Defense`s Feeds

Americas

Boeing won a $1.7 billion contract modification for Lot Six production of KC-46 aircraft, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file. The contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for an additional quantity of 12 KC-46 aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file being produced under the basic contract. According to Boeing, this is the sixth production lot of the tankers and is designed to bring new capabilities and operational flexibility to the Air Force and other customers. The KC-46 is a multirole tanker, designed to refuel allied and coalition military aircraft compatible with international aerial refueling procedures. It is also equipped to carry passengers, cargo and patients. Work will take place in Seattle, Washington. Estimated completion is in April 30, 2023.

Container Research Corp. won an $11.5 million deal, which provides for the procurement of up to a maximum quantity of 275 V-22 Mission Auxiliary Tank System storage containers for the Navy, Marines, Air Force and Foreign Military Sales customers. The V-22’s fuel system is integrated into the wings and fuselage. The basic configuration consists of five tanks, the two feed tanks, two forward sponson tanks and the right aft sponson tank. This is the standard MV-22 configuration. The CV-22 adds four additional tanks in each wing. Both variants can carry additional auxiliary tanks in the cabin for self-deployment or ferry missions. The following table lists the number and capacity of each tank. Work will take place in Aston, Pennsylvania. Estimated completion is in January 2026.

Middle East & Africa

Cyprus and the United Arab Emirates signed their first military cooperation agreement as Cyprus seeks to bolster relations with nearby countries in the Middle East. Cyprus already had military agreements with Egypt, Israel and Jordan, and its armed forces hold training exercises with the forces of those countries. The nation also has signed a deal to help train Lebanon’s army. Cyprus’ Defense Ministry said in a statement that the agreement with the UAE foresees the holding of joint military maneuvers, training programs and consultations on expanding operational cooperation.

Europe

The Greek parliament will be voting on a deal worth $3 billion to buy 18 Rafale fighters from France. Debate has started and will conclude by the end of the week. Defense ministers from France and Greece are expected to sign off the deal for six new and 12 second-hand fighters this month. For the purchase and maintenance of six new and 12 used Rafale jets, Greece will spend 1.5 billion euros this year, about 400 million euros annually in 2022-23, 67 million euros in 2024 and 34 million euros in 2025.

British hovercraft builder Griffon Hoverwork has delivered new 995EDs to Hong Kong and Estonia. The deals have seen two eight-meter-long 995EDs made for the Hong Kong Marine Police and one for Estonian Border Guard. In total seven 995ED hovercraft have been built and sold since the model was unveiled at the ExpoNaval trade fair in Chile in 2018 with clients ranging from the Malaysia Marine Department to private customers. The 995ED entry price is around £650,000 with plenty of options, and the craft has capacity for eight people or up to four stretchers or any combination up to a maximum payload of just under a tonne making it suitable for a variety of roles. Top speed is 30 knots at full ‘all up weight’.

Asia-Pacific

Kyodo News reports that the core team to develop Japan’s next fighter has formed and the team will eventually grow to have up to 500 members. Japan has plans to domestically develop a sixth-generation F-X stealth fighter that can keep China’s increasingly capable air force at bay. A development timeline foresees construction of a prototype in 2024, with a first flight to follow in 2028.

Today’s Video

Watch: Will the Greek Rafale be Superior to the Turkish F-16?

Americas

Haight Bey & Associates won a $35.9 million deal for for AN/TMQ-53 Tactical Meteorological Observing System contractor logistics support. The TMQ-53 is a portable, automated weather station that can take observations in up to one minute intervals, enabling flying missions around the world. The AN/TMQ-53 collects weather data, that includes wind speed and direction, temperature, humidity, cloud height, precipitation and lightning. The data it produces can be utilized by a weather observer in the field or by the Air Force Weather community using satellite communications. Work will take place in West Haven, Utah and is expected to be finished by July 2027.

The director of expeditionary warfare in the Office of the Chief of US Naval Operations has disclosed a plan to bring a containerized anti-ship missile system to the San Antonio Class amphibious transport dock. Maj. Gen. Tracy W. King said one system will be deployed to a ship within 12 months to let the Navy and Marines “play around with it” before deciding how to field it. He added that the RGM-184 Naval Strike Missile (NSM) is a leading contender.

Middle East & Africa

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said that it has completed shipment of several hundred WindGuard radar systems to Leonardo DRS Land Systems for the US Army’s Abrams tanks. Nearly 400 of the ELM-2133 systems are to be integrated into the US Army’s Abrams tanks as part of the Trophy active protective system. In Israel, the combat-proven radars are installed in the IDF’s Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers. The WindGuard is a state-of-the-art, phased array radar which continuously scans the surrounding area in search of anti-tank threats, including rockets, guided missiles and anti-tank shells. Once a threat is detected, the system tracks it and instructs the countermeasure system to intercept and neutralize the threat before the platform is hit. The WindGuard has proved its effectiveness in multiple combat operations after becoming operational in 2009 as part of the Trophy system, IAI said.

Europe

Spanish company Escribano Mechanical and Engineering has been awarded a contract to further develop a swarming system for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications that will enable these vehicles to autonomously carry out most tasks. The main role of the Long Range Intelligence and Security System (LISS) will be intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) missions. The system under development by the company based in Alcalá de Henares is made of the swarm architecture and of a series of unmanned air vehicles of different types, two of them already flying.

Asia-Pacific

Raytheon Missiles and Defense won an $8.5 million contract for procurement of long lead material in support of Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Foreign Military Sales production requirements to include all up rounds, instrumental kits, engineering services and spares.  This contract involves FMS to Korea, Denmark, Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan and Japan. The Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) is a fleet-area air defense weapon that provides anti-air warfare and limited anti-surface warfare capability against today’s advanced anti-ship missiles and aircraft. With a range of 90 nautical miles and an altitude of 65,000 feet, the SM-2 is an integral part of layered defense that protects naval assets, giving warfighters greater operational flexibility. Work will take place in the Netherlands, Texas, Arizona and is expected to be finished by March 2023.

A Philippine Navy team will be heading to the United States this quarter to inspect the C-12 transport aircraft that the service intends to buy. PN public affairs office chief Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas made this remark when sought for comment on reports that the Navy is planning to acquire the aircraft from the United States via its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) Program for the NAW. It was reported earlier that the Naval Air Wing intends to buy up to eight aircraft that the US is selling off as Excess Defense Articles.

Today’s Video

Watch: Exercise Black Stratus- Marines train to operate AN/TMQ-56 tactical meteorological support system

Picture: European Parliament 

EDA has just launched a new study to assess the current framework and future prospects of Europe’s so-called ‘U-Space’, which is the airspace for large numbers of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS, or drones), with a view to facilitating a smooth and effective coexistence of civil and military operators into it. The U-Space notion was introduced by the European Commission in its 2016 blueprint for fostering a market for safe, secure and efficient drone operations in Europe. It refers to the low-level airspace and covers the ecosystem of services and specific procedures necessary for reliable and safe drone operations. 

With the expected sharp increase in the numbers of drones operating at low altitude in the coming years, early engagement between the military and civil airspace users as well as the relevant control authorities is paramount to avoid negative implications on safety, security, and defence. Indeed, this low-level airspace is regularly used by military aircraft for operations and training.  

However, military aircraft, different in nature and mission, cannot be expected to be compliant with all normal U-Space requirements applicable to civil aircraft. Hence the need to thoroughly analyse and assess the U-Space ‘ecosystem’ (services, procedures, regulations, etc.) with a view to ensuring that the views of the Armed Forces are duly taken into account during the implementation of the U-space, and their military activities can be seamlessly integrated into it.  

In this respect, the military’s main interests are:

• to maintain the level of safety for military (low-level) operations, to preserve operational effectiveness and to protect search and rescue operations 

• to guarantee the security of military infrastructures, assets and operations 

• and to quantify the financial impact of U-Space implementation on the military and to secure the necessary funding to maintain safety, guarantee security and ensure interoperability.

The overall objective of the study, which is expected to run throughout 2021, is to contribute to an efficient civil-military collaboration in the U-Space. 
  More information 

• EDA project page U-Space study 

 

Americas

Raytheon won a $7.8 million delivery order for the repair of 10 line items associated with the APY-10 radar system used in support of the P-8A aircraft. The AN/APY-10 is integrated into the Boeing mission control and display system aboard the Poseidon for control, display and data distribution. The radar also will provide ultra-high-resolution imaging modes for maritime and overland operations. The radar fits in the nose of the Poseidon. Work will take place in Florida and Texas. Estimated completion will be by May 2023.

According to the US Navy, an at-sea experiment with emerging technologies brought over 100 scientists and military personnel together in California on January 8. Sponsored by the Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, Trident Warrior 2020 was a five-month execution of 24 technology experiments meant to “put emerging technologies into the hands of the warfighter for evaluation in an operational environment,” it said in a statement. The biannual meeting was conducted aboard Navy ships and on-shore facilities in Southern California, with some experiments practiced in the Navy’s Hawaiian operating area. The project concluded in November but was announced by NAVWAR on Friday, in advance of a final report scheduled for release this month.

Middle East & Africa

According to US Central Command, the flight of two B-52 bombers from the US to the Middle East is the fourth such show of force in the past 60 days. “The aircrews flew a 36-hour, non-stop mission from the 5th Bomb Wing’s home at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to the Arabian Gulf and back to send a clear deterrent message by displaying the ability to deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice,” it said. The planes were escorted, part of the way, by F-15 fighter planes of the Royal Saudi Air Force. The B-52H Stratofortress is a long-range, heavy bomber that can at altitudes of 50,000 feet, has an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles and carries precision guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation.

