General Atomics Tapped For Gray Eagle Repair | UAE Get Second GlobalEye | DoS Approves Potential F-35 And Super Hornet Sales To Switzerland

Americas

General Atomics won a $131.6 million contract modification for Gray Eagle aircraft, satellite communications air data terminals, program management and government-furnished equipment maintenance and repair. MQ-1C Gray Eagle is an extended range / multipurpose (ER/MP) UAS developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the US Army. It performs reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, command and control, communications relay, signals intelligence (SIGINT), electronic warfare (EW), attack, improvised explosive device (IED) and battle damage assessment missions. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2022.

Boeing won a $32.4 million deal for logistics support for H-47 forward and aft blades and associated containers. The CH-47D Chinook helicopter transports troops, artillery, supplies and equipment to the battlefield with other applications ranging from medical evacuation, aircraft recovery, parachute drop, search and rescue to disaster relief, firefighting and heavy construction. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2021.

Middle East & Africa

According to Saab, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has received its second Saab GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft. The delivery of the second of the three Bombardier Global 6000 business jet-based platforms that were contracted to the UAE Air Force and Defence (AF&D) under the Swing Role Surveillance System award in late 2015 came some five months after the first aircraft was handed over in late April. The third and final contracted aircraft is due to arrive in the UAE before the end of 2021, while an anticipated contract for two additional platforms is still waiting to be signed. Saab’s GlobalEye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) platform combines a number of advanced sensors with the company’s new Erieye Extended Range active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar on board a Bombardier Global 6000 ultra-long range business jet.

Europe

The US State Department has preemptively cleared Switzerland to purchase the F-35A joint strike fighter and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, just days after a public vote narrowly ok’d the Swiss government to move forward with a planned procurement of new fighter aircraft. The F-35 deal comes with an estimated price tag of $6.58 billion, while the F/A-18 package with a price tag of $7.452 billion. The potential FMSs are not a sign that Switzerland has decided the Lockheed Martin F-35 or Boeing produced F/A-18 are their fighter of the future.

The State Department approved the potential sale of five Patriot missile systems and related equipment for an estimated cost of $2.2 billion. The deal includes Patriot Configuration-3+ Modernized Fire Units, consisting of: five AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets; five AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Stations; 17 M903 Launching Stations; up to 70 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile Tactical (GEM-T) Missiles; seven Antenna Mast Groups; five Electrical Power Plants (EPP) III; and six Multifunctional Information Distribution System Low Volume Terminal (MIDS-LVT) (11) Block Upgrade Two (BU2).

Asia-Pacific

The US DoS approves a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India for their fleet of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $90 million. India has requested to buy items and services to extend follow-on support for their fleet of C-130J Super Hercules aircraft.  These items include aircraft consumables spares and repair/return parts; ground support and equipment; Cartridge Actuated Devices/Propellant Actuated Devices (CAD/PAD) fire extinguisher cartridges; flare cartridges; BBU-35/B cartridge impulse squibs; one spare AN/ALR-56M Advanced Radar Warning Receiver shipset; spare AN/ALE-47 Counter-Measures Dispenser System shipset; ten Lightweight Night Vision Binocular (F5032); ten AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggle (NVG)(F4949); GPS; Electronic Warfare; instruments and lab equipment support; Joint Mission Planning System; cryptographic device spares and loaders; software and software support; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training and training equipment; U.S. and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support; and other related elements of program support. Prime contractor will be Lockheed Martin.

Today’s Video

Watch: Why the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is Still One Dangerous Fighter

ER/MP Gray Eagle: Enhanced MQ-1C Predators for the Army

Its initial battles were fought within the Pentagon, but the US Army’s high-end UAV has made its transition to the battlefield.

The ER/MP program was part of the US Army’s reinvestment of dollars from the canceled RAH-66 Comanche helicopter program, and directly supports the Army’s Aviation Modernization Plan. The US Air Force saw this Predator derivative as a threat and tried to destroy it, but the program survived the first big “Key West” battle of the 21st century. Now, the MQ-1C “Gray Eagle” is in production as the US Army’s high-end UAV. As CENTCOM’s wars end, however, the Gray Eagle may find that staying in the fleet is as hard as getting there.

This FOCUS article offers a program history, key statistics and budget figures, and ongoing coverage of the program’s contracts and milestones.