Lockheed Martin won a $527.7 million contract action, which will be awarded for a sole-source, hybrid (cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee) modification (P00054) under contract HQ085121C0002. This UCA expands performance of the Aegis Weapon System to implement Integrated Air and Missile Defense capabilities into an Aegis Guam System. An initial obligation of $11,394,512 using fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation funds will occur at the time of award. The work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, with period of performance from time of award through December 31, 2027.
Insitu won a $19 million modification, which adds scope for the production and delivery of 10 RQ-21A air vehicles, two RQ-21A turrets, support equipment, spares, tools, and training in support of RQ-21A Blackjack and ScanEagle unmanned aircraft platforms for the Navy, Marine Corps, and international partners. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington; and various locations outside the continental US, and is expected to be completed in June 2026.
Middle East & Africa
The Israeli Ministry of Defense has contracted Oshkosh Defense to produce hundreds of “Eitan” armored personnel carrier (APC) hulls for the Israel Defense Forces. The more than $100 million US-funded contract will reportedly see 500 hulls delivered to Israel within 18 months. The hulls will be fitted with unmanned turrets and other systems and sent for operational use. More hulls are expected in the future.
Europe
The Russian Navy’s latest Admiral Gorshkov-class multi-role frigate has begun its second phase of sea trials. The testing follows a demonstration of the ship’s maneuverability, navigation capabilities, and propulsion at Severnaya Verf shipyard, Saint Petersburg in early December. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the second phase will validate the frigate’s control systems, artillery, anti-aircraft missile systems, communication, and electronic warfare equipment. All tests will be monitored by the service command control center. Results will be delivered to Russian Navy Commander-in-Chief Admiral Nikolai Evmenov.
Asia-Pacific
Aerospace firm L3Harris and Israeli defense manufacturer Elta Systems will deliver advanced threat detection and response systems to the Australian military. The newly-inked teaming contract would transform Australian fighting vehicles, enabling each to immediately detect incoming live fire and launch self-defense responses, including electronic warfare measures and kinetic effects.
South Korea has awarded Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) a $235 million contract to deliver 10 Light Armed Helicopters for the army. KAI will begin delivery of the aircraft by 2024, including training, maintenance, and spares, The Korean Herald reported. The award comes after the Defense Acquisition and Program Administration approved a $4.5 billion plan to mass produce the helicopters through 2031.
Latest updates[?]: Insitu won a $19 million modification, which adds scope for the production and delivery of 10 RQ-21A air vehicles, two RQ-21A turrets, support equipment, spares, tools, and training in support of RQ-21A Blackjack and ScanEagle unmanned aircraft platforms for the Navy, Marine Corps, and international partners. Work will be performed in Bingen, Washington; and various locations outside the continental US, and is expected to be completed in June 2026.
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ScanEagle launch
ScanEagle’s base Insight UAV platform was originally developed by Washington state’s Insitu, Inc. to track dolphins and tuna from fishing boats, in order to ensure that the fish you buy in supermarkets is “dolphin-safe”. It turns out that the same characteristics needed by fishing boats (able to handle salt water environments, low infrastructure launch and recovery, small size, 20-hour long endurance, automated flight patterns) are equally important for naval operations from larger vessels, and for battlefield surveillance. A partnership with Boeing took ScanEagle to market in those fields, and the USMC’s initial buy in 2004 was the beginning of a market-leading position in its niche.
This article covers recent developments with the ScanEagle UAV system, which is quickly evolving into a mainstay with the US Navy and its allies. Incumbency doesn’t last long in the fast-changing world of UAVs, though. Insitu’s own RQ-21 Integrator is looking to push the ScanEagle aside, and new multiple-award contracts in the USA are creating opportunities for other competitors. Can Insitu’s original stay strong?
Raytheon won a $30 million deal for the procurement of Patriot post deployment build hardware updates and Multifunctional Distribution System Block Upgrade 2. Patriot is a combat-proven air defense system operated by the US and a number of its allies. The Patriot missile is equipped with a track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system. Midcourse correction commands are transmitted to the guidance system from the mobile engagement control centre. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Estimated completion date is March 31.
