HG S2 (Intel Bot)

Americas Sikorsky Aircraft won a $9.8 million order, which provides for modifications and updates to the CH-53K 2F243-1 Containerized Flight Training Device. Additionally, this order provides flight test data analysis required to update and validate the CH-53K flight model with available flight test data; produces materials focused on pilot and aircrew conversion courseware and maintainer conversion courseware; and trains the schoolhouse instructors at the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Marine Unit, New River, North Carolina; and Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302, in order to support initial operational capability. Work will take place in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Connecticut and New York. Estimated completion will be in September 2022. According to a strategy the services released on March 16, the Navy and the Marine Corps plan to build a digital infrastructure to integrate drone capabilities. In addition to drone-specific infrastructure plans, the 40-page Unmanned Campaign Plan includes plans to incentivize rapid development and testing of unmanned systems and advance manned-unmanned teaming effects across naval and joint operations. Middle East & Africa Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the Israel Missile Defense Organization in the Israeli Ministry of Defense have successfully completed the third series of tests of the Iron Dome system over the last few months, demonstrating a significant upgrade of the system’s technological capabilities. During the tests, the Iron Dome operated successfully in a range of complex scenarios and intercepted and destroyed targets that simulated existing and emerging threats, including the simultaneous interception of multiple UAVs, as well as a salvo of rockets and missiles. Europe The US State Department approved two Foreign Military Sales to the Netherlands. The first deal is for CH-47 Pilot Training and Logistics Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $125 million. The Government of the Netherlands has requested support for the Royal Netherlands Air Force CH-47 training program, to include fuel; base operating support; facilities; publications and technical documentation; pilot training; personnel training and training equipment; weapon system and software support; US Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The second FMS is for AH-64 Pilot Training and Logistics Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $190 million. The Government of the Netherlands has requested support for the Royal Netherlands Air Force AH-64 training program, to include fuel; base operating support; facilities; publications and technical documentation; pilot training; AH-64D to AH-64E conversion training support; personnel training and training equipment; weapon system and software support; US Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics personnel services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The US State Department approved a Foreign Military Sale to North Macedonia for Stryker Vehicles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $210 million. The Government of North Macedonia has requested the possible sale of fifty-four (54) Stryker Vehicles, to include M1126 Infantry Carrier Vehicles (ICV), M1130 Command Vehicles (CV), and M1129 Mortar Carrier Vehicles (MCV). Also included are Also included are M2A1 .50 cal machine guns; M6 Smoke Grenade launchers and associated spares; Harris radios; Common Remote Operated Weapons Station (CROWS); Defense Advanced GPS Receiver; AN/VAS-5 Driver’s Vision Enhancer; spare parts and components; special tools and test equipment; publications and technical manuals; training; field service representatives; US Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistical support services, and other related elements of program and logistical support. Asia-Pacific The government has advised the parliamentary standing committee on data know-how that it has the leading edge know-how, commonplace working procedures and processes to sort out any cyber-attack that will come India’s manner. Appearing earlier than the Shashi Tharoor-led House panel on Tuesday, IT secretary Ajay Prakash Sawhney advised the committee that India has sturdy cyber safety mechanisms in place and that it’s properly ready to counter and quell any assaults. Today’s Video Watch: Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion is The Most Powerful Helicopter America View the full article

It is time to see what a few years of pressure on NATO nations to do better has done. There is good news, but also some storms on the horizon. I have graphs and pretty pictures over at USNIBlog. Come on by and see where your favorite NATO nation lies on Salamander's Grid. 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=BiWnsToqOIQ:GaAiY97Q4AA:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=BiWnsToqOIQ:GaAiY97Q4AA:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=BiWnsToqOIQ:GaAiY97Q4AA:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=BiWnsToqOIQ:GaAiY97Q4AA:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/BiWnsToqOIQView the full article

Americas Northrop Grumman Systems won an $82 million contract, which provides for sustainment, engineering, logistics, test, mission control, and operator training systems support for MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This effort also includes procurement of field service representatives and technical support to ensure that the MQ-4C Triton UAS aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions supporting Triton’s early operational capability and initial operating capability. Work will take place in Maryland and California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in March 2022. General Electric won a $23.8 million contract modification, which exercises an option to procure eight complete CT7-8A6 spare engines and various engine components in support of the VH-92A Presidential Helicopter program for the Navy. Designed under the VH-92A Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, the VH-92A is based on the FAA-certified S-92 helicopter integrated with an advanced mission communication system and executive interior. The helicopter features a crashworthy fuselage, integrating twin turbo-shaft power-plant and a fully-articulated composite main rotor. The retractable try-cycle landing gear includes three twin-wheel units. Middle East & Africa The chairman of the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) says the aerospace company will be switching to Ukraine for the supply of engines for its T-929 attack helicopter. The engines will supply 2,500 horsepower and the 11-ton rotocraft will make its first flight in 2023. Europe The Ukrainian Navy has taken delivery of prototype Neptune anti-ship missiles on March 15. The Neptune’s unit includes six USPU-360 launchers with 24 R-360 cruise missiles. The R-360 missile weighs 870 kg; the weight of its warhead is 150 kg; its launch range is up to 280 km and speed is about 900 km/h. It is able to get at a height of from 3 m to 10 m above the surface. Ukraine’s Neptune cruise missile can be located at a distance of up to 25 km from the coastline, and its deployment lasts up to 15 minutes. Six Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) F-15C and D fighters arrived in Souda Air Base, Greece on March 13 for joint exercise with the Hellenic Air Force. Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Greece Dr. Saad Alammar was there to greet the airmen. Some of the exercises will include complex air operations, such as achieving Air Superiority and how to protect/attack land and sea targets. This cooperation proves the continuous and deepening relations between the two countries, which is demonstrated by the recent placement of the Saudi Defense Attaché in Athens for the first time. Asia-Pacific US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin is arriving in Tokyo for their first foreign trip on March 15 and Kyodo News reports that Japanese Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi will speak to Austin on the high cost of modifying the F-15J to carry long-range cruise missile. The report says the cost had soared to three times the amount Japan had budgeted. Kishi felt that he had to intervene to get an agreement with the Americans. Today’s Video Watch: RK-360MC “Neptune” Anti-Ship Missile will be delivered to the Ukrainian army View the full article

BAMS Operation Concept (click to view full) The world’s P-3 Orion fleets have served for a long time, and many are reaching the end of their lifespans. In the USA, and possibly beyond, the new P-8 Poseidon Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft will take up the P-3’s role. While the P-8’s base 737-based airframe offers strong service & maintenance arguments in its favor, the airframe is expensive enough that the P-3s cannot be replaced on a 1:1 basis. In order to extend the P-8 fleet’s reach, and provide additional capabilities, the Poseidon was expected to work with at least one companion UAV platform. This DID FOCUS Article explains the winning BAMS (Broad Area Maritime Surveillance) concept, the program’s key requirements, and its international angle. We’ll also cover ongoing contracts and key events related to the program, which chose Northrop Grumman’s navalized MQ-4C Triton Global Hawk variant. Next-Gen Maritime Patrol Systems: Issues and Options USN ERJ-145 ACS concept The P-3 fleet’s heavy use in both maritime surveillance and overland roles points up a potential problem with its successor the P-8A Poseidon. The 737-based aircraft will be bought in fewer numbers than the aircraft it replaces, but its high end Littoral Surveillance Radar System (LSRS) capabilities could quickly turn it into a sort of “mini-JSTARS,” making it a platform with strong maritime and land surveillance capabilities like NATO’s similar sized Airbus 321-based AGS battlefield surveillance aircraft. As an expensive but in-demand asset, the P-8’s coverage scope could easily translate into a fleet run ragged by high flight hours per airframe, and forced into early retirement. See the Strategic Review article “Brittle Swords: Low-Density, High-Demand Assets” [PDF] for more background on this phenomenon. The logical response is to pair the P-8s with a lower cost counterpart. Hence the P-8 Poseidon’s companion Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV program, run by NAVAIR’s PMA-263 program management office. BAMS: Requirements and Missions NGC on BAMS click to play video The BAMS UAV is formally designated MQ-4C Triton: “M” as a multi-mission aircraft, even though all of its missions are ISR/reconnaissance missions. The name fits. In mythology, Triton was Poseidon’s son, and the messenger of the sea. Tritons will work with the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft on missions that will