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Americas The US has completed assembly of its first B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb, almost a year ahead of its scheduled production and about two years after the program was launched. Its production timeline was accelerated by more than 25 percent, “while maintaining the highest standards of safety and security, and without disrupting our other six modernization programs,” said Acting Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs David Hoagland. General Dynamics NASSCO won a $199 million firm-fixed-price contract action for maintenance, modernization, and repair of USS America (LHA 6) Fiscal 2026 Docking Selected Restricted Availability. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $209,233,949. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by July 2027. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity. Middle East & Africa Turkish defense firm STM unveiled a model for its Multi-Role Support Ship (MRSS) for the first time in Malaysia. In a statement, STM said the vessel is designed to “support amphibious operations” through armored unit transportation, to deliver logistical support and can be used for search and rescue operations. Europe Austria and Italy have finalized the Government-to-Government agreement for the […]

Americas The US has selected a design for the futuristic “Golden Dome” missile defense system, says President Donald Trump, adding that it will be operational by the end of his time in office. Just days after returning to the White House in January, Trump unveiled his intentions for the system, aimed at countering “next-generation” aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles. An initial sum of $25billion has been earmarked in a new budget bill – although the government has estimated it could end up costing 20 times that over decades. The Rock Island Arsenal Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center (RIA-JMTC) plans to ramp up production of 3D-printed drones for the US Army. This is part of the Army’s Transforming in Contact initiative, introducing new technologies directly into operational environments for field testing and evaluation. The program’s goal is to gather direct feedback from soldiers and assess the drones’ technical and operational capabilities under real operational conditions. Middle East & Africa Sweden’s foreign minister on Monday condemned Israel’s plans to “take control” of the Gaza Strip, saying the move would violate international law. Israel earlier this month approved plans for the expanded offensive currently under way and said it was aimed […]

Americas BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services won a $138.5 million deal, which provides engineering services, installation engineering, equipment integration, overhauls, design engineering for airborne capabilities, test and evaluation, user and maintainer training, and on-demand operational support in support of various airborne capabilities for a variety of manned and unmanned airborne platforms for the Navy. Work will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland, and is expected to be completed October 2030. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competed; one offer was received. Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Anduril just gave the world a closer look at “Fury,” its next-generation uncrewed fighter jet built to team up with human pilots in the skies. An episode of CBS’s 60 Minutes aired Sunday featured Anduril founder Palmer Luckey walking viewers through the aircraft’s development, offering a rare look inside the hangar where the drone is being pieced together. Middle East & Africa The UK, France and Canada have warned Israel they will take “concrete actions” if it continues an “egregious” expansion of military operations in Gaza. Sir Keir Starmer joined the French […]

Americas Northrop Grumman won a $188.5 million modification, which exercises options to provide continued logistics and test support, and continued field service representatives technical support, as well as supports reach-back engineering support to ensure that the MQ-4C Triton air vehicle are mission-capable for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions in support of the Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). Work is expected to be completed in May 2026. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Army has teamed with Uber and Lyft for a ride-sharing program to boost transportation access for soldiers and their families living on base. The initiative covers six in-country installations and is expected to promote additional transport options for over 600,000 service members, veterans, and civilians. Among the bases included are Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Fort Bliss, Fort Bragg, Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter, and Tripler Army Medical Center. Middle East & Africa Raytheon has inked a $1-billion agreement with Qatar to deliver the Fixed Site – Low, Slow, Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS), making Doha the system’s first international customer. The agreement includes production work in the US, contributing to engineering and advanced manufacturing. The technology is designed to detect, track, and neutralize […]

Americas Raytheon won a $1 billion deal to procure and deliver a quantity up to 55 SM-3 Block IB All-Up Rounds that are manufactured, assembled, and tested in accordance with the SM-3 Block IB specifications. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama with an expected completion date of March 31, 2031. The period of performance is from May 16, 2025, through March 31, 2031. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Atlantic Diving Supply,  ASRC Federal Facilities Logistics LLC, Culmen International LLC, Fairwinds Technologies LLC, S&K Aerospace LLC and SupplyCore LLC won a $5 billion firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPRMM1-25-R-T001 for various integrated weapons systems equipment and services in support of Virginia-class submarines and active surface ships. This contract vehicle will expedite the procurement process for high-priority requirements, ensuring the timely delivery of essential resources to Virginia-class submarines and active Surface ships. This is a competitive acquisition with nine responses received. These are five-year base contracts with five one-year option periods. Locations of performance are inside and outside the continental US, with a March 30, 2029, performance completion date. Using customers are Navy, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Department, and federal civilian agencies. […]