The US Navy demonstrated unmanned cargo delivery to a moving ship for the first time recently. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division demonstration saw multiple unmanned aerial systems (UAS) delivering cargo weighing less than 50 pounds (22.68 kilograms), accounting for 90 percent of navy logistics deliveries.
Middle East & Africa
Turkey recently completed another round of tests on its “Alka” directed energy counter-drone weapon system. The Roketsan-developed system is one of many directed energy weapons Turkish defense firms have been developing, such as the LSS laser defense system by Aselsan. The Alka uses an electromagnetic jamming system and a 50-watt laser to disable and destroy short-range threats like drones. The system can also defuse bomb traps and improvised explosive devices, the manufacturer states.
Europe
Italian defense firm Leonardo has finished the initial phase of flight testing for its latest Falco Xplorer remotely piloted aircraft system. The Italian drone performed complex functional tests to validate platform maturity and performance. Leonardo received air traffic, fire prevention, and flight safety assistance from the Air Force’s 37°Stormo wing during the activity at Trapani Birgi military airport in Sicily, 260 miles (420 kilometers) south of the capital Rome.
Asia-Pacific
Japan on Friday approved a $839 billion budget for the year ahead, including record defense spending after a major security strategy overhaul announced this month. The fiscal 2023 budget approved by the cabinet includes $51 billion for the defense ministry, up approximately 30 percent from last year.
The Japanese Defense Ministry has included the cost of acquiring 180,000 square meters of land necessary for deploying an air defense missile unit to the Yonaguni base of the Ground Self-Defense Force in the budget plan for fiscal 2023. While there is currently a coastal surveillance unit deployed on the island of Yonaguni, this will be the first time that a combat unit will be deployed there. In fiscal 2023, an electronic warfare unit will be newly established, and the number of personnel stationed at the Yonaguni base will increase from around 170 at the end of this fiscal year to around 210.
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WATCH: Turkey’s Domestic Laser Weapon”ROKETSAN ALKA” in inventory !
Canada has tasked Leonardo with executing the CH-149 “Cormorant” Mid-Life Upgrade (CMLU) Project by awarding a contract $736 million to the Italian aerospace giant. The mid-life upgrade of the CH-149 search and rescue helicopters will enhance the aircraft’s systems and technologies, ensuring compliance with emerging airspace requirements and extending the life expectancy of the fleet to 2042+. In addition, the upgrade will enable the return of the Cormorant helicopters to the Main Operating Base (MOB) Trenton. The upgrades will include the installation of state-of-the-art avionics, a new glass cockpit, more powerful digitally-controlled engines, wireless in-cabin communications, and the latest search and rescue sensors such as an Electro Optical Infrared device and Mobile Phone Detection Location System.
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $1.05-billion deal to advance the production of its F-35 fighter jets for the US armed forces. According to the US Department of Defense, the deal includes purchasing long-lead materials, spare parts, and necessary components to ensure the on-time delivery of the aircraft. The procurement of long-lead items is a critical step in advancing F-35 production since such materials often have a lengthier delivery period, affecting the duration of production.
Middle East & Africa
According to Israel Defense, Germany’s Thyssenkrupp, which manufactures the Israeli Navy’s submarines, will invest millions of euros in the local company VSense Technologies in order to provide it with manufacturing, maintenance, inspection and repairing abilities of equipment installed in the navy’s submarines. The cooperation is with Atlas Electric, the marine technology division of Thyssenkrupp, which mainly focuses on sonar, command and weapons systems for maritime platform. VSense technologies is based in Petah Tikva and specializes in the design, production and integration for military, defense, and civilian naval industry clients. In addition to Israel, Thyssenkrupp has been building submarines for the German and Norwegian navies.
Europe
The Albanian government has inked a deal with Turkish defense firm Baykar to acquire three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Under the agreement, Baykar will deliver TB2 armed drones to the Balkan nation, bolstering the modernization efforts of the country’s armed forces in 2023. “The initial three drones will be armed and ready for combat and for use in any possible case that I hope will never be the case,” Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said.