Europe

Duqm Naval Dockyard, the Joint Venture between Babcock International and the Oman Drydock Company, has successfully completed a four week fleet time support programme (FTSP) for the UK Royal Navy frigate HMS Montrose. HMS Montrose is currently carrying out duties patrolling the Gulf, keeping the shipping lanes safe and ensuring that international trade is not threatened. The ship is being based out in the Gulf for the upcoming years and works on a watch rotation basis. Every 4 months the port and starboard crew rotate. The Starboard crew of HMS Montrose is made up from sailors from HMS Monmouth.

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced that its subsidiary, Elbit Systems UK, was awarded a contract valued at approximately $166 million (approximately £123 million) from the UK Ministry of Defence for the Royal Navy Future Naval Training Program as part of the Fisher consortium led by British company Capita. The contract will be performed over a 12-year period. The program calls for the transformation and modernization of the shore-based training of the Royal Navy including the establishment of the Future Submarine School. As the provider and integrator of training solutions for the consortium, Elbit Systems UK will develop and deliver a new Combat Systems Operator Trainer in the Future Submarine School and modernize and manage legacy synthetic training systems across the Royal Navy

Asia-Pacific

India is reportedly close to signing the contracts to buy 56 C295 transport aircraft from Airbus and 83 LCA fighters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). Airbus will partner with Tata Advanced Systems Limited to deliver the aircraft to the Indian Air Force. The deal could possibly be concluded at the Aero India 2021 in February, a defense official said.

Today’s Video

Watch: New Airbus C295 Aircraft 2020 Walkaround Tour

Americas

North Star Scientific Corp. won a $9.6 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 42 high power amplifier (HPA) units (13 HPA units for E-2D crypto modernization and frequency remapping aircraft retrofits; 10 HPA units for E-2D Tactical Targeting Network Technology (TTNT) production aircraft, 10 HPA units for spares; five HPA units for system configuration set-11 E-2C aircraft,; and four HPA units for E-2D TTNT aircraft retrofits) under Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) topic N06-125 titled, “L-Band Solid-State High Power Amplifier for Airborne Platforms.” Additionally, this order provides engineering and engineering data support for HPA units kitting, installation and testing. The E-2D is the latest version of the E-2 Hawkeye all-weather, carrier-capable, tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. Work will take place in Hawaii and California. Estimated completion will be in August 2022.

The Pentagon’s Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E) latest assessment of the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) installed on USS Gerald R. Ford remains pessimistic, Bloomberg reports. Robert Behler assessment covers 3,975 launches and landing operations that ran from November 2019 through September 2020. In his report, Behler said the EMALS was failing after 181 launches. It was required to work for 4,166 launches before failure. The worst was when it broke down for three days on two occasions in 2020. Behler also found fault with the AAG, it was working for an average of 48 traps before failing.

Middle East & Africa

Kellogg, Brown and Root Services won an $8.2 million contract for base operating support (BOS) services at the Navy Compound, Quay 9, Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates.  The BOS services to be performed include general information, management and administration; force protection; unaccompanied housing, facility support (facility investment, facility management, custodial, integrated solid waste management, pest control and pavement clearance); utilities (electrical and wastewater); and transportation. Work will take place in Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. Expected completion is in August 2029.

Europe

Boeing won a $8.8 million contract modification, which exercises an option for contractor logistics support for the P-8A Poseidon in support of the government of the United Kingdom. The P-8A Poseidon is capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations, and is also successful at search and rescue. The RAF declared the P-8 had reached initial operating capability on April 1, 2020, by which time two of the planes had been delivered. Work will take place in Washington and Scotland. Estimated completion will be in December 2021.

Asia-Pacific

Sri Lanka Air Force Commander Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana has disclosed that his service is in talks with Israel to overhaul five Kfir fighters. Pathirana added that the cabinet has allocated $49 million for the upgrade. The talks will be finalized this month. He added that two Harbin Y-12 transport aircraft will be purchased soon.

Philippine telecommunications tycoon Manny V. Pangilinan has donated a second-hand Bo 105 helicopter the the Army. The acceptance ceremony took place in Camp Aguinaldo on January 7. It will be operated by the Aviation “Hiraya” Regiment. The Aviation “Hiraya” Regiment was activated on October 2, 2019 and at present commanded by Col. Andre B. Santos. The Regiment was expanded from Army Aviation Battalion and has been instrumental in the PA’s aerial reconnaissance and maritime patrols over Northern Luzon, Eastern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao Command.

Today’s Video

Watch: FLOW – The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Enhancement: Refuel in Air

Americas

Raytheon won a $34.3 million contract, which provides engineering and test support services for the ALQ-249 Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) currently in development for the Navy EA-18G aircraft. The scope includes H16/H18/H20/H22 software support for NGJ pod and integration including requirements analysis, design, development, integration, testing, training and tools related to and in support of ALQ-249 and advanced electronic warfare initiatives for Navy and Foreign Military Sales customers. The NGJ is an external jamming pod. The AN/ALQ-249 utilizes the latest digital, software-based, and Active Electronically Scanned Array technologies in order to address advanced and emerging threats in the middle frequency bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The EA-18G Growler is a variant in the F/A-18 family of aircraft that combines the proven F/A-18F Super Hornet platform with a sophisticated electronic warfare suite. Work will take place in El Segundo, California. Estimated completion will be in January 2025.

The Minuteman III program of 450 missiles, begun in 1970, must be replaced and not extended, US Strategic Command chief Adm. Charles Richard said. Richard’s comments, made during a virtual briefing on January 5, come as President-elect Joe Biden’s incoming administration considers ways to reduce the cost of a planned 30-year, $1.2 trillion modernization of the United States’ nuclear defense capabilities. The intercontinental ballistic missile is derived from the Minuteman I program, begun in 1952. It precedes the Air Force’s under-development Ground Base Strategic Deterrent, which is scheduled to replace all 450 Minuteman III missiles by 2027.

Middle East & Africa

The Greek Air Force will get a training program and 10 aircraft from Israel in a $1.68 billion deal, Israeli defense contractor Elbit Systems announced. The 20-year contract is the largest defense agreement between Greece and Israel. It includes 10 M-346 training planes made by the European defense contractor Leonardo. Elbit Systems, based in Haifa, Israel, will construct and maintain a flight school, a maintenance school and simulators, and provide logistics support, in Greece. The contract is a sign of increased cooperation between the Greek and Israeli governments and defense ministries. Greece recently started to lease Israeli drones.

Europe

Austrian defense minister Klaudia Tanner wants to sell the country’s Eurofighters as soon as possible. It is still unclear, which fighter will replace the Eurofighter Typhoon. However, in an interview with the daily newspaper „Der Standard“ Tanner has voiced plans to procure an interim aircraft from a neutral country until parliament decides to buy a new fighter aircraft. Before Austria procured the Typhoons in 2003 leading to many years of bribe an fraught investigations, the country’s Air Force was flying the Saab J35 Draken. As an interim solution between the Draken and the Typhoon, the service operated Swiss F-5 Tiger aircraft.

The British government on Wednesday announced a $748.3 million contract for missile systems to be installed on fighter planes including the US-made F-35B. The seven-year contract with European defense contractor MBDA calls for building of SPEAR3 missiles, a six-feet-long miniature cruise missile powered by a turbojet engine. It will be the “main medium-to-long-range strike weapon of the UK F-35 combat aircraft, enabling them to defeat challenging targets such as mobile long-range air defense systems at over-the-horizon ranges in all weathers and in highly contested environments,” an MBDA statement said.

Asia-Pacific

The Japanese government decided that it needs to start looking for an alternative site to bed down the new MV-22 Ospreys that it has bought. The original plan was to deploy the tilt-rotors at Saga City but officials had difficulties acquiring land need for expansion from the local fisheries cooperative. It will now search for a new alternative site in Kyushu while attempting to negotiate with the fishery cooperative.

Today’s Video

Watch: The British pick MBDA’s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s

Americas

The Air Force on Tuesday directed commanders to review official and unofficial unit emblems and other symbology to root out offensive language or imagery. According to the Air Force, commanders have 60 days from December 23 to conduct a comprehensive review of official and unofficial unit emblems, morale patches, mottos, nicknames, coins and “other forms of unit recognition and identity.” The directive came in the form of a memorandum from Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett, Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Chief of Space Operations John W. Raymond.

The Navy has awarded BAE Systems with a $4 million contract to conduct a quick-turnaround demonstration of a new radio frequency countermeasure system for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. According to BAE, the RFCM system is a light-weight, high-power system that will add a new self-protection capability to the Poseidon. The company said it plans to design, build, integrate, and ship the RFCM system in about five months. Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon is a modified version of the company’s 737-800ERX, developed for the US Navy and in use by the India’s Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force Britain’s Royal Air Force.

Middle East & Africa

NHIndustries has flown the first of 22 new NH90 helicopters for Qatar, with the consortium announcing in late December 2020 that both variants ordered by the Gulf state had made their maiden flights. According to NHI, the flights of the first NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) and Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) variant NH90 for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) included take-off, general handling, functional checks, and landing operations. The QEAF is due to receive 12 maritime NFH and 16 land-based TTH variant NH90s under a USD2.8 billion deal signed in March 2018.

The Navy awarded Boeing a $20.9 million contract modification, which adds new scope for integrated logistics support for 22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets in support of the government of Kuwait. The Super Hornet is a maritime strike attack aircraft. The aircraft is fitted with new mission computers, fibre-optic network, Raytheon AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod, Boeing joint helmet-mounted cueing system and Raytheon AIM-9X next generation Sidewinder air-to-air missile. Work will take place in Missouri, California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in December 2023.