include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay; plus support for maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management, and targeting for maritime and strike missions. MQ-4C Increment 3 UAVs and beyond are slated to add SIGINT capabilities, to capture enemy communication and radar transmissions. They would begin replacing the current EP-3 fleet in that role. The MQ-4C UAV’s required capabilities definitely placed it at the high end of today’s UAV spectrum. BAMS had to be capable of a completely pre-programmed mission track, communication plan, and sensor employment plan, with manual override possible to support real-time control and/or re-tasking. The baseline requirement for operation with the P-8A is currently Level II control (receipt of sensor data to/from), with a proposal to quickly increase to Level IV (full control except landings) in the P-8A’s first improvement cycle. It also needed the ability to land on its own if necessary, however, using pre-surveyed and pre-programmed air fields. Many of those capabilities are already present in existing medium UAVs. The requirements that follow are not. BAMS: expected ‘orbits’ (click to view full) BAMS had to have a minimum mission radius of 3,000 nautical miles, with a 10 hour time to on-station at 2,000 nmi mission radius, and autonomous flight through moderate icing or turbulence. More to the point, the requirements were expressly crafted for persistence. They included an 80% Estimated Time On Station (ETOS) for a group of BAMS platforms, over a period of 1 week (168 hours). That means UAVs in the air, within their assigned patrol zones at an estimated 900 nmi distance from launch, for 134 hours out of 168. That’s the minimum – the goal is 95% ETOS, or almost 160/168 hours. The Navy saw BAMS UAVs employed within 5 “orbits” around the globe, with no more than 3 UAVs operating at the same time within each orbit. While this may make BAMS seem like a tiny program, consider the fact that all aircraft have fatigue lifespans measured in flight hours. Many fighters have lifespans of 10,000-12,000 hours. Transport aircraft can reach 30,000-40,000 hours, with major rebuilds along the way. Now consider the number of UAVs required to support flight profiles within those orbits, which are estimated to sum to 43,800 on-station flight hours/year, plus flight times to and from station for each mission. Over an expected program operational lifetime of about 20 years. BAMS also has an unlisted, but critically important, program requirement. As UAVs proliferate in this role and begin undertaking long-range missions, they’ll require enough secure bandwidth to transmit large first-pass processed data sets to accompanying aircraft or ground stations. That cannot be provided from within the BAMS program, though communications relay packages on high-altitude BAMS UAVs will help military commanders on the surface. BAMS is in turn reliant on the USA’s Global Information Grid’s future security and capacity, in order to reach its full potential. BAMS Options BAMS/P-8 mission sets (click to view full) Some nations use smaller business jet derivatives for maritime surveillance, and this option was closely considered by the Navy. The joint ACS (Aerial Common Sensor) program had potential dual-use features that could have made it a maritime surveillance supplement, as well as a SIGINT/ELINT (Signals & Electronic Intelligence & intercepts) platform to replace the Navy’s aging EP-3 Aries II fleet. The ACS program’s demise has taken that option off of the table for now. As it happens, however, the Navy had already chosen a different kind of companion for its P-8. While business jets offered economy and numbers, the US Navy believed that unmanned UAVs could bring more to the long and oft-times tedious job of maritime surveillance. They can undertake very long-endurance flights of 30 hours or more, in part because they don’t have to carry processing stations and crew, or worry about aircrew endurance. Northrop Grumman was always the favorite to win the BAMS competition. Its unarmed RQ-4 Global Hawk UAV had already proven itself in battlefield surveillance roles around the globe, and had been used as the Navy’s GHMD/BAMS-D maritime surveillance UAV testing and concepts research. In contrast, the General Atomics MQ-9N Mariner’s main offered efficiency at much lower flight ceilings, up to 3,000 pounds of integrated weapons, and commonality with the Air Force’s MQ-9 Reaper strike UAV. Boeing’s manned/unmanned G550 business jet was the 3rd major entry, offering the largest payloads, twin-engine redundancy, and compatibility with a civilian fleet. BAMS: The MQ-4C Triton MQ-4C Triton rollout (click to view full) The “RQ-4N” system chosen by the US Navy was based on the USAF’s RQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawks, but it incorporated a wide range of changes on the way to its unveiling as the MQ-4C Triton. Sensors received the biggest overhaul. MQ-4Cs will have a more rounded belly housing for Northrop Grumman’s own 360-degree coverage AN/ZPY-3 AESA radar, as part of their Advanced Integrated Sensor Suite (AISS). Unlike conventional mechanically-scanned radars, AESA radars offer the ability to zoom in on several targets of interest, and they can do this without stopping the broader scan. That shift from Raytheon’s side-looking AESA radar used in the RQ-4B could have become a major risk factor, which was a big reason behind Northrop Grumman’s decision to field their new radar on a Gulfstream II BAMS test bed during the competition. Beyond the radar, “Electronic Support Measures” systems that can pick-up, map, and identify radar emissions initially relied on Northrop Grumman’s LR-100, but Sierra Nevada’s Merlin ESM system was substituted in order to meet the program’s requirement for 360-degree, 300 nm/ 555 km coverage. In the visual spectrum, AISS includes an optical day/night surveillance and targeting turret. Other sensors expected for the MQ-4C include a “due regard” radar and other systems that let them descend safely into potential air traffic over international waters (currently facing development difficulties), Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) in various modes, and of course sensor packages with additional SIGINT/ELINT equipment and other specialty mission packages. The UAV must be able to perform “first pass” processing of any data it receives, before sending it on to other ships, aircraft, and/or ground stations. RQ-4N concept (click to view full) Communications. A Ka-band Wideband Gapfiller satellite link will replace the commercial Ku-band link used by the USAF, in order to ensure 100% accessibility over long stretches of water. In addition, a pair of Ku-band and X-band datalinks have been added to the fuselage sides, to act as communications relays. Those relays, plus the addition of dual Common Data Links instead of single-CDL, and Link 16 capability UHF/VHF radios with HAVE QUICK and SINCGARS capability, will allow real-time data feeds to other Navy ships and aircraft. The US Air Force is reportedly considering this upgraded set for its own Global Hawks. On the MQ-4C, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver will allow the detection, identification, geo-location, and tracking of cooperative ships equipped with AIS transponders. Mechanical. The need to have Navy UAVs descend and rise from altitude during over-water missions requires de-icing systems on the MQ-4C’s engine inlet, wings and tail. Strengthened wing structures were also deemed to be necessary. One final mechanical issue concerns the Global Hawk design’s single turbofan engine. To cope with possible engine outages without losing these ultra-expensive UAVs, the USAF reportedly uses a combination of modified control software and alternate “glide-to” landing bases. When flying over vast ocean expanses, high altitude flight will be required, in order to keep the “glide-to” option alive. BAMS: The Program In April 2008, NAVAIR’s PMA-263 selected Northrop Grumman’s RQ-4N Global Hawk, which has since been re-designated MQ-4C. The FY 2014 budget cut the program from 70 (5 test + 65 operational UAVs) to a total of 66: 5 test + 61 operational UAVs. BAMS Budgets from FY 2009 include: Industrial team members include: NGC performs Global Hawk sub-assembly work at its Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS, and anticipates performing final assembly at its St. Augustine, FL manufacturing center. Triton’s Tactical Support Centers for command and control will be focused around the P-8A’s main bases: NAS Jacksonville, FL and NAS Whidbey Island, WA. Initial MQ-4C basing will include Ventura County Naval Base, at the Point Mugu, CA facility. Beyond that, NAVAIR has been tight-lipped, but reports have highlighted a few likely locations. Andersen AFB on the island of Guam, which already supports some RQ-4 Global Hawks, is expected to become an important forward Pacific base, along with Hawaii and Diego Garcia. A fall 2013 agreement with Japan will provide for some Global Hawk basing in Japan itself, as a forward deployment from Andersen. It would be logical to expect MQ-4Cs as part of any eventual arrangement there. Australia’s Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean have also been discussed as a way of relieving congestion at Diego Garcia, while keeping RQ-4 and possibly MQ-4 UAVs closer to sea lanes and countries of interest. The required infrastructure upgrade is an issue for Australia, however, and much may depend on Australia’s own purchasing decisions regarding the MQ-4C. Sigonella AB in Sicily, Italy is already a key Global Hawk base, and it will also house NATO’s RQ-4B Block 40 AGS fleet. It’s likely to serve as the Triton’s hub to help cover Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, but other bases in that region would make the fleet much more effective. Advanced spy planes have already flown out of the UAE, which would be very convenient for covering the Middle East and western Indian Ocean. Portugal’s Azores was a key naval air waystation for decades until NAF Lajes was inactivated in the late 1990s, and would be well positioned for operations to cover Africa’s oil-rich and piracy rich western coast. It’s worth keeping an especial eye on developments in those 2 locations. BAMS: The International Angle Mariner UAV (click to view full) The US Navy has been using the RQ-4 Global Hawk as a demonstration and proving platform to refine requirements and concepts of operations for BAMS, under the GHMD(Global Hawk Maritime Demonstrator) program. Even so, UAVs aren’t widely used for maritime surveillance just yet. Beyond America’s shores, India has successfully used Israel’s Heron and Searcher II UAVs for coastal patrol as well and overland surveillance; UAVs from their 2005 follow-on Heron order have also been pressed into service along the coasts. To the southeast, Australia has undertaken successful trials with the General Atomics’ Mariner UAV for Coast Guard duties along its resource-rich Northwest Shelf. In the Great White North, Canada is evaluating UAVs for a maritime surveillance role under its JUSTAS program; Phase 2 could even include arctic surveillance out of Goose Bay, Labrador. IAI/EADS’ Eagle UAV, and General Atomics’ Altair high-altitude UAV derived from the MQ-9 Reaper, have already been tested as part of requirements definition. Every one of these countries could eventually end up involved in the BAMS program. P-8i test flight (click to view full) India’s MPA competition chose the “P-8I” as their next maritime patrol aircraft. With BAMS integration already scheduled for their chosen platform, a nation that sees its responsibilities stretching across the Indian Ocean from the Straits of Malacca near Singapore, to the Persian Gulf, and down to Madagascar, has obvious uses for the compatible Triton long-range, long-endurance UAV platform. India seems to agree with this logic, but a treaty that it hasn’t signed is in the way. MTCR was originally aimed at limiting cruise missile exports, but a jet-powered UAV shares enough characteristics to create problems. Discussions are ongoing. The Canadians have also been approached as possible partners in the P-8A Poseidon program, as a future replacement for their P-3/CP-140 Auroras. Thus far, they have made no commitments. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman is offering them an RQ-4 variant called “Polar Hawk” for Arctic patrol, incorporating some MQ-4C features like de-icing. The vast expanses of Canada’s north make the speed of a jet-powered UAV very attractive, Northrop Grumman will have to beat General Atomics, which is offering its jet-powered Predator C as well as its slower MQ-9 UAV. If NGC can win, adding more Global Hawks for other missions would become easier. AP-3C: who’s next? (click to view full) Australia went even further, and made itself a partner in BAMS via its AIR 7000 program. First Pass Approval was given in September 2006, and a Project Agreement was signed on Jan 13/07. Australian Embassy personnel have attended NAVAIR PMA-263 industry days, Australian technical experts are part of the BAMS integrated project teams, and NAVAIR’s BAMS RFP now includes an “Australian Unique Option” section. BAMS had passed its Milestone B “go/no-go” decision, and was analyzing unique Australian requirements before an expected Australian second-pass approval decision that could begin Australian BAMS production in 2012, and achieve Initial Operating Capability in 2015. In 2009, however, Australia chose to drop out of the BAMS program, with sources citing both operational stress over the P-8A’s similarly-timed introduction, and fiscal pressures. They could still choose to drop back in, and their May 2013 Letter of Request for technical information is a step in that direction. The trade-off is that they’ll be looking at more of a finished product, with less scope for free-of-charge changes. BAMS: Contracts & Key Events BAMS cutaway (click for full PDF) Unless otherwise noted, all contracts originate with the Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD. FY 2016 – 2021 Know MQ-4C March 17/21: Mission Control Northrop Grumman Systems won an $82 million contract, which provides for sustainment, engineering, logistics, test, mission control, and operator training systems support for MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). This effort also includes procurement of field service representatives and technical support to ensure that the MQ-4C Triton UAS aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions supporting Triton’s early operational capability and initial operating capability. Work will take place in Maryland and California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in March 2022. October 30/20: Australia According to Northrop Grumman, the company commenced assembly of the first of up to seven MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for Australia. The milestone saw the first jig-load for a Triton intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) UAV for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) take place at Northrop Grumman’s Moss Point facility in Mississippi. Final assembly and flight testing will follow at the company’s Palmdale facility and at Edwards Air Force Base in California, ahead of delivery to Australia in 2023. July 28/20: Advanced Mission Management Curtiss-Wright Defense Systems won a maximum $7.6 million deal for an advanced mission management system in support of the MQ4-C Triton aircraft program. The MQ-4C Triton is a broad area maritime surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) unveiled by Northrop Grumman for the US Navy. The MQ-4C Triton is based on the RQ-4N, a maritime variant of the RQ-4B Global Hawk. The main aluminum fuselage is of semi-monocoque construction, while the V-tail, engine nacelle and aft fuselage are made of composite materials. The MQ-4C Triton program is managed by the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Programme Office. Work will take place California. Estimated completion date is February 28, 2022. July 6/20: Australia Australia will receive delivery of its first Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) UAV in 2023, and of the second and third aircraft by early 2025, Northrop Grumman Australia Chief Executive Chris Deeble has disclosed according to Jane’s. IFC-4 functionality will add a signals intelligence capability to the UAV’s baseline IFC-3 configuration. The production pause proposed in draft US budget papers for USN Triton UAVs in fiscal year 2021 (FY 2021) and FY 2022 provides Australia with an unprecedented opportunity to fill the LRIP-5 production gap with the remainder of its own Triton requirement, said Deeble. June 29/20: Australia Northrop Grumman won a $333.4 million contract modification, which exercises options for the production and delivery of three low-rate initial production MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, two main operating bases and one forward operating base in an integrated functional capability-four and multiple-intelligence configuration, with associated export compliance support for the government of Australia. Northrop Grumman had announced June 19 the Australian government’s decision to provide funding for an additional three of their planned six MQ-4C Tritons and associated ground mission control stations. The MQ-4C Triton is a cooperative development program between the Royal Australian Air Force and the US Navy. Operating at altitudes exceeding 50,000 feet, Triton can cover more than 2 million square miles of ocean and littorals in a single flight, bringing unprecedented awareness to operational commanders’ common operating pictures. Work will take place in California, Texas, Maryland, Utah, West Virginia, Mississippi, Indiana and North Dakota. Estimated completion will be by April 2025. March 16/20: Test Support Northrop Grumman Systems won an $86.2 million modification, which exercises options to provide sustainment, engineering, logistics and test support for MQ-4C Triton aircraft mission control and operator training systems. In addition, this effort includes procurement of field service representative’s technical support to ensure that the MQ-4C unmanned surveillance aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions supporting early operational capability. The Navy will obligate $200K from fiscal year 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds; $5.8M from fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds; and $55.5M from fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement funds at the time of award, with $5.8M set to expire at the end of the current Fiscal Year. The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is a high-altitude long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle designed for the US Navy as a surveillance aircraft. Work will take place in Maryland, Florida, Guam and California and estimated completion will be by March 2021. February 10/20: Production And Delivery Northrop Grumman won a $172.4 million contract modification, which exercises options for the production and delivery of two MQ-4 Triton Unmanned Air Systems for the Navy, one Navy main operating base, trade studies and associated technical and administrative data. The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton is a high-altitude long endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle designed for the US Navy as a surveillance aircraft. The system is intended to provide real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions, continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions, and to complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. Work will take place in California, Texas, Virginia, North Dakota and various other location within the US. Estimated completion will be in January 2024. January 28/20: Guam The MQ-4C Triton has arrived in Guam, the US Pacific Fleet announced. Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP) 19, the first Triton UAS squadron, will operate and maintain two aircraft as part of an early operational capability to further develop the concept of operations and fleet learning associated with operating a high-altitude, long-endurance system in the maritime domain. The MQ-4C Triton is a broad area maritime surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aircraft system unveiled by Northrop Grumman for the US Navy. The UAS will complement the Navy’s Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Force family of systems, delivering SIGNET (signals intelligence), C4ISR and maritime strike capabilities. October 23/19: IFC 4.0 Northrop Grumman Systems won a $18.3 million contract modification for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System. This order procures material kits and retrofit labor to incorporate the Integrated Functional Capability (IFC) 4.0 configuration into one retrofit ground segment and fully fund the IFC 4.0 retrofit install labor for aircraft B10. Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C UAS provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions. The UAV is designed to perform continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions, and to complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The Triton IFC 4.0 project seeks to upgrade the Triton UAV with multi-intelligence capabilities that include SIGINT, such that Triton IFC 4.0 UAVs could replace the Navy’s fleet of EP-3 aircraft. The EP-3 aircraft are based on the Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion four-engine turboprop airframe. Work under the contract modification is expected to be complete by February, 2021. September 25/19: Multi Function Active Sensor Radar Systems Northrop Grumman won a $375.8 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for Multi Function Active Sensor Radar Systems for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System. The MQ-4C Triton is an autonomously operated system that provides a persistent maritime ISR capability using multiple maritime sensors. The MQ-4C Triton air vehicle is based upon the United States Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk, while its sensors are based upon components of already fielded in the DoD inventory. In May, the Government Accountability Office said that Triton UAV development cost has grown by 2% from last year. Northrop Grumman will perform work in California. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2025. July 24/19: Retrofit and B12 Integration Northrop Grumman Systems won two deals in support of the MQ-4C Triton drone. One delivery order worth $33.8 million procures material kits and retrofit labor to incorporate the Integrated Functional Capability 4.0 configuration into retrofit aircraft and ground segments. Work is expected to be completed in January 2022. Under the second contract, Northrop Grumman is awarded $14,1 million for modification that incorporates integrated functional capability 4.0 into low-rate initial production Lot 2 Aircraft B12. Work is expected to be completed in November 2021. The MQ-4C Triton is an autonomously operated system that provides a persistent maritime ISR capability using multiple maritime sensors. The MQ-4C Triton air vehicle is based upon the United States Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk. May 31/19: Three more Northrop Grumman Systems won $65.2 million to deliver three Triton UAVs. The company is building the MQ-4C Triton to fly maritime surveillance missions as long as 24 hours at altitudes of more than 10 miles to enable coverage out to 2,000 nautical miles. The UAV’s suite of sensors can detect and classify different types of ships automatically. The Triton is planned to be an important component of the Navy’s 21st century strategy for conducting surveillance of surface ship and submarine traffic in the vast Pacific and other oceans. The Triton UAV will work together with the Navy’s P-8A Poseidon manned maritime patrol aircraft. The contract is for the Navy and the government of Australia and also provides equipment and associated materials for three ground stations. Northrop will perform work within the US and scheduled completion date is in June 2020. May 14/19: Rising Costs The MQ-4C Triton’s development cost grew 2% from FY 2018. It is now predicted that the UAVs will cost 61% more than initially estimated, Jane’sreports. The Triton is based on the Global Hawk UAS. It provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) over vast ocean and coastal regions. The UAV will support a wide range of missions including maritime ISR patrol, signals intelligence, search and rescue and communications relay. The aircraft can fly over 24 hours at a time, at altitudes higher than 10 miles, with an operational range of 8,200 nautical miles. The first flight of the Triton took place on May 22, 2013. According to the Government Accountability Office’s annual weapon system assessment, the current cost estimate for the Triton, in FY 2019 is $5.7 billion. The original estimate from 2009 was $3.5 billion. Reportedly, issues with wing production posed continued risk to the Triton’s production schedule, quality, and cost. March 28/19: Australia The Australian government wants to purchase the second of a planned fleet of at least six Northrop Grumman Triton MQ-4C Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Jane’s reports. The second platform will be acquired through a co-operative program with the US Navy and is supposed to compliment the Royal Australian Air Force’s P-8A Poseidon. The Triton is a high-altitude long endurance aircraft that will be used for maritime patrol and other surveillance roles. Supporting missions up to 24 hours, the Triton is equipped with a sensor suite that provides a 360-degree view of its surroundings for over 2000 nautical miles. The first UAV is scheduled to be introduced into service in mid-2023 with all six planned to be delivered by late 2025 and based at RAAF Base Edinburgh in South Australia. March 13/19: Sustainment and Engineering Services The US Navy contracted Northrop Grumman Systems $89.5 million in support of the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The deal provides for sustainment and engineering services. The Triton is a high-altitude long endurance unmanned aerial vehicle that together with its associated ground control station is considered a UAS. The system provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions over ocean and coastal regions as well as continuous maritime surveillance, conduct search and rescue missions. They complement the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The drone can descend and ascend through harsh maritime weather environments in order of gaining a closer view of ships an other targets at sea. Last year the Navy announced plans to deploy Triton drones to Guam to assist with Surveillance in the South China Sea. The South China Sea is one of the most contested geopolitical regions on Earth. The current contract procures the technical expertise of field service representatives, logisticians and test support to ensure MQ-4C air vehicles and mission control and operator training systems are fully sustained and mission capable. Work under the deal will take place within the US as well as at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam and is expected to be finished by March next year. September 25/18: MFAS Northrop Grumman is being tapped to to support organizational level maintenance for the MQ-4C Triton UAS. The awarded firm-fixed-price delivery order is valued at $64.8 million and provides for the production of spares needed to keep the Triton’s Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) operational. According to the company’s website the AN/ZPY-3 MFAS is a 360-degree field-of-regard AESA radar designed for maritime surveillance. The initial spares requirement includes six antenna group assemblies, six wideband receivers/exciters, ten radar signal processors (RSP), two antenna drive electronics and two RSP external power supplies for the MFAS. The MQ-4C Triton provides real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) including vessel detection, tracking and classification over vast ocean and coastal regions. Work will be performed at multiple locations inside and outside the continental US, including – but not limited to – Linthicum, Maryland; Exeter, New Hampshire and San Diego, California. The delivery order is scheduled to run through June 2022. August 29/18: Sensor Raytheon is being contracted by the US Navy for work on the MQ-4C Triton UAS. The cost-reimbursable job order is valued at $9.3 million and allows for the production and fleet integration of the Triton multi-spectral targeting system (MTS). The MTS is a turreted EO/IR sensor used in maritime and overland ISR missions. According to a DoD notice, the sensor system will augment existing sensors that will enhance navigation as well as CSR, observation and interception missions. The system also provides long-range surveillance, target acquisition, tracking, range finding and laser designation for the Griffin and Paveway missiles and other forms of munitions. The Triton will have a minimum mission radius of 3,000 nautical miles, with a 10 hour time to on-station at 2,000 nmi mission radius, and autonomous flight through moderate icing or turbulence. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s facility in McKinney, Texas, and is expected to be completed by August 2020. July 17/18: Support Northrop Grumman is being awarded a contract modification in support of the Navy’s fleet of MQ-4C Tritons. The cost-plus-fixed-fee modification is valued at $41.2 million. It increases the contracts ceiling and extends the period of performance on the delivery order to provide test, maintenance and logistics support services to sustain MQ-4C UAVs mission control and operator training services. The Triton is a high-end multi-mission unmanned air system. The drone conducts a number of ISR missions and boosts a number of SIGINT capabilities to capture enemy communication and radar transmissions. Work will be performed at various location inside and outside the continental US, including Patuxent River, Maryland and Yigo, Guam. It is expected to be completed in March 2019. June 27/18: Triton Down-under Australia has announced that it will move forward with its long-planned acquisition of six Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton remotely piloted aircraft. The initial $1 billion deal includes one MQ-4C, as well as a $147 million program with the US Navy for development, production, and sustainment of the aircraft. Australia will in total order six drones, including facilities, upgrades and support at a cost of $5.1 billion. The Tritons will support the RAAFs fleet of P-8 Poseidon Maritime Surveillance Aircraft. The first of the Triton aircraft is due to enter service in mid-2023. All six drones would be in operation by late 2025, based in South Australia. June 13/18: Support – Support The Navy keeping up its MQ-4C Triton efforts. Northrop Grumman Systems is set to provide operator, maintenance, logistic support and sustainment engineering services in support of the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Demonstrator program. The $61 million contract will ensure that the aircraft are mission-capable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions. Tritons work in conjunction with the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft on missions that include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay; plus, support for maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management, and targeting for maritime and strike missions. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Maryland and at various forward operating locations outside the continental US. It is expected to be completed in June 2019. June 6/18: Triton deployment Jane’s reports that the US Navy has officially commenced operations of its MQ-4C Triton UAV. The Broad Area Maritime System platform is deployed with the Unmanned Patrol Squadron (VUP)-19, the Navy’s first unmanned patrol squadron. The “RQ-4N” system chosen by the US Navy was based on the USAF’s RQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawks, but it incorporated a wide range of changes on the way to its unveiling as the MQ-4C Triton. The Triton has been developed to provide the US Navy with a persistent maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability in support of a full range of military operations. Designed for high-altitude, long-endurance ISR tasks, the Triton has a range of about 2,000 n miles and, with an endurance of 24 hours, will be able to cover more than 2.7 million square miles in a single mission. VP-19 now has two Triton UAVs, after training and trials are successfully completed the drones will be stationed in Guam. They are set to operate in concert with the P-8A. May 18/18: Triton needs more money The Naval Air Systems Command is contracting Northrop Grumman Systems for services related to the MQ-4C platform. The firm target advance acquisition contract, valued at $45 million, provides for lead materials components, material, parts, and associated efforts required to maintain the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system planned production schedule. The MQ-4C Triton, despite being designated a multi-mission aircraft, mostly performs ISR/reconnaissance missions in support of the P-8 Poseidon. In mythology, Triton was Poseidon’s son, and the messenger of the sea. Tritons work with the P-8 maritime surveillance aircraft on missions that include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay and other support functions. Work will be performed at various locations across the continental US, including San Diego, California; Baltimore, Maryland and Salt Lake City, Utah. Work is expected to be completed by January 2019. May 9/18: Royal engines for Triton Rolls Royce is being awarded a $25.9 million contract that sees for the provision of turbofan engines to be used on the Navy’s Triton platform. The MQ-4C Triton or BAMS UAV program is run by NAVAIR’s PMA-263 program management office, it has been devised to work in conjunction with the P-8 Poseidon. Tritons work with the P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft on missions that include maritime surveillance, collection of enemy order of battle information, battle damage assessment, port surveillance, communication relay; plus, support for maritime interdiction, surface warfare, battlespace management, and targeting for maritime and strike missions. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by December 2021. April 9/18: DSCA Clearances Both Germany and the United Kingdom have been cleared by the US State Department to proceed with foreign military sales that will boost their UAV capabilities. The sales were announced by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency last week. For Germany, a $2.5 billion order covers the potential sale of four MQ-4C Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), along with all the various systems, engines and equipment that caters for the US Navy’s Trion configuration. Northrop Grumman will act as lead contractor in regards to integration, installation and functional platform compatibility testing of the payload, while Airbus will take the lead for Germany on the development and manufacturing, and will be responsible for the functional test, end-to-end test and installed performance. The British package, valued at $500 million, covers articles and services for continues follow-on support to the MQ-9 Reaper program. General Atomics and MAG Aerospace will be prime contractors. January 2/18: LRP Order Northrop Grumman will supply the US Navy with three MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial aircraft under an initial low-rate production order from the service. In conjunction with the UAVs, the $255.3 agreement also includes trade studies and tooling, in support of the Persistent Maritime Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office at Naval Air Station Patuxent in St. Mary’s County, Md., where the contracting Naval Air Systems Command is headquartered. Work will take place in San Diego, California, as well as at least a dozen other locations across the continental United States , with contract completion scheduled for December 2021. The Navy plans to use the Triton alongside the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft as its primary long-range aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platform. November 15/17: Deliveries Northrop Grumman announced Friday that it has delivered the first operational MQ-4C Trition UAV to the US Navy at its facility at Point Mugu. It will be joined by a second operational Triton later this year and both aircraft will be prepared by the maintenance detachment of Unmanned Patrol Squadron based at Point Mugu before deployment to Guam in 2018. In addition to Guam, the Navy’s first MQ-4C squadron will be based at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida, with the service planning to deploy Triton squadrons to NAS Mayport, Florida, NAS Sigonella, Italy and the Middle East in the future. August 17/17: An early operational capability MQ-4C Triton UAV is expected to be delivered to the US Navy next month, slightly later than its planned August delivery date. The news comes as Northrop commended taxi tests this week ahead of moving the aircraft to NAS Point Mugu, California, where it will conduct its first flight. The baseline Triton, also known as the integrated function capability 3 configuration, will come equipped with Northop’s multifunction active sensor (MFAS), a maritime patrol version of active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, and Northrop will deliver two baseline Triton aircraft, B5 and B6, to NAS Point Mugu. After Triton reaches early operational capability in fiscal year 2018, Northrop has its eye on initial operational capability in 2021. The company also plan to add a signals intelligence capability, which will bring it on par with the navy’s manned EP-3 reconnaissance fleet. July 24/17: Australia and the US are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in March for the delivery of MQ-4C Triton UAVs. As many as seven Tritons could be purchased by Canberra with the expectation that they will go towards augmenting its P-8A Poseidon aircraft fleet in conducting maritime patrol and surveillance missions. Later in 2018, Germany is expected to sign a letter of offer and acceptance for four Tritons, which will replace its existing EuroHawk fleet. July 5/17: The US Navy is to build a MQ-4 Triton air base in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Assist Consultants Inc have been contracted to conduct the work in a $18 million deal that includes the design and construction of an environmentally controlled hangar space sufficient for four Triton aircraft and a mission control system, as well as the provision of a communication tower and emergency generator. Construction of the facility is part of the Navy’s rolling out of Triton stations across the world to assist with surveillance operations in the Middle East and Pacific. Additional bases include Guam, and the island of Sicily. May 24/17: The US Navy has awarded a $49.4 million contract to Northrop Grumman for parts, material and labor required for the maintenance of the MQ-4C UAV in accordance with planned production. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Md., Bridgeport, W. VA., Salt Lake City, Utah, and other locations in the United States. Fiscal 2017 Navy procurement funds in the amount of $49.4 million have been allocated for the program. Contract completion is scheduled for December 2017. March 7/17: Germany did confirm plans to purchase the high-altitude MQ-4C Triton surveillance UAV from Northrop Grumman as a replacement to 2013’s abandoned Euro Hawk program. While the defense ministry failed to mention how many MQ-4Cs it was intending to buy, the Euro Hawk requirement had initially called for five systems to be delivered with $1.26 billion earmarked for the procurement. However the deal was scrapped when it became known that gaining aviation approval would cost in the hundreds of millions of euros. Ministry sources said the aviation approval for Triton would be less costly because it was baked in from the start of the program. December 29/16: MQ-4C Triton UAVs will replace EP-3E signals reconnaissance aircraft operated by the US Navy. Speaking on the announcement, NAVAIR’s Triton program manager Sean Burke said that approval to kick-start an 18-month process to install a signals intelligence payload on the Triton was given back in August. It’s expected that MQ-4Cs with low- and high-band signals receivers are expected to reach initial operational capability in 2021. September 27/16: Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton has been cleared for low-rate initial production, the first piece of the production and deployment phase of the UAV. 68 Tritons are expected to be fielded, with the first to be deployed in 2017. The Triton will operate as a forward-deployed, land-based, autonomously operated system that provides persistent ISR within a range of 2,000 nautical miles using a multi-sensor mission payload including maritime radar, Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR), Electronic Support Measures (ESM), Automatic Identification System (AIS), and basic communications relay. July 5/16: Bloomberg has reported on a previously unknown flaw found on the MQ-4C Triton UAV. According to the report, a Northrop Grumman subcontractor was producing composite wing spars with quality issues which resulted in the Defense Contract Management Agency issuing Northrop Grumman with a Corrective Action Request in May 2013 for “recurring defects” in the component. The company now claims that the issue has been rectified as the Navy considers whether the UAV is fit for a $4 billion low-rate production phase. June 24/16: The US Navy has announced the operational testing of an MQ-4C, which successfully transmitted full motion video to a P-8A via the Common Data Link (CDL). During the flight, the UAV had to use its electro-optical/infrared camera to build situational awareness of its environment before the P-8A arrived at the scene. The MQ-4C Triton’s ability to perform persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance within a range of 2,000 nautical miles will allow the P-8A aircraft to focus on their core missions. February 18/16: The US Navy has completed the first of two operational tests on Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C. While data on the tests is still being analyzed, a favorable review could see a low rate procurement contract awarded in the second quarter of this year, a year ahead of the next operational test event. Initial plans for the UAV involve providing broad area surveillance over 5 orbits encircling the globe, then cueing the manned P-8A Poseidon to inspect closer or deploy weapons. Initial predictions of fleet loss of four per 100,000 hours led the Navy to order 70 to maintain an operational fleet of 20. This has, however, has come under scrutiny from the Department of Defense and could lead to the Navy reviewing and altering their attrition requirement. November 20/15: he Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton UAV has reached a significant stage as it now enters the program’s Milestone C review. Operational tests will involve six test flights and if successful will lead to the Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT & E) phase. Successful testing of the UAV will lead to a production