April 3, 2020 | International, Naval
By: Ben Werner
The Navy exercised contract options with Boeing worth $84.7 million to buy three MQ-25A Stingray unmanned aerial refueling tankers as part of a modification to a previously awarded contract.
The three MQ-25s covered by the contract options are to be completed by August 2024, according to the contract announcement released by the Pentagon late Thursday.
For more than a decade, the Navy has conducted an on-again, off-again development process to build what will be the Navy's first unmanned carrier-based tankers. In 2018, Boeing beat Lockheed Martin and General Atomics to land the $805 million contract to build the first four MQ-25As.
The Navy anticipates integrating MQ-25 aircraft into the carrier air wing for initial operational capability by 2024, according to a Navy's fact sheet about the program.
The Navy's desire for an unmanned aerial refueling tanker is born out of necessity. Currently, between 20 and 30 percent of a carrier-based air wing's Super Hornet fleet is dedicated to aerial refueling operations. Introducing the MQ-25A Stingray will free those Super Hornets for strike missions. The MQ-25A is expected to deliver up to 15,000 pounds of fuel at 500 nautical miles.
In September, Boeing conducted the first flight of its unmanned aerial refueling test aircraft the T1. Boeing tested both the T1's handling and the Navy's ability to fast-track the long-stalled program.
Boeing first unveiled photos of the T1 prototype months before winning the contract award. Having the T1 available enabled the Navy and Boeing to perform tests much earlier in the development process than would be typical for a new build.
The type of testing performed in September, a year after the contract award, usually doesn't start until the first engineering development models (EDM) are built. With the MQ-25 program, the first EDM airframes are expected to be ready for testing by the end of 2021, according to the Navy.
Boeing previously announced plans to hoist the T1 onto an aircraft carrier and conduct deck handling tests this year. Boeing plans to shift to using the first EDM airframes for testing in 2021. The first carrier-based tests and sea trials are expected to occur in 2022 and 2023, the Navy previously stated.
March 23, 2022 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security
Germany makes a huge pivot in plotting the future of its air force, putting in a bid to buy a fleet of F35s on this week's Defense Dollars.
July 30, 2018 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
By: Shawn Snow In the latest version of the annual defense legislation Congress has gutted nearly $14 million for the Corps' futuristic expeditionary sea drone known as the MUX. The original funding request was $25,291,000, but the approved funds are only $11,291,000, that's more than a 50 percent slash. But the steep cuts pale in comparison to the $100 million Senators originally approved in their mark-up of the Senate version of the annual defense authorization bill in late June. House members argued in a report there were a number of capabilities and platforms across the services that could “likely mitigate” the Corps' identified shortfalls. “The committee believes the Marine Corps underestimates the required communications, data link, launch, mission execution and recovery infrastructure, or the human capital resources required to train, operate, maintain and sustain such a system,” the House Armed Services Committee, or HASC, said in a report that followed their version of the defense bill in May. “The Marine Corps also underestimates the necessary human capital resources required to meet current deployment-to-dwell policy and guidance issued by the Secretary of Defense," the report added. The HASC also called for a report from chairman of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council by February 2019 on how existing capabilities across the services can plug the Corps' perceived gaps. “The committee also directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a briefing to the House Committee on Armed Services, not later than February 5, 2019, that explains the acquisition and funding strategy of the Marine Corps to affordably develop and field an unmanned capability of this nature, and then personnel, funding, infrastructure, and mission-execution resources that would be needed to viably sustain and support this capability, the report reads. The Corps is amid plans to develop a futuristic group five drone capable of landing on amphibious ships at sea. The Corps wants its high-tech platform to conduct electronic and kinetic strikes and come with an early airborne warning capability. The airborne warning feature will afford Marine Expeditionary units the ability to operate independent of aircraft carriers. Carriers deploy the E2D Hawkeye for early airborne warning. The MUX will also have long-range networking capabilities allowing the drone to patch into and cue weapon systems from other ships and aircraft. The Corps held a conference with industry leaders in early June to hash out its wish list for the MUX. Currently, the Marines do not operate a large group five drone. To make up for the lack of experience, the Corps has been sending Marines to work with the Air Force. Marines do operate smaller tactical surveilance drones like the RQ-21 Blackjack. The House passed the latest version of the defense bill on Thursday. The Senate is expected to vote on it early next week. Inside Defense first reported the potential cuts to the MUX. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/07/27/congress-looks-to-slash-funding-for-the-corps-futuristic-sea-drone/
March 23, 2022 | International, Aerospace, Naval
Eric Trappier, PDG de Dassault Aviation, et Pierre-Eric Pommellet, PDG de Naval Group, sont attendus ce jeudi 24 mars en Grèce, pour signer les contrats de vente de 6 avions de combat Rafale et de 3 frégates de défense et d'intervention (FDI). La ministre française des Armées, Florence Parly, devrait participer à la cérémonie de signature. La Grèce avait annoncé en septembre dernier la commande de 6 Rafale supplémentaires à la France, venant s'ajouter aux 18 préalablement commandés, ainsi que celle de 3 frégates FDI. Le Parlement grec avait validé, le 15 février dernier, les deux nouveaux contrats avec la France, pour une valeur de 4 Md€. La Tribune du 21 mars