Defense Industry Daily

Oshkosh Defense announced a three-year extension of its contract with the US Army on Monday to build heavy vehicles, valued at $146.8 million. The deal calls for modernization of vehicles in the US Army and US Army Reserve Family of Heavy Tactical Vehicle, also known as FHTV, fleets, which include 354 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks, or HEMTT, and Palletized Load System, or PLS, trucks, as well as the construction of new PLS trailers. The FHTV fleet is designed to accommodate many mission packages, allowing it to support multi-domain operations as the battlefield continues to evolve, according to the company.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems won a $15.6 million contract modification for the implementation of configuration management changes on select Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS). The LCS new construction contract provides for the design, construction, integration, and testing of the Littoral Combat Ship, which operates with focused-mission packages that deploy manned and unmanned vehicles to execute a variety of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, and mine countermeasures. Work will take place in Marinette, Wisconsin. Estimated completion will be by May 2022.

Middle East & Africa

The US Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District has completed a Hardened Hangar project in Israel to support the latter’s F-35 fleet. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on March 10 to mark the handover. US Army Corps of Engineers, Europe District Commander Col. Patrick Dagon said the hardened hangars and operations facilities will house a squadron of F-35s. Work is already underway for multiple additional similar facilities to be constructed in the coming years, says the news release.

Egypt has confirmed that it will buy another 30 Rafale fighters from France, after the deal was disclosed by investigative website Disclose on May 3. Disclose had said that the deal is worth $4.5 billion. Egypt revealed that it will take a 10-year loan for the purchase.

The F-35Bs assigned to the Royal Air Force’s 617 Squadron will carry out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria during the maiden deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group (CSG21). There are eight F-35Bs from 617 Squadron. They are joined by 10 F-35Bs from the U.S. Marine Corp’s VMFA-211.

A man portable air defence system (MANPADS) fired by the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) shot down a Myanmar military helicopter on May 3. Military tensions have been running high between Myanmar’s military junta and the ethnic Kachin armed group in Momauk since April 11, with the former using aircraft to bomb KIA outposts.

Watch: Here’s How We Build a Littoral Combat Ship

A former US Marine Corps (USMC) V-22 test pilot has urged the US Army to select the Defiant-X as its next helicopter instead of the V-280. Scott Trail says based on the Army’s mission objectives, the compound helicopter is the better choice and cheaper solution.

Lockheed Martin won a $663.7 million contract modification for Hellfire II missile production. The Hellfire II air-to-ground missile system (AGMS) provides heavy anti-armor capability for attack helicopters. It is a 100lb class air-to-ground precision weapon delivering multi-target capability and precision strike lethality. The Hellfire II missile is in service with the armed forces of the US and 16 other nations. Work will take place in Orlando, Florida. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2024.

The US Coast Guard cutter USCGC Hamilton conducted exercises with the Turkish Navy in the Black Sea, the US Navy Sixth Fleet said. The Legend-class cutter, which entered the Black Sea this week after transiting the Atlantic Ocean earlier in April, conducted a passing exercise and cross-platform helicopter operations with the Turkish Navy’s Yavuz-class TCG Turgutreis.

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, has deployed to Greece to carry out essential pre-season training. The Royal Air Force say that the five-week visit, which has recently got underway, is known as Exercise Springhawk and concludes at the end of May.

The hull of Type 26 Frigate HMS Glasgow now sits as part of the Glasgow city skyline, BAE Systems said. The aft block of HMS GLASGOW, the first City Class Type 26 frigate being built for the Royal Navy, has been rolled out of the build hall to join the forward block at the BAE Systems shipyard on the River Clyde. The aft block contains the versatile mission bay and hangar which is capable of supporting helicopters, boats, mission loads and disaster relief stores, while the flight deck is capable of landing a Chinook helicopter for transport of embarked forces.

Northrop Grumman Defense Services won a $58.6 million deal for the Japan Global Hawk program. This contract provides for contractor logistics support services to include, but not limited to, in-country personnel, mission planning, contractor field teams, contractor inventory control, reach back support and software maintenance. Work will take place in Misawa Air Base, Japan. Estimated completion will take place in September 30, 2022.

Watch: Why AGM 114 Hellfire missile becomes one of America’s favorite missiles

The project manager for the US Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft(FLRAA) says the final request for proposal is to be released this summer. Col. David Phillips said the final document will not have any major changes relative to the draft proposal that was release late last year.

Raytheon won a $16.5 million deal for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) program for Gordian Knot (GK) application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) life-of-type buy. This effort provides for a life-of-type procurement of GK ASIC in support of production and sustainment through the AMRAAM program of record. The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM is an American beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Work will take place in Arizona. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2023.

Sallyport Global Holdings won a $240 million contract action to provide base operations support, base life support, and security services in the support of the Iraq F-16 program. This contract is the result of a sole-source acquisition and involves Foreign Military Sales to Iraq. Work will take place at Balad Air Base, Iraq. Expected completion date is January 30, 2022.

Four Italian F-35As have deployed from Amendola Air Base, Italy to Ämari Air Base, Estonia to augment the NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission. This marks the first time the F-35 is used for this mission. As part of the “Baltic Eagle II” mission, the Italian F-35A aircraft, operating within the Task Group Falco of the Task Force Air Estonia will replace the German Air Force Eurofighters which have been deployed to Amari since late August.

A Royal Australian Air Force E-7A early warning aircraft flew to Hawaii for the inaugural exercise Pacific Edge last month. The E-7A were joined by F-22s from the Hawaii Air National Guard as blue force. The red force was played by F-16s from the 442nd Training and Evaluation Squadron. Seventeen F-22 pilots also flew inside the E-7A during the three-week exercise to provide real-time feedback to the E-7A on what is happening inside the F-22 cockpit during air-to-air engagements.

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of six P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to India for an estimated cost of $2.42 billion. In November 2019, the Defense Acquisition Council, chaired by Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, approved the procurement of the long-range maritime surveillance aircraft manufactured by Boeing. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship and improve the security of a major defensive partner.

