US Army Buys New Black Hawk | Turkey Exports Minesweepers To Burkina Faso | IAF Inducted 2nd Rafale Unit

Americas

Raytheon won a $482.8 million contract modification, which provides for the exercise of the pre-priced options for Lot 35 production of AMRAAM missiles, AMRAAM Telemetry System, initial and field spares, and other production engineering support hardware and activities. The AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) is a new generation all-weather, missile. Work will take place in Arizona. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2024.

Sikorsky won a $26.9 million contract modification for UH-60M green aircraft. The UH-60 Black Hawk has been operational in the US Army since 1978. More than 2,000 aircraft of different variants are in service with the U.S., and more than 600 have been exported. The primary mission of the Black Hawk helicopter is as a troop carrier and logistical support aircraft, but the helicopter can also be configured to carry out medical evacuation, command-and-control, search-and-rescue, armed escort, electronic warfare and executive transport missions. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2022.

Middle East & Africa

Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT has received an order for four unmanned minesweeping equipment to Burkina Faso. “We made our first defense industry export to the region with the sale of 4 Mechanical Mine Clearing Vehicle,” the company announced in a Tweet. Earlier, ASFAT exported the vehicles’ sale to Azerbaijan where it is being used to clean its lands of mines.

Europe

The UK Ministry of Defense awarded BAE Systems approximately $348.77million to progress the design and development of Tempest, the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The British Future Combat Air Programme, Tempest, is expected to create 20,000 jobs every year from 2026 to 2050, and contribute £25 billion to the UK economy.

Asia-Pacific

Taiwan has concluded the signing of the contract to buy the MS-110 reconnaissance pod, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on July 28. A total of six pods will be procured for the island’s F-16 fleet.

The Indian Air Force has inducted its second Rafale unit – 101 Squadron – at Hasimara Air Base on July 28. The second squadron is being raised at Hasimara Air Force Station in West Bengal. The first squadron—17 Golden Arrows—was raised in Ambala, Punjab in September last year.

Today’s Video

Watch: The AMRAAM®-ER missile takes to the sky