Battelle To Decontaminate Used N95 Respirator Systems | Morocco To Buy 10 AGM-84Ls | Pitch Black 2020 Cancelled

Americas

Raytheon won a $13.7 million modification to exercise options in support of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Design Agent, in-service support and technical engineering support services. The ESSM program is an international effort to design, develop and test missiles to improve ship defense. It forms part of an international defense agreement between the US and nine of its military allies. The Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) (RIM-162) is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile designed and manufactured by Raytheon Missile Systems. The missile is currently in service with the US Navy and some of the 12 NATO Sea Sparrow consortium nations. Work will take place in Arizona, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Australia, West Virginia, Canada, Spain, Turkey and Greece. Expected completion will be by December 2020.

The Pentagon awarded $415 million to Battelle Memorial Institute to decontaminate used N95 respirator systems amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to the DoD, which awarded the contract on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the deal should allow Battelle to decontaminate up to 80,000 used N95 respirators per system per day, allowing masks to be reused up to 20 times. Battelle , which develops products across a range of disciplines including robotics and oil drilling and has already set up decontamination sites in several American cities, announced last week that it would be providing decontamination services to healthcare providers at no charge.

Middle East & Africa

The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Morocco of ten AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Air Launched missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $62 million. The Government of Morocco had requested to buy 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Air Launched missiles. Also included are containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor representatives’ technical assistance, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The AGM-84 Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system produced by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). Its low-level, sea-skimming cruise capability, active radar guidance and warhead design assure high survivability and effectiveness. The missile is capable of being launched from aircraft, surface ships, submarines, and shore batteries.

Boeing announced that it has successfully completed the first flight of the F-15QA fighter during a 90-minute mission from the Lambert International Airport in St. Louis. The company developed the F-15QA for the Qatar Emiri Air Force. “This successful first flight is an important step in providing the QEAF an aircraft with best-in-class range and payload,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. The F-15QA includes fly-by-wire flight controls, a digital cockpit, modernized sensors, radar and a electronic warfare capabilities — and the world’s fastest mission computer.

Europe

Saab announced that it would introduce reduced working hours for 500 employees at the business unit Aerostructures within the business area Industrial Product and Services (IPS). A majority of these employees will work 60 percent of their regular hours. The agreement is valid from April 14. Until now, the impact of COVID-19 on Saab has been low, given the company’s large order backlog and business model with long-term commitments. Saab’s business unit Aerostructures supplies products to the civil aviation industry, which has been affected considerably by the effects of COVID-19. Following the outbreak, the unit has experienced a reduction in demand and supply chain challenges. Meanwhile, the company noted that its large order backlog and business model with long-term commitments has helped to keep the outbreak impact to a minimum on the group.

Asia-Pacific

The Australian Ministry of Defense has confirmed that exercise Pitch Black 2020 has been canceled to “ensure compliance with COVID-19-related Government restrictions.” The exercise was scheduled to take place in Northern Australia from July 24 till August 14. It was previously reported that Defense was reviewing its options for the multi-lateral exercise, which was to have been held in the Northern Territory skies between July 24 and August 14. However, ongoing restrictions in places across Australia in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have influenced the decision to formally cancel the exercise for 2020.

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RIM-162 ESSM Missile: Naval Anti-Air in a Quad Pack

The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM is effectively a new missile with a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. Testing has even shown the ESSM to be effective against fast surface craft, an option that greatly expands the missile’s utility. As a further bonus, the RIM-162 ESSM has the ability to be “quad-packed” in the Mk 41 vertical launching system, allowing 4 missiles to be carried per launch cell instead of loading one larger SM-2 Standard missile or similar equipment.

This is DID’s FOCUS article for the program, containing details about the RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow missile family, and contracts placed under this program since 1999. The Sea Sparrow was widely used aboard NATO warships, so it isn’t surprising that the ESSM is an international program. The NATO Sea Sparrow Consortium includes Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the USA – as well as non-NATO Australia. Foreign Military Sales ESSM customers outside this consortium include Japan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.