Underwater Security System KnightShield Unveiled | RN Tomahawks To Be Upgraded | Ukraine Gets More Weapons

Americas

South-east Welding & Manufacturing won a $1.2 billion deal for complex repair, maintenance and modernization requirements of non-nuclear Navy Surface Combatant (CG, DDG, and AMPHIB) class ships homeported in or visiting San Diego, California, homeport. These efforts consist of Chief of Naval Operations-scheduled docking and non-docking; continuous maintenance; and emergent maintenance availabilities of Surface Combatant class ships to be performed in the San Diego, California, port. Delivery orders will be competitively awarded under these contracts, which are to be performed in San Diego, California. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

FEW Inc. won a $49.2 million contract to manufacture, produce, inspect, store, stage and ship mortar systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 28, 2027.

Middle East & Africa

Israeli company DSIT Solutions has unveiled its task force underwater security system KnightShield, at the UDT 2022 Exhibition in the Netherlands. The system supports task force underwater protection, simultaneously protecting multiple ships anchored at ports, port entrances, and designated areas of port basins from swimmers, UAVs, SDVs and sabotage attempts. According to DSIT, based on the sophisticated technology implemented in PointShield, the company’s advanced Diver Detection Sonar (DDS) Systems, KnightShield covers medium ranges in ports, delivering exceptional reliability and precision.

Europe

The Royal Navy’s current stock of Tomahawk cruise missiles will be upgraded to the Block V standard. The weapon will arm the Royal Navy’s Astute-Class submarines, allowing them to strike targets at a range of up to 1,000 miles. The Foreign Military Sale contract, worth $333 million, will commence in July and BAE Systems, Babcock International and Lockheed Martin will provide technical and maintenance support. The contract includes spares, operational flight testing, software, hardware and training provisions. The first Block V missile will be ready in 2024.

The US and Germany pledged Wednesday to equip Ukraine with some of the advanced weapons it has long desired for shooting down aircraft and knocking out artillery, as Russian forces closed in on capturing a key city in the east. Germany said it will supply Ukraine with up-to-date anti-aircraft missiles and radar systems, while the US announced it will provide four sophisticated, medium-range rocket systems and ammunition.

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration has contracted Saab to conduct studies related to the development of future fighter aircraft technologies. The aircraft manufacturer announced the $25. million deal on June 1, saying that the study will be “preparatory in nature, and its purpose is to widen the work on how future combat air capabilities can be developed and realised”

Asia-Pacific

Two private-sector Indian defense firms have announced that they will co-operate in the research and development of a submarine-launched unmanned aerial system (UAS). According to an industry source, the UAS will comprise the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) plus a specialised underwater launch canister.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Tomahawk vs. Kalibr Cruise Missile

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.