Defense`s Feeds

Lockheed Martin won a $47.3 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure Ancillary Mission Equipment in support of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lot 17 production aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales customers, and non-US Department of Defense participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in December 2025. F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) is a stealthy, supersonic multirole fighter developed by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for the US Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and programme partners from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) and US allies. Work will take place in Texas. Estimated completion will be in December 2025.

The US Navy’s air-launched torpedo has achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after completing rigorous trials. The development was announced by American defense firm Boeing, which manufactures the anti-submarine weapon.

Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., a leader in the Israeli military and commercial homeland defense and aerospace markets, issues its consolidated financial statements for the nine and three months ended September 30, 2022. This period has turned out to be the most profitable one in the company’s history.

NATO’s Multinational MRTT Fleet (MMF) and the E-3A fleet have completed the first phase of their air-to-air refueling certification process. The campaign is led by the Royal Netherlands Air Force Test Organisation. Test pilots from the US Air Force is supporting the E-3A fleet for the testing portion.

The UK recently delivered Brimstone-2 missiles to Ukraine, The Telegraph reported, citing RAF delivery footage. The missile is an upgrade on the Brimstone-1 — supplied to the country in April/May — with more than twice the range.  The laser-guided missile can be fired from land vehicles, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The US Air Force’s 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron has commenced MQ-9 operations from Kanoya Air Base, Japan on November 21. The unmanned aircraft will be used for surveillance and reconnaissance duties in the East China Sea and other surrounding waters until November next year. An estimated 150 to 200 US military personnel will be stationed in Kanoya to provide operational support.

WATCH: Inside the $270 Million Nato’s Flying Control Tower | E-3A AWACS

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has authenticated the keel of the US Navy’s Virginia class submarine Arkansas (SSN 800). The Arkansas is the 27th fast-attack submarine of its class, being constructed as part of the navy program with General Dynamics Electric Boat. The Virginia class fleet will eventually replace the aging Los Angeles-class submarines first commissioned in 1976. The ceremony was sponsored by members of the Little Rock Nine, the first African-American students to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, during desegregation in the US.

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $99.4 million deal by the Air Force Life Cycle for Active Electronically Scanned Array radars of Air Force F-16 aircraft. This modification is for the exercise of options including 42 production radars, one initial spare kit, and two readiness spare kits. Work will take place in Maryland. Expected completion date is July 31, 2025.

Advanced Technology Systems won a $8.7 million contract modification for the Egypt Mobile Surveillance Sensor Security System Follow-on Support case expansion project. This contract provides for the acquisition of mission-critical spares, an additional training course, and continued repair and return activities to support continued Contractor Logistics Support. Work will take place in Egypt. Expected completion date is December 31, 2023.

The UK Defense and Security Accelerator (DASA) has started market exploration of innovative solutions for uncrewed anti-submarine warfare capabilities. The initiative is part of the UK Ministry of Defence Project CHARYBDIS under the Royal Navy’s Spearhead Program. Under the effort, DASA experts will identify, prototype, evaluate, and provide systems to classify, track, and report underwater vessels and submarines.

Finland’s Ministry of Defense has announced it will exercise a $137 million contract option to purchase additional K9 155mm self-propelled anti-tank howitzers for the Finnish Army. The option was approved by Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen and the country’s Finance Committee on November 17.

South Korea recently conducted an interception test of its Long-range Surface-to-Air Missile (L-SAM). The missile defense system successfully intercepted an incoming missile target during the test, which followed a flight test in February, Yonhap News Agency wrote, citing military officials.

WATCH: Finland To Buy 48 pieces of the K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers

Around 60 helicopter tactics specialists from 15 EDA participating Member States, as well as representatives of the Joint Air Power Competence Centre (JAPCC), NATO Flight Training Europe (NFTE), EU Military Staff (EUMS), United Nations (UN) Office of Military Affairs and representatives of several defence companies met recently in the Austrian Air Force Headquarters, situated in Salzburg, Austria, for the 13th Helicopter Tactics Symposium, organised under the EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP).

This annual event proved once more to be a unique occasion for European helicopter crews to discuss and share expertise and best practices related to helicopter tactics and to learn about training opportunities under the Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP) and the rest of EDA helicopter training programmes. The event was inaugurated by the Austrian Air Force Chief, Brigadier General (BG) Gerfried R. Promberger.

A central part of the symposium was devoted to drawing the tactical lessons from recent EDA helicopter exercises, such as ‘Fire Blade 22’ (held in Papa Air Base, Hungary, in June 2022). This was complemented by lectures addressing national or multinational training, operational experience, and relevant topics for helicopter operators. It included evasive training, NVG training in Switzerland, Finland preparation for helicopter operations, the development of German Air Force rotary wing capabilities, and the Italian participation in Operation TAKUBA in the Sahel.

Symposium attendees also received detailed information on helicopter tactics such as air assault/ airmobile operations and its planning cycle. Additionally, Sweden briefed on human factors in helicopter operations. Other topics concerned the EU Military Staff, the UN Planning process, ATP-49 update and the structure of the Hellenic helicopter forces.

Special attention was given to the future roles and responsibilities of the Multinational Helicopter Training Centre (MHTC) that is under construction at Sintra Air Base No 1, in Portugal. EDA is schedule to transfer all its helicopter training programmes to the center by the end of 2023.

Industry was also present during the symposium with speakers briefing on threats to helicopters, today and future, ASGARD C2 planning tool and MACE and ARMOR mission rehearsal tool.

Looking ahead, symposium participants were briefed on upcoming HEP exercises, including Hot Blade 2023 and 2024 (to be held at Beja Air Base No 11, Portugal) which will focus on helicopter Composite Air Operations (COMAO) and other planned EDA helicopter courses, such as the Helicopter Tactic Courses (HTC), the Electronic Warfare (EW) and the Composite Air Operations (COMAO) planning courses, all delivered regularly by EDA.

• Helicopter Initiatives

Today, EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, concludes an official visit to Norway where he held meetings with Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram, State Secretary for Defence, BJ Bentzen, and National Armaments Director, Morten Tiller. Norway’s participation in EDA is built on the Agency’s first and longest standing Administrative Arrangement, signed over 16 years ago. During his visit to Olso, Mr Šedivý discussed areas where EDA and Norway could further deepen defence cooperation by expanding Norway’s involvement in EDA activities.