Virginia Block I-II (click for SuperSize) “GDEB Receives $148M as Virginia Class Lead Yard” described changes to the Virginia Class submarine’s design that are expected to reach 20% of the $200 million savings goal by the time orders for the versatile sea attack/ land attack/ special forces submarines rise to 2 per year, in 2012. The bow changes cover the FY 2009-2013 ships, referred to as Block III. SSN 774 Virginia – SSN 777 North Carolina are Block I, and SSNs 778-783 will be Block II. Block III begins with the 11th ship of class, SSN 784. Long lead time component orders began May 22/08, and the submarine is expected to be ready for delivery around 2015. A fuller explanation of Block III’s extensive bow changes, and an accompanying graphic, may be found below – along with contract updates that include additional improvements and sonar development. The Virginia Class Program: “2 for 4 in 12” SSN 777 costruction (click to view full) The SSN-774 Virginia Class submarine was introduced in the 1990s as a Clinton-era reform that was intended to take some of the SSN-21 Seawolf Class’ key design and technology advances, and place them in a smaller, less heavily-armed, […]

Americas Northrop Grumman  won a $60.2 million modification, which is to procure the non-recurring engineering, material, tooling, and labor required to complete the Integrated Functional Capability 4 change requests and engineering change proposals in support of the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System air vehicle B11 for the Navy. Work is expected to be completed February 2029. Fiscal 2025 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $60,249,668 will be obligated at the time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. The US Army is rethinking how it uses tanks on the battlefield, adapting to the growing threat posed by loitering munitions and low-cost drones in modern warfare. Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll, speaking on the War on the Rocks podcast, said the surge of inexpensive drones capable of striking tanks’ most vulnerable points demands a major change in how armored units are deployed. Pointing to the M1 Abrams as an example, Driscoll explained that tanks can no longer rely on traditional frontal assault tactics and must instead operate from more protected, defended positions. Middle East & Africa Saudi Arabia has produced the first locally made parts […]

THAAD: In flight (click to view full) The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It’s designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces, hence its previous “theater (of operations) high altitude area defense” designation. This capability makes THAAD different from a Patriot PAC-3 or the future MEADS system, which are point defense options with limited range that are designed to hit a missile or warhead just before impact. The SM-3 Standard missile is a far better comparison, and land-based SM-3 programs will make it a direct THAAD competitor. So far, both programs remain underway. The THAAD System THAAD operations concept (click to view full) An ideal multi-layered anti-ballistic missile system should have both land and naval options, as well as theater-level and point defenses backed by a 3rd tier of longer ranged midcourse-defense missiles (q.v. GBI) and/or space-based weapons that […]

Americas Airbus and Shield AI have signed an agreement to integrate autonomous pilot technology into the MQ-72C Logistics Connector unmanned aerial system. The teaming includes compatibility trials of Shield AI’s flagship artificial intelligence software “Hivemind” with Airbus’ Helionix advanced avionics suite to operate the MQ-72C. The evaluation will focus on levels of autonomy to deploy the aircraft with minimal human intervention, with the tests to include complex unmanned operations in contested logistics settings. The Golden Dome missile-defense vision is turning up the heat on a long-running fight between the Pentagon and the telecommunications industry for control of certain radio frequencies. “That area of the spectrum is golden, and we need to protect it to maintain national security. And I use the word golden specifically, because the only way we can achieve Golden Dome” is by using frequencies around 3 gigahertz, Katie Arrington, who is performing the duties of the Pentagon chief information officer, told lawmakers Thursday at a hearing of the House Armed Services’ panel on cyber, information technologies, and innovation. “It is critical for national security.” Europe The UK Ministry of Defense has revealed it will send five additional Raven air defense systems to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. The project, which will […]

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 […]