Defense`s Feeds

Today, EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý, concludes a two-day official visit to Switzerland where he held meetings with high-level officials from Armasuisse - Federal Office for Defence Procurement and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport and Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. EDA’s cooperation with Switzerland is built on an Administrative Arrangement which recently marked 10 years since its signature. During his visit to Bern, Mr Šedivý discussed avenues of future cooperation and opportunities for expanding current Swiss participation in EDA activities.

Discussions with National Armaments Director, Martin Sonderegger, mainly focused on Swiss participation in 7 of EDA’s Capability & Technology Groups (CapTechs) and the growing cooperation in the cyber domain. Mr Šedivý briefed on the establishment of the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI) and on progress across the EU defence initiatives. Mr Šedivý met Brigadier Werner Epper, Deputy Commander Air Force, to discuss progress on Swiss participation in EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme and EDA’s workstreams on Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS).

During a speech to representatives of Swiss industry, Mr Šedivý presented EDA, its mission and introduced the Agency’s sustainable defence activities and opportunities for engagement by industry. The official visit also provided the opportunity to see several aspects of Swiss defence excellence, upon which Swiss contribution to EDA activities are draw from. Mr Šedivý concluded his visit at the Swiss Cyber Defence Campus and the Swiss Drone and Robotics Centre of Armasuisse.

“Switzerland’s participation in EDA through our administrative arrangement is exactly what defence cooperation is about. Over the past 10 years, Switzerland has been able to participate in a range of projects and programmes at EDA not just for the benefit its own defence, but by making a valued contribution to selected EDA activities and projects. In the past decade, the range of joint projects and programmes Switzerland has engaged in has only grown and during my visit to Bern I have encouraged our Swiss colleagues to continue this path and to further grow our partnership, in line with the recent report approved by the Federal Council on the implications of the war in Ukraine”, said EDA Chief Executive, Jiří Šedivý.

“Switzerland has continuously expanded its cooperation with EDA in the recent years. We appreciate the productivity of the common activities with good quality output and the good working ambiance. Close cooperation with the EDA is the right way forward for Switzerland.”, said Martin Sonderegger, National Armaments Director Switzerland.

Ten years ago, on 16 March 2012, the ‘Framework for cooperation between the European Defence Agency and the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport of the Swiss Confederation’ was signed. The so-called Administrative Arrangement (AA, the second of only four AA so far signed by the Agency with non-EU countries, sets the frame for enabling the Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) to participate in specific EDA projects and programmes related to research and technology as well as armaments cooperation, in a spirit of mutual benefits and reciprocity. Since then, cooperation between participating EDA Member States and the DDPS has continuously deepened. Initially mainly focused on R&T, Switzerland’s engagement at EDA has progressively expanded also into capability development and training. 

Northrop Grumman Systems won a $25 million contract modification, which adds scope for fabrication and installation support to retrofit the Delta System Software Configuration 4.0 capabilities, to include tactical targeting network technology and the beyond line of sight in the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas; Melbourne, Florida; Boulder, Colorado; Norfolk, Virginia (8%); Salisbury, Maryland; Ronkonkoma, New York (3%); and various locations within the continental US, and is expected to be completed in September 2025.

Sikorsky won a $21.4 million modification, which exercises options to procure one CH53K containerized flight training device (2F243-3), as well as associated technical data based on low-rate initial production Lot 4 configuration in support of CH-53K phase II training system efforts. Work will be performed in Chantilly, Virginia; Stratford, Connecticut; and Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed in February 2025.

The flagship product of D-Fend Solutions, an Israeli company which develops counter-drone, cyber-takeover solutions, has received a recommendation by the US Department of Defense’s (DoD) Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO). The recommendation, which came out of a formal US government evaluation event held at Yuma Proving Ground in April 2022, pertains to the EnforceAir system, which, according to the company, features the world’s premier counter-drone, cyber, radio frequency (RF)-based takeover technology.

Russian firm PPSh Laboratory has unveiled an electronic warfare gun capable of jamming “American unmanned aerial vehicles,” state-owned TASS revealed. The Saint Petersburg-based company is testing the LPD-802 gun, an upgrade on the LPD-801 being used in the Ukraine conflict. The company unveiled the LPD-801 in 2021. The counter-drone device jams “drone control channels and navigational signals, in particular, disabling Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, Galileo and Glonass satellite system signals and quashing unauthorized data transmission.”

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) may enter a joint venture with a foreign ejection seat manufacturer to make the escape devices in India. The news report suggest HAL is interested in capturing a slice of the market now dominated by Britain’s Martin Baker.

The Biden administration has given approval for Australia to buy 24 C-130J-30 aircraft and related equipment on November 2. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency made the announcement shortly after Australia says it will stick with the C-130J for its future airlifter project. In Transmittal No 22-62, the DSCA says the Foreign Military Sale contract is worth up to $6.35 billion.

WATCH: E2D Advanced Hawkeye

L3 Technologies won a $20.7 million deal for the Manned/Unmanned Teaming hardware and technical and engineering support for the Apache attack helicopter. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received.

The US Air Force carried out its first test of the rappelling system on the new MH-139A helicopter on October 6. During the mission, special operators successfully rappelled out of a hovering MH-139A at Eglin Air Force Base.

