Airbus eyes opportunities in future U.S. military LEO constellations

On the same subject

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  September 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval

  AAR secures $118M C-40 aircraft procurement and modification contract with Naval Air Systems Command in support of U.S. Marine Corps

  WOOD DALE, Ill., Sept. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial airlines and governments worldwide, has secured a new $118.6 million contract with the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to deliver two 737 aircraft and associated support equipment to the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The firm-fixed price contract, estimated to last two years, entails the acquisition, modification, acceptance and delivery of two 737-700 Increased Gross Weight (IGW) series commercial aircraft. The aircraft will meet USMC C-9B replacement medium lift requirements and be designated as C-40A aircraft when delivered. AAR leveraged expertise across its Government Programs, Parts Supply and MRO activities within the Aviation Services segment to deliver this innovative solution to NAVAIR. "We are honored to be selected by NAVAIR to manage the procurement, upgrade modification and delivery of these aircraft," said John Holmes, AAR President and CEO. "This integrated solution delivers an outstanding product focused on cost efficiency that directly aligns with the Secretary of the Navy's recently announced initiative to achieve greater output and faster turnaround times for their dollars spent. AAR is excited to promote this innovative partnership to all areas of government to highlight the benefits of utilizing commercial aftermarket solutions to meet military requirements." The aircraft will be certified in accordance with the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 25 (airworthiness standards) in three aircraft configurations, all-passenger, all-cargo and a combined-passenger-cargo configuration. "Our engineered approach seamlessly delivers a comprehensive solution from across AAR's businesses that combines best practices from our industry-leading repair, engineering services and supply chain solutions," said Nick Gross, AAR Senior Vice President of Government Solutions. "We are eager to see these aircraft delivered for service in support of the Navy and Marine Corps." AAR will manage the program and provide parts distribution from the company's headquarters in Wood Dale, Illinois, perform engineering out of the Indianapolis MRO facility, and provide maintenance and modification services at the Oklahoma City MRO and Miami Landing Gear Services facilities. For further detail on the contract award, please view the U.S. Navy's public announcement here. About AAR AAR is a global aerospace and defense aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 6,000 people in over 20 countries. Headquartered in the Chicago area, AAR supports commercial and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include Parts Supply; OEM Solutions; Integrated Solutions; maintenance, repair, overhaul; and engineering. AAR's Expeditionary Services include Mobility Systems and Composite Manufacturing operations. Additional information can be found at www.aarcorp.com. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aar-secures-118m-c-40-aircraft-procurement-and-modification-contract-with-naval-air-systems-command-in-support-of-us-marine-corps-300913204.html

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  May 6, 2020 | International, Land

  Old Weapons Under Fire As COVID Debt Rises

  With defense budgets expected to be coming in flat under even best-case scenarios, the time for tough decisions might be coming. By PAUL MCLEARY WASHINGTON: The Pentagon may slash older weapons programs to buy new ones in coming years if the federal government's COVID-19 response takes a big bite out of budgets, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said today. Before the global pandemic slammed American society and ground the economy to a halt, Pentagon leaders were already looking at flat defense budgets and were casting about for fat to trim. But the trillions Congress and the Trump administration has pumped into the economy, which falls on top of an already exploding budget deficit, could make predictions of flat budgets look optimistic. Esper told reporters at the Pentagon he would target older programs: “We need to move away from the legacy, and we need to invest those dollars in the future. And we have a lot of legacy programs out there right now — I could pick dozens out from all branches of the services” that could be cut or curtailed. As Army Secretary in 2018, Esper's “Night Courts” saved the service some $33 billion through scrapping oler programs with an eye to pumping cash into new weapons programs. The Navy is undergoing a review that aims to shave $40 billion in the coming years, and the Marine Corps is aggressively getting rid of troops, tanks, helicopters, and — possibly — trimming the F-35 to make room for modernization investments. In particular, the massive modernization of the nuclear delivery systems will not be touched. Esper said “we're not going to risk the strategic deterrent we need to modernize,” if budgets trend downward, but acknowledged that cutting old weapons systems before their replacements were ready “would mean probably accepting some near term risk, but I think [modernizing is] important given the trajectory that China is on, and we know where Russia may be going in the coming year.” Earlier this week, Esper said he was concerned that exploding budget deficits would put an end to the dream of 3% to 5% yearly defense budget growth, which he had targeted for Pentagon modernization. “There is a concern there that that may lead to smaller defense budgets in the future at the critical time we need to continue making this adjustment, where we look at China, then Russia, as our long-term strategic competitors,” he said at the Brookings Institute. Some lawmakers are bracing for the coming cuts. “I am extremely concerned about that,” House Armed Services Committee member Rep. Mike Gallagher told me recently. “I think it is going to require defense hawks, like myself, to make not only more energetic arguments, but new and creative geopolitical arguments,” to advocate for spending on modernization programs. “If you assume downward pressure on the defense budget, it means that DoD will need to get the most out of every dollar spent.” Those arguments will be critically important for the services as they pitch their latest modernization efforts. “I think the budget comes down sooner rather than later,” Mackenzie Eaglen, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said during a recent webinar Adding fuel to that view was Todd Harrison, DoD budget expert at the Center for Strategic and International Security, who added, “what has historically happened is, when Congress's fiscal conservatives come out and get serious about reducing the debt, reducing spending on defense is almost always part of what they come up with for a solution,” he said. “So, we could be looking at a deficit-driven defense drawdown coming.” https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/old-weapons-under-fire-as-covid-debt-rises/

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  February 10, 2024 | International, Aerospace

  Space Force may launch GPS demonstration satellites to test new tech

  The service is also conducting market research to refine its concept for a constellation of GPS demonstration satellites.