Americas
Lockheed Martin won a $74 million deal for the AH-64 Apache Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor Performance Based Logistics program. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2024.
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded Raytheon a $10-million contract to design and produce a wireless airborne power-generating system for contested environments. The award supports the agency’s ongoing Persistent Optical Wireless Energy Relay (POWER) program seeking modernized energy distribution platforms for warfighters via beaming technologies.
Middle East & Africa
The United States sped capability updates to Israel’s F-35 fighters after Hamas’ October 7 attack, the top officer in charge of the Joint Strike Fighter program said Tuesday. Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, program executive officer for the F-35, declined to identify to reporters the capabilities sent to Israel in the two-plus months following the attack, noting the program strives to keep all nations flying the jet supplied with spare parts and capabilities.
Europe
The British Army has deployed RQ-20 Puma drones in Japan for the first time to support a mortar live-fire training. The event was an opportunity to test and refine the 16 Air Assault Brigade Intelligence, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) Group’s unmanned aerial system skills.
The US State Department has given the nod for a potential $255m foreign military sale of communications equipment to the government of Poland. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the proposed sale, emphasising its alignment with US foreign policy goals and the national security objectives of both nations within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Asia-Pacific
The Royal New Zealand Navy is set to receive an unmanned surface vessel (USV) that can run completely on renewable energy. Called “Bluebottle,” the Navy’s HMNZS Aotearoa is transporting it from Sydney to Auckland ahead of trials in New Zealand. The boat can run on solar, wind, or wave power, utilizing a rigid sail to provide wind propulsion and photo-electric cells on the sail to drive its motor.
Today’s Video