Watch: The AMRAAM®-ER Missile Goes Long and Flies High

Saguaro Business Solutions won a $67.3 million contract for aircrew training and courseware development. This contract provides all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and all other items and services that are required to perform 552 Air Control Wing E-3 Aircrew Training and 752nd Operations Support Squadron and Reporting Center support at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Estimated completion date is April 30, 2026.

Bell Textron won a $8 million deal, which provides engineering and technical field services for the H-1 aircraft to include airframes, avionics, electrical power plant systems and associated equipment, on and off-site proficiency training, technical and unusually complex technical guidance in support of the Naval Air Technical Data and Engineering Service Center. The UH-1Y Venom and the AH-1Y Viper hare 85 percent parts commonality, designed to significantly reduce life-cycle costs and the aircraft’s logistical footprint, while increasing the maintainability and deployability. The AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter provides rotary wing close air support, anti-armor, anti-air, armed escort, armed/visual reconnaissance and fire support coordination capabilities under day/night and adverse weather conditions for the USMC. The UH-1Y Venom multi-role utility helicopter is equipped with a wide range of weapons and mission support configurations to also perform close air support missions, along with combat assault support, search and rescue/causality evacuation, armed escort/reconnaissance, command and control, and special operation support. Work will take place in New Jersey, Louisiana and Hawaii. Estimated completion will be in April 2026.

Six F-15Es from the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, April 25 ferrying live bombs from Jordan. This is the first combat tactical ferry mission for the F-15E as part of an Agile Combat Employment operation. Each fighter is carrying more bombs than it can drop in combat. The purpose is to ferry the live bombs to a location without having to use a cargo plane to do so.

Romania signed the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) contract for the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) Coastal Defense Systems (CDS). The General Directorate for Armaments of the Ministry of National Defense signed the contract on behalf of the government. The costs of the systems, which includes four mobile launchers, is about $286 million. Delivery will take place in the last quarter of 2024.

India is to lease a A330 MRTT from France under government-to-government basis, Hindustan Times reports. The Indian Air Force has issued a request for information (RFI) for this purpose. Another request for proposal will be release in the future to lease another five tankers. The proposal was discussed during Air Chief Marshal RKS Bhadauria’s visit to France last week.

Japan is exploring the use of a multihull design for the two vessels that are to be equipped with the Aegis missile defense system that replaces the Aegis Ashore program. Japan’s Hibiki Class ocean surveillance ships uses the small-waterplane-area twin hull (SWATH) design. Such a configuration offers stability in rough seas. According to the news report, a civilian company will be contracted to develop a potential design.

Watch: Japan commissions new ocean surveillance ship ” JS Aki Hibiki-class vessels”

Lockheed Martin won a $22.5 million contract modification, which adds scope to provide support required to establish the common reprogramming tool development network and selection of a service-oriented architecture for the development of enhanced reprogramming tools. This is essential for all standing labs in support of the F-35 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and non-Department of Defense participants. Work will take place in Texas and Florida. Estimated completion is in December 2021.

The US Navy has demonstrated that it can use a swarm drone to destroy a surface target during the recently concluded Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem (UxS IBP) 21 conducted off the coast of California. Flag officers made the disclosure to reporters during a teleconference on April 26. An Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) detected the location of the surface target using its on board Electronic Support Measures (ESM) system and transmitted the coordinates to the surface warfare commander who then attack it with a swarm drone.

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced that it successfully completed the testing of its combat suites integrated into new patrol vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG). The trials conducted in the Aegean Sea included testing of the integration level of the combat systems and subsystems as well as live fire testing of the onboard remote controlled weapon stations.

Germany contracted Top Aces to deliver fast jet adversary air training services to its armed forces from January 1, 2022. Announced by the Canadian-based contractor owned and contractor operated (COCO) company, the deal is a follow-on award for Top Aces, which has been providing its services to the German armed forces over the previous six years.

It was announced that a further sub-contract has been awarded for the UK Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle Programme. Horstman UK will supply over 250 angular gear boxes and control units for the British Army’s Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle programme.

HMLA-267 will be replaced by HMLA-169 as the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) squadron at MCAS Futenma, Japan this week. Before departing home for Camp Pendleton, HMLA-267 carried out a Mission Rehearsal Exercise on and around the island of Okinawa, Japan. The unit practice Close Air Support, escort and combat assault transport missions in support of the III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Watch: British Army’s latest generation multi-role armored fighting vehicle

Rolls-Royce won a $21.8 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide depot repair of T56-A-427 engines utilized on E-2 Hawkeye aircraft, to include repair of the power section, torque meter, gearbox and accessories in accordance with Navy depot manuals and approved repair practices. The Hawkeye is an s an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. Work will take place in Texas, Canada and Indiana. Expected completion date is January 2022.

The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford completed Combat Systems Ship’s Qualifications Trials, a milestone in validating its defenses, the US Navy said. The five-phase trials began in February in the Atlantic Ocean, and followed an assortment of post-delivery tests and trials performed since the vessel’s 2017 commissioning. The CQSST, which wrapped up earlier this month, is a test of safe and effective use of the ship’s firepower and defenses, according to the Navy.

Turkish Aerospace Industries found an export customer for its armed Hürku?-C single-engine, turboprop aircraft. This was disclosed by TAI General Manager Temel Kotil to private broadcaster CNN Türk. A total of 12 aircraft will be sold but the contract has not been signed yet.

A news release from NAVIR’s Air-to-Air Missiles Program Office (PMA-259) International Programs team disclosed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had “finalized an agreement with the US this March to procure the F-35.” The country also requested to buy additional AIM-9X missiles for its F-35 fleet.

According to a press release from the British government says ships from the UK Carrier Strike Group will “participate in Exercise Bersama Lima to mark the 50th anniversary of the Five Powers Defence Agreement between Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.” Exercise Bersama Lima is held yearly in October each year, naval vessels usually deploy to South China Sea off Malaysia for the war game. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace told lawmakers that all Royal Navy sailors will be Covid vaccinated and will have received two Covid-19 jabs by the time the group reaches the Mediterranean.