Europe

SAFE Boats International LLC won a $20 million contract action for long lead time material and associated pre-production and planning support for two MK VI patrol boats to be delivered to the government of Ukraine. The Mark VI is a class of patrol boat in service with the US Navy, designed to patrol riverine and littoral waters. The MK VI patrol boat design features a pilothouse, covered fly bridge, an aft boat ramp, a re-configurable main deck cabin and below-deck accommodation. The vessel includes shock mitigating seating for up to 18 crew and passengers, as well as two additional seats in the fly bridge. In June 2020, the US State Department approved the sale of up to 16 Mark VI patrol boats and associated equipment to Ukraine at an estimated cost of $600 million.

Asia-Pacific

Lockheed Martin Rotary Mission Systems won a $731.1 million deal for engineering and technical services for Aegis in-service combat systems engineering, ship integration and test engineering, computer program maintenance, integrated logistics support and planning and in-country support for multiple international partners employing Aegis. This contract provides in-service lifetime support efforts, including engineering, technical and logistical support related to the maintenance and modernization of the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Aegis Combat System and Aegis weapon system equipment and computer programs. The deal includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $750,000,000 and involves FMS to Japan, Australia, Republic of Korea, Norway, Spain and Canada. Work will take place in New Jersey, Korea, Japan, and Australia. Expected completion date will be in December 2024.

Today’s Video

Watch: New Airbus NH90 – the most versatile multi-role helicopter

Americas

Lockheed Martin won a $4 billion contract modification, which consists of all work associated with the manufacturing, assembly, integration, test, and delivery of three Next Generation Geosynchronous (NGG) Earth orbiting space vehicles (SV), and delivery of ground mission unique software and ground sensor processing software. Additionally, this modification includes engineering support for launch vehicle integration and launch and early on-orbit checkout for all three NGG SVs. The Space Force is acquiring five Next-Gen OPIR (Overhead Persistent Infrared) satellites — the three geosynchronous orbit satellites made by Lockheed Martin and two polar orbit satellites made by Northrop Grumman. The NGG program is developing two infrared mission payloads in a competitive, parallel development effort to mitigate schedule risks for the first NGG satellite launch in 2025. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2028.

A new x-ray scanner taking only two minutes to inspect an incoming commercial vehicle is in use at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, the US Air Force announced. The first Mobile Vehicle Access Control Inspection System, or VACIS M6500, of the Air Force was deployed in mid-December and significantly reduces the time it takes to inspect a vehicle arriving with construction supplies.

Middle East & Africa

Boeing won a $21.7 million contract for F-15S to F-15SA conversion support. This contract provides support for the conversion of the Royal Saudi Air Force F-15S into an F-15SA aircraft, which includes program management, reach-back support for the 48 continental United States and Washington, DC; temporary on-site for outside the continental US assistance; and round robin repairs. An advanced version of the F-15S, the F-15SA is equipped with several capabilities to enable the Royal Saudi Air Force to deter regional threats. The aircraft features a digital electronic warfare suite, fly-by-wire flight control system, Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, an infrared search-and-track system, advanced cockpit displays and Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems. In early December, it was reported that the Royal Saudi Air Force has received the F-15SA advanced fighter aircraft, marking the final delivery of the Boeing-produced aircraft as part of a $29 billion foreign military sales agreement signed in 2010. Work will take place in Missouri and estimated completion date is December 30, 2022.

Saab announced that it received a follow on contract with the United Arab Emirates regarding the sale of two GlobalEye systems. According to the Swedish aerospace company, this contract is an amendment to a deal signed in 2015. The $1 billion contract was signed on December 30. GlobalEye provides simultaneous air, maritime and ground surveillance. It combines sophisticated radar technology with the ultra-long range Global 6000 aircraft from Bombardier.

Europe

The Carrier Strike Group centered on the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth achieved Initial Operating Capability, the British government said. The group includes ships, aircraft and trained personnel organized in October 2020 after the Queen Elizabeth’s commissioning in 2017 and several training and shakedown exercises. Its first operational deployment is scheduled for May 2021. The rating, regarded as a milestone, indicates that all elements of the group are fully functional.”Both the air and naval elements of the CSG have now met this milestone, which includes qualified pilots and ground crews being held at short notice for carrier-based operations and trained to handle weapons and maintain the equipment,” the British government said in a press release.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo daily newspaper has received a computer rendering of the final design of the light aircraft carrier that Seoul plans to build. While sources in the Navy claim that this is not the final design, there will not be much changes to the appearance of the ship in the final form. The carrier is based on the America-class and British Queen Elizabeth-class. It will not have a ski-jump or well deck like USS America. It will have two islands similar to the British carrier. While one island is for navigating the ship and the other for flight deck control. The South Koreans are adopting two islands so that one island can still operate the ship if the other is damaged during an attack. The aircraft elevators are both on the starboard side. This approach was chosen in order to give more space to the flight deck. For protection against airborne threats, the ship will be armed with a Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) and the Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile (SAAM) from LIG Nex1.

Today’s Video

Watch: Top 5 Best Airborne Early Warning and control aircraft in the world (TOP AWACS 2020)

Americas

Over the weekend, Israel’s Defense Ministry completed the delivery of Iron Dome air defense systems to the US Army under an agreement between the two countries, providing the second of two batteries. The systems will be employed in the defense of US troops against a variety of ballistic and aerial threats. The United States and Israel signed the agreement in August 2019 for the provision of two Iron Dome batteries. The first was delivered in September and is already being prepared for operational use. The second was also delivered in accordance with the project schedule. The delivery was made by the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), part of the Defense Ministry’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development.

Congress has overridden President Trump’s veto of a defense policy bill, a first by lawmakers since he took office nearly four years ago. In an extraordinary New Year’s Day session, the Republican-controlled Senate easily turned aside the veto, dismissing Trump’s objections to the $740 billion bill and handing him a stinging rebuke just weeks before his term ends. The 81-13 vote in the Senate followed an earlier 322-87 override vote in the House of the widely popular defense measure. The bill provides a 3 percent pay raise for U.S. troops and guides defense policy, cementing decisions about troop levels, new weapons systems and military readiness, personnel policy and other military goals. Many programs, including military construction, can only go into effect if the bill is approved.

Middle East & Africa

According to Israel Defense, Israeli company Emtan, a manufacturer of small arms and rifles for armed forces and law enforcement agencies, unveiled this week the Ramon Op, the latest model from its 9 mm Ramon pistol family of products. Various types of optical sights can be attached to the handgun. The Ramon is a striker fired pistol built on a polymer body that allows enhanced grip, handling and target acquisition. All of its components including the barrel are manufactured by Emtan, and the company provides the Ramon with an option for tritium sights as well as an option to install a “red dot” optical sight by an original integrated adapter combined with the slide. The ‘Ramon Op’ has an enhanced grip and target acquisition features including the option of attaching various types of optical sights, the company says

The Defense Department announced the the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and its strike group are to remain in the Middle East to counter Iranian threats days after it was ordered to return home following a 10-month deployment. Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller announced the move in a statement,saying the carrier “will now remain on station in the US Central Command area of operations,” which consists of more than 4 million square miles and 20 countries, including Iran.

Europe

Austrian Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner announced she wants more money for the Austrian army despite the national dept due to the coronavirus pandemic. „We will invest in military equipment such as armored vehicles and weapons“, she said speaking of her plans for 2021. The replacement of the C-130 Hercules is also part of her plans. The Hercules will have to retire in seven years. The defense minister wants to set up a team working on the procurement details of the Hercules replacement at the beginning of 2021.

Asia-Pacific

South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) awarded a contract worth nearly $480 million to South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem to commence production of the third batch of K2 Black Panther main battle tanks for the South Korean Army. Hyundai Rotem started serial production of the first batch of K2 tanks in 2010 and completed delivery of 100 tanks in 2015. A second batch of 106 tanks that was ordered in 2014 is expected to be completed in 2021. Under the latest contract, all of the tanks are to be delivered to the Republic of Korea Army by 2023.

Today’s Video

Watch: Leopard 2A7 vs K2 Black Panther Tank Comparison

EDA’s Steering Board recently approved the launch of a specific EDA ad hoc project which will contribute to the implementation of a Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project aimed at developing a European Patrol Corvette. Italy, which leads a group of four PESCO participating countries involved in EPC (together with France, Spain and Greece), had requested the Agency’s support for moving this ambitious project forward. 

Part of the third batch of PESCO projects approved in November 2019, the project aims at designing and developing a new class of military ship, named “European Patrol Corvette” (EPC), which will   host several systems and payloads able to accomplish a large number of tasks and missions in a modular and flexible way. The EPC will provide valuable capabilities in the areas of maritime situational awareness, surface superiority and power projection. The participating Member States aim to produce their first corvette prototype in 2026-2027. 

The EPC is envisaged as a common platform, a shared baseline, which can be customised as needed by participating Member States according to their national needs and specifications. The overall displacement is expected to be no more than 3,000 tonnes, which will allow the ship to operate from minor harbours (draft less than 5.5 meters). The length of the ship, to be equipped with diesel and/or electrical engines, should not exceed 110 meters.  

The ship will be based on an open plug-and-play architecture which will facilitate the versatility of response in the framework of EU CSDP operations and will provide a quick reaction capability, applicable to a broad range of scenarios. 
 

EDA tasks 

The Agency’s new project will support the EPC PESCO project implementation through the development and adoption of Common Staff Target (CST), Common Staff Requirements (CSR) and a Business Case (BC). The objective of these documents, which are an indispensable step for a follow-on phase of the EPC PESCO project, is to shape the common core part and identify specifications and requirements that would be compatible with the modularity concept of the military ship. 