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced that that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $25 million from the Finnish Ministry of Defense to supply radio communications systems to the Finnish Army. The contract will be executed over a two-year period. Under the contract, Elbit will supply advanced secured radio communications systems that enable enhanced tactical command and fire control and are backward compatible with analogue radio equipment that is currently in use by the Finnish Army. Military radio communications solutions of Elbit Systems have been selected to-date by several European and NATO countries including Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Canada, Spain and others.

Sweden’s new prime minister said Tuesday he was open to allowing nuclear weapons on Swedish soil once the country becomes a NATO member, a turnaround from the previous government’s stance. When asked if the two nations would accept nuclear weapons on their soil, Marin replied: “We shouldn’t put any preconditions… We have decided that we don’t want to close any doors for the future.”

Kraken Robotics has won a $1.1 million contract to provide its AquaPix synthetic aperture sonar  for the sub-surface drones of two NATO navies. AquaPix was designed to replace traditional high-end side scan systems on autonomous vehicles. It delivers improved range, resolution, and area coverage.

The Royal Australian Navy has tapped BAE Systems to provide in-service periscope support for its six Collins-class submarines. The $45-million extension contract guarantees the Royal Australian Navy continued maintenance and logistic services, as well as engineering and supply support.

WATCH: The First MH-139A Grey Wolf Flight • UH-1N Replacement

Sikorsky won a $280.4 million modification, which exercises an option to procure long lead items in support of full rate production Lot 8, CH-53K aircraft. CH-53K King Stallion is a next-generation heavy-lift cargo helicopter. Work will take place in Connecticut. Expected completion will be in December 2023.

General Electric won a $1 billion requirements contract for repair, replacement, and program support of 784 F414 engine components in support of F/A-18 aircraft. This contract includes a five-year base with no options. Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Systems Support is the contracting activity. Work will take place in various continental US contractor locations that cannot be determined at this time, and in Florida. Work is expected to be completed by October 2027.

The shooting training center of the Special Forces Command (KSK) of the German army in the town of Calw has been using training system components from the Israeli company Trango Systems. According to German website Soldat & Technik, in a report on the visit of the German Minister of Defense to the German Army’s Special Forces Command, photos were publicly revealed for the first time indicating that the command is using modern means in the shooting training center, including system components from Trango Systems.

The Turkish government will assist the country’s maiden unmanned helicopter project, the Alpin, its manufacturer Titra reported. Ankara has put the project on its “regional priority investment list,” ensuring subsidies and incentives, the Ankara-based firm added. The government has promised to buy the dual-use platform following field trials, and could export it to friendly countries once it is battle-proven.

Norway, a NATO member that shares a border with Russia in the Arctic, will raise its military readiness, its prime minister said on Monday, stressing however that no direct threat had been detected. “The military will as of tomorrow raise its preparedness in Norway,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store told reporters.

The Royal Australian Air Force will continue to stick with the C-130J as the platform for its medium air mobility fleet. The Australian government announced on November 1 that Project AIR 7404 Phase 1 has chosen the C-130J. The project’s aim was to replace and expand the current fleet of 12 C-130J with a new aircraft. The defense ministry determined that the C-130J was the only option that meets the requirements for low risk, being certified in all roles, that is proven, mature and affordable.

WATCH: The US Marine CH-53K King Stallion Helicopter is Worthy of Its Name

A US Navy EA-18G is back flying again five years after it was grounded after a mid-air collision. Formerly attached to VAQ-133, the electronic attack jet is now assigned to VAQ-129. More than 2,000 man hours were spent fixing the aircraft back to a serviceable state.

Lockheed Martin won a $111 million contract modification, which adds scope for the development of a Common Reprogramming Tool (CRT) minimum viable product, as well as establishing network connections required to establish the CRT development network and selection of a service-oriented architecture needed to commence development of enhanced reprogramming tools in support of efforts to replace legacy programming tools utilized by reprogramming labs to modernize and revolutionize F-35 reprogramming. Work will take place in Texas. Expected completion in October 2024.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz heralded Thursday a new era in his country’s overt security ties with Turkey after a decade-long rupture, marked by a whirlwind visit to Ankara. Gantz’s one-day trip to the powerful NATO member came two months after Israel and Turkey renewed diplomatic ties.

Australia has confirmed the delivery of 30 additional Bushmaster protected mobility vehicles to Ukrainian forces. The latest military aid will increase the number of Bushmasters donated to Ukraine to 90. “Since their arrival, the Bushmasters have been used extensively by the Ukrainian Armed Forces with more requested by the Ukrainian President, Minister for Defence, and the Ambassador,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said.

Bo-105 helicopter donated by Dornier Technology, Inc. was inducted into service with the Philippine Army (PA) Aviation Regiment at Fort Ramon Magsaysay on October 26. “The donation of the cutting-edge Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm Bo 105 will be an additional mission-essential equipment for the Army Aviation that will support the Army units and other government agencies during disasters and calamities in the country,” PA spokesperson Col. Xerxes Trinidad said in a statement.

After much procrastination, South Korea has decided that the Marine Attack Helicopter (MAH) proposed by Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is the platform that will meet the requirements of its Marine Corps for an attack helicopter. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) gave KAI a $303 million contract to develop its MAH and the company has 46 months to come up with three prototypes.

WATCH: GROWLER BALL 2022

The European Defence Agency’s 8th Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC), which ran over seven weeks at Airbase No1 in Sintra (Portugal) and Pápa Air Base in Hungary, was successfully completed.