Discussions with Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram, focused on the key areas of Norway’s current participation in EDA, which spans across the Agency’s activities, and include contribution to 35 projects. They also discussed the impact of the changed security landscape and how to make best use of the opportunities of cooperation between Norway and participating Member States in the EDA framework. In particular, they discussed the possibility for Norway to join the recently established Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI).

Mr Šedivý met Morten Tiller, National Armaments Director, to discuss EDA-Norway cooperation and the EU’s work on joint procurement. During a meeting with the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence in the Norwegian Parliament, Mr Šedivý presented EDA, its mission and highlighted the added value and mutual benefits of Norway’s active contribution in the Agency.

Mr Šedivý also held discussions with several Norwegian industry representatives on EDA’s opportunities for engagement with industry. The official visit also provided the opportunity to see several aspects of Norway’s defence ecosystem. Mr Šedivý was briefed first-hand on key innovations at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment and Innovation Centre.

“Norway has a special relationship with EDA. 16 years ago, not long after the establishment of the Agency, Norway became the first country to conclude an administrative arrangement with us. Since then, cooperation between the Norwegian Ministry of Defence and the Agency has only deepened. Today, Norway plays a very active role and contributes to 35 projects in the EDA framework, especially in Research and Technology. During my visit to Oslo, I have encouraged our Norwegian counterparts to continue deepening the cooperation that exists today, as all of Europe faces up to the challenges of tomorrow,” said EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý.

"The war in Ukraine has shown the need for more defence cooperation among European countries. Norway is already a very active partner in the European Defence Agency and I look forward to continue this cooperation in the years to come," said Norwegian Minister of Defence Bjørn Arild Gram.

EDA’s first and longest standing Administrative Arrangement

The administrative arrangement with Norway was concluded on 7 March 2006. It is EDA’s first cooperation arrangement with a third country and cooperation has grown over time with Norway, which is today the most involved third country in EDA activities. Norway participates in several capability development projects, notably on military mobility, joining EDA’s Cross Border Movement Permission programme in 2022, Counter- IED as part of the JDEAL project and in Sharing of Spare Parts having signed in May 2015. Norway also participates in all EDA Capability Technology Groups.

The US Navy awarded Adams Communication and Engineering Technology with a $37.4 million deal, which provides for non-recurring and recurring efforts required to fabricate, assemble, and support prototyping, system integration, and installation of depot modifications associated with engineering changes to H-53 aircraft for the Navy, Marine Corps and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will take place in California, Maryland, Virginia, New Jersey, Arizona, Japan, Korea and Bahrain. Expected completion will be in November 2027.

Raytheon won a $23.4 million deal for the procurement of AEGIS Modernization kits for Navy guided-missile destroyers and allied nations. The Aegis Combat System is the Navy’s most modern surface combat system. It was designed as a complete system: the missile launching element, the computer programs, the radar and the displays are fully integrated to work together. Work will take place in Massachusetts and Virginia. Estimated completion will be by March 2026.

Turkey announced on Sunday it had carried out air strikes against the bases of outlawed Kurdish militants across northern Syria and Iraq, which it said were being used to launch “terrorist” attacks on Turkish soil. The overnight raids in northern and northeastern Syria killed at least 31 people, said the British-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They were mainly against positions held by Syrian Kurdish forces.

France and Germany on Friday hailed the conclusion of a deal to build a new European fighter jet after months of disagreements between two companies involved — Airbus and Dassault Aviation. Launched by France and Germany in 2017 and since joined by Spain, the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) aims to have a next-generation jet in service by 2040, along with integrated drone fleets.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force has selected the Lockheed Martin TPY-4 as its new early warning radar. Norway becomes the first export customer of the radar, joining the US Air Force which has selected the TPY-4 for the Three Dimensional Expeditionary Long Range Radar program in March.

Asahi news in Japan reports that Tokyo will finalize an agreement with Italy and United Kingdom to develop its next fighter. The report says Avio Aero from Italy will be involved in researching for a new engine for the F-X fighter together with Mitsubishi and Rolls-Royce.

WATCH: THAAD: FCAS / SCAF : The Future European Jet ?

General Atomics won a $46.9 million contract modification by the US Navy, which exercises an option to provide spares necessary for the successful operational capability of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper air vehicles, ground control stations, and ancillary equipment. Work will take place in California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Virginia, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina.

The US Navy awarded Sikorsky a $14.1 million modification, which exercises an option to provide non-recurring engineering, supplies and support necessary for the low rate initial production Lot 1 deployable configuration updates for the CH-53K heavy lift replacement aircraft for the Navy. Work will take place in Florida. Expected completion is in December 2023.

Israeli defense firm Elbit Systems has received a $72-million contract to supply an undisclosed international customer with Hermes 900 unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Under the two-year agreement, Elbit will deliver Hermes 900 drones equipped with the company’s electro-optical system, including a wide area persistent surveillance system, multi-spectral electro-optical payload, satellite communication, and signal intelligence payloads.

The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Switzerland of PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC) 3 Missile Segment Enhanced (MSE) missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $700 million. The proposed sale of the PAC-3 MSE missiles will enhance the capability of Switzerland’s PATRIOT missile defense system. The proposed sale supports Switzerland’s goal of improving national and territorial defense as well as interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. Switzerland will use the PATRIOT system and missiles to defend its territorial integrity and for regional stability. The prime contractor will be Lockheed-Martin, Dallas, Texas.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Thursday that an offer to cooperate with Australia on submarines still stood, after a bitter row over a cancelled contract last year threatened to torpedo relations. Macron was left furious when Australia’s previous prime minister Scott Morrison abruptly tore up a contract for France to build a dozen diesel-powered submarines and announced a deal to buy US or British nuclear-powered subs.

The New Zealand government has enhanced its defense commitments to Ukraine, boosting military equipment funding and extending training for Ukrainian warfighters. Prime Minister Jacina Ardern on Monday announced an undisclosed amount of additional military support to improve Ukraine’s self defense nine months into Russia’s invasion.

WATCH: Elbit Systems / HERMES 900 – Next Gen Multi-Role MALE UAS

Sikorsky won a $98.9 million deal for UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft. UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission helicopter developed by Sikorsky that has been operational in the US Army since 1978. The export version of the UH-60 Black Hawk is designated as S-70A. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2027.

The US Navy is seeking proposals to build a low-cost unmanned vessel capable of towing and launching many unmanned vessels into contested environments. A design and construction contract could be awarded by mid-2026, with expected vessel delivery beginning within two years.

