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Americas The US Navy has provided upgrades to three Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers to extend their service life for 10 years from 2026 to 2029. Revealed by US Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro, the modernization will sustain the American surface fleet’s capability as the force and industry partners build more advanced platforms. Selected vessels under this initiative are the USS Gettysburg (CG 64), USS Chosin (CG 65), and the USS Cape St. George (CG 71), which were all built in the 1980s. As part of the Army’s quest to boost weapons production, it is reestablishing TNT production on US soil, inking a deal to build out a new facility in Graham, Ky. “For the first time in decades, America will produce TNT on its own soil, manufacturing the explosive material our military uses for everything from hand grenades to 155mm artillery,” outgoing Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said in a press release. Middle East & Africa Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of understanding with BQ Solutions to support Italian-led military training programs for the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces. The partnership builds on the Trieste-based company’s contract in 2016 to build seven tactical vessels for the service and address advanced proficiency requirements for […]

CH-53K concept (click to view full) The U.S. Marines have a problem. They rely on their CH-53E Super Stallion medium-heavy lift helicopters to move troops, vehicles, and supplies off of their ships. But the helicopters are wearing out. Fast. The pace demanded by the Global War on Terror is relentless, and usage rates are 3 times normal. Attrition is taking its toll. Over the past few years, CH-53s have been recalled from “boneyard” storage at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ, in order to maintain fleet numbers in the face of recent losses and forced retirements. Now, there are no flyable spares left. Enter the Heavy Lift Replacement (HLR) program, now known as the CH-53K. It aims to offer notable performance improvements over the CH-53E, in a similar airframe. The question is whether its service entry delay to 2018-2019 will come too late to offset a serious decline in Marine aviation. The HLR Program Lifts Off [youtube:v=k_pAe8Gvua8] Sikorksy on HLR, 2011 The $25.5 billion, 200-helicopter CH-53K program will define the long-term future of the US Marine Corps’ medium-heavy lift capabilities – and may be needed to save Marine aviation in the medium term. On average, existing CH-53E aircraft are more than […]

Americas Emirati defense contractor EDGE Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Brazilian Navy to jointly develop and deploy naval anti-drone systems. The agreement will provide the framework for developing autonomous surface and aerial defense systems that meet the needs of Brasília’s naval forces.  Brazilian Navy Admiral Edgar Luiz Siqueira Barbosa and EDGE Managing Director and CEO Hamad Al Marar formalized the agreement at the Euronaval defense exhibition in Paris. The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded RTX’s BBN Technologies to develop a tool to boost its digital defenses.  The contract supports DARPA’s Compartmentalization and Privilege Management (CPM) program, which aims to prevent the escalation of initial cyber threats into a full-blown attack while maintaining system efficiency. BBN supports this goal through its development of the Analysis and Restructuring for Containment (ARC) tool, which hinders the escalation of threats and their lateral movement within the software system. Middle East & Africa The US has awarded Elbit Systems a $127-million follow-on contract to supply Iron Fist Active Protection Systems (APS) for its Bradley infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). The Israel-based defense contractor will supply the APS to General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), which will conduct the upgrades of the US Army’s Bradley M2A4E1 […]

M3A3 Bradley CFV: Charge! (click to view full) In the 1970s, middle eastern wars demonstrated that tanks without infantry screens were vulnerable to infantry with anti-tank missiles. Unfortunately, armored personnel carriers were easy prey for enemy tanks, and sometimes had trouble just keeping up with friendly tanks like America’s 60+ ton, 50+ mph M1 Abrams. In response, the Americans rethought the armored personnel carrier, taking a page from the Soviet book. They created a more heavily armored, faster “Infantry Fighting Vehicle” named after WW2 General Omar “the soldier’s general” Bradley, and gave it an offensive punch of its own. M2/M3 tracked, armored IFVs can carry infantry – but they also have 25mm Bushmaster cannons, networked targeting sensors, and even TOW anti-armor or Stinger anti-aircraft missiles at their disposal. Bradley puts on wear (click to view full) Even well-serviced vehicles must suffer the pangs of age and wear, however, and the pace of electronics breakthroughs is far faster than the Army’s vehicle replacement cycle. The US Army plans to keep its Bradley fleet for some time to come, and new technologies have made it wise to upgrade part of that fleet while renewing the vehicles. Hence the remanufacture program, which complements […]