Norway’s state procurement agency has recently ordered additional Kongsberg fifth-generation naval strike missiles (NSMs) for the Royal Norwegian Navy. Under the $61 million supplemental agreement, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace will deliver more “ship-killer” missiles at an undisclosed date. “Kongsberg appreciates the strong cooperation with the National Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) team and looks forward to continuing these efforts as we focus on the deliveries to the Norwegian Navy,” the company said.
Asia-Pacific
Taiwan has decided against carrying out expensive repairs to a E-2K Hawkeye airborne early aircraft that was damaged during a belly landing incident on November 25. According to local news reports, the cost of repairs will cost $65.16 million. The cause of the incident, in which the landing gear failed to deploy, was due to pilot error. This is the second such incident for a Taiwan Hawkeye. A similar accident occurred in 1997 when #2503 was damaged in the same way. However, the aircraft was repaired using a fuselage that was being produced for the US Navy.
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WATCH: Royal Canadian AF. CH-149 Cormorant helicopter 413 Transport and Rescue Squadron lands at CFS Alert
Rolls-Royce won a $74.7 million deal, which procures 28 V-22 AE1107C engines (24 for production aircraft and 4 spare engines) in support of the V-22 Osprey for the Navy and Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed in December 2023. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Bell Helicopter Textron is responsible for the wing and nacelle, propulsion, rotor, empennage (complete tail system), ramp, overwing fairing and the dynamics.
Lockheed won a $43.4 million modification, which exercises options for the production and delivery of one MH-60R aircraft, and to procure one Australia unique modification kit in support of modifying the MH-60R aircraft from standard Foreign Military Sales configuration to a unique configuration for the Commonwealth of Australia. Work will be performed in Owego, New York; Stratford, Connecticut; and Troy, Alabama, and is expected to be completed in May 2026.
Middle East & Africa
Israel has grounded eleven of its F-35A stealth fighters following the advice of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (JPO). The data and findings from the recent crash of a US F-35B fighter jet in Texas indicate the need for a dedicated inspection to determine if the Israeli system is at risk of a similar malfunction. “The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will analyze the findings from the incident and will draw conclusions and recommendations for the safe return of the aircraft to operational duty,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said. Israel has 33 F-35A delivered so far and they are assigned to the 116th Lions of the South Squadron and the 140th Golden Eagle Squadron.
Europe
The Netherlands on Friday pledged $2.7 billion to help war-torn Ukraine in 2023, with most of the money earmarked for military aid. “Nearly two billion is intended for military support,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte told a press conference in The Hague. The rest will go towards humanitarian aid, rebuilding infrastructure as well as ensuring accountability, he said.
American technology firm Palantir has been awarded a $90-million contract to support the British military’s intelligence-gathering capabilities. As part of the three-year agreement, the company will utilize its cutting-edge software to help the army make real-time decisions and predict how battlefield decisions will play out. The software will allow the armed forces to treat data as a strategic asset, delivering military advantage and greater efficiency.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea accused North Korea of flying “several” drones across their border on Monday, prompting Seoul’s military to deploy warplanes and fire warning shots to ward them off. “Our military first detected a North Korean unmanned aerial vehicle around the Gimpo airspace at 10:25 am,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement. “Several North Korean unmanned aerial vehicles invaded our airspace” in the border areas around Gyeonggi province, it added.
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WATCH: V-22 Osprey – The Helicopter and Airplane That Changed The Game
Latest updates[?]: Israel has grounded eleven of its F-35A stealth fighters following the advice of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office (JPO). The data and findings from the recent crash of a US F-35B fighter jet in Texas indicate the need for a dedicated inspection to determine if the Israeli system is at risk of a similar malfunction. “The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will analyze the findings from the incident and will draw conclusions and recommendations for the safe return of the aircraft to operational duty,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said. Israel has 33 F-35A delivered so far and they are assigned to the 116th Lions of the South Squadron and the 140th Golden Eagle Squadron.
In an exclusive June 2006 interview, Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief procurement officer Brigadier-General Ze’ev Snir told Israeli media that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was a key part of their IAF recapitalization plans, and that Israel intended to buy over 100 of the fighters to replace their fleet of over 300 F-16s.
