Terma Tapped For A-10 3D Audio | Saudi Arabia Looking To Mobilize Foreign Militaries | Nepali Army Set To Receive $21 Million From China

Americas

Terma North America won a $60 million deal for A-10 3D audio. This contract provides for up to 328 3D audio systems for the A-10. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a single-seat, twin turbofan engine, straight wing jet aircraft. Its nickname is „Warthog“. After years of trying to retire the Warthog, the US Air Force is now investing money to keep more of the attack jets flying for another decade. Work under the audio contract will be performed by a subcontractor in the US and Denmark as indicated in the contract award and is expected to be completed by February 28, 2024.

Northrop Grumman won a $8.9 million delivery order, which procures non-recurring engineering support for the integration of the AN/AAQ-24 on multiple Department of Defense aircraft platforms for the Army. According to the DoD, the engineering effort includes platform integration of modernized survivability equipment, maintainability, interface improvements and software to effective utilize the AN/AAR-61(V)1 more effectively. Derived from the AN/AAQ-24(V) Nemesis, the AN/AAQ-24(V) LAIRCM is a directed infra red (IR) countermeasures system, designed to safeguard large transport and rotary-wing aircraft from a range of IR-guided missile threats, using a laser pointer-tracker. Work will take place in Rolling Meadows and estimated completion will be in January 2021.

Middle East & Africa

Jane’s reports that Saudi Arabia is looking to mobilize foreign militaries against Iran. On October 21, Saudi Arabia hosted the military chiefs of staff from the five other Gulf Cooperation Council states and several friendly countries. They reportedly talked about how to defend the region from Iranian aggression. Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Jordan, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States attended the conference.

Europe

General Atomics won a not-to-exceed firm-fixed-price undefinitized contract modification for the United Kingdom MQ-9B Protector program. The contract modification provides for the design, development, integration and component level testing of additional capabilities being added to the baseline program. The MQ-9B SkyGuardian is the latest variant of the MQ-9 series RPAS currently operated by the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, France, and soon Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium. MQ-9B adds several key enhancements to the proven MQ-9 series allowing for better performance, lower operating and sustainment costs and access to all classes of airspace. General Atomics will perform work in Poway, California. Estimated completion will be by August 31, 2021.

Asia-Pacific

The Nepali Army is set to receive $21 million in unspecified disaster-relief materials from China over the next three years as part of a move aimed at advancing strategic and diplomatic ties between Beijing and Kathmandu. Reuters reports that Nepali Defense Minister Ishwar Pokhrel signed the aid agreement with his Chinese counterpart General Wei Fenghe on October 20 during a week-long visit to Beijing, which followed a trip to Kathmandu by Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 12: the first visit by a Chinese president to Nepal in more than two decades. Nepal and China signed several agreements during Xi’s visit, including two connectivity projects that the Nepali government hopes will eventually reduce its dependence on India.

Slovenian light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel announced on October 17 that it has completed delivery of the 194 Virus SW 80 ‘Garud’ light training aircraft the Indian Ministry of Defencse had ordered in October 2015. In total, the Indian Air Force received 72 of these trainers, while the Indian Navy received 12 and the National Cadet Corps 110 units. The Pipistrel Virus SW 80 is a light, high-speed aircraft developed by Pipistrel, a company based in Slovenia. The aircraft serves the requirement of a light trainer aircraft. It can be customized according to special mission requirements, long-range flights, and geographical survey operations.

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