Americas
General Dynamics Land Systems won an $18.9 million modification for Abrams system technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of February 27, 2025. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
Two US Navy pilots were shot down over the Red Sea early Sunday in “an apparent case of friendly fire,” the American military said. Both pilots were recovered alive but “initial assessments indicate that one of the crew members sustained minor injuries,” the United States Central Command said late Saturday local Florida time – where CENTCOM is headquartered.
Middle East & Africa
The United States State Department has approved the potential sale of more than $5 billion in arms for Egypt. The State Department informed Congress on Friday that it had approved the sale of $4.69 billion worth of equipment for 555 US-made M1A1 Abrams tanks operated by Egypt, along with $630 million in Hellfire air-to-surface missiles and $30 million in precision-guided munitions.
Europe
Germany will buy four more submarines from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems to increase the number of boats to six, part of a joint purchase with Norway that may also see the Nordic country increase its order, according to the German defense ministry. Norway plans to buy an additional two submarines on top of four already ordered, the Bundeswehr procurement office said in a statement on Thursday. The two countries in 2021 had announced plans to jointly buy six 212 Common Design submarines from ThyssenKrupp in a deal worth about $5.7 billion.
Asia-Pacific
The Royal New Zealand Air Force has received the fifth and final C-130J-30 Super Hercules from Lockheed Martin as part of a US foreign military sale to replace the service’s C-130H fleet. It will be operated by the 40 Squadron at RNZAF Base Auckland, Whenuapai, where it will be deployed for moving troops and tactical equipment in support of domestic and overseas missions.
