Americas
Northrop Grumman won a $3.9 billion deal for Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile ground subsystems support. This contract provides for sustaining engineering, maintenance engineering, test and assessment, modification of systems and equipment, software maintenance, developmental engineering, production engineering, repair and procurement. The LGM-30G Minuteman III is a three-stage, solid-fueled, intercontinental-range ballistic missile. The Minuteman III is the sole land-based component of the US nuclear triad. Estimated completion date is July 6, 2039.
The US Air Force detonated a warhead for its hypersonic weapon, Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW), for the first time. The Air Force said in a statement that the 780th Test Squadron, based at Eglin Air Force base in Florida, detonated an AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon warhead for the first time recently.
Middle East & Africa
The Israel Ministry of Defense announced that it has signed a $ 30.5 million agreement with Israel Shipyards. Under the agreement, four ‘Sheldag’ type 5 security vessels will be supplied to the country’s Navy. The ‘Sheldag’ Mark 5 is a fast cruise ship, with the ability to maneuver and operate the world’s most advanced weapon systems. The propulsion ships will provide the Navy with a broad response to the threats developing on the naval battlefield in the coming years. The length of the vessel will be 32.5 meters, it weighs 95 tons and its speed is 40 knots.
Europe
The UK’s Defense and Security Accelerator launched a Market Exploration called Zero Emissions Air System, on behalf of the Royal Air Force (RAF). The RAF is searching for its next generation of light flying training aircraft that must be more environmentally friendly and produces a zero carbon emission at the point of use. The light aircraft must have an endurance of around 90 minutes with a turnaround time of not more than 20 minutes. This will include replenishment of the powertrain energy source, which can be electric or hydrogen based.
France’s Thales successfully completed the first flight of a half-scale prototype of its UAS 100 long-range unmanned air system on June 22. Developed in partnership with Issoire Aviation and Hionos, and with the support of the French Ministry of the Armed Forces via the Defense Innovation Agency (AID), UAS100 will help meet demand for more cost-effective drone missions with a lower environmental impact.
Asia-Pacific
The Philippine Air Force has grounded its fleet of C-130 medium transport aircraft after a fatal crash on 4 July in the southern Philippine province of Sulu. The decision to ground the fleet was announced the following day by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo, who noted that this is a standard procedure following such incidents.
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