Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $90 million modification to exercise options for MK 41 Vertical Launching Systems. This modification combines purchases for the Navy; and the government of Spain, under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Saginaw, Michigan; Farmingdale, New York; St. Peters, Missouri; San Jose, California; Radford, Virginia; and various other locations, and is expected to be completed by June 2027.
According to Defense Post, Leidos and the US Army demonstrated a counter-small unmanned aerial system during the service’s recent Maneuver and Fires Integrated Experiment (MFIX) in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. For the activity, the firm and the army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation and Missile Center employed the Advanced Multilayered Mobile Force Protection (AM2FP) against simulated enemy drones.
Middle East & Africa
After a two-year hiatus, the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are back on track to finalize a deal for 18 MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones, marking a significant step forward in both technology and regional partnerships. This news, reported by Breaking Defense, highlights the growing importance of drone technology in the Middle East and the strategic alliance between the US and the UAE. The previous delay stemmed from concerns surrounding the UAE’s use of Chinese technology alongside the proposed F-35 fighter jet program for UAE. By decoupling the negotiations, both parties paved the way for smooth progress on the SeaGuardian deal. The U.S. State Department confirmed ongoing discussions and commitment to the sale, with a formal request from the UAE expected within the next six months.
The Biden administration has announced its approved a $23 billion deal to sell F-16 warplanes to Türkiye, after Ankara ratified Sweden’s Nato membership, the state department said. Türkiye will get 40 new F-16s and upgrades to 79 of the jets in its existing fleet, the state department said in a news release. The US did not green light the transaction until Türkiye’s instruments of ratification of Sweden’s membership had arrived in Washington, a US official said, highlighting the highly sensitive nature of the negotiations, reports Agence France-Presse.
Europe
The US State Department has approved the Foreign Military Sale to Greece for up to 40 F-35A 5th gen. fighter jets along with 42 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines (40 installed and 2 spares), for an estimated cost of $8.6 billion. The United States Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified the Congress of the possible sale on January 26, 2024.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea began production of its version of the U.S. hunter-killer MQ-9 Reaper drone to enhance its defense surveillance capabilities against North Korea, ending the 18 years of delay, announced its defense procurement agency. Known as the Korean Unmanned System–Flight Strategic (KUS-FS), the MUAV is a testament to South Korea’s growing prowess in the field of unmanned aerial technology. Developed by the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD), this drone boasts impressive specifications, rivaling the capabilities of the widely-used American MQ-9 Reaper. Development began in 2008 and the program was suspened in 2011 after South Korea choose to buy the RQ-4.
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