Americas
Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $34,142,015 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee type modification to exercise options for AEGIS development and test sites operation and maintenance at the Combat Systems Engineering Development Site, SPY-1A Test Facility and Naval Systems Computing Center. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to several countries. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by January 2025. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.
The US Air Force Pacific (PACAF) recently unveiled a novel concept, the Deployable Innovation Team (DIT), during the large-scale multinational exercise Cope North 24. Held in Guam and the surrounding islands, Cope North 24 serves as a platform to test and refine operational capabilities. The DIT’s primary mission focuses on reoptimizing logistics practices to enhance operational efficiency within the Pacific theater, particularly in the context of intensifying great power competition. While specific details about all implemented solutions are not provided, the press release highlights a specific example of the DIT’s real-time problem-solving capabilities during Cope North 24. In response to the challenge of communication across diverse languages during the exercise, the Software Engineering Development Field Team (SEDFT), a sub-team within the DIT, undertook the development of a secure translator app. Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), the SEDFT successfully coded the entire app within a remarkable two-day timeframe. This app transcribes speech into text, providing real-time “closed-captioning” of briefings and discussions, significantly enhancing communication and collaboration. Notably, the app was even trained on Cope North-specific verbiage to ensure accurate interpretation of military jargon, demonstrating the team’s commitment to providing tailored solutions for operational scenarios.
Europe
The US Army has sent Stryker-mounted laser weapon prototypes to the Middle East to test their “real-world applicability.” Four Directed Energy Maneuver Short Range Air Defense (DE M-SHORAD) prototypes recently arrived at US Central Command (CENTCOM) and have begun initial testing, according to Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus. The systems, which feature the cutting-edge integration of 50-kilowatt lasers onto Stryker armored fighting vehicles, are designed to intercept and destroy class 1 to 3 drones, as well as incoming rockets, artillery, and mortars.
Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson visited Poland on March 4th to solidify defense cooperation between the two nations. The visit will culminate in the official delivery of two Saab 340 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft to Poland at an airbase in Gdynia. This move underscores the deepening defense relationship between Sweden and Poland, particularly in the context of heightened regional security concerns. The acquisition of the Saab 340 AEW&C aircraft bolsters Poland’s aerial surveillance capabilities and aligns with their efforts to modernize their military equipment.
Asia-Pacific
China announced Tuesday it would boost its defense spending in 2024, as hostility over Taiwan and in the South China Sea grows. The 7.2 percent increase, identical to last year’s figure, was announced at the start of the annual meeting of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament, the National People’s Congress (NPC). China will spend $231.4 billion on defense in 2024, according to the budget report that lays out the government’s financial plans for the year ahead. China has the world’s second-largest defense budget behind the United States, even though the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) surpasses the US military by number of personnel. Still, China’s military spend is around three times smaller than Washington’s in recent years.
Saab has started constructing a “fully owned” Carl Gustaf rifle factory in India. It is the first Carl Gustaf facility outside Sweden, built by Saab FFVO India Pvt Ltd. in Haryana’s Jhajjar, 55 kilometers (34 miles) west of Delhi. Saab will partner with Indian suppliers to fully meet Indian armed forces requirements for the weapon, with production expected from next year.
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