The Agency will also support the governance body of the EPC project. With its expertise in project management and harmonisation of capability requirements, EDA will be able to provide valuable assistance in these domains. Industry is not participating directly in this EDA project, but may be consulted, if deemed necessary by the contributing Member States.  

EDA’s Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said: “EDA is delighted to support this ambitious and innovative PESCO project. As the European hub for collaborative capability development, the Agency has the expertise to help Member States in the implementation of their PESCO projects. The European Patrol Corvette project responds directly to an existing gap in Europe’s capability landscape acknowledged by Member States during the revision of the Capability Development Plan (CDP) in 2018, namely that of naval manoeuvrability and the need for improved maritime situational awareness, surface superiority and power projection. The future EPC will provide participating Member States with those missing capabilities, thereby further strengthening the Europe of Defence”.  

Italy’s Capability Director, Gen. Giovanni Iannucci said: “The project of the European Patrol Corvette is aimed at developing a new Class of military ships in order to accomplish, with a flexible approach, a large number of tasks and missions aimed to Homeland Security and protection of European waters. More in details, the EPC will carry out Maritime Security Operations and Police of the High Seas functions, playing a key role in preserving Freedom of Navigation (FoN) and fighting against terrorism and illegal trafficking at sea. The EPC will be characterized by a multi-purpose and modular approach by design that will also allow to perform dual-use missions, such as anti-pollution activities, humanitarian assistance operations and interventions in support of populations in case of natural disasters. Italy is very proud of the coordinating role and will continue to conduct all necessary activities for the EPC’s success. Furthermore I believe that this project constitutes an excellent opportunity for the whole European Defence and in particular the military shipyards sector to work together in order to foster industrial synergies, operational interoperability and maintain a technological advantage.” 

Americas

Boeing won a $189.3 million contract modification for F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) low-rate initial production (LRIP). This contract modification adds government furnished property repair as well as acquisition of Group A and B kits, support equipment, mod line standup, technical orders and interim contractor support efforts for the LRIP of the EPAWSS systems which will be installed on existing F-15 aircraft. The Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System provides the US Air Force F-15 fleet with advanced electronic warfare technology to maximize mission effectiveness and survivability. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2026.

B.L. Harbert International LLC won a $46.5 million contract for the construction of facilities to support the cultural and process improvement program MQ-9 Mission Control Element Group at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. The contract also contains 11 unexercised options, which if exercised would increase cumulative contract value to $55,395,736. The work to be performed provides for the construction of a headquarters building and an operations building which will house a multitude of various MQ-9 missions in support of the remote piloted aircraft program and operation needs. The complex will be focused around an exterior courtyard that promotes interaction amongst squadron personnel while allowing for a shared entry access point from the parking areas. The facilities design will utilize the roof lines to create a visually integrated complex. The options, if exercised, provide for a roadway and roundabout, landscape architecture enhancement, overhead electrical line relocation, data center cabinets and racks at the operations building, an electronic security system (ESS) at the operations building, an ESS at the headquarters building, furniture, fixtures and equipment at the headquarters and operations buildings and an audio visual package at the headquarters and operations buildings. Work will take place in South Carolina. Expected completion will be in December 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The Israeli company Mobius, specializing in the design, development and manufacturing of life saving, energy-absorbing systems for military vehicles, announced that its protection systems and its driver seats have been selected by the IDF to be installed in the new Eitan 8×8 armored fighting vehicle. The Eitan is eight meters long and three meters wide and weighs 30-35 tons. It is operated by a commander, gunner and driver. The vehicle can transport nine fighters in an air-conditioned environment. Its body and suspension system have been improved to maximize crew protection and survivability. In addition, upgrades have been made to the steering, electric and control systems.

Europe

The Russian Ansat-M light weight helicopter by Kazan Helicopters has made its first flight on December 29. The use of light weight materials have been increased and the fuel capacity expanded. The tail boom has been modified to increase stability. Range is now 800km and the percentage of composite materials used is now at 35 percent.

A Pilatus P3 that is still flying has been put up for sale. The light training aircraft had formerly served with the Swiss Air Force. Pilatus Aircraft is the name of a Swiss airplane manufacturer. In the business of making winged machines since 1939, it has been responsible for a number of interesting designs, most of them used for training purposes. It has also produced niche offerings such as short takeoff and landing aircraft.

Asia-Pacific

Boeing has secured a 10-year support contract related to Singapore’s fleet of F-15SG fighters. The performance-based logistics (PBL) package was secured as a direct commercial sale, and Boeing field services representatives located with the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) will continue to support the platform. Boeing adds that this is its fourth PBL contract related to Singapore’s F-15SGs. It did not give a value for the deal, or state the number of aircraft involved.

Today’s Video

Watch: Eitan, The Winds of Change in Israel

Americas

General Electric Aviation won a $111.9 million contract modification, which procures 20 T408-GE-400 turboshaft engines, peculiar support equipment, and associated engine, programmatic and logistics services in support of CH-53K Lot 4 low rate initial production and spares. The CH-53K is the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E. The most powerful helicopter in the Department of Defense, the CH-53K is a new-build helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material, more rapidly throughout the area of responsibility using proven and mature technologies. Work will take place in Lynn, Massachusetts. Expected completion will be in December 2023.

Bell Boeing Joint Project Office won a $81.1 million deal, which provides continued non-recurring engineering support as well as the recurring procurement of kits and installs in support of the forced retrofit fleet implementation and installation of nacelle improvements and the conversion area harness onto the CV-22 aircraft for the Air Force. This order provides engineering, production, supportability, and management support necessary to facilitate the incorporation of the improved nacelles into the fleet via forced retrofit at the depot level of maintenance for previously delivered V-22 aircraft in support of phase two of the nacelle improvements effort. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Work will take place in Texas and Pennsylvania. Estimated completion will be in June 2024.

Middle East & Africa

The State Department has cleared Saudi Arabia’s request to procure 3K GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb I munitions produced by Boeing, associated equipment and support services from the US government through a potential $290M FMS deal. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency said the agreement will also include the procurement of containers and parts and engineering, logistics and technical support. Boeing developed the SDB with a multipurpose warhead and a pneumatic carriage that can house up to four weapons. The glide bomb technology is designed to integrate with fighter and bomber aircraft platforms as well as unmanned aerial vehicles.

Europe

French Air Force Rafales will descend upon Jodhpur, India in the third week of next month for exercise SKYPROS with the Indian Air Force. Anonymous sources quoted by the local media say this exercise is different from the Garuda series of exercise that has been carried out by both sides previously. India is expected to send its own Rafale and Su-30MKI fighters to the training exercise.

Two B-52 “Stratofortress” bombers of the US Air Force arrived in the Middle East in a show of short-notice force, US Central Command said. CENTCOM’s announcement did not specify a destination for the planes, but emphasized their in-flight refueling capabilities and noted that their “deliberate appearance” was meant to “underscore the US military’s commitment to regional security and demonstrate a unique ability to rapidly deploy overwhelming combat power on short notice.” The B-52s are part of the 5th Bomb Wing, headquartered at Minot Air Force Base, N.D. The deployment of bombers was CENTCOM’s third to the Middle East in the past 45 days.

Asia-Pacific

The Philippine Navy’s new Jose Rizal-class guided missile frigates will only get its first shipment of missiles starting from October 2021. “(Deliveries for) the surface-to-air missile is (on) October 2021 and March 2022 for the surface-to-surface missile,” Navy public affairs office chief, Lt. Commander Maria Christina Roxas, said in a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA). The Mistral 3 has been selected as the anti-air missile for the warships while South Korea will suppy the SSM-700 Haeseong anti-ship missiles.

Today’s Video

Watch: RAFALE FRENCH NAVY PILOTS – CHILLOUT 7

Americas

Boeing won a $198 million contract modification, which provides for the integration of a ground control station that provides command and control capability in support of the MQ-25 air vehicle for the Navy. The Boeing MQ-25 Stingray is an aerial refueling drone. In early December Boeing has flown its MQ-25A test asset (T1) with an aerial refuelling store under its wing for the first time. Earlier this year the US Navy exercised an option to acquire three additional MQ-25 air vehicles, bringing the total aircraft Boeing is initially producing to seven. The Navy intends to procure more than 70 aircraft, which will assume the tanking role currently performed by F/A-18s, allowing for better use of the combat strike fighters. Work will take place in Missouri and various locations within the continental US. Expected completion will be in August 2024.

The 53rd Wing of the Air Force has combined its series of large-scale tests at Nevada’s Nellis Air Force Base into a new event called Black Flag. Gen. Mark D. Kelly inked COMACC Plan 21 on December 15, formalizing the creation of Black Flag as a training event “solely focused on test and tactics development in a realistic, massed force, fully integrated, high threat density environment.” Black Flag was established as the testing counterpart to Red Flag, the Air Force’s training event.

Middle East & Africa

The US State Department approved two possible arms sales to Kuwait totaling $4.2 billion on December 29. Per the larger of the two deals, for $4 billion, Kuwait’s government has asked to buy 24 AH-64E Apache helicopters, eight new and 16 remanufactured along with related equipment. The deal, if approved, would also include 22 T700-GE 701D engines, 36 remanufactured T700-GE 701D engines as well as support equipment, tools and test equipment, technical data and publications. The second FMS is for $200 million. The United States would sell spare parts to upgrade Kuwait’s Patriot missile systems. The principal contractor for this deal would be Raytheon.

