January 4, 2024 | International, Aerospace
The U.S. Army has awarded a contract to Bombardier for one Global 6500 jet aircraft to support the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES).
https://skiesmag.com/news/bombardier-global-6500-selected-for-u-s-army-hades-prototype/
March 21, 2023 | International, Other Defence
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg urged member countries to speed up increases in defence spending as new figures showed fewer than a quarter of them meeting the alliance's target.
September 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace
ROCKET CENTER, W.Va. – Sept. 5, 2019 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has received its first production order from the U.S. Navy to manufacture the FMU-139D/B, a new all-electronic bomb fuze suitable for many general purpose bombs used by the U.S. Department of Defense and its allied nations. With the U.S. Navy's decision this January to authorize full rate production, the improved FMU-139D/B bomb fuze creates a uniform solution for general purpose bombs that increases performance and reliability, while decreasing cost. The FMU-139D/B replaces three legacy bomb fuzes – FMU-139C/B, FMU-152 and most FMU-143s – which were manufactured with technology that relied on mechanical mechanisms to safe and arm each fuze. In contrast, the FMU-139D/B relies on electronics to safe and arm the device, greatly improving its reliability as 100 percent of the fuze's electronic functionality can be tested before the fuze is delivered to the customer. “Increased flexibility and agility will enable the warfighter to cover a broader set of missions,” said Pat Nolan, vice president, missile products, Northrop Grumman. “The FMU-139D/B's all-electronic nature improves affordability. It is easier to manufacture, assemble and test than other legacy fuzes.” Under Northrop Grumman's contract with the U.S. Navy, the FMU-139D/B production orders have the potential to exceed $400 million over the next four years. FMU-139D/B will be used by both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, and the Navy Program Office will manage the requirements. The FMU-139D/B will be produced at Northrop Grumman's Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL) facility in Rocket Center, West Virginia. The FMU-139D/B is designed to be a multi-purpose fuze equipped with general purpose characteristics and also serves as a highly survivable fuze for penetrator weapons. This flexibility offers the U.S. Department of Defense and its allied nations a multi-purpose fuze solution. Learn more about the benefits of the FMU-139D/B, Northrop Grumman's new all-electronic fuze, in this video. Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, space, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information. https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-to-manufacture-new-all-electronic-bomb-fuze
July 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON —The House Appropriations Committee is aiming to resuscitate the MQ-9 Reaper program, which the Air Force wants to curtail in fiscal 2021. The committee's version of the FY21 spending bill, which its defense subcommittee will deliberate Wednesday in a closed hearing, would allocate $344 million for 16 MQ-9 Reaper drones. The language is a good sign for the aircraft's manufacturer, General Atomics, which stood to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in sales if the Air Force stopped buying the aircraft. The service in FY20 had planned to buy nine MQ-9s in FY21, 17 in FY22, two in FY23 and three in FY24, but zeroed out all plans to buy additional Reaper drones as part of its FY21 budget request. However, the Reaper isn't home free just yet. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to unveil its own version of the legislation, leaving it unclear whether the Senate will concur with the House committee's spending bill. The MQ-9 wasn't the only aircraft program to get a boost from House appropriators. The committee added 12 more F-35s to the budget, for a total of 91 jets and $9.3 billion. The lawmakers are also planning to authorize $965 million for 11 C-130J aircraft — an increase of two planes — and they boosted the number of V-22 Ospreys tilt-rotor aircraft from nine to 11. The bill also beefs up the investment for the UH-60 Black Hawk with an additional $141 million, funding a total of 42 helicopters. The legislation funds three P-8A Poseidon submarine-hunting planes for the Navy Reserve force. Those aircraft were not originally included in the budget. The Navy would get an additional E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, for a total of five planes costing $791 million. The committee also approved $1 billion for nine CH-53K helicopters, two more than the request. Additionally, the legislation would allow U.S. Special Operations Command to begin its Armed Overwatch Program, but the bill summary did not state how much funding would be allotted in FY21. The House committee fully funded most other major military aircraft programs, including money for 50 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, five CH-47 Chinook Block II cargo helicopters and long-lead funding for additional Chinooks for the Army. The Air Force would get 12 F-15EX fighters, 15 KC-46 tankers and 19 HH-60W combat rescue helicopters. Meanwhile, the Navy's request of 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets was also fully funded by the committee. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2020/07/08/house-defense-spending-bill-would-give-the-mq-9-reaper-drone-a-second-life