The South Korean government has given the green light to proceed with the development for an armed variant of the MUH-1 Marineon helicopter. The indigenous rotorcraft is made by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI). The MUH-1 is based on the KUH-1 Surion with modifications for the South Korean Marine Corps.

Watch: UK carrier strike group will sail to India on its maiden deployment

The Canadian government has taken the first step in allocating funds for modernizing the North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD). “This funding will enable the enhancement of all-domain surveillance of our northern approaches and renewed investment in continental defence more broadly,” said the spokesperson for Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan. The US and Canada created NORAD in the 1950s to protect North America from a Soviet nuclear attack. Strings of radars and air bases were built to detect and stop incoming missiles and bombers, and placed under a unique joint command.

All of the 57 active US Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers were indefinitely grounded this week after a fuel filter problem was discovered. Gen. Tim Ray, Air Force Global Strike Command chief, ordered the stand down after one B-1 experienced an emergency relating to its augmenter fuel pump filter housing at Ellsworth Air Force Base earlier in April. A large hole was discovered in the plane’s filter housing after it landed, which could cause a pressurized fuel leak and a pilot’s inability to utilize the plane’s afterburners, known as augmented thrust,

According to “Israel Defense”, three F-35 “Adir” stealth fighters landed at the Nevatim base in southern Israel and joined the 116th Squadron, named “the Lions of the South”, the IAF’s second squadron of Adirs. The IAF now has reportedly 27 F-35s. The planes flew to Israel from Lockheed Martin facilities.  As of the beginning of April, 625 F-35s in nine countries had flown 380,000 cumulative flight hours. They operate from 27 bases, with more than 1,300 pilots and more than 10,000 maintainers.

Israel’s Rafael is reportedly on the verge of acquiring Bavarian drone producer EMT, which is in the process of bankruptcy. In response to a question from a Green party lawmaker, the parliamentary state secretary in the Defense Ministry, Thomas Silberhorn, said that Rafael informed Germany’s defense procurement agency BAAINBw that they had an exclusive agreement with the current general representative in the insolvency proceedings to take over the company.

Three new helicopters join the QinetiQ fleet at MOD Boscombe Down to expand the fleet of aircraft available to customers. Due to achieve initial operating capability this summer, the new aircraft comprise two Agusta A109S Grand helicopters and a Leonardo AW139 helicopter fitted with an integrated Electro-Optical and Infra-Red (EO/IR) camera turret and a modern, complex avionics suite.

Taiwan’s new Brave Eagle advanced jet trainer has been tested at Taitung’s Chihhang air base on April 21. It departed the next day. The AIDC T-5 Brave Eagle (Y?ngy?ng) is a supersonic advanced jet trainer under development by the Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) of Taiwan. It has been reported that the aircraft was designed from the beginning to serve dual peacetime training and wartime combat roles. The new jets will start being deployed at the base by the end of the year, with the full order of 66 scheduled for delivery by the end of 2026. The planes will replace the US-built F-5s, which have served Taiwan for some 35 years and have been plagued by fatal accidents.

Watch: Brave Eagle indigenous advanced jet trainer spotted in Taitung

Boeing won an $89.6 million deal, which provides systems and software engineering and sustainment support services, to include analysis, design, implementation, integration, testing, prototyping, prototype installation, and maintenance for development and test laboratory capabilities in support of modernizations and improvements to software and associated hardware capabilities for the P-8A aircraft. Seventy-eight percent of work will be conducted in Seattle, Washington, while 12 percent of it will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri. The remaining 10 percent will be held in Huntington Beach, California. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland, awarded the contract. Estimated completion date is December 2024.

A team of officers from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force visited the 552d Air Control Networks Squadron at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, to learn how the unit carried out its cyber defense role. The role of the 552d is to help the E-3 Airborne warning and control system (AWACS) defend itself against cyber threats. It is the only Mission Defense Team (MDT) in the US Air Force to perform this role inside an aircraft. The visitors, including members from the Pacific Air Force, were briefed on the capabilities of a deployable cyber defense weapon system, Cyberspace Vulnerability Assessment/Hunter.

Yulista Services won an $8.5 million contract for the F-16 Advanced Integrated Defense Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) ALQ-211 weapon system. This deal involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to support air forces of Pakistan and Turkey. Procurement of this services will enhance operational safety, suitability, and effectiveness of the AIDEWS and bolster F-16 FMS fleets’ survivability against electromagnetic threats. AIDEWS provides fighter aircraft with integrated radar warning and RF countermeasures and advanced stand-alone radar warning. The system uses a modular approach in an externally mounted pod, either for EW System upgrades or to add electronic warfare capability to an array of fighter aircraft. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama. Expected completion date is April 22, 2026.

The Mobile Short Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) system is to be deployed to Europe by the US Army. The 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment (5-4 ADA) is the first unit to receive the M-SHORAD. The battalion was first activated in 2018. It is a subordinate unit under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. US Army Europe and Africa’s air defense and missile operations come under the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command.

The US government has cleared the sale of 12 MQ-9B unmanned air vehicles to Australia for an estimated cost of $1.7 billion. The Foreign Military Sale package includes an unspecific number of Leonardo/Selex SeaSpray 7500 maritime radars. The principal contractors will be General Atomic Aeronautical Systems Inc., San Diego, CA; Lockheed Martin Inc., Bethesda, MD; Raytheon Inc., Waltham MA; and Leonardo SpA, Rome, Italy. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractors.

An AC-130J gunship from the 73rd Special Operations Squadron will be participating in the Balikatan exercise in Philippines. Maj. Ken Kunze, a spokesman for the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, said in an email that the gunship will carry out live-firing training at the Crow Valley Military Reservation, north of Clark Air Base.

