MQ-9 Landed On A Highway For The First Time | DoS Approved AH-1Z and UH-1Y Sale To Czech Republic | DoS Approves SURTASS-E Sale To Australia

Americas

Northrop Grumman won a $60 million modification, which adds scope to procure long lead parts and associated support for two E-2D Advanced Hawkeye plus up aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York (25.06%); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (9.52%); Woodland Hill, California (5.87%); Menlo park, California (5.08%); Greenlawn, New York (3.33%); Aire-sur-l’Adour, France (2.02%); Owego, New York (1.79%); Edgewood, New York (1.41%); Melbourne, Florida (1.35%); and various locations within the continental US (44.57%), and is expected to be completed in April 2028.

In a historic exercise, the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) conducted two successful highway landings in Wyoming during Exercise Agile Chariot. The MC-130J Commando II, an MQ-9 Reaper, two A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, and two MH-6 Little Birds all landed on Highways 287 and 789 on April 30 and May 2, 2023, respectively. Exercise Agile Chariot was focused on testing the concept of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which involves executing operational maneuvers within threat timelines to enhance survivability while generating combat power. The event involved personnel and assets from the Total Force, including federal, state, and local agencies. Participating units landed an MC-130J Commando II, an MQ-9 Reaper, and two A-10 Warthogs on Wyoming Highway 287 while conducting a Forward Arming and Refueling Point (FARP), Integrated Combat Turnarounds (ICT), and taking off from the highway.

Middle East & Africa

The German government said on Wednesday it had decided to end its participation in the UN mission in Mali by next May over problems with the ruling junta. Chancellor Olaf Scholz‘s cabinet said Berlin would pull its 1.110 in the UN mission MINUSMA out of the West African country over the next year and pivot towards more humanitarian and development aid for the region.

Europe

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Czech Republic for the refurbishment and modernization of six AH-1Z and two UH-1Y Excess Defense Article (EDA) helicopters. The sale, which is valued at up to $650 million, also includes related equipment and services. The Czech Republic has requested to buy equipment and services to refurbish its fleet of helicopters, which includes the installation of twenty-two T-700 GE 401C engines, fourteen Honeywell Embedded Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation Systems (EGIs) with Precise Positioning Service (PPS), four M240 machine guns, and twenty-four ARC-210 COMSEC radios.

The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Latvia of Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System and related equipment for an estimated cost of $110 million. The Government of Latvia has requested to buy a Naval Strike Missile Coastal Defense System (NSM CDS), including tactical, telemetered, and training missiles; containers; mobile operational platforms; integration equipment; ordnance handling equipment (OHE); training equipment and aids; technical publications and data; training; spares; U.S. Government and contractor technical and product support or assistance; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is $110 million.

Asia-Pacific

The State Department approved possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Expeditionary (SURTASS-E) mission systems for Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $207 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Australia has requested to buy Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Expeditionary (SURTASS-E) mission systems for Vessels of Opportunity (VOO); a shore processing mission system, a spare SURTASS passive acoustic array; containers; communications parts and support equipment (Classified and Unclassified); software (Classified and Unclassified); publications (Classified and Unclassified); training; U.S. Government and contractor engineering support; and other related elements of logistics and program support.

Today’s Video

WATCH: US Marines Receive Last The AH-1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom are the latest and greatest

E-2D Hawkeye: The Navy’s New AWACS

Northrop Grumman’s E-2C Hawkeye is a carrier-capable “mini-AWACS” aircraft, designed to give long-range warning of incoming aerial threats. Secondary roles include strike command and control, land and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, communications relay, and even civil air traffic control during emergencies. E-2C Hawkeyes began replacing previous Hawkeye versions in 1973. They fly from USN and French carriers, from land bases in the militaries of Egypt, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan; and in a drug interdiction role for the US Naval Reserve. Over 200 Hawkeyes have been produced.

The $17.5 billion E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program aims to build 75 new aircraft with significant radar, engine, and electronics upgrades in order to deal with a world of stealthier cruise missiles, saturation attacks, and a growing need for ground surveillance as well as aerial scans. It looks a lot like the last generation E-2C Hawkeye 2000 upgrade on the outside – but inside, and even outside to some extent, it’s a whole new aircraft.