Americas BAE Systems won a $122 million deal for systems engineering and integration support services and special studies in support of the US Trident II (D5) Strategic Weapon System Program and D5 Life Extension 2 Strategic Systems Programs Alteration. Tasks to be performed include systems engineering and integration, test engineering, data analysis, and safety engineering. Work is expected to be completed September 30, 2027. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. The US Navy has contracted Leonardo DRS to produce, inspect, and test ship-based air and surface target detection AN/SPQ-9B radars.  The potential five-year contract could amount to $235 million if all options are exercised. “The SPQ-9B radar is a vital ship protection system used across the fleet, and we are proud that the US Navy continues to entrust us to produce this important defensive technology,” senior vice president of the Leonardo DRS Naval Electronics business unit Cari Ossenfort said. Middle East & Africa Sikorsky Aircraft won a $20 million modification, which converts the four Lot 7 and four Lot 8 CH-53K Israel Air Force aircraft to the Israel Unique Green Configuration for the government of Israel, as well as to provide airworthiness support. Work will be performed in Stratford, […]

Americas The US Army has awarded Bell Textron a contract to provide three 412 EPX medium utility helicopters as part of the agency’s foreign military sales program. The $37.7-million order will be delivered to an undisclosed recipient due to “potential customer sensitivities,” the US Army Cargo Helicopters Project Office told FlightGlobal. Concurrently, a US Department of Defense representative confirmed that the platforms will be distributed to more than one buyer. The US Coast Guard has shipped the modified MH-60T Jayhawk medium-range recovery helicopter to the Air Station Astoria in Oregon under its service life extension program. The modernized aircraft is part of an ongoing effort to extend the operational lifespan of the coast guard’s existing Jayhawk fleet — in service since the 1990s — by fitting them with new hulls, electrical wire harnesses, and main rotor blades. Through the process, the helicopters will gain about 20,000 more additional flight hours. Europe European missile house MBDA successfully completed the first test-firing of its Teseo MK2/E evolved anti-ship missile on 14 October 2024 as part of a multi-year development programme for the Italian Navy, the company reported on 4 November. The Teseo MK2/E is a new-generation missile that MBDA says “brings a substantial improvement in […]

E-7A Wedgetail over New South Wales (click to view full) The island continent of Australia faces a number of unique security challenges that stem from its geography. The continent may be separated from its neighbors by large expanses of ocean, but it also resides within a potential arc of instability, and has a number of important offshore resource sites to protect. Full awareness of what is going on around them, and the ability to push that awareness well offshore, are critical security requirements. “Project Wedgetail” had 3 finalists, and the winner was a new variant of Boeing’s 737-700, fitted with an MESA (multirole electronically scanned array) radar from Northrop Grumman. That radar exchanges the traditional AWACS rotating dome for the E-7A’s “top hat” stationary antenna. That design, and the project as a whole, have run into severe turbulence, creating problems for Boeing earnings, the ADF, and other export orders for the type. DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. This one covers contracts, events, and key milestones within Australia’s E-7A program, from inception to the current day. Project Wedgetail: Program and Participants The Competition E-7A Cutaway (click to view full) In 1997 Australia’s AIR […]

Americas The US Navy has announced a life service extension for 12 Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) guided-missile destroyers beyond their expected 35-year operability. Ships selected involve Flight I systems commissioned between 1991 and 1997, which incorporate older designs and components, particularly in their primary anti-submarine warfare helicopter support capabilities. The Peruvian Air Force has received the first of two Beechcraft King Air 360C air ambulance aircraft for medical evacuation missions. Acquiring the jets will strengthen the country’s light transport, aeromedical evacuation, disaster response, and risk management capabilities. The aircraft is assigned to Air Group 8 in Lima and will operate from Callao Air Base to be able to reach remote areas. Middle East 6 Africa The The JLTV (Joint Light Tactical Vehicle), manufactured by Oshkosh Defense, has entered operational service in the IDF, as part of the effort to replace the aging Humvees with more modern and better-armored vehicles. In November 2023, it was reported that the U.S. would provide Israel with 75 JLTVs as part of the large military aid package initiated by the Biden administration. The vehicles, each valued at approximately $400,000, feature armor produced by Israeli company Plasan through its subsidiary, Plasan North America, bringing the total deal to around […]

