AI For Puckboard | MDT Armor Won A Deal For David Urban Vehicles | IAF Gets Akash Vehicles

Americas

Huntington Ingalls won a $17.5 million deal to support maintenance and modernization on USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) with special incentives to include ship alterations and propulsion plant maintenance during fiscal 2021 planned incremental availability at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. According to the Navy, it provides a wide range of flexible mission capabilities, to include maritime security operations, expeditionary power projection, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, counter-terrorism, information operations, security cooperation and counter-proliferation. Work will take place in Virginia. Estimated completion will be by October 2022.

This summer, the C-17 scheduling tool, called Puckboard, is getting an AI plugin that will help to optimize crew resources and automate the scheduling process. Develop by a team from the air force, the MIT Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and MIT Lincoln Laboratory, the software can quickly adapt to schedule changes and plan up to six months ahead.

Middle East & Africa

MDT Armor won a $9.9 million contract for procurement of the David Urban Light Armored Combat Vehicle. The David Urban Light Armored Combat Vehicle is based on a LandRover Defender 4×4 wheeled chassis and is built in MDT Armor’s Alabama facility. The vehicle is designed to offer armor protection against the firing of small arms and IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) explosions. The vehicle is in service with the Israeli armed forces (IDF). Work will take place in Alabama. Estimated completion date is October 31, 2022.

Europe

Italian defense company Leonardo has been tasked by Pakistan to convert three Embraer Lineage 1000 business jets into the maritime patrol aircraft dubbed Sea Sultan. Pakistan currently has a Lineage 1000 and will acquire two more jets for the conversion. The program is parallel to the effort by Embraer to create a maritime patrol aircraft for Brazil using the same type of aircraft.

Italy and the United Kingdom signed an agreement to upgrade their Aster surface-to-air missiles. This strategic contract, which follows the Amendment 5 signed by OCCAR-EA in January 2020 on behalf of French armament procurement agency – DGA, will allow the five Services (FR, IT, UK Navy, IT Army and FR Air Force) of the three Programme Participating Nations (IT, UK, FR) to extend the operational availability of their ASTER missiles stockpile.

Asia-Pacific

Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed a contract worth $67 million to provide Akash missiles to the Indian Air Force (IAF). A formal contract was signed by the Indian Ministry of Defense and BDL on July 8. Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by BDL.

Today’s Video

Watch: The 10 Best Infantry Fighting Vehicles Today (Top 10 IFVs In The World)

India’s Akash Surface-to-Air Test a Success

India’s new surface-to-air missile, the Akash, successfully struck an airborne target towed from a remote control aircraft in late November. The weapon is designed to hit aircraft up to 25 km away with a 55 kg warhead. Reuters: India Test-Fires Akash Missile

Update

July 12/21: IAF Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) signed a contract worth $67 million to provide Akash missiles to the Indian Air Force (IAF). A formal contract was signed by the Indian Ministry of Defense and BDL on July 8. Akash is a medium-range mobile surface-to-air missile (SAM) system developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and produced by BDL.

February 15/2017: India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has claimed to be close to a deal to sell their short range surface-to-air Akash missile to Vietnam. The sale would be the first of its kind between the two countries, following a steadily growing defensive relationship that has seen New Delhi already help the Vietnamese military with training and patrol vessels, as well as the granting of a $500 million credit line in order to buy defense equipment. A further deepening of ties manifested in the missile sale is expected to draw criticism from China, currently locked in a territorial dispute with Hanoi in the South China Sea, as well as their own border dispute with India.

January 11/2017: Discussions are underway between the governments of India and Vietnam over the potential sale of India’s indigenous Akash air defense missile system. Hanoi is keen for negotiations to include a possible technology transfer, while New Delhi is leaning toward promoting an initial off-the-shelf purchase of the system prior to any discussions over technology transfer and joint production. Vietnam represents a growing market for Indian training and gear, with India already set to provide training to Vietnamese Su-30MKI fighter pilots, and they have already trained sailors on operating Kilo-class submarines.