Americas
* Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $321.8 million contract by the US Navy to conduct further research and development in support of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) integration and test phase. Work to be carried out includes the completion of the detailed design of all remaining hardware and software, methodically retiring any open risks, constructing and testing missile test objects to assure compliance with capacity requirements, and preparing for manufacture and/or deployment.
* To commemorate the 30 year anniversary of the movie Top Gun, Raytheon has published a retrospective of how aerial combat has changed in the time since then. Included are details of what a Top Gun reboot would look like today, swapping F-14 Tomcats for F/A-18 Hornets armed with the latest developments to the AIM-9X Sidewinder.
Middle East North Africa
* The Jordanain defense industry is cooperating with Russia and Belarus to develop remotely operated and vehicle-launched versions of the Russian-designed RPG-32 for counter-terrorism missions. Jordan’s Jadara Equipment and Defence Systems recently completed testing of a remotely operated system that launches four rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) simultaneously with the help of Russia’s state-owned Bazalt, designers of the RPG-32, and the SRPC Research and Production Center of Belarus. The announcement was made by industry executives at the Special Operations Forces Exhibition (SOFEX) in Amman.
* Egypt has received a first delivery of a number of mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles (MRAP) from the US. The shipment is the first in a total of 762 vehicles the US is planning to send to the country. The US Embassy in Cairo stated that the sale will be a “new capability [that] will be used to combat terrorism and promote stability in the region.”
Africa
* Botswana is to purchase eight Gripen C/D fighters after it was revealed by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). It is, however, also reported that the deal could be for up to sixteen, with the total cost of the deal ranging from between $1.45 to $1.63 billion. Whatever the exact number, Botswana’s government is ordering the fighter as part of a modernization that will replace its current fleet of Canadair CF-5s.
* India’s Economic Times is reporting keen interest in HAL’s Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) from a number of African nations, stating that India is currently participating in talks over potential sales. The LCH is currently awaiting weapons trials in July-August of this year after a recent successful demonstration of the LCH in firing 70 mm rockets. Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar stated that the helicopters appeal is its great “value for money.”
Asia Pacific
* Iran’s Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan has come out saying that the country is not keen on buying the S400 air defense system. Answering queries from reporters, Dehqan’s comments come at the end of a long process for the delivery of the older S-300 system. Iran has been long waiting to receive the system it had purchased in 2007.
* India test-fired its Advanced Air Defence (AAD) interceptor on May 12 with the missile destroying a modified Prithvi ballistic missile. The target missile was launched from a ship anchored inside Bay of Bengal and was destroyed in an endo-atmospheric environment by the AAD. Success of the test was announced by India’s Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
Today’s Video
* A look at Lockheed Martin’s LRASM:
