Americas
* Raytheon has won a $1.01 billion contract for the design, manufacture, integration, demonstration, and test of 15 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) engineering development model pods. The contract is in support of the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the NGJ program, a pod-based tactical jammer that replaces the 40-plus-year ALQ-99 jammer system on the EA-18G aircraft. Raytheon will also manufacture 14 NGJ aero-mechanical test pods, which will be used to verify aircraft flying qualities and pod safe separation from the host aircraft; provide equipment needed for system integration laboratories; and mature manufacturing processes.
* A five-year Navy contract has been awarded to Raytheon to maintain an over-the-horizon radar system. The $20.9 million deal will see the company provide operations and maintenance for the relocatable over-the horizon radar system in support of the US Navy Forces Surveillance Support Center, Chesapeake, Virginia. Initially contracted for one base year, the contract has options to extend for a further four if necessary.
* The Redstone Test Center is playing host to the engineering and development phase of the Joint Air to Ground Missile (JAGM). So far, the missile completed tests on its guidance section which included captive flight testing, tower testing, and environmental testing. The JAGM will now enter the Product Qualification Test (PQT) phase which will see the weapon carried on the Grey Eagle unmanned aerial system (UAS) and AH-64 Apache helicopter for flight testing.
* Thanks to the legal disruption caused by Lockheed Martin over the US Army’s selection of Oshkosh for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) program, it is likely that the vehicle won’t reach its initial operational capability (IOC) on time. Oshkosh came out the victor over Humvee-maker AM General and Lockheed for the $6.7 billion low-rate initial production contract award to build 16,901 vehicles. However, the program had been put on a 97 day halt due to the lawsuit, with work only continuing in December. The Army is now anticipating a six-month delay in reaching its IOC milestone now expected for late 2019.
Middle East North Africa
* A memorandum of understanding has been signed between Turkey’s state-controlled military software company Havelsan and Ukraine’s weapons systems concern Ukroboronprom to jointly develop and build satellites. Both countries are to cooperate by sharing satellite technology with an aim at joint development and production which may also include cooperation to advance aerospace industry work in the future. The move follows a December agreement to build a “strategic” cooperation in the defense industry with a view to co-design, co-develop, and co-produce gear as both Turkey and Ukraine move toward building an anti-Russian block in the region.
* Increased funding it being sought in a bipartisan push by US lawmakers for Israel’s missile defense programs. The president’s request for $150 million may see an increase from Congress resulting in a new total of $600 million. Over the past 10 years, Congress has appropriated $1.9 billion more than was originally requested by successive administrations. Israeli programs developed with US backing include the Iron Dome air defense system, David’s Sling, a medium- and long-range air defense system, and the Arrow family of anti-ballistic missiles. The funding push comes amid concerns from both Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu and some on Capitol Hill over Iran’s ballistic missile technologies.
Europe
* Poland is contemplating offers from General Atomics and Elbit Systems for its program to acquire new medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) UAVs for the country’s armed forces. Under its Zefir program, the Polish Defense Ministry aims at acquiring 350 UAVs by 2019. MALE UAVs being considered by Warsaw are the he MQ-9 Reaper, the MQ-1C Gray Eagle and the Hermes 900, although it is unknown at this time any information regarding the weapons which could be provided on these systems.
Asia Pacific
* New Zealand officially retired its fleet of five Kaman SH-2G(NZ) Seasprite naval helicopters on Thursday. In service in the New Zealand Armed Forces (NZDF) since 2001, they will be replaced by eight newer SH-2G(I) models. Improvements found on the I model include better performance and sensors, as well as the inclusion of AGM-119 Penguin anti-ship missiles, which will replace the AGM-65 Mavericks used on the earlier models.
Today’s Video
* Lockheed Martin’s latest ad showcasing its laser weapon capabilities:
