Defense Industry Daily

Americas General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) has signed a $580-million deal to maintain the security and readiness of US Army bases. This task order encompasses Integrated Base Defense Sustainment Support tasks required to preserve the operational availability of radars, sensors, and cameras that protect installations, their personnel, and infrastructure. A recent Atlantic Council report has sparked debate on how to prepare for simultaneous conflicts with China and North Korea. Based on tabletop exercises known as Guardian Tiger I and II, the report urges a sweeping overhaul of US command arrangements and alliance coordination. Middle East & Africa Israel’s security service said Sunday it had broken up a network of Hamas militants in the occupied West Bank suspected of planning attacks, arresting 60 of the group’s members. The Shin Bet internal security agency said in a statement that “a significant, complex, and large-scale Hamas infrastructure was exposed” in the West Bank city of Hebron. It said it broke up 10 militant cells that “operated to carry out attacks in various formats in the immediate time frame.” Europe Germany has revealed its plan to acquire Boxer armored fighting vehicles to integrate primary capabilities into the military’s newly established Medium Forces. The package includes vehicles in […]

Boxer MRAV (click to view full) Wheeled armored vehicles have become much more common, but the Dutch-German Boxer stands out from the crowd. Its English acronym is “Multi Role Armoured Vehicle” (MRAV), but rather than being a family of different vehicles, the Boxer will use a single chassis, with snap-in modules for different purposes from infantry carrier to command, cargo, ambulance, etc. The base vehicle has a maximum road speed of 100 km/h (60 mp/h) and an operational range of 1,000 km (600 miles). In its troop carrying configuration, it has a crew of 2 and can carry 10 fully equipped troops. The MRAV is fighting for space in a crowded market, but its principal countries are beginning to give it the front-line credibility it needs to succeed. Boxer MRAV: The Vehicle Boxer modular concept (click to view full) The base 8×8 vehicle provides a load capacity to 8 tonnes (9 tons) and has an internal capacity of more than 14 square meters. The Mission modules fit into the base vehicle’s steel shell, incorporating a primary safety cell with a triple floor and shaped sides to deflect mine blasts. Ceramic modular armor is sandwiched between the vehicle cell and the […]

Americas Telephonics Corp won a $16 million firm-fixed-price deal for maintenance and overhaul of the CH-47 for the interface communication unit. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 27, 2028. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. The US Army has accepted its first of two MV-75 Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) virtual prototypes developed by Bell Textron, with the second scheduled for delivery later this month to the Aviation Center of Excellence at Fort Rucker, Alabama. Based on the FLRAA’s digital twin, the advanced simulator is meant to be used for learning and assessment to shape the upcoming physical aircraft’s development. Eventually, it can also be upgraded into a flight training device. Middle East & Africa UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi says Iran likely will be able to begin to produce enriched uranium “in a matter of months,” despite damage to several nuclear facilities from US and Israeli attacks, CBS News said Saturday. Israel launched a bombing campaign on Iranian nuclear and military sites on June 13, saying it was aimed at keeping Iran from developing a nuclear weapon – […]

Americas A new layer of AI-powered security is coming to US military bases. Texas-based LINEV Systems is deploying its BV6045 Weapons Detection Scanners to spot concealed guns, explosives, and other contraband before they slip past base security. Using dual-energy X-ray imaging and an automated detection process, the system can flag threats in real time, helping security teams respond faster and more accurately. Sierra Nevada won a $471.5 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost reimbursement terms for production, sustainment, and contractor logistics support of Degraded Visual Environment Pilotage System units without the IR camera lens sensor in support of the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Technology Applications Program Office. The contract has a maximum ceiling of $471,590,000. At the time of award, $52,892,515 is obligated, comprising $8,064,279 for Task Order One (contractor logistics support); and $44,828,236 for Task Order Two (B-Kits). Work will primarily be performed in Sparks, Nevada, and is expected to be completed by June 2030 with an optional six-month extension to November 2030. USSCOM, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the next head of US Central Command warned lawmakers on Tuesday that Iran still […]

