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Americas AeroVironment has introduced “Titan 4,” a new version of its counter-drone system designed to use radio frequencies (RF) to monitor and disrupt hostile drone activity. The system is 17 percent lighter and 73 percent smaller than its previous dual-chassis version, now built into a single portable unit. Titan 4 can be set up in less than five minutes and is adaptable for mobile operations, establishing a protective dome around personnel and key infrastructure. The US Navy has announced the renovation of a noise-suppressed aircraft cell engine testing facility in Patuxent River, Maryland. The center, which had been closed for more than a decade, houses the Naval Air Systems Command’s Engine Test Instrumentation Replacement System (ETIRS), which is used to optimize propulsion validations for military planes. Middle East & Africa The United States has greenlit a significant arms sale to the United Arab Emirates, approving the delivery of six advanced CH-47F Block II Chinook helicopters and sustainment components for the UAE’s fleet of F-16 fighter jets, according to a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency released on Monday. Valued at a combined $1.4 billion, the deal underscores the UAE’s ongoing efforts to enhance its military capabilities amid a complex security […]

Americas The US has inked a deal with Italy to expand mutual collaboration in the space security sector. The agreement will strengthen interoperability between the US Space Force (USSF) and the Italian Air Force, bolstering its services and improving on its missions and activities through space security updates. USSF Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Luca Goretti signed the statement in Rome, with the aim to protect and defend the space domain in shared recognition of its relevance to defense and deterrence. Lockheed Martin won a $742.2 million deal for production of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the release of a US-Israeli hostage announced by Hamas would not lead to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip or the release of Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages in Gaza would continue “under fire, during preparations for an intensification of […]

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won a $25.7 million modification to previously awarded contract to manufacture and provide target systems for Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles (IRBM) and Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), including the necessary execution, analysis, services and support thereof. Under this modification, this period will include the completion and execution of flight tests, planning and analysis for new test object development, and integration of the IRBM/ICBM targets and integrated logistics support. The work will be performed in Chandler, Arizona; and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The performance period is from Jan. 1, 2026, to Sept. 30, 2026.  Fiscal 2026 research, development, test and evaluations funds will be used on this effort. A Justification and Approval (J&A) for other than full and open competition was approved by the Head of the Contracting Agency (HCA) on July 21, 2023.  An Amended J&A for this effort was approved by the HCA on Feb. 14, 2025, that authorized this modification to contract HQ0147-11-C-0006.  The Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has awarded a $30.3-billion pharmaceutical prime vendor (PPV) contract to support medicinal supplies for warfighters. The PPV program, established in the early 1990s, covers approximately $2.6 billion […]

0 Reaper, ready… (click to view full) The MQ-9 Reaper UAV, once called “Predator B,” is somewhat similar to the famous Predator. Until you look at the tail. Or its size. Or its weapons. It’s called “Reaper” for a reason: while it packs the same surveillance gear, it’s much more of a hunter-killer design. Some have called it the first fielded Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV). The Reaper UCAV will play a significant role in the future USAF, even though its capability set makes the MQ-9 considerably more expensive than MQ-1 Predators. Given these high-end capabilities and expenses, one may not have expected the MQ-9 to enjoy better export success than its famous cousin. Nevertheless, that’s what appears to be happening. MQ-9 operators currently include the USA and Britain, who use it in hunter-killer mode, and Italy. Several other countries are expressing interest, and the steady addition of new payloads are expanding the Reaper’s advantage over competitors… The MQ-9 Reaper, and its Little Brothers MQ-1 landing – 1 Hellfire fired? (click to view full) The MQ-9 Reaper was once called “Predator B,” but it is only loosely based on the famous MQ-1 Predator drone. The Reaper is 36 feet long, […]

DDG-110 Construction (click to view full) In April 2009 Bath and Ingalls agreed to the Navy’s surface combatant plans, thus heralding a significant restructuring within the American naval shipbuilding community. Under the agreements, the USA would end production at 3 Graf Spee sized DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyers,” but shift all production from the Congressionally-mandated joint arrangements to General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Maine, which had already made program-related investments in advanced shipbuilding technologies. Northrop Grumman (now Huntington Ingalls Industries) would retain its DDG-1000 deckhouse work, but their main exchange was additional orders for DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class destroyers. Their Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, Mississippi would continue building the DDG-51 destroyers, beginning with 2 ordered in FY 2010-2011. The US Navy’s Revised DDG-51 Plan DDG-1000 (click to view full) With the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class ended at 3 ships, the DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class ships will become more important to the future navy. The Navy’s FY 2011 budget also terminated the planned CG (X) cruiser program as unaffordable. Instead, the US Navy would field an updated DDG-51 Flight III version, starting in FY 2016. That date has been pushed back, owing to technical issues with the Flight III ships. Under the […]

Americas Rolls-Royce Marine North America won a $23.5 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for highly specialized design agent engineering and technical services for the LCS, Freedom variant, machinery plant control and monitoring system, and control area network and monitoring ships control system, DDG-51 class machinery control system, and LSD 41/49 propulsion logic management units. Work will be performed in Walpole, Massachusetts (80%); Mayport, Florida (6%); Norfolk, Virginia (4%); San Diego, California (4%); and various locations outside and across the continental US, each less than 1% (6%). Work will be completed by May 2030. Fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $149,183 will be obligated for the minimum guarantee. The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. A US Army infantry officer has criticized the service’s new XM7 assault rifle, claiming the Sig Sauer-made weapon falls short as a modern frontline firearm. Chosen alongside the XM250 light machine gun as the army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon (NGSW), the XM7 is intended to replace the aging M4 automatic rifle. However, Capt. Braden Trent, citing his independent research, argued that the new rifle is inferior to the M4. Middle East & Africa Sudan’s army-aligned government severed diplomatic ties […]

Americas The US military’s effort to speed up how it builds and replaces vehicle parts is getting a high-tech lift thanks to a new $9-million research lab in Illinois. Announced Monday by the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the facility will focus on developing advanced 3D-printing techniques, specifically for large metal components used in military ground vehicles. Northrop Grumman System won a $20.4 million contract for the production and delivery of 63 H1- technical refresh mission computers (TRMCs) and 28 TRMC trays for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers to include 33 TRMCs and 28 trays in support of the Nigeria AH-1Z Program; 25 TRMCs in support of Czech Republic UH-1Y and AH-1Z Program; and five TRMCs in support of the Bahrain AH-1Z Program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (60%); Baltimore, Maryland (25%); and Woodland Hills, California (15%), and is expected to be completed in March 2029. FMS customer funds in the amount of $20,445,600 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Middle […]

Americas Northrop Grumman has inked a $244-million deal with the US Space Force (USSF) to build advanced relay ground stations in the US and UK to expand the coverage of critical missile warning and tracking satellites. The ground stations will support the Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) program, which seeks to establish satellite constellations that detect and track missile launches and potential attacks. The US Army has taken delivery of its fourth CH-47F Chinook Block II heavy-lift helicopter from Boeing as part of a contract signed in 2021. The deal, which ordered nine aircraft, is part of the army’s goal to modernize its airborne transport capabilities for evolving mission requirements. Middle East & Africa A senior Hamas official said Tuesday the group was no longer interested in truce talks with Israel and urged the international community to halt Israel’s “hunger war” against Gaza. “There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip,” Basem Naim told AFP. Europe The Ministry of Defense of the Czech Republic is moving forward with plans to acquire a package of NATO-standard communications equipment from American defense contractor L3Harris Technologies. The potential […]

