May 13, 2022 | International, Naval
Marines to field multibarrel sniper rifle to replace two existing weapons
The rifle will replace both the Mk13 Mod 7 and the M40A6 sniper rifles.
July 17, 2020 | International, Aerospace
The Air Force cancels its Open Skies recapitalization program after US pulls out from treaty
By: Valerie Insinna
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force on July 14 officially rescinded its solicitation to overhaul the OC-135 Open Skies aircraft, cancelling the program two months after President Donald Trump announced the United States' withdrawal from the Open Skies treaty.
“On 22 May 2020, the United States provided formal notice of its intent to withdraw from the Treaty on Open Skies. As a result, this announcement is hereby cancelled,” the Air Force wrote in a statement on beta.sam.gov.
The Open Skies Treaty permits its 34 signatory nations to conduct unarmed reconnaissance flights over the territory of other member-states for the purposes of monitoring military activity and controlling nuclear arms. The U.S. has relied upon two Boeing OC-135B aircraft flown by the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron out of Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., to carry out Open Skies missions since 1993.
As the aging OC-135s become increasingly difficult to maintain, the Air Force had planned to modify two modern business jets with a digital sensor, processing and control suite that would replace the wet-film cameras currently in use.
But although the service received $125 million from Congress in fiscal year 2019 for the first replacement aircraft and continued to survey industry about recapitalization options, it never moved past the request for information stage, with the final solicitation posed in December 2019.
In March, Defense Secretary Mark Esper told the Senate Armed Services Committee that recapitalization efforts were stalled as the Pentagon waited for instructions from the White House on how to proceed.
“At this point and time, until we make a final decision on the path forward, I'm not prepared to recapitalize aircraft,” Esper said. “We're holding until we get better direction.”
Although the OC-135B replacement program may be canceled for now, the United States' withdrawal from the Open Skies treaty is by no means a done deal. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement on May 21, that the US would “reconsider our withdrawal should Russia return to full compliance with the Treaty.”
The United States also has a six-month window before a formal exit occurs in November — after the presidential election. Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has voiced support for remaining in the treaty, and if elected, could reverse plans to pull out.
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January 22, 2020 | International, Aerospace
Top Military Engine Manufacturers By Deliveries/Retirements 2020-2029
Aviation Week Network forecasts that over the next ten years, 18,631 new, western-developed engines will be delivered for new military aircraft or as part of re-engining processes. In the same period 11,669 engines will be retired from service. Note: Engines produced by industrial partnerships such as Eurojet are tracked separately from their partner companies. General Electric will deliver 27.7% of total global deliveries of engines. Out of General Electric's total deliveries, 3,560 will be variants of their T700 series of engines, found on most U.S. military helicopters, including the Sikorsky S-70/H-60. The T700 family alone will account for 19.1% of the total deliveries of engines for military aircraft. In a distant second is Pratt & Whitney, which will deliver 12.7% of total global deliveries. Of those deliveries, 70.9%, will be variants of the F135 engine that powers Lockheed Martin's F-35. Following Pratt & Whitney is Rolls-Royce, which will deliver just 7% engines under their own name but contribute heavily to numerous industrial partnerships. A full 25% of engines are tied to competitions or requirements for which an engine manufacturer has not yet been selected, leaving ample growth opportunity for all manufacturers. General Electric also will see the most engine retirements of any manufacturer between 2020 to 2029, with 36.8% of global retirements. The T700 engine family once again makes up the bulk of General Electric's activity, with 24.4% retirements. Rolls-Royce will have more than twice as many engine retirements as deliveries with 23.4% of all global retirements in the next decade. The retirement of T56 (501) engines, mainly on older-model Lockheed Martin C-130s, is the single-largest driver of retirements for Rolls-Royce. https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/z/top-military-engine-manufacturers-deliveriesretirements-2020-2029
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November 28, 2023 | International, Land
Thales – Elettronica joint company SIGEN aboard the Horizon frigates for the modernization of the Electronic Warfare System
In detail, the EW system integrates into the new Naval Units the excellence developed by both companies in their respective national naval programs