The US State Department also cleared two potential Foreign Military Sales to Egypt. The first is a potential sale of 20 Lockheed Martin AN/AAQ-33 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods for $65.6 million. The FMS case does not state the type of aircraft on which the pods will be deployed, but Cirium fleets data indicates that Egypt has 218 in-service F-16s, including 33 F-16A/Bs and 185 F-16C/Ds. The second is for the provision of the Northrop Grumman Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) suite aboard an Airbus A340-200 that is used to transport the country’s head of state. The value of the LAIRCM deal is $104 million.

Europe

The Swiss Air Force will start having fighters on standby 24 hours a day starting from December 31. Currently, the F/A-18s are on standby during office hours. “From now on, the air police service will be on call 24 hours a day to guarantee the security and the sovereignty over Swiss airspace,” a statement said. The plan to increase Swiss airspace surveillance was proposed to parliament in 2009, but it was boosted by an embarrassing incident five years later that cast a spotlight on the lack of round-the-clock protection. In February 2014, an Ethiopian Airlines co-pilot hijacked his own plane, carrying 202 passengers and crew from Addis Ababa to Rome, and forced it to land in Geneva. Although the co-pilot-turned-hijacker announced he wanted to land the plane in Switzerland, where he later said he aimed to seek asylum, Switzerland’s fleet of F-18s and F-5 Tigers remained on the ground. The Swiss Air Force explained at the time that this was because its planes were only available during office hours.

Asia-Pacific

Northrop Grumman won a $37.7 million deal for the Japan Global Hawk Program. The deal provides for the procurement of initial spare parts to include modifications to the system engineering and program management tasks required to execute, manage, control, and report on all program activities. The Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned high-altitude long-endurance surveillance aircraft that first flew in February 1998 and has been in active service with the US military since 2001.

Today’s Video

Watch: Boeing MQ-25 Continues Flight Tests

 

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.

Americas

The future USS Daniel Inouye completed builder’s trials after spending four days at sea off the coast of Maine last week, the Navy announced. The builder’s trials consist of a sequence of in-port and at-sea demonstrations allowing the Navy and the ship’s builder, General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, to assess whether the ship is ready for delivery. The vessel will return to sea early in 2021 to conduct acceptance trials, during which all systems will be inspected and evaluated before the Navy can accept delivery. The Inouye is a Flight IIA destroyer equipped with the Aegis Baseline combat system, intended to deliver quick reaction time, high firepower and increased electronic countermeasures.

The US Air Force has been testing the new M7.3 update for the F-16. Five members from the 84th Test and Evaluation Squadron made the trip to conduct critical training at the Nellis mission training center simulators and embedded with the 422nd TES F-16 division for an early operational look at the M7.3 program in a multi-domain environment. “The Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force is actively testing the M7.3 Operational Flight Program, which is a new software suite consisting of new core software that supports several new hardware programs that will drastically enhance warfighter capability when fielded in summer of ’21,” said Lt. Col. Benjamin Wysack, 84th TES F-16 test director. The OFP CTF is a dual major command unit that combines both developmental and operational test management experts that interact with several test execution units across the United States.

Middle East & Africa

Israel Shipyards started construction of the first of two OPV-45 offshore patrol vessels that have reportedly been ordered by Côte d’Ivoire. Israel Shipyards announced the order in July but did not identify the customer, although suggested it was a navy operating in the Gulf of Guinea when it said the vessels were designed to provide “protection against the increasing threat of piracy in the region”. Local media reported later that month that the OPVs had been ordered by Côte d’Ivoire. The OPV-45 displaces 300 tonnes, has a length of 45.7 m, a beam of 8.6 m, and a draught of 2.4 m. The two MAN 6V 175D-MM diesel engines provide a combined power of 2,960 kW at 1,900 rpm for a maximum speed of 24 kt. It has a range of 3,500 n miles at 12 kt.

Europe

France launched its CSO 2 spy satellite into space from its Guiana Space Center in South America. The satellite is carried into space using a Russian Soyuz ST-A rocket. It is the second in the Composante Spatiale Optique series. The first satellite was launched in 2018. The CSO 2 will have the highest resolution camera for a European reconnaissance satellite. While CSO 1 launched into an orbit around 500 miles (800 kilometers) in altitude, the CSO 2 spacecraft will head for a lower-altitude orbit approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers) above Earth. Its position closer to Earth will allow the satellite to produce sharper images for French military planners and intelligence analysts.

Asia-Pacific

Australia has declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for its F-35A fleet, clearing the way for the aircraft to be deployed for operations. “The fifth-generation F-35A, along with the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler, is key to our air combat capability and critical to achieving the objectives set out in the 2020 Defense Strategic Update to Shape, Deter and Respond,” Minister for Defense Linda Reynolds said.

The US State Department cleared the sale of two King Air Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) mission aircraft to Kazakhstan. They will be fitted with Raytheon AST TITAN Communications Intelligence (COMINT) Sensor Suites, Leonardo Osprey 30 radars, WESCAM MX-15HDi Elector Optical Infrared Turret Electro Optical Infrared Sensors and Sierra Nevada Small SWAP Auto Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) Systems. If the deal goes through the United States would also provide spare parts and technical and logistical support services, including technical documentation and training.

Today’s Video

Watch: Daniel Inouye (DDG 118) Launch Timelapse

Americas

Northrop Grumman Aerospace won a $53.7 million deal for the RQ-4B Global Hawk. The contract provides for repair services for “common items” for both the RQ-4 GH and MQ-4C Triton.  It will support reparable national stock numbers (NSNs) which encompass the air vehicle, multiple sensor packages, mission control element and launch and recovery element.  In addition, this effort includes support engineering services covered under the Engineering Delegation Authority (namely Diminishing Manufacturing Sources and Material Shortages projects) for NSNs transferred to and under the management of the 407th Supply Chain Management Squadron. Northrop Grumman successfully completed the first flight for the Global Hawk Ground Station Modernization Program at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. earlier this month. The modernized Global Hawk ground stations will revolutionize the operator experience with new cockpit displays, the ability to fly all Global Hawk variants without software or configuration changes, simpler maintenance interfaces, and improved situational awareness and environmental conditions for pilots and sensor operators. Work under the new contract will take place in California, Virginia, New Mexico, Missouri, Ohio, Canada, New Jersey, Indiana, Massachusetts, New York and Maryland. The basic ordering period and six one year ordering periods are expected to begin January 1, 2021, and end on December 31, 2028.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won an $8.7 million contract modification adds scope to provide program management support to execute the planning, procurement and delivery of initial aircraft spares in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy; non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers operational aircraft. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated completion date is in December 2021.

Middle East & Africa

AITC-Five Domains JV LLC won a $29 million contract to provide train, advise, assist and mentor services.  Bids were solicited via the internet with one received.  Work will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, with an estimated completion date of December 30, 2025. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales (Saudi Arabia) funds in the amount of $29,028,329 were obligated at the time of the award. The company also won a $17.7 million contract with an estimated completion date of August 30, 2023.

Spartan Air Academy Iraq LLC won a $15.7 million contract modification for the Iraq T-6A contractor logistics support and training maintenance program. The modification provides for the exercise of an option to extend the term of the contract for the continued services needed in order to effectively maintain and operate a fleet of 15 T-6A training aircraft. The Beechcraft T-6 Texan II is a single-engine turboprop trainer aircraft built by the Raytheon Aircraft Company. Work will take place at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Expected completion date is June 30, 2021.

Europe

Belgium’s first A400M has been delivered and flown to the 15th Wing Air Transport in Melsbroek. The second A400M for Belgium will be delivered in early 2021. The country has ordered seven aircraft. This A400M, known as MSN106, will be operated within a binational unit composed of a total of eight aircraft, seven from the Belgian Air Force and one from the Luxembourg Armed Forces. The second A400M for Belgium will be delivered in early 2021.

Asia-Pacific

Hindustan Times reports that at least three Dassault Rafale fighters will be flown to India next month. This is the third ferry flight and like the second delivery flight, all three aircraft will fly non-stop from France to India. The jets were ordered from France in September 2016 under a government-to-government deal. The delivery of the three jets in January will take the number of Rafales in the IAF’s inventory to 11.

Today’s Video

Watch: MQ-4C Triton – America’s First-Class Unmanned Surveillance Aircraft

Americas

General Electric won a $220 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure 48 F414-GE-400 engines and engine devices in support of the F/A-18 Super Hornet production aircraft for the Navy. The General Electric F414 is an American afterburning turbofan engine in the 22,000-pound thrust class. Two F414 engines power the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet maritime strike attack aircraft was manufactured by Boeing, and flew for the first time in 1995. The air inlets have been enlarged to provide increased airflow into the engines. The structural changes to the airframe on the F/E variant of the aircraft increase the internal fuel capacity by 3,600lb, a 33% higher fuel capacity than the F-18C/D variant. Work will take place in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Kentucky. Estimated completion will be in August 2023.

Northrop Grumman won a $13.1 million order, which procures 39 avionic flight mission computers, 10 control display units and one environmental stress screening station in support of E-2D aircraft. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness. The E-2D continues the Navy’s integrated war fighting legacy by providing broad area coverage resulting in broader range capabilities. With the E-2D’s enhanced ability to work in the littoral and over land, the platform provides a critical capability to protect our nation’s interests. Work will take place in California and Florida. Estimated completion is in November 2024.

Middle East & Africa

The guided-missile submarine USS Georgia passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the US Naval Forces Central Command said in a rare disclosure. The submarine, which can carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles, was escorted by the guided missile cruisers USS Port Royal and USS Philippine Sea through the strait as it entered the Persian Gulf. The US military rarely announces the movements of its submarines, and the disclosure comes as US officials are on alert for heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Europe

Two people working for Italian defense contractor Leonardo had installed malware on the company’s computers and stole at least 10 gigabytes of data between 2015 and 2017. Reuters say 94 computers were hacked, 33 were at the Pomigliano plant. Files stolen includes information on the electronic system of the nEUROn, C-27J cargo plane and ATR commercial and military turbo-prop planes.

