Americas
L3Harris Interstate Electronics won a $15.1 million for TRIDENT II (D5) Flight Test Instrumentation systems support. This contract award also benefits a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom. Work is expected to be completed by February 8, 2027. This contract is being awarded on a sole source basis under 10 US Code 3204(a)(1) and was previously synopsized on the System for Award Management online portal. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin won a not-to-exceed $10,083,352 undefinitized cost modification, which adds scope to procure production parts with significant lead times in support of equipping a Marine Corps short take-off and vertical landing F-35 aircraft with flight test instrumentation. Work is expected to be completed in January 2025. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Middle East & Africa
UAE’s EDGE Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with Turkish Aerospace to integrate payloads and sensors with their airborne capabilities. The agreement will see the companies collaborate to implement intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance on upcoming aerospace-specific initiatives, paving the way for technology transfer, integration, and manufacturing.
Europe
The Estonian Defense Forces welcomed the arrival of the Blue Spear mobile anti-ship missile system this week, marking a significant step in strengthening the country’s coastal defense capabilities. This advanced system, developed jointly by Israel and Singapore, delivers long-range precision strike capabilities against both sea and land targets within a 290-kilometer radius. Estonia became the first nation to acquire the Blue Spear in 2022, solidifying its pioneering role in introducing this fifth-generation missile technology. The €100 million project encompasses not only the missile system itself but also infrastructure investments and future operational costs.
Asia-Pacific
The Australian government has injected $260 million in additional funding for its MQ-28A Ghost Bat autonomous drone program. The additional budget will allow Canberra to advance the secretive program and produce three more armed drones for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
India is considering developing three signals intelligence and communications jamming system aircraft after attempting to procure them from abroad. Approval could come next week as the consideration is at an advanced stage, Asian News International revealed, citing sources. The Defense Research and Development Laboratory and the Indian Air Force will develop the Airbus A319-based aircraft using primarily indigenous technology and equipment.