Since then, however, the expected cost of that purchase has more than doubled. Israel’s F-35 contract had to deal with that sticker shock, with issues like the incorporation of Israeli technologies and industrial work, and with major schedule slips in the core F-35 program. Israel was even contemplating delaying its purchase, which would have removed an important early adopter for the Lightning II. In the end, however, Israel decided to forego other fighter options, and became the first foreign buyer of operational F-35s. So, how is the “F-35i Adir” shaping up?
Northrop Grumman won a $26.4 million contract modification for Triton electronic protection enhancements. Under this modification, the contractor will continue to work to further develop and demonstrate enabling technologies for the Triton MQ-4C Unmanned Aircraft System Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) radar systems. The proposed effort is for the non-recurring engineering required to establish the hardware baseline for the technical refresh for the MQ-4C Triton MFAS Radar Signal Processor (RSP) on the AN/ZPY-3(v) 2 Mercury Power Stream 7000 Signal Processor, 272K300G01 in order to implement advanced capabilities developed by the Office of Naval Research.
Lockheed Martin won a $16 million modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-5151 to exercise options for ship integration and test of the AEGIS Weapon System (AWS) for AWS baselines through Advanced Capability Build 16. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; San Diego, California; Washington, DC; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Mayport, Florida; Bath, Maine; and various locations and is expected to be completed by September 2023.
Middle East & Africa
L3Harris Technologies has secured a $29-million contract with Bahrain, Jordan, and Morocco to upgrade their F-16 fighter jets. As part of the deal, the American tech firm will integrate 105 smart weapon release systems into the F-16s. The system enables the F-16 to carry double the number of smart munitions and makes it compatible with 500-pound (226-kilogram) and 1,000-pound (453-kilogram) guided weapons.
Europe
Elbit Systems has been awarded a contract to supply four F-16 Full Mission Simulators (FMS) to the Polish Air Force. The contract is worth approximately $36 million and will be delivered over a 28-month period. These simulators will provide a high fidelity, immersive real flight experience for F-16 pilots by featuring a 360-degree display system and having the FMS interconnected. One of the primary purposes of FMS is to allow pilots to become familiar with the controls and systems of the aircraft. This can include learning how to navigate, operate the various systems, and understand the aircraft’s capabilities and limitations. FMS can not only help pilots to become familiar with the aircraft, but also enable them to acquire advanced combat flight competencies. This can involve training in tactics and techniques used in various operational environments, as well as practicing the utilization of weapons and other systems. Through the simulation of various scenarios and challenges, pilots can improve their ability to make quick decisions and react to pressure, in addition to enhancing their skills in air-to-air and air-to-ground combat.
Austria’s Ministry of Defense has taken delivery of its first AW169M light utility helicopter from Italian defense firm Leonardo. The aircraft is the first of 18 under order as part of a 2021 Italy-Austria government-to-government agreement. The country chose the AW169M over Bell’s 429 Global Ranger and Airbus’ H145M twin-engine battlefield helicopters because of logistical issues. The new helicopters will succeed the aging Alouette III light liaison and transport helicopters, which will be decommissioned next year.
Asia-Pacific
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has signed a $235 million deal with Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration to provide the South Korean military with 10 light armed helicopters (LAH). The newly produced LAH will replace the South Korean military’s aged 500MD and AH-1S helicopters in performing air strike missions against armored vehicles. The contract requires KAI to provide integrated product support, including training for first-time operators and a maintenance float.
The US Air Force Research Laboratory has contracted California-based Pacific Defense to provide and demonstrate a sensor for space situational awareness missions. As part of the program, the company will deliver its small, lightweight power sensor “Moonraker” to operate in the cislunar region, or the space between the Earth and the moon.
The US Air Force Global Strike Command has announced a safety stand-down for all operations of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet. The temporary halt follows an incident where a B-2 encountered an in-flight malfunction on December 10. According to the command, the aircraft was damaged upon an emergency landing at a runway at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
Middle East & Africa
Elbit Systems has been awarded a framework contract with a maximum value of $410 million to supply up to seven “Watchkeeper X” tactical unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for the Romanian Ministry of National Defense. The contract is valid for five years. The Watchkeeper X UAS is the British export variant of the British army’s UAS and is made by UAV Tactical Systems Limited, a UK subsidiary of Elbit Systems. It is compatible with NATO standards, which enables essential interoperability with NATO and other allied forces.
