Americas
Huntington Ingalls Industries won a $20.2 million contract modification to exercise options for the accomplishment of the planning yard services for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) in-service ships. Work will take place in Virginia, Mississippi, California and Jacksonville. Expected completion will be by April 2023.
The first Trial Kit Installation (TKI) onto a C-130H for the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) Increment 2 program has been completed. 124 C-130Hs and 10 LC-130Hs will undergo this upgrade under a $690 million project. The next step is low rate initial production after the aircraft successfully completes testing.
Middle East & Africa
Uganda is apparently catching up with Kenya on military spending. Uganda’s military expenditure reached $1.6 billion last year, an 8.3 percent increase from $984.7 million in 2020, according to the Sweden-based Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) an independent global security think tank. Meanwhile, Kenya’s military expenditure reached $1.113 billion last year, a 0.1 percent drop from $1.1 billion in 2020.
Europe
According to a report by Spiegel, Germany intends to transfer its Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) to Ukraine. Spiegel added that an announcement will be made at Ramstein Air Force Base today regarding the transfer and training of Ukrainians to operate the PzH 2000 155 mm self-propelled howitzer that the Netherlands is donating to Ukraine. KraussMaffei Wegmann, the manufacturer of the Gepard, had indicated in February that 50 units is ready for transfer after undergoing some repairs.
More than a dozen European allies will get nearly $400 million in new US grants to buy American military hardware to backfill weapons the have donated to Ukraine from their own stockpiles, the State Department announced Monday. Of more than $700 million in newly announced aid for Ukraine, $391 million in Foreign Military Financing is for 15 allies in Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans, while another $322 million is for Ukraine forces to “transition to more advanced weapons and air defense systems,” State Department Ned Price said in a statement.
Asia-Pacific
European aerospace firm Airbus has announced that it will supply the Philippine Air Force with two additional C295M medium tactical transport aircraft beginning later this year. The delivery is expected to boost the country’s airlifting capability and support other maritime security needs.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Essential for Pakistan Navy. Turkey’s New UCAV AKINCI Engages Sea Target For The 1st Time.
