Americas
Raytheon won a $14.9 million contract modification, which increases the scope and provides updates to the CV-22 mission planning system to support the suite of integrated radio frequency countermeasures. Additionally, this modification provides capability defect package problem reports in support of the V-22 software support activity. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. The US Air Force and US Navy variants are equipped with a Raytheon AN/APQ-186 terrain-following, multimode radar. Work will take place in Indiana and estimated completion will be in September 2022.
The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis is to undergo a four-year overhaul at a cost of $2.9 billion. According to the Defense Department, “this effort refuels, overhauls and modernizes USS John C. Stennis to support the second half of its 50-year service life. The ship will be the seventh US aircraft carrier to undergo the Refueling and Complex Overhaul. Plans for the rebuilding began in 2018, when Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding received a $187 million contract to begin engineering-pre-overhaul inspections. The overhaul includes removal of the flight deck and most of the shup’s computer and combat systems, the renovation of tanks and other spaces and refueling its two nuclear reactors, followed by a total reconstruction.
Middle East & Africa
HALCON, a subsidiary of Edge Group, has unveiled its HALCON AntiShip-250 (HAS-250) cruise missile at the International Defense and Exhibition Conference (IDEX) 2021. The missile is guided by Global Navigation Satellite and Inertial Navigation Systems (GNSS + INS) over a range of 250km while flying at Mach 0.8. It is equipped with an active/passive terminal seeker.
Europe
The Russian Ministry of Defense has signed a contract with the Ural Civil Aviation Plant to produce the initial batch of Altius-RU Unmanned Air Vehicles. Altius will reportedly be capable of fulfilling a wide spectrum of reconnaissance missions using optical, radio and radar tools. According to reports, the drone will be equipped with a satellite communications system and artificial intelligence, and will be capable of interacting with manned aircraft.
According to the French defense procurement agency, French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly has launched the Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d’Engins de 3e Génération (SNLE 3G) third-generation strategic ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) programme, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA). The DGA expects the first contract to be awarded in 2021, covering development studies lasting until 2025, the production of the first elements of the SNLE 3G’s hull and nuclear boiler room, and the preparation of Naval Group’s production facilities to build the SSBN. The SNLE 3G program is being conducted by the French armed forces and the DGA, which is responsible for overall project management. It is the subject of a framework agreement with the industry for the development, industrialization, logistics and production of the four SSBNs.
Asia-Pacific
Airbus has confirmed that it will be participating in Malaysia’s maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) tender by offering the C-295 MPA variant. The C-295 is a stretched variant of the C-235 with new Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G engines, Malaysia is an operator of the C-235.
Today’s Video
Watch: French MoD Announces Project to Launch 4 Third-Gen Nuclear Submarines