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries – Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, has received an $81.2 million contract modification from the USNavy. This funding continues previous work to support and maintain several types of Navy ships, including amphibious transport docks (LPD 17), amphibious assault ships (LHD 1 and LHA 6), dock landing ships (LSD 41 and 49), and an amphibious command ship (LCC 19). Most of the work (75%) will take place in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Additional technical support will be provided in Norfolk, Virginia (24%), with very small portions in San Diego, California, and Sasebo, Japan. The project is expected to be completed by May 2026. No money is being paid upfront, and the contract was awarded through a competitive process by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC. Bollinger Shipyards has received approval to begin full production of the US Coast Guard’s Polar Security Cutter (PSC). This initiative replaces the force’s aging icebreaker ships operational since the 70s with new vessels, all of which are to cover maritime security and logistics support across the Arctic, Antarctic, and similar domains. Middle East & Africa The US Army has deployed its Avenger air defense system to the African continent for the first time, joining […]

Americas The US Air Force has begun ground testing for two unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) developed under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The air force revealed that the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A test vehicles are currently undergoing tests for their propulsion systems, avionics, autonomy integration and ground control interfaces to prepare the systems for flight testing later this year. All tests are currently taking place at the Beale Air Force Base in California, hosted by the CCA Aircraft Readiness Unit. The aircraft will be flown minimally and maintained at a flight-ready status. Textron Systems has hit a major milestone with its XM204 top attack munition, successfully completing first article testing with the US Army. The evaluation took place at Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, where the munition underwent a series of trials to assess its target engagement and self-destruct capabilities. Middle East & Africa Iraq has received two H225M Caracal medium-lift helicopters from Airbus as part of a 14-helicopter deal signed last year. The helicopters were delivered to the Iraqi Ministry of Defense in Baghdad and are scheduled to be handed over to the Iraqi Air Force within the month. Both aircraft are set to enter service in June. The next […]

Americas Aerospace giants Bell and Boeing have announced that the final CV-22 Osprey military transport and cargo aircraft has entered production, with the project’s Program of Record (POR) completion coming in the next few months. The final CV-22 will be completed at Bell’s assembly center in Amarillo, Texas, where it will roll out for future special operations missions that require advanced speed and range capabilities deemed too complex for other military aircraft. Following the completion of the POR, the companies’ Team Osprey is scheduled to continue support for the army by implementing sustainment and upgrades for the variant. The US Air Force’s Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) has completed its Operational Assessment flight testing, according to Northrop Grumman. Flight tests for the IVEWS took place in Florida and Nevada, where two F-16 Block 50s installed with the suite demonstrated stable performance over more than 70 sorties. Simulations included in the test covered a wide range of environmental conditions and mission scenarios, including air-to-air, air-to-ground, and mixed threat engagements. Middle East & Africa The Maldives has unveiled its new Ajban 4×4 light armored vehicles to the public for the first time. The presentation, held during the military’s 133rd anniversary parade in Malé, involved […]

Americas Bell Boeing Joint Project Office in Amarillo, Texas, has received an $18.3 million contract change to support additional repairs and upgrades for the Marine Corps’ MV-22 Osprey aircraft. The work is part of a program to modernize and maintain the aircraft’s readiness. Repairs will be carried out in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, and are expected to finish by July 2026. The funding includes money from both the Navy’s 2024 and 2025 aircraft procurement and operations budgets. A total of $226,800 from this year’s budget will expire if not used by the end of the fiscal year. The contract was awarded without competition by the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Maryland. The US Army will deploy 3D-printed drones in a military exercise in Poland next month to test their ability to detect potential threats beyond soldiers’ capabilities. Troops from the 2nd Multi-Domain Effects Battalion based in Germany plan to use up to two 3D-printed small drones to look for cell phones, routers, WiFi, radars, and other electromagnetic signatures that cannot be detected with a camera alone. The drones are equipped with sophisticated sensors to scan the electromagnetic spectrum, mapping out invisible signals and identifying possible sources of hostile activity. […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $22 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. This modification adds scope to provide continued maintenance and sustainment operations of the US Reprogramming Laboratory facilities and partner support complex facilities and systems, to include consumables and field service representative support for the F-35 Lighting II programs for the Department of Defense (DOD), non-DOD partners and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. Work is expected to be completed in April 2026. This contract action was not competed. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Air Force has awarded Indra Air Traffic Inc. a contract worth up to $198.36 million to replace its military air navigation systems used in harsh environments.  Under the deal, the US-based branch of Spanish defense firm Indra will provide the design, engineering, commissioning, technical maintenance, and potential future upgrades of the man-portable (MP) Tactical Air Navigation System (TACAN) through 2032. Able to be carried by two soldiers, the MP TACAN enables advanced military technology to continue its navigation on missions where Global Positioning System or satellite signals are unavailable. Middle East & Africa The United States has lost seven multi-million-dollar MQ-9 Reaper drones in the Yemen […]