DDG-110 Construction (click to view full) In April 2009 Bath and Ingalls agreed to the Navy’s surface combatant plans, thus heralding a significant restructuring within the American naval shipbuilding community. Under the agreements, the USA would end production at 3 Graf Spee sized DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyers,” but shift all production from the Congressionally-mandated joint arrangements to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, which had already made program-related investments in advanced shipbuilding technologies. Northrop Grumman (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) would retain its DDG-1000 deckhouse work, but their main exchange was additional orders for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. Their Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi would continue building the DDG-51 destroyers, beginning with 2 ordered in FY 2010-2011. The US Navy’s Revised DDG-51 Plan DDG-1000 (click to view full) With the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class ended at 3 ships, the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class ships will become more important to the future navy. The Navy’s FY 2011 budget also terminated the planned CG (X) cruiser program as unaffordable. Instead, the US Navy would field an updated DDG-51 Flight III version, starting in FY 2016. That date has been pushed back, owing to technical issues with the Flight III ships. Under the […]

Americas Northrup Grumman won a $30.7 million modification, which exercises options to procure continued manufacturing and installation efforts necessary to retrofit the aerial refueling capability on 25 E-2D Advanced Hawkeye fleet aircraft for the Navy. Work is expected to be completed in August 2025. Fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $30,692,100 will be obligated at the time of award of which none will expire at the end of the fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Laurel Technologies won a $7.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of common frequency generator assemblies in support of the AN/SPQ-9B radar set. This contract will have no option periods, and work will be completed by December 2027.  Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa The United States announced Friday, November 1 the deployment of additional military assets to the Middle East, including ballistic missile defense destroyers and long-range B-52 bomber aircraft, serving as a warning to Iran as it and Israel trade tit-for-tat strikes. “Should Iran, its partners, or its proxies use this moment to target American personnel or interests in the region, […]

Americas The US Air Force has successfully flown an F-16 fighter jet equipped with a new electronic warfare system designed to counter advanced threats on the modern battlefield. The landmark first flight took place last month at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, marking a significant milestone for the Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) program. IVEWS provides the F-16 with advanced electronic warfare capabilities, including digital radar warning and active jamming capabilities, enabling it to detect, identify, locate, and neutralize potential threats. This sophisticated suite of technologies elevates the F-16 to a “fourth generation plus” status, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness against modern adversaries. The system represents a leap forward in the F-16’s electronic warfare capabilities, bolstering its readiness to face increasingly complex aerial threats. The US Navy has contracted General Dynamics to develop the Mining Expendable Delivery Unmanned Submarine Asset (MEDUSA) System for its submarine fleet. The deal is worth $15.9 million and includes program management, design, systems engineering, fabrication, testing, and integration through 2026. MEDUSA is a mining system that uses compact-size, expendable unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV). It is designed to be deployed from a submarine via torpedo tubes while integrating various payloads. Middle East & Africa Gilat […]

Americas HDT Global has confirmed the selection of its Hunter Wolf 6×6 unmanned ground system for trials under the US Army’s Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport (S-MET) program. S-MET is an ongoing effort to integrate modern autonomous platforms into service, decreasing risks to warfighters deployed in austere environments. Austal USA has launched the construction of a new submarine module production center in Mobile, Alabama, to further support the US Navy’s submarine programs. The future indoor facility will support the US Navy’s plan to obtain one Columbia-class and two Virginia-class submarines annually, according to the company. It will encompass 369,600 square feet (34,337 square meters) at the site and incorporate a material storage area, machine shops, assembly area, and improved waterfront capabilities for the logistics of completed modules via barge. Middle East & Africa Israeli communication solutions provider Gilat Satellite Networks has received a $4-million contract to deliver portable satellite communication (SATCOM) terminals for the US Department of Defense. The deal covers the DKET 3421 developed by Gilat’s American subsidiary Data Path, which supports multi-band connectivity, fiber optic linking, and 32-modem compatibility. The 5,000-pound (2,268-kilogram) terminal is deployable in less than three hours in environments above 55 degrees Celsius (131 degrees Fahrenheit) and can […]

