Americas
Boeing won a $16.6 million order, which procures retrofit modification upgrades to the series aircrafts’ F/A-18 Block II Super Hornet and Growler display suites within the Block III Super Hornet and Growler Advanced Cockpit Systems. The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18C and D Hornet. The single-seat F/A-18 Hornet is the nation’s first strike-fighter. It was designed for traditional strike applications such as interdiction and close air support without compromising its fighter capabilities. With its excellent fighter and self-defense capabilities, the F/A-18 at the same time increases strike mission survivability and supplements the F-14 Tomcat in fleet air defense. F/A-18 Hornets are currently operating in 37 tactical squadrons from air stations world-wide, and from 10 aircraft carriers. Work will take place in Missouri, Arizona, California and Florida. Estimated completion date will be in February 2025.
General Dynamics won an $11.2 million modification to extend the delivery date of the USS Cowpens (CG 63) fiscal 2018 modernization period from December 28, 2019, to November 25, 2020, in order to complete ship repairs and alterations. USS Cowpens (CG-63) is a Ticonderoga Class Guided Missile Cruiser in service with the United States Navy The ship is named after the Battle of Cowpens, a major American victory near Cowpens, South Carolina in the American Revolution. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Maine. Work will take place in San Diego, California. Estimated completion will be by November 2020.
Middle East & Africa
Boeing won a $439.2 million modification for new-build Apache AH-64E aircraft and Longbow crew trainers. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales funds to Morocco in the full amount were obligated at the time of the award. Morocco signed a contract with Boeing for 24 of its AH-64 Apache helicopters, becoming the 17th country to acquire the helicopter. Deliveries of the helicopters to Morocco are scheduled to commence in 2024. The helicopter, which has been designed and equipped with an open systems architecture, comprises the latest communications, navigation, sensor and weapon systems. Work will take place in Mesa, Arizona. Estimated completion date is March 1, 2025.
Europe
Izvestia reports that Russia will test the upgraded Su-57 from summer of 2022 and complete testing in two years. The fighter will have new engines and avionics. The hydraulic actuators will be replace by electric ones. The cockpit will get wide-angle heads up display and panoramic display panels. The Su-57 is a stealth, single-seat, twin-engine multirole fifth-generation jets fighter.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea decided to replace its aging M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) with the indigenous Anti-Aircraft Gun Wheeled vehicle system (AAGW) from Hanwha Defense. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said the contract awarded is worth $200 million. The AAGW uses the same turret of the tracked K30 Biho and has a 1.6x longer range than the existing Vulcan guns, Hanwha said.
Northrop Grumman won a $333.4 million contract modification, which exercises options for the production and delivery of three low-rate initial production MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, two main operating bases and one forward operating base in an integrated functional capability-four and multiple-intelligence configuration, with associated export compliance support for the government of Australia. Northrop Grumman had announced June 19 the Australian government’s decision to provide funding for an additional three of their planned six MQ-4C Tritons and associated ground mission control stations. The MQ-4C Triton is a cooperative development program between the Royal Australian Air Force and the US Navy. Operating at altitudes exceeding 50,000 feet, Triton can cover more than 2 million square miles of ocean and littorals in a single flight, bringing unprecedented awareness to operational commanders’ common operating pictures. Work will take place in California, Texas, Maryland, Utah, West Virginia, Mississippi, Indiana and North Dakota. Estimated completion will be by April 2025.
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