Americas
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won an $8.4 million modification, which adds scope to procure diminishing manufacturing sources in support of production, retrofit, spares, replenishment and repairs for the F-35 Lightning II program for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers, and non-US Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2025. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. he Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin is gearing up for a live-fire test in the coming months, aiming to showcase the integration of a proven US Army air defense missile with the Navy’s established combat system for its surface fleet. This ambitious project, reported by Breaking Defense, involves integrating the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) with the Aegis Weapon System, potentially bolstering the Navy’s air defense capabilities.
Middle East & Africa
President Joe Biden on Wednesday urged four key lawmakers to greenlight the roughly $20 billion sale of 40 F-16s to Turkey, noting the State Department intends to formally approve the deal as soon as Ankara finalizes Sweden’s NATO accession. The sale of the Block 70 F-16 fighter jets from Lockheed Martin, which also includes 80 modernization kits, had been stalled for years, with the latest issue being Turkey’s nearly two-year-long blockade of Sweden’s NATO bid. Biden’s letter comes after the Turkish parliament ratified Sweden’s NATO accession 287-55 on Tuesday, though President Recep Tayyip Erdogan still needs to sign it.
Europe
Germany is considering a proposal from the United Kingdom to swap cruise missiles, in a move that could potentially allow Berlin to provide Ukraine with more powerful weapons while addressing its concerns about escalating the conflict with Russia. Kyiv has been urging Berlin to supply its Taurus cruise missiles, which have a longer range and can strike targets deeper within Russian-occupied territory than the weapons Germany has provided so far. However, the German government has been hesitant, fearing that such a move could provoke a wider response from Russia.
Germany announced its first direct delivery of aircraft to Ukraine: six Sea King helicopters slated for arrival in the second quarter of 2024. This move, unveiled by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, marks a departure from previous German support focused on non-lethal supplies and training. These hardy Sikorsky-built helicopters, once the mainstay of the Royal Navy, will bolster Ukraine’s capabilities in several key areas. Their primary mission will be enhancing surveillance over the Black Sea, aiding in the monitoring of Russian naval activity and securing essential maritime trade routes. Additionally, the Sea Kings’ troop transport capacity will prove valuable in facilitating rapid deployment of Ukrainian forces across the battlefront.
Asia-Pacific
The Philippines is pushing for a more self-reliant defense posture in the face of increasing security threats from China. The country’s lower house of Congress recently approved the proposed Philippine Self-Reliant Defense Posture Program, which would pave the way for boosted domestic production of military weapons and equipment.