Americas California-based Aerospike has joined BAE Systems’ Mission Advantage technology partnership to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making capabilities for the US Army and other defense programs. Together with BAE, Aerospike will advance data mesh solutions using its real-time database to support the Army’s Unified Network, Army Data Platform, and other data-centric mission requirements. The Argentine government is moving closer to buying new submarines, eying the acquisition of three Scorpene boats from France’s Naval Group that could cost $2 billion, according to military sources in Buenos Aires. The latest development in the procurement saga is that a Letter of Intention (LoI) was expected to be signed by middle of October, but negotiations over the financial details are taking more time, these sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive deliberations. Middle East & Africa Israel’s defense ministry said on Monday it had earmarked $530 million to accelerate the development of the laser air defense system known as “Iron Beam.” “The Ministry of Defence has signed a major deal worth approximately 2 billion shekels to significantly expand procurement of the laser interception systems, ‘Iron Beam,’” a statement said. The system is aimed at improving the interception of drones and other projectiles, which Hezbollah in Lebanon has […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $21 million contract for in-Service AEGIS combat system baseline sustainment, Baseline 10 System Integration and Fielding, and product documentation. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2024. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington DC, is the contracting activity. The US will receive a weapon next year designed to jam Chinese and Russian satellites in the early stages of a potential conflict, the US Air Force told Bloomberg. The technology — a L3Harris-developed electronic warfare system called “Meadowlands” — was originally scheduled for delivery in 2022. Meadowlands can jam transmissions from satellites in orbit by using ground-based radio frequency units. Middle East & Africa UAE firm EDGE has signed three agreements with Turkish ammunition manufacturer ASSAN to supply MK aerial munitions components. MK munitions, used in air-dropped bombs, are compatible with various guidance kits. Under the first agreement, EDGE subsidiary LAHAB will supply MK munitions to ASSAN, enhancing availability for customers across Africa. This partnership aims to promote mutual growth through an exchange of resources and technical expertise. Europe Sikorsky won a $1 billion modification for UH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date […]

AEGIS-BMD: CG-70 launches SM-3 (click to view full) The AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, the MK 41 Vertical Launching System for missiles, the SM-3 Standard missile, and the ship’s command and control system, in order to give ships the ability to defend against enemy ballistic missiles. Like its less-capable AEGIS counterpart, AEGIS BMD can also work with other radars on land and sea via Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). That lets it receive cues from other platforms and provide information to them, in order to create a more detailed battle picture than any one radar could produce alone. AEGIS has become a widely-deployed top-tier air defense system, with customers in the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Norway, and Spain. In a dawning age of rogue states and proliferation of mass-destruction weapons, the US Navy is being pushed toward a “shield of the nation” role as the USA’s most flexible and most numerous option for missile defense. AEGIS BMD modifications are the keystone of that effort – in the USA, and beyond. The AEGIS Naval Ballistic Missile Defense System What Is AEGIS? AEGIS Combat Control (click to view full) Aegis, named after the legendary protective shield of […]

Americas General Electric Aviation won a $77. 5 million deal for repair; and 220 spare components for the stores management system, stores management upgrade, and converter signal control components for the F/A-18, AV-8B, and H1 aircrafts. This contract includes a five-year base with no options. All work will be performed in Clearwater, Florida, and work is expected to be completed by October 2029. Funds will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Individual delivery orders will be subsequently funded with appropriate appropriations at the time of their issuance. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. The United States Navy successfully launched a Naval Strike Missile (NSM) from a destroyer during Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2024. This significant event marks a key advancement in the Navy’s capabilities. While the NSM has been integrated onto several Littoral Combat Ships, this firing represents a crucial expansion of the weapon system. The launch, a live firing against a decommissioned amphibious ship almost 50 nautical miles off the coast of Kauai, was the culmination of a fast-tracked integration effort by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD). The team was tasked in […]

Breakthrough… (click to view full) The US Navy flies the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighters, and has begun operating the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare & strike aircraft. Many of these buys have been managed out of common multi-year procurement (MYP) contracts, which aim to reduce overall costs by offering longer-term production commitments, so contractors can negotiate better deals with their suppliers. The MYP-II contract ran from 2005-2009, and was not renewed because the Pentagon intended to focus on the F-35 fighter program. When it became clear that the F-35 program was going to be late, and had serious program and budgetary issues, pressure built to abandon year-by-year contracting, and negotiate another multi-year deal for the current Super Hornet family. That deal is now final. This entry covers the program as a whole, with a focus on 2010-2015 Super Hornet family purchases. It has been updated to include all announced contracts and events connected with MYP-III, including engines and other separate “government-furnished equipment” that figures prominently in the final price. Hornet MYP: Aircraft Types Hornet vs. Super Hornet (click to view full) Super Hornets are flown by the US Navy, replacing the service’s retired F-14 Tomcat fighters, and by Australia’s RAAF. […]

Americas Defense manufacturing firm X-Bow Systems has successfully launched its Bolt rocket in a test that showcased the company’s advancement in solid rocket motor (SRM) propellant technology. The launch gathered essential data for pre- and post-flight analysis, further validating the SRM’s performance. This data is crucial for evaluating the feasibility of large-scale SRM production for both commercial and military use. Defense tech startup Saronic Technologies has unveiled its third autonomous surface vessel (ASV). The 24-foot (7.31-meter) Corsair is the largest ASV launched by the Texas firm, followed by the 4.2-meter Cutlass and the 1.8-meter Spyglass, both unveiled earlier this year. All the platforms have been designed to fulfill the operational requirements of the US Navy and its allies “to deter adversaries, and serve as a force multiplier.” Middle East & Africa Russia earlier this year provided satellite data to help Yemen’s Houthi rebels strike ships in the Red Sea, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. The US daily — citing “a person familiar with the matter” and two anonymous European defense officials — reported that the data was transmitted by Iranian intermediaries and used to target ships with missiles and drones. The Houthis, who control vast swaths of Yemen, started targeting commercial […]

Americas Hydronalix won a $42 million contract for assets and technical support services of specialized technology supporting the Littoral Explosive Ordnance Neutralization program of record, a component of Force Design 2030, which aims to improve integrated warfighting capabilities using unmanned vehicles. The period of performance of the base award is October 24, 2024, through October 23, 2029. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. This contract was awarded as a sole-source acquisition pursuant to 15 US Code 638(r)(4). Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity. The US military carried out a significant airfield seizure exercise on the island of Palau as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-01. The exercise, which took place from Oct. 10–11, involved the airfield seizure of Roman Tmetuchl International Airport in Palau. Phase I saw the 75th Rangers Regiment securing the airfield, a crucial first step in establishing a strategic foothold. Phase II brought the deployment of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) operated by the 17th Field Artillery Brigade. Middle East & Africa Italian firm Fincantieri has signed a memorandum of understanding with Qatari Barzan Holdings to jointly develop a short-range anti-drone radar. Dubbed […]

Americas Leidos has received a $331-million contract to optimize the US Army’s Global Unified Network (AGUN). AGUN is the service’s standard network capability used to relay classified and unclassified data, voice, video, and other information assets across bases and deployed forces. Under the contract, Leidos will deploy the AGUN to individual sites to maintain a standardized network infrastructure that is “accessible, trusted and interoperable” internationally. The US military carried out a significant airfield seizure exercise on the island of Palau as part of the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 25-01. The exercise, which took place from October 10–11, involved the airfield seizure of Roman Tmetuchl International Airport in Palau. Phase I saw the 75th Rangers Regiment securing the airfield, a crucial first step in establishing a strategic foothold. Phase II brought the deployment of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) operated by the 17th Field Artillery Brigade. Middle East & Africa Turkiye’s leading naval engineering company STM unveiled a new unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle, STM NETA, at the SAHA EXPO 2024 defense industry exhibition in Istanbul. This system, designed using entirely local and national resources, marks a significant milestone in Turkey’s development of naval technologies. The initial version of […]