Americas Global military spending reached $2.718 trillion in 2024, marking a 9.4 percent increase over 2023, the largest annual rise since the end of the Cold War, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported. This marks the 10th consecutive year of rising spending worldwide, particularly in Europe and the Middle East. The top five spenders last year were the US, China, Russia, Germany, and India. “As governments increasingly prioritize military security, often at the expense of other budget areas, the economic and social trade-offs could have significant effects on societies for years to come,” said Xiao Liang, Researcher with the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production Program. The US Army wants to produce 19,000 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rounds annually, with initial delivery in 2030. Responses are sought for the production of all GMLRS variants: unitary, alternative warhead, and extended range. The potential contract includes efficient and cost-effective production techniques, tooling, engineering change proposals, and supporting activities. Middle East & Africa The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has transferred a pair of Chinese-made FK-2000 short-range air defense systems to Chad. The delivery is part of the UAE’s ongoing military support for the African country.  It includes 64 missiles and 6,000 […]

Block IV Cutaway (click to view full) Block IV Tomahawk is the current generation of the Tomahawk family of cruise missiles. The BGM-109 Tomahawk family began life in the 1980s as sub-sonic, low-flying nuclear strike weapons, before being developed into long-range RGM/UGM-109 conventional attack missiles. They’re most frequently launched from submarines and surface ships, and have been the US Navy’s preferred option for initial air strikes in Iraq, Libya, et. al. Britain has also bought Tomahawk missiles, and launches them exclusively from submarines. Block IV is the latest variant. It adds innovative technologies that improve combat flexibility, while dramatically reducing the costs to buy, operate, and support these missiles. That’s why the Block IV program, under US Navy PMA-280, has been one of the USA’s defense acquisition success stories over the last decade. xGM-109: Missile & Launcher Types [youtube:v=8sa7ZX58Kk4] TLAM operation (click for video) Tomahawk missiles have become the US Navy’s major land strike missile. The USA has bought more than 4,000 over the years, and March 2011 saw the 2,000th GM-109 Tomahawk fired in combat, from USS Barry [DDG 52]. The missile typically flies at 50 – 100 feet above ground using terrain-following radar, and navigates to its targets […]

Americas The US Army and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems have opened a new load, assemble, and pack facility in Camden, Arkansas, to produce 155mm high-explosive artillery projectiles. The facility will manage the final stage of ammunition production, where two active lines will produce about 50,000 units per month. Advanced automation, digital quality tracking, and more new manufacturing technologies will be incorporated into the new site. Saft America Inc., based in Valdosta, Georgia, has won a contract worth up to $7. 5 million to provide storage batteries for H1, Seahawk, and CH-53 helicopters. The contract is a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-quantity agreement, meaning the price is set but the number of batteries needed can vary. This deal was open to competition, and two companies submitted offers. The agreement covers three years, with the option to extend for two more years if needed. Work must be finished by April 24, 2028. The batteries will be used by the Air Force, Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. Funding will come from defense working capital funds for fiscal years 2025 through 2028. The Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime in Columbus, Ohio, is managing the contract. Middle East & Africa Gaza mediator Qatar said […]

