Contracts for March 19, 2021

On the same subject

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  October 3, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Lockheed to provide Hellfire II missiles for the Netherlands, Japan

  By Stephen Carlson Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $631.8 million foreign military sales contract to sell the Netherlands and Japan Hellfire II missiles. Work on the contract, announced Monday by the Department of Defense, will be performed in Orlando, Fla., with an estimated completion date of September 2021. Army fiscal 2017 and 2018 foreign military sales and other procurement funds in the combined amount of $631.8 million were obligated at the time of award. The Hellfire II is the primary air-to-ground short-range precision guided missile for U.S. helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles and is in service with many other nations. It has been produced in ground- and ship-launched models as well. The Hellfire uses a laser-guidance system that can either be directed by a laser targeting pod on the launching aircraft or a separate laser designator used by ground forces or other aircraft. A variant used by the AH-64 Apache Longbow uses a radar and inertial guidance system that utilizes a fire-and-forget capability which does not require continuous lock from the launching helicopter like the laser version does. The Hellfire was designed primarily as an air-launched anti-tank weapon and has been in service since 1984. It has seen widespread use in Iraq, Afghanistan and other theaters as a general precision strike weapon. It has also been the main weapon used by unmanned aerial vehicles in the Department of Defense and Central Intelligence Agency's targeted dronestrike program. Over 15,000 have been used in conventional and targeted attacks since 2001. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2018/10/02/Lockheed-to-provide-Hellfire-II-missiles-for-the-Netherlands-Japan/2961538484205/

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  August 24, 2020 | International, Naval

  Watchdog: 75 percent of sub and aircraft carrier maintenance ended late in recent years

  Geoff Ziezulewicz While the U.S. Navy has spent nearly $3 billion to improve shipyard maintenance performance in recent years, “the shipyards continue to face persistent and substantial maintenance delays that hinder the readiness of aircraft carriers and submarines,” according to a government watchdog report released this week. Three-quarters of the 51 aircraft carrier and submarine maintenance periods from fiscal 2015 to 2019 were completed late, resulting in 7,425 days of delays, according to the report by the Government Accountability Office. The Navy's four shipyards — in Portsmouth, Virginia; Kittery, Maine; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Bremerton, Washington — provide vital maintenance that includes ship overhauls, nuclear refueling, alterations and refits, among other duties. The aircraft carrier maintenance periods that ended late exceeded their deadlines by an average of 113 days, the GAO reports, while submarine maintenance periods ending late missed the mark by an average of 225 days. Such availabilities last anywhere from six months to three years, and when they don't end on time, it gums up the entire system, delaying other maintenance periods, deployments and other needs. The main factors leading to the tardiness had to do with shipyard workforce performance and having enough people to perform the vital work, the GAO found. Unplanned work, or tasks identified after finalizing maintenance plans, was also cited as a significant factor resulting in the delays. While the Navy has taken steps to address such delays, the sea service has yet to fully address the unplanned work and workforce factors causing the majority of delays, according to the GAO. https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2020/08/21/watchdog-75-percent-of-sub-and-aircraft-carrier-maintenance-ended-late-in-recent-years/

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  December 8, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Taiwan F-16 upgrade aims for 2023 completion

  By Greg Waldron7 December 2020 Taiwan has upgraded 18 Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs to the new F-16V standard, and hopes to complete all 141 planned upgrades by 2023. In addition, 66 new F-16Vs from a 2019 deal with the US government will be completed by 2026, according to a recent report by Taiwan's Central News Agency, quoting the Taiwanese military. The work is being undertaken by local airframer AIDC with support from Lockheed. Taipei hopes to complete the upgrade work by 2023, a year later than originally planned. The report adds that the Taiwan F-16V fleet will feature the Raytheon ALQ-184 electronic countermeasures pod, which is consistent with US Air Force equipment. The upgrade affects the mission computer, airframe, cockpit instruments, and electronic warfare system. The jets will also receive an active electronically scanned array radar in the form of Northrop Grumman's Scalable Agile Beam Radar. The project involves AIDC essentially installing a kit originally developed by Lockheed. Taipei has an urgent need to upgrade its defence capabilities owing to increasing military pressure from China, which views the democratic island as a province. Beijing, which has rapidly developed its military over the last decade, regularly mounts probing flights to test Taiwan's air defences. https://www.flightglobal.com/defence/taiwan-f-16-upgrade-aims-for-2023-completion/141502.article?referrer=RSS