The Israeli government is asking local defense manufacturers to design and produce longer-range, more stealthy armed drones for use against Iran. Defense sources told Breaking Defense that the new unmanned systems would provide the country with more attack options in the event of a conflict with its arch-foe.

Sweden will deliver new military aid worth $287 million to Ukraine. “It’s a bigger military support package than all eight previous packages combined,” Kristersson told a news conference. “It’s the single largest we’ve done, and we follow exactly the Ukrainian priority list of what they themselves think they need just now,” the Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said at a press conference. Kristersson also noted the government was closely following developments concerning the explosion in Poland near the Ukrainian border on Tuesday and that more information was needed to gain a clearer picture of what happened. On Tuesday an explosion in the eastern part of Poland, close to the Ukrainian boarder, led to an emergency meeting of the NATO ambassadors. It is still unclear wether the explosion came from Russian missile. NARO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg however said on Wednesday that the explosion was most likely caused by a Ukrainian air defense missile.

The armaments group Rheinmetall has set itself higher financial targets for the medium term because of the armament in many NATO countries. In 2025, the Düsseldorf group wants to achieve sales of between 10 and 11 billion euros, as it announced on Wednesday at an investor event in Vienna. The operating profit margin, which Rheinmetall uses to measure its profitability, is expected to increase to around 13 percent.

Rheinmetall AG will soon dispatch main battle tanks and other military hardware to Slovakia, a move that will allow the country to transfer equipment to Ukraine as NATO continues to support Kyiv in its fight against Russian forces. The German defense company said Wednesday that it would be sending 15 Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and ammunition to Slovakia as well as a service package including training and spare parts. The first vehicle is expected to be shipped in December and the company aims to complete deliveries by the end of 2023. The vehicles that Rheinmetall will be providing were formerly in the inventories of various states, the company said.

Taiwan has introduced its new single-rotor drone for surveillance and reconnaissance missions. The unmanned system was unveiled by the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCIST) during a demonstration conducted on Tuesday. According to local media outlets, the drone features a larger payload capacity than other unmanned aerial vehicles in Taiwan’s arsenal.

WATCH: US intelligence believes Ukraine fired missile that landed in Poland

BAE Systems Land & Armaments won a $32 million contract modification, for M2A4 and M7A4 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of August 23, 2023. M2A4 is designed to provide protected transport of soldiers and direct fires to support dismounted infantry, disrupt or destroy enemy military forces, and control land areas. The Bradley Engineering Change Proposal (ECP), termed M2/M7A4, includes changes intended to restore ground clearance, suspension reliability, and lost mobility, and to improve situational awareness. The M2/M7A4 maintains the survivability enhancement features found on legacy vehicles, to include the Bradley Urban Survivability Kits, Bradley Reactive Armor Tiles, and Add-on Armor Kit that the Army developed and fielded based on lessons learned during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Huntington Ingalls Industries won a $36 million modification for work previously authorized and completed, related to the various warfare system installations and testing necessary to support the completed construction for USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78). USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) is the lead ship of her class of. The Gerald R. Ford class is a class of nuclear powered aircraft carriers. Work is already completed and took place in Virginia.

Spain has once again extended the deployment period of a Patriot air defense missile unit in Turkey. This time, the soldiers and their equipment will remain till June 2023. Deployed in Adana, the Spanish Patriot unit has been stationed there since 2015. Taking over from the Netherlands, which arrived in January 2013 to protect Turkey from possible attacks by Syria.

Iran unveiled the longer-range Sayyad 4B surface-to-air missile for its Bavar-373 air defense system earlier this month. The latest in the Sayyad series of solid-fuel missiles struck a target at 300 kilometers (186.41 miles) in an October test, an increase of 100 kilometers (62 miles) over earlier versions, state-backed Tasnim News reported.

Germany and Spain are planning to train thousands of Ukrainian troops under an EU program to help bolster Kyiv’s fightback against Russia, officials said Tuesday. Their assistance adds to announcements already given by other EU countries that they will train Ukrainian soldiers on their territories.

South Korea has embarked on a new $38-million project to upgrade its K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers. The country’s Agency for Defense Development will reportedly invest in a super long-range cannon to double the shooting range of the weapon system. The upgrade comes amid rising demand for increased shooting range due to increased artillery threat from North Korea and the rising capabilities of rival products.

WATCH: Iran’s New Air Defense Missile – Sayyad 4B

Today, Defence Ministers were presented with the results and recommendations of the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), the EU defence review. It finds that increases in defence spending following Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine represent both an opportunity and challenge for European defence. Today’s CARD Report also shows that the announced additional funds may fill long-standing capability gaps. CARD has identified a likely recovery point in 2023, when Member States can move past the underinvestment in defence following the 2008 financial crisis. However, spending in isolation and leaning towards non-EU suppliers risk increasing fragmentation and undermine broader efforts to deliver capable and coherent European armed forces. It also finds that defence planning continues to be done mostly in isolation and that Member States remain unconvinced by European cooperation projects.

Today, during the European Defence Agency (EDA) Steering Board, Ministers of Defence were presented with the 2022 CARD Report developed in close coordination with the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the EU Military Staff (EUMS) over the past year.

Head of the Agency, High Representative/Vice-President, Josep Borrell said: “The message from CARD is clear. We cannot just spend our way out of the mistakes made following the financial crisis. Defence cooperation coupled with increased spending is the only way to ensure Europe has capable and ready armed forces, able to respond to any crisis. With CARD, we have a unique overview of all 26 EDA Member States’ national defence planning and capability development efforts. Member States now know where and with whom they can invest and develop military capabilities together. We must move past recovery and, with war back in Europe, move towards winning the future by building a true European defence.”

The CARD report offers Ministers of Defence key strategic and political messages, actionable recommendations and options to generate collaborative projects.

• Repairing the past through increased defence expenditure: CARD recommends that the increase in defence spending is used to meet urgent defence needs and close identified capability gaps.
• Prepare today by planning for 2040: CARD recommends that, in accordance with the Strategic Compass’ vision, Member States elaborate a common long-term capability outlook for the EU defence landscape - envisaging how it shall be shaped by 2040 - with greater support for adopting an EU approach for cooperative capability planning.
• Win the future with a capable and coherent European defence: CARD recommends taking forward CARD collaborative opportunities through projects in PESCO, the European Defence Fund or other frameworks. It also proposes concrete projects, e.g. for cyber operations or interoperable tactical command and information systems, and expresses the need to cover critical gaps including enablers, such as strategic air transport, maritime power projection and high-end air defence systems.

EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý said: “Without having a robust portfolio of high-end military capabilities for a wide spectrum of operations – including high intensity – the EU will not become a credible security provider. CARD has a crucial role to play by informing national policy makers, planners, and armament staff of concrete collaborative opportunities to that end. At EU level we must now work to shift the balance and make cooperation the norm. The progress on cooperation projects since our 2020 report has been limited, renewed cooperation on next-generation capabilities is essential to meet future needs.”

Defence expenditure grew significantly to €214 billion in 2021 (up 6% compared to 2020) and is estimated to grow further by up to €70 billion by 2025. CARD finds that if announced defence spending increases are followed through, Member States will possibly have recovered in 2023 from the underspend of the financial crisis and can give greater focus to future defence needs.

CARD identifies a clear risk from isolated defence spending in the medium to long term. This risk seems further substantiated if Member States favour individual, non-EU off-the-shelf procurements over longer-term investments.  

The report finds that defence cooperation remains the exception rather than the norm. CARD finds that Member States implement their plans to a large extent at national level, with only 18% of all investment in defence programmes conducted in cooperation with other EU countries. However, some collaborative opportunities identified in the 2020 CARD cycle have led to PESCO projects. CARD concludes that Member States mainly seek cooperative solutions for projects when they coincide with national plans, benefit national industry, or consolidate a strategic partnership.

Many Member States regard European collaborative approaches as more time consuming and complex, and often opt for national solutions or non-EU suppliers. Cooperation primarily takes place among neighbouring states in existing cooperation frameworks, while broader European collaborative approaches are usually not the preferred choice. CARD finds that the main impediments to cooperation stem from the complexity of legislation, pressing timelines and budget availability as well as the allocation and retention of the right experts, making full engagement with the EU defence initiatives difficult for many Member States.

To overcome the lack of coherence in the EU defence landscape, CARD finds the need for a common long-term capability outlook, built upon the common strategic vision provided by the Strategic Compass. EU defence initiatives must be further embedded into national defence planning and policy documents. Based on the most promising of the identified collaborative opportunities, six ‘focus areas’ were selected for their high potential to boost the EU's and its Member States’ operational performance. The six areas should be further developed to better reflect high intensity requirements and preserve industrial know-how.

Notes for editors

1. CARD Report including its executive summary is available here 
2. CARD Results Factsheet
3. CARD Webpage

European Union Ministers of Defence approved on Tuesday a significant European Defence Agency (EDA) budget increase for 2023, reflecting the Union’s higher level of ambition and a tangible reinforcement of the Agency in support of growing national defence efforts. The decision was taken at the EDA ministerial Steering Board in Brussels, under the chairmanship of the Head of the Agency Josep Borrell. Ministers also considered the main findings of the EU’s defence review, the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD). In the margins of the meeting, Defence Ministers signed a new EDA programme, the Military Computer Emergency Response Team Operational Network (MICNET). 

The EDA budget for 2023 will rise 15% to € 43.5 million, compared to 2022, following approval by Defence Ministers at the Steering Board. After several years of zero net growth budget, the increase will help enhancing domain expertise on land, in the air, at sea, in space, and in cyber.  

Crucially, the operational budget from which EDA directly finances cooperative defence projects will rise 47% next year. An important part of the increased budget is set to be invested by EDA in innovation through the Agency’s Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI). This rise also cements EDA’s role as the EU’s main forum for defence cooperation, in full support of national strategies 

At the Steering Board, Defence Ministers also adopted EDA’s planning framework for 2023-2025, which provides an overview of the nature, scope and expected impact of EDA’s activities in support of Member States in the years to come.  

Ministers focused on the findings and recommendations of the 2022 CARD report, the EU’s defence biannual review that aims to better align Member States’ defence efforts and identify areas where they can cooperate. Together with the EU Military Staff, EDA has provided a picture of the existing defence capability landscape. 

As defence spending rises again across the EU, CARD has a central role to play by pointing the way towards projects in the Permanent Enhanced Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the European Defence Fund or other frameworks. 

EDA Chief Executive Jiří Šedivý said the rise in national expenditure was both an opportunity and challenge for European defence. He urged Member States to work together.  

“Without having a robust portfolio of high-end military capabilities for a wide spectrum of operations, the EU will not become a credible security provider.  Spending in isolation and leaning towards non-EU suppliers risk increasing fragmentation and undermine broader efforts to deliver capable and coherent European armed forces,” Chief Executive Šedivý said. 

The goal, he said, is to prepare today by planning for 2040. Once the investment shortfalls of the past have been compensated for, Member States should work on a common, long-term capability outlook for the EU defence landscape with a greater emphasis on an EU approach for cooperative capability planning. 

In the margins of the Steering Board, Defence Ministers signed the new EDA programme for the Military Computer Emergency Response Team Operational Network (MICNET). The establishment of this operational network of national response teams, known as milCERTs, is a substantial step towards enhancing the level of cooperation in the cyber domain at EU level.  

Eighteen countries will join this new EDA programme, which aims to foster the exchange of information at a time when computer networks are increasingly contested and the number of cyber-attacks against the EU and its Member States continues to grow. MICNET will be managed by EDA and will also be the first outcome of the new Joint Communication on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence from head of Agency Borrell in his role as High Representative/Commission Vice-President, presented earlier in November.   

BAE Systems has finished a successful test of its APKWS laser-guidance kits, showcasing the weapon’s versatility and accuracy in engaging a broad set of targets. The rockets went “three on three against fortified targets,” firing direct shots and defeating well-armored targets such as a steel plate and an armored military vehicle. “We’re giving our customers more in-mission options for precision strikes against tougher targets,” BAE program manager Sam Kirsh said.

The US Air Force has contracted Northrop Grumman to outfit two more E-11A Bombardier business jets with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system. The service already operates three such aircraft, facilitating “secure” data collection for a range of missions, including “airdrops, close air support operations, humanitarian assistance, and personnel recovery,” Northrop explained in a statement.

The Royal Bahrain Air Force (RBAF) will receive its first Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 jet fighters by the first half of 2024, according to a Breaking Defense report, citing an air force official. The delivery, part of a $1.1-billion contract signed in 2018, was originally scheduled to begin between mid-2022 and late 2023.

Elbit Systems has been awarded a follow-on contract worth $19.9 million to produce and deliver additional night vision goggles (NGVs) to the British Army. As part of the agreement, the company will supply the lightweight micro binocular XACT nv33 NVGs in a helmet-mounted configuration.