The course began on 29th of August with a two-week classroom phase, followed by a two-week simulator phase at Airbase No1 in Sintra. After a week of recovery and transfer of aircrafts a three-week deployment to the Pápa Air Base in Hungary where participants engaged in live flying exercises.  Supported by personnel from the Hungarian Defence Forces and Pápa Air Base, the flying phase included a complex operational scenario employing dissimilar formation flying, evasion training against a range of airborne threats, Electronic Warfare (EW) against both ground-based and airborne systems and a variety of additional tasks such as Helicopter Assault, Convoy Escort and Mutual Support. The course was led by the EDA HTIC Chief Instructor Team and participated by Austrian, Czech, German, Hungarian, Portuguese, and Swedish crews flying on four different types of helicopters: UH-60, CH-47, H145M and Mi-171.

The Staff Instructors came from Austria, Germany, The Netherlands, and Sweden, together with some contracted support provided by Inzpire Ltd. Also, fixed wing support was provided by units of the Czech Alca Jets and the Hungarians Gripens, acting mainly as threats during the helicopter training. In addition, EW assets and personnel were provided by Austria and Hungary.

In total, 12 Bronze, 8 Silver and 5 Gold qualifications were awarded ensuring an important contribution to the international cadre of Helicopter Tactics Instructors (HTI).

The Helicopter Tactics Instructors Course (HTIC) is an advanced helicopter training activity aimed at creating helicopter tactics instructors which are enable train nationally standardised tactics procedures to foster interoperability of the European helicopter units, their level of preparation, and to facilitate readiness for future deployments. This is done independently of the type of helicopter used. It is delivered since 2013 in UK and Sweden. From the year 2021, its location changed to Airbase No1 in Sintra (Portugal), where the ground and simulator phase of the course is executed, and to Pápa Air Base (Hungary), where the flying phase is delivered.

HTIC provides aircrew from participating nations with the skills and knowledge to teach advanced tactics to front-line aircrews from within their own national organisations and to assist in delivering the EDA’s Helicopter Exercise Programme (HEP), the Helicopter Tactics Course (HTC) and future HTIC. Successful graduates from the course are awarded a qualification recognised by other Member States.  HTIC development courses run over two years: in the first year, prospective instructors refine their own knowledge of advanced helicopter tactics to the maximum degree. In the second year, when the formal HTI qualification is achieved, the emphasis shifts to develop the participants’ ability to teach those tactics. In turn, Instructors who have demonstrated excellent abilities in delivering the course will be individually selected to come back a third time and teach alongside the existing instructional staff to finally achieve their Gold instructor qualification to become supervising instructors for future HTIC and/or components of the HTIC Chief Instructor Team.

The three main elements of HTIC include Evasion Training, Electronic Warfare, and advanced Operations.  They are initially taught as stand-alone skills before being brought together in a complex, non-permissive environment in the framework of the planning and execution of Composite Air Operations (COMAO).

It should be noted that although the main focus of the course is projected in the helicopter crews, all participants (e.g., jets, EW systems operators, ground troops, supporting personal) also obtain an important training benefit.

Boeing won an $11.4 million contract modification, which exercises an option to provide for installation of 25 previously procured A-kits in support of the Increment 3 Block 1 retrofit requirements for the P-8A Poseidon aircraft. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed in December 2023.

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has completed a flight test of its air-to-air laser communication system at Montgomery Field in Kearney Mesa, California. The laser system was trialed to enable General Atomics-built drones to perform beyond-line-of-sight communications in multi-domain operations and other air-to-space communication applications.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) will exhibit at the Bahrain International Airshow, taking place November 9-11th. IAI will showcase a variety of its state-of-the-art aviation products, including civil aviation, radars and avionics, air defense systems, coastal guard and drone guard systems. This is the first time that an Israeli company is participating in the event.

Germany has declared success in destroying drones with a high-energy laser weapon system installed on board frigate Sachsen. The test was carried out on August 30 in the Baltic Sea near Putlos Major Training Area. The drones were taken out at short and very short range, Rheinmetall said in a press release. Additional tests will be carried out till the middle of next year in order to hone the system into a fully functional, operational laser weapon.

Bulgaria’s government has decided to buy a follow-on batch of eight F-16 fighters from Lockheed Martin. The order will split equally between the C and D models. It would be the second batch acquired by Bulgaria, which contracted to buy eight multi-role F-16 Block 70 aircraft in July 2019 for $1.3 billion. Plans initially called for the first planes to arrive in Bulgaria in 2023 and the last ones in 2024, but the COVID-19 pandemic delayed delivery until 2025.

Japan is looking into buying US-developed Tomahawk cruise missiles as it seeks to counter growing regional threats, including from North Korea, the government said Friday. The purchase would likely be controversial in a nation whose military is not officially recognized under its post-World War II constitution.

WATCH: P-8 Poseidon | The new submarine hunter of the West

This October the European Defence Agency launched its new Defence in Space (DiS) Forum. During its first meeting, which was co-facilitated by France and Spain and included representatives from 17 EDA participating Member States, the EU Military Staff and the European External Action Service, defence and space ambitions, needs and initiatives were discussed.  

Based on an assessment of the current situation in space-related activities in the EU, the space planners of the EDA pMS exchanged about the way ahead and first ideas for enhanced cooperation. The participants warmly welcomed this first step in the direction of a stronger, more united, and transversal approach to space and defence. 

