General Atomics Tapped For Gray Eagle Work | Philippines Crew Starts Training on Jordan’s Cobras | DoS Approves Global Hawk FMS To South Korea

Americas

General Atomics Aeronautical System won a $21.7 million contract modification in support of the MG-1C Gray Eagle extended range aircraft unique initial spares and ground support equipment. The General Atomics MQ-1C Gray Eagle is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS). It was developed by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for the United States Army as an upgrade of the General Atomics MQ-1 Predator. Its endurance is about 30 hours and it can fly up to 280 km/h (170 mph). It has four hardpoints for four AGM-114 Hellfire missiles or four GBU-44 Viper Strike. General Atomics will perform work in Poway, California. Estimated completion date is July 21, 2021.

The US Navy tapped Boeing with $10.6 million to procure 16 P-8A A-Kits and 16 Turret Deployment Units for Lots 8 and 9 full.rate production aircraft. The P-8A is designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. It is capable of broad-area maritime and littoral operations. Back in January it was reported that Boeing would start building add-on kits to create flying torpedoes that can attack submerged enemy submarines from long ranges and from high altitudes. The P-8A weapon system consists of a basic Boeing commercial 737-800 ERX air vehicle modified to meet Navy requirements, and numerous systems and subsystems for avionics, communications, mission, and weapon capabilities.Boeing will perform work under the contract modification in Washington, Arizona, and Canada and expects completion in August 2021.

Middle East & Africa

The US Department of State approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of Follow-On Technical Support (FOTS) for various ships. The deal is valued at $554 million. Egypt had requested Follow on Technical Support that provides for material and labor services in support of Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates (FFG-7 class ships), Fast Missile Craft (FMC), Mine Hunter Coastal (MHC) ships, Coastal Mine Hunter (CMH) ships, and 25 Meter and 28 Meter Fast Patrol Craft (FPC). The prime contractor will be the Virginia-based VSE Corporation, with an estimated price tag of $554 million.

Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana announced that pilots and maintenance personnel are now in Jordan to train on operating the AH-1 attack helicopter. Jordan had donated two AH-1s to the Philippines. The crew will now begin their familiarization training on the two AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters donated by the Jordanian government. Jordan was the first Cobra operator to modernize the avionics of the AH-1F/S. The Cobra is a two-blade, single-engine attack helicopter. Jordan obtained 24 AH-1Fs in the late 1980s, and in 2001 obtained nine additional ex-US Army Cobras. In 2010 Jordan transferred 16 AH-1F helicopters to Pakistan, under a US-sponsored support program that provided Islamabad with 40 AH-1 refurbished helicopters. In September last year, the Department of National Defense and the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on defense cooperation.

Europe

A Swiss Air Force F/A-18 went supersonic during a scramble on July 29 in the afternoon. The sonic boom was heard in the city of Lausanne.The sound alarmed residents and elicited many calls to the police. Two Hornets took off from Emmen Air Base in order to check on an aircraft that lost radio contact, according to the military. The Army did not specify the location of the incident beyond the fact that it occurred in the canton of Vaud where Lausanne is located. No further details were given of the mission except that it ended without problems. The Hornet has a very short reaction time from its alert position, very good aeroplane performance and flying characteristics and is able to accelerate extremely fast, reaching sonic speed within seconds. Its extremely good maneuverability in curvilinear flight is important in aerial combat in visual flight conditions and is proven to be of the best worldwide.

Asia-Pacific

The American State Department approved a possible Sale to the Republic of Korea for Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) for RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30 Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPS). The deal is worth $950 million. The contract would enable the Republic of Korea to sustain and operate its fleet of RQ-4 Block 30 remotely piloted aircraft and will significantly advance US interests in standardization with the Republic of Korea’s Armed Forces. In 2014 South Korea signed a deal to purchase Global Hawks with production starting in 2015 and delivery expected to start last year. Due to cyber security concerns, delivery was delayed. Northrop Grumman is the principal contractor on the contract.

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