South Korea’s National Assembly has added nearly $200 million to the defense budget proposal due to an increase in number of missile launches from North Korea. A total of $4.17 billion will now go towards the domestic “three-axis” defense system. The three are: Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR), the Kill Chain pre-emptive strike platform and the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD) system.

Collins Aerospace will supply seven additional shipsets to the Chinese Harbin Aircraft Industries Corporation’s (HAIG) AC312 series helicopter fleet. The American firm’s delivery of its latest helicopter cockpit display system, communication, navigation, and surveillance equipment is expected to bolster the aircraft’s situational awareness and safety.

WATCH: F-16 Fighter Jet Demo Next to Bahrain – Sakhir F1 Circuit

The X-37B has landed at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility on November 12 after spending 908 days in space. Orbital Test Vehicle-6 (OTV-6) was installed with a service module-a ring for the first time and the module detached from the OTV before landing.

An F-15C assigned to the 144th Fighter Wing was forced to make an emergency landing at Fresno Yosemite International Airport after the fighter started venting fuel in flight. The incident took place on the morning of November 10 and the fighter wing says the incident poses no hazard to the public.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has unveiled a compact, lightweight electronic support measures system, deployable on a range of ground, sea, and air platforms. An unnamed customer has placed the first order for tens of the system, named TacSense, the Israeli defense technology firm revealed. The system’s small size allows discreet installation on ground-based military assets, while individual ground soldiers can carry the manpack version easily, even in challenging terrain.

Airbus A400M MSN4 has been retired at Bremen after flying for 12 years and more than 2,000 flight hours. During this period, the transport aircraft was instrumental in the development A400M program, participating in tests to develop new capabilities such as air-to-air refueling. It served as a tanker and a receiver.

Lockheed Martin won an $11.5 million contract modification, which exercises an option to extend services to provide ongoing sustainment services and outcomes, to include supporting daily flight operations with the Freedom of Action specific capabilities required at various F-35 operating sites for the government of the United Kingdom. Work will take place in Fort Worth, Texas. Expected completion date will be in March 2023.

India’s last Rafale fighter that is still in France will return home to India around December 15. It has been in France as a platform for developing India-specific enhancements. The Rafale is a 4.5-generation aircraft and has helped India regain its supremacy over Indian sub-constituent skies with long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles along with advanced radar and electronic warfare capabilities.

WATCH: Meet The X-37B: NASA’s Most Extreme Aircraft

AeroVironment won an $86.4 million deal for the RQ-20B All Environment 3 and the Long Endurance Puma unmanned aircraft systems. RQ-20B is a block 2 upgrade of the Pointer Upgraded Mission Ability-All Environment (Puma AE) small unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed and built by AeroVironment. Work will take place in California. Estimated completion date ist September 29, 2023.

The 40th Flight Test Squadron has taken delivery of the first of two government-owned Kratos XQ?58A unmanned aircraft. The Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation team will take use the aircraft for developmental ground and flight testing. The first flight is scheduled later this month. The XQ-58A Valkyrie is a low cost, high performance unmanned air vehicle developed through an Air Force Research Laboratory partnership with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc.

The US State Department has approved the potential sale of Joint Stand Off Weapons (JSOW) and related equipment to Oman for an estimated cost of $385 million, the Defense Department said on Wednesday. The principal contractor will be Raytheon Missiles and Defense Company of Tucson, Arizona, the Pentagon said.

The US State Department has greenlighted the foreign military sale of AIM-120C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAMs) to Belgium. Belgium requested the $380 million deal to arm its F-16 Fighting Falcons and future F-35 Lightning II fleet. According to the US Defense Security Agency (DCSA), the approval allows Belgium to buy up to 120 AIM-120C-8 AMRAAMs and 10 C-8 Guidance Sections.

The US State Department has approved a potential sale of M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and related equipment to Lithuania for an estimated $495 million. The principal contractor was listed as Lockheed Martin Corp. The proposed sale is expected to help the nation update its armed forces to fight regional threats.

Indian defense firm Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited has received a $155.5-million order from a “friendly” nation to supply 155-millimeter artillery guns. The company has not revealed the name of its latest foreign client but said that the customer is from a “non-conflict zone.” Kalyani also has not specified how many weapon systems it would provide.

WATCH: Kalyani Defence manufacturing capabilities

Today, the Commission and the High Representative put forward a Joint Communication on an EU Cyber Defence policy and an Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0 to address the deteriorating security environment following Russia's aggression against Ukraine and to boost the EU's capacity to protect its citizens and infrastructure.

With its new cyber defence policy, the EU will enhance cooperation and investments in cyber defence to better protect, detect, deter, and defend against a growing number of cyber-attacks.

Cyberspace has no borders. Recent cyber-attacks on energy networks, transport infrastructure and space assets show the risks that they pose to both civilian and military actors. This calls for more action to protect citizens, armed forces, as well as the EU's civilian and military missions and operations, against cyber threats.

The EU Policy on Cyber Defence aims to boost EU cyber defence capabilities and strengthen coordination and cooperation between the military and civilian cyber communities (civilian, law enforcement, diplomatic and defence). It will enhance efficient cyber crisis management within the EU and help reduce our strategic dependencies in critical cyber technologies, while strengthening the European Defence Technological Industrial Base (EDTIB). It will also stimulate training, attracting, and retaining cyber talents and step up cooperation with our partners in the field of cyber defence.

The EU Policy on Cyber Defence is built around four pillars that cover a wide range of initiatives that will help the EU and Member States:

• Act together for a stronger EU cyber defence: The EU will reinforce its coordination mechanisms among national and EU cyber defence players, to increase information exchange and cooperation between military and civilian cybersecurity communities, and further support military CSDP missions and operations.
• Secure the EU defence ecosystem: Even non-critical software components can be used to carry out cyber-attacks on companies or governments, including in the defence sector. This calls for further work on cybersecurity standardisation and certification to secure both military and civilian domains.
• Invest in cyber defence capabilities: Member States need to significantly increase investments in modern military cyber defence capabilities in a collaborative manner, using the cooperation platforms and funding mechanisms available at the EU level, such as PESCO, the European Defence Fund, as well as Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Programme.

• Partner to address common challenges: Building on existing security and defence as well as cyber dialogues with partner countries, the EU will seek to set up tailored partnerships in the area of cyber defence.

The Commission and the High Representative, including in his capacity as Head of the European Defence Agency (EDA), will present an annual report to the Council of the EU to monitor and assess the progress of the implementation of the actions in the Joint Communication on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence. Member States are encouraged to contribute with their inputs on the progress of the implementation measures taking place in national or in cooperation formats. An implementation plan could be set up in cooperation with Member States.

Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, said: "The EU Policy on Cyber Defence shows that by bringing our civilian and military instruments together we can make a stronger impact against cyber threats."

High Representative Josep Borrell said: "Cyber is the new domain in warfare. To be up to the challenges and threats ahead of us, we need modern and interoperable European armed forces equipped with latest cyber defence capabilities. The new EU Policy on Cyber Defence will increase cooperation among the EU's cyber defence actors and develop mechanisms to use capabilities at the EU level, including in the context of CSDP missions and operations. By doing so, we will step up our ability to prevent, detect, deter and defend against cyber-attacks, as called for by the Strategic Compass."

Vice-President for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said: "Cyber- attacks are often part of wider hybrid campaign, cross-border in nature and may have an impact on civil and defence systems and infrastructure. Significant cybersecurity incidents can be too disruptive for a single or several affected Member States to handle alone. The EU must become a stronger and more credible security provider, including in cyberspace. We are facing more hybrid attacks, therefore better cooperation between civil, security and defence communities, improves our ability to act together and ensure the EU security.

Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said: "The return of a high- intensity conflict obliges us to review our approach to Europe's security. It is time to enhance our cooperation on cyber defence to protect, detect, defend, and deter. With a wide array of new initiatives on cybersecurity, we want to boost relentlessly our cyber defence capabilities and strengthen cooperation between cybersecurity communities. A stronger EU security is the foundation of our EU technological sovereignty."

The 2020 EU Cybersecurity Strategy highlighted the need for a review of the EU's cyber defence policy framework. Furthermore, President von der Leyen called for the development of a European Cyber Defence Policy in her 2021 State of the Union address. This is also an ambition of the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence approved by the Council in March this year. In May, in the Council conclusions on the development of the European Union's cyber posture, Member States invited the High Representative together with the Commission to table an ambitious proposal for an EU Cyber Defence Policy in 2022.

Together with the Security and Defence package, the Commission is also publishing today the first progress report on the Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence, and space industries, available here.

• Joint Communication on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence Factsheet on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence
• EU's Cybersecurity Strategy for the Digital Decade Factsheet on the new EU Cybersecurity Strategy 2021 State of the Union address
• Strategic Compass for Security and Defence
• Council conclusions on the development of the European Union's cyber posture Joint Communication on defence investment gaps
• Proposal for a Cyber Resilience Act
• Factsheet on Cybersecurity: EU External Action
• Cyber defence activities of the European Defence Agency European Security Union
• More on Cybersecurity More on the NIS Directive

Today, the Commission and the High Representative put forward an Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0 and a Joint Communication on an EU cyber defence policy to address the deteriorating security environment following Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and to boost the EU’s capacity to protect its citizens and infrastructure.

In particular, the Action Plan on Military Mobility will help European armed forces to respond better, more rapidly and at sufficient scale to crises erupting at the EU’s external borders and beyond. It will bolster the EU’s ability to support Member States and partners as regards transport of troops and their equipment. It works towards better connected and protected infrastructure, while streamlining regulatory issues. It will reinforce cooperation with NATO and promote connectivity and dialogue with key partners.

Building on the achievements of the first Action Plan launched in 2018, the new Military Mobility covers the period 2022-2026 and includes:

• Identification of possible gaps in the infrastructure, informing future actions to prioritise improvements and integrate fuel supply chain requirements, to support short-notice large-scale movements of military forces;
• Digitalisation of administrative processes related to customs logistics and military mobility systems;
• Measures to protect transport infrastructure from cyber-attacks and other hybrid threats;
• Development of military strategic lift capabilities to enhance the mobility of the armed forces by air and sea;
• Enhancing the energy efficiency and climate resilience of transport systems;
• Reinforcing cooperation with NATO and key strategic partners, such as the US, Canada and Norway, while promoting connectivity and dialogue with regional partners and enlargement countries, such as Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.

To ensure a well-connected, capable and secure military mobility network, the European Commission is supporting the Action Plan with funding instruments such as the Connecting Europe Facility (funding dual-use transport infrastructure projects), and the European Defence Fund (supporting the development of interoperable logistical and digital systems).

The first Action Plan on Military Mobility was launched in 2018 to strengthen the EU Common Security and Defence Policy. It aimed to ensure swift and seamless movement of military personnel, materiel and assets – including at short notice and at large scale – within and beyond the EU. It helped to create a well-connected network, with shorter reaction times and capable, secure and resilient transport infrastructure and capabilities. The new Action Plan on Military Mobility responds to the call in the Strategic Compass to enhance the military mobility of our armed forces within and beyond the Union following Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. This urgent need was also reflected in the Joint Communication on defence investment gaps adopted in June 2022.

Military Mobility is supported through other defence initiatives, notably through the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Military Mobility project and Logistical Hubs project. The European Defence Agency’s programme on “Optimising Cross-Border Movement Permission procedures in Europe” and the Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD) also contribute to the effort.

Together with the Security and Defence package, the Commission is also publishing today the first progress report on the Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence, and space industries, available here.

Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager said: “With these two initiatives the Commission is today stepping up its contribution to Europe’s defence. We have to be more attentive and aware of the defence dimension of our infrastructure and networks, and today we lay out how the EU’s instruments and policies can make the difference in ensuring we are better prepared and able to react better to external threats.”

High Representative and Vice President Josep Borrell said: “One of the main lessons from the delivery of weapons and military equipment to Ukraine to fight Russia’s invasion is that every second matters. Fast military mobility is crucial to respond to crises emerging at our borders and beyond. Much has been done to date, but the Strategic Compass has set higher ambitions and we are delivering. With this new Action Plan on Military Mobility, we will address existing bottlenecks to allow for swift and efficient movement of our armed forces. We will ensure that our armed forces have access to strategic lift capabilities and that infrastructure is better protected from cyber and other hybrid threats. And we will do this with our partners, including NATO.”

Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton said: “The crisis in Ukraine has shown the vital importance of ensuring swift military assistance. The Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0 will strongly contribute to the ability of our Armed Forces to quickly respond to crises at the EU’s external borders and beyond. With a budget of 9 million Euro under the European Defence Fund, we are co-funding a consortium of companies from nine EU Member States plus Norway for the development of a digital system for a quick and secure information exchange related to Military Mobility. We will continue to work on the digitalization of administrative processes, under the European Defence Fund, to substantially enhance Military Mobility.”

Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean said: “Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine has confirmed that we need to continue improving the capacity of transport infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and rail tracks, allowing our armed forces and their equipment to move around the EU with ease. With a budget of 1.69 billion euro for 2021-2027, we are already co-funding dual-use transport infrastructure projects through

our Connecting Europe Facility. Under the new Action Plan we will assess the extent to which today’s physical transport infrastructure meets military requirements, and what the current gaps are. The findings will help us to prioritise infrastructure for development, and allocate funding at EU level appropriately.”

• Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0
• Military Mobility | EEAS Website Factsheet on Military Mobility
• Strategic Compass
• Third Joint Report on the implementation of the Action Plan on Military Mobility
• First progress report on the implementation of the Action plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries

The Department of Defense (DoD) has launched a multi-party project to ramp up its hypersonic weapons testing capacity. The Multi-Service Advanced Capability Hypersonics Test Bed (MACH-TB) project will develop an affordable ground and flight test bed that leverages “commercially-available launch vehicles for hypersonic payloads,” contractor Dynetics said.

The US Air Force has completed a series of ground and flight acoustic tests for its F-15EX fighter aircraft at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. The trial was the first for the air force’s F-15 with the GE-129 engine. Test administrators aimed to establish a baseline of sound data to update the information on noise level predictions and models where the aircraft will be deployed.

EDGE Group subsidiary Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB) has unveiled the largest military boat it has produced to date: a 51-meter (167-foot) offshore patrol vessel. Called the 510 OPV, the ship was introduced at the Indo Defense Expo & Forum 2022 in Jakarta.

British and Estonian officials have inked a road map for beefing up their military ties that will boost the remaining UK contingent in the Baltic nation with short-range air defense weapons and multiple-launch rocket systems, the two governments announced Tuesday. The agreement, signed in London by British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace and his Estonian counterpart, Hanno Pevkur, aims to implement NATO plans approved in Madrid, Spain, over the summer for hardening the alliance’s eastern front.

The Indonesian Air Force has sent a contingent of pilots and engineers to France to learn how to operate the Rafale. Six pilots and eight engineers are currently there, Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo disclosed. In February, Defense Minister Prabowo Sugianto had signed a cooperation contract for the purchase of six French-made 4.5-generation Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft.

The Nikkei has reported that Tokyo is giving consideration into the export of used armored vehicles and missiles from its Self-Defense Force to other nations. The report said these weapons will be transferred free of charge to Asian countries. The change in policy could be indicated in the National Security Strategy that is being published by end of this year. The Nikkei says once this new policy is accepted, it will be put into practice next year.

WATCH: Why US is Testing This Mysterious Super Advanced Hypersonic Drone Aircraft

Underwater robots, such as autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), have the potential to take over lengthy and labour-intensive missions in dangerous areas from navy ship crews and special forces. As a result, the role of mobile unmanned platforms in military scenarios is becoming more and more important. But their integration into the network of surface ships, submarines, sensor nodes and surface gateway buoys is crucial. 

This requires underwater acoustic networks, as well as the capability to adapt autonomously to communication conditions, for example by switching between frequency bands and data rates, so that network assets stay connected for extensive operation times without recovery and redeployment.

A four-year EDA project known as SALSA, funded by five EDA Member States, developed a smart adaptive protocol stack for the development of flexible and self-configurable underwater acoustic networks. Launched on 30 October 2018, the final meeting took place on 25-27 October 2022. This meeting was used to reflect upon the technical achievements gained within the project, regarding the requirements set in an early stage. 

Also, strategic decisions were taken on what technical results were fit to be published in an open standard.

The Netherlands was the lead nation in the project, working with Germany, Norway, Sweden and Finland. The project involved a consortium of industries and research establishments from these five Member States. In this regard, the main objectives defined for this project were linked to the development and standardisation of a protocol stack for self-configurable underwater acoustic networks that autonomously adapt to changing environmental conditions and operational needs.

Under the SALSA project, work has been carried out at the two levels of the physical and the network layer. 

At the physical layer, where bits are converted into sound and vice versa, the JANUS underwater communications standard (STANAG 4748/ANEP-87) was applied for first contact, after which the more robust and flexible frequency repetition spread spectrum (FRSS) modulation was employed to enable the required heavy-duty communication in the military scenario at hand. In addition, at the network layer, the versatile gossiping in underwater mobile ad-hoc networks (GUWMANET) routing protocol was employed with the accompanying application-layer protocol generic underwater application language (GUWAL). The decisions for adaptations, and their synchronization within the network to maintain interoperability, were controlled by an adaptivity module inside the network layer.

During the implementation of the project, a successful demonstration was performed of self-configurable underwater acoustic networks in military scenarios using up to 20 network nodes.

Based on the results provided, the navies of the five EDA Member States, supported by their national research establishments, have the intention to submit a proposal for a NATO Standardisation Agreement. The consortium is still seeking for the best approach to initiate the NATO standardisation process; whether it should be extension of a current standard or a new standard, and how to keep all partners involved given that the EDA-SALSA project has been now closed.

The SALSA consortium hopes to engage in discussions on new use cases or the needs of potential clients for their adaptive underwater communication protocols. These aspects underline the high level of ambition to continue international collaboration on underwater communications as over the years a full workbench has been developed within this consortium.

Northrop Grumman Systems won an $9 million deal for the manufacture of initiating propellant used on the MK48 heavyweight torpedo. This contract includes a three-year ordering period with no options. All work will be performed in Elkton, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by November 2025. Weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $2,203,980 will be issued for delivery order N00104-22-F-ZN01 that will be awarded concurrently with the contract and funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In July 2017, Northrop was awarded a $50.1 million contract to manufacture 45 torpedo transducer array and nose shell assemblies for the heavyweight torpedo.

A US Air Force T-38 assigned to Columbus Air Force Base crashed out of the airfield around 1 pm local time on November 7. The pilot ejected safely after the aircraft suffered an in-flight emergency. The T-38 Talon is a twinjet supersonic jet trainer produced by American aerospace and defence company Northrop Grumman.

