Huntington Ingalls To Support CVN 75 Refuel Complex | PZL Mielec To Build F-16 Components | 6 T129s In The Philippines

Americas

Huntington Ingalls won an $18 million contract modification for the advance planning requirements to support the refueling complex overhaul of the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) is the eighth Nimitz class aircraft carrier in service with the United States Navy. She was launched on September 7, 1996 by Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, and commissioned on July 25, 1998. Work will take place in Virginia. Estimated completion is in November 2022.

Sikorsky won a $31.2 million modification, which exercises an option to provide non-recurring engineering to include, investigation, systems engineering support, risk analysis and integration development in support of the Data Transfer Unit and Defensive Electronic Countermeasure System replacement within the CH-53K Super Stallion production aircraft. The Super Stallion can be fielded from amphibious assault ships for the transportation of personnel and equipment. It will also be used to carry external cargo loads. The aircraft can be operated from austere and remote forward operating bases. Work will take place in Connecticut, Maryland, Iowa, Texas, Florida and Vermont. Estimated completion will be in March 2025.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won a $16.3 million modification for GOLDesp enterprise resource planning, Delta support equipment sustainment and survival radios sustainment in support of the 36 F-15QA aircraft. Work will be performed in Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, and is expected to be completed by November 30, 2024. Qatar signed a deal to buy 36 F-15QAs in June 2017, and in April 2020 the first jet took its maiden flight.

Europe

PZL Mielec, a Lockheed Martin company will build components and assemblies for the latest generation F-16 Block 70/72 starting next year. This will sustain around 200 jobs, with approximately 60 new jobs being created. This development marks a significant new milestone for PZL Mielec, which was last involved in the production of fighter aircraft in the 1960s, Lockheed Martin said in a release today.

MBDA Germany signed an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to cooperate in the field of ground-based air defense system. Under the agreement, which was announced on November 24 at the Berlin Security Conference 2021, both companies will explore offering joint solutions in accordance with the needs of the German armed forces.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Air Force will have six T129 attack helicopters in the country next month. This was disclosed by Philippine Air Force (PAF) commander Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes. The T129 is a twin-engine, tandem seat, multi-role, all-weather attack helicopter based on the Agusta A129 Mangusta platform and is designed for advanced attack and reconnaissance missions in hot and high environments and rough geography in both day and night conditions.

Today’s Video

Watch: The Philippines to deploy T129 ATAK Helicopter at Trojans

Ground Testing For Stingray | Turkey Could Develop 1st Drone Aircraft Carrier | South Korea Cuts Back Defense Budget

Americas

Rolls-Royce won a $23.3 million deal, which provides for the depot repair of T56-A-427A engines installed on E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the Navy. The Allison T56 is a single shaft, modular design military turboprop with a 14-stage axial flow compressor driven by a four-stage turbine. The E-2D is a twin-engine turboprop aircraft. Work will take place in Texas, Canada and Indiana. Estimated completion date is in November 2022.

The MQ-25 has been undergoing ground testing at Naval Station Norfolk as the unmanned aircraft prepares to embark on board an aircraft carrier next month. The MQ-25 Stingray introduces unmanned aerial refueling and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to the air wing that will extend the range, operational capacity and lethality of the Carrier Air Wing and Carrier Strike Group.

Middle East & Africa

Turkey could become the first country to develop an aircraft carrier specifically designed for drones. “We see that the concept of an aircraft carrier is starting to change as Turkey also brought about a new concept of an ‘unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) aircraft carrier’– that has attracted global attention,” Ismail Demir, head of the Presidency of Defense Industries,  told media.

Europe

Italy’s Air Force Chief of Staff told members of parliamentary defense committees that Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and Tempest fighter programs will have to merge into one project eventually. “But it is natural that these two realities will merge into one because investing huge financial resources in two equivalent programs is unthinkable,” Gen. Luca Goretti was quoted as saying. He also explained that Italy joined the Tempest program as it offers a larger share of work compared to the FCAS.

Asia-Pacific

Science Applications International Corp. won a $123.7 million contract for the production of MK 48 Mod 7 heavyweight afterbody/tailcones and warshot fuel tank torpedo equipment and support. The MK 48 heavyweight torpedo is equipped with advanced commercial-off-the-shelf technologies to provide superior reliability and performance against challenging threats in both littoral and blue water environments, and can support multi-band operation. Work will take place in Indiana and Rhode Island. Expected completion date is in July 2025.

South Korea’s National Defense Committee has cut back next year’s defense budget by $375 million. The budget of $12 million for the program to buy new attack helicopters was crossed out. It was reported in April that the defense project promotion committee has approved the purchase of around 36 attack helicopters. The committee also cut $279 million from the budget to buy more airborne early warning aircraft. The project to upgrade the F-35A lost $16.9 million in funding.

Today’s Video

Watch: Turkey could become the first country to develop an aircraft carrier specifically designed for drone