Boeing Wins $2B Deal For KC-46A | Poland Sends Additional Tanks To Ukraine | Sikorsky Tapped For UH-60M

Americas

Blue Force Technologies (BFT) and the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) have successfully completed a ground test for a novel carbon fiber composite propulsion flow path system for BFT’s Fury uncrewed fighter under the AFRL Bandit program. “On an uncrewed fighter like Fury, proper integration of the propulsion flow path is the most significant design driver for the overall vehicle. It was crucial to us to demonstrate, prior to building flight test aircraft, that we could correctly predict the interaction between the propulsion flow path components and the Williams International engine,” said Scott Bledsoe, President of Blue Force Technologies.

Boeing won a $2 billion modification for KC-46A Air Force Production Lot 9 aircraft, subscriptions and licenses. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 15 KC-46A aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses being produced under the basic contract. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 31, 2026.

Middle East & Africa

After pledging all 19 of its French-made Caesar howitzers to Ukraine, Denmark is in talks with Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems for new mobile artillery to plug a “critical gap.” The defense ministry said late Thursday that negotiations were on “with the manufacturer Elbit Systems for the delivery of ATMOS artillery pieces and PULS rocket launcher systems as soon as possible.”

Europe

Poland will deliver an additional 60 tanks to Kyiv to help it fend off Russia’s aggression, in a move hailed on Friday by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. “Thank you… Poland for these important decisions to deliver to Ukraine 60 Polish tanks — 30 of which are the famous PT-91 Twardy, along with 14 Leopards,” Zelensky said on Twitter. Ukraine has also been promised battle tanks from Germany and the US, announced this week.

The French defense procurement agency has awarded a $26-million contract to Saab for the delivery of AT4 anti-armor weapons. According to the Swedish firm, the man-portable weapon system can neutralize enemy tanks and heavy combat vehicles. It can also be used to attack buildings and protected infrastructure where enemy troops are hiding.

Asia-Pacific

The US Navy’s lead America-class amphibious assault ship LHA 6  has conducted a live firing demonstration in the Philippine Sea. During the trial, the vessel launched its RIM-116 rolling airframe missile to identify, track, and intercept decoys. The event was held to validate the weapon system’s capability and sailors’ warfighting readiness.

Sikorsky won a $656.8 million modification for UH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2027. Fiscal 2010 Foreign Military Sales (Australia) funds in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.

Today’s Video

WATCH: Elbit Systems / ATMOS

KC-46A Pegasus Aerial Tanker Completes Firsts

DID’s FOCUS articles cover major weapons acquisition programs – and no program is more important to the USAF than its aerial tanker fleet renewal. In January 2007, the big question was whether there would be a competition for the USA’s KC-X proposal, covering 175 production aircraft and 4 test platforms. The total cost is now estimated at $52 billion, but America’s aerial tanker fleet demands new planes to replace its KC-135s, whose most recent new delivery was in 1965. Otherwise, unpredictable age or fatigue issues, like the ones that grounded its F-15A-D fighters in 2008, could ground its aerial tankers – and with them, a substantial slice of the USA’s total airpower.

KC-Y and KC-Z buys are supposed to follow in subsequent decades, in order to replace 530 (195 active; ANG 251; Reserve 84) active tankers, as well as the USAF’s 59 heavy KC-10 tankers that were delivered from 1979-1987. Then again, fiscal and demographic realities may mean that the 179 plane KC-X buy is “it” for the USAF. Either way, the KC-X stakes were huge for all concerned.

In the end, it was Team Boeing’s KC-767 NexGen/ KC-46A (767 derivative) vs. EADS North America’s KC-45A (Airbus KC-30/A330-200 derivative), both within the Pentagon and in the halls of Congress. The financial and employment stakes guaranteed a huge political fight no matter which side won. After Airbus won in 2008, that fight ended up sinking and restarting the entire program. Three years later, Boeing won the recompete. Now, they have to deliver their KC-46A.