Raw Intel

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $92.5 million contract modification for Aegis Combat System Engineering Agent efforts for the design, development, integration, test and delivery of Advanced Capability Build 20. The Aegis Combat System is an American integrated naval weapons system. It uses powerful computers, radar and digital signal processing algorithms to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. Work will take place in New Jersey. Expected completion is by December 2022. The Canadian government has decided that it will buy the Lockheed Martin F-35 to replace its CF-18s, in a joint announcement by Public Services and Procurement Minister Filomena Tassi and Defe…

Americas General Atomics won a $46.9 million contract modification by the US Navy, which exercises an option to provide spares necessary for the successful operational capability of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper air vehicles, ground control stations, and ancillary equipment. Work will take place in California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Virginia, Ohio, Arkansas, Florida and South Carolina. The US Navy awarded Sikorsky a $14.1 million modification, which exercises an option to provide non-recurring engineering, supplies and support necessary for the low rate initial produ…

If you recall, the "Arab Spring" started with increases in food prices going in to winter. The Kazakh government seems to have collapses due to civil disorder resulting from increasing LPG prices gong in to winter. Don't think inflation and supply chain issues are a national security issue? You're wrong. I'm pondering over at USNBlog. Come on by and bring a wheelbarrow of Papiermarks. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vsbpjpYdZoU:aDOK3unvZrA:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vsbpjpYdZoU:aDOK3unvZrA:-BTjWOF_D…

Americas BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems won a $13.5 million order, which provides for the ALR-56M radar warning receiver, C-130J Block Cycle F, Operational Flight Program and Mission Data File Generation updates and system services. Work will be performed in Totowa, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed August 9, 2024. Boeing won a $278 million ordering agreement for the procurement of F/A-18 aircraft consumable parts. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. The performance completion date is August 8, 2027. Using military service is the Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2022 through 2027 defense working capital funds…

Americas Kihomac won an $18 million deal for A-10 universal rudders. This contract provides for the acquisition of a maximum of 330 rudders. The A-10 is Air Force’s primary low-altitude close air support aircraft. Work will take place in Layton, Utah. Expected completion date is May 18, 2027. According to a news report, a team from Argentina has evaluated the JF-17 fighter in Chengdu, China. The team was later received by Argentine ambassador to China, Sabino Vaca Narvaja, in Beijing. DangDai confirmed the visit of the Argentine delegation to the CATIC (China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation) facilities, located in the city of Chengdu. There, the …

In September of last year, the national security story was the announcement of AUKUS - trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Though the Russo-Ukrainian War quickly took it from headlines, it is still moving forward - and in ways you may not expect. These three Anglosphere nations have a long cultural, diplomatic, economic, and military history together - so many of the building blocks are already there to make something impressive. Using his recent article in the Australian Strategic Policy Institute as a starting off point, our guest for the full hour returning to Midrats this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern will be Dr. Alessio …

The greatest tragedies from war, both directly and indirectly, are those that were clearly foreseen, knowable, or otherwise clear as day to anyone who wanted to see them. They did not happen in the shadows, they were allowed to happen because people with access to levers of power did not want to expend personal, professional, or real capital to take steps to prevent something that would be too horrible to think of should they come to pass. Little pain now to avoid great pain later is a more difficult concept to accept than it seems. The world in complicated. It is a human failing to not want to expend effort NOW to prevent something that will force harder effort in the fu…

Americas The low-drag external fuel tanks and pylons Lockheed Martin is developing for the F-22 Raptor could be integrated with other fighter jets, such as the F-35, according to a company official. The F-22 Low Drag Tank and Pylon (LDTP) is one capability being developed for the fifth-generation aircraft to keep up with adversary advances […]View the full article

Americas Austal won a $12.3 million contract modification to exercise an option for littoral combat ship (LCS) industrial post-delivery availability support for USS Santa Barbara (LCS 32). The USS Santa Barbara is the US Navy’s 16th Independence littoral combat ship (LCS) variant. The LCS programme will see the construction of the vessels in the Freedom-class and the Independence-class variants. Work will take place in Alabama and Massachusetts. Expected completion will be by December 2022. A joint exercise between the air forces of Pakistan and the United States was concluded recently. F-16s from Shaw Air Force Base participate in the exercise which started on February …

Americas Lockheed Martin has awarded Magellan Aerospace a contract to provide machine titanium components for its F-35 Lightning II Fighter Aircraft. The agreement covers the development of machined wing tie bars for the plane’s flap. Tie bars are placed on an aircraft’s joints, curb, or shoulder parts, connecting bordering or adjoining portions to prevent separation and damage in flight. A bipartisan group of US senators has asked Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin to explain the reasons behind not sending the MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones to Ukraine. The 16 lawmakers demanded the explanation in a letter following the Pentagon’s reported refusal to send the General Atomics pla…

Japan is moving forward with live trials of its new 100-kilowatt-class laser weapon system aboard a military test ship. The high-energy laser was recently installed on the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force’s (JMSDF) testbed vessel Asuka and is now being readied for sea-based testing at Japan Marine United’s shipyard. The newly fitted laser system—developed by the […]View the full article

67% of the fleet (click to view full) DID’s FOCUS Article for the DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyer” program covers the new ships’ capabilities and technologies, key controversies, associated contracts and costs, and related background resources. The ship’s prime missions are to provide naval gunfire support, and next-generation air defense, in near-shore areas where other large […]View the full article

On yesterday's Midrats David Larter mentioned something in passing that I really had not pondered since he was still on the journalism gig in 2020: In a move with sweeping consequences for the U.S. Navy’s battle force, the service is canceling plans to add 10 years to the expected service lives of its stalwart destroyer fleet, a cost-savings measure that would almost certainly hamper plans to grow the size of the fleet. In written testimony submitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee, the Navy’s Assistant Secretary for Research, Development and Acquisition James Geurts said performing service life extensions on Burkes designed to bring them up from 35-year hull liv…

Just take a moment to consider the mass of senior leadership present inside a commute distance of DC. The amount of money they have access to. The amount of direct control they can exert through official levers of power and simply a phone call. Look how they live. Now ponder how our most junior sailors have been treated. Come on over to USNIBlog with me to be scandalized afresh. http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=yIl2AUoC8zA http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?d=qj6IDK7rITs http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=mKOOFIr89Dc:6ckDxnJrPHI:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=mKOOFIr89Dc:6ckDxnJrPHI:-BTjWOF_DHI http://f…

Americas Sikorsky won a $98.9 million deal for UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft. UH-60 Black Hawk is a multi-mission helicopter developed by Sikorsky that has been operational in the US Army since 1978. The export version of the UH-60 Black Hawk is designated as S-70A. Work will take place in Connecticut. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2027. The US Navy is seeking proposals to build a low-cost unmanned vessel capable of towing and launching many unmanned vessels into contested environments. A design and construction contract could be awarded by mid-2026, with expected vessel delivery beginning within two years. Middle East & Africa The Israeli government is asking …

If it's April, it's time for a return visit by Ross Kennedy to Midrats! A little under a year ago, we had Ross on to discuss the impact of COVID and related structural issues to the global supply chain. A year later, we find conditions have not just remained, but with war in Ukraine and a new COVID variant working its way through coastal China, in many ways the global trade in essential items has turned for the worst. If you are worried about the cost and availability of fuel, food, and everyday items you've spent the last decade assuming were always going to be there at a price you're happy with, then you need to join us from 2-3pm Eastern this Sunday. Ross is a U.S.-bas…

Americas General Dynamics subsidiary NASSCO has been awarded a $15.6-million maintenance and modernization contract for two Arleigh Burke-Class destroyers, USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) and USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). The contract could reach $753.8 million for future development of the ships. Modernization efforts include installing the Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 electronic warfare suite. Work for the two destroyers […]View the full article

Americas The United States and the Philippines vowed Friday to “invigorate” defense cooperation to address shared security concerns including disputes over the South China Sea. Manila hosted a high-level security dialogue with its top defense ally as part of efforts by President Ferdinand Marcos to restore a seven-decade partnership that was unsettled by his predecessor Rodrigo Duterte. The […]View the full article

Americas The US Air Force Awarded Rockwell Collins a $99.6 million deal for avionics sustaining engineering services. The deal provides for propitiatory engineering services and support for recurring and non-recurring requirements relating to the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System. The E-3 Sentry aircraft allows the Joint Air Operations Center to obtain battlespace awareness in real time with the system’s command, control, surveillance, detection and tracking features. Work will take place in Iowa. Estimated completion date is February 11, 2032. Bell Textron announced its advancement to the next phase of the AFWERX High-Speed Vertical Take-Off and Landing (HSVTOL) C…

Americas The GAU-18 .50 caliber machine gun was recently unmounted from an HH-60 helicopter and mounted on the ground to be tested as a defensive weapon. The test took place at Avon Park Air Force Range, Florida on October 14. It was organized by the 920th Rescue Wing. The US Defense Innovation Unit has contracted Nauticus Robotics to develop an amphibious drone to support mine-hunting operations. As part of the agreement, the company will modify an off-the-shelf unmanned system to allow it to traverse sea or land during operations. Nauticus will also integrate its “ToolKITT” autonomy software to guide the modified robot in identifying undersea mines and avoiding potenti…