contract (albeit at low levels initially) with the Navy committed to ordering three in 2016 but will increase orders to 68 in 2017. Overseas contracts potentially include seven of the Tritons being procured by Australia with Germany, India and the UK also looking at purchases. FY 2015 August 21/15: Meanwhile, the heavyweight MQ-4C Triton UAV is scheduled to undergo a Navy operational assessment in September, with an initial production contract slated for next year hanging on successful completion of this assessment. The two months of testing could lead to a Milestone C decision and subsequently a production contract, ahead of an anticipated Initial Operation Capability date of 2018. The procurement of up to seven Tritons by Australia, announced in March 2014, is also dependent on the UAV achieving these milestones. June 22/15: On Friday the Navy handed Northrop Grumman a $60.9 million contract to support the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance – Demonstrator (BAMS-D) UAV, also known as the MQ-4C Triton. The company was awarded a contract last week to improve the air-to-air subsystem design of the Triton. The Navy announced in March that the UAV’s first deployment will be to Guam. June 16/15: In a third and final contract awarded to Northrop Grumman on Monday, the firm was handed a $39.1 million contract to improve the current air-to-air radar subsystem design of the Navy’s MQ-4C Triton UAV and to demonstrate that the radar technology is feasible and risk-mitigated. The Navy has previously stated that it intends to fit a “due regard” radar to the Triton, as part of capability upgrade scheduled for introduction by 2020. March 9/15: First deployment scheduled. An MQ-4c Triton will be deployed to Guam in FY 2016, according to information passed to Congress from Admiral Jonathan Greenert, chief of naval operations. The drone, capable of staying in the air for more than a day, was first flight tested just six months ago. Nov 3/14: Sense-and-Avoid. After canceling the original plan for a “due regard” sense-and-avoid system to prevent collisions with other aircraft (q.v. April 9/14, Aug 13/13), the Navy has re-issued a less advanced RFI. Instead of requiring radars that could handle ground clutter for low-altitude landings, the MQ-4C will take the more sensible approach of using airport radar data. Instead of demanding full capability up front, the Navy wants a “modular” and “scalable” design that will be improved over time. Ultimately, they want Triton to comply with ICAO ANNEX 2, Section, 3.2; U.S. Code of Regulations (CFR) Part 91.111 and 91.113; and Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) 4540.01 guidelines for safe flight. But they’re willing to begin with DoDI 4540.01. Sources: FBO.gov #N00019-15-P7-PMA-262-0029, “MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Sense and Avoid Air-to-Air Radar Capability” | Flightglobal, “US Navy re-starts sense and avoid radar for MQ-4C”. FY 2014 Basing; SIGINT limitations; Sense-and- Avoid problems; Global Hawk Block 40 will have some maritime capability; Triton cuts coming? MQ-4Cs at Palmdale (click to view full) Sept 23/14: Cuts? Reuters reports that reliability improvements in the MQ-4C may be a double-edged sword. The target had been 68 UAVs, in order to maintain 5 “orbits” of 4 UAVs on call for continuous surveillance. Better reliability could tempt the Navy to cut the number bought. The USAF’s RQ-4B Block 40s will also have some maritime surveillance capability (April 28/14), which adds to the pressure. FY 2015 is expected to see the first production purchases of long-lead items, but budget cuts to date have already slowed program delivery to initial use in 2017, and IOC to mid-2018 with a full orbit of 4. Sources: Reuters, “UPDATE 1-Navy says may trim Northrop drone order due to better reliability”. Sept 18/14: Testing. After an 11-hour, 3,290 nmi cross-country flight at 50,000 feet along the Mexican border, across Florida, and then up the Eastern Seaboard, Patuxent River, MD gets its 1st MQ-4C. PMA-262’s Pax River tests will include flight envelope expansion, sensor and communications testing, and interoperability testing. Sources: “Navy’s Triton unmanned aircraft completes first cross-country flight” | NGC, “MQ-4C Triton UAS Arrives at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Enters Next Phase of Testing.” July 4/14: Front-line thoughts. Foxtrot Alpha’s “Confessions Of A US Navy P-3 Orion Maritime Patrol Pilot” interviews a US Navy P-3C pilot who now flies P-8As. He also has some thoughts regarding the MQ-4C, and its performance compared to the current EP-3E electronic eavesdropping plane. His 3 areas of concern are bandwidth limitations, jamming, and real-time strike support: “It is worth considering what the MQ-4C Triton can and cannot do. Any Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) operations by Triton will likely be limited by satellite bandwidth. I’m speaking from my own knowledge and assumptions here, but consider the task at hand. If you want real-time data off a UAV you have to transmit it via a satellite uplink to a ground monitoring station…. Is it more cost-effective to simply wait till the MQ-4C lands and accept that the downloaded intel will then be hours old? Maybe or maybe not. Now let’s consider a wartime scenario. Other nations have demonstrated anti-satellite capabilities, including kinetic hard-kill capabilities against low Earth orbit satellites. While this isn’t a concern for geo-synchronous communications satellites, the ability to jam or spoof UAV satellite uplinks was possibly demonstrated during the loss of the RQ-170 [stealth UAV] over Iran. How secure exactly are our satellite uplinks? Are they safe from cyber attack? Will this bandwidth be available to the Navy during wartime or will more pressing communications take precedence? This is all above my pay-grade but realize that UAV endurance doesn’t come without a price. There’s another factor to consider and that’s the nature of the EP-3E’s mission. EP-3s are capable of supporting a Carrier Strike Group’s air wing by providing communications and signals intelligence support. This is a distinctly ‘real-time’ function as enemy air defense operators may only speak for a few moments or activate SAM radars for several seconds. The latency (time delay) inherent in satellite communications and control systems could possibly mean the difference between life and death for strike pilots in F/A-18 Hornets heading into the target area. If you take away EP-3E, you may lose that real-time SIGINT and COMINT capability.” April 28/14: Friendly competition? The USAF is touting success in an 11.5 hour RQ-4B Global Hawk Block 40 flight over the Point Mugu sea range in California. This Maritime Modes program risk reduction work involves testing software that lets the Block 40’s MP-RTIP AESA radar use a Maritime Moving Target Indicator and a Maritime Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (MISAR) to track surface vessels. The MQ-4C has other naval capabilities beyond these, but then, MP-RTIP is well-tuned for land surveillance. As budgets decline, Global Hawk variants that can do similar jobs may find themselves competing for budget dollars. Sources: USAF, “Air Force tests new surveillance capability”. April 9/14: Sense-and-Avoid. The US Navy still wants to place this technology on the MQ-4C, not least because it will be required for low-altitude flying in many areas of interest. The problem is that miniaturizing the Exelis AESA radar turned out to be much harder than they thought, to the point where they had to pause and look at other options (q.v. Aug 13/13). Above 18,000′, standard ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) and TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) “due regard” systems can keep the UAV from getting too close to civilian aircraft, and to many military airplanes as well. Below that altitude, ground and ship-based radars can be used, and something might be doable using aerial radars like AWACS plus datalinks. On the other hand, the whole point of the MQ-4C is to survey areas where those assets aren’t already on patrol. This is a serious issue for UAVs generally, so it may be worth biting the bullet and investing the funds required to solve the problem. It may even be a hard and significant enough problem to justify DARPA’s involvement. Sources: USNI, “Navy Expanding Search for ‘Sense and Avoid’ Technologies for Triton”. March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish. The program dashboard and timeline have been updated accordingly, though the Navy’s program office has authorized NGC to develop a new target baseline and schedule with increased costs and schedule delays. That isn’t represented in the charts yet. The program has 3 big technical risks left. One is software, thanks to about 1.6 million lines of new code in an 8 million line system. There are another 2 software phases left before operational evaluation begins in January 2016. Another is navigation. In September 2013, the Global Hawk program experienced an anomaly with a navigation system, suspending the derivative Triton’s test flights until a workaround was identified. The problem remains unfixed. Finally, the air-to-air “sense and avoid” radar subsystem (q.v. Aug 13/13) for operating in civil airspace has hit a wall, and delayed the program by about 1 year. March 28/14: Infrastructure. The Guam MACC Builders joint venture in Honolulu, HI wins a $45.5 million firm-fixed-price task order under a multiple-award construction contract. they’ll design and build a high bay maintenance hangar to support MQ-4C forward operations and maintenance at Andersen AFB, Guam. That involves scheduled inspections, airframe repairs, pre- and post-flight operations, as well as technical order compliance and aircraft modifications. A pair of unexercised options could raise the total to $46.7 million. All funds are committed immediately, using a combination of FY 2010 and FY 2014 budgets. Work will be performed in Yigo, Guam, and is expected to be complete by April 2016. Six proposals were received for this task order by NAVFAC Pacific at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI (N62742-10-D-1309, #0003). March 24/14: Testing. The Mq-4C has completed the envelope expansion portion of its test flights (q.v. Jan 6/14). Sources: NGC, “Northrop Grumman, U.S. Navy Complete Initial Flight Testing of the Triton Unmanned Aircraft System”. March 4/14: FY15 Budget. The USN unveils their preliminary budget request briefings. Precise figures are only offered later, but the Navy does offer planned purchase numbers for key programs between FY 2014 – 2019. MQ-4C Triton production was supposed to start with 3 UAVs in FY15, but that isn’t happening because the program is behind. In addition to the late start, the Navy’s mid-term budgets will also slow the production ramp-up. Production begins in FY16 instead with 4 (unchanged), and continues