Americas
* Argentina has been cleared by the US State Department for the potential sale of 24 T-6C+ Texan II trainer aircraft. The Foreign Military Sales contract, which includes spare engines and associative support equipment, is estimated to be in the region of $300 million. Under the announcement, new T-6Cs will not only go toward a modernization of the Air Force’s trainer fleet, but will also participate in border control missions.
* The Mexican Navy has debuted its new Arcturus T-20 UAV for surveillance operations. Procurement of the drone came as part of a collaboration between the Navy and the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, with the system featuring three aircraft equipped with high-resolution cameras, control vehicles, antennas, and a pneumatic launcher. Specific tasks include surveillance for the protection and recovery of the endangered vaquita, a rare porpoise, and to prevent poaching of the totoaba fish found in the Gulf of California.
Middle East North Africa
* The UAE is to receive $785 million in US munitions, sustainment and support. Procurements include 7,700 GBU-10 guidance kits with 7,700 Mk-84/BLU-117 bombs; 5,940 GBU-12 guidance kits with 5,940 Mk-82/BLU-111 bombs; 500 GBU-31V1 guidance kits with 500 Mk-84/BLU- 117 bombs; 500 GBU-31V3 guidance kits with 500 BLU-109 bombs; and 14,640 FMU-152 fuzes. The US State Department stated that the munitions would go toward aiding the participation of the UAE in operations against Islamic State militants.
* Several armor manufacturers are to collaborate on a joint venture based in Turkey. Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, Turkey’s BMC, and the Malaysia-based Etika Strategi have joined to focus on wheeled and tracked armored vehicles with the aim of expanding local and external markets. This could then lead to Rheinmetall and BMC working on the new Turkish Altay tank if the latter wins a serial production contract for the vehicle.
* Contract negotiations are underway to clear a $100 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for 76mm Super Rapid guns for Israel. Much sought after by Tel Aviv for many years, the sale will see Italian defense contractor Oto Melara, a subsidiary of Leonardo-Finmeccanica, deliver the weapons to Israel via the US Navy. Cash for the guns will come through US military aid.
Asia Pacific
* Military reimbursements to the tune of $300 million will not be paid to Pakistan by the Pentagon. Sourced under the Coalition Support Fund (CSF), the program aims to reimburse US allies that have incurred costs in supporting counter-terrorist and counter-insurgency operations. Since 2002, Pakistan has received $14 billion from the CSF, however US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has not told Congress that Pakistan was taking adequate action against the Haqqani network insurgent group.
* India’s MoD has approved $294 million to go toward a program to upgrade its ten Ka-28 anti-submarine warfare helicopters. A 42 month modernization will see state-of-the-art western weapons and sensors integrated on a fleet that currently suffers from poor serviceability. First purchased in 1980, only four Ka-28s are currently operational.
* The first export order for the Il-76MD-90 cargo plane could very well be Kazakhstan. It’s been reported by Russian media that both defense ministers are in discussions over a number of military-technical issues which not only include the Il-76, but Yak-152 and Yak-130 trainers. Other potential export customers include Algeria, Iran and South Africa.
Today’s Video
Japanese planes searching for remnants of North Korean ballistic missiles:
