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https://www.defensenews.com/newsletters/tv-next-episode/2018/11/05/get-a-behind-the-scenes-look-at-how-the-f-35-is-built

Par Vincent Lamigeon Le SCAF, projet d'avion de combat franco-allemand qui succédera au Rafale et à l'Eurofighter en 2040, est au point mort. En cause, des différends politiques entre Paris et Berlin, et une guerre souterraine entre Airbus et Thales. Le futur avion de combat franco-allemand va-t-il exploser avant même d'avoir décollé? Lancé en juillet 2017 par Emmanuel Macron et Angela Merkel, le projet SCAF (système de combat aérien du futur) se retrouve confronté à ses premières difficultés sérieuses. Destiné à remplacer le Rafale français et l'Eurofighter européen à l'horizon 2040, ce programme avait fait l'objet de la signature d'une lettre d'intention par Florence Parly et de son homologue allemande Ursula Van der Leyen le 26 avril dernier au salon aéronautique ILA de Berlin. Depuis, le projet a toutes les peines du monde à dépasser le stade des déclarations politiques. "Aujourd'hui apparaissent d'inquiétants signes de calage pour le SCAF", a ainsi prévenu le député Jean-Charles Larsonneur, rapporteur du budget équipements et dissuasion, vendredi 2 novembre à l'Assemblée nationale. Article complet: https://www.challenges.fr/entreprise/defense/scaf-menaces-sur-le-futur-avion-de-combat-franco-allemand_623719

ZHUHAI, China—A new stealth UAV program announced at Airshow China here Nov. 5 could represent a significant step toward the Peoples Liberation Army Air Force acquiring an anti-airborne early warning (AEW) ... http://aviationweek.com/defense/chinese-stealth-uav-mockup-unveiled-airshow-china

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Calpine Energy Solutions LLC, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $67,252,189 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract to supply and deliver retail electricity and ancillary/incidental services. This was a competitive acquisition with 11 offers received. This is a 36-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Illinois, Pennsylvania, Maryland and California, with a Dec. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE60419D8000). Loc Performance Products Inc.,* Plymouth, Michigan, has been awarded a maximum $52,389,123 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for truck final drives. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Michigan, with an April 30, 2025, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting agency is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0015). Direct Energy Business LLC, Iselin, New Jersey, has been awarded a $44,276,459 firm-fixed-price, requirements contract to supply and deliver retail electricity and ancillary/incidental services. This was a competitive acquisition with 11 offers received. This is a 36-month contract with no option periods. Locations of performance are Maryland, Washington, District of Columbia, and New Jersey, with a Dec. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Navy working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE60419D8001). Kinder Morgan Tank Storage Terminal LLC, Carson, California, has been awarded a $40,510,848 firm-fixed-price contract to receive, store and ship aviation fuel. This was a competitive acquisition with one offer received. This is a four-year contract with one five-year option period. Location of performance is California, with a Nov. 9, 2022, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2019 through 2022 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia (SPE603-19-C-5001). ARMY M.C. Dean Inc., Tysons Corner, Virginia (W912GB-19-D-0002); and PAE Professional Services LLC, Falls Church, Virginia (W912GB-19-D-0001), will compete for each order of the $49,900,000 firm-fixed-price contract for construction surveillance services. Bids were solicited via the internet with six received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 2, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wiesbaden, Germany, is the contracting activity. DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $17,274,668 modification (P00032) to contract W56HZV-16-C-0028 for Joint Assault Bridges. Work will be performed in West Plains, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of May 11, 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $17,274,668 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Applied Research Solutions, Beavercreek, Ohio, has been awarded a $38,788,878 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, plus an option amount of $5,967,447, for sensing, learning, autonomy, and knowledge engineering research and development. This contract is to conduct research and develop multi-domain technologies and strategies to orchestrate closed-loop sensing that manages knowledge from environment understanding to mission effects, across multiple missions. Work will be performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and in Dayton, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by March 4, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $1,254,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-1692). Honeywell International Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been awarded a $7,838,175 firm-fixed-priced contract for the repair and upgrade of the C-5M Super Galaxy's Versatile Integrated Avionics/Avionics Integrated Units (VIA/AIUs) repair and upgrade. This order subsumes all work on previous order FA8625-18-F-6801, providing for the repair and upgrade of 85 of the existing -903 and -904 configuration VIA/AIUs to the -905 configuration. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by July 5, 2020. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $7,146,972; and fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $691,203 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8625-19-F-6801). NAVY CACI Enterprise Solutions Inc., Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a $26,241,210 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee task order contract for integrated business systems support services. Information technology services in this contract will assist Military Sealift Command's (MSC) business systems and ashore operations branch manage, operate, and maintain the command's business systems, as well as interfaces with the Navy enterprise defense business systems. Additionally, this contract will allow MSC to integrate all of its business systems into a single, integrated business system to meet emergent and newly mandated requirements specifically, federal compliance mandates such as financial improvement and audit readiness, growing cybersecurity concerns, cloud migration, and interoperability and integration with Navy and federal programs of records. This integrated system is a new requirement, necessitating a single support contract to achieve interoperability, maintain and sustain fleet operations, and effect a total cost of ownership model. This contract includes one 12-month base period and four 12-month options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $125,367,596. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Virginia, and is expected to be completed Dec. 31, 2019. If options are exercised, work will continue through Dec. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 working capital funds (Navy and Transportation Command) in the amount of $19,718,408 will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center's CIO-SP3 website, with four offers received. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519F1044). (Awarded Nov. 5, 2018) CORRECTION: Contracts awarded on Oct. 25, 2018, to Central Lake Armor Express Inc.,* Central Lake, Michigan, for a ceiling of $59,369,617 (M67854-19-D-1509) incorrectly stated the production quantity. The correct quantity is 1,322,650 Plate Carrier Generation III - Soft Armor Inserts. Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1683955/source/GovDelivery/

AIR FORCE Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $350,000,000 increase to an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) production support. Contractor will provide lifecycle support for all efforts related to JASSM, Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, JASSM-Extended Range, and any JASSM variant in the areas of system upgrades, integration, production, sustainment, management and logistical support. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by April 17, 2022. This award is the result of sole-source acquisition. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8682-17-D-0002). General Atomics - Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $263,403,355 firm-fixed-price contract for MQ-9 Reaper production. This contract provides for the production of the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft in the fiscal 2018 production configuration. Work will be performed at Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $263,403,355 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-19-F-2374). Raytheon Co., El Segundo, California, has been awarded an $11,532,469, competitive, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the research and development of Millimeter-Wave Digital Arrays (MIDAS) Defense Advanced Research Projects Activity program. The contractor will address the MIDAS program goals through innovations in digital tile architecture and integrated, scalable apertures with groundbreaking transmit and receive components. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 4, 2020. Fiscal 2018 research and development funds in the amount of $2,928,098 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8650-19-C-7993). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $40,632,816 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for blue wool cloth. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year contract with four one-year option periods. The maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 4, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1112). Burlington Apparel Fabrics, Greensboro, North Carolina, has been awarded a maximum $40,563,765 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery contract for blue poly/wool cloth. This was a competitive acquisition with one response received. This is a one-year contract with four one-year option periods. The maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract. Location of performance is North Carolina, with a Nov. 4, 2023, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2023 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1100). Southeast Power Systems of Orlando,* Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a maximum $8,247,300 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for diesel engine fuel pumps. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a three-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Florida, with a Nov. 4, 2021, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2022 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Warren, Michigan (SPRDL1-19-D-0016). NAVY Transoceanic Cable Ship Co. LLC, Baltimore, Maryland, is awarded a $35,952,500 firm-fixed-price contract for the time charter services of a cable-laying and repair ship. This contract contains options, which if exercised, would bring the contract value to $224,619,153. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed Jan. 10, 2019. If options are exercised, work will continue through November 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of approximately $42,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and Navy Commerce Online website. Two offers were received. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N32205-19-C-3506). ExxonMobil Marine Ltd., Spring, Texas, was awarded a $16,572,038 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for worldwide delivery of lubricants and related support services to Military Sealift Command vessels, Navy ships, and other government-owned or government-chartered ships designated by the Military Sealift Command. This contract contains options, which if exercised, will bring the contract value to $86,602,374. Work will be performed worldwide and is expected to be completed by Nov. 3, 2019. If all options are exercised, work will continue through Nov. 4, 2023. Fiscal 2019 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $5,000 are obligated to cover the minimum-guarantee. Navy working capital funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders for the fiscal year when delivery orders are issued. This contract was competitively procured, with proposals solicited via the government-wide Point of Entry Federal Business Opportunities website, with four offers received in response to the solicitation. The Navy's Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220519D7000). (Awarded Nov. 2, 2018) General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded a $13,888,444 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously-awarded contract N00024-09-C-2104 for planning and execution of USS Indiana (SSN 789) post-delivery work period. Work includes long-lead-time material procurement, in preparation to accomplish the maintenance, repair, alterations, testing and other work on USS Indiana. Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by April 2019. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $8,638,444 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Connecticut, is the contracting activity. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded $12,106,016 for modification P00003 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-18-C-1022) in support of the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) Block II Phase 2 non-recurring engineering effort. This modification incorporates an engineering development model and upgrades two sets of IRST Block I system weapon replacement assemblies. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (73 percent); and St. Louis, Missouri (27 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2022. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $6,500,000 will be obligated at time of award; none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. *Small Business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1682676/

Par Michel Cabirol Le Canada doit lancer au printemps 2019 un appel d'offres pour l'acquisition de 88 avions de combat. Il sera adressé aux cinq constructeurs de quatre pays sélectionnés en février dernier : Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Dassault Aviation, Airbus Defense and Space et Saab AB. Le dossier de renouvellement de la flotte d'avions de combat canadiens arrive bientôt dans sa phase cruciale. Le Canada doit lancer au printemps 2019 un appel d'offres (RFP) pour l'acquisition de 88 avions de combat. Il sera adressé aux cinq constructeurs de quatre pays sélectionnés par Ottawa en février dernier : Boeing ainsi que Lockheed Martin associé à Pratt and Whitney (Etats-Unis), Dassault Aviation (avec Thales DMS France, Thales Canada, et Safran Aircraft Engines), Airbus Defense and Space (Grande-Bretagne) et Saab AB (Suède). Le vainqueur de la compétition, qui devra livrer le premier appareil en 2025 et les derniers en 2031, sera désigné fin 2021, début 2022. "Il y a trois ans, nous nous trouvions dans une impasse avec ce processus, a rappelé jeudi dernier la ministre des Services publics et de l'Approvisionnement et de l'Accessibilité Carla Qualtrough. Aujourd'hui, je suis heureuse de vous apprendre que cette entreprise ambitieuse a repris son élan". En novembre 2016, le Canada avait lancé un appel d'offres afin de moderniser sa flotte de combat tout en restant partenaire du programme F-35 de Lockheed Martin. Une décision qui allait à l'encontre de la promesse du gouvernement canadien faite en 2010 d'acquérir 65 F-35. Une intention d'achat qui n'a pas résisté à l'inflation des prix du F-35. Des F-18 d'occasion pour faire la jonction Où en est-on aujourd'hui? Après avoir lancé le processus en décembre 2017, puis désigné