Americas
Lockheed Martin won an $88.3 million Captains of Industry contract for the overhaul of B-2 digital receiver and legacy defense message system. This contract provides for overhaul, management, and material lay-in. Work will be performed at Owego, New York, and is expected to be completed by April 16, 2034. This contract was a sole source acquisition. No funds are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
The Argentine Air Force continues to make headway with its air force modernization efforts with the recent purchase of a Basler BT-67 turboprop utility aircraft. The procurement comes under an FMS agreement approved by the US State Department on April 18, 2024. Besides the single aircraft, the Argentine Government also acquired supplementary equipment including spare engines, logistics and training support – all for $143million.
Middle East & Africa
The House on Saturday passed military aid bills for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, more than six months after President Joe Biden initially submitted his massive foreign aid request to arm all three security partners. The roughly $95 billion package includes $48 billion in Ukraine security aid, which passed 311-112 as some Democrats cheered and chanted “Slava Ukraini” while waving Ukrainian flags – prompting Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., to tell them to “put those damn flags away.” The exchange prompted Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., to chide both the flag-wavers and Luna for violating House decorum.
Europe
Lithuania has announced that it will allocate $16 million to establish a rehabilitation program for the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonyt? revealed that the government will allocate the funds for the reconstruction of hospitals and training of medical specialists to assist wounded Ukrainian soldiers in their recovery. Development of major facilities in the cities of Lviv, Dnipro, and Zhytomyr will also be covered.
Asia-Pacific
A redesigned version of Taiwan’s indigenous Teng Yun 2 unmanned aerial vehicle has been undergoing combat testing for the last month. The testing began in mid-March but the completion date is unknown, Taipei Times revealed citing a source. The National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology-developed drone failed its combat test last year, necessitating a redesign.
Japan has tapped Milrem Robotics to supply three THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) for supply transportation and intelligence missions. The UGVs will be equipped with the Estonian company’s Intelligent Functions Kit (MIFIK), allowing them to take on- and off-road operations independently. MIFIK also lets THeMIS’ operators plan missions ahead by utilizing the systems’ waypoint navigation technology to set en-route vehicle movements.