The DiS Forum is a result of the first CARD cycle which identified Defence in Space as a focus area in which collaboration was assessed to be most pressing, most needed, and most promising within the EU defence stakeholders. This led to the formal establishment of the DiS Forum by the EDA Steering Board. As a new working body in EDA, the DiS Forum has the aim to develop a European common approach to defence capabilities in space by making best use of all the available defence instruments, to increase collaboration between Member States and develop common defence perspectives on current EU activities including related to the EU civil space programmes. 

The US Air Force’s Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has taken the Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept one step further by having the MQ-9 operate in a simulated base situated behind enemy lines. Field 6 at Eglin Air Force Base was used for the simulation. A team of airmen secured Field 6 after arriving on board an MC-130J and cleared it for the MQ-9 to land and take off. The flight operations of the MQ-9 were carried out using Satellite Communications Launch and Recovery so that no Launch and Recovery Element was required at the site. “We did this by using a small team, landing at a simulated forward operating base, refueling and continuing to fly the mission. All of this was accomplished with an extremely small footprint which opens up the possibility for using MQ-9s in places we could not reach previously,” according to a MQ-9 pilot from the 2nd SOS.

The B-52H bomber will no longer require an external cart nor gunpowder cartridges for starting up its engines in future. Boeing is said to have selected Honeywell’s 36-150 auxiliary power unit (APU) as part of the Commercial Engine Replacement Program. “The B-52 is one of the most enduring USAF aircraft ensuring force readiness against emerging threats,” said Dave Marinick, president, Engines and Power Systems, Honeywell Aerospace,” said Dave Marinick, president, Engines and Power Systems.

Israeli and Lebanese leaders finalized a US-brokered maritime demarcation deal on Thursday, bringing a measure of accommodation between the enemy states as they eye offshore energy exploration. Leaders from Lebanon, Israel and the United States have all hailed the deal as “historic” but the possibility of a wider diplomatic breakthrough remains slim. As a result, there was no joint signing ceremony: Lebanese President Michel Aoun signed a letter approving the deal at his palace in Baabda in the presence of the U.S. official who mediated the accord, Amos Hochstein.

RAM-System won a $277.8 million deal for fiscal 2023 procurements for Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2B Guided Missile Round Pack (GMRP) and spare replacement components for RAM Block 2 recertification. This contract is a 100% purchase for the German navy under a cooperative memorandum of understanding (MOU). Work will take place in Arizona and Germany. Expected completion date will be in March 2029.

An engine designed by the Austrian company Rotax was discovered installed in one of Russia’s Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drones that went down over the Black Sea earlier this month. Rotax says it has launched an investigation into its engines powering Iranian drones. The delivery of such hardware to Iran violates violates European Union sanctions banning the export of items with both civilian and military purposes, such as vehicle parts. Identical sanctions are imposed by the European Union against Russia, as well. Rotax is an Austrian subsidiary owned by the Canadian company Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), which is known for producing engines for snowmobiles, boats, motorcycles, airplanes and a significant number of drones. BRP’s Rotax jet engines are known to power the advanced US MKU-1 Predator drone and Israel’s Heron drones.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines led the first-ever simultaneous joint maritime exercises with the US Navy and Royal Australian Navy. A total of 742 sailors from the three nations participated in the eight-day drills, including representatives from the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Canada, Brunei, and Malaysia attending as observers. The exercises, held in the Philippines’ Visayas region, enhanced the participating navies’ warfighting capabilities in territorial defense, terrorism, and transnational crime.

WATCH: RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile

General Dynamics won a $122.8 million contract modification for lead yard support and development studies and design efforts related to Virginia Class submarines. This contract modification includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the modification to $164,071,626. Work will take place in the continental US. Expected completion will be by August 2025.

Raytheon Intelligence and Space won a $12.1 million deal or non-personal and non-commercial services for operations and maintenance services of the Cobra King radar system. Work will be performed at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida; and various overseas locations on board the US Naval Ship Howard O. Lorenzen, and is expected to be completed by October 31, 2023. Comprising S and X-band phased radars, the Cobra King is a new, mobile radar system that enables the USAFTAC to offer high-quality, high-resolution and multi-wavelength radar data to the Department of Defense’s strategic community, the Missile Defense Agency and other government agencies.

Twenty-two countries have requested to purchase Iranian drones, one of the country’s top military commanders proclaimed recently. Special military adviser to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, revealed the development while addressing a military academy in Tehran. Highlighting the country’s employment of science and technology in the military domain, the former Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Commander-in-Chief said that drones were deployed to monitor the recent missile and artillery strikes against terrorist groups in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday surveyed drills carried out by his nuclear-capable forces as Moscow pressed unfounded claims to India and China that Ukraine was developing a “dirty bomb”. The drills are the latest in a series of escalatory comments from Moscow and Putin — who observed the drills from a control room —  that the eight-month conflict in Ukraine could turn nuclear.

The US and Spain will begin negotiations to renew a 1988 bilateral pact to expand the US naval presence at the Rota naval base in southern Spain, Spanish foreign minister Angeles Moreno revealed to parliament last week. The statement comes months after White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan disclosed the plan in June to expand the number of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers stationed at the base from four to six.

