Americas
Raytheon won a $115 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure long-lead time materials for the future production and delivery of F135 propulsion systems for the F-35 in support of the Joint Strike Fighter program for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, F-35 Cooperative Program Partners, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work is expected to be completed in February 2028. Fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,800,000; fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $29,725,000; fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps) funding in the amount of $8,400,000; FMS funds in the amount of $44,150,000; and non-US Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $31,000,000, will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Palantir, the powerful data and AI company with deep ties to US national security bodies, has won a multi-billion-dollar contract to run US Army software and data. The agreement, announced Thursday, consolidates multiple contracts into a single enterprise deal that allows the military to buy Palantir’s products over the next decade to a value of up to $10 billion. “By streamlining our procurement processes and leveraging enterprise-level discounts, we are not only enhancing our operational effectiveness but also maximizing our buying power,” said Army chief information officer Leo Garciga.
Middle East & Africa
Slovenia said Thursday that it will ban all weapons trade with Israel over the war in Gaza, in what it said is a first by an EU nation. Slovenia’s government has frequently criticized Israel over the conflict, and last year moved to recognize a Palestinian state as part of efforts to end the fighting in Gaza as soon as possible. “Slovenia is the first European country to ban the import, export and transit of weapons to and from Israel,” the government said in a statement late Thursday.
Europe
A drone believed to be Russian-made that entered Lithuania from Belarusian airspace has been found in a military training area, the Lithuanian army said Friday. The drone entered Lithuania in the early hours of Monday, with members of the public recording its flight over parts of the country’s capital Vilnius before it disappeared. “It’s likely it’s the same one that entered Lithuanian territory on Monday. Based on preliminary information, it’s a Gerbera drone, but the details will be clarified,” the military said in a statement.
Asia-Pacific
South Korea has completed the initial deployment of the second phase of its Cheongung-II air defense system, an advanced platform capable of intercepting both aircraft and ballistic missiles. An upgrade of the baseline Cheongung system, originally designed to counter combat aircraft, Cheongung-II represents a significant step forward in Seoul’s efforts to enhance national air defense. The original Cheongung system entered service in 2015 as part of South Korea’s ongoing medium-range air defense initiative.