Americas Rockwell Collins, based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has been awarded a $13.7 million contract to help maintain and improve the communication systems on KC-135 aircraft. The project includes adding a second radio to the planes for better communication. The work will take place in Cedar Rapids and at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, and is expected to be finished by March 22, 2027. The Air Force is providing $7.35 million from its 2023 research and development budget to start the project. The contract is managed by the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center’s Legacy Tanker Branch at Tinker Air Force Base. The US Navy’s USS Toledo (SSN 769) has returned to service after its eleven-month engineering overhaul at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) in Portsmouth, Virginia. Refurbishment and modernization efforts such as mast and periscope installation, as well as engine room tests, were conducted to extend its operational life. Maintenance for the nuclear-powered attack submarine was carried out by 50 employees across shipyard production shops. Middle East & Africa South Korea and the UAE have inked a letter of intent for comprehensive cooperation on the development and operation of Seoul’s KF-21 Boramae fighters. The agreement was signed by the Republic of […]

Americas Overland AI has added its autonomous technology to the US Army’s SMET (Small Multipurpose Equipment Transport) vehicle, made by General Dynamics. The vehicle was upgraded with Overland AI’s OverDrive software, SPARK hardware, and OverWatch control system, allowing it to drive itself. The upgraded vehicle was tested over two weeks during Project Convergence Capstone 5, an important Army event for trying out new technologies. RTX has been approved to start limited production of the US Army’s new radar system, called the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS). This new radar will replace the old Patriot radar, which has been in use since the 1980s. LTAMDS can scan in all directions (360 degrees) and passed eight flight tests. It also reached “Milestone C,” meaning it’s ready for production and deployment. RTX has been working on this project since 2019. Normally, projects like this take over 10 years to reach production. But the Army used a special fast-track process from Congress to speed things up and get this modern radar out sooner to deal with new threats. Middle East & Africa The Israeli Army has rolled out a new remote-controlled engineering vehicle said to transform the “paradigm of war” in […]

Americas Lockheed Martin has received the first shipment of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) launch tubes manufactured by Polish firm WZL-1. Launch tubes serve as the main structural housing for PAC-3 MSE missiles, forming the connection between the missile and the launcher system. The delivery is part of Lockheed Martin’s partnerships program with key Polish government defense companies to develop and manufacture components of the PAC-3 missile. The launch tubes will be used in PAC-3 MSE deliveries worldwide. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and Spanish firm Arquimea have just dropped a major upgrade in tactical ISR — an AI-driven anomaly detection system designed to elevate visual intel to a whole new level. Built to enhance electro-optical/infrared sensors, the tech lets ISR platforms spot subtle changes in a threat’s physical features and flag any anomalies that might slip past the human eye. Middle East & Africa The United States will roughly halve the number of troops it has deployed in Syria to less than 1,000 in the coming months, the Pentagon said Friday. Washington has had troops in Syria for years as part of international efforts against the Islamic State (IS) group, which rose out of the chaos of the country’s civil war to […]

Americas L3Harris Technologies Communication Systems has received a $10.99 million modification to a previously awarded contract to develop, test, produce, and support the AN/SRQ-4 Radio Terminal Set Common Data Link Hawklink for surface combatants. The modification also increases funding for engineering labor. If all options are exercised, the total contract value could reach $163.29 million. The contract supports both the US government (91%) and Spain (9%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City and is expected to be completed by April 2026, or by April 2028 if all options are exercised. At the time of award, $5.76 million from FY 2025 Navy shipbuilding funds, $4.16 million from FY 2024 funds, and $1.06 million from Spanish FMS funds will be obligated. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC, is the contracting authority. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and Spanish firm Arquimea have just dropped a major upgrade in tactical ISR — an AI-driven anomaly detection system designed to elevate visual intel to a whole new level. Built to enhance electro-optical/infrared sensors, the tech lets ISR platforms spot subtle changes in a threat’s physical features and flag any anomalies that might slip past the human eye. […]