II D5 production and deployed systems support. The Trident D5 or UGM-133A Trident II is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the American and British navies. It was first deployed in March 1990. A total of 14 US Navy submarines are armed with Trident II ballistic missiles, each carrying 24 missiles. The Trident missile has a range from 6,400 to 11,250 km. The dimensions of the Trident II missile are 1,360 cm long with a diameter of 210 cm, and the weight is 59,000 kg. The Trident II missile is deployed aboard Ohio-class submarines, each capable of carrying 24 missiles. Under the provisions of the Polaris Sales Agreement, it is also carried aboard the United Kingdom’s Vanguard-class submarines. Work will take place in Utah, California, Colorado, Florida and Virginia. Estimated completion will be in September 2024.
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $98.7 million contract for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Component Based Total Ship System – 21st Century -(LCS COMBATSS-21); and associated combat system elements. The work includes development, integration, test and delivery of future combat system baseline upgrades for in-service ships, supporting ship integration, installation and checkout, developmental test/operational test, developing training and logistics products, providing field technical support for combat systems, providing hardware engineering, equipment procurement and providing life-cycle supportability engineering and fleet support for fielded baselines. The LCS class consists of two variants, the Freedom variant and the Independence variant, designed and built by two industry teams. The Freedom variant team is led by Lockheed Martin (for the odd-numbered hulls, e.g. LCS 1). It is a steel monohull design constructed by Lockheed Martin in the Fincantieri Marinette Marine Corporation’s shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. Work will take place in Virginia and Florida as well as various other locations.
Middle East & Africa
Environmental Chemical Corp. won a $9.8 million task order modification under the global contingency construction, multiple award contract for the exercise of Option One, which provides for the design, fabrication, transportation and installation of a waterside obstacle system at Mina Salman, Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain. Environmental Chemical Corporation is a chemical solution manufacturer. The Company supplies industrial chemical products such as metal cleaners, drain cleaners, and polishes to commercial organization. Work will take place at Mina Salman, NSA Bahrain and estimated completion will be by August 2020.
Europe
France is taking measures to assure people are staying inside during the coronavirus-crisis. The european country is calling up helicopters and drones to boost the government’s attempts to keep people in their homes, police officials said Saturday. One helicopter was already in use on Saturday, hovering above major Paris parks to ensure that confinement rules were respected. Meanwhile the French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly announced on March 18 that the army, armed forces medical services, and air force would help fight the Covid-19 pandemic. The Army’s medical regiment is preparing a military mobile intensive care unit that will be deployed in the following days in Mulhouse next to the town’s hospital. Eastern France is one of the areas of the country that has been most impacted by the virus.
Asia-Pacific
The Hindu is reporting that four P-8I that India is buying will be delivered starting from May. The Indian Navy had exercise its option for the four aircraft as part of its purchase for 8 P-8Is. Delivery of the new aircraft is expected to be completed by 2022. These systems are available to India following the conclusion of the foundational agreement Communications Compatibility and Security Agreement (COMCASA) with the US. In November 2019, the Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the procurement of six additional P-8I aircraft. These aircraft, for which the deal is being processed, would come fitted with the encrypted systems as and when they are delivered.
India is fast-tracking negotiations to acquire 10 Russian-made Kamov Ka-31 ‘Helix’ airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) helicopters in time for the expected commissioning in 2021 of Vikrant, the Indian Navy’s indigenously designed aircraft carrier. The Indian Navy wants to finalize the Ka-31 import, which was approved by the Ministry of Defense in May 2019 for an estimated $478.8 million, given that up to four of the AEW&C platforms are expected to be embarked on the 37,750-tonne carrier.
Today’s Video
Watch: MEET THE BERRET MULTI-ROLE ADAPTIVE DESIGN SNIPER RIFLE OF U.S MILITARY !
Colonna Shipyards won an $8.9 million deal for an 80-day shipyard availability for the emergency dry-docking of Navy Ship Spearhead (T-EPF 1). The Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport shipbuilding program to provide “a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intratheater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a shallow draft, all aluminum, commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift, providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances. Work will take place in Norfolk, Virginia and is expected to be finished 2020.
DoD is slated to receive $8.3 billion to fight COVID-19 in a new White House request, Breaking Defense reports. Not one of the Navy’s 82 ships currently underway has received coronavirus test kits for their crews. “There are currently no FDA approved testing platforms that are suitable for placement on forward operating Naval Ships,” a Navy official told Breaking Defense. The Navy official also said the fleet has three ships “with preventative medicine teams aboard with portable testing machines. These machines are currently only approved to do surveillance testing for COVID-19.” That testing can detect signs of different illnesses, but cannot identify COVID-19. Currently, only one aircraft carrier, an amphibious ship, and the USS Blue Ridge command ship have the surveillance test machines. Meanwhile the New York Times reports that the virus is spreading across the Navy with military medical investigators probing what officials say is the second confirmed coronavirus test tied to the crew of the amphibious warship Boxer.The coronavirus pandemic has caused over 8,000 deaths worldwide.
