Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $92 million modification for AEGIS combat system configurations. This contract combines purchases for the governments of Japan, South Korea and Australia under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by December 2025. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
L-3 Harris Technologies won an $8.8 million for the procurement of spares for the MK 20 Electro-Optical Sensor System (EOSS), MK 46 Optical Sight System (OSS), and associated the MK 48 and MK 34 Gun Weapon Systems. Work will be performed in Northampton, Massachusetts; Orlando Florida; Moonachie, New Jersey; Keene, New Hampshire; and Radford, Virginia and is expected to be completed by April 2027. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Middle East & Africa
Israeli firms SMARTSHOOTER and HevenDrones have announced a strategic partnership to equip logistics drones with advanced robotic weapon systems. As part of the collaboration, the two companies will integrate the cutting-edge SMASH Dragon weapon into HevenDrones’ H100 and Urban drone platforms. This integration will enable the unmanned aerial systems to conduct combat missions against ground and aerial targets.
Europe
Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense will provide its combat units with $60 million of direct funding per month to procure their own drones, in a move to allow commanders in the field to buy the equipment they need rather than rely on centralized purchasing. The ministry already provided 2.1 billion hryvia directly to combat units in December for buying drones, and decided to scale up the initiative based on that experience, officials said in a January 22 statement. Allowing troops to buy unmanned aerial vehicles directly allowed for rapid fulfillment of service members’ needs while increasing diversification, the ministry said.
Asia-Pacific
The Republic of China Navy’s first modified Kang Ding-class frigate will arrive later this year after receiving upgrades as part of Taiwan’s 2021 modernization strategy. The ROCS Chen De is the sixth ship of the fleet and will be the first to be completed under the effort by September 2025, according to an update from Taipei-based news agency The Liberty Times.