Tyndall AFB Conducts Weapon System Evaluation Program | Lockheed To Expand UK F-35 Fight Services | BAE And UAVTEK To Develop Drone

Americas

Mnemonics Inc. won a $10 million contract to procure as-needed engineering support services in support of the Radio Frequency Blanking Unit (RFBU) and Electronic Attack Unit (EAU) components of the Advanced Electronic Attack (AEA) system of the EA-18G Growler aircraft. The services under this contract are engineering support services, logistics management information and fleet support team efforts for the RFBU and EAU variants and derivative systems. Technical instructions will be issued in accordance with the statement of work for this contract to support the Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane EA-18G EAU Organic Depot. Mnemonics, Inc. supplies electronic products and services. The Company offers electronics systems solutions such as hardware, software, and systems designs, as well as developing and testing of art weapons and communications systems. Mnemonics operates in the United States. Work will take place in Florida. Estimated completion will be by September 2025.

An 11-day Weapons System Evaluation Program event ended successfully at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, the Air Force announced. The WSEP, conducted regularly, evaluates air-to-ground and air-to-air weapons systems, with an emphasis on missile firing and combat skills, according to Air Force officials. Tyndall’s 43rd Fighter Squadron, and the US Navy’s Strike Fighter Squadrons 11, 34, 81, and 211 of Carrier Air Wing One, based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., participated in the evaluation. “Pre-deployment joint training is crucial to success for the future,” Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Kellner, 83rd Fighter Squadron FA-18 program manager said in a press release.

Middle East & Africa

The US Navy said on Monday that the Nimitz Strike Group is positioned off the Africa coast as US troops relocate from Somalia to other East African areas. The strike group consists of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its air wing of 60 aircraft, two guided-missile cruisers and a guided-missile destroyer. According to a statement, the strike group arrived near the Somalia coast last week to provide “operational and close air support to Joint Task Force-Quartz and Operation Octave Quartz.” The missions are involved in combating Somalian al-Shabab extremists and the plan to move U.S. troops from Somalia to other encampments in East Africa.

Europe

Lockheed Martin won a $101.5 million contract modification, which adds scope to provide sustainment services and outcomes for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense, supporting daily flight operations with the national specific capabilities required at various F-35 operating sites in support of the F-35 Lightning II UK Lightning Air-system National Capability Enterprise. Work will take place the UK, Texas and Florida. Estimated completion is in December 2022.

British company BAE Systems, in collaboration with UAVTEK, has developed a nano “Bug” drone, and delivered the first 30 units to the British Army, which has put it through its paces as part of a trial. The Bug is a nano-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) weighing 196g – similar to the weight of a smartphone – with 40 minute battery life and a 2km range. It boasts a stealthy low visual profile and the ability to fly even in strong winds of more than 50mph. According to BAE, it was the only nano-UAV able to cope with the uncompromising weather during a recent Army Warfighting Experiment (AWE) event hosted by the Ministry of Defense’s Future Capability Group.

Asia-Pacific

Defense Minister Prabowo reignited an old debate in June when he sent a letter to his Austrian counterpart Klaudia Tanner on the possibilities of buying 15 Eurofighter Typhoon heavy jet fighters from the central European country to modernize the Indonesian Air Force. Operation Modern was a seldom reported deal between Indonesia and United States for the exchange of four MiG-21F-13 fighters for 19 T-33 trainers. A total of 13 MiG-21s went to America in exchange for the T-33, UH-34D, and later, F-5 and OV-10 aircraft.

Today’s Video

Watch: The Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star subsonic jet trainer – America’s first jet trainer.