les constructeurs admissibles en février, Ottawa a remis la semaine dernière un projet d'appel d'offres aux six avionneurs. Ces derniers disposent d'un délai d'environ huit semaines pour envoyer leurs commentaires, qui seront utilisés par le Canada en vue de peaufiner et finaliser l'appel d'offres (RFP, Request for proposal). Une fois le document envoyé aux six constructeurs, ces derniers enverront leur proposition initiale au Canada à l'hiver 2019-2020. Ensuite, elles seront évaluées entre 2020 et 2021 et pourront faire l'objet d'une négociation si nécessaire. "Nous travaillerons avec les fournisseurs, au cours des mois à venir, sur cette ébauche, a expliqué Carla Qualtrough. La demande de propositions officielle sera distribuée aux fournisseurs admissibles le printemps prochain". En attendant la livraison du premier avion de combat en 2025, Ottawa travaille avec le gouvernement australien pour acheter 18 F-18 d'occasion et les pièces de rechange associées de la Royal Australian Air Force pour renforcer la flotte existante. "Nous prévoyons recevoir les deux premiers avions en 2019", a affirmé Carla Qualtrough. Initialement, le Canada avait prévu d'acheter des F-18 neufs à Boeing. Mais en décembre 2017, la ministre des Services publics a annoncé que le Canada n'a "pas l'intention de donner suite à l'offre du gouvernement américain pour des Super Hornet". Un contrat évalué à plus de 5 milliards de dollars qui passe sous le nez de Boeing en raison de la multiplication des conflits commerciaux avec les États-Unis. Play Video Des retombées technologiques et industrielles pour le Canada La nouvelle politique du Canada en matière de retombées industrielles et technologiques exige des groupes se voyant attribuer une commande dans la défense qu'ils investissent localement un montant égal à la valeur du contrat. Elle s'appliquera à l'appel d'offres des avions de combat. Les soumissionnaires seront donc invités à présenter leur meilleure proposition de valeur pour le Canada. Car ce critère a une influence directe sur le choix du vainqueur. À l'heure où le Canada amorce une période d'investissements importants dans la défense, le gouvernement a fixé une cible très ambitieuse de retombées économiques pour le pays. Il vise une augmentation de 40 % sur une période de dix ans des revenus de l'industrie de la défense canadienne. Les propositions seront également évaluées en fonction des coûts et des exigences techniques. Elles seront par ailleurs assorties d'une évaluation de l'incidence globale des soumissionnaires sur les intérêts économiques du Canada. Quel constructeur se rapprochera le plus d'un avion de combat "Made in Canada"? https://www.latribune.fr/entreprises-finance/industrie/aeronautique-defense/aviation-de-combat-le-canada-devrait-lancer-un-appel-d-offres-au-printemps-2019-795860.html

CALGARY, Nov. 5, 2018 /CNW/ - QinetiQ Target Systems, the largest UAV manufacturer in Canada, and Canadian UAVs (CUAVs), Canada's leading unmanned aviation solutions provider for enterprise and military applications, is proud to announce that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), outlining how the two companies will work together to bring combined 'best of breed' solutions for military and commercial markets. The agreement focuses on providing services to clients requiring long range, endurance and payload capacity primarily with the Skeldar V200, Mosquito UHV-T Group 2 UAV and the class 1 UAV Snyper. With manufacturing and operations facilities in Medicine Hat and Calgary as well as satellite locations across the country including at major naval bases on both coasts, the partnership is perfectly placed to provide direct services for both the commercial, civil and military markets in Canada. "We are thrilled to partner with CUAVs. CUAVs provide outstanding UAV services and expertise, and we are confident that this partnership will meet and exceed the requirements of our existing and new UAV clients in Canada. We are also actively pursuing export opportunities to further leverage our joint capabilities", commented Vincent Malley, Director of Business Development at QinetiQ Target Systems. "Canadian UAVs is delighted to be working closely with QinetiQ Target Systems. They have been a UAV provider to the military for over three decades and we believe our current and future clients will benefit greatly from our comprehensive combined capacity and expertise. We are very excited for the future of unmanned aviation in Canadaand we believe this joint offering will have significant positive implications for the further advance of this industry." said Sean Greenwood, President, and CEO of Canadian UAVs". Notes for Editors: About QinetiQ Listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: QQ.L), QinetiQ is a leading science and engineering company operating primarily in the defence, security and aerospace markets. Our customers are predominantly government organisations including defence departments, as well as international customers in other targeted sectors. Visit our website www.QinetiQ.com Follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @QinetiQ Consult our privacy policy About Canadian UAVs Canadian UAVs is a Calgary-based solutions provider focused on safety-first data acquisition for unmanned aerial vehicle applications. CUAVs provides a range of custom and innovative UAV solutions for industrial environments where advanced imaging is necessary for surveying on an iterative or fixed point basis. Using advanced technology to monitor and acquire data about industrial assets, the company provides a viable advantage for clients and enterprises seeking to mitigate risk. SOURCE Canadian UAVS For further information: Please contact, QinetiQ Press Office on Tel: +44 (0) 1252 39 3500 or email: PressOffice@QinetiQ.com; Contact: Sean Greenwood (403) 796-5102 or visit our website: http://CanadianUAVs.ca https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/qinetiq-target-systems-and-canadian-uavs-sign-memorandum-of-understanding-for-commercial-and-military-uav-services-in-canada-699634171.html

