NG Tapped For B-52 Engine Nose Cowls Repairs | Saab Contracted For Torpedo 62 Life Extension | Indonesian Frosch I Sinks

Americas

Northrop Grumman won a $35.9 million deal for repair of 174 B-52 Engine Nose Cowls for the B-52 Stratofortress Bomber jet. The B-52H is the US Air Force’s (USAF) long-range, large-payload multirole bomber and is known as the Stratofortress or the Buff (big ugly fat fellow). It is the USAF’s principal strategic nuclear and conventional weapons platform that supports the US Navy in anti-surface and submarine warfare missions. Work will take place in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Expected completion date will be in July 2021.

Testing of the AN/APQ­-187 Silent Knight terrain-following/terrain-avoidance K-band radar on the US Air Force’s CV-22B has started last month. The flight took place on June 23 at Eglin Air Force Base. Testing is being performed by 413th Flight Test Squadron. The new radar allows special forces to fly their aircraft at 100ft above ground level in straight and turning flight at speed up to 300kts. It is designed to replace the AN/APQ-174, AN/APQ-186 and AN/APQ-170.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won a $12.2 million delivery order for the procurement of multiple flight control surfaces in support of the Boeing F/A-18 E-G Super Hornet aircraft. Kuwait funds in the amount of $5,978,490 will be obligated at the time of the award, and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Kuwait funds will be used under the Foreign Military Sales program. In 2018 Boeing won a $1.5 billion contract to build 28 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets for the Kuwait Air Force. The deal was a scaled-down version of the initial purchase announced in 2016 which involved 40 aircraft. At the time, the deal was considered significant by industry analysts and US government officials because it would keep Boeing’s Super Hornet production line operational. Work will take place in St. Louis, Missouri. Estimated completion will be by May 2026.

Europe

Saab received the first order from the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) for the life extension of the heavyweight torpedo system, Saab announced. The order value is approximately 485 MSEK and deliveries will take place during 2020-2024. The order is part of a life extension programme for the heavyweight torpedo and mainly comprises a review of the system, modifications and enhancements. The order also includes preparations for upcoming stages of the life extension program. Torpedo 62 is a heavyweight torpedo system for surface and underwater targets. Torpedo 62 is equipped with an advanced propulsion system with high capacity and long endurance, combined with an advanced target seeker, developed for the Swedish Navy’s operational area.

Asia-Pacific

An Indonesian Navy Frosch I (Type 108) Class amphibious landing craft has sunk after experiencing a hull breach. The 98 m vessel, KRI i, began sending out a distress signal around 8.38 am local time on 14 July about 55 n miles northeast off the Kangean Islands in the Java Sea. It sank about 45 minutes after its first distress call. The 1,900-tonne vessel had a crew complement of 55 onboard. 54 personnel were rescued by a container ship, KM Tanto Sejahtera , while a remaining crew member was retrieved from the water by passenger and cargo liner, KM Dobonsolo. All crew members have since been transferred to the Martadinata (SIGMA 10514)-class frigate, KRI Raden Eddy Martadinata , which was dispatched to the area in response to the first distress call from the ill-fated ship.

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has outlined a commitment to locally develop a transmission system for Hyundai Rotem’s K2 Black Panther main battle tank (MBT). The commitment, it said, is linked to wider efforts in South Korea to reduce reliance on foreign components and systems, and especially those that are integrated into “critical” military programmes such as the K2. Such efforts have intensified partly in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which has exposed supply-chain weaknesses in South Korea’s defense industry.

Today’s Video

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US SOCOM’s “Silent Knight”

Your mission is to fly from 20-100 feet off the ground, at flight speeds, regardless of rain, snow, or dark of night. These journeys often take place within countries that either don’t want you there, or prefer not to admit that you ever were there. Hostile fire is a distinct possibility. You are very probably a special operations pilot, and the most important tool in whatever aircraft you’re flying is something called a terrain following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) system that helps keep your plane at the requisite height above ground – without hitting trees, ships, and other obstructions.

As the holiday season approaches, US SOCOM is working on a new present for its future pilots. Raytheon Company Precision Attack and Surveillance Systems in McKinney, TX received a Cost Plus Incentive Fee (CPIF) contract with a potential maximum value of $164.2 million for system design and development of the Silent Knight Radar (SKR) in support of the U.S. Special Operations Command. Up to 6 low-rate initial production units are included as an option, and work will be performed in McKinney, TX from Jan. 1, 2007 through Dec. 30, 2013 (H92222-07-C-0041).