Defense Industry Daily

Raytheon won a $38.8 million contract modification for the production of two Fire Control System MK 99 ship sets and the associated technical engineering services in support of the Aegis Combat System on DDG-51 class ships. The DDG 51 Class are the Arleigh Burke class destroyers in service with the US Navy. They are multi-mission warships with offensive and defensive capability in multi-threat air, surface, and subsurface environments. The USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51), the first ship and namesake of the class, was commissioned on July 4, 1991. Since then 62 more ships have been commissioned. The MK-99 Fire Control System (FCS) is a major component of the AEGIS Combat System, a centralized, automated, command-and-control and weapons control system that was designed as a total weapon system, from detection to kill. It controls the loading and arming of the selected weapon, launches the weapon, and provides terminal guidance for AAW missiles. FCS controls the continuous wave illuminating radar, providing a very high probability of kill. Work will take place in Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island and California. Estimated completion is in August 2024.

Northrop Grumman won a $73.2 million delivery order for Remote Visual Assessment II production and deployment for the Minutemen III. This delivery order provides for modification to the Remote Visual Assessment program by adding six capabilities to procure, produce, remove, install, audit, test and document the equipment. The Minuteman III is a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile developed by Boeing to carry single or multiple nuclear warheads and serve a part in the US nuclear deterrence triad. Work will take place in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. Estimated completion date is July 31, 2023.

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer had suffered a cyber attack on November 25. Although the company did not disclose what was stolen, those files were made available on a website hosted on the dark web. One of those files that was made available by the hackers was a 4.4MB file of the Nigerian A-29 program. The African state has an order for 12 A-29 light attack aircraft. The airplane maker said the attackers had “access to only a single environment,” and that the incident caused only a temporary impact on “some of its operations.”

British company BAE Systems received a $60 million contract to deliver additional advanced missile seekers for LRASM. The seeker comprises long-range sensors and targeting technology that help the stealthy missile find and engage protected maritime targets in challenging electromagnetic environments. According to the company, LRASM combines ‘extended range with increased survivability and lethality to deliver long-range precision strike capabilities’. Work on the LRASM sensor will be conducted at BAE Systems’ facilities in Wayne, New Jersey; Greenlawn, New York; and Nashua, New Hampshire.

News reports from Japan said that Lockheed Martin has been chosen to assist Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI) in the development of the F-X fighter. Officials say the American company will provide assistance in the avionics and weapons integration. It will also assist in improving the plane’s aerodynamics and stealth characteristics. The F-X fighter program will cost around $40 billion; and the new fighter will replace Japan’s aging fleet of F-2 fighters, which were also developed by MHI and Lockheed Martin two decades ago.

Kyodo News reports that the Japanese Ministry of Defense has drop its request for $205 million in the budget next year for the modification of F-15 to carry the JASSM. The report says the modification is now in doubt as the development cost has soared by five times as electrical components required are in short supply and suppliers need to restart production lines to make them.

Watch: F-X Future Fighter Jet – Japan’s Most Sophisticated Fighter To Deal With The Competition From China

Bell Boeing won a $170.4 million contract modification, which adds scope for the production and delivery of one CMV-22B variation in quantity aircraft for the Navy and exercises options for V-22 Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization (CC-RAM) Lot 4 requirements. Additionally, this modification provides for planned maintenance interval inspections, repairs, shipping and storage containers and tooling in support of the V-22 CC-RAM program. The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a joint service, multirole combat aircraft that uses tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With its nacelles and rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, its nacelles can be rotated to transition the aircraft to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight. Work will take place in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania and Fort Worth, Texas. Estimated completion is in September 2024.

McCallie Associates won a $27.6 million contract for C-5M sustainment. This contract is for the delivery of technical data for organizational maintenance of the C-5M using a common source database. The C-5M Super Galaxy strategic transport aircraft, a modernized version of the legacy C-5, was designed and manufactured by Lockheed Martin to extend the capability of the C-5 Galaxy fleet to remain in service at least until 2040. The C-5M Super Galaxy transport aircraft achieved initial operational capability (IOC) in February 2014. Work will take place in Nebraska. Expected completion date is June 9, 2025.

Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) announced that it has carried out seven aircraft modifications under the Erciyes C130 Modernization Project. The program’s scope is to upgrade the avionic system of 13 C-130E and 6 C-130B aircraft under a contract signed between TAI and the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) in 2006. A total of 23 systems and 117 components have been modernized along with the central control computer, which has been completely developed by TAI engineers and described as the brain of the aircraft, the company statement said. Additionally, other critical systems are being modernized and nationalized as part of the project, including the GPS, indicator, anti-collision system, weather radar, advanced military and civilian navigation systems, nighttime invisible illumination for military missions, the voice-recorded black box, communication systems, advanced automatic flight systems (military and civilian), the digital floating map and ground mission planning systems.

According to Jane’s, Airbus is offering a Tranche 5 standard of the Eurofighter combat aircraft to replace Germany’s fleet of Panavia Tornados. Speaking at a virtual running of the company’s annual Trade Media Briefing (TMB), the head of combat aircraft business development, Wolfgang Gammel, said that this future standard will be offered to the Luftwaffe as the service looks to replace 90 Tornado Interdiction and Strike (IDS) and Electronic Combat Reconnaissance (ECR) aircraft with 85 new aircraft from 2030.

Japan has officially decided that it will build two more Aegis warships to replace the abandoned Aegis Ashore program, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said. Tokyo will also be extended the range of its indigenous Type 12 surface-to-ship missile.Opposition lawmakers criticize the move to boost the range of the missile, saying that this is to make the weapon as a tool to attack enemy bases. Chief cabinet secretary Kato explained that the range improvement was to extend the defense capabilities.

South Korea received a bid from a US aerospace manufacturer for attack helicopters that can be introduced to South Korea’s Marine Corps. Vince Tobin, executive vice president at Bell Textron Inc., based in Fort Worth, Texas, said Wednesday at a virtual press conference in Seoul that the company’s AH-1Z Viper would provide superior support, Yonhap and Newsis reported. The helicopter with anti-armor and air-to-air missile capabilities can take on the “broadest array of threats” in “any environment on land or sea” while withstanding saltwater corrosion and resistant to dust and sand, the US manufacturer said.

Watch: Here’s What Can Fit inside C-5M Super Galaxy The Largest Aircraft

L3 Technologies won a contract modification, which exercises an option to procure 12 AN/SRQ-4 kits and associated components for the MH-60 Common Data Link system. Sikorsky Aircraft developed the MH-60R Seahawk multi-mission naval helicopter, also called ‘Romeo’, in order to replace the US Navy’s legacy SH-60B and SH-60F helicopter fleet. The MH-60 R integrates advanced mission systems and sensors developed by Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training (MST). The helicopter is integrated with a data link for data transmission, an ARC210 Gen 5 multi-function radio for flexible and secure communication, and chaff and flare decoys dispenser. It also features an integrated self defense system for protection against RF, IF, laser and missile threats. Work will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah. Estimated completion date is in February 2023.

The House on Tuesday granted overwhelming bipartisan approval to the annual defense spending bill despite threats by President Donald Trump, he would veto the bill. Lawmakers approved the $740 billion National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 335-78, surpassing the two-thirds necessary to override a presidential veto, although there was no solid commitment that Republican lawmakers would vote against the action by Trump. A total of 140 Republicans joined a majority of Democrats in voting “yes” for the bill, while 37 Democrats voted “no” and one voted present. The NDAA includes funding for major military programs and weapons systems, and authorizes dozens of special pay and bonuses for service members.

Raytheon won a $13.7 million contract modification for the procurement, manufacture and storage of spares in support of sustainment for the Qatar Early Warning Radar (QEWR). QEWR is an early warning radar that will add long-range detection to Qatar’s layered Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) architecture, which includes Patriot systems and an Air Defense Operation Center (ADOC). The 360-degree radar tracks ballistic missiles as part of a missile defense shield, expanding Qatar’s ability to protect its people and assets from missile attack. Work will take place in Andover, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by December 2025.

France is planning to build a new 300 meter long, 75,000 tonne nuclear powered aircraft carrier. The new nuclear powered aircraft carrier will be able to carry over 30 aircraft and will be in service by 2038. President Emmanuel Macron officially launched the project to build a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle. Macron made the announcement during a visit to a nuclear facility in the Burgundy town of Le Creusot.