Australian technology firm DroneShield has been awarded a nearly $1 million deal to supply a portable counter-drone system to an unspecified country in the Asia-Pacific. The company said that the country is an ally of the West. Delivery of the counter-drone system is expected in March 2023.

WATCH: $3.6 Billion US Gigantic Submarine – Virginia Class Submarine

Raytheon won an $8.4 million deal, which provides for software product updates and qualification testing for the CV-22 Silent Knight Radar (SKR) Joint Services Vertical Lift Aircraft Experimental (JVX) Avionics System Software (JASS) instrumentation build, the SKR JASS Functional Requirements Document (FRD) 8 port forward, and the SKR JASS FRD 9 port forward in support of the V-22 Joint Program Office. Work will take place in Indiana. Expected completion will be in May 2024.

The Canadian Ministry of National Defence has contracted Quebec-based Logistik Unicorp to deliver operational clothing and footwear to the Canadian Armed Forces. The agreement covers more than 1,000 items, including badges and insignias, personal equipment, combat boots, winter gear, and uniforms with Canadian Disruptive Pattern camouflage.

Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems signed an agreement with Garuda Aerospace, a top Indian drone start-up, to provide its Skylark 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) drones to commercial and government agencies. According to South Asian news agency ANI, Garuda Aerospace said that the drones would be put to use in the Survey of India national projects, run by the Department of Science and Technology, to implement large-scale surveying and mapping of villages under its SVAMITVA Scheme.

The British Royal Navy HMS Tamar has completed a series of mine-hunting operations at the Mine Warfare Exercise off the coast of South Korea. During the drill, Tamar carried a Guam-based US Navy mobile diving/explosive ordnance disposal crew that launched Remus sub-surface drones 100 meters underwater to gather data for analysis.

The US Air Force’s 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron recently held an assumption of command ceremony at Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base on October 23. The unit is responsible for operating the MQ-9 unmanned air vehicle while at Kanoya.

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced on October 20 that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $450 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this sale. The Government of Japan has requested to buy up to thirty-two (32) Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I missiles (in two tranches of 16). Also included are Mk 21 Vertical Launch System (VLS) canisters; obsolescence engineering, integration and test activity; canister handling equipment, spares, training and training equipment/aids; technical publications/data; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total program cost is $450 million.

WATCH: CV-22 Osprey | Flying the Spec Ops Tiltrotor Aircraft

Lockheed won a $12 million contract modification, which adds scope to procure Lot 15-16 gun pod containers in support of F-35 Lightning II aircraft ancillary mission equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps, non-US Department of Defense (DOD) partners, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in February 2026.

The US Air Force has integrated a new engine for the ski-equipped LC-130 transport aircraft to boost its capabilities in the Arctic and Antarctica. Seven airmen conducted a test flight of the new NP2000 T56-A-15A turbo-prop 3.5 engine at Stratton Air National Guard Base in New York. The new engine’s propellers have eight blades instead of four, increasing torque for takeoffs on ice and snow.

Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd. and Hensoldt have inked an exclusive teaming agreement to provide the German Air Force with electronic warfare capabilities in Tel Aviv. The collaboration will combine Rafael’s Sky Shield airborne electronic warfare pod with Hensoldt’s latest airborne electronic attack technology “Kalætron Attack.”

Eight Royal Air Force fighter squadrons fired a total of 53 Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (ASRAAM) over a period of 10 days in September. It was the largest ever mass firing of ASRAAMs by the RAF. The missiles were fired from the Eurofighter and F-35B out in the sea at the Hebrides Air Weapon Ranges.

Spain has announced plans to send six Eurofighters to Bulgaria and eight Hornets to Romania starting from next month. The Eurofighters will leave for Bulgaria in the middle of next month while the F-18s will depart from December.

Indian conglomerate Kalyani Group announced that it would construct the world’s largest artillery manufacturing facility in India on Tuesday. The Hindu Business Line quoted company chairman Baba Kalyani as saying that the plant would be ready in three years, producing one gun per day, a five-fold increase over the current production rate.

WATCH: USAF Ski Equipped LC 130 Transport Aircraft Receives New Engine

Northrop Grumman won a $31.6 million deal, which provides for the inspection and teardown of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye fatigue test article to identify fatigue critical locations and demonstrate that the E-2D aircraft structure satisfy the program’s service life requirement. Work will take place in Florida, New York and California. Expected completion will be in June 2027.

BAE Systems won an $11.2 million contract to provide systems engineering and integration in support of US Trident II (D5) Strategic Weapons System Program D5 Life Extension 2 Strategic Systems Programs Alteration. Tasks to be performed include technical planning, requirements management and integration of Strategic Systems Programs subsystems including interface with the Columbia common missile compartment; configuration management, system security engineering, safety engineering support and infrastructure operations model-based engineering and information systems program acquisition. Work will take place in Maryland, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Maryland and Florida. Work will be finished by October 20, 2024.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deployed its first Barak air defense system from Israel, according to a report by Breaking Defense, citing defense sources. The development comes a few months after Abu Dhabi quietly reached out to Jerusalem following a drone and missile attack by the Houthis on some of the country’s critical infrastructure.

Poland will lease a number of MQ-9A unmanned air vehicles from General Atomics while it prepares to acquire the MQ-9B. The country’s Armaments Agency concluded the $70 million contract on October 20. The planned acquisition of an undisclosed number of aircraft is poised to make the  Polish Armed Forces the first military on NATO’s eastern flank to purchase the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drone.

