Americas
The US Air Force has selected Leidos Inc. to develop a $26 million prototype advanced high power microwave (HPM) weapon system to counter drones. “The new prototype will be called Mjölnir, the mythical Norse God Thor’s mighty hammer,” said Adrian Lucero, THOR program manager at AFRL’s Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. “Because THOR was so successful, we wanted to keep the new system’s name in the family.” Mjölnir is based on technology from the Tactical High-Power Operational Responder (THOR) program but with significant improvement in capabilities, reliability, and manufacturing capabilities. Leidos will deliver the prototype next year.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) used an Avenger Unmanned Aircraft System and five hardware-in-the-loop synthetic Avengers to autonomously search and follow an artificially-generated adversary. The live-virtual swarm utilized a simulated Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor network in addition to the government-furnished CODE autonomy engine to accomplish the mission.
Middle East & Africa
The US Navy’s Mideast-based 5th Fleet last week announced the launch of a new joint fleet of unmanned drones with allied nations to patrol vast swaths of the region’s volatile waters as tensions simmer with Iran. Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, who leads the 5th Fleet, told The Associated Press that 100 unmanned drones, both sailing and submersible, would dramatically multiply the surveillance capacities of the U.S. Navy
Europe
Ukraine reported the destruction of the Antonov An-225 Mriya airlifter on February 27, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba saying that the largest aircraft in the world was destroyed in a Russian strike on Hostomel Airport (also known as Antonov International Airport) on the northwestern outskirts of Kyiv.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the European Union will ban Russian state-run media outlets from airing in the EU, as well as bar Russian aircraft from flying in EU airspace.
Asia-Pacific
Zenetex LLC won an $8 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide contractor support services for the MH-60R Multi Mission Helicopter for the government of Australia. The MH-60R Seahawk is a multi-mission helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. It is considered to be the world’s most advanced maritime helicopter. The first low-rate initial production (LRIP) helicopters were remanufactured SH-60Bs, but the following MH-60Rs are all newbuilds. Work will take place in Patuxent River, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in March 2023.
The Royal Australian Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth $49 Million to provide Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile integration and test effort for the formers F/A-18 E/F aircraft. This order provides Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile integration and test effort for the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 E/F aircraft for the government of Australia. In February of 2020, the United States had approved Australia’s request to purchase 200 AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASMs) for its F-18 Super Hornet fighters in a contact estimated to be worth $990 million. Australia intends to use the missiles on its F-18 aircraft to provide enhanced capabilities in defense of critical sea-lanes.
Today’s Video
WATCH: EU ups the ante with Russia; closes airspace, bans media
