Americas
Life Cycle Engineering was awarded a $50 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the DDG 1000 Class Integrated Power System (IPS); the DDG 51 Class Flight III and New Construction IPS; the Advanced Missile Defense Radar Support Power Conversion Module IPS; and the DDG (X) Land Based Test Site IPS. Work will be assigned according to individual task orders and is expected to be completed by December 2029.
DRS Network & Imaging Systems LLC won a $177 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for various support services for the Abrams M1 Tank Family of Vehicles (FoV), M88 Recovery FoVs, Bradley Fighting Vehicles, Assault Breacher Vehicles, and Joint Assault Bridges. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 20, 2029.
Africa
Algeria has recently bolstered its military capabilities by acquiring four state-of-the-art WJ-700 Falcon unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp (CASIC), a leading Chinese state-owned enterprise. This strategic move, announced by the Algerian resource ORCA Military on March 13, signifies a significant advancement in Algeria’s reconnaissance and combat operations. The WJ-700 Falcon UAVs, which are currently undergoing final acceptance tests, are expected to be operational in the near future. These UAVs are part of the High-Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) class, capable of engaging targets up to 100 km away with missile strikes and air target neutralization. The procurement of these UAVs comes amidst Algeria’s ongoing regional tensions with Morocco, which has also been upgrading its military assets.
Europe
Swedish defense and security company Saab has secured a contract to develop concepts for the next generation of fighter jets for the Swedish Air Force. The contract, awarded by the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV), covers a two-year period from 2024 to 2025. This project will involve conceptual studies for both manned and unmanned fighter solutions, emphasizing a “system of systems” perspective. Saab will delve into technology development and demonstrations, collaborating closely with FMV, the Swedish Armed Forces, the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), GKN Aerospace, and other industry partners.
Asia-Pacific
The Indian Army has inducted seven indigenous counter-drone systems for deployment along the border with China in the north. The Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (IDD&IS) features both soft and hard-kill options with ranges of 2-5 kilometers (1.24-3 miles) and 800 meters (2,624 feet), respectively, according to The Times of India. A drone’s soft-kill options include jamming, spoofing, and disrupting communication between the drone and its operator, whereas hard-kill includes directed energy options such as laser and microwaves.
According to Defense News, South Korea has awarded a contract to LIG Nex1 to develop a new naval surface-to-air missile destined to arm destroyers. The contract, issued by the Defense Acquisition and Program Administration on March 14, $246.9 million. The new weapon, dubbed Ship-to-Air Missile-II, is expected to equip six next-generation KDDX destroyers due to enter service by 2036. DAPA noted in a March 15 news release that “ship survivability will be greatly improved from increasing anti-aircraft threats” thanks to the missile. The agency also refers to the weapon as the Fleet Shared Ballistic Missile-II System.