Watch: Soldiers get hands-on with new air defense system, IM-SHORAD

Raytheon won a $243.2 million contract modification for one AN/TPY-2 Radar (Radar #13) to support Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Battery #8. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $1,244,567,329 from $1,002,297,329. The THAAD missile system is an easily transportable defensive weapon system to protect against hostile incoming threats, such as tactical and theatre ballistic missiles, at ranges of 200km and altitudes of up to 150km. Work will take place in Massachusetts. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2024.

The future USS Mobile, the US Navy’s next Independence-class littoral combat ship, will be commissioned on May 27, the Navy announced. The ceremony, restricted because of COVID-19 concerns but scheduled to be livestreamed, will be held in Mobile, Ala., where the ship was built by Austal USA. The vessel will be the 13th Independence variant in the Navy fleet. Littoral combat ships are fast, agile, focused-mission platforms designed for operation in near-shore environments but capable of open-ocean operation, Austral USA said.

AITC-Fice Domains won a $27.4 million contract from the US Army to provide train, advise, assist and mentor services. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Saudi Arabia with an estimated completion date of October 31, 2024. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales funds to Saudi Arabia in the amount of $27,375,117 were obligated at the time of the award.

The Polish Air Force will take delivery of two Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) 2 aircraft in May and June, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna reported. The service had placed an order for two BBJ 2s and one 737-800 in 2017. The 737 was delivered that year. The first BBJ 2 will arrive home in end of May while the other one is flying home in mid-June.

BAE launched Anson, the fifth of seven Astute Class attack submarines it is building for the British Royal Navy, at its worksite in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, in Britain. The submarine was moved out from Devonshire Dock Hall and entered the water for the first time Tuesday, according to a press release from the contractor.

An Indonesian submarine has gone missing with 53 crew members. The Indonesian government reported the disappearance of submarine KRI Nanggala during a torpedo live fire exercise earlier today, requesting search and rescue assistance from Singapore and Australia. The submarine, a 40-year-old German-built Type 209 boat, was carrying a crew of 53 when it went missing. An Indonesian navy task force has begun to search for the submarine, and Indonesia has called for assistance from both Singapore and Australia.

Watch: Austal USA – USS Mobile (LCS 26) Sea Trials

A second F-15EX has arrived at Eglin Air Force Base and the aircraft will be flown by the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron. This is also the final F-15EX delivery to the US Air Force for FY21. The F-15EX will make its exercise debut at Northern Edge 2021. The two F-15EXs and testers from the 40th Flight Test Squadron and 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron will work together in integrated developmental and operational test, effectively expediting the test timeline.

Northrop Grumman won a $2 billion deal for sustaining engineering support and program management support services for the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) propulsion subsystem. The deal with an ordering period of 18.5 years is provided for assistance to the government in maintaining the Minuteman III weapon system. The Minuteman is a strategic weapon system using a ballistic missile of intercontinental range. Missiles are dispersed in hardened silos to protect against attack and connected to an underground launch control center through a system of hardened cables. Launch crews, consisting of two officers, perform around-the-clock alert in the launch center. The location of performance is primarily Corrine and Magna, Utah, with various other locations. Work is expected to be completed November 5, 2040.

According to Jane’s, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is currently configuring its Barak surface-to-air missile (SAM) for the first of the Israeli Navy’s four Sa’ar 6 corvettes, Boaz Levy, IAI president and CEO. The ships are being built in Germany, with the first, INS Magen, having arrived in Haifa on 2 December 2020, where it is being fitted with its Israeli-made systems, including the ELM-2248 radar. Barak-8 is an operational air & missile defense system used by the Israeli navy. It provides broad Aerial and point defense against a wide range of threats to the marine arena from the air, the sea or the land. The system integrates several advanced state-of-the-art systems as, digital radar, command and control, launchers, interceptors with modern RF seekers, Data link and system-wide connectivity.

Greek newspaper Proto Thema says Athens could buy another six Rafale fighters from France to increase the fleet size from 18 to 24. The jets will be assigned to 332 Squadron which is now flying the Mirage 2000 at Tanagra air base.

The British government has decided to proceed with the purchase of 14 H-47 (ER) Chinook helicopters, Bloomberg reports. However, it wants to delay deliveries by three years due to budget shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Letter of Offer and Acceptance was delivered by the British embassy in Washington on March 25. The UK is the largest operator of the Chinook outside United States. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency had announced the potential sale in October 2018. That notification says Britain is cleared to buy 16 Chinooks. It is likely that the new variant Britain is buying is the MH-47G.

The US Navy is preparing to operate the MQ-4C from Japan by shipping the Triton Unmanned Air System’s forward operating base (FOB) from NAS Patuxent River to Japan on April 12. Although the location in Japan was not disclosed. Flight tracking data shows the C-17 that transported the equipment over northern Japan on April 15. NAVAIR says this deployment will allow the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Fleet (MPRF) to have additional geographic flexibility to support operations beginning in summer 2021.

Today’s Video

Watch: Top 10 ICBM | Top 10 Longest Range Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

The US Navy announced the start of its first manned and unmanned capabilities exercise on April 19 at Naval Base San Diego. Executed by the Navy’s 3rd Fleet, “Unmanned Battle Problem 21” will “generate warfighting advantages in integrating multi-domain manned and unmanned capabilities into the most challenging operational scenarios,” ist says in a statement. Unmanned systems, including the MQ-9 Sea Guardian and MQ-8 Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicles, Sea Hunter and Sea Hawk unmanned surface vessels and small and medium unmanned undersea vehicles with modular payloads will be involved in exercises.

The USS Oakland, the Navy’s newest littoral combat ship, was formally commissioned in a weekend ceremony, as the first LCS ships face retirement. The Oakland, an Independence-class trimaran 418 feetlong and designed to carry a crew of 40 in shallow water and ocean-going situations, officially joined the Navy fleet in Oakland, California on April 18.

