Americas
Lockheed Martin Space won a $109.3 million contract to support the integration of the Trident II (D5) Missile and reentry subsystems into the Common Missile Compartment for the US/UK Columbia/Dreadnought submarine construction programs. Work is expected to be complete by February 28, 2029. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Corp won a $663 million modification, which adds scope to provide recurring logistics support, including ground maintenance activities, action request resolution, depot activation activities, automatic logistics information system operations and maintenance, reliability and maintainability, supply chain management, pilot and maintainer training, and training system sustainment in support of F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Air Systems sustainment efforts for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work is expected to be completed in June 2027. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Middle East & Africa
Russia is expanding its military base in Mali, according to new satellite imagery that shows construction work at a former site of the Wagner Group, a private military contractor linked to the Kremlin. The imagery, captured by Maxar on February 26, reveals new buildings, roads, and excavations at the site of Wagner’s former base at Modibo Keita International Airport, Mali’s main airport located approximately 15km from the capital Bamako.
Europe
The French Navy has received the final H160 Guépard rotorcraft under a six-unit contract signed in 2020. The handover at the Lanvéoc-Poulmic naval air base concluded the initial tranche of aircraft to replace Paris’ aging Panthers, Dauphins, Alouettes, Pumas, and Fennecs. With the French Navy, the H160’s primary role will be maritime rescue and alert missions. Additional helicopters are planned as aero-maritime combat assets aboard the navy’s sea-base platforms.
According to Defense Post, Sweden has begun fire tests of the armed forces’ new self-defense weapons (SSV 24) in Karlsborg. The trials follow a framework agreement signed with Finnish firearms developer Sako in 2023 to replace Stockholm’s automatic carbines. This $84.6-million contract stipulated the delivery of 5.56×45 caliber assault rifles, 7.62×51 caliber sniper rifles, and .338 Lapua Magnums.
Asia-Pacific
The Indian Navy will commission the first MH 60R Seahawk helicopter squadron on Wednesday to boost its anti-submarine capabilities. The squadron consists of six armed aircraft featuring AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, MK 54 torpedoes, and Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System rockets. India bought 24 MH 60R multi-role helicopters from the US in 2020 for $2.2 billion.
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