with 4 in FY17, 4 in FY18 (-2), and 4 in FY19 (no previous comparable). Subsequent documents show that the program’s overall budget doesn’t change all that much, but around $400 million is added to R&D, and costs per UAV rise a bit. Those costs may drop a bit in future, if Australia buys in as expected. The immediate pause makes sense, but the vastness of the Pacific and supposed importance of the “Pacific Pivot” don’t seem to be getting a lot of weight in the Navy’s 5-year plan – which also cuts P-8 sea control aircraft, and E-2D Advanced Hawkeye AWACS. Sources: USN, PB15 Press Briefing [PDF]. Jan 6/14: Testing. Northrop Grumman announces that the MQ-4C is half-way through the envelope expansion portion of flight testing. It’s still early days, with the longest mission being just 9.4 hours at up to 50,000 feet. Sources: NGC, “Multimedia Release — Northrop Grumman, Navy Complete Nine Flights of Triton Unmanned Aircraft System”. Nov 4/13: Sub-contractors. Northrop Grumman Corp. and Triumph Aerostructures’ Vought Aircraft Division have finished initial MQ-4C structural strength testing at Vought’s Dallas, TX facility. Which means torturing the wings and bending them 22% beyond US Navy structural requirements, in hopes they don’t break or permanently deform. This isn’t just a life-span issue. It’s a very immediate requirement whenever a Triton UAV has to drop down for a closer look at something, possibly through inclement weather. Vought was involved in these tests because they produce Global Hawk family wings. A fatigue test of the entire airframe will begin in 2017. Sources: NGC, Nov 4/13 release. Oct 7/13: Basing. The Whidbey News-Times reports that the MQ-4C’s Tactical Support Centers for command and control will be placed at the 2 main P-8A support centers: NAS Jacksonville, FL and NAS Whidbey Island, WA. It seems like a fairly obvious operational conclusion, but it was also the consensus of environmental assessments. “Four of the MQ-4C Tritons will be based out of Ventura County Naval Base in California [by 2016], but the existing P3 tactical support center at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station will be expanded to support both the P8-A and the Triton…” Sources: Whidbey News-Times, “New drone supports P-8A Poseidon”. FY 2012 – 2013 Test plan approved and BAMS becomes “MQ-4C Triton”; NGC buying 1 for itself; Australia renews interest, but it’s lukewarm; India is interested; DOT&E testing report; RQ-4A BAMS-D crash; Sense and Avoid tech suspended. MQ-4C: 1st flight click for video Sept 9/13: Australia. Australia’s Liberal Party is back in power after a convincing electoral win over Labor. While the new government’s commitment to 2% of GDP for defense spending is a broad positive for industry, their level of commitment to the MQ-4C weakened: “The acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles will be dependent on the advice of the chief of the Defence Force and service chiefs, as well as a clear cost-benefit assessment that demonstrates the value of these aircraft.” Triton is likely to pass that test, but this is a step back from earlier statements to the effect that Triton was a high-priority buy. Sources: Australian Liberal Party, “The Coalition’s policy for Stronger Defence” | Defense News, “New Australian Leadership Pledges to Boost Defense Spending”. Aug 14/13: Infrastructure. Small business qualifier Whitesell-Green, Inc. in Pensacola, FL wins a $15.9 million firm-fixed-price contract to build a BAMS Mission Control Complex at NAS Jacksonville, FL. It will be a freestanding 2-story structure with two Electromagnetic Interference Shielded Mission Control Systems, a Tactical Operations Center with sensitive compartmented information facility spaces, and numerous roof-top mounted antennas. This project will also renovate some interior spaces, including a reconfigured command suite, systems reconfiguration, and in some cases finish upgrades. Finally, additional antennas will be built at a remote site south of the new facility. All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, FL, and is expected to be complete by December 2014. This contract was competitively procured via Navy Electronic Commerce Online, with 8 proposals received by NAVFAC Southeast in Jacksonville, FL (N69450-13-C-1258). Aug 13/13: Sense-and-Avoid. BAMS Program manager Navy Capt. Jim Hoke says that ITT Exelis’ radar-based Airborne Sense And Avoid system (q.v. Aug 10/12) is “behind schedule,” so the Navy has “made a decision to pause on the capability right now” and has stopped work. Hoke says that he understands how important this capability is for operations in crowded airspace and allied countries (vid. May 29/13, May 14/13), especially given the MQ-4C’s operational need to descend to lower altitudes at times for a closer look, but “all options are on the table.” If the system really is seen as critical, that could mean a re-compete of the sub-program, or the Navy could decide to join the USAF’s ABSAA effort (q.v. July 30/12). Re-competes can be problematic, but this may be a case where the circumstances are attractive. The natural scalability of AESA radars means that any successful implementation could be applied to other large UAVs, from NATO’s planned RQ-4 Block 40 AGS Global Hawk variant, to smaller MALE UAVs like the MQ-9 Reaper or MQ-1C Gray Eagle. That’s a significant and growing opportunity for the winning contractor, with follow-on “proven leader” opportunities around civil UAV use. This dynamic could attract firms willing to invest up front with low bids or substantial resources, and the base ABSAA field is a mature one thanks to civil aircraft. Breaking Defense. Sense-And-Avoid radar on hold June 25/13: Australia. With an election coming, the MQ-4C Triton seems secure, as both parties remain committed to it. Reuters: “There’s not a lot of new money in our policy, (but) we are going into Broad Area Maritime Surveillance, the Triton,” said conservative defense spokesman David Johnston, who is likely to become defense minister following the September 14 elections…. “This is about maritime security and surveillance in the Indian Ocean,” a senior Labor insider with close knowledge of defense planning said. “This is a force multiplier. It’s better to think of Triton as a mobile satellite we can steer around the Indian Ocean,” June 14/13: Sense-and-Avoid. BAE Systems’ AN/DPX-7 Reduced Size Transponder (RST) Indentification Friend-or-Foe system flies on the MQ-4C for the 1st time. IFF transponders broadcast coded location signals to friendly aircraft, and also receive signals from civil and military aircraft around them. They aren’t a complete solution to the problem of operating in crowded airspace, but with the right programming and UAV flight system connections, they can help. Unmanned Systems Technology. May 29/13: Sense-and-Avoid. Answers from Northrop Grumman clarify the MQ-4C’s sense-and-avoid systems: “Triton’s due regard radar is meant to provide safe separation of aircraft while the system is in flight at lower altitudes. The U.S. Navy’s mission requires that Triton be able to descend to lower altitudes to make closer identification of surface vessels. The radar is still in development and would be flight tested on Triton at a later date. This is a Navy requirement to ensure that the Triton UAs can safely operate over international waters.” With respect to ICAO certification issues, Northrop Grumman would only say Global Hawk is the first unmanned aircraft system to achieve a military airworthiness certification. That can only be used to fly a pre-approved, monitored flight plan in American civil airspace, and then only if a specific supplemental FAA certificate of authorization (COA) is granted in advance. Whether this level of certification will work at NAS Sigonella, Italy is a question that the US Navy will need to answer. “Saigon” has already been a base of operations for RQ-4B Block 20 Global Hawks, which lack any form of collision avoidance system. The question is how restricted future MQ-4C flight options would be, absent further certifications. May 22/12: Fly! The MQ-4C has its 1st flight. The flight was originally scheduled for March 2013, but all goes well, The Navy and Northrop Grumman flight test team conducts an 80 minute flight from Palmdale, CA, reaching up to 20,000 feet while remaining within restricted airspace. Northrop Grumman says that additional flight tests will take place from Palmdale to mature the system, before it’s flown to the main flight test facility at NAS Patuxent River, MD, later this year. It will be interesting to see if it flies there under its own power, or is disassembled and carried in a heavy-lift aircraft. Even the carrier-based X-47B stealth UCAV had to travel to Pax River on a truck, because the FAA wouldn’t certify it for flight in civil airspace. The MQ-4C is designed with a sense-and-avoid system, so the FAA could conceivably grant it a waiver. US Navy Capt. Jim Hoke is the current Persistent Maritime UAS office (PMA-262) program manager, and it will be up to him to oversee transportation arrangements. US Navy | US NAVAIR | US Navy Live | NGC. 1st flight May 22/13: XP – 7. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Bethpage, NY receives a $15.3 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification to upgrade some MQ-4C Triton components from Windows XP to Windows 7. Microsoft is ending support for XP, hence the shift, which will happen in quite a few US military programs. We wonder about the security implications of using Windows at all in an incredibly expensive autonomous system, but that’s a separate discussion. Work will be performed in Hollywood, MD (33.5%); Bethpage, NY (25.8%); Rancho Bernardo, CA (15.6%); San Diego, CA (12.7%); Salt Lake City, UT (9.8%); Stillwater, OK (1.10%); Melbourne, FL (1.0%) and Van Nuys, CA (.05%), and is expected to be complete in April 2014. Funds will be committed as needed by US Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-08-C-0023). May 16/13: Australia. Australia’s government announces that they’re sending a formal Letter of Request to the USA for the MQ-4C Triton UAV. The letter will become a Foreign Military Sales Technical Services Case with the United States Navy to obtain detailed cost, capability and availability information. They emphasize that they haven’t picked the MQ-4C yet for AIR 7000 Phase 1B, but they didn’t announce letters of request for any other platforms that might compete with the Triton, like General Atomics’ MQ-9. Which may have separate opportunities of its own: “As also outlined in the 2013 Defence White Paper, Defence will analyse the value of further investment in unmanned aircraft for focused area, overland intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, including for use in border security operations. This will include the potential expansion of the role of these assets in the ADF to include interdiction and close air