Middle East & Africa
Construction Helicopters won a $34 million task order modification, which provides continued support of North Atlantic Treaty Organization Air Command-Afghanistan/Combined Security Transition Command. The services provide dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force. The services provide dedicated rotary wing air transportation to move passengers, cargo and human remains as well as perform casualty evacuation in support of the Afghan Air Force. Work will take place in Afghanistan. Option period of performance is from March 19, 2020 to March 18, 2021.
Navistar Defense won an $11.4 million Foreign Military Sale to Iraq. The deal provides for 6×6 and 4×4 general transport trucks, recovery vehicles, and spare parts. Work will take place in Springfield, Ohio, and Ooltewah, Tennessee. Estimated complete date is February 28, 2021. The US Army Contacting Command is the contracting activity.
Europe
According to Jane’s, the Eurofighter consortium has a strategy in place to ensure that work across its four national production lines continues amidst the worsening coronavirus crisis. The deliveries to the four partner nations of Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK are all recently completed. The pan-European consortium has now introduced plans to protect the delivery of its outstanding orders for Kuwait and Qatar. The program-of-record (PoR) for the Eurofighter partner nations of 160 aircraft for the UK, 143 for Germany, 96 for Italy, and 73 for Spain was concluded in January. The export orders of 15 aircraft for Austria, 12 for Oman, and 72 for Saudi Arabia, had already been delivered, leaving an outstanding backlog of 28 aircraft for Kuwait and 24 for Qatar. To satisfy these Kuwaiti and Qatari orders, all four national production lines will manufacture parts, with final assembly to take place at Caselle and Warton respectively. The delivery of these two orders, expected from late 2020 to 2023 for Kuwait and from 2022 to an unspecified date in the mid-2020s for Qatar, will conclude the 623-aircraft PoR for the partner nations and export customers.
Asia-Pacific
Recent reports might be hinting that the company’s JL-9 advanced jet trainer will soon be converted for carrier-borne operations. The company said it will secure naval Mountain Eagle (JL-9) development and production victory. Of note, the JL-9 is in service with the People’s Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) as a land-based trainer. Having been already delivered to the Chinese Navy, the naval version of the JL-9 is now training aircraft carrier jet pilots on land-based airfields, but China still does not have an aircraft carrier-based trainer aircraft that can take off and land on an actual carrier.
Today’s Video
Watch: Indian Defence Updates : S-80 Plus Submarine Offer P75I,K-30 Deal Approval,NATGRID Delay,BRO Trial
Latest updates[?]: Colonna Shipyards won an $8.9 million deal for an 80-day shipyard availability for the emergency dry-docking of Navy Ship Spearhead (T-EPF 1). The Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport shipbuilding program to provide "a platform intended to support users in the Department of the Navy and Department of the Army. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program is a cooperative effort for a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intratheater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a shallow draft, all aluminum, commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift, providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances. Work will take place in Norfolk, Virginia and is expected to be finished 2020.
Austal MRV/JHSV concept
When moving whole units, shipping is always the cheaper, higher-capacity option. Slow speed and port access are the big issues, but what if ship transit times could be cut sharply, and full-service ports weren’t necessary? After Australia led the way by using what amounted to fast car ferries for military operations, the US Army and Navy decided to give it a go. Both services leased Incat TSV/HSV wave-piercing catamaran ship designs, while the Marines’ charged ahead with very successful use of Austal’s Westpac Express high-speed catamaran. These Australian-designed ships all give commanders the ability to roll on a company with full gear and equipment (or roll on a full infantry battalion if used only as a troop transport), haul it intra-theater distances at 38 knots, then move their shallow draft safely into austere ports to roll them off.
Their successful use, and continued success on operations, attracted favorable comment and notice from all services. So favorable that the experiments have led to a $3+ billion program called the Joint High Speed Vessel. These designs may even have uses beyond simple ferrying and transport.