Airbus Helicopters has begun upgrading Hungary’s eventual fleet of 20 H145M rotorcraft with the company’s HForce Generic Weapon System (GWS). The company announced that three of the 16 helicopters so far delivered under the Eastern European nation’s Zrínyi 2026 military development programme have been retrofitted with the HForce GWS. The H145M joined the fleet of the Hungarian Air Force one year ago. A couple of days ago it was reported that the Hungarian Air Force had taken delivery of 16 H145M helicopters that it ordered. A total of twenty helicopters were ordered.

Asia-Pacific

Four Chinese bombers and 15 Russian military aircraft carried out a joint air patrol on Decemver 22. Japan and South Korea scrambled fighter jets to keep track of those warplanes. Four Chinese military aircraft and 15 Russian planes entered the Korean Air Defense Identification Zone. According to Korea’s joint chiefs, the Chinese planes flew into the KADIZ from the west, with two out of the four planes passing through an area east of Ulleungdo, a South Korean island.

Today’s Video

Watch: FLOW – The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Enhancement: Refuel in Air

Among the many highlights of EDA’s recent Annual Conference (see other news) was certainly the high-level panel discussion on ‘Increasing European defence cooperation in times of crisis’, featuring the Greek Minister of Defence, Nikólaos Panayotópoulos, and Nathalie Loiseau, the Chair the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE). The interesting and animated debate, which can be reviewed here, was moderated by EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý.

Welcoming the timely focus on 'Sustaining European Defence' (the topic of this year's Annual Conference), Nikólaos Panayotópoulos recalled Member States’ commitment, reflected in the Council conclusions of November 2016, to strengthening the Union’s ability to act as a security provider and to enhance the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as an essential part of the Union’s external action. “This means, in particular, that we need a more integrated and coherent approach across our different policies, internal and external, to better pursue our strategic interests, through international cooperation”, the Greek Defence Minister said, adding: “Member States should make full use of the EU defence initiatives and deepen their embedding in the national defence planning in order to achieve a better consistency between one another and reach strategic autonomy”.

The fact that nine PESCO projects have already received financial support under the European Defence Industrial Development Programme (EDIDP) is a positive development showing that the initiatives work, he said. Greece received funding approval from EDIDP for two PESCO projects it leads (‘Cyber Threats & Incident Response Information Sharing Platform’ and ‘Upgrade of Maritime Surveillance’). “This is a clear evidence of the coherence between the initiatives”. In the Minister’s view, enhanced cooperation and joint capability development among EU countries will not only improve Europe’s defence capabilities, but also help reinforce its industrial base and technological capacity “which is a fundamental aspect of EU strategic autonomy”. “I believe that spending more on defence will also strengthen the economic recovery. As the European Defence Agency has already indicated, EU countries should spend more on defence research and technology”, Mr Panayotópoulos stated: “We should sustain the trend of increasing national defence expenditures towards 2% of the GDP. I am proud that Greece not only fulfills but is about to exceed its commitment on annual defence spending”. 

The Minister also defended the EU’s operation IRINI in the Mediterranean (enforcement of the UN arms embargo on Libya) as a “question of political will and political courage”. People throughout Europe must understand that it is not a threat against one or two Member States, but against the entire Union. “Greece, precisely for this reason, and despite the challenges and provocations at our eastern sea and land borders and the Covid-19 outbreak, is substantially contributing to the Operation in terms of personnel and assets”, he explained. The Minister called for “unity and solidarity” among all EU countries. “We cannot discuss on strengthening our operational engagement and reinforcing our resilience without ensuring solidarity between us. Through the recent threat analysis we made a first step within the process of Strategic Compass to better understand and share a perception of threats, thus moving to the progressive framing of a common Union defence policy. We have common threats and need common responses”. EU-NATO cooperation is a “key partnership” which we should reinforce, while our commitment to work with the UN in the field of security and defence should be enhanced, he said.

Nathalie Loiseau, the Chair of the SEDE committee, shared Mr Panayotópoulos’ positive assessment on the progress made on EU defence cooperation. There is indeed a “clear, common and shared ambition in the Council, the Commission and the European Parliament to enhance the efforts towards a European defence”, Ms Loiseau said, adding: “We have done more for EU defence in the last four years than we did in the previous four decades”. In a world that is becoming less predictable and more dangerous, “soft power is not enough”, she stressed (Greek Minister Panayotópoulos strongly agreed with her on this point: “In terms of soft power, the Europe is a superpower. In terms of hard power, it is lagging behind”, he said). Therefore, European countries need to enhance their defence capabilities, and cooperation is the best and most efficient way to do this. The EU’s new defence toolbox (CARD, PESCO, EDF) is in place and this is “very encouraging”, but everyone must admit that this is only the first step and that there is still some room for improvements, Ms Loiseau said. In particular, PESCO projects must become “more focused”. Improvements are also needed when it comes to EU CSDP missions and operation which often face problems during the force generation phase and whose mandates are “not always as strong as they should be”. Here, Member States need to show more commitment and “combine words with deeds”, Ms Loiseau urged. 

Regarding the debate about EU strategic autonomy, Ms Loiseau felt it was somewhat “overstated” because “no one is denying the importance of NATO” for Europe’s defence. What Europe wants is to become a more credible transatlantic and strategic partner, which is meant to be complementary with NATO.  “I strongly believe we need to revive NATO because NATO has to adapt (…) and we need to strengthen European strategic autonomy because NATO is not enough and will never be”, Ms Loiseau said.
 

More information

• Opening speech Head of Agency HR/VP Josep Borrell
• Keynote Speech Commissioner Thierry Breton (via video message)
• Full recording of EDA Annual Conference 2020 – Day 1 / Day 2 (not edited)

Americas

Boeing won a $29.4 million order, which procures various parts and quantities for main and nose landing gear critical components retrofit kits in support of F/A-18A-D aircraft modification efforts. F/A-18 Hornet became the nation’s first all-weather fighter and attack aircraft, and was designed for traditional strike applications such as interdiction and close air support without compromising its fighter capabilities. The F/A-18 A-D is employed in Marine Corps fighter attack squadrons, US Navy and Marine Corps Reserve squadrons, the Navy Flight Demonstration Team (Blue Angles), and various other fleet support roles. Work will take place in Missouri and is expected to be finished in February 2024.

Meggitt Defense Systems won a $27.4 million contract modification, which adds scope for the procurement of additional P-8A liquid palletized systems in ordering Years Two, Three and Four, with 10 units in Year Two, 11 units in Year Three and 11 units in Year Four, in support of the Navy P-8A aircraft. The P-8A Poseidon is the US Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft. It is capable of broad-area, maritime and littoral operations, and is also successful at search and rescue. Operating with a smaller crew, yet delivering an extended global reach, greater payload capacity, higher operating altitude, open-systems architecture and significant growth potential, the P-8A provides more combat capability. Work will take place in California, Washington and New York. Estimated completion will be in November 2024.

Middle East & Africa

General Electric won a $20 million deal to provide contractor engineering and technical services engine support for Air National Guard and Foreign Military Sales partners. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Work will take place in Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Estimated completion date is December 21, 2022.

Northrop Grumman, doing business as Alliant Techsystems Inc. was tapped for a $15.2 million modification for contractor logistic support for the Iraqi Air Force’s Cessna 208 and 172 fleet. The Cessna 208 and 172 are utility aircraft. An Iraqi Air Force Cessna 172 Skyhawk training aircraft crashed during a training mission in Salah ad Din Governorate in central Iraq on October 31 killing the pilot and co-pilot. Work will take place in Balad Airbase, Iraq and estimated completion date is June 30, 2021.

Europe

The UK MoD is inviting expression of interest applications for the potential sale of surplus RAF Sentinel and Sentry aircraft for dismantling. The Sentry aircraft, part of a larger fleet that originally numbered 6, are being sold off as the fleet draws down to 3 aircraft before it is replaced by the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft over the coming decade. There is no replacement for sentinel.

Asia-Pacific

According to Chinese media, a People’s Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF) Y-8Q/KQ-200 anti-submarine warfare (ASW)-capable maritime patrol aircraft recently conducted a live-fire exercise using “a new type of air-droppable, self-guided depth charge”. During the exercises, a Y-8 anti-submarine warfare aircraft deployed a new type of air-droppable, self-guided depth charge from its belly, and accurately hit its intended target, according to the report and a photo attached to it. Multiple depth charges were used in the real scenario exercises, which boosted the aircraft’s anti-submarine warfare capability, the report said.

Today’s Video

Watch: America’s P-8 Poseidon: Now a Ship Killer, Bomber & More

Cessna 208B:
note ISR turret
(click to view full)

Iraq’s air force has been very slow in getting to its feet. A handful of Seeker light observation aircraft with their distinctive bubble-shaped fronts, a few Comp Air light propeller aircraft, a couple of old, refurbished C-130E transports, and a slowly growing fleet of helicopters. A few Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350s have been ordered for transport and surveillance duties, and an RFP for armed counterinsurgency aircraft has only given Iraq a set of unarmed T-6B trainers. Even subsequent orders for F-16C/D fighters and L-159 advanced trainer and attack jets leave the Iraqi air force a long way from being able to secure Iraq’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. While it continues to grow<, the IqAF’s primary duties remain troop/medical transport, light supply duties, and surveillance of roads and infrastructure.

