Americas
LIG Nex 1, a South Korean defense contractor, is ramping up efforts to secure a historic arms deal with the United States. The company aims to finalize an export contract for its Bigung 2.75-inch (70mm) infrared-guided anti-ship missile system. This potential deal would mark a significant milestone, as it would represent the first time a complete South Korean weapon system is integrated into the US Navy’s arsenal. LIG Nex 1 is actively pursuing the contract. Koo Bon-sang, leader of the LIG Group, is scheduled to visit the US for negotiations. This follows a series of successful evaluations by the Pentagon.
Maxar Intelligence has signed a deal with the US Army to provide the latest phase of its immersive training software. The company was awarded the Phase 4 contract of the One World Terrain (OWT) prototype, which creates virtual 3D terrain that the army uses for training. The OWT Phase 4 will see Maxar focus on delivering more advanced virtual landscapes for modeling and simulation. It is a key component of the force’s Synthetic Training Environment, a program that combines virtual settings with live training for more advanced mission rehearsals.
L3Harris subsidiary Aerojet Rocketdyne has been awarded a contract to produce flight motors for FIM-92 Stinger missiles in support of the US Army’s replenishment efforts. The deal marks the first time in 20 years that the company will manufacture new missiles for the US military. Rocketdyne has been supplying Stinger components to Raytheon for decades, supporting foreign military sales as well as the Army Service Life Extension Program.
Middle East & Africa
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the military training of the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces (QENF). The agreement opens potential contracts that will provide “cutting-edge education and training patterns” for Doha’s warfighters. Future discussions are expected to examine possible content and modalities to enhance associated competency programs.
Europe
A German parliament report has warned the military is “aging and shrinking” due to a multitude of problems left unresolved. Parliament commissioner for the armed forces, Eva Hoegl, wrote that the Bundeswehr still lacks essential capabilities to address modern threats despite a significant boost in the defense budget.
Asia-Pacific
A joint training program focusing on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations commenced on March 12, at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Base Ratmalana. This initiative, facilitated collaboratively between the United States Department of Defense (DoD), the US Embassy in Colombo, and the SLAF, aims to enhance Sri Lanka’s maritime domain awareness (MDA) capabilities. The program offers Sri Lankan personnel comprehensive briefings on various maritime security topics. Additionally, the US DoD deployed a Challenger 605 aircraft to Sri Lanka for the ISR flight demonstrations. This business jet, modified for maritime surveillance, will be used to showcase the capabilities of specialized airborne ISR platforms in conducting surveillance missions within Sri Lanka’s maritime domain. SLAF pilots will have the opportunity to train alongside US personnel and gain firsthand experience in operating with such advanced surveillance aircraft. This combined approach equips Sri Lanka’s Tri-Services (Army, Navy, Air Force) with the necessary knowledge and operational skills to effectively monitor and safeguard their vast territorial waters.
India’s Cabinet Committee on Security has approved to continue development of the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft, India’s indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet. The state-run Aeronautical Development Agency and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. are leading this development effort. The committee early this month granted the project 150 trillion rupees (U.S. $1.8 billion) to fund the twin-engine AMCA’s full-scale design and development, flight testing and certification.
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