May 23, 2024 | International, Aerospace
Replicator drones already being delivered, Pentagon says
The program meant to counter China by helping the Pentagon quickly buy thousands of drones. It's nearing the halfway point of an August 2025 deadline.
November 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Airbus and Germany submit Eurofighter offer to Switzerland
Bern/ Berlin, 18 November, 2020 – Airbus and the Federal Republic of Germany today submitted their official offer to the Swiss Federal Office of Armaments armasuisse for the sale of Eurofighter aircraft to Switzerland. The offer has been prepared in cooperation with the other Eurofighter nations as well as the industrial partners Leonardo and BAE Systems, and meets the requirements of the so called new combat aircraft (Neues Kampfflugzeug - NKF) procurement process implemented by Switzerland to replace its currently used F-5 and F/A-18 fleet with a more modern model.
With the acquisition of the Eurofighter, the Federal Republic of Germany is offering Switzerland the opportunity to deepen its existing military partnership, particularly with regard to the joint training of the two air forces. With the Eurofighter, Switzerland will gain full autonomy in the use, maintenance and application of the data from its aircraft. With more than 660 orders, the Eurofighter is by far the most widely used aircraft for securing airspace over Europe. It is operated jointly by the four partner nations Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain and is undergoing continuous development. Only a few days ago, Germany itself signed the contract for the procurement of 38 Eurofighters from the latest Tranche 4 and is offering Switzerland the opportunity to lay the foundations for even closer political, economic and security cooperation by procuring the same type of aircraft.
Michael Flügger, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Switzerland, said: "With this offer, we are inviting Switzerland as our neighbor and reliable partner in security policy and economic matters to protect its airspace with the Eurofighter and to close cooperation between our air forces. For Germany, Switzerland is not just a customer, but a strategic ally with whom we would like to further intensify our already close cooperation. The Eurofighter is the only platform jointly developed and operated by several European nations and would therefore be an ideal solution for Switzerland".
Dirk Hoke, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, said: "With the offer submitted today, we want to show that the Eurofighter is the best overall package for Switzerland. It is the most modern fighter aircraft currently built in Europe and meets all the requirements demanded by Switzerland. By providing construction data and other important information, Switzerland will be given complete and independent control of the Eurofighter, guaranteeing full transparency. With over 200 suppliers in the Confederation, Airbus is already a strong partner for Switzerland, and we look forward to expanding this cooperation even further".
@AirbusDefence @Team_Airbus_CH #Air2030 #Eurofighter #NKF #Schweiz
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February 3, 2021 | International, Naval
Huntington Ingalls wins $175 million Navy contract for aircraft carrier maintenance work
By DAVE RESS Huntington Ingalls Industries will provide maintenance, training and planning support for aircraft carriers over the next five years under a new contract worth up to $175 million. The contract covers engineering services, maintenance and operator training as well as technical and repair services. The focus is on continuing maintenance of the carriers' shipboard elevators and cargo-handling equipment, as well as on planning for the overhaul, modernization and repair of these systems. The work, contracted by Naval Sea Systems Command, will be performed onboard U.S. naval aircraft carriers in Norfolk, San Diego, Washington State and Japan. The elevators on the new USS Gerald R. Ford-class carriers built at HII's Newport News Shipbuilding yard represent a major redesign, using electric motor systems to replace hydraulic mechanisms that can leak flammable fluids in areas where bombs and other munitions are prepared. Last year, a team of Newport News Shipbuilding engineers and shipbuilders worked up a new design for the rails on which Ford-class carrier weapons elevators travel. The adjustable bedplate, deemed a “total rethinking of the entire stator installation process,” turned a 56-step installation process into a 16-step effort, eliminating 95% of the welding and 50% of the rigging. That simplifies the work of aligning the rails -- a task which much meet tolerances of a sixteenth of an inch or less over distances equivalent to several stories of a building. Those alignments are a key issue for certifying the 11 elevators on the Ford, work set for completion this spring. Separately, the Military Sealift Command awarded East Coast Repair and Fabrication a $12.1 million contract for repairs and maintenace work on the USNS Kanawaha to be done at East Coast's new Newport News facility. Kanawaha is a fleet oiler, designed to supply fuel to Navy ships at sea. It has been in service since 1991 and is assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. The work includes some structural and electrical work, and the contract includes options which if exercised would increase its value to $13.6 million. The work is expected to be completed by April 19. Dave Ress, 757-247-4535, dress@dailypress.com https://www.dailypress.com/business/shipyards/dp-nw-hii-navy-contract-20210202-m4frhwji2bba3hdwqh5jb2ubay-story.html
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February 21, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval
India clears $2.12 billion purchase of Hellfire-equipped naval helicopters
By: Vivek Raghuvanshi NEW DELHI — India on Wednesday cleared the purchase of 24 Sikorsky MH-60R naval multirole helicopters through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, according to a Ministry of Defence official. The acquisition, which is worth about $2.12 billion, was approved by India's top defense clearance body, the Cabinet Committee on Security, which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The MoD had approved funds for the purchase in August 2018. The clearance comes ahead of a two-day visit to India by U.S. President Donald Trump beginning Feb. 24. The MoD official said a formal government-to-government contract for the MH-60R helicopters will be signed once cost negotiations are finalized. No timeline has been set, but delivery will take place three years after the contract is inked, he added. A previous attempt to buy naval multirole helos failed when the MoD canceled the planned purchase of 16 S-70B Seahawks from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, in June 2017 following expiry of the $1 billion price tag offer. The 2009 tender for 16 helos was sent to Sikorsky, NHIndustries, Airbus Helicopters and Russian Helicopters. The S-70B was selected over NHIndustries' NH90 helicopter in 2011; the other potential contenders did not participate. The cost of weapons was not included in the original program, but the recently approved deal for 24 MH-60Rs does include a weapons package, according to an Indian Navy official. The helicopters are to be armed with multi-mode radar, Hellfire missiles, Mark 54 torpedoes and precision-kill rockets. The Navy plans to use the helicopters for its front-line warships to replace its outdated British Sea King Mark 42 helicopters. They are also to be used in limited intelligence gathering roles, for surveillance missions, and in search and rescue efforts, the Navy official said, adding that the procurement of the helicopters is the top-most priority for the service. The helicopters are also expected to have the capability for conducting amphibious assault and anti-submarine warfare missions. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/02/20/india-clears-212-billion-purchase-of-hellfire-equipped-naval-helicopters/