Americas The US Missile Defense Agency has successfully conducted its first flight test of the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at the Clear Space Force Station in Alaska, around two years after its original schedule.  In the Flight Test Other-26a (FTX-26a), the LRDR and the Upgraded Early Warning Radar tracked a live intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) representative target that traveled over 2,000 kilometers (1,243 miles) off Alaska’s southern coast. Saab has selected Anduril to produce solid rocket motors (SRMs) for the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb (GLSDB), a system developed in partnership with Boeing. Anduril’s new solid rocket motor will replace the legacy M26 Multiple Launch Rocket System in the GLSDB while adding improved manufacturing and safety features. The company has started development and qualification and expects to enter full-rate production by 2026. Middle East & Africa Iranian lawmakers voted Wednesday in favor of suspending cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, state TV said, after a 12-day war that saw Israeli and US strikes on nuclear facilities. “The International Atomic Energy Agency, which refused to even marginally condemn the attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities, put its international credibility up for auction,” Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said, according to state TV. Europe […]

Americas Teledyne FLIR Defense’s Black Hornet 4 drone has been approved for the US military’s Blue UAS List after meeting cybersecurity requirements under the National Defense Authorization Act and passing verification by the Defense Innovation Unit. The listing grants Authority to Operate and allows government agencies to deploy the system for official use. Middle East & Africa There is speculation that Iran might be closing the world’s busiest oil shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important shipping routes, and its most vital oil transit choke point. Bounded to the north by Iran and to the south by Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the corridor – which is only about 50km (31 miles) wide at its entrance and exit, and about 33km wide at its narrowest point – connects the Gulf with the Arabian Sea. Europe As part of a large-scale security and modernization campaign sparked by the invasion of Ukraine, the Estonian government is moving to set up and deploy a “drone wall” across its entire eastern border with Russia by the end of 2027.This massive, in-the-works fortification will include a combination of surveillance assets, multilayer sensors, countermeasure platforms, […]

Americas A new poll suggests Americans of all political stripes, including MAGA adherents, seek more US leadership on the international stage, not less. “The preference for American global leadership over a more isolationist approach is on the rise, up from 40 [percent] in 2022 to 64 [percent]” this year, the 2025 Reagan Institute Summer Survey showed, according to the institute. “Americans are not retreating from the world; they are rallying around a foreign policy grounded in peace through strength.” Among specific geopolitical issues rated by the poll — which was conducted before the US launched strikes against Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend — it found an overwhelming bipartisan majority agreed that preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon was in the interests of US security and prosperity, but only about a quarter of respondents said the US should do more to support Israel. In inserting itself into Israel’s war against Iran, the US unleashed its massive “bunker-buster” bombs on Iran’s Fordo fuel enrichment plant. Those bombs were widely seen as the best chance of damaging or destroying Fordo, built deep into a mountain and untouched during Israel’s weeklong offensive. A US official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation before […]

Americas The US Army has experienced a setback in increasing its artillery munition production by October. In early 2024, the army set monthly targets of 60,000 rounds by October of that year, 75,000 by April 2025, and 100,000 by October 2025, but it currently has a monthly output of around 40,000 rounds. Although it is nearly triple the 14,500 monthly rate before Russia’s “military operation” in Ukraine in 2022, production remains below the pace needed to meet the goal of over a million 155-millimeter howitzer shells next year. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has introduced a new drone designed to back up MQ-9B operations, handling high-risk tasks like scouting, jamming, and precision strikes. Named after the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes, “PELE” is meant to operate ahead of the MQ-9B, helping it navigate contested zones with less risk. Middle East & Africa A hospital in southern Israel and two towns near Tel Aviv were struck after a barrage of Iranian missiles on Thursday morning, with rescuers reporting at least 47 people injured in the latest attacks. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran would “pay a heavy price” after the strike on Soroka Hospital in Beersheba in southern Israel, while Defence […]

Americas Raytheon won a $2.6 million modification to procure test equipment and spares, and to exercise options for Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Block 2 Guided Missile Assemblies.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. Huntington Ingalls won a $60 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-25-C-2127 for advance planning and long-lead-time material procurement to prepare and make ready for the accomplishment of the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) inactivation and defueling. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by March 2026. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $58,645,077 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Qatar has been monitoring radiation levels in the Gulf as Israeli air strikes pound Iranian nuclear facilities, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. “We are monitoring this on a daily basis,” foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference. “We have nothing to be concerned about right now, but obviously prolonged escalation will have unpredictable consequences.” Europe Saab has received an order from the Swedish […]

Americas R&M Government Services, Las Cruces, New Mexico, has been awarded a maximum $9.9 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity contract for KC135 aircraft fastener parts kits. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. The performance completion date is June 15, 2030. Using military services are Army, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2030 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Richmond, Virginia (SPE4A7-25-D-0257). The US Army has contracted American Rheinmetall to supply M1 Abrams main battle tank tracks. The $107.5-million, five-year contract finalizes an order the company received for T-158 military tracks in August 2024, which allowed for the commencement of production. This expedited timing underlines the US Army’s urgent need to maintain readiness amid evolving global challenges. Middle East & Africa US President Donald Trump gathered his top security advisers Tuesday at the White House, as the U.S. military increased firepower in the Middle East amid ongoing strikes between Israel and Iran. “He may decide he needs to take further action to end Iranian enrichment,” Vice President JD Vance said in a post Tuesday on X. In posts to […]

Americas The US Army has officially closed its M10 Booker armored infantry support vehicle program, which had been set for full-rate production. The termination appears rooted in the tank’s design, which was conceptualized as a light, air-deployable system that eventually evolved into a heavier, less agile platform. The resolution comes after the US Department of Defense’s planned shift to a “leaner, more lethal force,” a large part of which is diverting investment priorities from “outdated, redundant, and inefficient” programs to modern initiatives. Swedish defense company Saab has announced a strategic partnership with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems to develop airborne early warning and control capabilities for the MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft platform. The collaboration combines Saab’s sensor technology with General Atomics’ unmanned aircraft systems to create what the companies describe as an affordable alternative to traditional manned early warning platforms. Middle East & Africa The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier rerouted from the South China Sea to the Middle East on Monday, a move that will put two U.S. aircraft carriers in the region as the conflict worsens between Israel and Iran. Dozens of Air Force refueling aircraft also left their U.S. bases this weekend in a new deployment to Europe, a preventative measure […]

Americas General Atomics Aeronautical Systems won a $27 million modification, which adds scope to provide for the development and integration of a Smart Sensor System capability, to include procurement of associated hardware and software in support of the successful operational capability for the MQ-9A Reaper Marine Air Ground Task Force Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial System. Additionally, this modification procures spares for the Detect and Avoid System and Smart Sensor System. Work will be performed in Poway, California (60%); Patuxent River, Maryland (30%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (10%), and is expected to be completed in July 2028. President Donald Trump told a news network Sunday the United States could become involved in the Iran-Israel conflict, and that he would be “open” to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin being a mediator. The Republican president, according to ABC News, also said talks over Iran’s nuclear program were continuing and that Tehran would “like to make a deal,” perhaps more quickly now that the Islamic Republic is trading massive strikes with Israel. “It’s possible we could get involved” in the ongoing battle between the Middle East arch-foes, Trump said in an off-camera interview with ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott that was not previously publicized. Middle […]

Americas Oshkosh won a $792.4 million modification for a three-year extension to the family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A2 contract. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of February 4, 2029. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. A new satellite antenna from US-based Kymeta can connect to Ku- and Ka-band networks at the same time, highlighting a technical first that could reshape how military platforms stay connected in the field. Until now, operating across two bands typically requires separate antennas, adding weight, power needs, and complexity. Kymeta’s new design brings it all together in one device. Middle East & Africa Israeli defense companies plan to exhibit new weaponry at the Paris Air Show next week amid a cooling of relations with France over the conduct of the Gaza war, according to the Israeli Ministry of Defense and local defense companies. The highlight of the Israeli defense systems at the show is expected to be Rafael’s high-energy laser weapon system family: the Iron Beam 450mm, Iron Beam-M 250mm and the Lite Beam, defense officials said. Europe Lockheed Martin has inked a strategic agreement […]

Americas MilTrain II JV won an $84,.6 million contract for MQ-9 Aircrew Training Support. This contract provides for all personnel, equipment, tools, materials, supervision, and all other items and services required to perform and support MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft aircrew academic instruction; courseware development; and air and ground intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance test and training support; and major command certified approaches/supplemental recovery procedures. Work will be performed at Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; Creech AFB, U.S. Air Force Weapons School, and 556 Test and Evaluation Squadron, Nevada; March Air Reserve Base, California; and Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, New York, and is expected to be completed by July 30, 2030. This contract was a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2025 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $833,476 are being obligated at time of award. Air Combat Command Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Hampton, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Raytheon has secured a $646-million contract to produce four more SPY-6(V) radars for the US Navy. With other agreements already in place, the latest procurement brings the total number of units under contract to 42, with deliveries expected by 2028. “SPY-6 […]

Americas The US Army has tested the Tactical Resupply Vehicle-150 (TRV-150) drone during a training exercise focused on innovation and realistic battlefield conditions. Capable of carrying up to 150 pounds (68 kilograms) of supplies, the TRV-150 enables soldiers to receive equipment remotely without exposing themselves to danger. During the two-week exercise in the CENTCOM region, troops trained on assembling, operating, and coordinating TRV-150 flights. L3Harris has delivered the Meadowlands Counter Communications System (CCS) to the US Space Force’s Electromagnetic Warfare unit. Meadowlands is a ground-based, transportable system designed to jam or disrupt adversary satellite communications. Mounted on wheeled trailers for easier movement, the technology is a more compact version of previous CCS models, L3Harris emphasized. Middle East & Africa The US State Department has approved a potential $325 million sale to Kuwait for sustainment support and related equipment for the M1A2 Abrams main battle tank systems. The proposed deal includes services and equipment to support both Kuwait’s legacy M1A2 tanks and its newer M1A2K variants.  It also covers repair parts, spare parts, replacement materials, and other logistics and program support components. Kuwait currently operates around 218 Abrams tanks. Europe Poland’s Armament Agency announced it has halted a procurement process covering the acquisition of […]

Americas Roshel has signed an agreement with Singapore’s ST Engineering to produce the ExtremV amphibious all-terrain vehicle in Canada. The ExtremV is a key candidate for Canada’s Domestic Arctic Mobility Enhancement program, which seeks a replacement for the aging BV206 fleet for military and emergency response teams. Roshel will lead the vehicle’s domestic production and engage Canadian-owned businesses to procure key components. MD Helicopters is pitching its five-bladed MD 530F as the US Army’s next training platform to prepare the next generation of military pilots. The aircraft, designed to replicate the operational characteristics of rotorcraft like the UH-60M Black Hawk, AH-64E Apache, and CH-47F Chinook, promises a realistic training experience that mirrors real-world flight conditions. Built on the company’s 500 series airframe, the MD 530F is powered by a Rolls Royce C30 engine that delivers 650 shaft horsepower, making it ideal for high-altitude environments. Middle East & Africa Turkish defense firm STM has successfully completed the first test firing of its new First-Person View (FPV) Kamikaze Drone, the KarguFpv, which struck its target with full accuracy. The system, developed as part of Türkiye’s push for a fully independent defence industry, marks STM’s latest addition to its combat-proven unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) […]

Americas Boeing won a $12.1 million delivery order for the KC46 commercial common depot level repairables strategic repair contract. The performance completion date is April 6, 2026. Using military service is Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2025 through 2026 Air Force working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The US Marine Corps has received its final MQ-9A Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems at the Grey Butte Field Airport in California. Its delivery marks the conclusion of the corps’ three-year acquisition campaign, one of defense’s efforts to upgrade its capabilities as part of the Force Design 2030 restructuring plan. The $136-million MQ-9A contract was originally drafted to boost the corps’s operational capability in terms of range and endurance. Middle East & Africa Iran warned European powers on Friday against backing a draft resolution at the International Atomic Energy Agency next week, accusing Tehran of non-compliance, calling it a “strategic mistake.” “Instead of engaging in good faith, the E3 is opting for malign action against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X, referring to Britain, France, and Germany. “Mark my words as Europe ponders another major strategic […]

Americas The US Army has chosen Picogrid’s Legion software to address a persistent challenge on the battlefield: connecting military systems that struggle to communicate effectively with one another. The platform ingests data from a range of sources, including legacy equipment, modern sensors, and weapon systems, and integrates it into tools like the Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK), the army’s primary coordination app. This results in a more complete, real-time view of the battlefield that supports both faster decision-making and tighter coordination among dispersed units. In a bid to fast-track the deployment of battlefield-ready AI, Lockheed Martin has launched a virtual proving ground to assess how artificial intelligence systems would perform in air, land, sea, and space domains. Called the “AI Fight Club,” the program invites teams from across industry to compete in simulated military scenarios, putting their AI models through complex, mission-driven challenges that mirror real-world operations. Middle East & Africa United Arab Emirates (UAE) defense company EDGE Group has inked a $2.45-billion contract to supply Kuwait with eight Falaj-3 naval patrol vessels. The contract covers the vessel design and construction, sea trials, delivery, logistics, and in-service support, with EDGE calling it “hugely significant both in scale and strategic importance.“ “It deepens […]

Americas The US Navy has introduced a tethered capability to accelerate experiments for tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Called the Tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Experimentation Payload System (TULEPS), the solution supports the evaluation of drone software and mission equipment under real-world conditions. Users can attach the machine’s cord directly to a generic UAV airframe without requiring flight authorizations, under all weather conditions, and with various power payloads for endurance trials. The Pentagon’s Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has contracted six small businesses to expedite the construction of Virginia-class submarines. The $5-billion Maritime Acquisition Advancement Contract is intended to accelerate the procurement of integrated weapon systems equipment and services for the US Navy platforms. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract has five one-year options, each valued at $1 billion and possibly reaching $10 billion. Middle East & Africa The US has begun reducing its military presence in Syria with a view to eventually closing all but one of its bases there, the US envoy for the country has said in an interview. Six months after the ouster of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, the United States is steadily drawing down its presence as part of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), a military task force launched in 2014 […]

Americas The Navy awarded a $536 million contract to NorthStar Maritime Dismantlement Service to dismantle, recycle and dispose of the former aircraft carrier Enterprise (CVN-65), a four-year undertaking that will set precedents for future nuclear-powered ship disposals. “Under this contract CVN-65 will be dismantled in its entirety, and all resulting materials will be properly recycled or disposed of. Specifically, hazardous materials, including low-level radioactive waste, will be packaged and safely transported for disposal at authorized licensed sites,” according to a May 30 contract announcement. Hermeus has flight-tested its Quarterhorse Mk 1 remotely piloted drone designed to support the development of high-Mach and hypersonic aircraft. The test, which took place at Edwards Air Force Base in California, focused on high-speed takeoff and landing, particularly demanding maneuvers due to the aircraft’s configuration optimized for high-speed flight. Middle East & Africa Turkey is deciding between Boeing’s KC-46A Pegasus and the Airbus A330 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport) to replace its retiring KC-135 tanker aircraft, a Turkish official with knowledge of the matter told Breaking Defense. The choice “to buy the new tanker [is between] MRTT and KC-46,” the official said, adding the negotiations are ongoing with both sides. However, the official didn’t specify the number […]