Lithuania says that it has placed an order unspecific number of Bolide and MK-2 missiles for the RBS 70 air defense system. The contract is worth $45 million and will Lithuanian Defense Ministry says it will help to achieve a “more effective execution of air defence tasks.”

Lockheed won a $49.6 million modification, which provides non-recurring engineering and add/delete efforts to bring 12 MH-60R aircraft from standard Foreign Military Sales configuration to a unique configuration for the government of Australia. Additionally, this modification procures 12 Australian unique modification one kits and 10 embedded Global Positioning System Inertial Navigation Systems spares. Work will take place in New York, Connecticut and Alabama. Expected completion will be in December 2026.

WATCH: The Indo Israeli Barak 8 Air Defense System

Ballistic, or bullet proof, armour is used to protect vehicles against different threats. But it also makes them heavier, especially when seeking to protect against more powerful weapons. Taken together, armour and the vehicle structure constitute more than half of vehicle’s weight, requiring more fuel and potentially making it harder to manoeuvre.

In search of a lighter armour, the European Defence Agency (EDA) launched a project on 20 October 2022 to use new advances in metallic materials for ballistic steels.

Known as the Additive Manufacturing of Metallic Auxetic Structures and Materials for Lightweight Armour, (AMALIA), the project aims to enhance the performance of ballistic and blast protections using auxetic structures, which become thicker when stretched or thinner when compressed. Making use of specific alloys developed for ballistic applications, this material can be tailored for the additive manufacturing process.

In response to a violent impact, the auxetic materials have the advantage of being denser in the strike zone and allow a higher energy absorption, offering more protection.

The AMALIA project, costing slightly less than € 5 million, is funded by seven EDA Member States (Italy, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovenia), led by RINA Consulting - Centro Sviluppo Materiali.

The state-of-the-art structures are still mainly at a theoretical level, involving numerical simulations. Several studies have assessed the positive effect of these structures on energy absorption, suggesting that auxetic structures can be used for protective equipment, including armour for military vehicles. However, due to the manufacturing difficulties of such structures, not many 3D metallic structures have been developed.

Some examples of parts with auxetic structures are made in aluminium, stainless steel and titanium alloys (EBM technology) but are still on a small scale.

The AMALIA project aims to explore technical issues related to the difficulties of manufacturing such auxetic structures using traditional manufacturing methods. Material development will also have an important role in producing alloys specifically developed for the additive manufacturing process by means of thermodynamic, kinetic and solidification tools.

The materials will be investigated to better understand the response of auxetic materials to static and dynamic impact loading conditions at different strains, an aspect not yet sufficiently explored.

The project will rely on extensive simulations, in order to test the ballistic properties of new auxetic structure topologies and fine tune the process parameters for the actual structures production. 

The properties of the additive manufactured part will be improved through gas atomisation, a process aiming at synthesizing high-quality metal powders with controlled particle sizes.

L3Harris Technologies has chosen Moog Space and Defense Group to provide its weapon Stores Management System (SMS) for the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Armed Overwatch Program. The USSOCOM awarded L3Harris a $3 billion contract in August to provide a fleet of up to 75 AZ-802U Sky Wardens multi-mission aircraft for the program to operate in austere environments with little logistical tail.

Lockheed Martin is planning to ramp up production of the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) by over 50 percent annually, Politico reported  citing CEO Jim Taiclet. Taiclet told investors during a third-quarter earnings report Tuesday that the company plans to manufacture 96 HIMARS annually from 60 currently, the outlet wrote.

General Robotics, an Israeli company engaged in the development and manufacturing of light and smart RCWS (Remote Control Weapon systems), introduced this week a new version of its Remote Controlled Weapon Station optimized for naval applications – The SHARK. The new SHARK naval RCWS addresses the need for SOF to operate their weapons on small boats. These compact boats move at high speed and agility. Yet, the constantly moving platform degrades fire accuracy with conventional weapon mounts, requiring operators to get dangerously close to the enemy to deliver the desired effects.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said Wednesday that “several Russian rockets” had been downed over the Ukrainian capital after AFP reporters heard loud explosions in the center of the city. “Air defences have shot down several Russian rockets over Kyiv. Stay in shelters!” Klitschko said on social media.

According to local news, the Indian Army is seeking unmanned aerial platforms to better direct artillery fire. A request for proposal for 80 small, remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), 10 runway-independent RPAS, 44 upgraded long-range surveillance systems, and 106 inertial navigation systems will be soon issued.

The Bangladesh Army Aviation Group has received its second C295W tactical military transport aircraft from Airbus Defence and Space. The new medium utility military aircraft officially joined the Bangladeshi Fleet on September 25 after a six-day journey from the company’s factory in Spain.

Raytheon Technologies won a $9.8 million modification, which adds scope to procure one F-35 Convectional Take-off and Landing variant, full scale, high fidelity, main engine mock-up, and engine maintenance training package in support of the for the F-35 Lightning II program. Work will take place in Australia. Expected completion will be in March 2025.

WATCH: Watch the Airbus C295 take its first flight!

Continental Maritime of San Diego won an $88 million deal for the execution of the USS Chafee (DDG 90) fiscal 2023 depot modernization period and the USS Momsen (DDG 92) fiscal 2024 depot modernization period. These availabilities will include a combination of maintenance, modernization, and repair for both the USS Chafee and USS Momsen. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $204,493,154. Work will be performed in the San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by June 2025.