Europe
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) successfully flew its new NATO Pod for the first time on November 23, 2022. The test flight took place at the Yuma Proving Grounds using a GA-ASI-owned MQ-9A aircraft. The NATO Pod is a joint development between GA-ASI and Sener Aeroespacial of Spain, and was designed to meet NATO airworthiness standards while increasing configuration and payload options for GA-ASI’s MQ-9A and MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
Sweden has awarded Saab a $33.8 million contract to provide life extension services for two Swedish Navy Koster-class minehunter vessels. The agreement will see the replacement and integration of new equipment to “ensure continued operability” of the ships. Among the capabilities to be updated are radar navigation, combat systems, and surface sensors.
Asia-Pacific
The Indian Navy has officially launched its first indigenously built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel known as “Arnala.” A ceremony was held in eastern India to mark the milestone, with Ministry of Defence representative Rasika Chaube in attendance. Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), the vessel has been named Arnala to signify the strategic maritime importance of the island of Arnala in west India.
Latest updates[?]: The US Air Force Global Strike Command has announced a safety stand-down for all operations of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet. The temporary halt follows an incident where a B-2 encountered an in-flight malfunction on December 10. According to the command, the aircraft was damaged upon an emergency landing at a runway at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.
All together now…
Britain’s practice of “contracting for availability” for key equipment, rather than paying for spare parts and maintenance hours, may be its most significant defense procurement reform. In a world where older air, sea, and ground vehicle fleets are growing maintenance demands beyond countries’ available budgets, it’s an approach whose success could have global significance.
Across the pond, the USA is significantly behind in this area. Fortunately, they have not ignored the model entirely. Recent changes to the contracts covering their B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet demonstrate that some progress is being made, via a $9+ billion commitment from 1999-2014, and 2 parallel development programs that are changing key sub-systems.
Sikorsky won a $676.7 million deal for the supply chain management that includes 196 weapon replaceable assemblies/shop replaceable assemblies in support of the CH-53E and MH-53E helicopters. The contract will include a five-year base period with one two-year option. If the option is exercised, the contract will be a not-to-exceed amount of $752,324,052. Work will be performed in North Carolina Connecticut. Work is expected to be completed by December 2027.
Bell-Boeing won a $18 million deal, which provides technical analysis, engineering, and integration support for the V-22 aircraft program. Work will be performed in Texas and Pennsylvania and is expected to be completed in December 2023. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued.
Middle East & Africa
The Turkish government has completed a “successful” test-firing of its first domestically-developed air-to-ground ballistic supersonic missile. Turkey’s Bayraktar Ak?nc? unmanned combat aerial vehicle struck a target at 100 kilometers (62 miles) with the TRG-230 missile, Daily Sabah reported. The 12-meter (39-foot) aircraft took off from a base in Tekirdag province, traveling 700 kilometers (434 miles) to the northern Black Sea province of Sinop.
Europe
Italian aerospace firm Leonardo has finished the delivery of M-346 advanced trainer aircraft to the Polish Air Force, boosting Poland’s fleet to 16. The third and final delivery of four advanced jet trainers last week made the Polish Air Force’s the second largest fleet of M-346 aircraft in Europe. “We are very proud to have equipped the Polish Air Force with an advanced training system based on our M-346,” Senior Vice President Dario Marfè said.
Asia-Pacific
The Japanese government has decided to acquire submarine-launched long-range missile capability, The Mainichi reported. The decision, to be detailed in three security documents, will be approved soon. The underwater capability is part of Tokyo’s “counter-strike” strategy to take out enemy missile launch sites before attack.
Indian armed forces are set to acquire a tactical surface-to-surface ballistic missile capable of striking targets up to 500 kilometers (311 miles) away. The military’s proposal to acquire the conventionally-armed Pralay missile could be approved at a meeting this week, Asia News International revealed, citing sources. The Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) completed flight tests of the missile in December 2021 following four years of development.
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WATCH: A Day in the Life of the Most Feared US Drone
