Americas
The US Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) has a news article on the delivery of the first Beechcraft King Air 350ER, designated CE-145C Vigilance in Canada, to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on February 22nd. This marks the initial phase of a program that will see a total of three CE-145C Vigilance aircraft delivered to the RCAF by year’s end, under the Canadian Manned Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The Canadian Manned Airborne ISR FMS program, launched in May 2019, represents a collaborative effort between the Canadian government, the United States Department of Defense, and L3Harris, the manufacturer of the CE-145C Vigilance. This program fulfills a critical requirement stipulated in Canada’s Defense Policy and the Chief of the Defense Staff Directive, which mandates a readily deployable and mission-specific manned ISR capability for the RCAF.
Austal has begun construction of the US Navy’s Landing Craft Utility (LCU) in Mobile, Alabama, as part of a contract signed in 2023. Valued at $91.5 million, the agreement ordered three LCU 1700-class platforms with heavy-lift capacity for up to 170 tons of payload. The framework includes the production of nine additional vessels and corresponding support services for the navy. LCUs transport cargo, troops, tracked and wheeled vehicles from shore to shore or ship to shore. Alongside combat roles, the fleet is used for surveillance, small and dive team support, port cleaning, and humanitarian tasks.
Middle East & Africa
The US Army has awarded Textron Aviation a contract to deliver two special missions Cessna Grand Caravan EX utility aircraft to the Djibouti Air Force. Based on a business-class design, the aircraft is a high-wing turboprop system that can carry two pilots and up to 14 personnel, depending on a user’s capacity requirements. The platform can be installed with a landing gear or ski according to mission configurations. Furthermore, the vehicle’s interior can be interchanged with passenger seats or a cargo compartment.
Europe
Six Royal Air Force (RAF) Eurofighter Typhoon jets have arrived at Mihail Kog?lniceanu Air Base in Romania on March 25, commencing a four-month deployment in support of NATO’s enhanced Air Policing (eAP) mission. This marks the fifth such rotation for the RAF in Romania, building upon a successful partnership established in 2014. The deployment sees the RAF Eurofighters joining forces with the Romanian Air Force to safeguard NATO airspace. This collaborative mission strengthens regional air defense capabilities and underscores the alliance’s commitment to collective security.
Asia-Pacific
New Zealand’s first C-130J Super Hercules military transport aircraft has conducted its initial flight test in the US. The demonstration saw the vehicle fly for 246 minutes over Georgia and Alabama. It achieved a range of approximately 615 miles and an altitude of 10,500 feet. The demonstration followed the 18-month construction of the platform under American defense contractor Lockheed Martin. The contract for the project was signed in 2019 under a foreign military sale with the US government.
New Zealand on Friday said it was ready to sign a new cooperation deal with NATO, as the country rethinks security in the face of regional tensions and growing Chinese military might. Foreign Minister Winston Peters said after a two-day visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels that a “partnership programme” with the alliance would be agreed “in the coming months.” Since the center-right coalition was elected last October, steadfastly independent New Zealand has looked to deepen military ties with “traditional” Western allies.