Negotiations between France and Indonesia for the purchase of 48 French Rafale fighter jets are advancing at a fast pace and a deal could be inked soon, French website La Tribune.fr said last week, citing several sources.Indonesia would like to seal a deal before the end of the year but French negotiators want to take the time necessary to fine-tune the details, it said.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Gen. Gilbert Gapay, has hinted that Manila has decided to buy F-16s. “Soon, before our President steps down, we will finally have multi-role fighters in the likes of the F-16 in our Air Force inventory,” said Gapay at a Laging Handa press briefing held online. The F-16 is running in the competition together with Saab’s JAS-39. The potential acquisition of F-16 fighter jets was among the topics discussed by American and Philippine officials during the visit to Manila of US Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett in November.

Watch: Nothing Can Kill the F-16 Fighting Falcon

International Enterprises won a $12.5 million requirements contract requirements contract for F-16 modular low power radio frequency (MLPRF) and dual mode transmitter (DMT) repairs. This contract provides for the repair of both MLPRF and DMT, which function as part of the radar systems of each F-16 C/D aircraft. The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a single-engine supersonic multirole fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the USAF. One of the most versatile aircraft in the US Air Force inventory, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the mainstay of the Air Force aerial combat fleet. With over 1,000 F-16s in service, the platform has been adapted to complete a number of missions, including air-to-air fighting, ground attack and electronic warfare. Work will take place in Alabama. Estimated completion date is December 6, 2025.

The US Air Force is to field interim enhancements to the problematic Remote Vision System (RVS) for its Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker-transport aircraft. The Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) announced the move, saying that demonstration flights conducted over the summer (third quarter) had validated the Enhanced Remote Vision System (ERVS) as a stopgap measure until RVS 2.0 is rolled out in late 2023. RVS 2.0 is the agreed final solution to resolve Category 1 deficiencies associated with the current RVS. “The implementation of ERVS will provide some benefit to our ‘Total Force’ boom operators in the near-term, but most importantly will not delay the fielding of RVS 2.0,” General Jacqueline Van Ovost, commander of Air Mobility Command (AMC), was quoted as saying.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson captured over 2,000 pounds of suspected narcotics in the Arabian Sea, the US Navy said on Monday. The interdiction was in support of the 33-nation Combined Maritime Forces’ mission known as Combined Task Force 150, which combats illicit operations on the seas. The Navy Ship assigned to the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, found a stateless dhow, a privately-owned sailing vessel, “loitering without power in international waters” on Friday, a Navy statement said. The Combined Maritime Forces, formed in 2002 and currently led by the Royal Saudi Naval Force, conduct security operations in the Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman and Indian Ocean.

France proposed selling six MRTT aerial tankers to India in a government-to-government deal that involves converting second-hand A330 airliners. These former passenger airplanes are between five to seven years in age and France will certify them for 30 years of lifespan. Another alternative proposal being considered by the Indian Air Force was to wet-lease the tankers from a British company. The IAF now operate seven Russian IL-76 M refuellers with Pakistan acquiring four of the same refuellers from Ukraine and China operating three of the same Russian refuellers along with 10 vintage modified versions of Russian bombers.

NATO announced the operational capability of a special operations command on Monday, organized by Belgium, the Netherlands and Denmark. The Composite Special Operations Component Command, or C-SOCC, was launched in 2017 to provide a unified “deployable multinational headquarters, specifically designed for commanding several Special Operations Forces task groups.” The new command is expected to provide “the participating nations with a capability that exceeds the sum of their individual national contributions,“a NATO statement said. The effort is one of 13 NATO High Visibility Projects meant to reduce costs and improve operational values through shared equipment, training and procedures.

The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of a Field Information Communications System (FICS) and related equipment for around $280 million. The decision “shows the US commitment to the Taiwan Relations Act and Six Assurances,” the Taiwanese Foreign Ministry said Tuesday on Twitter after the sale was approved by the US State Department. “It also enables the country to maintain a robust defense in the face of China’s military provocations, as well as Indo Pacific peace and stability,” it added. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday the US State Department made a “determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of a Field Information Communications System and related equipment for an estimated cost of $280 million”.

Watch: Dream Realized: The Air Force’s New Multi-Mission KC-46 Tanker Is Ready

Southeastern Computer Consultants won a $43 million task order, which shall provide Tactical Tomahawk Weapon Control System (TTWCS) Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) products and services in support of Training Support Activity responsibilities at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division. This is a single award, five-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee term level of effort task order that consists of one base year with four option years, which, if all line item quantities are ordered, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $42,989,767. The Tomahawk missile is a long-range, all-weather, jet-powered, subsonic cruise missile that is primarily used by the US Navy and the Royal Navy in ship and submarine-based land-attack operations. Work will take place in Virginia, California, Florida, Washington, Georgia, Hawaii, Japan and The UK: Expected completion date is in December 2021.

Boeing won a $20.7 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 48 retrofit kits, support equipment and special tooling in support of phase two of the T-45 Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) for SLEP production Lots Three and Four. In addition, this order provides retrofit engineering and logistics from the original equipment manufacturer to support the installation of associated technical directives. The T-45A/C Goshawk is the US Navy’s two-seat advanced jet trainer. It entered service with the US Navy in January 1992. Work will take place in St. Louis, Missouri and estimated completion will be in May 2024.

The Trump administration on Friday ordered most US troops out of Somalia, a move a Defense Department watchdog warned last month could damage gains the country has made against al-Shabab. The Pentagon said “the majority of personnel and assets” in Somalia will be removed from the East African country by “early 2021.” A news release from the department declined to offer a specific timeline on the moves. “As a result of this decision, some forces may be reassigned outside of East Africa,” the release said. “However, the remaining forces will be repositioned from Somalia into neighboring countries in order to allow cross-border operations by both US and partner forces to maintain pressure against violent extremist organizations operating in Somalia.”

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense has placed an order for three An-178 cargo planes with Antonov. This was revealed by Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Strategic Industries Oleh Urusky. The An-178 is based on the An-158 regional jetliner but with an enlarged diameter to hold more cargo. The Defense Ministry of Ukraine and the state-owned Antonov Design Bureau are set to sign a contract for the construction of three new An-178 transport aircraft. AN-178 is a short-range medium-airlift military transport aircraft designed by the Ukrainian Antonov company and based on the Antonov An-158 (An-148-200) regional jet.

Airbus Helicopters announced that it successfully performed autonomous take-off and landing (ATOL) from a moving deck using its Vertivision Surveillance Rotorcraft 700 (VSR700) optionally piloted vehicle (OPV). The milestone was achieved using the Deck Finder local positioning sensor system and the DeckMotion Simulator supplied by Airbus Defense and Space. The VSR700 OPV is being developed as a multimission naval UAS under a joint venture between Airbus Helicopters and Hélicoptères Guimbal in response to the French Navy’s Système de Drones Aériens de la Marine (SDAM) requirement announced in 2016. The effort also involves French naval shipbuilder DCNS, which is responsible for integration of the VSR700 into ship-based operations.

According to Jane’s, officials from Indonesia’s defense ministry are in discussions with a consortium led by French shipbuilder Naval Group for a possible order of the Riachuelo (Modified Scorpene)-class submarine. The discussion is the latest development in what has been a series of sporadic talks between Indonesian defense planners and Naval Group since 2016, when Jakarta first indicated its interest in the Scorpene 1000 vessel type for its naval requirements. Due diligence specifically for the Riachuelo class began after a variant of the submarine type was suggested by Naval Group as being suitable for Indonesia’s requirements, said one of the industry sources.

Watch: Launch of “Riachuelo”, Brazil’s first Scorpene-class attack submarine

Bell Boeing won a $18 million contract modification, which exercises an option to continue providing technical analysis, engineering and integration services for various systems and sub systems in support of the V-22 aircraft for the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Foreign Military Sales customers. The V-22 Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft utilizing tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. With its rotors in vertical position, it can take off, land and hover like a helicopter. Once airborne, it can convert to a turboprop airplane capable of high-speed, high-altitude flight. Work will take place in Texas and Pennsylvania. Estimated completion will be by 2022.

