Marine Corps looks at ocean glider for rapid resupply to fight China

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  April 29, 2020 | International, Land

  Les premiers accords sur le char de combat du futur ont été signés par la France et l’Allemagne

  PAR LAURENT LAGNEAU Comme ils le firent quelques semaines plus tôt pour le Système de combat aérien du futur [SCAF], les députés de la commission du budget de la Chambre basse du Parlement allemand [Bundestag], débloquèrent l'enveloppe nécessaire au financement de l'étude de définition de l'architecture du Main Ground Combat System [MGCS], c'est à dire le futur char de combat franco-allemand. Il ne restait plus qu'à attendre la signature des accords permettant d'aller de l'avant dans cette affaire, sachant que la pandémie de Covid-19 n'allait pas faciliter les choses. Finalement, ce 28 avril, si elle n'ont pu se réunir physiquement, la ministre des Armées, Florence Parly, et son homologue allemande, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, ont signé l'accord-cadre définissant l'organisation du projet ainsi que les structures chargées de le gérer. En outre, un autre accord de mise en œuvre [Implementing Arrangement 1], qui constitue la base de la commande d'une étude de définition de l'architecture du MGCS d'une durée de deux ans, a également été signé par les deux ministres. Cette annonce en a été faite par le ministère allemand de la Défense, celui des Armées, en France, ne s'étant pas encore exprimé. Pour rappel, la maîtrise d'ouvrage du MGCS doit revenir à l'Office fédéral des équipements, des technologies de l'information et du soutien en service de la Bundeswehr [BAAINBw] tandis que celle du SCAF a été confiée à la Direction générale de l'armement [DGA]. « L'architecture du système est une condition préalable au développement d'un démonstrateur technologique avec lequel les exigences allemandes et françaises pour MGCS pourront être vérifiées », rappelle le ministère allemand de la Défense, pour qui « l'Allemagne et la France envoient un signal important pour la coopération européenne en matière de défense » avec ce projet. v http://www.opex360.com/2020/04/28/les-premiers-accords-sur-le-char-de-combat-du-futur-ont-ete-signes-par-la-france-et-lallemagne/

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  May 1, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  Boeing awarded $5.7B for KC-46 Pegasus combat capability work

  By Allen Cone April 30 (UPI) -- Boeing has been awarded a $5.7 billion post-production contract for combat capability for the U.S. Air Force's troubled K-46 Pegasus refueling tanker aircraft. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract, announced Monday by the Department of Defense, includes non-recurring and recurring requirements centered on user-directed and Federal Aviation Administration-mandated KC-46 air vehicle needs. The KC-46 fleet is planned to replace the Air Force's Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers. The company's $49 billion KC-46 program has seen multi-year delays and expenditure overruns. And deliveries have been halted multiple times because of foreign materials found in the jets after arrival from the factory. Work on the new contract will be performed at Boeing's plant in Seattle and is expected to be complete by April 28, 2029. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $9.1 million have been obligated on the first delivery order at the time of award. The military aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft are built from from empty Boeing 767 jet airliners in Everett, Wash., then transferred to a facility at the south end of Paine Field called the Military Delivery Center. That's where the jet's military systems, including the refueling and communications equipment, are installed. The first two KC-46s were flown from Boeing's facilities to McConnell Air Force Base, Kan., in January, but deliveries were stopped within weeks. The Air Force halted deliveries of the aircraft on Feb. 21 due to foreign object debris, including trash and industrial tools. Eight tools were found in aircraft under production at Boeing's facility, and two more in tankers delivered to the U.S. Air Force, according to an internal Boeing memo. After inspections by the Air Force and the creation of an additional inspections plan, deliveries resumed about one week later. In April, however, the Pentagon again halted accepting deliveries aircraft due to foreign object debris. The Air Force and Boeing has been working on an even more intense inspection process, including draining fuel tanks on all new aircraft so that they can be inspected for foreign object debris -- as with the rest of the planes -- Defense News reported. Boeing plans to deliver 36 aircraft this year, said Mike Gibbons, Boeing vice president. https://www.upi.com/Defense-News/2019/04/30/Boeing-awarded-57B-for-KC-46-Pegasus-combat-capability-work/4791556625605/

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  December 11, 2020 | International, Land

  KMW renews Dutch FENNEK fleet

  Munich/The Hague, December 9, 2020 – Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the Dutch procurement agency DMO (Defence Materiel Organisation) have signed a contract for the upgrading of 322 FENNEK vehicles. The MLU (Mid Life Update) order has a volume of over EUR 300 million and includes among others the integration of new observation and reconnaissance systems (BAA II NDL) and the integration of the C4I command and control system. The work is to be carried out at KMW in Germany as well as in the Netherlands, at the partner companies Van Halteren Defence and Nedinsco in cooperation with the army's Material Stock Logistic Command (MatLogCo). Delivery of the upgraded FENNEK systems will begin in 2021 and is expected to be completed in 2027. The FENNEK is a binational project between Germany and the Netherlands. There are other variants in addition to the FENNEK recon vehicles, ranging from an engineering vehicle to an anti-tank version and even one for high-mobility anti-aircraft defence. What they all have in common is a high off-road ability thanks to the special drive concept and robust chassis design. Downloadlink: https://www.kmweg.com/news-media/photos/press-kits/detail/kmw-renews-dutch-fennek-fleet/ Press contact Should you have any further questions, please contact: Christian Budde External Communications View source version on KMW: https://www.kmweg.com/news-media/press/detail/kmw-erneuert-niederlaendische-fennek-flotte/