Americas
The US Missile Defense Agency announced that the Flight Test Aegis Weapon System 31 Event 1 has failed. Two SM-6 missile interceptors were supposed to intercept a medium range ballistic missile target as the test object. The agency said “an intercept was not achieved.” It also failed to revealed the location of the test and the warship involved. A review to determine the cause of any problems has been initiated.
Despite a 2017 order for managing fatigue after several ship collisions, few Navy officers get adequate sleep, a Government Accountability Office report says. The 81-page report on Navy readiness was released on Thursday, and notes that only 14 percent of Navy officers get enough sleep.
Middle East & Africa
Raytheon won an $112.7 million modification to perform Navy transition to production efforts for RAM Block 2B and exercise options for fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to Egypt for the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 guided-missile round pack (GMRP). This contract includes purchases to the government of Egypt under the FMS program. Work will take place in Arizona, Germany, Scotland, Canada and England. Estimated completion will be in December 2024.
Europe
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $24.3 million contract, which provides non-recurring engineering and logistics and sustainment program support for F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft in support of the government of Poland. Work will take place in Texas, Florida, California, the UK and Maryland. Estimated completion will be in April 2024.
Polish Defense Minister Mariusz B?aszczak signed a contract for 24 Bayraktar TB2 armed UAVs for the Polish Air Force with Baykar CEO Haluk Bayraktar in Ankara on May 24, in the presence of Polish President Andrzej Duda. Under the deal, Poland will receive four unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) with six UAVs with laser-guided MAM-L thermobaric and MAM–C high-explosive Smart Micro Munitions, as well as training munitions from Roketsan.
Asia-Pacific
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has started taking delivery of the CH-47F heavy-lift helicopters it ordered in November 2016, with the first example already being deployed at its training detachment in Australia. “The initial delivery of the CH-47F to the RSAF Helicopter Detachment in Oakey, Australia, will enable the RSAF to leverage the vast airspace and terrain for more realistic training,” said the service.
Today’s Video
Watch: How Bayraktar TB2 has become one of the most feared drones in the world