Lockheed Martin Space won a $29.1 million contract modification to procure a pilot assessment of the contractor’s property management system and exercise options under previously awarded contract N00030-20-C-0100 for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. The modification includes a $5 million not-to-exceed value for the pilot assessment, which is being awarded as an undefinitized contract action. The Trident II D5 fleet ballistic missile (FBM) is a three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile developed by Lockheed Martin. The Trident II D5 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a successor to Polaris A1, Polaris A2, Polaris A3, Poseidon C3 and Trident I C4 missiles. Work will take place in Colorado, Utah, Florida, Illinois, New York and California. Work will take place in September 20, 2025.

Mali has decided to expand its C295 fleet by ordering another cargo plane to expand the number of aircraft to two. Airbus says this contract includes an integrated logistics support package with spare parts for the two aircraft and training for flight crews and mechanics. This second aircraft, to be delivered in 2021, will supplement the first C295 already in operation since December 2016 which has already accumulated 1,770 flight hours and transported more than 38,000 passengers and 900 tonnes of cargo in less than four years of operations.

The Italian Air Force will double its intake at the International Flight Training School after the school moves to Sardinia. Head of the training operation, Gen. Luigi Casali, says 80 new pilots will be able to complete Phase 4 training at Sardinia and two thirds of those students will be from foreign air forces. Italy currently gathers its Phase 2, 3 and 4 pilots at Galatina where pilots in Phase 2 and 3 fly the Italian MB339 and Phase 4 students fly 18 T346A air force jet trainers, built by Italy’s Leonardo, as well as another four of the type owned by the firm. As the Phase 4 pilots move to Sardinia, the earlier stage students will stay on at Galatina to take advantage of the freed up space and start to switch over to new, M345 aircraft, also built by Leonardo, which is partnering the air force in the running of the flight school.

Japan media have confirmed that a Royal Navy naval task force lead by aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth will be sailing to Asia as early as next year. The British warships are likely to conduct wargames with Japanese and US forces in waters off the Nansei Islands chain in southwestern Japan. The move comes amid concerns over China’s increasing assertiveness in the East and South China seas as well as about its handling of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. It could trigger an outcry from Beijing. During the dispatch, the British navy also plans to conduct maintenance on carrier-based F-35B stealth fighter jets at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd.’s aerospace systems works in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, the sources said.

The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of 155mm Ammunition and Accessories, and related equipment, for an estimated cost of $132.2 million. The Government of Australia has requested to buy M825A1 155mm White Phosphorous projectile munitions, M782 Multi-Option Fuze for Artillery, M762A1 electronic-timed fuzes, M231 and M232A2 propelling charges, percussion primers, technical publications and books, technical data for operational maintenance, technical assistance and services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $132.2 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region.

Watch: Exclusive visit of the new C295 FWSAR for Canada

Lockheed Martin won a $48.7 million contract modification to exercise an option for AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent efforts for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of Advanced Capability Build 20. The Aegis Combat System is the Navy’s most modern surface combat system. It was designed as a complete system: the missile launching element, the computer programs, the radar and the displays are fully integrated to work together. This makes the Aegis system the first fully integrated combat system built to defend against advanced air and surface threats. The Aegis combat system uses powerful computers and radar to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. Aegis, not an acronym, refers to the shield of the mythical Greek God Zeus. Work will take place in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be finished by December 2021. Estimated completion will be by December 2021.

The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Brazil of MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes and related equipment for an estimated cost of $70 million. The Government of Brazil has requested to buy twenty-two (22) MK 54 conversion kits – to convert MK 46 Mod 5 A(S) torpedoes to MK 54 Mod 0 lightweight torpedoes. Also included are torpedo containers, Recoverable Exercise Torpedoes (REXTORP) with containers, Fleet Exercise Section (FES) and fuel tanks, air-launch accessories for rotary-wing, torpedo spare parts, propellant, lanyard start assembly suspensions bands, thermal batteries, training, publications, support, and test equipment. U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The Government of Brazil intends to utilize MK 54 Lightweight Torpedoes on its Sikorsky S-70B “Seahawk” aircraft and surface ships. The principal contractor will be Raytheon Integrated Defense System, Portsmouth, RI. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

Moroccan tabloid Al Ahdath Al Maghribia reports that the country will take delivery of the first G550 intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft early next year. This will be the first of four aircraft that was ordered with Raytheon in 2019. The Gulfstream G-550 business jet is equipped with an Israeli-American made intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) system. The subcontracting has also been entrusted to the Israeli group Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries, giant of Hebrew state aerospace technology.

German defense contractor Rheinmetall on Wednesday announced the sale of MK-82-EP general purpose aircraft-dropped bombs to France and Germany. The order, for about 2,000 bombs, totals $42.3 million, Rheinmetall said. The 500-pound bomb bodies will be used by France’s Mirage 2000 and Rafale fighter planes, the Direction General de l’Armament said, and as the warhead of the GBU-54 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition system for Germany’s Tornado and Eurofighter platforms. The upgraded bomb, designed by General Dynamics, is regarded as a free-fall, standard bomb, although it can be fitted with laser guidance and other improvements.

The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea of two (2) MK 15 MOD 25 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) Block 1B Baseline 2 (IB2) systems and related equipment for an estimated cost of $39 million. The Republic of Korea has requested to buy two (2) MK 15 MOD 25 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) Block 1B Baseline 2 (IB2) systems; and four thousand (4,000) rounds, 20MM cartridge API linked. Also included are spare parts; other support equipment; ammunition; books and other publications; software; training; engineering technical assistance and other technical assistance; and other related elements of the program and logistical support. The estimated total cost is $39 million. The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats. Korea will use the systems aboard its first KDX III Batch II Class destroyer to provide it with effective means of detecting and defending itself against incoming airborne threats. The Republic of Korea will have no difficulty absorbing this equipment into its armed forces.

CNN Philippines reports that Manila has decided to postpone the purchase of BrahMos missiles from India due to lack of funds. The government is putting on hold plans to purchase the country’s first cruise missile system from an Indian-Russian joint venture. This was supposed to be part of the military’s long-term modernization program to boost the country’s defense capabilities. BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile, which can fly at three times the speed of sound (2.8 Mach). It can be used for both coastal defense and ground attack.

Watch: C-RAM • MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS)

Raytheon won a $235.6 million deal for the production and delivery of the Silent Knight Radar in support of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) requirements. The Silent Knight radar is designed to be outfitted on the MH-47G Chinook and MH-60M Blackhawk helicopters, MC-130 transports and CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The Silent Knight is built for safe navigation through low altitudes at night or in bad weather. In June 2019 Raytheon was awarded a $96.6 million contract for the initial production of the Silent Knight system for Special Operations Command. Work will take place in McKinney and Forest, Mississippi. Estimated completion will be by July 2025.

Canada will receive new equipment for its Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 transport planes, the US government announced. The DoS approved the upcoming sale that is estimated to cost $275 million and the US Congress has been notified of the proposed deal. The Canadian government “has requested to buy C-17 sustainment support to include aircraft hardware and software modification and support; software delivery and support; ground handling equipment; component, parts and accessories; GPS receivers; alternative mission equipment; publications and technical documentation; contractor logistics support and Globemaster III Sustainment Program participation”, according to the US announcement. The deal will also include US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support services; and related elements of program and logistical support.

Kellogg Brown and Root Services won a $28.3 million contract modification for the incorporation of additional services for Option Periods Three through Seven under the base operating service contract at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Kingdom of Bahrain. The work to be performed provides for, but is not limited to, all management, supervision, tools, materials, supplies, labor and transportation services necessary to perform security operations, galley services, unaccompanied housing, facility management, emergency service requests, urgent service, routing service, facilities investment, custodial, pest control service, integrated solid waste, grounds maintenance, utility management, wastewater, operate reverse osmosis water treatment system, chiller and transportation, at NSA Kingdom of Bahrain. Work will take place in Bahrain. Performance period is December 1, 2020, to November 30, 2021.

US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt has confirmed Greece’s intention to buy F-35s. Pyatt says the US government welcomes the decision by Athens “at the highest levels” and will support the aquisition. “We have signaled our support for procurement and are working closely together on a future acquisition program, which would enhance Greece’s defense capabilities, ensure interoperability with US Armed Forces and improve regional stability.  All reports to the contrary are false and misrepresentations of US policy“, Pyatt said in a statement. Although some in Greek media claimed that the US was reversing its decision in procuring the F-35 fighter jet, the American ambassador ensured that these reports are false. “We take great pride in our defense and security partnership with Greece and work daily to advance that from strength to strength, including through Greece’s future acquisition of the F-35,” Pyatt said.