Two aerial porters from the 87th Aerial Port Squadron were impressed when they were allowed to use a pneumatically-powered exoskeleton to move a pallet weighing 3,500 pounds on their own. The demonstration was organized by the US Air Force Research Laboratory’s Center for Rapid Innovation along with the 445th Airlift Wing. The Forge System exoskeleton was provided by ROAM Robotics. “I can definitely tell a difference; there’s a lot less pressure on my knees and I can feel the assist this system gives,” says Chief Master Sgt. Sean Storms, one of the two people who participated in the test.

Syria’s autonomous Kurdish region has transferred over 600 relatives of suspected jihadists detained at the notorious Al-Hol camp to Iraq, a war monitor and a Kurdish security source said Tuesday. “The Iraqi government repatriated 161 families, including 659 people, from Al-Hol camp to Iraq,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Iraqi families left Al-Hol camp, which lies less than 10 kilometers (six miles) from the Iraqi border for their home country in a move coordinated by with Iraqi authorities, the monitor said.

Turkish authorities have disabled a mine in the Black Sea, the defense ministry said on Wednesday, in the fourth such incident since the start of the war in Ukraine. “A mine was detected off Kiyikoy … and has been secured and neutralised,” the ministry tweeted. Kiyikoy is located less than 100 kilometers from the Bosphorus.

Rheinmetall has delivered its first Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle to the Hungarian Defence Forces in Budapest, attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. With the delivery, Hungary becomes the first NATO member and European country to receive the newly-developed medium-weight combat system.

The US Department of Defense has selected Hanwha Defense’s Arion-SMET unmanned ground vehicle for a competitive field test and evaluation program. This is the first time the US has chosen a South Korean unmanned weapon system for performance tests, potentially opening the door for greater cooperation between the two nations on future modernization programs.

WATCH: Hanwha Defense Arion-SMET, a futuristic UGV empowering infantry soldiers

The GAU-18 .50 caliber machine gun was recently unmounted from an HH-60 helicopter and mounted on the ground to be tested as a defensive weapon. The test took place at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida on October 14. It was organized by the 920th Rescue Wing.

The US Defense Innovation Unit has contracted Nauticus Robotics to develop an amphibious drone to support mine-hunting operations. As part of the agreement, the company will modify an off-the-shelf unmanned system to allow it to traverse sea or land during operations. Nauticus will also integrate its “ToolKITT” autonomy software to guide the modified robot in identifying undersea mines and avoiding potential obstacles.

ThyssenKrupp has delivered the first of four MEKO A-200 frigates, the “Al-Aziz,” to the Egyptian Navy in Bremerhaven, Germany. During the handover ceremony, Egyptian Navy Chief of Staff Vice Adm. Ashraf Ibrahim Atwa also revealed that the second Al-Aziz-class A-200 vessel will be named Al-Qadeer. “I am grateful to the friendly Republic of Germany for the constructive relationship which sets the example to be followed by others,” Atwa said at the event.

The US, Italy, and Poland have teamed up for aerial maneuvers to support an Air Shielding mission in NATO’s eastern territories. The drills were performed “to hone planning and flying skills based on thorough planning and universal tactics, techniques and procedures.” It involved the participation of a US F-22 Raptor tactical fighter, Italian Eurofighter Typhoons, and Polish F-16 Fighting Falcons and MiG-29 multirole aircraft.

Pole/Zero Acquisition won a $53.5 million deal, which procures up to 346 antenna interface units and communications trays, to include 190 for the Navy, 132 for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers and 24 for the government of Australia, as well as required technical data, assemblies, subassemblies, and spares in support of the P-8A Poseidon communications suite. Work will be performed in West Chester, Ohio, and is expected to be completed in October 2028.

The US has provided $100 million in foreign military funding to the Philippines as compensation for the nation’s decision to scrap a helicopter deal with Russia. US Ambassador to Manila MaryKay Carlson said that the Philippine military can use the funding “as they wish.” It could help the Southeast Asian country bolster its defense capabilities and modernize its armed forces.

WATCH: AL AZIZ Frigate F 904 Egyptian Navy MEKO A200

NATO’s Operation Sea Guardian, an ongoing maritime security operation in the Mediterranean, saw a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) P-8 maritime patrol aircraft participating for the first time. Departing from its base in Edinburgh, Australia, the jet and its crew took 3 days to arrive in Italy. From there, the jet undertook a few overwater surveillance missions from October 3-14.

A first-of-its-kind, F-35 crash recovery course was held at Hill Air Force Base and twenty-nine maintainers had the opportunity to train on handling different scenarios using a real F-35A. One of the scenarios in the five-day Crash Damaged or Disabled Aircraft Recovery course involved dealing with a collapsed nose gear, which will be destructive when done on a real jet. Instructors were able to use a repurposed F-35A for this type of training.

SpearUAV, an Israeli developer of an autonomous, AI-based technology for encapsulated UAS, unveiled last week the Viper encapsulated and launchable hovering precision attack drone, empowering tactical forces with an immediate, precise and autonomous aerial loitering munition (ALM) capability against BLOS targets. According the company, enhancing force protection, the hovering capability of the Viper enables aerial observation of targets – including the ability to review buildings floor by floor – in complex urban environments, while also offering mission abort and wave-off capabilities.