The Turkish government’s defense industrial-policy office, the Defense Industries Presidency SSB, has unveiled the MIR, an unmanned naval vehicle designed to fight submarines from the surface. Ismail Demir, head of SSB, told the press that the MIR will come in three features. It can be used autonomously, in a remote control operations or manned with a crew.

The UK Royal Air Force’s first Wedgetail E-7A airborne early warning and control aircraft has received a multi-role electronically scanned array (MESA) sensor. Developed by Northrop Grumman, the MESA system will enable the E-7A to monitor its surroundings over 360 degrees in flight. The sensor will assist airmen in detecting, identifying, and tracking targets at longer ranges while maintaining continuous surveillance in an operational area.

The Polish Army has ordered 11 more Wolverine armored personnel carriers for $30.8 million, with delivery expected between 2024 and 2025. In 2018, the Polish Armed Forces received 33 Wolverine vehicles following a June 2014 deal valued at $50 million. The 8.3-meter (27 feet) Wolverine is equipped with a remote-controlled armament module and a 7.62-meter (25 feet) machine gun allowing for enhanced observation and self-defense capabilities.

Collins Aerospace and PT Dirgantra Indonesia (PTDI) have signed an agreement to support the Indonesian Air Force’s C-130 Hercules with a new digital cockpit. As part of the air force’s Phase 2 rollout plan, Collins will supply 11 C-130s with its Flight 2 Integrated Avionics System, which includes the latest AOS-7000 digital auto-pilot system. The system offers the military transport aircraft “the most cost-effective and lowest-risk communications, navigation and surveillance systems for air traffic management (CNS/ATM) upgrade solution,” according to Collins.

Naval Group and PT PAL Indonesia inked a memorandum of understanding to develop an energy research laboratory for submarines and propulsion solutions at the Indo Defence 2022 Expo and Forum in Jakarta. The joint research and development will involve potential submarine energy storage, such as embedded electrical networks, next-generation Li-Ion batteries, and hydrogen cells.

WATCH: USAF Aircraft Type and Size Comparison 3D

Bell Textron Inc. has delivered the 189th and final AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter for the US Marine Corps at Amarillo Assembly Center in Texas, concluding the Program of Record for the latest H-1 platforms. With the delivery of 160 UH-1Y Venom choppers in 2018, the marine corps now has 349 H-1s in service. The Bell AH-1Z Viper was developed to replace the older two-bladed AH-1W Super Cobra. Meanwhile, the UH-1Y replaced the UH-1N Twin Huey constructed specifically for the US Army.

The US Navy is developing a torpedo-tube launch and recovery system for nuclear attack submarine-launched underwater drones. Submarines currently require a dry deck shelter and divers to recover a medium-sized unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), limiting the vehicle’s capacity. “The Medium UUV can go on any one of our submarines. That is a priority for us. We have no problem launching UUVs. That’s easy. The recovery part has been the critical aspect,” USNI News quoted Submarine Force commander Vice Adm. Bill Houston as saying.

Israel-based Gadfin Aero-Logistics Systems has secured a contract with Israel’s medical GPO & logistics company – SAREL, for sending supplies from its advanced medical logistic center, to gradually connect all the major hospitals in Israel, in a radius of up to 200Km, under a long-term exclusive partnership agreement. Gadfin says that this will make Israel the first western country in the world to have an automatic, on demand, medical delivery aerial grid. This contract will allow SAREL to have constant supply of medical equipment, medicines Vaccines, blood, Serum ,lab samples and more, using a star model all across Israel, at less than one hour from call.

Belgium’s 349th squadron has painted an nearly 50-years old F-16 in a special paint scheme to commemorate the unit’s 80th anniversary. The plane’s decorated tail fin shows a drawing of Spitfire pilot Ivan Du Monceau de Bergendal, its first commander, wearing a leather helmet. On the left, it is decorated with an F-35A stealth fighter – the future mount of the squadron from 2027 – and a pilot wearing the latest generation helmet with the words “349 Sqn. Proud of the past, Ready for the future.”

The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Finland of Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) and related equipment for an estimated cost of $535 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale. The state department is still in the process of diverting 50 percent of the procurement from US stocks. A final decision based on this process will determine the GMLRS version Finland receives.

North Korean forces said they would respond to joint exercises by the United States and South Korea with “sustained, resolute and overwhelming” military measures, its state media reported Monday. The warning came following a spate of missile tests by North Korea last week, including four ballistic missiles on Saturday, while the United States and South Korea conducted their biggest-ever air force drills. Hundreds of US and South Korean warplanes — including B-1B heavy bombers — participated in the Vigilant Storm exercises last week.

The US military flew an demonstration flight of the MQ-9 at Maritime Self-Defense Force Base Kanoya to local officials on November 5. Attending the event was Kagoshima Governor Shioda, Mayor Nakanishi of Kanoya City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and town councilors from around the base.

WATCH: Demonstration flight of the U.S. military’s MQ9 unmanned reconnaissance aircraft conducted

Northrop Grumman won a $29 million modification, which exercises an option that provides five aerial refueling retrofit kits including installation onboard E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft for the Navy. The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye 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. Expected completion will be in August 2025.

On November 2, the 31st and final AC-130J gunship was delivered by Lockheed Martin to the US Air Force Special Operations Command. The warplane will be assigned to the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon Air Force Base.

The Royal Jordanian Air Force is getting 10 Bell 505 helicopters to train its student pilots. The five helicopters will be delivered in 2023 with the rest the following year. These rotorcraft will go to King Hussein Air College. They will replace the existing Robinson R44 Raven II trainers.

Norway will sell 32 of its F-16 fighters to NATO partner Romania. The contract was signed on November 4. “The agreement signed by the NDMA will help strengthen the air power of one of our allies, at the same time as it will generate revenues for both Norwegian industry and the Norwegian state,” said Norwegian Minister of Defence, Bjørn Arild Gram. All jets will be modified to the M6.5.2 Romanian configuration prior to delivery starting next year.

Bloomberg reports that Boeing “is concerned about the ability of” Indonesia to finance the deal to buy F-15EX fighters. Earlier in February, the US government cleared the sale of up to 36 F-15EX fighters to the South East Asia nation. The deal is worth $14 billion, figures given by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency show. Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto had also said late last month during a visit to the United States that the country wants to pay for the F-15EX deal in installments.

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has clinched a $308 million deal to develop amphibious attack helicopters for the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, the company announced. KAI will develop three prototypes in 46 months under the contract, signed with South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration.

WATCH: 50 Years Undefeated! Why is the F-15 the best fighter jet?