May 3, 2021 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
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July 16, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
House defense spending bill would give the MQ-9 Reaper drone a second life
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.
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November 19, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval
Marines’ Presidential Helicopter Headed for IOC in July
Posted on November 18, 2020 by Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor ARLINGTON, Va. — The next generation of executive transport helicopter for the president of the United States is planned for Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in July 2021, a Navy spokeswoman said, but the decision of when to place the aircraft in service will be determined by the White House. The VH-92A, built by Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin company, was selected in 2014 to replace the VH-3D and VH-60N helicopter fleet used to transport the president and other government executives. Six VH-92As were ordered in 2019. Followed by six more in February 2020. Total inventory will be 23 VH-92A aircraft, comprised of 21 operational fleet aircraft and two test aircraft. The presidential helicopter fleet is operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One, based at Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va., with a detachment at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. “Government testing to validate system performance and prepare for Initial Operational Test and Evaluation is progressing on schedule and will support an Initial Operational Capability (IOC) planned for July 2021,” the Navy spokeswoman said. “The VH-92A will enter service post IOC at the determination of the White House Military Office.” https://seapowermagazine.org/marines-presidential-helicopter-headed-for-ioc-in-july/
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November 19, 2019 | International, Aerospace
Embraer et Boeing annoncent le C-390 Millenium.
Le biréacteur de transport militaire, qui se pose en remplaçant du C-130 Hercules, fait l'objet d'une première joint-venture entre les deux avionneurs américains. Il est important de noter que l'annonce s'est faite pendant le salon de Dubaï sous l'égide de Boeing Embraer-Defense, co-entreprise (joint-venture) créée par les deux avionneurs pour la commercialisation de l'appareil. La JV sera possédée à 51% par le partenaire brésilien. Une deuxième JV, baptisée cette fois Boeing Brasil – Commercial et portant sur la gamme commerciale d'Embraer, doit voir le jour dans les semaines à venir et sera possédée cette fois à 80% par Boeing. Mais revenons au Millenium... En enlevant la lettre « K » et la capacité de ravitaillement en vol à son KC-390, Embraer offre désormais un appareil plus léger et moins coûteux à la clientèle miliaire, pour les missions de transport tactique. L'avion ne perd rien de sa polyvalence en matière de transport et de parachutage ni de ses capacités d'évolution sur les terrains sommaires. Le KC-390 a été certifié par les autorités brésiliennes en 2018 et le premier appareil de série a été livré à la force aérienne brésilienne le 4 septembre dernier. La livraison du deuxième, sur une commande de 28 appareils notifiée au lancement du programme, en 2010, devrait intervenir avant la fin de l'année. Le Portugal a quant à lui signé en août dernier pour cinq avions livrables à partir de 2023. https://www.aerobuzz.fr/breves-defense/embraer-et-boeing-annoncent-le-c-390-millenium/?page_b=2