Italy's Leonardo to offer 6.3% stake in US subsidiary in share sale | Reuters

On the same subject

• 

  December 9, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Lockheed Martin contracted for test equipment, special tooling for F-35s

  The company received a $153.4 million contract to procure test equipment and special tooling for current and future production of the F-35. ByChristen McCurdy Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $153.4 million contract to procure test equipment and tooling for the F-35 Lightning II. The deal covers special tooling and special test equipment "required to meet current and future F-35 Lightning II low-rate initial production as well as full-rate production rates," the Department of Defense said Friday in a news release. The modification to a previous contract uses aircraft funds from fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 and combines purchasing funds of $55.8 million from the Air Force, $51.9 million from the Navy and and $22.2 million from the Marine Corps, as well as $17.6 million from non-U.S. Department of Defense partners and $5.8 million from foreign military sales funds. The full amount of the contract has been obligated to Lockheed at the time of the award, $39.9 million of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work on the contract will take place at a variety of locations inside and outside the United States, with the bulk of the work taking place in Rome, Italy, and Redondo Beach, Calif. Work is expected to be completed in December 2023. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/12/06/Lockheed-Martin-contracted-for-test-equipment-special-tooling-for-F-35s/1831575675959

• 

  January 12, 2021 | International, Aerospace

  PARROT ÉQUIPERA L'ARMÉE FRANÇAISE DE SES MICRO-DRONES DE RECONNAISSANCE ET DE RENSEIGNEMENTS

  Pascal Samama Le 12/01/2021 à 15:08 Les armées commandent des centaines de micro-drones au fabricant français Parrot. La DGA a passé une première commande de 300 micro-drones qui seront livrés en juin prochain. C'est finalement Parrot qui fournira aux trois armées (terre, air, mer) des micro-drones de reconnaissance et de surveillance. La DGA (direction général de l'armement) vient d'annoncer qu'elle a sélectionné le modèle Anafi. Conçu en France, il est fabriqué aux Etats-Unis, mais "aucun composant ne provient de Chine", précise Parrot dans un communiqué. Parrot est une société historique de la French Tech. Elle a été fondé en 1994 par Henri Seydoux. Parrot est aujourd'hui le premier groupe de drone Européen. Une première commande de 300 appareils a été passée et seront livrés dès le mois de juin. Le contrat, qui comprend aussi des équipements complémentaires et la formation de pilotes, s'étend sur 5 ans a indiqué le ministère des Armées sans préciser le nombre total de la commande, ni le nombre de livraison annuelle, ni le montant du contrat. Il a seulement précisé que 60% de la commande ira à l'armée de Terre, 28% pour la Marine nationale et 12% pour l'armée de l'Air et de l'Espace. Un véritable espion volant L'Anafi ne pèse que 500 grammes ce qui permet de le transporter facilement dans un paquetage. Il est équipé de deux caméras 4K de 21 mégapixels avec un zoom 32x. Cette puissance optique lui permet de détecter de jour comme de nuit des cibles de taille humaine jusqu'à deux kilomètres de distance. Son point fort est aussi la sécurité des informations recueillies et de la liaison. Une signature numérique protège son logiciel de modification malveillante. De plus, l'enregistrement est réalisé au sol par une connexion sécurisée. Le drone permet d'enregistrer les données de la mission uniquement sur le segment sol, et non dans le vecteur aérien, puis de les extraire pour analyse, par connexion physique. Le drone dispose d'une connexion WPA2 sécurisée et de protocoles ouverts qui garantissent la confiance dans l'interopérabilité des données enregistrées pour des missions sensibles. https://www.bfmtv.com/economie/parrot-equipera-l-armee-francaise-de-ses-micro-drones-de-reconnaissance-et-de-renseignements_AN-202101120234.html

• 

  January 23, 2019 | International, Land

  India launches first private-sector howitzer facility

  Rahul Bedi, New Delhi - Jane's Defence Weekly India's Larsen & Toubro (L&T) officially launched the country's first private-sector Armoured Systems Complex (ASC) on 19 January, in which the Indian Army's (IA's) K-9 Vajra (Thunderbolt) – a variant of the Hanwha Techwin K-9 Thunder 155 mm/52-calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer (SPH) – is already being built. Spread over 40 acres and located in the western coastal town of Hazira, the ASC, which was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will be used to construct and integrate armoured platforms such as SPHs, future infantry combat vehicles and main battle tanks under the government's ‘Make in India' initiative. The company pointed out in a statement that it has already built 10 of the 100 K-9 SPHs ordered by the IA in mid-2017 for INR45 billion (USD630 million), which were handed over to the IA in November 2018: several months ahead of schedule. Delivery of the remaining SPHs is expected to be completed within the next 22 months. According to Ministry of Defence spokesperson Colonel Aman Anand, the first K-9 Vajra regiment is set to become operational by July. L&T pointed out in its statement that the K-9 Vajra, which was jointly developed by L&T and South Korea's Hanwha Techwin, is being produced with 50% indigenous content, which involves the local production of more than 13,000 components per gun by about 500 different manufacturers. https://www.janes.com/article/85878/india-launches-first-private-sector-howitzer-facility