That kind of surveillance doesn’t require high tech, high-end aircraft. The USAF was using F-16 and F/A-18 aircraft at $15,000 per flight hour, plus recapitalization amortization. Iraq’s solution takes a page from the US military’s own past, and offers a significant contrast to the American approach.

Hey, Bird Dog

L-19 “Bird Dog”
(click to view full)

Light propeller aircraft like Cessna’s L-19 “Bird Dog” and O-2 successor worked very well in Vietnam. Their modern descendants can be outfitted with modern surveillance turrets plus “Mk1 eyeballs and ears” for a fraction of a fighter jet’s acquisition and amortization cost, in order to do more or less the same ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) job. They’ll also crash less often than expensive UAVs, and are more suitable for fledgling air forces.

Specialty models like the Schweizer RU-38 Twin Condor even add acoustic silencing, plus more mission space for dedicated surveillance equipment.

The “Bird Dog” concept certainly fits the IqAF’s profile and support capabilities, and Cessna 172s were initially slated to serve as a trainer aircraft. Unsurprisingly, statements from people on the front lines quickly revealed that larger Cessna 208B Caravan aircraft were picking up key surveillance roles, and that a push was on to arm the planes with the same kinds of Hellfire missiles carried by more expensive attack helicopters and Predator drones.

The process has continued in close lockstep with the growth of the Iraqi Air Force’s own professionalism and capabilities, and the Iraqis are now fielding armed “Bird Dog” aircraft as one of their primary domestic options for close air support.

Contracts & Key Events

ATK on AC-208
click for video

Note that some planes may have been ordered under the “Special Defense Acquisition Fund.” Its ostensible purpose is to buy items quickly for friendly governments. It actual effect is to hide which governments are receiving the items. The US military announced SDAF orders for 8 C-208B aircraft in CY 2012, but 2009 releases already showed a significant difference between Iraqi C-208 numbers and public Pentagon announcements.

2011 – Today

Iraq able to use AC-208s on their own, to limited effect; Support contracts.

AC-208B firing
(click to view full)

 

December 23/20: Cessna 208 and 172 Northrop Grumman, doing business as Alliant Techsystems Inc. was tapped for a $15.2 million modification for contractor logistic support for the Iraqi Air Force’s Cessna 208 and 172 fleet. The Cessna 208 and 172 are utility aircraft. An Iraqi Air Force Cessna 172 Skyhawk training aircraft crashed during a training mission in Salah ad Din Governorate in central Iraq on October 31 killing the pilot and co-pilot. Work will take place in Balad Airbase, Iraq and estimated completion date is June 30, 2021.

July 4/14: Intelligence? A weapon deficiency may not be Iraq’s biggest problem. The way they’re employing their forces makes it hard to use them effectively, and seems geared to stoking massive sectarian conflict:

“But even before the U.S. military left the country, the Iraqi government purged many of its best intelligence officers and assets because they were either Sunnis or Kurds… according to a senior intelligence official who spoke anonymously so that he could speak freely…. Michael Pregent, a former Army intelligence officer working on contract as an embedded adviser to the Iraqi security forces in 2008, obtained evidence that showed how politicized the Iraqi targeting process had become…. A confidential analysis of the [3,000 target] list by Americans in a targeting cell at the Baghdad Operations Center found that 95 percent of the targets were either Sunni men of military age, tribal leaders or other Sunnis listed simply as “the friend of a terrorist, father of a terrorist, grandfather of a terrorist,” Pregent said. No direct evidence of terrorist involvement was provided, he said.”

The Saddam approach to crushing an insurgency can work as long as you have the guns and technological superiority to pull it off. Iraq is shaky in terms of the weapons advantage, and that gets shakier if the rebels receive competent outside assistance. Can Iran help drown the Sunnis in manpower? And will the USA be able to continue supporting the Iraqi government if it plays by standard Mideast rules in a sectarian civil war? Sources: Washington Post via Stars and Stripes, “Iraq lacks ability to fly F-16s it seeks, US trainer says”.

June 30/14: Missile deliveries. As the Iraqi government’s authority collapses in the north and west, US Defense Department spokesman Army Col. Steven Warren says that:

“I know we’re down to having delivered all but 100 of the recent purchase of 500 [Hellfire missiles] that the Iraqis made. There were shipments within the last week…. We expect that purchase of a total of 500 Hellfires to be closed out within the coming two or three weeks.”

The Hellfire’s main platform in Iraq is currently their AC-208 fleet. Sources: Pentagon, “U.S. Continues Military Aid to Iraqi Government”.

June 21/14: Out of Hellfires. As its northern cities and Sunni areas steadily fall, Iraq has a minor but significant problem:

“The Iraqi military ran out of Hellfire missiles six days ago, and though the U.S. is rushing more missiles into the country, Iraq has only two modified Cessna aircraft to launch them in their battle against the radical Islamic militia ISIS…. The losses have left the Iraqi military with no offensive capability, and no real air force. “

Iraq hasn’t had a real combat air force since Saddam Hussein’s era, and the best estimates didn’t expect one before 2017 at the earliest. The Iraqis do have armed Russian Mi-17 helicopters that don’t use Hellfires, and French EC635 scout helicopters whose armed status is uncertain. Russia has also agreed to sell them Mi-28 attack helicopters, but there are no signs of any in service. ABC News, “Iraqi Military Out of Hellfires in Battle Against ISIS”

May 30/14: Hellfires. US Security Assistance Command touts its role in delivering 300 Hellfire missiles to Iraq through the Foreign Military Sales program. The Ac-208B is the missile’s key platform.

“Upon receiving a letter of request in January, USASAC began to work closely with the Aviation and Missile Command, Joint Munitions Command, the vendor and various other organizations in order to implement an emergency case…. “USASAC had the lead from an overall program management perspective,” said Will Collins, country program manager for Iraq…. A case for 300 Hellfire missiles completed formal congressional notification Feb. 22. Within a week USASAC received a signed letter of acceptance from the government of Iraq, and on Feb. 27 USASAC began implementing the case…. providing weekly updates to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.”

It wasn’t quite enough (q.v. June 21/14). Sources: US Army, “USASAC meets request”.

May 5/14: Support. ATK in Fort Worth, TX receives a maximum $15.2 million firm-fixed-price unfinalized contract modification to to continue contractor logistic support services for the Iraqi Air Force’s RC-208 ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance) and armed AC-208 Cessna Caravan light planes, without a break in service. They’re Cessna planes, but ATK equipped them to be full-fledged Bird Dogs instead of just initial flight trainers. The firm will also provide student training for Iraqi aircraft maintenance specialists.

$7.6 million is committed immediately. Work will be performed at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/14. USAF Life Cycle Management Center/WLKCL at Tinker AFB, OK manages the contract (FA8106-10-C-0010, PO 0039).

May 1/14: On the ground… A Wall Street Journal report offers a poor review of the Iraqi military’s performance, citing desertion, poor logistics, and insufficient support. Prime Minister Maliki’s policies of ethnic division haven’t exactly helped, and the conflict next door in Syria ensures that many Sunnis are returning home with even more battle experience. Close air support is especially problematic:

“In January, Gen. Dulaimi says, he was passing through a dense urban area of Ramadi in a column of nearly 50 Humvees, tanks and armored cars. They were ambushed by what he describes as hundreds of militants carrying machine guns, grenade launchers and improvised explosives…. [but] he was told that there were no airplanes capable of operating at night…. After nearly five hours, Baghdad sent a Russian-made prop plane loaded with two missiles—its maximum capacity. One of the missiles landed a direct hit, scattering the antigovernment commandos.”

The prop plane was almost certainly a very American AC-208 Combat Caravan, but the anecdote illustrates the problem. A few Cessnas won’t fix it, though buying a lot of them might have made a much bigger difference. Sources: WSJ, “Fledgling Iraqi Military Is Outmatched on Battlefield: On Eve of Elections, Demoralized Army Is Losing Fight Against Islamist Militants” | See also: Defense One, “Iraq’s Elections Setting Up ‘Worst Case Scenario’ “.

April 24/13: Alliant Techsystems Inc. in Fort Worth, TX receives a maximum $31.5 million firm-fixed-price contract modification “to continue contractor logistic support servces [sic] for the Iraqi Air Force’s Cessna 208s and to provide maintenance student training”. ATK is closely involved in the armed AC-208 Combat Caravan program, but that maintenance is separate (q.v. May 5/14).

Work will be performed in Tikrit, Iraq, and is expected to be complete in April 2014. $13.8 million is committed immediately, and USAF Life Cycle Management Center/WLKCL at Tinker AFB, OK acts as Iraq’s FMS agent (FA8106-10-C-0010, PO 0030).

April 19/13: Support. L-3 Vertex Aerospace LLC in Madison, MS received a maximum $45.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, extending their support work with IqAF C-208 Caravan family and C-172 aircraft for another 12 months. They’ll also continue to teach maintenance students training on both aircraft.

There is a significant gap in public announcements re: these support contracts.

Work will be performed at Tikrit Air Base, Iraq, and is expected to be complete by April 20/14. The USAF Life Cycle Management Center/WLKLC at Tinker AFB, OK acts as Iraq’s FMS agent (FA8106-10-C-0012, PO 0012).

March 23/11: AC-208s. An AC-208B Combat Caravan successfully attacks a target called in by Iraqi Special Operations Forces at the Aziziyah Training Range. A 2-ship formation of Iraqi air force Cessnas from Squadron 3 at Kirkuk Air Base, Iraq, fired a single air-to-ground missile, after receiving ground target coordinates and direction from Iraqi forward air controllers, inserted near the target area by Mi-17 helicopters flying from Camp Taji. The exercise marked the 3rd time an Iraqi air force aircraft has fired an AGM-114 Hellfire missile in 3 years, as the scenarios increase in complexity and scope. Even more important, it was an ISOF Forward Air Controller calling the shot. Pentagon DVIDS.