General Atomics has delivered the final two MQ-9A Block 5 UAVs ordered by the Spanish Air Force. The delivery took place on November 23 and includes a ground control station. The new MQ-9s will be operated by the 233rd Squadron at Talavera la Real Air Base near Badajoz, Spain. Besides being the first for the issuance of the Airworthiness Military Type Certificate, Spain’s program represents the first MQ-9A Block 5 acquisition by an international partner. Other milestones for the program have included the SpAF taking initial delivery of its MQ-9A Block 5 aircraft at the end of 2019 and launching its first flight in January 2020. The 233rd Squadron has flown nearly 300 hours with its MQ-9A Block 5 aircraft and is steadily building the expertise of its crewmembers and maintainers as the SpAF moves towards declaring the Initial Operational Capability for the system.

Lockheed Martin won a $12.4 million contract modification, which adds scope to provide non-recurring engineering and obsolescence services in support of the Airborne Low Frequency Sonars integration into MH-60R production aircraft for the governments of India and Denmark. The MH-60 R integrates advanced mission systems and sensors developed by Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training (MST). The helicopter is intended to carry out a range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), surveillance, communications relay, search and rescue (SAR), naval gunfire support (NGFS), personnel transport, vertical replenishment (VERTREP) and logistics support. It can be launched from aircraft carriers, destroyers, cruise ships, frigates and amphibious ships.

Watch: Just How Big is America’s C-17 Globemaster III

Raytheon and Pratt and Whitney Military Engines won a $642 million deal, which provides for the procurement of performance-based logistics activities including maintenance of support equipment, common program activities, unique and common base recurring sustainment, repair of repairables, field service representatives, common replenishment spares, conventional take-off and landing/carrier variant F135 unique maintenance services and short take-off and landing F135 unique services in support of the F-35 Lightning II F135 propulsion system for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense participants and Foreign Military Sales customers. Pratt & Whitney’s F135 propulsion system powers all the three variants of F-35, the combat-proven fighter jet developed by defense major Lockheed Martin LMT, with BAE Systems BAESY and Northrop Grumman NOC being the co-manufacturers. Notably, F135 delivers more than 40,000 lbs. of thrust and unmatched advances in safety, design, performance, and reliability. An initial contract obligation amounting to $215.5 million will come from the US military’s fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds. Work will run at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida; Hill AFB in Utah; Edwards AFB in California; Luke AFB in Arizona; Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station in South Carolina; Oklahoma City; East Hartford, Connecticut; and Camari, Italy, through November 2021.

IAP Worldwide Services won a $11 million contract modification, which increases the contract value and provides additional funding for inventory replenishment, operational and depot spare parts in support of the E-6B Mercury airborne command post take charge and move out aircraft. The Boeing E-6 Mercury is a command post and communications relay aircraft manufactured by Boeing for the US Navy. The aircraft relays communications for ballistic missile submarine forces and provides airborne command and control for strategic forces. Work will take place in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Patuxent River, Maryland; Bellevue, Nebraska; and Fairfield, California. Expected completion will take place in January 2021.

Leidos Inc. won a $38.4 million modification for contractor logistics support services supporting the Afghan Air Force. Leidos had also received a multi-million contract modification in support of the Afghan Air Force and the Special Mission Wing of the Afghan armed forces back in March. The Department of Defense awarded a $728 million contract to Leidos Inc. in support of the Afghan Air Force in late in late 2018. Work under the current modification will take place in Kabul, Afghanistan. Estimated completion date is February 28, 2021.

The US Army awarded AITC-Five Domains JV LLC a $36 million contract to provide train, advise, assist and mentor services to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Fiscal 2021 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $36,000,547 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Estimated completion date is November 30, 2024.

BAE Systems won a $3.2 billion munitions contract for Britain’s Next Generation Munitions Solution program, the defense ministry announced. The British-based company will manufacture 39 different munitions for the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Strategic Command for front-line use, including small arms ammunition, mortars, medium-caliber gun rounds and large-caliber artillery and tank shells. The 15-year contract calls for manufacturing improvements in five BAE facilities in Britain, and is part of a $22 billion, four-year increase in British defense spending announced on November 19. “This vital multi-billion-pound contract will provide our service men and women with fire power on the front line for years to come whilst investing in British industry, British jobs and British infrastructure,” Defense Minister Jeremy Quin said in a press release.

The United States and Australia, in an agreement announced on November 30 by the US Defense Department, will soon start speeding the development and testing of hypersonic weapons, officials of both governments said. The process of certifying the missiles capable of flying five times the speed of sound, or up to 6,000 mph, has been accelerated by a regional arms race involving China and Russia, each working on hypersonic missile programs of their own. The interest in air-launched missiles comes after defense strategists warned that a planned 10-year schedule of development is inadequate against potential threats.

Watch: It Could Nuke a Country: The E-6 Mercury is America’s Deadliest Plane Ever

According to the US Air Force, a B-1B Lancer bomber conducted a demonstration testing its ability to externally carry potential hypersonic weapons. The “external captive carry” test was conducted last week by the 412th Test Wing’s 419th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., the Air Force said on Tuesday. The plane carried an inert Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile outside its fuselage. An earlier test demonstrated the capability of carrying large weapons within the plane. The tests indicate that the B-1B can deliver and launch large hypersonic weapons, which by definition fly at over five times the speed of sound. The United States, China and Russia are all developing hypersonic missiles.

According to media reports, the Brazilian Navy completed the modernization of amphibious assault ship Atlantico on 12th November. After the modernization, the ship will be able to operate with fixed-wing medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles as well as crewed tiltrotor VTOL aircraft. After the modernization, the Brazilian Navy decided to reclassify the helicopter carrier “Atlantico” as an aircraft carrier. The Atlantico was procured in 2018 for a value of £84 million from the United Kingdom, where it has operated since 1995. With 203 meters in length and 21,600 tons of displacement, the vessel was used as a platform for helicopters on amphibious assault missions. Despite the new name, the ship has no characteristics to be considered an aircraft carrier, such as catapult or ski-jump takeoff systems.

Israeli media is reporting that Israel’s Ministry of Defense is in talks with Canada’s Top Aces for the purchase of 29 surplus F-16A/B fighters. Israel is asking for between $3 million and $4 million for each jet and the Ministry of Defense’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) is responsible for the talks. General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcons were delivered to Israel in the early 1980s and over the past decade have been gradually phased out of service.

The United Arab Emirates approved the establishment of a new national cybersecurity council, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Prime Minister and Vice-President and ruler of Dubai, said. The cabinet of the UAE government also appointed Industry and Advanced Technology Minister and head of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Sultan al-Jaber as a special envoy for climate change.

The first two of fifty new Apache AH-64E attack helicopters have been delivered to the British Army. The British Army expects to operate 50 AH-64E aircraft. Approval for the upgrade of fifty of the UK’s WAH-64 fleet to AH-64E Apache Guardian standard was given by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency in August 2015 however in July 2016, the UK placed an order for 50 AH-64Es through the US Foreign Military Sales program instead of upgrading their Westland-built WAH-64s. To date, more than 500 AH-64E model Apaches have been delivered worldwide. “The arrival of the first Apache E model attack helicopter to be delivered to the British Army over the next two years marks the beginning of a significant uplift in capability to enhance the army’s contribution across the spectrum of military operations,” Major General Jez Bennett, Director Capability, was quoted as saying.

The Philippine Navy formally received an Insitu Inc ScanEagle 2 unmanned aerial system from the United States during a “turnover, acceptance and blessing ceremony” held at the Naval Base Heracleo Alano in the Philippine city of Cavite near Manila on November 25. The PN said in a statement that the $14.79 million system – which comprises eight unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), two launchers, the SkyHook recovery system and a ground control station – was handed over by US Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Kimberly Kelly and representatives from the US Embassy in the Philippines’ Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG).

