Americas
The US Navy contracted Northrop Grumman $322.5 million to develop new rocket motors for the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The deal provides for engineering and manufacturing development of the AGM-88G variant of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile. The AARGM is a supersonic, medium-range, air-launched tactical missile featuring an advanced, digital, anti-radiation homing sensor, millimeter wave radar terminal seeker, precise Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System guidance, net-centric connectivity, and Weapon Impact Assessment transmit. Work under the contract includes the design, integration and test of a new solid rocket motor for the AARGM-ER for use on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, EA-18G Growler and F-35A/C aircraft platforms. Work will take place in California and is scheduled to be finished by December 2023.
The Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin a $23.9 million contract for support of the Black Hawk helicopter. The H-60 is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter. More than 2,000 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter variants are in service with the US Military. The Black Hawk operates in the US Army since 1978, and variants are operational or have been ordered by 25 international customers: the Argentine Air Force, Royal Australian Army, Bahrain, Brazil, Brunei, Chile, Colombian Air Force, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan Self Defense Force, Jordan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, People’s Republic of China, Royal Saudi Land Forces Army Aviation Command, the Turkish Jandarma, Spain, The Philippine Air Force, Taiwan, and Thailand. Work under the contract provides engineering, logistics, tooling management support and technical data services for sustainment, operation, maintenance, and training in support of all domestic and foreign H-60 variants. Work will take place in New York and Connecticut, and is scheduled for completion in March 2024.
Middle East & Africa
The US Navy awarded Harris Corp. a $43.3 million contract modification for additional Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures AN/ALQ-214 A(V)4/5 Onboard Jammer systems for the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter planes of the Royal Kuwaiti Air Force. AN/ALQ-214 Integrated Defensive Electronic Countermeasures Onboard Jammer is a next-generation radio frequency (RF) integrated countermeasure system. The system is designed to counter RF guided threats with proven electronic countermeasure techniques that deny, disrupt, delay and degrade launch and engagement sequences. Each threat is identified, prioritized, countered and displayed to the aircrew for situational awareness as well as self-protection. The AN/ALQ-214 is currently deployed on the US Navy’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. Boeing was awarded a $1.5 billion contract under the Foreign Military Sales program for the production and delivery of 22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets for the Kuwaiti government. Work under the current modification will take place within the US and is scheduled to be completed by August 2022.
Europe
Thales will supply two Coastal Surveillance Radars for the French Defense Procurement Agency. The French company will manufacture two Coast Watcher 100 radars, which according to Thales offer optimal protection for tactical test areas, monitor maritime traffic in and around those areas and detect any intrusive threats. The radar is built around a Modular Solid-State Transmitter permitting high performances and availability. By performing a precise filtering of all environmental clutters, it allows for precise small target detection, discrimination and a low false alarm rate. About 30 of the systems are in service in several countries around the world. The company did not announce the terms of the contract.
Asia-Pacific
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will phase out its fleet of PC-9A turboprop training aircraft, Jane’s reports. The Pilatus PC-9 is a single-engine, low-wing tandem-seat training aircraft. The PC-9A are 67 two-seat trainers for the RAAF, the first of which flew on May 19, 1987. Pilot training for Army, Navy, and Air Force aircrew began in 1989. Full retirement of the fleet is expected by the end of the year. It will be replaced by the Pilatus PC-21, which is a turboprop advanced trainer with a stepped tandem cockpit. The RAAF’s acrobatic team undertook its final display in the PC-9A during the Avalon Airshow 2019.
India signed a $3 billion contract for the lease of an Akula-1 class nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia for a period of ten years. The submarine will be ready by 2025 and the contract includes refurbishment of the submarine with Indian communication and sensor systems, spares support and technical infrastructure for its operations. This submarine will replace INS Chakra, a submarine taken on a ten-year lease from Russia in 2012. The existing lease will be extended until the new submarine becomes operational. The so called Chakra III will not be equipped with long-range nuclear missiles because of international treaties and because it is not meant for deterrence patrols. In November last year, India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, completed its first deterrence patrol. A second nuclear submarine, INS Arighat, will be commissioned later this year, with two more currently under construction.
Today’s Video
Watch: HMS Duncan will be in the Mediterranean working alongside the French Navy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_321G6nmdSg
