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Trident II D5 Test Launch (click to view full) Nuclear tipped missiles were first deployed on board US submarines at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s, to deter a Soviet first strike. The deterrence theorists argued that, unlike their land-based cousins, submarine-based nuclear weapons couldn’t be taken out by a surprise first strike, because the submarines were nearly impossible to locate and target. Which meant that Soviet leaders could not hope to destroy all of America’s nuclear weapons before they could be launched against Soviet territory. SLBM/FBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile/ Fleet Ballistic Missile) offered shorter ranges and less accuracy than their land-based ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) counterparts, but the advent of Trident C4 missiles began extending those ranges, and offering other improvements. The C4s were succeeded by larger Trident II D5 missiles, which added precision accuracy and more payload. The year that the Trident II D5 ballistic missile was first deployed, 1990, saw the beginning of the end of the missile’s primary mission. Even as the Soviet Union began to implode, the D5’s performance improvements were making the Trident submarine force the new backbone of the USA’s nuclear deterrent – and of Britain’s as well. To […]

Americas The US Navy is paying BAE Systems $70 million to improve their Mk 45 ship guns. This includes $47 million they agreed to earlier, plus $23.5 million more just added. The improved guns will be able to fire stronger bullets, making them 50% more powerful. BAE will do this work at their factory in Louisville, Kentucky, and finish by the end of 2028. The US Air Force is testing small, 3D-printed parts called microvanes on their big C-17 cargo planes. These microvanes are thin, blade-like pieces about 4 inches wide and 16 inches long. By putting many of these blades on the plane, they change the plane’s aerdynamic profile. This helps the plane fly more smoothly, using 1% less fuel. The Air Force is now in the last stage of checking if these parts work well enough to use on all their C-17 planes. Middle East & Africa The US military recently attacked Islamic State (IS) fighters in Somalia. This was the first time they did this since Donald Trump became president again. Trump ordered the attacks, and the US worked together with Somalia’s government. The US military used planes to bomb IS hideouts in northern Somalia. Trump, in […]

Americas Moog Military Aircraft won a $13 million contract for B-2 flight control actuators. This deal provides for the remanufacturing of the B-2 flight control actuators. The B-2 Spirit, also known as the Stealth Bomber, is a US military aircraft designed for long-range strategic missions. It’s a revolutionary bomber with several key characteristics:Work will be performed at Elma, New York, and is expected to be completed by November 27, 2027. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity. Kay and Associates, a company from Illinois, has been awarded $79.3 million to continue their work in Kuwait. They will keep helping with the maintenance and support of Kuwait’s F/A-18 fighter jets and missile repair facilities. This new deal adds $79,368,571 to their existing contract. The work will be done in Kuwait and should be finished by January 2026. The money for this comes from Foreign Military Sales funds. The US Navy’s aircraft division in Maryland is managing this contract. Middle East & Africa Dassault Aviation, a French company, has shown off the first new F4 Rafale fighter jet for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is a big step in a deal the two countries made […]

All together now… (click to view full) Britain’s practice of “contracting for availability” for key equipment, rather than paying for spare parts and maintenance hours, may be its most significant defense procurement reform. In a world where older air, sea, and ground vehicle fleets are growing maintenance demands beyond countries’ available budgets, it’s an approach whose success could have global significance. Across the pond, the USA is significantly behind in this area. Fortunately, they have not ignored the model entirely. Recent changes to the contracts covering their B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet demonstrate that some progress is being made, via a $9+ billion commitment from 1999-2014, and 2 parallel development programs that are changing key sub-systems. FAST, Revised Keeping it up (click to view full) In the UK the approach of starting at a smaller level, then expanding the scope once performance is proven and trust built, has become standard procedure. That pattern appears to be the case here as well. In January 2007, the U.S. Air Force’s Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center and Northrop Grumman came to a 1-year, $200 million agreement that changed the B-2A’s 1999 FAST maintenance contract. Under the revised terms, original aircraft manufacturer Northrop Grumman […]