Watch: B-1 Lancer – The Bone – Supersonic Bomber

Lockheed Martin won a $14.1 million contract modification for AN/SLQ-32(V)6 design agent engineering services. The AN/SLQ-32 is a shipboard electronic warfare suite built by Raytheon and the Hughes Aircraft Company. It is currently the primary electronic warfare system in use by US Navy ships. AN/SLQ-32(V)6, the latest fielded variant of the AN/SLQ-32, incorporates receiver, antenna and combat system interface upgrades developed under the SEWIP Block 2 ACAT II program and adds the High Gain High Sensitivity adjunct sensor developed under the SEWIP Block 1B3 ACAT II program. Work will take place in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by November 2021.

Three National Guard bases and a Navy Reserve base were selected to receive new C-130J Super Hercules cargo planes, the US Air Force announced. Louisville Air National Guard Base in Kentucky, McLaughlin ANGB in West Virginia and Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Texas are set to start receiving eight new aircraft each in the coming year. Savannah ANGB in Georgia is also scheduled to receive C-130Js “if they become available in the future,” officials said in a press release. The Lockheed Martin-built planes are improvements over earlier C-130 variants they will replace, and offer reduced manpower requirements and operating and support costs, providing life-cycle cost savings, the Air Force said. The C-130J climbs faster and higher, flies farther at a higher cruise speed, and takes off and lands in a shorter distance than its predecessors.

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made a surprise visit to Somalia Friday in the last of a four-country tour as President Donald Trump contemplates a draw down of counterterrorism troops there. Miller, who replaced Mark Esper on November 9, was making his first trip abroad in the position. The US military has about 700 troops in the country. Miller was visiting neighboring Djibouti as part of his scheduled trip when he took a flight to Somalia without traveling press. Officials said he is believed to be the first defense secretary to visit the country.

The final test firing trial of the Sea Venom/ANL missile was completed November 17 at the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) test site at Ile du Levant. The final qualification trial tested the missile’s advanced target discrimination within a complex and cluttered naval scenario, MBDA says. Soon to start equipping the Royal Navy’s AW159 Wildcat and Marine nationale’s H160M Guépard shipborne helicopters, the Sea Venom/ANL anti-ship missile is a co-operation project developed under the Lancaster House treaty between France and the United Kingdom.

The governments of India and Sri Lanka are in talks for the donation of one Do 228 maritime patrol aircraft. Another aircraft will be sold to Sri Lanka as well. It has been discussed that the cost of one aircraft is said to be around $8 million. During the discussion, it has been decided to deploy an aircraft currently used by India with Indian pilots and coast guard officers immediately for surveillance operations and to provide the necessary training to the Sri Lankan counterparts. Thereafter, it is planned to deliver the first aircraft of this type manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to Sri Lanka free of charge.

Japan will attempt to launch a military communications satellite today that will relay data collected by its optical and radar-imaging reconnaissance satellites. This new satellite replaces the Data Relay Test Satellite (DRTS) that was decommissioned in 2017. It has a Laser Utilizing Communication System (LUCAS) that allows a network throughput of 1.8 gbps. The Optical Data Relay Satellite payload aboard this mission will be used to relay data collected by Japan’s fleet of Information Gathering Satellites (IGS) – including both optical and radar-imaging reconnaissance spacecraft – back to Earth for analysis.

Watch: This Is Why the C-130 Is Such a Badass Plane

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $4.8 billion deal for Global Hawk development, modernization, retrofit and sustainment activities for all Air Force Global Hawk variants. The contract provides for management, including program, business and technical areas; engineering efforts, including configuration management, data management, reliability, availability and maintainability, and related areas of concern such as technical refresh, diminishing manufacturing sources, etc.; studies and analyses; design, development, integration, test and evaluation; contract/production line closeout/shutdown; training; sparing; overseas contingency operations support; fielding; cyber security/information assurance; interoperability support; facilities modifications/renovation; integrated logistics support; requirements management specification management; and quality assurance. The USAF has 31 Block 20, 30, and 40 Global Hawk HALE UAVs in its inventory. The RQ-4 Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aircraft system with an integrated sensor suite that provides intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, capability worldwide. Global Hawk’s mission is to provide a broad spectrum of ISR collection capability to support joint combatant forces in worldwide peacetime, contingency and wartime operations. Work will take place in San Diego, California. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2030.

Perspecta Engineering won a $9.7 million deal, which provides engineering services in support of test and evaluation and systems engineering activities related to Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency. The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system is a US Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency program. It is developed to provide missile defense against short to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. It is part of the US national missile defense strategy. Work will take place in Hawaii, California and Virgina. Estimated completion is November 2025.

According to Stars and Stripes, Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller is serving Thanksgiving meals to troops in the Middle East this week during his first international trip as the Defense Department begins the transition to President-elect Joe Biden’s administration. With the official switch to a new administration less than two months away and only being on his new job for a couple of weeks, Miller was already part of a major decision last week to reduce the US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Great Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson stated that the UK will routinely deploy a ‘permanently available, ready to fight’ Carrier Strike Group. Having two aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, allows for one to be available at short notice year round. The additional funding announced by the Prime Minister will also support the purchase of three new Fleet Solid Support ships and the development of a new multi-role research vessel.

South Korea’s government approved the production of more than 200 Korean Tactical Surface to Surface Missiles (KTSSM). The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) says the missile is designed to destroy long-range artillery pieces hidden in underground tunnels. During the defense project promotion committee presided over by Defense Minister Suh Wook, the government approved the plan to produce more than 200 units of the Korean Tactical Surface to Surface Missile (KTSSM) by 2025, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).

The Russian Defense Ministry successfully carried out a check of its antiballistic missile (ABM) system. A recently-released video shows the interception in the skies above Kazakhstan’s Sary-Shagan testing ground. According to Lieutenant General Andrey Demin, commander of the 1st air and missile defense army of the Russian aerospace forces, the missile “reliably confirmed its characteristics” by successfully hitting the simulated target. The Defense Ministry described the interceptor as intended to defend against air and space attacks. Earlier this month, the US successfully tested the SMM 3 interceptor against a simulated ICBM. Following the test, Moscow accused Washington of providing “false information” about its capabilities.

Watch: Most Advanced Of U.S Military Technology : RQ-4 Global Hawks.

The US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has down selected L3Harris Technologies and Martin UAV for the phase two demonstration of the MI2 technology demonstration. The program’s objective is to identify unmanned air vehicles capable of operating in austere deployed environments without ancillary support systems. Such drones must not require dedicated launch or recovery equipment. Phase 2 demonstrations will take place at Yuma Proving Ground from November 30 to December 18.

BAE Systems won a $197.5 million deal for the execution of the USS Wasp (LHD 1) fiscal 2021 Chief of Naval Operations scheduled docking selected restricted availability. This availability will include a combination of maintenance, modernization and repair of USS Wasp (LHD 1). Under the deal, BAE will drydock and perform maintenance and modernization work on the amphibious assault ship. The company’s last maintenance availability aboard the Wasp was from December 2016 to May 2017, when it added modifications to support Joint Strike Fighter operations. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the total value of the deal to $237.7 million. This is the second time in four years the contractor has been hired to perform significant work on the ship. Work will take place in Norfolk Virginia. Estimated completion will be by May 2022.

A Israeli Air Force flight instructor and his student died on the spot in a field north of Beersheba on November 24 when their G-120 single-engine light aircraft crashed. The two had taken off from the IAF flight school at Hatzerim Airbase in their two-seat Grob G-120 ‘Snunit’ (‘Swallow’) aircraft. An IAF helicopter from the 669 Search and Rescue Unit and Magen David Adom paramedics arrived at the scene of the crash, near the Kibbutz Mishmar Hanegev shortly after the accident and found two men unresponsive. They were later pronounced dead at the scene.

The budget committee of the Bundestag, the German parliament, has approved funding for the German Navy’s new NH90 Sea Tiger frigate helicopter and tank ammunition, as well as for the upgrade of DM2A4 torpedoes and the Bundeswehr’s IT wide area network (WAN). The German Ministry of Defense announced on its website that it had approved $3.2 billion in funding for 31 Sea Tigers, accessories, spare parts, and training. Starting in 2025, the helicopters will replace the German Navy’s Sea Lynx Mk88A frigate helicopters dating from the 1980s. The German MoD said the Sea Tiger would be the Bundeswehr’s only multirole helicopter, providing close protection for frigates, armed with torpedoes and missiles for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and conducting transport and search and rescue (SAR) missions.