All-Iraqi AC-208 shot

2009 – 2010

Mismatch between announced deliveries and announced orders; RC-208 recce & AC-208 armed variants in service; Mx-15 sensor contract; Support.

AC-208 loading
(click to view full)

Nov 8/10: AC-208s. An Iraqi AC-208B Combat Caravan fires a Hellfire missile at a vehicle on on the Aziziyah Training Range, south of Baghdad, achieving a direct hit. This is the first time since the American invasion that the Iraqi Air Force has run a live-fire missile training exercise, from start to finish, all on its own. It’s the 2nd time an Iraqi AC-208B has fired a Hellfire. The human infrastructure is actually more important than the technical achievement. USAF Maj. Devin Traynor:

“Think of it this way… First we have to find our target. Then we fix the location and continue tracking it. Next we target and then engage the adversary. Finally, we make an assessment on whether or not we achieved the results we wanted. Each of these elements of this type of mission must be done perfectly and coordinated perfectly for the mission to succeed. The air advisers have played a crucial role in developing these capabilities within the Iraqi air force.”

Nov 16/09: C-208s. ATK announces delivery of the 3rd AC-208B Combat Caravan aircraft to the Iraq Training and Advisory Mission in Kirkuk, Iraq. To date, ATK has delivered 11 modified C-208 aircraft in support of U.S. Government contracts for rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force: 3 RC-208B reconnaissance aircraft, 5 C-208B trainer aircraft and 3 AC-208Bs. Which is interesting, because the relevant contract announcements cover just 5.

The AC-208B Combat Caravan aircraft is a specially modified Cessna Grand Caravan that incorporates an electro-optical targeting system with integrated laser designator, Hellfire laser guided missiles, an air-to-ground and air-to-air data link and aircraft self-protection equipment. ATK’s STAR Mission System provides both day and night reconnaissance and fire control capabilities for the mission crew.

The Combat Caravan program was awarded to ATK in 2008. Within 11 months, ATK completed live fire testing and delivered its first aircraft to Iraq. The aircraft holds both a Military and Civil Certification.

Nov 4/09: AC-208s. A 3-man Iraqi aircrew from Squadron 3 fires an AGM-114 Hellfire missile from an AC-208B Caravan at a target on a bombing range near Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. Pentagon AFPS.

Oct 5/08: AC-208s. Aviation Week reports that IqAF AC-208 Combat Caravans have been fitted with launchers, and will be cleared to start shooting laser-guided Hellfire missiles later in October 2009. The report adds that:

“On the intelligence-collection side, operating the C-208 Caravans, Hawker Beechcraft King Air 350s and SAMA CH2000s also has progressed well. As a result, coalition advisers are focusing more on teaching the Iraqis how to exploit the sensor information.”

Sept 22/09: Sensors. L-3 WESCAM announces an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract to provide more than 50 MX-15D surveillance turrets with laser designation and rangefinding capability to the U.S. Army, in support of the Army’s Iraqi Air Force Reconstruction Program.

The MX-15D will likely be used to equip several Iraqi platforms, including its AC-208B Combat Caravans. Iraq’s larger MC-12W King Air twin-turboprops also use the MX-15, and it may end up equipping Iraq’s counter-insurgency aircraft – currently projected to be HawkerBeechcraft’s AT-6B, which is still in development.

Aug 19/09: Training. At Kirkuk AB, 3 Iraqi airmen, assigned to Iraqi Air Force Squadron 3, become the first Iraqi weapons loaders certified as a lead weapons crew. As a lead weapons crew, they are qualified to load weapons, and to train and evaluate their fellow Iraqi service members. The associated pictures show them working to fit a dummy Hellfire missile onto the weapons pylon of a Cessna AC-208 Caravan. Pentagon DVIDS.

March 25/09: Support. L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace in Madison, MS receives a $15.6 million firm fixed contract to provide fleet maintenance and training support on 12 Cessna 173 aircraft and 5 Cessna 208B trainer aircraft owned by the Iraqi Government. At this time, $7.6 million has been committed. The 727 ACSG/PKB at Tinker Air Force Base, OK manages this contract (FA8106-09-C-0004).

2007 – 2008

Purchase of 18 C-172s and 5 C-208s.

IqAF Cessna 172
(click to view full)

Oct 14/08: AC-208s. Aviation Week reports that armed Cessna 208Bs destined for Iraq are flying out of an airport near Fort Worth, TX, and are set to be delivered in December 2008. The airport is used by ATK Integrated Systems for its projects:

“Two Cessna Grand Caravan 208Bs, armed with a pair of AGM-114 Hellfire missiles each, have been photographed flying out of Meacham Airport earlier this month… In December the Iraqi Air Force will receive the first three armed Caravans – with laser designators for the missiles – followed by two more in early 2009, says USAF Brig. Gen. Brooks Bash, current chief of the Coalition Air Force Transition team.”

some Cessna Caravans are already in service with the IqAF, as unarmed reconnaissance planes.

July 9/08: U.S. forces transfer ownership of 11 aircraft to the Iraqi air force during a ceremony at New Al Muthana Air Base. Army Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, signed over 8 Cessna 172s and 3 Cessna Caravan 208s worth more than $9 million to Iraqi Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir al-Mufriji.

Hawker Beechcraft’s new King Air 350 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and King Air 350 light transport aircraft were also unveiled during the ceremony.

Brig. Gen. Brooks Bash said the Cessna 127 and 208 aircraft would be part of the IqAF training program at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in northern Iraq, allowing more than 130 new pilots to train and graduate by 2010. “As of now, the Iraqi air force is just beginning to grow,” [Bash] said. “They will double in size within the next year, giving them up to 6,000 airmen and 133 aircraft by the end of 2009.” USAF release.

New array of light aircraft unveiled

Caravan to Kirkuk
(click to view full)

Nov 29/07: C-208s armed? Cue more Cessna Caravans. The Cessna Aircraft Co. of Wichita, KS received a firm-fixed price contract for $23.7 million to buy 5 Cessna C-208B Caravan aircraft along with minor aircraft modifications, logistic support services, and one year of spares for the Iraqi Air Force. The contract also includes an option for 2 additional aircraft, At this time, all funds been obligated. The 337th AESG/FMS at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8617-08-C-6183).

5 C-208B Caravans ordered

Oct 31/07: C-208s. U.S. Air Force Col. Michael Wobbema, Chief of Staff for the Coalition Air Force Transition Team, says in an interview that: “And then we’ve got this Cessna [208B] Caravan. The Cessna Caravan will also become — there will be an armed variant of that that will come online.”

Aug 3/07: C-172s. Cessna Aircraft Co. in Wichita, KS has received a firm-fixed-price contract for $10.6 million. The aircraft will reportedly be used primarily in a trainer role, and for about the price of a high-end Predator UAV system, this contract action will procure 18 Cessna C-172 aircraft (with an option for 10 more), logistics support services, and 1 year of spares for the Iraqi Air Force. At this time, $7.5 million has been obligated. Work will be complete December 2008. Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8617-07-C-6181).

18 C-172s ordered

Additional Readings & Sources

Thanks to sharp-eyed reader Steve Sommer of Corporate Skyways, Inc., who first brought our attention to a long-standing mis-labeling in one of the Cessna photos.

Background: Aircraft

• ATK – AC-208 Combat Caravan.

• Air Force Technology – AC-208 Combat Caravan Light Attack Aircraft, Iraq.

Related

• DID – Standing Up the IqAF: King Air 350s. Many are 350ER-ISR specialty variants. They aren’t really “Bird Dog” aircraft, however – more like the low end of long-endurance, dedicated surveillance aircraft, with armament comparable to a Predator or the Caravan 208Bs.

• DID – Task Force ODIN: In the Kingdom of the Blind…. The USA discovers that low-cost manned aircraft, plus UAVs, plus better organizational approaches, can yield significant success.

• DID – “Bird Dog” Light Planes for Afghanistan. They picked Cessna 182 turbos for high-altitude terrain, and 208Bs as their mainstay.

News & Views

• Defense Tech (July 23/09) – COIN Air Force on its Way – in the US, as well as Iraq. Its exact shape remains TBD.

• USAF (May 21/08) – Iraqi air force postured to break records [dead link]. As long as you begin history with the end of Saddam’s regime.

• StrategyPage (Feb 19/08) – Iraq Seeks Cessna Solution. “The 208Bs are being equipped with the same sensors and targeting pods used on the Predator UAV. The 208B can be rigged to carry Hellfire missiles as well, giving the Iraqis an aircraft that can act as an Predator clone, a personnel transport or a cargo hauler. Many are available on the used aircraft market for about $2 million each. And pilots can be quickly trained on the 172, and easily transition to the 208B.”

• Defense Tech (Oct 31/07) – Rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force.

• USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB (Oct 31/07) – Wright-Patt plays a part in training future Iraqi pilots.

• USAF (Oct 5/07) – Iraqi air force flying training school opens at Kikuk. They mean Kirkuk, where the 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron operates.

• USAF Guy’s Milblog (June 11/07) – Manners & Mustaches (pics). “Got to fly up in the Iraqi Air Force’s newest aircraft–a modified Cessna Caravan. It’s a great little aircraft and has a large forward looking infrared and video pod the Iraqis will use for reconnaissance.” The Author is a US Air Force officer deployed at that time to Basrah Air Station, Iraq where he is embedded in an Iraqi Air Force squadron as a military advisor.