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April 28, 2023 | International, Land

Poland spends $3.1 billion on short-range air defense upgrades

The country banks on new launchers and interceptors from pan-European industry group MBDA to intercept enemy drones and other close aerial threats.

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2023/04/28/poland-spends-31-billion-on-short-range-air-defense-upgrades/

On the same subject

  • Boeing’s F-15EX jet makes its first flight

    February 3, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Boeing’s F-15EX jet makes its first flight

    By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Boeing's first F-15EX took to the skies for its inaugural flight on Feb. 2, a milestone that will allow the company to deliver the first two planes to the U.S. Air Force by the end of March. After a couple of hours of delays due to weather — which also held up plans to conduct a first flight on Feb. 1 — Boeing test pilot Matt “Phat” Giese took off from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, at approximately 1:57 p.m. EST. The flight lasted approximately 90 minutes, and the plane performed as expected, Boeing said in a news release. “Today's successful flight proves the jet's safety and readiness to join our nation's fighter fleet,” said Prat Kumar, Boeing vice president and F-15 program manager. “Our workforce is excited to build a modern fighter aircraft for the U.S. Air Force. Our customer can feel confident in its decision to invest in this platform that is capable of incorporating the latest advanced battle management systems, sensors and weapons due to the jet's digital airframe design and open mission systems architecture.” The Air Force first added the F-15EX to its fiscal 2020 budget at the behest of the Defense Department's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, or CAPE. With the Air Force and Air National Guard's fleet of 1970s-era F-15C/D jets showing signs of age, the service needed to either conduct an expensive life extension or buy new planes to replace them. But with F-35 operations and sustainment costs still financially burdensome, CAPE officials argued that buying an upgraded version of the F-15E Strike Eagle — with new features developed primarily at the cost of foreign customers like Qatar and Saudi Arabia — would be a more cost-conscious option. The Air Force placed its first order for the F-15EX in July 2020, awarding a contract for the first lot of eight jets with a value not to exceed about $1.2 billion. The entire program has a ceiling value of $23 billion. The new jets come with a host of modern features, including Honeywell's ADCP-II mission computer, the Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System electronic warfare system made by BAE Systems, the Raytheon Technologies' AN/APG-82 radar, fly-by-wire flight controls, and a digital cockpit. The service expects to buy at least 144 F-15EX aircraft, but the contract includes options to allow the Air Force to purchase up to 200 jets. Congress first included funds in December to purchase eight F-15EXs through the fiscal 2020 spending bill, and lawmakers approved spending $1.2 billion to buy 12 F-15EXs in fiscal 2021. According to the Air Force's FY21 budget request, the service plans to buy another dozen planes in FY22, procuring 14 F-15EXs in FY23, and ramping up to 19 jets per year in both FY24 and FY25. Once delivered to the Air Force, the first two F-15EXs will go Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, for testing, with the remaining six aircraft set to be delivered to the base in FY23. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/02/02/the-f-15ex-just-made-its-first-flight

  • Leonardo DRS receives $62M contract for ship-based vertical launch system electronics

    August 12, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    Leonardo DRS receives $62M contract for ship-based vertical launch system electronics

    Arlington, VA, August 10, 2020 - Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today that it was awarded a $62 million contract to provide critical electronics for missile launch capabilities for the Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) used by the United States Navy and international allies. Under the contract, the Leonardo DRS Airborne & Intelligence Systems business unit will produce and provide support for 118 motor control panels, a critical component on the VLS launch module. The panels control the opening and closing of the launch tube hatches, plenum drain valve and deluge while interfacing with the Launch Sequencer. “We have supplied motor control panels and other electronic control systems to the MK 41 VLS program for more than 30 years in support of this important mission,” said Dave Hammond, Senior Director of Mission Support for the Leonardo DRS's Airborne and Intelligence Systems line of business. “This contract exemplifies our commitment to supply quality electronics to support the US Navy and allied navies,” said Hammond. The MK 41 VLS is a flexible shipborne missile launching system designed to accept any missile into any cell while providing rapid-fire launch capability against hostile threats. There are 1,500 MK 41 VLSs deployed on surface ships in the United States Navy and more than 11 allied navies. The system requires minimal staffing and training compared to other ship-based missile launch systems, a revolutionary development in naval surface warfare. The MK 41 is capable of launching a variety of missiles in support of various warfighting missions, including, anti-air, anti-submarine, surface-to-surface and strike missions. Each cell in a launch module has options for different missiles to meet a variety of missions. The Motor Control Panel, Status Panel, Power Distribution Panels, Junction Boxes and Spares will be built at the company's Fort Walton Beach, Florida facility. About Leonardo DRS Leonardo DRS is a prime contractor, leading technology innovator and supplier of integrated products, services and support to military forces, intelligence agencies and defense contractors worldwide. Its Airborne & Intelligence Systems business unit is a global leader and strategic partner committed to delivering world-class, full life-cycle defense and intelligence products that protect the security of our nation and our allies. From air combat training to state-of-the-art electronic warfare systems, our technology is deployed by virtually all U.S. military and government agencies around the world. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, Leonardo DRS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Leonardo S.p.A. See the full range of capabilities at www.LeonardoDRS.com and on Twitter @LeonardoDRSnews. For additional information please contact: Michael Mount Vice President, Public Affairs +1 571 447 4624 mmount@drs.com View source version on Leonardo DRS: https://www.leonardodrs.com/news/press-releases/62m-contract-received-for-ship-based-vertical-launch-system-electronics/

  • Saab makes first T-7A delivery - Skies Mag

    April 20, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Saab makes first T-7A delivery - Skies Mag

    The shipment of the first aft airframe section is the latest milestone in Saab’s contribution to the design and development of the T-7A Red Hawk trainer for the U.S. Air Force.

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