Defence`s Feeds

Lockheed Martin performed the first flight of its new LM-100J Hercules airlifter on 25 May. The latest civil variant of the military C-130J departed the company's Marietta production facility in Georgia for a maiden flight that its test pilot described as 'flawless'. This milestone, which follows

Invoking the bomb attack in Manchester and the implacable need to fight terrorism, US president Donald Trump upbraided most of NATO's European nations for "not paying what they should be paying" as they all headed into their first meeting with the US leader on 25 May. "The attack on

Key Points The new variable depth sonar system will form part of the ASW escort mission module to equip USN LCSs A full pre-production test article is expected to complete in late 2018 Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems has been selected to provide a new variable depth sonar (VDS) system to form

Seiler Instrument and Manufacturing has secured a USD15.5 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the US Army to supply 145 optical fire control kits and associated spare parts in support of Indian Army (IA) M777A2 155 mm/39-calibre lightweight howitzers. Work will be performed in St Louis,

A policy planning committee set up by new South Korean president Moon Jae-in is reportedly looking at ways to eradicate corruption within the country’s defence industry. In a press conference in Seoul on 23 May, Kim Jin-pyo, the chief of the presidential policy planning advisory panel, said

The Algerian military confirmed on 22 May that it has taken delivery of Chinese-made 155 mm PLZ45 self-propelled howitzers when it released imagery showing them being used during an exercise. A photograph and video of six PLZ45s firing were released during a visit by chief-of staff Lieutenant

Bowing to US pressure, the 27 other NATO allies agreed at their mini-summit in Brussels on 25 May to issue annual reports on each nation's progress towards achieving NATO's defence spending guideline of 2% of GDP by 2024. The move comes at the firm insistence of US president Donald Trump and will

22 Australian universities are to receive government funding for defence research projects, Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne MP announced on 26 May. The funding, which is part of the country’s ten year, AUD730 million (USD544 million), Next Generation Technologies Fund, which

Chile's Copper Law, which funds military procurement with 10% of the yearly revenues from the CODELCO state-owned mining consortium, is expected to remain in place despite criticism after a recent corruption scandal and alleged misuse of its funds. The legislation has been strongly criticised by

Key Points The incident resembles a string of attempted parcel bomb attacks that took place in March. There is a high risk of further terrorist attacks with varying degrees of capability, including vandalism, IED attacks, arson attacks, and drive-by shootings staged by domestic anarchist and

Brazilian defence company Helibras has delivered two H225M Caracal medium-lift helicopters for the Brazilian Army and Air Force, according to a 24 May press release. One of the helicopters will be utilised by the army's 1st air battalion (1st Batalhão de Aviação do Exército: 1st

ONE civilian was killed and two were wounded when an improvised explosive device (IED), emplaced by unidentified militants, detonated near a shopping area in al-Maleef area southwest of Iraq's capital Baghdad on 24 May, Iraqi News reported. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

FIVE civilians were killed and six others were wounded in a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attack by a Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen militant near a police checkpoint near the sea port in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on 24 May, Reuters reported. Al-Shabaab claimed

The US Navy awarded a $96.1m contract to Booz Allen Hamilton Inc to provide secure communication systems required for the upgrade of its tactical communication networks.

BMT Defence Services (BMT) has secured a new deal to deliver consultancy support for Norway's new submarine acquisition programme.

The US Navy's USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) Ford-class aircraft carrier has departed Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, in order to undergo its second set of sea trials.

Joint venture (JV) company Navantia SAGE Automation Group (NSAG) has secured a new contract to deliver integrated platform management systems (IPMS) for the Royal Australian Navy's (RAN) auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) ships.

Americas

• The US Navy has awarded a $49.4 million contract to Northrop Grumman for parts, material and labor required for the maintenance of the MQ-4C UAV in accordance with planned production. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Md., Bridgeport, W. VA., Salt Lake City, Utah, and other locations in the United States. Fiscal 2017 Navy procurement funds in the amount of $49.4 million have been allocated for the program. Contract completion is scheduled for December 2017.

• Sikorsky has been awarded a $55 million contract modification to a previously awarded contract for the long-lead support of low-rate production of four Lot II CH-53K King Stallion helicopters. An upgrade of the Sea Stallion heavy-lift helicopter, work on the King Stallion contract will be conducted at the Sikorsky plant in Stratford, Conn and is expected to be completed by March 2022. The helicopter is capable carrying up of 27,000 pounds of external sling load. It can carry artillery pieces and Humvee utility vehicles and it’s cabin is capable of carrying 463 pallets for cargo transportation.

• Lockheed Martin has successfully completed a sixth flight test of its modernized Tactical Missile System missile (TACMS). Conducted at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the TACMS was launched from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System and was “hot-conditioned”—the launcher was held in an environmental chamber before launch to simulate hot launch conditions— before flying about 149 miles to engage its target. The modernized TACMS features new guidance electronics and can engage a target without leaving behind unexploded ordnance.

Middle East & North Africa

• M-346 advanced jet trainers operated by the Israeli Air Force are scheduled for a set of upgrades that includes the integration of inert training bombs and external fuel tanks. Tel Aviv possesses 30 M-346 trainers—the last of which arrived in 2016—and the upgrades are expected to enable the air force to further streamline its training process. The air force’s flight test centre is currently collaborating with manufacturer Leonardo and will oversee the modifications, as well as opening the trainer’s full flight envelope, to match the service’s operational requirements.

• The Israel Air Force will receive an additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in 2020 with a special suite of test instrumentation that will work to enhance the fighter’s capabilities during air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The new aircraft comes outside of any specific contract and is being manufactured according to specifications that took two years to prepare. Planned updates to Israel’s operational F-35I “Adir” fighters will be “directly connected” to the type’s scheduled maintenance program, “in order to not disrupt the aim of the shortest time on the ground between complex missions.”

• The US State Department has cleared the sale of a US Navy blanket order training program to Saudi Arabia. Valued at an estimated $250 million, the order includes, but is not limited to, English Language training, professional military education, technical training … engineering, technical and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistical and program support.” If approved by Congress, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions will act as the prime contractor, providing an assignment of about 88 contractor representatives to Saudi Arabia for three years to support personnel training.

Europe

• French firm Safran is expected to cut $1 billion off its current offer to purchase aircraft equipment maker Zodiac Aerospace. The proposed deal had originally been worth $9 billion, however, recent profit warnings at Zodiac has resulted in UK hedge fund TCI urging Safran to drop the bid. According to French media, this reduced offer would be two-thirds in cash and a third in Safran stock, and drops an earlier complex two-tier structure that was designed to woo family shareholders.

Asia Pacific

• Elta Systems has been brought in to help South Korean efforts to support the testing of an indigenous AESA radar for the KAI KF-X fighter. The state-run Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) stressed that the contract is just for support and not development work—which is being led by Hanwa Thales. The value of the contract is believed to be worth $35.5 million.

Today’s Video

• Earlier live fire exercise of the Army’s TACMS:

Lockheed Martin Canada has secured a new contract from the Chilean Navy (Armada de Chile) for replacement combat management systems (CMS) and select subsystems for its three Type 23 frigates.

The US Navy has awarded a contract to Raytheon for the delivery of its new variable depth sonar (VDS) system, which is an anti-submarine solution designed for the littoral combat ship (LCS) class.