Swiss voters decide on Sunday whether to ban the funding of arms makers, the latest anti-military referendum in the neutral country that hasn’t fought an external war for 200 years. Swiss banks have given loans and hold shares worth nearly $11 billion in companies like Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, according to a study by independent researchers Profundo. The Swiss National Bank (SNB), UBS and Credit Suisse have the biggest exposure, the study said. “An enormous amount of money comes from Switzerland into an industry which profits from death and destruction,” said Julia Kueng, co-president of the Young Greens Party.

Bell Boeing won a $12.8 million contract modification, which exercises options to modify the V-22 aircraft to the government of Japan’s unique configuration requirements. Additionally, the modification exercises options for the production and delivery of nine traffic collision avoidance systems, technical support representation and preservation of aircraft post completion of unique modifications. Last week, the Japanese Ground Self-Defense Forces kicked off flight operations with the first V-22 aircraft at Kisarazu Air Field, in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan, becoming the first military outside of the US to operate the Osprey. Japan selected and procured the type through foreign military sales (FMS) in 2015. The first two aircraft, JG-1701 and JG-1705, were transported from the US to Iwakuni via ship in May 2020.

Watch: Episode 17. Mi-28N. Natural-born hunter

Northrop Grumman won a $185.7 million deal for the A-10 Structural Integrity Program Legacy VIII. The deal provides for sustaining engineering services of A-10 aircraft. Services under the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract are intended to support the military branch’s A-10 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program Legacy VII effort. Built by Fairchild Republic Company prior to its acquisition by Northrop, the A-10 aircraft is designed to help USAF perform airborne forward air control and close air support operations. Work will take place in Clearfield, Utah and estimated completion date is November 22, 2030.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $9.3 million contract for the Long Range Systems Division seeking to integrate the Navy Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) into the F-35. The AARGM-ER is a Navy weapon that will provide the F-35A advanced suppression of enemy air defenses/destruction of enemy air defenses capability. The AARGM-ER (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range) is a further development of the AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile, used to destroy enemy air defense network. An anti-radiation missile homes in on the electronic transmissions coming from a hostile surface-to-air radar and destroys it. The AARGM-ER was originally developed for the navy carrier-based fighters, equipping its F-35C fighter fleet with a credible long-range weapon, which would further boost their lethality in carrying out SEAD/DEAD (suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses) sorties. With Lockheed Martin bagging the contract, the weapon system would also find its way into the US Air Force’s F-35A CTOL (conventional take-off and landing) fleet. Lockheed Martin is the parent manufacturing company of the F-35 aircraft as well.

Greece and the United Arab Emirates, countries opposing recent Turkish policy, agreed to a strategic partnership on November 23rd. “I am happy to announce the establishment of a strategic partnership to enhance political, economic and cultural cooperation between our countries,” Prince Muhammad bin Zayed announced on Twitter. The clause regarding mutual defense calling for aid if one country’s territorial integrity is threatened, is likely the most significant element of the pact. Although Greece and the UAE do not share a border or belong to a common alliance, each country regards Turkey as a threat. Greece disputed Turkey’s search for minerals and energy in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, claimed by Greece and Cyprus, during the summer.

Armasuisse, which is the Swiss Federal Office for Defense Procurement, announced that it has received the second set of proposals for the country’s Air2030 Neues Kampfflugzeug (New Fighter Aircraft, NKF) as well as ground-based air defense system. The offers to replace the Swiss Air Force’s F-5E/F Tiger II and F/A-18 Hornet fleets were made by Germany for Airbus Eurofighter, France for the Dassault Rafale, and the United States for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning Joint Strike Fighter. The DDPS said the proposals included the prices for 36 and 40 aircraft, including logistics and weapons, as a binding starting point for negotiations with the winning offer after type selection.

The US government donated 100 TOW-2A guided anti-tank missiles to the Philippines on November 23. US National Security Advisor (NSA) Robert C. O’Brien participated in the ceremonial handover of the weapons. The missiles will support the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ efforts to defeat ISIS-East Asia in the Southern Philippines. Following the recent typhoons that ravaged the Philippines and forced thousands of people from their homes, NSA O’Brien announced an additional $3.5 million in US humanitarian assistance to disaster-stricken communities.

Korea Aerospace Industries’ dedicated services company, Korea Aviation Engineering & Maintenance Service launched its new facility in Sacheon, in the south of the country, aiming to position the region as a hub for aerospace maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) services. KAEMS, which specializes in both military and commercial aerospace MRO, said the facility will initially be positioned to win regional commercial aerospace contracts as well as those to support military transport aircraft. KAI, manufacturer of military platforms including the T-50 advanced jet trainer aircraft, announced the launch of KAEMS in 2018 and started building the Sacheon plant in 2019. KAI, which is also headquartered in Sacheon, owns a 66.4% stake in the firm.

Watch: How Powerful is TOW Missile & How BGM-71 TOW Anti-Tank Guided Missiles Work?

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $10.7 million modification to procure two additional Surface-to-Surface Missile Modules (SSMM) for integration into the Littoral Combat Ship framework. The SSMM fires a Longbow Hellfire missile that will be added to the surface warfare mission module aboard the Littoral Combat Ship. In July 2019 the US Navy successfully completed structural testing of the Longbow Hellfire missile for the Littoral Combat Ship Surface-to-Surface Missile Module. LCS is a modular, reconfigurable ship, with three types of mission packages including surface warfare, mine countermeasures, and anti-submarine warfare. The Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ships (PEO LCS) is responsible for delivering and sustaining littoral mission capabilities to the fleet. Work will take place in Huntsville, Alabama; Bethpage, New York and Hollywood, Maryland. Estimated completion will be by November 2022.

The four-nation Malabar 2020 naval exercise, involving the US Navy’s Nimitz Strike Group, concluded successfully Friday, the Navy’s 7th Fleet announced. The exercise began on November 3rd in India’s Bay of Bengal and involved Japanese, Indian, Australian and US maritime forces. It included night operations, air defense exercises, helicopter cross-deck evolutions, carrier landing approaches, underway replenishment approaches, gunnery exercises and antisubmarine warfare exercises to improve interoperability between allies. The strike group led by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz joined the Vikramaditya Carrier Battle Group of the Indian Navy on Nov.6 for the second phase of the event.

PAE Applied Technologies LLC won a $98 million deal for US Air forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) electronic warfare operations training and infrastructure maintenance services. The contract provides electronic warfare aircrew tactics evaluation, electronic warfare combat training, operation and maintenance of equipment and electronic warfare range infrastructure maintenance for USAFE-AFAFRICA. The deal’s five-year basic ordering period will wrap up by November 19, 2025, and the Air Force will obligate $8.1 million from fiscal year 2021 operation and maintenance funds following the basic contract. Work in Germany, the U.K. and Italy is scheduled to run through January 31, 2026.

France, Germany, Greece, Italy and the United Kingdom are embarking on a project to develop a new medium multi-role helicopter. The new helicopter will replace existing rotorcraft that are expected to reach the end of their lifespan between 2035 – 2040 period and beyond. A letter of intent for the Next-Generation Rotorcraft Capability, involving the construction of medium multi-role helicopters, was signed by representatives of France, Britain, Italy, Germany and Greece on Thursday. Details, timetables and costs were not revealed, and other NATO countries are welcome to join the consortium. The new capability would be involved in missions including insertion and extraction of special operations forces, transport of cargo and troops, medical evacuation, search and rescue, and anti-submarine warfare. As medium-sized helicopters, they would fit between what NATO describes as light and heavy helicopters.

The US Army formally activated a forward headquarters in Poznan, Poland, on Friday, to command its missions in Eastern Europe. About 200 troops will initially be assigned to the forward position of the recently reactivated and storied Fifth Corps, or V Corps, whose headquarters was established in October at Fort Knox, Kentucky. The Unit at Poznan will be responsible for command and control of assigned and rotational units of US Army Europe and U.S. European Command as troops, it said in a statement. Full rotations are expected to start in 2021, likely around the time of the DEFENDER-Europe 21 exercise planned for the Balkan and Black Sea regions.

