Americas
Rockwell Collins Simulation and Training Solutions won a $15 million modification, which exercises options for the Delta Software System Configuration-5 retrofit effort of Weapons Systems Trainer (WST)-1 and WST-2, to include associated training, technical data, computer software, and computer software documentation for each WST in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training Systems for the Navy. Work will be performed in Point Mugu, California and is expected to be completed in September 2027. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.
The Canadian military has announced plans to acquire new helicopters to respond to potential crashes involving the F-35 fifth-generation fighter jets in the Arctic. The decision comes amid concerns that the aircraft’s single-engine feature might be a drawback for operations in the country’s far north, where harsh weather conditions and vast, remote terrain heighten the risks associated with engine failure. According to a senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, the new helicopters could replace the service’s current Griffon fleet in carrying out specialized missions, including emergency response. These choppers would also support joint operations with the US military and participate in Canada’s overseas missions in Latvia.
Middle East & Africa
A US Army AH-64 Apache helicopter recently flew with the Spike NLOS (Non Line-of-Sight) missile in Erbil Air Base, Iraq. The flight was part of the Rafael missile’s operational tests with the attack rotorcraft, assigned to the 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. A training (inert) Spike missile was used for the first time with the aircraft flown by a conventional army unit. Previously, the missile had been tested at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and in Germany.
Europe
The UK has announced a measure to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with investments and guidance in accessing the defense supply chain. The initiative aims to support up to 12,000 SMEs by facilitating access to funding and workforce training. The measure “will ensure that smaller firms benefit from increased defense spending, attracting new suppliers and fast-tracking the technologies of the future into the hands of our Armed Forces,” said Defence Secretary John Healey. Currently, nearly 70 percent of defense spending is directed to businesses outside London and the UK’s southeast, benefiting regional economies.
Asia-Pacific
China will host Russia and Iran for trilateral talks on Tehran’s nuclear program on Friday, Beijing’s foreign ministry said. “The three parties will exchange views on the Iranian nuclear issue and other issues of mutual interest,” a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday. The meeting will be attended by China’s Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi.