LM Taps BAE to Modernize HUD for F-22s | Oshkosh Gets $200M to Provide FMTVs to Israel | British-Japanese JNAAM Tech Feasibility Study to be Complete by Year End

Americas

• US Navy fleet pilots have expressed concerns over the safety of catapult launching the F-35C from aircraft carriers. Recent sea testing of the naval variant of the Joint Strike Fighter exposed an issue of excessive vertical oscillations, or a bouncing effect, during takeoff with the aid of a steam-driven catapult. However the program’s manager, Lt. Christopher Bogdan, downplayed the concerns stating that the oscillations only occur at very light gross takeoff weights and no F-35C going into combat would be taking off at such a light weight. “At medium weights and heavy weights you don’t see this problem at all,” Bogdan was quoted as saying.

• BAE Systems has been selected by Lockheed Martin to modernize the head-up display (HUD) for USAF F-22s. The existing HUD will be replaced with an all-digital version, based on BAE’s Digital Light Engine (DLE) technology to produce a form, fit, and function HUD that will fit seamlessly into the F-22’s existing HUD space. Work includes the replacement of the current conventional cathode ray tube image source on the current HUD with a digital version that offers increased reliability, eliminates high-maintenance and obsolete items.

Middle East North Africa

• Israel’s Defense Ministry has contracted Oshkosh Defense to provide 200 FMTV tactical trucks. Valued at $200 million, the deal comes after vigorous field testing by Israel of six trucks to ensure the firm’s Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) meets Israeli requirements. It’s expected that this order will be added too, as Tel Aviv begins the replacement of the nearly 60-year old tactical trucks currently used by its logistics branch.

Europe

• Rolls Royce has announced that they have reached a number of settlements with authorities in the UK, US and Brazil, following evidence of bribery and corruption involving company intermediaries on a number of defense deals. The total cost of the settlements is believed to be approximately $809 million, with the UK’s Serious Fraud Office set to earn the bulk of the funds, a national record, at nearly $500 million. Other payments to the US Dept. of Justice and Brazil’s Ministerio Publico Federal are set to receive $170 million and $25.58 million respectively. In the first year, Rolls is expected to hand over about $352.2 million to authorities.

• Eurofighter will provide a five-year support deal for four NATO countries operating the Typhoon fighter. Two contracts were signed between NETMA, the NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Organization on behalf of core Eurofighter nations, and Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH on behalf of aircraft makers Airbus Defense and Space, BAE Systems and Leonardo. The deals cover the sustainment of engineering capabilities and program management, and for logistics, repairs, and the provision of spare parts for the Eurofighter fleet.

Asia Pacific

• An inquest into the third launch failure of India’s Nirbhay cruise missile has found that the missile’s wings failed to deploy properly during its flight. Following take-off, the wings became stuck at 60 degrees position for about 1.5 seconds, causing the missile to roll rapidly and overwhelming its Inertial Navigation System (INS). Engineers then needed to abandon the test as the missile had veered off its flight path.

• Taiwan’s military has laid out a timeline for their indigenous advanced jet trainer program, with the aircraft slated to make its flying debut in June 2020. State-owned Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) is currently on a hiring spree, looking to recruit additional engineers in order to get blueprints completed by the middle of this year. Taipei expects to have a working prototype rolled out by September 2019 and into production by 2021. AIDC has also begun work on the Republic of China Air Force’s F-16V upgrade program. Under the Phoenix Rising Project, the team will upgrade Taiwan’s F-16A/B fleet by 2023.

• A British-Japanese technical feasibility study for the Joint New Air-to-Air Missile (JNAAM) is expected to be completed by this year. Preliminary research into the missile has already found that if both countries were to continue with the project’s development, it potentially could be the world’s top air-to-air missile on the market. The JNAAM is an attempt by London and Tokyo to merge the AESA missile seeker from Japan’s AAM4B missile on the MBDA Meteor body.

Today’s Video

Iranian air-defense shoots at rogue quadcopter in Tehran: