Defense Industry Daily

Raytheon won a $482.8 million contract modification, which provides for the exercise of the pre-priced options for Lot 35 production of AMRAAM missiles, AMRAAM Telemetry System, initial and field spares, and other production engineering support hardware and activities. The AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM) is a new generation all-weather, missile. Work will take place in Arizona. Estimated completion date is May 31, 2024.

Sikorsky won a $26.9 million contract modification for UH-60M green aircraft. The UH-60 Black Hawk has been operational in the US Army since 1978. More than 2,000 aircraft of different variants are in service with the U.S., and more than 600 have been exported. The primary mission of the Black Hawk helicopter is as a troop carrier and logistical support aircraft, but the helicopter can also be configured to carry out medical evacuation, command-and-control, search-and-rescue, armed escort, electronic warfare and executive transport missions. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2022.

Turkish state-owned defense firm ASFAT has received an order for four unmanned minesweeping equipment to Burkina Faso. “We made our first defense industry export to the region with the sale of 4 Mechanical Mine Clearing Vehicle,” the company announced in a Tweet. Earlier, ASFAT exported the vehicles’ sale to Azerbaijan where it is being used to clean its lands of mines.

The UK Ministry of Defense awarded BAE Systems approximately $348.77million to progress the design and development of Tempest, the UK’s Future Combat Air System (FCAS). The British Future Combat Air Programme, Tempest, is expected to create 20,000 jobs every year from 2026 to 2050, and contribute £25 billion to the UK economy.

Taiwan has concluded the signing of the contract to buy the MS-110 reconnaissance pod, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said on July 28. A total of six pods will be procured for the island’s F-16 fleet.

The Indian Air Force has inducted its second Rafale unit – 101 Squadron – at Hasimara Air Base on July 28. The second squadron is being raised at Hasimara Air Force Station in West Bengal. The first squadron—17 Golden Arrows—was raised in Ambala, Punjab in September last year.

Watch: The AMRAAM®-ER missile takes to the sky

Five defense contractors have been awarded contracts for the second phase of development of the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, which is planned to replace the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicle. Point Blank Enterprises, Oshkosh Defense, BAE Systems and Land Armaments, General Dynamics Land Systems and American Rheinmetall Industries will share a $299.4 million deal to develop digital designs of the new IFV.

President Joe Biden told US intelligence officials that he thinks a cyber breach could lead to a “shooting war” with a major global power. “I think it’s more likely we’re going to end up—if we end up in a war, a real shooting war, with a major power—it’s going to be as a consequence of a cyber breach of great consequence,” Biden said during a visit to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), according to a recording of his visit.

The commander of US Central Command said airstrikes in Afghanistan would continue as long as Afghan forces are being attacked by the Taliban as the US military pulls out of the country. CENTCOM commander Gen. Frank McKenzie noted the airstrikes in a visit to Kabul on Sunday, which comes as the US military has pulled about 95% of troops and equipment out of the country.

Northrop Grumman won a $19.7 million contract modification, which adds scope to provide non-recurring engineering risk reduction efforts to support the delivery schedule of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft FAA1-FAA3 for the government of France. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness. Work will take place in Florida, New York and Ohio. Estimated completion will be by January 2022.

Spain’s Navantia shipyard has completed complex tropicalization work of the Roald Amundsen frigate (F-311) that Navantia designed and built for the Norwegian Navy between 2000 and 2011. The warship is second of the Fridjof Nansen Class (F310). These works, for which the contract was signed on July 2020, has improved the cooling capacity of the F311 frigate, which will allow it to navigate in conditions of much warmer ambient and water temperatures than the traditional operational scenarios of the Royal Norwegian Navy.

The Yomiuri reports that Japan will send JS Kaga back to the dock for modernization works to prepare the warship to operate the F-35B. Meanwhile, the defense ministry is considering plans to have USMC F-35Bs operate from Kaga’s sister ship Izumo to test out the modifications that were done to allow the helicopter destroyer to operate the F-35B.

Taiwan Navy took delivery of its Tuo Chiang Class stealth corvette on Tuesday. Taiwan launched the first Tuo Chiang Class corvette named Ta Chiang in Yilan county in December. Dubbed “aircraft carrier killer,” the corvette is heavily armed.

Watch: Fridtjof Nansen Class General Purpose Frigate

Lockheed Martin won a $37 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure special tooling and test equipment for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter production line in support of second source canopy tooling and other known capacity gaps for the Navy, Marines, Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will take place in California, Texas, Australia and New Jersey. Estimated completion will be in August 2023.

BAE Systems won a $117 million contract from Lockheed Martin to produce next-generation missile seekers for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). The seeker technology enables LRASM to detect and engage specific maritime targets in contested environments with less dependence on traditional navigation systems. The next-generation seeker design reduces overall missile costs.

Raytheon won a $212 million delivery order for Morocco Fighter Aircraft Engines. The order is for F100-PW-229 install engines, Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2025. Morocco asked to procure 25 F-16C/D Block 72 jets, built by Lockheed Martin and 29 Pratt & Whitney F100-229 engines and other related equipment from the US government under a potential $3.9 billion FMS transaction the State Department approved in March 2019.

Thales has received an order from the French defense procurement agency (DGA) for 350 Scorpion helmet-mounted sight and display systems that will be integrated on French Air Force and Navy Rafale fighters. The contract includes 400 digital multi-function displays that Thales says are larger with an improved touchscreen interface and greater processing power.

Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has purchased new long-range radars manufactured by Hensoldt and Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI). The contract calls for the delivery and installation of four long-range radars as part of the “Hughes Air Defense Radar Nachfolgesystem” (HADR NF) programme.

According to Jane’s, the Indian Navy has made several upgrades to its “Tabar” guided-missile frigate as seen in photos during deployments in the Mediterranean and Europe. The naval ship is now equipped with a new electronic warfare system built by Indian defense firm Bharat Electronics. The new system has been installed to replace an older Russian electronic warfare system.

Watch: INS Tabar Seen with New Combat System Upgrades…

Boeing won a $12 million order, which provides production engineering support in support of the integration and installation of weapon systems on the F/A-18 E/F and EA-18G aircraft for the Navy. The US Navy F/A-18 E and F Super Hornet are maritime strike attack aircraft. The Growler is a derivative of the combat-proven two-seat F/A-18 Hornet, the US Navy’s maritime strike aircraft. The primary missions of the aircraft are electronic attack (EA) and suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD), particularly at the start and ongoing early stages of hostilities. Work will take place in Maryland and Missouri. Estimated completion will be in July 2022.

The US Missile Defense Agency has carried out its most complex test so far on July 24 by firing four SM-6 Dual II missiles at two short-range ballistic missile targets. While one target was destroyed, the agency was not sure if the other target was intercepted. This is the third flight test of the SM-6 Dual II missile from a Aegis BMD-equipped warship. The firing ship for the test was the USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) and it took place off Hawaii.

Russia has reportedly lent support to strengthen Syrian military’s air defense systems, which reports claim, is to offer protection against Israeli airstrikes. The United States was informed before Russia began upgrading the military equipment, London-based Arabic language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat reported citing “well-informed” Russian sources.

Royal Air Force (RAF)-operated Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s from RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, have completed a proof of concept exercise in Norway, which tested tactical ground-based refuelling capabilities at a dispersed forward operating location. The multi-role fighters were supported by an RAF-operated Airbus A330-243MRTT Voyager KC2/KC3 multi-role tanker transport and A400M Atlas C1 heavy-lift tactical transport from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, for the duration of the deployment.

South Korean defense firm LIG Nex1 says its proposed solution for the South Korean navy CIWS-II program has scored the highest marks in the evaluation by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA). South Korea wants a new generation CIWS that has the same barrel and ammunition carriage system as the Goalkeeper. The CIWS-II will be integrated into the future aircraft carrier, destroyers, and frigates.

China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Tibet Military Command deployed the indigenously developed HJ-12 man-portable anti-tank missile that is similar in capabilities to the US-made Javelin in a recent military exercise in the deep plateau region. In an official release, the military announced it conducted a series of exercises and attached a photograph showing a soldier carrying a portable anti-tank missile that can be carried by a single person. Shanghai-based news website eastday.com identified it as the HJ-12, making it the weapon’s first public appearance in PLA service.

Watch: How Powerful is Javelin and HJ-12 Anti-Tank Missile

The US Air Force published a new B-21 Raider artist rendering graphic with an accompanying fact sheet on July 6. The rendering is based on the actual aircraft, and an artist’s interpretation of the B-21 design, with Edwards Air Force Base, California in the background. The aircraft will undergo testing there.

The US Defense Department canceled a $10 billion cloud computing contract that’s been the subject of ongoing legal battles, saying it “no longer meets” requirements. A Pentagon representative told reporters that instead, the department will be soliciting new proposals from cloud service providers.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has called on the government to sell the “Wing of Zion” Boeing 767 VVIP jet just months before it is set to enter operational service. The cost of modifying the jet has grown fifty percent from the original $115 million budget. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will decide on the fate of the aircraft later with input from President-elect Isaac Herzog.

MBDA announced it will for the first time pair a CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) missile with an upgraded Sea Viper command and control (C2) system on board the Royal Nay’s Type 45 destroyers. CAMM offers both close-in and local-area air defence, and will complement Aster 30, strengthening the anti-air defence capability of the Royal Navy.

Details were published about how the new UK ‘National Flagship’ will operate. According to a ‘Prior Information Notice’ regarding the upcoming tendering process to design and build the vessel, the vessel will be used to host high level trade negotiations and trade shows and will sail all over the world promoting British interests. The British Prime Minister announced a new National Flagship for the UK in May.

Royal Australian Navy Anzac Class frigate HMAS Perth returned to the water on July 1 after being lowered out of the dry dock at the Australian Marine Complex in Henderson, Western Australia. The move followed the completion of upgrades to the frigate’s radar capabilities, communications systems, and crew-habitable areas, which are a major part of the Anzac Midlife Capability Assurance Programme (AMCAP), according to a statement by the Department of Defense.

Watch: UK Navy power !! Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers To Get £500m Firepower Upgrade

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency chose 3 teams of researchers led by Raytheon, BAE Systems, and Northrop Grumman. They have been selected to develop event-based infrared (IR) camera technologies. The project was awarded under the agency’s Fast Event-based Neuromorphic Camera and Electronics program. Event-based cameras are an emerging class of sensors with demonstrated advantages relative to traditional imagers. These advanced models operate asynchronously and only transmit information about pixels that have changed. This means they produce significantly less data and operate with much lower latency and power.

The US Army’s new Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) recently carried out its airdrop certification testing over Fort Bragg. The ISV was delivered by standard low-velocity from US Air Force C-130 and C-17 aircraft. Standard dual row airdrop system from the C-17 was tested as well.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is integrating offensive and defensive systems including MF-STAR (Magen Adir) radar onto the Navy’s Sa’ar 6 corvettes. The company, together with the Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure (part of IMoD) and the Israeli Navy, completed the first phase of installing the MF-STAR (Magen Adir) radars on the Israeli Navy’s Sa’ar 6 corvettes and will continue to integrate the BARAK MX Air Defense System (Ra’am Adir) on the vessels. The radars will serve to locate and classify air and surface targets and help to build an advanced and detailed maritime picture of the surveillance area.

Israel-based BIRD Aerosystems said that it delivered a complete ASIO Maritime Task Force Solution to an undisclosed African government. The ASIO Maritime Task Force Solution includes multiple Cessna Citation CJ3 aircraft that the company converted into Maritime Patrol Aircraft, together with BIRD’s advanced mission management system (MSIS) which was also installed on a number of vessels as well as at the naval HQ command.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Aviation Group will also establish a passenger to freighter conversion site to convert the Boeing 737-700/800 in partnership with Atitech company, at Atitech’s leading MRO center in Naples, Italy. The cargo conversion site in Italy will join two existing cargo conversion sites in China.

A JGSDF Type 12 Surface-to-Ship missile launch vehicle from the 5th Surface-to-Ship Missile Regiment caught fire 468 meters inside the Kumamoto airport underground tunnel on July 4. The vehicle was returning to base from the JGSDF Hijyu-dai Proving ground and it was not carrying any live weapons at that time. The incident forced the tunnel to be closed to traffic for three hours. Two people onboard the vehicle were unhurt.

Watch: IAI Integrates Naval Combat Suite on Sa’ar 6 Corvettes

Northrop Grumman won a $12.9 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide continued support for integrated test team operations in executing advanced development experimentation flights and development testing in support of future delta system software builds for the Navy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (AHE) is the newest variant of the E-2 aircraft platform. It features a state-of-the-art radar with a two-generation leap in capability and upgraded aircraft systems that will improve supportability and increase readiness. Work will take place in Patuxent River, Maryland. Estimated completion will be in July 2022.

The US Marine Corps announced last week that its 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314) declared full operational capability (FOC) for the F-35C Lightning II. FOC is significant in its confirmation that VMFA-314 is fully prepared and equipped successfully deploy aboard United States Navy aircraft carriers, marking the first FOC declaration for Marine Corps. This inaugural event is met after VMFA-314 received their first F-35C on January 21, 2020 when their first jet arrived at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar from Naval Air Station Lemoore.

The US State Department approved a contract to Kuwait for heavy tactical vehicles. The contract, estimated to be worth $445 million, will cover 517 total Heavy Tactical Vehicles consisting of Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) and Heavy Equipment Transporters (HET). These items include: 31 HEMTT Wrecker Trucks (M984A4 ten-ton with crane and winch); 100 HEMTT Fuel Tanker Trucks (M978A4, ten-ton, 2,500?gallon); 188 Guided Missile Transporter Trucks (M985A4, ten-ton with winch); 50 Heavy Equipment Transporter (HET) Trucks (M1070A1); 50 635NL Commercial Trailers for use with HET prime movers; 49 Palletized Load System (PLS) Trailers (M1076A0); PLS Flat Rack (M1077 with sides); and related equipment and support, Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a release today.

VSE Corp. won a $31.6 million delivery order for an in-country technical assistance team (ICTAT) to the Egyptian Navy for follow-on technical support. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the government of Egypt under FMS Case EG-P-GKB. The contractor shall provide ICTAT to include technical, logistics, training, and facilities and administration support to the Egyptian Navy for work on multiple ship platforms. Work will take place in Egypt and Virginia. Estimated completion will be by June 2023.

BAE Systems said it received the first contract from the Space and Missile Systems Center’s Space Production Corps to deliver M-Code Military Global Positioning System User Equipment to Germany. Under a Foreign Military Sales contract, BAE Systems will deliver advanced M-Code GPS technology to Germany, enabling precise, resilient, and secure geolocation and positioning capabilities that improve the effectiveness of allied operations.

The US Army has deployed a PAC-3 air defense missile battery from Okinawa to Amami for the first time as part of Orient Shield 21-2. The unit carried out joint training with the 8th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.

Watch: The Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV)

The Long Range Stand Off Weapon (LRSO) has entered the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase with the award of $2 billion to Raytheon Missiles and Defense. The LRSO is a new air-launched cruise missile to replace the AGM-86. The missile will have a nuclear-armed capability and Raytheon will have to complete the development work by February 2027.

Lockheed Martin won a $28.2 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure mission computers (MC) and flight management computers (FMC) retrofit kits to upgrade the MH-60R/S aircraft. The quantities are as follows: 205 Generation 3i/5i MCs to upgrade from Generation III/V/VI, to include 187 for the Navy, nine for the government of Australia, five for the government of Saudi Arabia and four for the government of Denmark; 200 Generation 3i/5i FMCs to upgrade from Generation III/V FMCs, to include 182 for the Navy, nine for the government of Australia, five for the government of Saudi Arabia and four for the government of Denmark. Additionally, this modification procures 153 wiring kits to include 136 for the Navy, nine for the government of Australia, four for the government of Denmark, and four for the government of Saudi Arabia. Work will take place in New York and Florida. Estimated completion will be in March 2024.

Jane’s reports that Israel Aerospace Industries through its ELTA Systems group is delivering dozens of its ‘Drone Guard’ Counter-UAS (CUAS) systems to a country in South Asia in a deal, worth tens of millions of dollars. IAI develops and manufactures the Drone-Gard System from start to finish including the advanced Radar capabilities. The Drone Guard system handles hundreds of targets simultaneously and provides a solution to multiple evolving threats Worldwide. The system’s advantage derives from the multi-layer implementation concept using a high-resolution 3D X-Band radar a key for drone-detection, an integrated COMIN ESM, multi-channel jamming and high resolution EO/IR with integrated AI capabilities.

The British government has given $4.8 million to the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl) for the Co-operative Strike Weapons Technology Demonstrator (CSWTD) program. The aim of the program is similar to the U.S. Air Force’s Golden Horde Vanguard, which will allow weapons to collaborate amongst themselves. Scientists will investigate how inter-missile communication and cooperative behaviors can be technically achieved over the next two years.

A court in Paris has ordered a probe by the National Financial Prosecutors’ Office into a 2016 deal to sell 36 Rafale figher jets to India by Dassualt Aviation. French investigative news website Mediapart reported: “as confirmed to us by the National Financial Prosecutor’s Office (French acronym-PNF), the Paris court on June 14 opened a judicial investigation, entrusted to an examining magistrate, on the sale by France to India of 36 Rafale fighters.”

Asahi reports that Japan has decided that it will develop the engine for the F-X fighter with help from Britain. Britain’s Rolls-Royce will partner with Japan’s IHI Corporation. Both will also offer the engine for the export market. Anonymous Japanese officials told the news outlet that Japanese Prime Minister Suga spoke on the issue with British Prime Minister Johnson during the G7 summit last month. At the end of June, officials from Japan’s Defense Ministry traveled to Britain for talks on the issue.

Watch: French Judge Tasked With Probing Rafale Jet Sale To India

Boeing won a $39.7 million contract modification for new-build AH-64E aircraft. The AH-64 Apache is a twin-engine, four bladed, multi-mission attack helicopter designed as a highly stable aerial weapons-delivery platform. The helicopter is designed as a weapons delivery platform and is equipped with: a M230E1, 30mm automatic gun, aerial rockets system, and point target weapons system. Work will take place in Mesa, Arizona. Estimated completion date is October 31, 2025.

A US Air Force probe into its recent contract award to Boeing for Japan’s KC-46 tankers spare parts has raised concerns about unfair pricing. Service officials reportedly confirmed to Defense News the Air Force’s recent $88 million contract award to Boeing for the spare parts included about $10 million in costs they could not determine to be fair or reasonable.

The Lebanese Navy is set to receive new offshore patrol vessels from the United States and France, Defense News reported. 4 of the 7 vessels will be provided with help from France, while the remaining three Protector-class offshore patrol vehicles (OPVs) will come from the US.

Swiss newspaper Le Matin says the Dassault Rafale fighter is leading the competition to become the next fighter for Switzerland. The news report says a decision could now be announced on June 23. Le Matin says there are signs that the Swiss government has decided on the Rafale. For example, the head of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport, Viola Amherd, had cited the Rafale as an example of how the Swiss military could achieve its strategic objectives.

Saab announced that it would be working with Finnish firm Varjo to integrate the company’s Human eye resolution mixed reality (XR) technology into all simulators for the Saab Gripen E/F aircraft. Saab’s Head of Tactical Environment Simulation and Visualisation Stefan Furenbäck said in a statement, “We are finalising the basic functionalities in our own simulator so that we can use Varjo’s XR-3 headsets in all our flight simulators. We’ve previously carried out smaller, independent prototype-like projects but now we’re integrating them into our actual flight simulators.”

Samsung Heavy Industries Co. said that it teamed up with Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) to develop carbon-free nuclear-powered ships. The project will be based on the so-called molten salt reactor technologies. A molten salt reactor is a kind of small module reactor that utilizes molten fluoride salts as the primary coolant at low pressure. It has been emerging as a carbon-zero nuclear energy source, Yonhap News Agency reported Wednesday.

Watch: Is the Boeing AH-64 Apache The Ultimate Weapon?| The Ultimates: Combat Helicopters | Spark

Airbus US Space & Defense won a $119.8 million contract modification for an extension of contractor logistics support services for the UH-72 Lakota. The UH-72A Lakota is a light utility helicopter. UH-72A Lakota helicopters were acquired to replace the UH-1H Iroquois and OH-58 A/C Kiowa helicopters. Work will take place in Grand Prairie, Texas. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2022.

The US Marine Corps (USMC) has flown the first AH-1Z flight that has Link-16 capability. Bell says a two-way connection was completed from the helicopter to a ground station. Bell added that the Link-16 package from Northrop Grumman adds a new digital moving map, a new security architecture and Advanced Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2) datalinks to the helicopter.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighters operated by the Air Forces of Italy, UK and Israel are set to take part in this year’s edition of Falcon Strike 21 (FS21) exercises. Falcon Strike 21 a joint, multinational exercise involving service members from the US, Israel, Italy and the United Kingdom to integrate 4th and 5th generation fighter capabilities in a large force employment event.

Welding for the fabrication of prototypes and subsequent series production of the Boxer Mechanized Infantry Vehicle (MIV) programme, under which British Army is procuring over 500 Boxer vehicles started. Under the aegis of Artec GmbH, a joint venture of Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), Rheinmetall will fabricate first prototypes at its plant in Kassel, Germany which will also make the the first series vehicles. The prototypes will have content supplied by the United Kingdom, such as the remotely controlled weapon stations, generic vehicle architecture components, the local situational awareness system or the vehicle emergency lighting system.

Yomiuri Shimbun reports that Japan will budget for the research and development of its loyal wingman in next year’s fiscal budget. The report added that the unmanned air aircraft will be carried aboard the next-generation fighter dubbed F-X. The concept is not new in Japan. The former Fuji Heavy Industries develop the Fuji TACOM unmanned aerial vehicle from 1995 to 2011. The drone was carried on board the F-4E and F-15J. The US Air Force has also integrated the UTAP-22 Mako on the F-15C.

The Indian Navy has started to train its personnel to fly and maintain the MH-60R naval helicopter in the United States. The detachment have started their training at NAS Pensacola. Hindustan Times reports that two MH-60Rs will delivered to the Indian Navy next month and the third helicopter will be delivered by end of the year.

Watch: Viper AH-1Z attack helicopter air missile capability

Lockheed Martin won a $172.4 million contract modification for procurement of spare hardware in association with Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (PATRIOT) Advanced Capability (PAC-3) FY21 missiles and command and launch system. The PAC-3 serves as an endoatmospheric point defense system with a capability to intercept short-range tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and military aircraft. Unlike earlier Patriot missile defense systems, the PAC-3 interceptor relies on hit-to-kill technology whereby the interceptor uses kinetic energy to destroy its target on impact. Work will take place in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Texas and Massachusetts. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2024.

According to Oshkosh Defense, the company  won a $942.9 million contract to integrate 30mm medium caliber weapons systems onto US Army Stryker vehicles. The upgrade to the Stryker Double V Hull Infantry Carrier Vehicle will provide “precision lethality capability to the Army’s Stryker Brigade Combat Team,” the company said in a press release.

Turkey’s Aselsan has started mass production of tank armor package for integration onto German-origin Leopard 2A4 tanks. The Leopard 2A4 is an upgraded version of the first generation of Leopard 2 MBT including an automated fire and explosion suppression system, an all-digital fire control system able to handle new ammunition types and an improved turret with flat titanium/tungsten armor. This tank is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore gun which has been developed by Rheinmetall. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the left side of the main armament and one 7.62mm machine gun to the hatch of the loader. Two banks of four 76mm smoke grenade dischargers are mounted to each side of the turret.

A new ‘light’ Multiple Launch Rocket system (MLRS) based on an 80 mm rocket is being developed in Russia with serial production planned for 2024. The new MLRS will be unveiled at the Army-2021 land forces exhibition which will be held from August 22 to 28 at the Patriot Exhibition Center near Moscow.

Trials of Ajax armoured vehicles were halted at the end of last year to March this year due to excessive vibration and noise, leaving crews suffering from nausea, swollen joints and tinnitus. At the end of May, the Sun reported that General Dynamics built Ajax had encountered significant design problems and cited a leaked document outlining the excessive vibration and other issues. In a statement, the UK’s Ministry of Defense confirmed trials had been halted but have also said that trials had resumed.

South Korean prosecutors have said that they will not press any charges against Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) or the military over the crash of the MUH-1 helicopter that took place on July 18, 2018. Investigations into the crash found that a manufacturing defect lead to cracks in the main rotor mast.

Watch: South Korean Marine Corps MUH-1 Marineon amphibious helicopter

BAE Systems won a $15.7 million contract modificationfor spare parts necessary for initial training and fielding for Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles. The Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) is a family of next generation, highly survivable vehicles essential to the future of the US Army. The AMPV is to replace the Vietnam War-era and legacy M113 Family of Vehicles. The program is a part of the future of the Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT). The AMPV will be integrated with the ABCT and is required to operate alongside the M1 Abrams tank and the M2 Bradley infantry vehicle. Work will take place in Pennsylvania. Estimated completion date is January 1, 2023.

The US Air Force completed the Project Strike Rodeo (PSR) munitions proof-of-concept that validated loading five Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missiles (JASSMs) on a Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, according to a service statement. The proof-of-concept performed by the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron started in January. A team of expert tacticians worked through a specific scenario that relied on the ability to escort a bomber loaded with stand-off munitions to a release point in a highly contested environment.

While the Israel Gaza conflict is still ongoing, the Iron Dome proves successful against Gaza rockets. The Israeli-made and US-funded anti-rocket Iron Dome intercept system has reportedly stopped 90 percent of the missiles fired into Israel since the beginning of the conflict in early May. Israel has been using the Iron Dome since 2011. A battery consists of a radar unit and a control center that can detect projectiles soon after their launch and calculate their trajectory and target. It takes seconds for an approaching projectile to be detected.

Northrop Grumman won a $17.7 million order, which provides technical and sustainment support for E-2C/D aircraft common and unique requirements for the Governments of France and Japan. The E-2C Hawkeye aircraft supplied by Northrop Grumman is an all-weather airborne early warning aircraft to the naval task force. The next-generation E-2D Advanced Hawkeye has a new radar system, theatre missile defence capabilities, multi-sensor integration and a Northrop Grumman Navigation Systems tactical glass cockpit. Work will take place in Florida, Japan, and Ohio. Expected completion will be in April 2022.

German company Rheinmetall announced that it signed a contract worth $359 million with the country’s defense procurement agency for the supply of 44 Kodiak armored engineering vehicles (AEVs) for the German Army. Production will begin in 2023, with delivery scheduled to be completed by 2029, said the company. According to Rheinmetall, the Kodiak is an AEV and mine clearance tank that can meet the technical and tactical needs of modern combat engineers. It features a bulldozer blade with adjustable cutting and tilt angles. The Kodiak vehicle is known as the “Pionierpanzer 3 Kodiak” in German. It is based on the Leopard 2 main battle tank that was developed by German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).

The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA)’s Xinjiang Military Command has taken delivery of three new advanced weapon systems – armored vehicles, howitzers and self-propelled rocket launchers – over the past week. The unit deployed in a snowy plateau region at an elevation of more than 4,500 meters inducted dozens of Type 08 eight-wheeled armored vehicles of different variants.

Watch: MQ-4C Triton drone deploy in japan by usa | Latest Military News Today World Defence Update

Textron Systems won a $15.8 million contract for a one-time mid-life upgrade engineering change proposal for the advanced boresight equipment (ABE) system to modernize and bring 100 fielded domestic and Foreign Military Sales units up to the current commercial off the shelf configuration. Additionally, this contract procures depot repair and upgrade support for the ABE currently installed on AH-1Z, AH-1W and MH-60R combat aircraft, ashore and afloat. Depot repair and upgrade support includes tear down and evaluation of ABE, as well as restoration, modification, and procurement of spare parts in support of ABE component and assembly repairs and upgrades. Work will take place in Hunt Valley, Maryland. Expected completion date is in May 2026.

Raytheon won a $9.4 million order to support the Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 life, parts, and ESSM Block 1 test equipment supplies. The ESSM is a medium-range, surface-to-air missile developed to protect warships from advanced anti-ship cruise missiles. Work will take place in California and Arizona. Estimated completion will be by September 2022. The order combines purchases for the US Navy, international consortium nation navies, and the government of Japan under the Foreign Military Sales program.

Nigeria will induct its three JF-17 fighters into service on May 20 at Airforce Base Makurdi. The three jets were delivered there in March. The base is also home to the Tactical Air Command (TAC).

Georgia’s Minister of Defense Juansher Burchuladze revealed that the country is in talks to buy mobile anti-air missile defense systems from Rafael. The negotiations are to be concluded by end of the year and the new systems will protect manoeuvring forces.

Leonardo is pitching its M-346FA as a potential replacement for Poland’s ageing fleet of Sukhoi Su-22 ‘Fitter’ aircraft, the company announced on May 14. Declaring its intention to bid its M-346FA light attack aircraft as a replacement for the Polish air force (Inspektorat Si? Powietrznych: ISP) fleet of nearly 30 Warsaw Pact-era Su-22M4 aircraft that have been in service since 1985, Leonardo noted the synergies that the ISP could reap given that it already operates the baseline M-346 Master trainer version.

The Malaysian government has decided to retain state-affiliated Boustead Naval Shipyard (BNS) as the shipbuilder for the country’s troubled Maharaja Lela (Gowind)-class Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme. The decision was made in early May by a ministerial committee that was convened to examine options for the long-delayed programme, the country’s defense minister, Ismail Sabri Yaakob, said in a statement.

Watch: M-346FA

Huntington-Ingalls Industries won a $115 million contract modification for engineering and technical support for USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79). The USS John F. Kennedy is the second Gerald R. Ford Class aircraft carrier. The ship was launched on October 29, 2019. Work will take place in Newport News, Virginia. Expected completion will be by June 2024. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

According to Defense News, the Missile Defense Agency aims to get the first one Next Generation Interceptor by 2028. It will replace the current ground-based interceptors that make up the ballistic missile defense system of the United States’ homeland, but the director of the agency expects to be able to move faster. “If you look at the timeline to get to the first emplacement in 2028,” which is the government’s schedule, “through competition, we know that date is going to come to the left,” Vice Adm. Jon Hill, said at the McAleese and Associates conference May 12.

Israel Shipyards announced that it has won a tender to supply Shaldag Mk V fast patrol boats to the navy of an East Asian country. The agreement was signed between Israel Shipyards, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, and the customer. According to Israel Shipyards, the deal includes a knowledge transfer and training regarding the construction and maintenance of the 32.65 m-long vessels, as well as an upgrade of the customer’s shipyard for this purpose.

A Litening III targeting pod on a Royal Air Force Eurofighter was damaged beyond repair after it dropped from the jet during testing. The Telegraph reported on the news, but did not mention if the accident happened in the air or on the ground. The damage was worth $847,260.

The UK signed a contract worth $1.9 billion for the purchase of 14 new Chinook aircraft over the next 10 years. According to a press release by the Royal Air Force, the helicopter can operate in a diverse range of environments, from the desert to the arctic, and transport up to 55 personnel or ten tonnes of cargo.

Exercise Arnhem Thunder 21 is taking place at RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal with the F-35A deploying to Darwin for the first time. Approximately 40 aircraft, and over 500 personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force will be participating in the largest air exercise in Australia for 2021.

Watch: Shaldag MK V FAIC with a high firepower-to-displacement ratio | Philippine Navy

Sikorsky won a $17.3 million contract modification, that adds scope to provide production system engineering and program management support in support of CH-53K aircraft low-rate initial production. The CH-53K is the United States Marine Corps’ (USMC) heavy lift replacement for the CH-53E. The CH-53K is a new-build helicopter that will expand the fleet’s ability to move more material, more rapidly throughout the area of responsibility using proven and mature technologies. Work will take place in Stratford, Connecticut and is expected to be finished in June 2022.

The US Navy issued Northrop Grumman with a prototype and risk reduction contract for the development of a sense-and-avoid (SAA) capability for the MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV. SAA is geared at enabling the Triton to operate in controlled airspace and is a focus of the next developmental increment of the co-operative development programme for the USN and RAAF.

According to Africa News, the defense ministers of Burkina Faso and neighbouring Ivory Coast said they would step up their fight against Islamists ravaging the region. A jihadist conflict in the Sahel nations of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso has left vast swathes of territory outside of state control, and thousands of people dead. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Burkina Faso and one million have fled violence since 2015, when jihadists emerged in the formerly tranquil West African nation.

According to a notice by the Ministry of Defense, it is launching a competition that aims to develop alternative future concepts for the Early Warning systems currently deployed in Maritime Task Groups. Current early warning maritime capabilities are delivered by sensors mounted aboard airborne platforms, with the current assumption for a follow-on for Crowsnest (an airborne early warning system fitted to the Merlin Mk2 helicopter) being a singular large radar sensor mounted on an uncrewed air platform. According to the notice, the Defense and Security Accelerator (DASA) “welcomes alternatives that are not based on this approach and match or exceed current airborne capabilities. We are seeking a potential successor to Crowsnest, which has a planned out-of-service date of 2029.”

Japanese ground troops joined American and French counterparts in their first three-way exercise on Japanese land, as they seek to strengthen military ties amid growing Chinese assertiveness in the region. The “ARC21” exercise started on May 11 at the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Ainoura base in Nagasaki prefecture. Japan is seeking to expand its military ties beyond its alliance with the United States to include “like-minded” countries such as France, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi told reporters.

Chengdu J-10 jets powered by indigenous engines have entered operational service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force. This represents China’s confidence in the local technology to equip the single-engine, multirole aircraft. According to Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation officials the J-10 uses a multi-mode fire-control radar designed in China. The radar has a mechanically scanned planar array antenna and is capable of tracking 10 targets.

Watch: CH 53E Super Stallion Big Helicopter in Action at Japan • Hagåtña Fury 21

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Watch: Just How Powerful is SeaRAM Missile System

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

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

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

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

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

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

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