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June 13, 2024 | International, Land

FAA, EASA vow to boost collaboration on new airplane certification

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  • Construction of first permanent US F-35 campus in Europe begins at Lakenheath

    July 16, 2019 | International, Aerospace

    Construction of first permanent US F-35 campus in Europe begins at Lakenheath

    By CHRISTOPHER DENNIS RAF LAKENHEATH, England — A $205 million construction project to prepare RAF Lakenheath for the arrival of two squadrons of U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II fighter jets in 2021 officially got underway Monday. The commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe - U.S. Air Forces Africa, Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian, and other dignitaries plunged shovels into dirt at what will become the first permanent site for U.S. F-35s in Europe. U.K. firms Kier and VolkerFitzpatrick will build a flight simulator facility, maintenance unit, hangars and storage units at the site, in time for the arrival of 48 F-35s in November 2021. The Royal Air Force currently has nine F-35s at RAF Marham, about 25 miles north of Lakenheath. “This will be a great opportunity to reinforce together how we will train, execute and operate on a daily basis, and allow us to deepen what is a critically important relationship,” Harrigian said at the groundbreaking. The project is the first in a broad program to support Air Force operations in the U.K. A further $1 billion is expected to be invested in the program over the next seven to 10 years, said the Defense Infrastructure Organization, which last year awarded the contract for the F-35 campus. “The project team is in good shape — we are on schedule for completion in 2021,” Kier's managing director of aviation and defense James Hindes was quoted as saying by The Construction Index, an industry website. The completed campus will host around 1,200 U.S. airmen. Currently, more than 9,100 U.S. servicemembers are based in the U.K, according to Pentagon data. Recent problems with engine delivery of the F-35A are not expected to delay the arrival of America's newest fighter jet at Lakenheath, a 48th Fighter Wing spokeswoman said Monday. Of the 81 engines that were delivered in 2018, 86% were late, according to a Government Accountability Office report in April. That was up from 48% that were not delivered on time the previous year, when fewer engines were delivered. The delays were due in part to an increase in the “average number of quality issues per engine”— 941 in 2018 against 777 a year earlier, the GAO report said. United Technologies' Pratt and Whitney unit, the only company to make the engines, is under a corrective action request from the Defense Contract Management Agency for “poor delivery performance,” according to a July report by Bloomberg News. https://www.stripes.com/news/construction-of-first-permanent-us-f-35-campus-in-europe-begins-at-lakenheath-1.590422

  • Statement of Electric Boat President Kevin Graney on US Navy Award of Columbia-class Ballistic Missile Submarine Contract

    June 25, 2020 | International, Naval

    Statement of Electric Boat President Kevin Graney on US Navy Award of Columbia-class Ballistic Missile Submarine Contract

    Groton, Conn. June 22, 2020 - General Dynamics Electric Boat president Kevin Graney issued the following statement about a US Navy contract award announced today. "The shipbuilders of Electric Boat recognize the responsibility and welcome the opportunity to deliver the Columbia class. Columbia is our nation's top strategic defense priority and, as the prime contractor, we will provide the safest and most capable class of submarines in the defense of our nation. As we move toward full scale construction later this year, Columbia's design is more advanced than that of any previous submarine program. We stand ready to execute on this critical program and have made extensive preparations by hiring and training the next generation of skilled shipbuilders, expanding and modernizing our facilities and strengthening our supply base." Background information The Navy announced today that General Dynamics Electric Boat has been awarded a contract modification for the design completion, engineering work and design support efforts for the Columbia Class of Ballistic Missile Submarines. An option valued at $9.47 billion supporting the construction of the first two ships of the Columbia class is established as part of this modification. Electric Boat is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD). Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the design and construction of 12-ship Columbia class, which will replace the aging Ohio class of ballistic missile submarines. Electric Boat will manage numerous vendors and suppliers to do this work. Advanced construction began in 2017 at the company's facility in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Final assembly and test of the Columbia class will take place starting in 2024 at Electric Boat's shipyard in Groton. General Dynamics is investing $1.8 billion in capital expenditures to construct and expand its facilities to support the construction of the Columbia class, the world's most advanced strategic missile submarine. The company's three primary locations are in Groton and New London, Conn.; and Quonset Point, R.I. Its current workforce is more than 16,000 employees. More information about Electric Boat is available at www.gdeb.com For more information about General Dynamics, please visit www.generaldynamics.com. View source version on General Dynamics Electric Boat : http://www.gdeb.com/news/news_archives/2020archives.html#06-22-2020

  • Poland signs $4.75 billion Abrams tank deal as Russia's war speeds procurements

    April 6, 2022 | International, Land

    Poland signs $4.75 billion Abrams tank deal as Russia's war speeds procurements

    Deliveries are to begin this year, with 28 tanks to be procured to the country's armed forces.

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