NASA is inviting journalists to learn about the agency's Quiet Supersonic Flights 2018 campaign during a media day event taking place Friday, Nov. 9, in the Houston area. Test pilots and project leads will be available for interviews and to share information about the flight series, known as QSF18, and its contributions to NASA aeronautics research. Media also will get a close-up look at flight operations with NASA's F/A-18 research aircraft as they are used to test community response over Galveston, Texas, using a “quiet thump” technique designed to reduce loud sonic booms typically associated with supersonic flight. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. CST at Ellington Field, just north of NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, then moves to Galveston, where QSF18 field team members operating microphone stations will measure sound levels. Reporters will have an opportunity to observe the field equipment and interview personnel during periods between quiet thumps. Media planning to attend must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-482-5111 before 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7. The event is weather dependent. Should inclement weather occur, please contact the Johnson newsroom for more information. The QSF18 campaign is a cooperative effort involving NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, Johnson, and NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. For more information about NASA's QSF18 flight campaign, visit: https:/www.nasa.gov/QSF18 For more information about NASA's Commercial Supersonic Technology project, visit: https://go.nasa.gov/2qpg81Q -end- J.D. Harrington Headquarters, Washington 202-358-5241 j.d.harrington@nasa.gov Brandi Dean Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 brandi.k.dean@nasa.gov Matt Kamlet Armstrong Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif. 661-221-3459 matthew.r.kamlet@nasa.gov https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-invites-media-to-observe-quiet-supersonic-flight-series-operations

By: Tom Kington ROME — Italy has spent slightly more than €5 billion (U.S. $5.7 billion) on defense procurement in 2018 and launched a series of new programs, a newly released spending document has revealed. Published months behind schedule, the Defence Ministry document also states that the ministry's overall budget, which includes its contribution to procurement as well as funds for personnel and maintenance and operations, stood at €13.8 billion this year, up from €13.2 billion the year before. The total budget for procurement combines a €2.3 billion contribution from the Defence Ministry funding with a €2.8 billion top-up from Italy's Ministry of Economic Development, which has long shored up acquisition funding. A chart published in the document shows that procurement funding from the defense ministry has risen 83 percent from €1.5 billion in 2008, and overtook Defence Ministry procurement in 2016 for the first time. The figures are contained in Italy's annual defense spending document, which is due to be examined by the Italian parliament's defense commission next week and has been seen by Defense News. The document breaks down spending per program in 2018 and lists new programs receiving funding for the first time, including four new Chinook helicopters for special forces troops, which will cost €528 million over nine years. Launch funding is also allotted for the purchase of a third pair of U212 submarines for the Italian Navy, a program due to cost a total of €2.35 billion. There is also launch funding for a second pair of Cosmo Skymed Second Generation radar satellites which will cost a total of €212 million. Also included in the budget is funding to launch the purchase of a new submarine rescue vessel which will cost a total of €424 million. Usually published in the spring, the release of the budget overview has been held up by a change of government, which saw a center-left administration replaced in June by a populist coalition. The new government's defense budget plans are yet to be finalized as the overall state budget is still being worked on, but a source has already told Defense News that €450 million are to be trimmed from planned spending to help fund social welfare programs. The programs to be put on ice during 2019 are NH-90 helicopter acquisitions and the CAMM-ER missile program, while plans to move the headquarters of individual military services in Rome under one roof in premises on the outskirts of the capital have been scrapped. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/11/02/italy-spends-57-billion-on-military-procurement-in-2018