Americas
The US Air Force is proceeding to install the AN/ALQ-257 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) on several F-16s for flight testing. Northrop Grumman was selected last year to deploy a new electronic warfare suite for the F-16. The new contract, awarded on Mar. 10, will allow the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD), Developmental Test/Operational Test (DT/OT), and Operational Assessment (OA) phases to be carried out in early 2023.
The US Space Force’s Space Systems Command (SSC) and Boeing recently completed a critical design review for the Protected Tactical SATCOM Prototype (PTS-P). PTS-P features an on-board processor of the US military’s jam-resistant Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW), providing users in-theater anti-jam capability with network routing.
Middle East & Africa
Italian company Beretta has won, through Saudi General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI), a contract to supply 3,500 PMX submachine guns in 9×19 mm caliber to the Saudi Royal Guard. According to Beretta, this follows two years of tests that led to the qualification of the PMX both by GAMI. The contract also includes a small batch of accessories.
Europe
General Dynamics European Land Systems` local company GDELS-Romania (GDELS-RO) signed an agreement for the creation of an industrial consortium with C.N. ROMARM Uzina Mecanica Bucuresti (UMB) for the production of wheeled armored vehicles in Romania. The signing ceremony took place on March 15 in the newly established vehicle production facility at UMB in Bucharest. The event was attended by the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Ciuca, the Minister of National Defence, Vasile Dancu, the Minister of Economy, Florin Sp?taru, as well as the United States Charge D’ Affairs to Romania, David Muniz and GDELS President, Alfonso Ramonet.
Asia-Pacific
Indonesia’s military took delivery of the first batch of Kaplan MT/Harimau medium-weight tanks jointly produced by Ankara-based FNSS and Indonesian company PT Pindad. This marks the first export of Turkish-developed tank. Ismail Demir, head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) of Turkey said the tanks will be produced in both countries and that the contract included technology transfer. He revealed that mass production of Kaplan MT has begun and will continue.
Boeing won a $55.4 million order, which procures P-8A training systems hardware for the government of Korea. Specifically, this order provides for the production and delivery of one Operational Flight Trainer with Brief/Debrief Station, one Weapons Tactics Trainer with Brief/Debrief Station, one Virtual Maintenance Trainer, one Maintenance Support Cabinet, one 10-seat plus one instructor seat Maintenance Electronic Classroom (EC), one Training System Support Center, one 10-seat plus one instructor seat Mission Systems Desktop Trainer EC, one 10-seat plus one instructor seat Flight Management Systems Trainer EC, and one 10-seat plus one instructor seat Aircrew EC. Additionally, this order provides contracts, logistics, engineering and management technical expertise required for the procurement, build, inspection and acceptance of the Phase 1 hardware for the P-8A training system for the government of Korea. Work will take place in Missouri and Florida. Estimated completion is in July 2025.
Rolls-Royce won an $8.6 million ordering agreement, which provides for sovereign repair capability development as well as facility standup for the V-22 AE 1107C engine to include establishment of an indigenous depot-level maintenance and repair capability for the Rolls-Royce AE 1107C engine and integration of an AE 1107C engine test cell into existing Kawasaki Heavy Industries facilities in support of the government of Japan. Work will take place in Indiana and Japan. Estimated completion will be in June 2024.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Harimau Hitam / Kaplan MT, the new face of the medium tank.