An audit into the costs of building two new warships as the alternative for Aegis Ashore has found that it will cost Japan $4.8 billion. The new Maya Class destroyer already costs $1.6 billion each. The new warship will need to be lengthened, raising the tonnage. The figure, shown in an interim report of a private sector study commissioned by the Defense Ministry, is not significantly different from the cost of another offshore replacement proposal also under consideration. The government plans to coordinate around the Aegis ship option as it is viewed as allowing more operational flexibility.

Watch: How powerful is Japan’s new Super-Destroyers that fitted with New Super Weapon?

The US Air Force decided to relocate the AC-130J Ghostrider Formal Training Unit from Hurlburt Field, Florida to Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. This is done so that the Air Force Special Operations Command to realign its training mission under Air Education and Training Command and consolidate AC-130 initial and mission qualification training at Kirtland AFB. According to the service, the AC-130J is a highly modified C-130J capable of extremely accurate navigation due to the fully integrated navigation systems with dual inertial navigation systems and global positioning system.

The US Air Force announced on November 20 that it has selected Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama as the preferred location to host the MH-139A Grey Wolf Formal Training Unit. The MH-139 mission will replace the mission of the Air Force Reserve’s 908th Airlift Wing’s aging C-130Hs currently at Maxwell AFB. The MH-139A Grey Wolf is a multi-mission helicopter. It is based on the commercial AW139 helicopter and designed to protect intercontinental ballistic missiles and transport US government officials and security forces.

Marine Group Boat Works won a $48.7 million contract modification in support of the government of Jordan for two 37-meter patrol boats, communications equipment and other technical assistance. The company is a full-service boat construction and superyacht refit facility. This contract is for two 37-meter Patrol Boats, communications equipment and other technical assistance for the Royal Jordanian Navy. Foreign Military Sales in the full amount will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will take place in Chula Vista, California, and is expected to be completed by September 2023.

Insitu won a $9.8 million contract modification, which definitizes pricing and exercises options for the procurement of 15 ScanEagle unmanned aerial vehicles, nine ScanEagle payloads, and three spares lots needed to provide the Afghanistan National Army (ANA) intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, and support current ANA ScanEagle efforts. The Boeing Insitu ScanEagle is a small, long-endurance, low-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Insitu, a subsidiary of Boeing, and is used for reconnaissance. The ScanEagle was designed by Insitu based on the Insitu SeaScan, a commercial UAV that was intended for fish-spotting. The ScanEagle continues to receive improvements through upgrades and changes. ScanEagle carries a stabilized electro-optical and/or infrared camera on a lightweight inertial stabilized turret system, and an integrated communications system having a range of over 62 miles (100 km); it has a flight endurance of over 20 hours. Work will take place in Washington. Estimated completion will be in July 2021.

A HIMARS Rapid Infiltration (HIRAIN) took place in Romania on November 19. It saw two M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) with 2 launcher crews being deployed from Germany with help from 352nd Special Operations Wing. The 1st Battalion, 77th Field Artillery Regiment, 41st Field Artillery Brigade (41st FAB) was only reactivated recently and that was the unit’s second live fire event. It was also the first time that US forces have fired HIMARS from land into the Black Sea in Romania. All six personnel left from Ramstein Air Base, Germany early in the morning and were back in Germany on the same day.

The president of Taurus Systems Korea Co. says his parent company hopes to develop a smaller, longer-range Taurus K-2 cruise missile jointly with South Korea. Christoffer Drevstad said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency that the smaller weapon is suitable for aircraft such as the F-16 and FA-50. “We are developing Taurus K-2, which is smaller but has the same or even more performance of the current missile,” Christoffer Drevstad said. The current version of the air-to-ground precision-guided missile is Taurus KEPD 350K with a flight range of 500 kilometers. South Korea bought around 260 units, most of which are fitted on F-15K fighter jets. The weapon, known as a bunker-buster missile, can be used to destroy radar stations and other key facilities in North Korea, according to experts.

Watch: Boeing’s MH-139A Grey Wolf Is A Multi-Mission Helicopter Ready To Serve The U.S. Air Force

Bell Boeing won a maximum $36.5 million contract modification to extend the period of performance for delivery of V-22 spare consumable and depot-level repairable parts. 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. The aircraft operates as a helicopter when taking off and landing vertically. The nacelles rotate 90° forward once airborne, converting the aircraft into a turboprop aircraft. Work will take place in Maryland, Texas and Pennsylvania. Estimated completion date is May 10, 2023.

The US Army will seek solicitations to build the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, a replacement for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. A competitive request for proposals is expected to be released on or about Dec. 18, Brig. Gen. Ross Coffman, director of the Next Generation Combat Vehicles Cross-Functional Team, said this week. The vehicle’s name derives from one of the features demanded by the Army, which is its capability to engage in close combat and then be piloted remotely after troops disembark. The request for proposals will ask for concept designs, and up to five companies will be awarded contracts in June 2021, with a detailed design expected by early 2023, Coffman said.

The final class of Afghan A-29 students pilots at Moody Air Force Base has graduated on November 13. Kelli Seybolt, deputy under secretary of the Air Force for international affairs said this group was one of the strongest classes in the program, which has saw more than 30 student pilots and 70 maintenance technicians graduating over the past five years.

A three-day exercise between Cyprus and Israel from November 17-19 saw Israeli F-35s flying over Limassol and Paphos to test the local air defense system. Exercise ONSHILOS-GEDEON takes place in the Nicosia FIR. The Cyprus-Israel joint three-day military exercise was completed with absolute success, the Defense Ministry said. The exercise falls under the Bilateral Defense Cooperation Program between the Republic of Cyprus and Israel. The purpose of the exercise was to bring personnel up to speed with tactics and developments in the air defence sector, to increase their combat capability, as well as to gain experience from cooperation with the IAF.

Germany’s defense minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, reinforced her position this week that Europe still depends on United States security guarantees. The United States will remain “the most important ally in security and defense policy,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said in a speech. “Without the nuclear and conventional capabilities of the US, Germany and Europe cannot protect themselves. These are the sobering facts.” Kramp-Karrenbauer reiterated the view that Europe needs US help “for the foreseeable future.” This followed French President Emmanuel Macron “profoundly” disagreeing in an interview on Monday, suggesting that European nations must increase their own defense abilities to earn US respect.

India’s navy received its ninth P-8i surveillance aircraft on Wednesday, manufacturer Boeing Co. reported. The plane is the first delivered under an option contract, signed in 2016, for four additional aircraft, the remaining three of which are expected to arrive in 2021. The Indian navy was the first international customer to receive the plane, in 2013. The P-8i is modified from the Boeing 737-800ERX passenger plane and built originally for the US Navy. It is used in anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare and shipping interdiction roles. Armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons, it can drop and monitor sonobuoys, and can operate in combination with Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton maritime surveillance drone.

Watch: India should Procure at-least 10 more P-8I | 9TH DELIVERED | 18 in plan

Honeywell International won a $25.7 million deal for the manufacture of four parts associated with the wheels and brakes used in support of the F/A-18 aircraft.  This contract includes a three-year base period with no options. 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. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet entered fleet service in 1999, as the replacement for the F-14 Tomcat. The Super Hornet is the second major model upgrade since the inception of the F/A-18 aircraft program highly capable across the full mission spectrum: air superiority, fighter escort, reconnaissance, aerial refueling, close air support, air defense suppression and day/night precision strike. The single-seat F/A-18E and the two-seat F/A-18F are high performance, twin-engine, mid-wing, and multi-mission tactical aircraft designed to replace the F/A-18C (single-seat) and F/A-18D (two-seat) aircraft as they reach the end of their service lives and retire. Work will take place in Indiana and is expected to be finished by December 2023.

Testing of a new fan rotor design for the Pratt & Whitney F135 turbofan engine has resumed at Arnold Air Force Base. Being carried out at the J2 Engine Test Cell, work had started back in 2019 but put on pause as the cell required scheduled maintenance. “Test results to date have been positive and encouraging, and early results allowed us to complete an AMT (Accelerated Mission Test) with the same newly-designed rotor,” said 2nd Lt. Gregory Landrum, AEDC Jet Engine Test project manager.

According to the Time of Israel, a program designed to teach newly discharged combat soldiers cybersecurity skills and help them find jobs as the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc on the economy has won an innovation award by the chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces. The six-month bootcamp, called Cyber4s, was developed by Scale-Up Velocity, a nonprofit organization that partners with tech firms and academic and training institutions to set up initiatives to help Israel’s tech industry tap into talented human capital.