The Advanced Electronics won a contract modification for the F-15 Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) Electronic System Test Set (ESTS). Services acquired under this effort are to provide the RSAF with an upgraded ESTS. The RSAF currently uses an A31U18240-2 ESTS configuration, and this shall provide the scope to upgrade and install the A31U18240-3 and A31U18240-4 configuration (frequently referred to as -3 and -4, respectively), as well as familiarization training, regression testing, and travel. Work will be performed at the RSAF Central Maintenance Facilities within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; the Science and Engineering facility in Huntsville, Alabama; and Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and is expected to be completed April 16, 2021.

The US Naval Air Traffic Management Systems Program Office completed Precision Approach and Landing System (PALS) certification on HMS Queen Elizabeth in March, completing a critical step in preparing the ship for its first operational deployment. The PALS system includes the AN/SPN-41B Instrument Carrier Landing System (ICLS), previously installed by PMA-213 as a foreign military sales (FMS) effort, and the AN/USN-3 Joint Precision and Approach Landing System (JPALS) system, installed as a US asset to support the future embarkation of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211’s F-35Bs aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth during its inaugural operational deployment.

Boeing won a $79.5 million contract modification for KC-46A long lead spares, initial spares and support equipment. This modification provides mission essential long lead spares, initial spares, and support equipment for use on the Japan KC-46 aircraft being produced under the basic contract. The US Air Force awarded Boeing $279 million for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) first KC-46A tanker in December 2017. The agreement was completed through the Foreign Military Sale process between the US government and Japan. Japan is now on contract for a total of four KC-46 tankers. Japanese partners produce 16% of the KC-46 airframe structure. Work under the contract modification will take place in Everett, Washington. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2024.

News reports from Taiwan say the Ministry of National Defense intends to submit budget request for a new early warning radar system in 2022. As per reports, the new radar is likely to be the same AN/FPS-115 PAVE PAWS that Taiwan had wanted to build in the southern part of the island. Currently, it has only one system on Leshan mountain. The site is said to be Lilongshan, north of Hengchun.

Watch: F-15s Fighter Jet at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded three contracts this week to design a nuclear thermal propulsion system that will operate above low Earth orbit in 2025. General Atomics, Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin are the prime contractors for the deal, according to a DARPA new release. The Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO) program has the potential to achieve rapid maneuver in space, which has been challenging because current electric and chemical space propulsion systems have drawbacks in thrust-to-weight and propellent efficiency, respectively, according to the agency.

MBDA will equip the Royal Canadian Navy’s new Canadian Surface Combatant, a variant of the Type 26 Frigate, with Sea Ceptor missiles. According to the company, utilising the Common Anti-air Modular Missile (CAMM) as its effector, Sea Ceptor will undertake the Close-In Air Defence System (CIADS) role on-board the new CSC frigates.

The Biden administration is seeing pushback from Senate Democrats after going ahead with a Trump-era deal to sell F-35 fighter aircraft to the United Arab Emirates. Citing national security concerns, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez, D-N.J., and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. files a bill to restrict the sale of the most sophisticated F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to the UAE. In December, the Trump administration approved the sale of 50 F-35 fighter jets worth $10.4 billion, 8 MQ-9B drones worth $2.97 billion and a package of munitions worth $10 billion.

On April 15, French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly announced an order for eight H225M Caracal helicopters to support France’s aeronautics industry during a visit to Airbus Helicopters’ plant in Marignane. The helicopters will be used by the French Air Force (FAF) and will be delivered in 2024–25. They will equip a new unit in Cazaux in southwestern France and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa where they will replace three Puma helicopters.

Danish and American officials recently celebrated the rollout of the first F-35A Lightning II for the Royal Danish Air Force at Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, Texas. Like the F-16 before it, the F-35 is spearheading NATO’s air power and ensuring strategic integration of allied combat airpower. The vital interoperability of the fifth generation F-35 binds 13 allies and partners with the US in air dominance and enabling critical joint capabilities. The F-35 will serve as a force multiplier for Denmark, allowing the Royal Danish Air Force to train and fight alongside NATO allies and create a strong deterrent.

Lockheed Martin won a $66 million contract modification for Japan’s AEGIS weapons system. The deal extends performance and expands Aegis FMS in-scope work including Aegis Combat System computer program development and radar integration/test support services under new contract line item numbers.  Case JA-P-NCO funds in the amount of $65,354,942 are being obligated at the time of award. Work will take place in New Jersey. The period of performance will be through through December 31, 2022.

Watch: Japan’s eight-Aegis defense system complete

The US Naval Research Laboratory has demonstrated that its electric unmanned aerial vehicle dubbed Hybrid Tiger can stay airborne for 24 hours using multiple power sources. “The flight was effectively a performance test in worst-case conditions: temperatures falling below zero degrees Celsius, winds gusting to 20 knots, and relatively little solar energy as we approached the solar solstice Dec. 21,” Richard Stroman, one of engineers involved in the testing, said. Daytime power come from solar panels integrated onto the wings and high-pressure hydrogen fuel tank and fuel cell system provides nighttime power. The drone also had algorithms in its flight control software to take advantage of thermals to gain altitude.

The US Navy announced that it landed an Osprey V-22 aircraft for the first time on a flight deck aboard a hospital ship. The flight testing is result of a seven-month mission to expand the ship’s capabilities for landing aircraft such as the V-22 Osprey and MH-60 Seahawk. Prior to the testing, the deck of Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy was upgraded to allow for the flights to take off.

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it was awarded a contract valued at about $1.65 billion for the establishment and operation of the International Flight Training Center of the Hellenic Air Force, as part of a deal between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Hellenic Ministry of National Defense. The company noted that the contract will be performed over a period of about 20 years and will include price indexation. As per the contract, Elbit Systems will supply new M-346 training aircraft and will maintain the entire training fleet, comprised of dozens of M-346 and T-6 training aircraft for a period of approximately 20 years.

