Italy to buy 25 extra F-35 fighter jets under new budget

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  April 30, 2020 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

  Key lawmaker says DoD shouldn’t get funding boost in next coronavirus stimulus package

  By: Joe Gould and Leo Shane III WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Wednesday he doesn't think upcoming economic stimulus packages related to the coronavirus outbreak should include more money for defense, saying other public health needs are more pressing. “Without question, with the pandemic and the needs of national security and the Defense Department, we're going to have to spend a lot of money,” said Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., in a teleconference with reporters. “The good news is we have a lot of money. “The defense [budget] bill last year was $738 billion. I'm not saying that there aren't needs within the Department of Defense, I'm saying they have a lot of money and ought to spend that money to meet those needs.” Smith's comments come as the Pentagon is readying a request for billions in a future economic package under consideration by Congress, which has already passed nearly $3 trillion in emergency funding bills in recent weeks. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said last week that the Pentagon is working with the White House budget office on a package to aid defense contractors hit by closures or other effects of the coronavirus pandemic. DoD has already announced it would make $3 billion in expedited “progress payments" to increase cash flow to primary contractors and more vulnerable, smaller subcontractors. But Smith said his priority in the next stimulus bill is public health, not the defense industry. “Of all the needs that we face in this country, [my priority is not] to spend more money on basic DoD to go buy more planes or ships or boats or anything like that,” he said. In an emergency spending package approved earlier this month, lawmakers gave the Defense Department about $10.5 billion in funding for defense health programs and Tricare response to the public health threat, as well as money for National Guard deployments to help state prevention efforts. Smith has been an advocate of military personnel taking a larger role in conducting and processing coronavirus tests for the general public, saying the Defense Department's logistical expertise and infrastructure could dramatically speed that work. He said he would back more money for those efforts, but “I have not seen an argument that makes sense to me [for putting] more money into defense to manufacture things.” The Senate is scheduled to return to Washington next week, but House lawmakers have postponed any votes for the near future. No timeline has been announced for when the next stimulus package could be completed. https://www.defensenews.com/news/pentagon-congress/2020/04/29/key-lawmaker-says-dod-shouldnt-get-funding-boost-in-next-coronavirus-stimulus-package/

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  May 22, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  CAE awarded contract from Boeing to develop additional P-8A operational flight trainer for Royal Air Force

  Tampa, Florida, USA, May 13, 2019 – (NYSE: CAE; TSX: CAE) – On the eve of the International Training and Education Conference (ITEC), Europe's largest show for military training and simulation, CAE announced that Boeing has ordered simulator hardware for an additional P-8A operational flight trainer (OFT) for the United Kingdom Royal Air Force (RAF). This follows a contract award last year for CAE to design and manufacture the hardware for the first P-8A OFT for the RAF as well as a P-8I OFT for the Indian Navy. In addition, CAE developed and delivered a P-8 operational flight trainer integration asset, which is used by Boeing as an engineering development tool to test and validate aircraft and simulator upgrades for the United States Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and other international customers. “We are pleased to continue supporting Boeing on the development of P-8 training systems for the international customers acquiring this advanced maritime patrol aircraft,” said Ray Duquette, President and General Manager, CAE USA. “The United Kingdom and India will now join the U.S. Navy and Australia in leveraging high-fidelity synthetic training as part of their overall P-8 training curriculum.” The P-8 OFTs for the RAF and Indian Navy will be similar to the P-8A OFTs that CAE and Boeing have already developed for the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force. CAE designs and manufactures the P-8 OFT hardware to Level D standards, the highest qualification for flight simulators. CAE also provides the 737-800 OFT software baseline and simulation-based software lab environment that is used for the P-8 OFT development and integration tasks. CAE then delivers the simulators to Boeing, who designs, installs and integrates software specific to the P-8 aircraft. The P-8A OFTs for the RAF are scheduled for delivery to RAF Base Lossiemouth in Scotland in 2021. The P-8 OFT for the Indian Navy specifically representing the Indian Navy's P-8I variant is scheduled for delivery to India Naval Station (INS) Rajali in 2021. https://www.cae.com/news-events/press-releases/cae-awarded-contract-from-boeing-to-develop-additional-p-8a-operational-flight-trainer-for-royal-air-force

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  July 28, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  US eases military UAS export rules

  By Harry Lye The US has eased rules governing the export of military unmanned aerial systems (UAS) making it easier for it to sell UAS internationally. Under the new rules, announced by US State Department Assistant Secretary for Political-Military Affairs René Clarke Cooper, UAS that fly under 800kph (497mph) will no longer be subject to “presumption of denial” that made approving their sale more difficult. The change affects the US's implementation of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). Under the new rules, possible UAS sales will be vetted using rules already in place for other exports. Commenting on the change during a telebriefing, Cooper said: “All proposed transfers affected by this change will continue to be subject to the same rigorous review criteria that we have outlined in our UAS Export Policy, our Conventional Arms Transfer Policy, and of course, the Arms Export Control Act, as well as the specific non-proliferation criteria that has been identified in the MTCR Guidelines. “The United States is going to continue conducting our robust review procedures for exporting UAS technology to support global non-proliferation objectives, and we encourage members of the MTCR, as well as non-members such as China, to do the same.” The new rule change applies to UAS but will not affect systems such as cruise missiles, hypersonic aerial vehicles and ‘advanced unmanned aerial combat vehicles'. Cooper added that the subset of UAS covered by the new regulations ‘poses no risk for weapons of mass destruction delivery'. Commenting on the move in a statement the White House said: “While the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) is critical in slowing proliferation and promoting peace and security, it is in dire need of modernization as it applies to UAS. In a sector of rapidly-evolving technology, the MTCR's standards are more than three decades old. “Not only do these outdated standards give an unfair advantage to countries outside of the MTCR and hurt United States industry, they also hinder our deterrence capability abroad by handicapping our partners and allies with subpar technology. More than two years of discussion with MTCR partners were unable to produce consensus on this overdue reform.” The White House added that the move would bolster US National Security “by improving the capabilities of our partners and increase our economic security by opening the expanding UAS market to United States industry,” adding that it saw the decision as an example for other MTCR members to follow. https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/us-eases-military-uas-export-rules/