France will train up to 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers on its territory, Minister for the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu told Le Parisien newspaper in an interview on Saturday. The soldiers will “be taken into our units for several weeks,” he said, adding that there would be three levels of training: general combat, “specific needs outlined by the Ukrainians such as logistics” and then training on how to use defense material furnished by Ukraine’s Estern allies.

Fincantieri has inked memorandums of understanding with potential suppliers for four future Greek corvettes and integrated logistics and in-service solutions for the Hellenic Navy. The agreements support the “high-profile process” for the corvette program set by the Hellenic National Defence Ministry.

Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries has launched the country’s third Taigei-class attack submarine during a ceremony at the company’s shipyard in Kobe City. Named Jingei (swift swimming whale), the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) will use the underwater vehicle to support a wide variety of missions, including sinking enemy vessels.

WATCH: Why Japan’s Taigei Submarines Embraced Lithium-ion Batteries

General Dynamics won an $18.1 million deal to provide US Trident II Strategic Weapon System Kings Bay Trident Trainer Facility kit and engineering support services. The Trident II Strategic Weapons System is an improved SLBM with greater accuracy, payload, and range than the earlier Trident C-4. It is a key element of the US strategic nuclear triad and strengthens US strategic deterrence.Work will take place in Connecticut, Georgia and Florida.Estimated completion date is December 31, 2025

The last three remaining RQ-4A BAMS-D unmanned air vehicles that belonged to the US Navy have been transferred to NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. The ground control equipment and non-payload spares will be transferred as well. The sailing branch had acquired five BAMS-Ds and one was lost in a crash in 2012 while another was shot down by Iran in 2019. NASA will operate the aircraft on behalf of the Pentagon’s Test Resource Management Center.

The Nigerian Army has officially started operating Textron Systems’ Aerosonde drone, enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. The $9 million foreign military sale of multiple Aerosonde Mk 4.7 Fixed Wing unmanned vehicles, awarded in August, marks the first time the African country acquired US-made drones. “We know the Aerosonde system will make a difference for Nigeria as it provides the most cost-effective real-time ISR capability in its class,” Textron’s Vice President Wayne Prender said.

Fifteen European countries on Thursday announced that they would jointly procure air defense systems to protect the continent under a newly-created European Sky Shield Initiative. Germany, which spearheaded the project, will coordinate the joint procurements to urgently plug existing gaps with regard to possible air attacks at close range — including drones — as well as medium and long-range, and especially against ballistic missiles and cruise missiles which Russia owns, its defense ministry said.

Spain will be donating four of its MIM-23 air defense missile launchers to Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg disclosed on October 13. These weapons are transferred to strengthen the air defense of Ukraine, which is designed to protect the country from Russian missile and air strikes.

For the first time, US Marine Corps MV-22Bs are now allowed to fly at 300ft in Japan. The first such flights took place during Resolute Dragon in Hokkaido on October 7. “The Low Altitude Tactics training at Resolute Dragon greatly benefited the squadron and significantly improved operational readiness. By providing a venue for training that is difficult to obtain, the exercise enabled the unit to requalify over 20 aircrew and conduct instructor qualification flights. We are extremely grateful for the months of coordination among USFJ, III MEF, and GOJ that secured clearance to fly at 300 feet and conduct this valuable training. We look forward to continued cooperation with USFJ and the GOJ in order to accomplish bilateral training objectives and improve readiness,” said Lieutenant Colonel Jason Laird, VMM-265 commanding officer.

WATCH: A look at Nato’s new spy drones – BBC News

youtube.com/watch?v=dAGgZTYEBB8

Today, the Defence Joint Procurement Task Force presented its work and interim achievements, and the way forward at a meeting with EU Member States.

Based on the response from Member States, the Task Force presented areas of common interest for possible joint procurement in different equipment categories (i.e., 1. Medical equipment and supply, 2. CBRN individual protection equipment, 3. Anti-tank systems & missiles, 4. Soldier equipment and radios, 5. Ammunition, explosives, mortars and MLRS, 6. Missiles, air defence, MANPADS, bombs, and 7. Small arms).

The Task Force will now engage with the European industry. The Task Force outlined the approach to map and assess the potential supply capacity of the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base to address Member States’ needs. This will allow identifying mismatches between demand and supply, and areas where a ramp-up in production may be required. 

Following the adoption of the Joint Communication on Defence Investment Gaps on 18 May, the EU swiftly set up a Defence Joint Procurement Task Force bringing together the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military Staff, the European Defence Agency (EDA), and the European Commission, namely the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space and the Secretariat-General.

The Task Force supports and facilitates the coordination and de-confliction of Member States’ short term joint procurement needs.

Building on the Joint Communication’s Defence Investment Gaps Analysis and the Way Forward and the EDA’s analysis on Scoping of the EU Defence Investment Gaps, the Task Force consulted all Member States and engaged with those most interested to collect and aggregate their most critical and urgent procurement needs, and explore potential interest for future joint procurement projects, including under the future European Defence Industry Reinforcement through common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), submitted by the Commission to the Council and the Parliament. It is now under examination in view of its adoption.

• Ministers discuss EDA analysis on defence investment gaps
• EU steps up action to strengthen EU defence capabilities, industrial and technological base: towards an EU framework for Joint defence procurement