The Haskell Co. won a $9.5 million contract for the construction of the P680 CH-53K cargo loading tower at the Marine Corps Air Station in New River, North Carolina. Work will provide a high-bay facility that will house an operations trainer to support CH-53K helicopter pilot and crew chief training program. Construction includes a deep pile foundation, grade beams and reinforced concrete slabs to provide the building’s base while reinforced concrete masonry unit exterior walls and a standing seam metal roof provide the building enclosure. This facility will provide a covered, all-weather training environment for the ground operations aircrew trainer, a fuselage trainer device, pallet storage, retrieval and build-out packages associated with troop deployment and mobility. The facility includes high-bay roll-up doors and concrete drive aprons to accommodate moving the aircraft frame in and out of the building. Work will take place in New River, North Carolina. Estimated completion date is April 2022.
BAE Systems has been awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin to design and manufacture next-generation infrared seekers for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system, the company announced on March 17. Part of the design work will be conducted in Huntsville, Alabama. The THAAD weapon system intercepts hostile ballistic missiles with kinetic force during their final, or terminal, phase of flight. BAE Systems’ seeker provides infrared imagery that guides interceptors to their intended targets, destroying enemy warheads inside or outside the Earth’s atmosphere. The company has been developing and producing missile defense seeker technology for more than four decades, and has delivered more than 500 THAAD seekers to date.
Middle East & Africa
Israel’s defense companies are preparing to prevent damage to production of weaponry, which is mostly for the IDF, Israel Defense reports. The spread of the coronavirus forces many countries all over the world to take strict measures. The defense sector in Israel is also adopting to tackle the threat from COVID-19. Employees of defense firms were instructed to avoid crowded places such as restaurants, pubs, Purim parties and so on, out of an understanding that a critical facility could be shut down if even one employee is infected. Ministry of Health directives stipulate limiting large conferences of 5,000 people or more, and companies are understandably not taking risks. Under a Defense Ministry directive, every defense company must have a wartime emergency plan. This plan defines procedures for operational continuity but it is not suitable for pandemics, and as a result it is being expanded to address the Coronavirus outbreak. Every major company has overlapping production lines in Israel and abroad for some of its products. In this manner, it is possible to transfer mass production if a few locations cease to function. However, there is no such solution for the extreme case of a national pandemic. If the government does not perform geographical segmentation in time and does not inspect the areas where the factories are located, it is possible that the Israeli defense sector will be on the verge of shutdown, Israel Defense reports.
Europe
Germany will end its Tornado reconnaissance flights against the so-called Islamic State (IS) on March 31, the Ministry of Defense announced on March 11 after the federal government extended the mandate of other German forces in Iraq. Four Luftwaffe Tornado reconnaissance aircraft have been operating from Al-Azraq in Jordan in support of the coalition since July 2017 after previously having conducted the mission from Incirlik, Turkey. The German MoD said the reconnaissance mission would be taken over by Italy, which deployed Eurofighters to Al Mubarak in Kuwait early last year, taking over the reconnaissance mission from AMX aircraft in March 2019. The Eurofighters are fitted with the Reccelite II reconnaissance pod, complementing the Italian Predator unmanned aerial vehicles also deployed to Al Mubarak. The Luftwaffe will continue to provide aerial refueling to the anti-IS coalition. This mission has been conducted from Al-Azraq since July 2017 by a Luftwaffe Airbus A310 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), which was joined by an A400M air-to-air refueling version in July 2019.
As part of its 2019 defense procurement program, the Swiss Army recently placed an order with Rheinmetall for the VarioRay LLM laser light module. A contract to this effect was signed in December 2019 with Switzerland’s Federal Office for Defence Procurement (Armasuisse). Delivery of 9,640 devices is set to commence in May 2020 and be complete by the end of 2022. The order is worth a figure in the lower two-digit euro million range. The Swiss Army calls the laser light LLM 19 and it will be used on the Swiss soldiers’ assault rifles, as part of Germany’s Future Soldier System-Extended System (IdZ-ES) when used by the German Army. In fact, the British Army also employs the system, under the name Laser LightModule MK3.
Asia-Pacific
Earlier this month, Japan’s defense chief paid a visit to Vietnam. While the interaction was just one of several scheduled engagements between the two sides, it nonetheless spotlighted some of the ongoing activity in the naval aspect of their defense relationship. Vietnam and Japan have agreed to expand collaboration in naval shipbuilding projects, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense (MND) has said. The MND said Vietnam and Japan have agreed to “implement a co-operation project in the field of shipbuilding [and] technology transfers in military shipbuilding”. It added that the new agreement also facilitates Japanese support to Vietnam in “defense industrial technical training” as well as sharing defense industry “expertise and experiences”.
Today’s Video
Watch: AC-130W STINGER II GUNSHIP, P-8A POSEIDON & CYCLONE PATROL BOATS TAKE ON SMALL BOATS IN EXERCISE !