Northrop Grumman won a $99 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure long lead items and associated services in support of the production and delivery of three E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the government of France. The French Navy has been operating the E-2C Hawkeye since 1998 and is the only country other than the United States to operate its E-2 Hawkeyes from an aircraft carrier. This capability enables interoperability exercises that support Hawkeyes from each other’s carrier flight decks. With the US Navy’s fleet transition to E-2D squadrons, the French Navy intends to maintain interoperability and partnership by taking steps to procure three E-2D aircraft. Work will take place in New York, California, North Carolina and Florida. Estimated completion will be in April 2027.

The first P-8A Poseidon fuselage for Norway arrived at Boeing. This marked a major milestone in the production of the first of five Poseidons for the Royal Norwegian Air Force. A derivative of the Boeing 737 Next-Generation commercial aircraft, the P-8 is first assembled at Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ 737 production line, where the fuselage receives additional wiring and systems needed to support military components, equipment and operation.

Japan’s first RQ-4B Global Hawk made its maiden flight on April 15, 2021 from Palmdale, California. “The unarmed RQ-4B Global Hawk will provide Japan with on-demand intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance information supporting the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s missions of protecting borders, monitoring threats and providing humanitarian assistance in times of need,” said Jane Bishop, vice president and general manager, autonomous systems, Northrop Grumman, in a press release. “This successful first flight is a significant milestone in delivering Global Hawk to our Japanese allies.”

Watch: Japan’s RQ-4B Global Hawk high altitude Makes First Flight!

Oshkosh Defense and BAE Systems will deliver prototypes of the US Army’s next Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle, the companies announced. The National Advanced Mobility Consortium, which is an alliance of defense contractors and research organizations involved in providing the US government access to technology developers, narrowed its choice down to the two companies. BAE Systems announced that its Beowulf vehicles were chosen. According to a statement, the vehicle has a modular design and can be reconfigured for multiple missions, such as logistical support, disaster and humanitarian relief, search and rescue, and other missions as required. Oshkosh Defense’s prototype is derived from the Bronco 3 and is in production by ST, which said the vehicle can traverse “swamps, desert, snow or water bodies to satisfy the most demanding mobility requirements of expeditionary forces,” the company said.

French shipbuilder Naval Group formally delivered a second Bouchard Class multimission offshore patrol vessel to the Argentine Navy. Piedrabuena (P 52) is the second of four Gowind OPVs ordered by Argentina under a $380 million contract signed with Naval Group in 2018. The contract included the refurbishment of OPV L’Adroit, which was built by Naval Group as a private venture and operated by the French Navy from 2011, as well as three new-build ships. The new-build OPVs are being built in France by Kership: a joint venture between Naval Group and Piriou.

The US State Department is moving forward with the sale of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and MQ-9 drones to the United Arab Emirates, a decision which will now face a legal challenge from a nonprofit seeking to halt the weapons agreement. At stake is an arms package approved in the waning days of the Trump administration, which includes 50 F-35s,18 MQ–9B Reapers, as well as thousands of munitions and hundreds of missiles. The total sale comes with an estimated $23 billion price tag.

Poland inked an agreement to procure five C-130H transport aircraft from the US under the Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program, the country’s defense minister announced. The aircraft will join the existing C-130E fleet at 33rd Transport Aviation Base in Powidz.

Babcock International won a two year contract with the UK Ministry of Defense, for continuation of in-service support to the Phalanx Close-in Weapon System (CIWS). Phalanx CIWS is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20mm Gatling gun system and is the Royal Navy’s primary defence for ships against the threat of anti-ship missiles.

The president of Taiwan’s National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) Chang Chung Ch’eng told lawmakers today that work on the next generation fighter is progress ahead of schedule. Chang said the program is split into research into the overall design and power. This phase of the program is expected to complete in 2024. The development program is progressing smoothly. The engine program has a budget of $309 million while the fighter design portion has a budget of $59 million. A total of 24 key technologies are to be studied.

Watch: WITH THE ARCTIC UP FOR GRABS, THE ARMY NEEDS A NEW SNOW CARRIER || 2021

Bell Boeing won a $143.2 million delivery order from the US Navy for the logistics and repair support of MV-22B, CMV-22 (Navy) and CV-22 (Air Force) Osprey components.  The Navy is planning to use the CMV-22 variant as a replacement of the Grumman C-2 Greyhound for carrier onboard delivery. The service marked a milestone last November, when a CMV-22B conducted the first carrier landings, take-offs and refueling on the USS Carl Vinson. COD deployments should begin sometime later this year. All work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas. Work is expected to be completed by December 2025.

The Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Command Test Center C-130 Hercules Detachment was at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to test the LITENING targeting pod. The pod is being evaluated in its role to aid precision airdrops. “The pod helps the C-130 airdrop mission by adding the ability to generate airdrop location coordinates, locate and avoid enemy and sensitive objects, such as people or structures; and track airdropped supplies following the airdrop release,” Lt. Col. Justin Brumley, AATC director of operations said.

Bell announced that it has started the production of 12 Lot-16 AH-1Z attack helicopters for Bahrain. Deliveries to the Royal Bahraini Air Force is set to start from later this year. A delegation from Bahrain toured the Bell Amarillo production facility to observe the production line and ceremoniously sign on the first rotorcraft.

IAI and Thales UK are offering what they call a “next Generation ship-killing solution” to the Royal Navy. Sea Serpent has anti-ship and anti-surface attack capabilities at ranges “in excess of 200km”. According to a press release, the Sea Serpent deploys an innovative RF seeker head and a sophisticated data analysis and weapon control system to provide precise target detection, discrimination and classification.

Elbit Systems will supply an additional J- MUSIC Direct Infrared Countermeasures self-protection system to the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet. The MMF programme is a multinational pooling and sharing initiative. The fleet consists of nine A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft able to provide strategic transport, air-to-air refueling and medical evacuation capabilities to its six participating nations (Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Norway).

Taiwan has launched the first of a new class of multimission amphibious ships that can carry troops and equipment to its offshore and South China Sea islands. The vessels can also conduct surface warfare missions with anti-ship missiles. The landing platform dock, named Yu Shan after Taiwan’s tallest mountain, was launched at the shipyard of the state-owned shipbuilder CSBC Corporation in the southern Taiwanese port city of Kaohsiung on Tuesday. The launch ceremony was attended by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng, among other senior civilian and military officials.

Watch: Israel and Thales to develop Sea Serpent Missile for Royal Navy

The US Navy announced a successful live-fire exercise of its Rolling Airframe Missile from the littoral combat ship USS Charleston on Monday. The launching of the SeaRAM missiles from the San Diego-based vessel was a part of exercises involving all of the ship’s weaponry, and occurred on Thursday, the Navy said. SeaRAM missiles, also known as RIM-116 RAM missiles, are lightweight, quick-reaction missiles designed to defeat cruise missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Equipped with Phalanx search-and-track radar and Electro Optic sensor, 11-missile pods are carried within launchers aboard the ship.

The US Marine Corps (USMC) will acquire a pair of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) MQ-9A Reaper medium-altitude, long-endurance UAVs and related systems. In a post released on the beta.sam.gov US government procurement website on April 12, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) disclosed that it had awarded GA-ASI a $13.06 million contract modification related to the procurement of two Reaper air vehicles and other unmanned aircraft system (UAS) equipment.

Greece’s Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos will travel to Riyadh on April 20 to sign an agreement for the deployment of a Greek PAC-3 air defense missile system to the kingdom.

The Pentagon will send hundreds of additional troops to Germany to improve the ability of the US military to ramp up forces to defend allies, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Tuesday in a reversal of policy from former President Donald Trump. The move will station about 500 US additional troops in Germany while shifting some units to Belgium and Italy and bringing others back to the United States.

Lockheed Martin won a $447.2 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 12 MH-60R aircraft for the government of the Republic of Korea. According to a press release released by DAPA, a total of 12 MH-60R helicopters will be delivered to the Republic of Korea Navy by 2025, boosting anti-submarine warfare capability. As noted by Lockheed Martin, MH-60R is the most capable naval helicopter available today designed to operate from frigates, destroyers, cruisers and aircraft carriers. Work will take place in New York, Connecticut and Alabama. Estimated completion is in December 2024.

Japan’s Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi has explained to a House of Councillors committee on April 12 on why the cost of upgrading the F-15J had gone up. Kishi says Japan has to spend more as the electronic warfare system that it choose for the upgrade faces parts shortages. Tokyo had wanted to buy 101 sets of the ALQ-239 Digital Electronic Warfare System (DEWS). It is now believe that they were told to switch to the new Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System (EPAWSS) instead.

Watch: Just How Powerful is SeaRAM Missile System

The US Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center (AATC) is planning to modify two KC-135s to equip them with a new communications, sensors and defensive pod. While tentatively called the Gladiator Pod, it is expected to enter flight testing on a few KC-135s in 2023. AATC intends to pack communication, defensive, and sensor technologies inside the shell of a Multipoint Refueling System (MPRS) Pod. The MPRS consists of a single refueling pod mounted on each wing of a KC-135 to support probe and drogue refueling. The communication systems that will be packed inside the Gladiator Pod will allow the KC-135 to act as a data node and host on the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS). Defensive systems will protect the tanker with limited fighter support. It was also disclosed that the KC-135 was able to receive off-board data from the Kratos Unmanned Tactical Aerial Platform-22 (UTAP-22) during a recent test China Lake.

The US military’s ability to meet demands has largely degraded over the past two decades, according to a Government Accountability Office report. “GAO found that reported domain readiness did not meet readiness recovery goals identified by the military services,” it said. The report spotlighted “the effects of Hurricane Michael and its associated infrastructure limitations on the Air Force’s F-22 fighter jets; the effects of trained pilot shortages on the Army’s AH-64 attack helicopter; and the effects of limited depot repair capacity on the Marine Corps’ light attack helicopters.”

According to media reports, Morocco has carried out its first drone strike in the Western Sahara. The Polisario Front announced that its police chief Addah al-Bendir had been killed “on the field of honor” in a separatist-controlled part of the disputed desert territory. The reported use of a drone strike to kill a senior Western Sahara independence fighter would, if confirmed, mark a turning point in the conflict, experts say. A Polisario official told AFP that Bendir had been killed by a Moroccan drone after taking part in a military operation near a sand barrier separating Moroccan and Polisario-controlled zones. Moroccan military expert Abdelhamid Harifi told AFP that “officially, Morocco doesn’t have armed drones — but it has a whole range of state-of-the-art unarmed drones.”

A US Air Force contract with British company BAE will see the firm support equipment for the fleet of F-16 aircraft in “more than 25 countries” through 2031. “From Boresighting avionics testing and vehicle management system tests to aircraft power, hydraulics, and electrical systems support, BAE Systems’ comprehensive approach is a key enabler for F-16 sustainment worldwide. The company will enhance aircraft supportability, reduce the logistics footprint, and minimize life cycle cost through the contract, which includes obsolescence management, logistics and sustainment, and on-base support and depot development”, it says in a press release.

Korea Times quoted anonymous sources as saying the KAI FA-50 and Pakistan’s JF-17 are the finalists in Malaysia’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) competition. The report added that the JF-17 is in the lead as it “possesses a better mid-range weapons capacity.”

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has rolled out a prototype of the multirole fighter aircraft being developed for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) under the Korean Fighter eXperimental (KF-X) programme. The locally developed twin-engined aircraft KF-21 Boramae was officially unveiled in a ceremony held on April 9 at KAI headquarters in the South Korean city of Sacheon, South Gyeongsang Province, that was also attended by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.

Watch: KC-135 Stratotanker Take Off and Landing at MacDill Air Force Base, United States Air Force

According to the US Navy, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division has completed five weeks of integrated test evaluations of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) system. The Dahlgren Division, based in Virginia, performed interoperability testing with the G/ATOR system, preparing first by verifying the command’s infrastructure functionality, including power accessibility, radar data recording abilities and data analysis capabilities. The G/ATOR system, made by Northrop Grumman, is designed to detect low-observable targets with low radar cross sections such as rockets, artillery, mortars, cruise missiles and drones.

