Boeing Tapped For T45 SLEP Support | US Ordered Troops Out Of Somalia | Ukraine Ordered 3 An-178s

Americas

Southeastern Computer Consultants won a $43 million task order, which shall provide Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) products and services in support of Training Support Activity responsibilities at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. This is a single award, five-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee term level of effort task order that consists of one base year with four option years, which, if all line item quantities are ordered, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,989,767. The Tomahawk missile is a long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the US Navy and the Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-attack operations. Work will take place in Virginia, California, Florida, Washington, Georgia, Hawaii, Japan and The UK: Expected completion date is in December 2021.

Boeing won a $20.7 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 48 retrofit kits, support equipment and special tooling in support of phase two of the T-45 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for SLEP production Lots Three and Four. In addition, this order provides retrofit engineering and logistics from the original equipment manufacturer to support the installation of associated technical directives. The T-45A/C Goshawk is the US Navy’s two-seat advanced jet trainer. It entered service with the US Navy in January 1992. Work will take place in St. Louis, Missouri and estimated completion will be in May 2024.

Middle East & Africa

The Trump administration on Friday ordered most US troops out of Somalia, a move a Defense Department watchdog warned last month could damage gains the country has made against al-Shabab. The Pentagon said “the majority of personnel and assets” in Somalia will be removed from the East African country by “early 2021.” A news release from the department declined to offer a specific timeline on the moves. “As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa,” the release said. “However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both US and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.”

Europe

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for three An-178 cargo planes with Antonov. This was revealed by Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky. The An-178 is based on the An-158 regional jetliner but with an enlarged diameter to hold more cargo. The Defense Ministry of Ukraine and the state-owned Antonov Design Bureau are set to sign a contract for the construction of three new An-178 transport aircraft. AN-178 is a short-range medium-airlift military transport aircraft designed by the Ukrainian Antonov company and based on the Antonov An-158 (An-148-200) regional jet.

Airbus Helicopters announced that it successfully performed autonomous take-off and landing (ATOL) from a moving deck using its Vertivision Surveillance Rotorcraft 700 (VSR700) optionally piloted vehicle (OPV). The milestone was achieved using the Deck Finder local positioning sensor system and the DeckMotion Simulator supplied by Airbus Defense and Space. The VSR700 OPV is being developed as a multimission naval UAS under a joint venture between Airbus Helicopters and Hélicoptères Guimbal in response to the French Navy’s Système de Drones Aériens de la Marine (SDAM) requirement announced in 2016. The effort also involves French naval shipbuilder DCNS, which is responsible for integration of the VSR700 into ship-based operations.

Asia-Pacific

According to Jane’s, officials from Indonesia’s defense ministry are in discussions with a consortium led by French shipbuilder Naval Group for a possible order of the Riachuelo (Modified Scorpene)-class submarine. The discussion is the latest development in what has been a series of sporadic talks between Indonesian defense planners and Naval Group since 2016, when Jakarta first indicated its interest in the Scorpene 1000 vessel type for its naval requirements. Due diligence specifically for the Riachuelo class began after a variant of the submarine type was suggested by Naval Group as being suitable for Indonesia’s requirements, said one of the industry sources.

Today’s Video

Watch: Launch of “Riachuelo”, Brazil’s first Scorpene-class attack submarine

Tomahawk’s Chops: xGM-109 Block IV Cruise Missiles

Block IV Tomahawk is the current generation of the Tomahawk family of cruise missiles. The BGM-109 Tomahawk family began life in the 1980s as sub-sonic, low-flying nuclear strike weapons, before being developed into long-range RGM/UGM-109 conventional attack missiles. They’re most frequently launched from submarines and surface ships, and have been the US Navy’s preferred option for initial air strikes in Iraq, Libya, et. al. Britain has also bought Tomahawk missiles, and launches them exclusively from submarines.

Block IV is the latest variant. It adds innovative technologies that improve combat flexibility, while dramatically reducing the costs to buy, operate, and support these missiles. That’s why the Block IV program, under US Navy PMA-280, has been one of the USA’s defense acquisition success stories over the last decade.