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Daily Rapid Fire

JLTV May See First Export to UK in FMS | Turkey Installing Indigenous Air Defense to Counter IS in Syria | Eurofighter Plans for Typhoon Fighter Export Sales

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Americas * Raytheon has been awarded a $28 million
Americas

* Raytheon has been awarded a $28 million contract to ensure that the firm’s AIM-120 AMRAAM can be integrated onto various Air Force and Navy aircraft. Platforms on which the munition will be integrated include the F-16 Block 30, F-35, F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System; F-16 Active Electronically Scanned Array; AMRAAM Real Time Integration Simulator; and multiple F/A-18 configurations. Work is expected to be completed by January 30, 2020.

* The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) could see its first export order, with the UK currently in talks with the Pentagon over a potential Foreign Military Sale. If agreed, the vehicles would be acquired as part of the MoD’s Multi-Role Vehicle-Protected (MRV-P) program under its package one requirement, the smallest for carrying troops and other light duties. Package two involves larger troop carrying and battlefield ambulance vehicles with package 3 involving light protected recovery vehicles.

Middle East North Africa

* Turkey is to install new indigenously developed air-defense systems around a southern province to counter rocket attacks launched by Islamic State militants operating in neighboring Syria. The systems being put in place include the counter-mortar radar known as Serhat and the Korkut self-propelled air-defense gun which is capable of firing 1,100 rounds per minute. In addition, two batteries of Aselsan’s High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) will be installed in the Kilis area to operate with scores of drones.

Europe

* The Russian Ministry of Defense has announced a successful test-firing of the A-135 anti-ballistic missile interceptor by the Russian Aerospace Forces from the Sary-Shagan missile testing site in Kazakhstan. According to the ministry’s statement, the test was conducted to “to verify performance characteristics of ABMs operated by the Air Force.” Originally developed by the Soviet Union in the 1970s, Russia carries out periodic tests on the A-135 system in Kazakhstan, known for its vast empty spaces ideal for missile tests and space landings.

* France has received delivery of its first A400M aircraft with tactical capabilities from Airbus. While the delivery is number nine of an eventual 50 A400s, aircraft MSN33 is the first with the ability to participate in missions such as airdrops and includes the addition of cockpit armor and defensive aids system equipment, plus clearance for the Atlas to transfer and receive fuel in-flight. It’s expected that two more such aircraft will be delivered by the end of the year, and three already in service will be upgraded with such features.

* Eurofighter is to target fresh export sales of the Typhoon fighter as the consortium announced deliveries of 47 of the multi-role aircraft in the 12 months running up to May. A backlog of 106 deliveries now remain, with orders from Germany, Italy, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Spain and the UK. Targets for the fighter include campaigns with Indonesia and Malaysia, several European nations and a watchful eye is being kept on the ongoing situation in Canada.

Asia Pacific

* Singapore has announced that it is to delay its decision on which helicopter will replace its Super Puma fleet. News of the postponement comes following the crash of an H225M in Norway, and while the helicopter was a civilian model, the military version is believed to be the front runner in the replacement program. According to anonymous sources talking to Reuters, a new tender for the $1 billion acquisition is not being considered.

* Taiwan’s IDF fighter has been armed with CBU-100 cluster bombs after a photograph of a fighter was posted on the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology (NCSIST) webpage. The aircraft pictured was one of the two prototype aircraft that participated in the Hsiang Sheng upgrade program. As a non-member of the United Nations, Taiwan is not a signatory of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Today’s Video

* Russia’s latest A-135 anti-ballistic missile interceptor test:

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