Northrop Grumman is designing a new radar instrumentation system for the B-1B bomber under a $2.3 million contract. The current radar instrumentation system is over 10 years old and faces diminishing manufacturing sources for components. Northrop will be producing new single board computers, ethernet-based protocol, high-speed data lines, and solid-state drive data collection units for installation on the two instrumented B-1Bs at Edwards Air Force Base. Work is scheduled to being later this year.

Elbit won a contract by the Israeli Ministry of Defense last year to pursue a program to develop an airborne laser weapon system. A new video posted by Elbit shows the laser mounted on a Hermes 900 unmanned air vehicle. The aircraft has been modified with canards, probably due to the increase weight on the nose to house the laser turret or to improve pitch stability in order to have a stable beam.

Babcock International and BAE Systems have been awarded a five year contract extension by the Ministry of Defense to continue in-service support to the Royal Navy’s 4.5 Mk8 Medium Calibre Gun (MCG). The agreement is worth $58.9 and will see the continuation of in-service support to the 4.5 MCG across 19 Type 23 Frigates and Type 45 Destroyers as well as HMS Collingwood.

Technology to protect emerging wideband receivers from interference, enabling their use in contested and congested environments, is being developed by BAE. According to BAE Systems, the British company will design mechanisms for the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that protect emerging wideband receivers from interference, enabling their use in contested and congested environments.

The Indian Air Force has taken a new approach for its bid to acquire a fleet of aerial refueling tankers. It has now decided that it will lease those new tankers by the hour. And they will be used for training missions and free the Il-78 tankers for operational purposes.

Watch: Elbit Systems / Growth Engines

The F-15EX variant of the F-15 series of US Air Force fighter planes, was renamed the Eagle II in a ceremony on Wednesday at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Lt. Gen. Duke Richardson announced the official designation in a rollout of the plane, which will replace the aging F-15C/D fleet. The US Air Force accepted its first F-15EX from manufacturer Boeing on March 11.

The US Air Force (USAF)/Lockheed Martin AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) conventional hypersonic glide weapon prototype failed its first booster vehicle flight test on April 5, according to a statement. The ARRW failed to complete its launch sequence and did not deploy from its Boeing B-52H Stratofortress heavy bomber carriage aircraft. The B-52H flew over the Point Mugu Sea Range near California, intending to fire the ARRW booster test vehicle. Instead, the weapon returned with the B-52H to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California.

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) announced the arrival of its new Oron intelligence-gathering aircraft after it landed at Nevatim Air Base. The Oron is a Gulfstream G550 business jet that will have its mission systems installed over the next two years, the IAF said. This process will be led by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Defense Research and Development (DDR&D), the IAF, the Intelligence Directorate, and the Israeli Navy.

Four Greek pilots have started their training on flying the Rafale. Three of them flew the Mirage 2000 previously while the other one flies the F-16. The four of them will later become instructors to help train the next batch of eight pilots.

The Cyprus National Guard carried out a joint training exercise with Israel on April 5 to April 6. Exercise ONISILOS GEDEON 2021 involves the Tor M1 air defense missile system and Israeli F-15s and F-35s.

According to Reuters, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry reported a new incursion by China’s air force into the island’s air defense identification zone, made up of eight fighter jets and two other aircraft, one of which flew through the strategic Bashi Channel. Taiwan has complained over the last few months of repeated missions by China’s air force near the island, concentrated in the southwestern part its air defense zone near the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands.

Watch: Shocking! Massive revamp Type 23 Frigate and back to sea with full power

Universal Propulsion Company won a $10.9 million contract for the manufacture of up to 5,000 cartridge initiators and thrusters used in V-22 and CV-22 aircraft. This contract includes a five-year base period with no options. 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 California. Estimated completion will be by March 2026.

The XQ-58A flew its sixth flight on March 26 and this time the drone opened its weapons bay door in-flight for the first time. A ALTIUS-600 small drone was then released from the weapons bay. Alyson Turri, demonstration program manager, added that the XQ-58A flew higher and faster during this flight.

The UK has confirmed it is to establish a joint operating unit with Qatar for the BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) aircraft as part of a wider military co-operation agreement signed by the two countries on April 1. The unit, which will be based at Royal Air Force (RAF) Leeming in England, will operate the Mk 167 (T2 in RAF nomenclature) variant of the Hawk recently acquired by the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) in support of its Eurofighter Typhoon procurement. The updated defense agreement will also see the RAF deploy a Voyager aircraft to Qatar to periodically provide air-to-air refuelling training for the Qatari Emiri Air Force.

BAE Systems won a $21 million contract from the UK Ministry of Defense. The contract is to support the Common Missile Warning System (CMWS) over the next four-and-a-half years. “The UK Ministry of Defence has been a key partner on CMWS for decades,” said Christopher Austin, BAE Systems’ director of Threat Detection Solutions. According to the company, the system alerts crews to incoming threats and commands automated countermeasure dispensing, ensuring survivability of the aircraft and its crews.

The Pentagon said that it’s aware of Russian military activity in the Arctic and that it is committed to protecting US interests in the region. “Without getting into specific intelligence assessments, obviously we’re monitoring it very closely,” John F. Kirby, the Department of Defense press secretary, said during a press conference. “Obviously, no one wants to see the Arctic as a region become militarized.” One day prior, CNN had reported on satellite images by space technology company Maxar that document Russia’s build-up of military equipment and the testing of weapons, including that of a Poseidon 2M39 torpedo, in the Arctic.

The runway reconstruction project at Hsinchu air base, Taiwan is progressing ahead of schedule and the Mirage 2000 jets can return to their home base after May. The air force says the project is now 83.9 percent completed and 7.67 percent ahead of schedule.

Watch: America’s New Stealthy Drone Fighter Is Back: XQ-58 Valkyrie Makes a 2nd Test Flight