Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $16 million contract modification, which procures support to manage diminishing manufacturing sources in support of the F-35 Program for the Air Force, Navy and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth multirole combat aircraft. In a recent statement from Lockheed, the defense and aerospace company announced plans to whittle back the number of jets produced this year, as well as a temporary restructuring of their workforce. The company said that it will likely miss its production targets this year due to the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Originally, Lockheed Martin had planned to produce 141 of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter across the year. Work under the current modification will take place in Fort Worth, Texas. Estimated completion will be by June 2021.
The US State Department approved a possible FMS to Canada of 50 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II tactical missiles and related equipment for $862.3 million. The deal also includes 50 AIM-9X Block II Captive Air Training Missiles, 10 Special Air Training Missiles, 10 Tactical Guidance Units, 10 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II CATM Guidance Units; 38 APG-79(V)4 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar units; 38 APG-79(V)4 AESA Radar A1 kits; 20 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) C, AGM-154C; 46 F/A-18A Wide Band RADOMEs. Until the Royal Canadian Air Force makes a decision on its next-generation fighter aircraft, it will have to rely on its ageing fleet of classic Boeing F/A-18A Hornets; a type known in Canada as the CF-18. To keep those fighters relevant for air-to-air combat, Ottawa had requested to buy 50 examples of the Raytheon AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missile. Canada is hosting the Future Fighter Capability Project to pick an advanced type to replace its CF-18 Hornets. The country wants to buy 88 fighters. Boeing is offering the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin the F-35, and Saab the Gripen E.
Middle East & Africa
Urban Aeronautics inked a VTOL Fuel Cell Deal with HyPoint. Under the agreement, next-generation hydrogen fuel cells are to be integrated into the Israeli company’s vertical takeoff and landing systems. Urban Aeronautics, which is pioneering the next generation of eVTOL aircraft for commercial air taxi and air rescue roles, and HyPoint, a leader in next generation, high power hydrogen fuel cell systems, will explore the development of an advanced version of Urban Aeronautics’ CityHawk eVTOL powered by HyPoint’s cutting-edge, hydrogen fuel cell stack technology. As currently designed, CityHawk relies on hybrid propulsion. CityHawk is a six-seat eVTOL, with a uniquely compact footprint and no external wings or rotors. Its small footprint/high payload configuration is optimized for urban transportation and emergency response.
Europe
The DoS approved a Foreign Military Sale of up to 16 armed patrol boats to the Ukrainian military at an estimated cost of $600 million. The Government of Ukraine had requested to buy up to 16 Mark VI Patrol Boats; 32 MSI Seahawk A2 gun systems; 20 Electro-Optics-Infrared Radar (FLIR) (16 installed and 4 spares); 16 Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) 5km loudspeaker systems; 16 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) systems; 40 MK44 cannons; communication equipment; support equipment; spare and repair parts; tools and test equipment; technical data and publications; personnel training and training equipment; US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistics support.
Russia is phasing out its Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) which has Ukrainian parts and will replace them with ones made by Electroautomatics Experimental Design Bureau. Electroautomatics First Deputy CEO Anatoly Shukalov says fighters from Sukhoi had their HMDs already swapped out and the MiGs will get new HMDs next year. He added that only the algorithms need to be develop to integrate with the aircraft’s fire control system.
Asia-Pacific
KAI Vice President and General Manager Lee Bong-keun told reporters on June 17 that his company is stepping up efforts to sell the KUH-1 helicopter to Indonesia. He was speaking at a promotional event held in Sacheon whereby diplomats from the 16 countries attended. The focus of the event was to promote the KUH-1. The first secretary of the Indonesian Embassy in Korea told reporters Jakarta will evaluate KAI’s proposal. Bangladeshi ambassador to Korea says his country is considering to buy the KT-1.
Today’s Video
Watch: Breaking News: US Naval Buildup In Indo-Pacific Seen as Warning To China
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSXijkmh8ew