Lithuania signed for four Sikorsky UH-60M Black Hawk transport and utility helicopters, the country’s Ministry of National Defence announced. The $213 million procurement, which will be paid off over five years, includes additional equipment, spares, and a training, repair, and logistical support package. The US government is providing $30 million to support the purchase, and has cleared the sale of a further two helicopters should the Lithuanian Armed Forces request them. News of the contract came four months after the US State Department approved the sale to Lithuania of six Black Hawks for $380 million.

Hungary has placed an order for two C-390 cargo planes with Embraer. The planes will be used for air-to-air refueling, tactical airlift and medical evacuation. Embraer says the delivery is to start in 2023. “Following the procurement of personnel air transport capabilities in 2018, we will see the arrival of KC-390 aircraft to Hungary in 2023-24, able to deliver large military loads in an operational environment, as well as providing air-to-air refueling services. We are acquiring a multi-role transport fleet for the Hungarian Defense Forces to fulfill the widest possible range of tasks within the national framework, in a sovereign way, ”said Gáspár Maróth, government commissioner responsible for defense development.

According to news reports, the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) has assigned an officer to Vandenberg Air Force Base, California since October 15. The motive is to coordinate space surveillance between both countries. Japan is preparing to build its own space surveillance system by 2025.

Watch: Embraer KC-390 Impressive Take off (Paris Air Show 2019)

L-3 Communications won a $38 million contract modification for contractor logistics support of the Air Force C-12 fleet. Originally developed by Beechcraft, the Raytheon C-12 is a short-range personnel and cargo lift aircraft for the US military. Powered by two Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines, the low-wing, all-metal aircraft is the military version of the civilian Super King Air 200 aircraft. The pressurized cabin is capable of an altitude of 35,000 feet and can be reconfigured to accommodate a mix of passengers, and cargo. The first C-12s were fielded to the US Army in 1974 and the aircraft has undergone a series of upgrades since then. Work will take place in Mississippi, Texas, Oklahoma, Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, California, Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, Honduras, Hungary, Maryland, Kenya, Morocco, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Thailand. Work is expected to be finished by December 31, 2021.

The Defense Department has a four-month supply of personal protective equipment as it anticipates an increase in COVID-19 cases, a statement released. The supplies include respirators, gloves and masks for use by military personnel and families, and was purchased and stockpiled by the Defense Logistics Agency. Much of it will be used for patient care at medical treatment facilities worldwide. The increase in supplies comes as the number of COVID-19 infections has risen sharply in the United States since September. On Monday, the Defense Department reported a total of 99,389 infections and 113 deaths among its military and civilian personnel, dependents and contractors. Last week it announced the award of a $6.18 million contract to Illinois-based Medline Industries Inc. to increase domestic production capacity of surgical masks.

A detachment of US Air Force F-16 fighter planes moved from Germany to the United Arab Emirates, the US Central Command announced. Planes of the 480th Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing, deployed at Spangdahlem Air Base, arrived last week at Al Dhafra Air Base, UAE, the command said. Although CENTCOM did not offer specific information about the move, the UAE base has been the center of operations for planes patrolling the Persian Gulf to monitor activities by Iran’s military.

The French Defense Ministry seeks a drone capable of intercepting radio communications transmitters, a request for proposal indicates. A “call for projects for a mini-payload of electronic support on drones” was revealed by France’s Defense Innovation Agency for “an electronic support payload that can be integrated into drones with a maximum take-off mass of less than” 55 pounds. “This payload must be able to detect, locate, identify or even interact with or block telecommunications transmitters,” the agency said in a press release.

Lockheed Martin won a $12 million contract modification, which provides continued support required to establish the common reprogramming tool development network and selection of a service-oriented architecture for the development of enhanced reprogramming tools, which is essential for all standing labs in support of the F-35 aircraft for the Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and the governments of Australia and Great Britain. The F-35 is an American family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather that is intended to perform both air superiority and strike missions. Work will take place in Texas and Florida. Estimated completion is in December 2021.

Complaints from local residents in South Korea has forced US Forces Korea (USFK) to cancel a live-firing exercise for its attack helicopters on November 16. The training was supposed to be conducted at the range in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The helicopters had moved there for their training after the traditional training ground at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province was abandoned earlier this year, due to noise complaints as well.

Watch: The C-12 Variants for U.S Army

General Dynamics won a $23.1 million deal for additional fiscal 2021 development studies, design efforts and material for Virginia Class submarines. The contract modification provides additional development studies and design efforts related to Virginia Class submarine design and design improvements. The contractor will continue development studies, design efforts and procurement of material required to fully evaluate new technologies for Virginia Class submarines. The Virginia Class attack submarine is an advanced stealth multimission nuclear-powered submarine for deep ocean anti-submarine warfare and littoral (shallow water) operations. The US Navy awarded several modification contracts to General Dynamics Electric Boat over the years in support of the Virginia-Class attack submarine programme.

Rockwell Collins Simulation won a $19.6 million modification, which is for the production and delivery of one 2F211 S/N 5 aircrew procedures trainer device, associated technical data and proposal preparation in support of the E-2D Hawkeye Integrated Training System program. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye is the latest version of the Hawkeye early warning aircraft and features a new radar system. It brings new capabilities including the new and powerful AN/APY-9 radar, which is a two-generational leap in technology. The APY-9 radar is an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) surveillance system that provides both mechanical and electronic scanning capabilities designed to “see” smaller targets as well as more of them at a greater range, particularly in coastal regions and over land.

MD Helicopters won a $34 million contract modification for logistics support for the Afghanistan Air Force MD-530F aircraft fleet. The MD-530F is an evolution of the fabled OH-6 Cayuse light observation helicopter, known for speed, safety, agility and the ability to operate with ease in confined spaces, the Armed MD-530F Light Scout Attack Helicopter delivers increased operational capabilities, greater mission versatility and superior performance in the execution of a broad range of mission profiles. Work will take place in Arizona and Afghanistan. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2021.

Raytheon won a $51.1 million contract modification for the Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) production program. This modification provides for the procurement and upgrade of test environment/equipment for AMRAAM production capacity. The AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) is a new generation all-weather, missile manufactured by Raytheon. The AMRAAM has been delivered to more than 36 countries. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales to Norway, Denmark, Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, Slovakia, Poland, Netherlands, Kuwait, Qatar and Spain.  Work will take place in Arizona. Expected completion is in January 2025.

The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory won a $133.5 million modification to provide research into the applications of technologies to meet guidance requirements for operations on the Common Missile Compartment for the US Columbia Class program and the United Kingdom Dreadnought Class program; provide specialized technical knowledge and support for the hypersonic guidance, navigation and control application; and provide technical and engineering services to support the guidance, navigation and control system that will support the Navy’s hypersonic flight experiments. The Columbia Class is an upcoming class of nuclear submarines. The Columbia SSBN program consists of a minimum of 12 submarines to meet the requirements for U.S. strategic deterrent force structure as set forth in the 2018 Nuclear Posture Review. The Columbia Class program completed Acquisition Milestone B on January 4, 2017 and is in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development Phase. The British Navy has also planned to acquire Columbia-class submarine under the name of Dreadnought-class SSBN. This submarine will be armed with eight D-5 SLBMs, or half the number to be carried by the Columbia class. The modular design of the CMC (Common Missile Compartment) will accommodate this difference. The UK provided some of the funding for the design of the CMC, including a large portion of the initial funding. Work will take place in Massachusetts and California. Estimated completion date is September 30, 2021.

VAQ-131 has completed its first expeditionary deployment at NAF Misawa, Japan on November 6 and was relieved by VAQ-135. That was the unit’s first expeditionary deployment. But due to COVID-19, the EA-18Gs did not detach to any other places. As an expeditionary squadron, VAQ-131 deploys their EA-18G Growlers to air bases worldwide and fluidly integrates with US Air Force and foreign entities. While deployed to NAF Misawa, VAQ-131’s primary objective shifted from their previous mission of supporting combat operations while deployed to the Middle East, to supporting security and stability operations within the Indo-Pacific Area of Responsibility.

Watch: Meet The AIM-260: The Air Force And Navy’s Future Long-Range Air-To-Air Missile