Americas
M1 Support won a $25.6 million contract modification for the T-38 aircraft maintenance program. The modification will provide intermediate and organizational maintenance of T?38 aircraft for Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force Global Strike Command. The Northrop T-38 Talon is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. It was the world’s first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2020 in several air forces. Work will take place in California, New Mexico, Virginia, Florida, Missouri and is expected to be completed by September 30, 2021.
Lockheed Martin won a $911.8 million modification for Terminal High Altitude Area Defense element development and support services. The modification provides for the extension of the period of performance for additional incremental development, support to flight and ground test programs and responsive support to warfighter requirements to sustain the Ballistic Missile Defense System throughout the acquisition life cycle. THAAD is an American anti-ballistic missile defense system. It is designed to shoot down short-, medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in their terminal range. Work will take place in California and Alabama. Expected completion dates will be established under subsequent task order awards.
Middle East & Africa
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey was quoted in local media saying that the country requires three aircraft carriers in order to be a “a deterrent at sea”. “Turkey is among the 10 countries that can design and produce its own warships. I see some shipbuilders with us today. We can build the second and third aircraft carriers, right? Can we? Because we need those to be a deterrent at sea. We continue to work and produce with the conscience that we don’t have a minute to lose“, he said. Turkey is building helicopter carriers, not aircraft carriers. Aircraft carriers carry fixed wing aircraft, rather than just rotary wing aircraft like helicopters.
Europe
Two Russian Su-27 Flanker pilots intercepted a US Air Force B-52 bomber over international waters in the Black Sea Friday, according to the Air Force. In a press release, the US said Russian pilots flew in an unsafe and unprofessional manner while crossing within 100 feet of the nose of the B-52 multiple times, causing turbulence and restricting the B-52?s ability to maneuver. American B-52 Stratofortress bombers flew over all 30 NATO countries on Friday in an exercise the US military said was meant to demonstrate the alliance’s solidarity, amid growing signs of cracks. The single-day mission is part of regular flight missions that have been taking place in Europe since 2018, but is meant specifically to “demonstrate NATO solidarity, enhance readiness and provide training opportunities” by involving the airspace of every member nation, the US European Command said.
Asia-Pacific
Taiwan decided not to buy three sets of Centurion C-RAM system from the US after it was told by the Pentagon that no evaluation testing data exists for the Centurion. Taiwan had wanted the Centurion to act as an area defensive weapon system to protect its airfields but the system can only do point defense. Therefore, the military has decided to invite the local National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) to modify the Phalanx close-in weapon system (CWIS) for its needs. The institute had previously taken a Phalanx CIWS from the Navy’s Yang-class destroyer and installed it on a mountain top to protect the Songshan radar station on the top of Zhuzi Mountain. A total of seven Gearing-class destroyers transferred to Taiwan as the Yang-class had been upgraded under Wu Chin III program that turn these World War Two ships into guided-missile destroyers. However, since the Air Force’s requirement is for area defense, the new system will have to be integrated with the service’s Sky Guard air defense system. It will modify existing Phalanx CIWS in the inventory for the purpose.
South Korea is moving forward with a reshuffle of top brass, nominating military officials specializing in OPCON or transfer of wartime operational control from the United States. The decision comes a day after a US military vehicle crashed, killing South Koreans near a U.S. military complex outside Seoul. South Korea’s defense ministry said in statement on Monday that Gen. Won In-choul, Seoul’s Air Force chief of staff, was nominated to chair the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Won has “excellent strategic insight into operational command capability,” and the Air Force chief is “equipped with the competence and expertise to systematically advance defense reform and OPCON,” Seoul said.
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