support, subject to policy development and Government consideration.” See: Australia DoD | US NAVAIR. May 14/13: Euro Hawk falls. Germany has decided to end the Euro Hawk UAV project, after spending EUR 562 million on system development and test flights. Not only would it cost hundreds of millions more euros to attempt EASA/ICAO flight certification, but German authorities reportedly lacked confidence that they would receive a certification at the end of the process. Rather than pay another EUR 600 – 700 million for additional UAVs and equipment, and an equivalent amount to attempt EASA certification, Germany will attempt to find another path. The remaining questions fall instead on Sigonella, Italy, where NATO and the USA plan to base MQ-4C Tritons, and RQ-4B AGS Global Hawk Block 40s. German lawmakers are raising those questions, and some are advocating pulling out of NATO’s AGS as well. March 4/13: Australia. Aviation Week reports that Australia may want more P-8As, at the possible expense of its MQ-4C companion UAVs: “The RAAF is quietly making a case for 12 Poseidons, arguing that eight would not be enough to cover the vast oceans surrounding the continent. And the unmanned requirement is now described as “up to” seven high-altitude, long-endurance aircraft, potentially reducing Northrop Grumman’s opportunity. At the same time the air force sees an argument for a supplementary drone, possibly the Predator, to take on some of the electronic-intelligence missions that would otherwise fall to the Poseidons and Tritons.” This is a bit of a head-scratcher. The stated purpose of sustained ocean coverage would be better served by adding another orbit of 3-4 MQ-4Cs (to 10-11), using the P-8s as more of a fleet overwatch and contact response force. Likewise, it makes little sense to use a different UAV for ELINT/SIGINT collection, especially the slow and shorter-range MQ-9. Rather, one would use the MQ-9s in nearer-shore maritime and EEZ patrols, along the lines of the 2006 Northwest Shelf experiments, in order to free up MQ-4Cs for longer-range expeditions over strategic corridors, and the ELINT/SIGINT mission they will be equipped for as of Increment 3. Feb 22/13: Australia. Australia may have officially dropped out of the BAMS development phase (vid. March 2/09 entry), but News Corp. reports that Defence Minister Stephen will sign a formal export letter of request for the MQ-4C at the 2013 Australian International Airshow. Australia has remained part of the P-8A program for a manned sea control jet, so the MQ-4C is a natural pairing. The purchase budget is expected to be $A 2-3 billion, but it may be overshadowed by Australia’s expected announcement that they will buy another 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets. News Corp. Feb 7/13: India. Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C business development lead Greg Miller tells Shephard’s UV Online that India’s RFI for a High Altitude, Long Endurance maritime surveillance platform holds promise: “They want to follow the US model; P-8 and Triton…. The Indian Navy agrees with the US’ requirements, which exactly fits our sweet spot.” Their problem is the same problem facing South Korea: the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which bans the export of cruise missiles or unmanned vehicles with certain range and payload limits. India hasn’t signed MTCR, but the issue needs to be resolved at a government-to-government level. UV Online. March 28/13: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2012, plus time to compile and publish. With respect to BAMS, they say the design is stable, with 99% of drawings releasable to manufacturing. Software code is a challenge, as are the UAV’s new-design wings. Disruptions to the USAF’s Global Hawk programs aren’t expected to affect schedule, but fewer UAVs produced does drive up the cost per UAV. Excerpts: “The second development aircraft, the first aircraft with a full sensor suite and the air-to-air radar subsystem, is nearing completion and is expected to begin testing in 2013…. However, the program poses a significant software development challenge, utilizing nearly 8 million lines of code, more than 20 percent of which will be new. Much of the remaining software is derived from Global Hawk; however, officials noted that integration and testing of this code is taking longer than expected. Officials also noted that delays in the manufacturing of the aircraft wing as well as corrections to software during integration of subsystems are the primary reasons for a delay in the program’s operational assessment and production decision….” Jan 17/13: DOT&E testing. The Pentagon releases the FY 2012 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The MQ-4C Triton is included, and the program is falling behind. The plan was to conduct an Operational Assessment in June 2013, leading to a Milestone C decision in October 2013. Unfortunately, a combination of UAV mission computer software stability problems, and radar performance issues identified in tests with Northrop Grumman’s radar-equipped Gulfstream-II jet, delayed flight testing from May 2012 to “at least” January 2013. The program has also “deferred development and testing of [unspecified] air vehicle and sensor capabilities until after Milestone C in order to reduce current test schedule pressures.” The plan to reach Milestone C by October seems less and less likely, especially given additional “ground test delays encountered in [fall 2012].” Northrop Grumman will also need to resolve issues with software stability for both the mission computer and ZPY-3 MFAS radar, radar detection and tracking consistency, and radar image quality. Jan 8/13: Company bird. Northrop Grumman is spending its own money to build and equip its own MQ-4C UAV, complete with the same sensor set the Navy will get. The UAV is under construction, and just had its wings and fuselage joined. It isn’t the first time Northrop Grumman has done this; indeed, in many ways it’s just a further extension of the company Gulfstream-III business jet test bed, which has been flying since before the development contract was awarded. Initial missions for the company’s UAV will involve supplementing Navy tests, in order to help the team reach their goal of operational UAVs by late 2015. Eventually it will become a platform for demonstrations, integration of different sensors that the US Navy or other customers are interested in, and system performance improvement testing. 1 MQ-4C for Northrop Grumman September 2012: Testing. A 2nd MQ-4C is added to ground test efforts, with a focus on control software and subsystems. NGC. Aug 10/12: Sense-And-Avoid. ITT Exelis exhibits their BAMS airborne sense-and-avoid (ABSAA) radar for the first time, at the Unmanned Systems North America conference in Las Vegas. It’s the 1st U.S. Department of Defense ABSAA/ ICAO “due regard” radar program of record, with flight testing expected to start in Q1 2013. Aug 10/12: Sense-And-Avoid. ITT Exelis exhibits their BAMS airborne sense-and-avoid (ABSAA) radar for the first time, at the Unmanned Systems North America conference in Las Vegas, NV. It’s the 1st US Department of Defense ABSAA/ ICAO “due regard” UAV radar program of record, with flight testing expected to start in Q1 2013. Their “SkySense 2020H” can be adapted for other UAVs, but the self-contained, 50 pound MQ-4C configuration involves 3 thin-tile AESA array panels mounted at the front of the UAV. It operates in the Ku-band with an 8-10 nmi range, and a 110 degree wide x 30 degree high field of view. AESA radars are flexible if the right software is installed, and Exelis is also looking at using SkySense for weather radar and communications functions. AIN Online. July 2012: Testing. 1st MQ-4C Triton begins ground tests. NGC. July 30/12: Sense-And-Avoid. The USAF Research Laboratory (AFRL) has been working on a sense-and-avoid system called Multiple Intruder Autonomous Avoidance (MIAA) since 2008, and is about to conduct the final test phases using a Calspan-operated Learjet as an RQ-4 surrogate. Co-operative commercial aircraft are dealt with using standard methods: a traffic collision avoidance system and ADS-B. Aviation Week says that for non-cooperative aircraft: “The flights will evaluate collision-avoidance algorithms and a new electronically scanned sense-and-avoid radar, as well as a new technique to perform passive target ranging from the two-dimensional imagery provided by electro-optical sensors.” Once they’re done, MIAA will become move to EMD system development as part of the USAF’s Global Hawk program. The Navy and Army are both interested, however, and are partners in this effort. A Global Hawk flight is planned in 2015, with Initial Operating Capability planned in 2017. Aviation Week, via NPS.EDU: “Sense-And-Avoid System To Transition To Global Hawk”. June 14/12: Triton unveiled. Northrop Grumman and US NAVAIR unveil the 1st MQ-4C at Northrop Grumman’s Palmdale, CA plant, and announce its operational moniker: “Triton.” In mythology, Triton was Poseidon’s son, the messenger of the sea. US NAVAIR | Northrop Grumman. MQ-4C “Triton” BAMS-D Crash click for video June 11/12: BAMS-D Crash. An RQ-4A BAMS-Demonstrator Global Hawk crashes into a marshy tributary of Maryland’s Nanticoke River, during a routine training flight from Naval Air Station Patuxent River. There were no injuries to civilians and no property damage, but the crash site has been blocked to recreational boat traffic while the agency investigates. The crash leaves 4 UAVs in the program: 3 for testing, tactics, and doctrine development in the USA, and 1 deployed abroad with the 5th fleet. CNN | Wired Danger Room | WBOC. May 30/12: Canada. Northrop Grumman Corporation and Canada’s L-3 MAS announce plans to offer Canada a “Polar Hawk” UAV for surveillance of Canada’s arctic land and seas. As one might guess, it will need to share a number of structural features like strengthened wings and improved de-icing with the MQ-4C Triton. Improved satellite communications, with specialized receivers for polar-orbit satellites, will also be necessary. Sensors aren’t discussed, but the accompanying picture shows a conventional Global Hawk shape, without the AN/ZPY-3 MFAS. NGC. May 29/12: More SDD. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems in Bethpage, NY receives a $32.8 million cost-plus-award-fee contract modification, for BAMS system development and demonstration. This modification funds a maintenance concept change that will develop a logistics management I.T. system, and improve the transition from contractor logistics support to organic military maintenance by the Navy. Funding will be committed as needs arise. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY, (74.54%), Rancho Bernardo, CA (20.82%), Melbourne, FL (4.59%), and Palmdale, CA (0.05%); and is expected to be complete in September 2015 (N00019-08-C-0023). January 2012: Testing. The Pentagon approves the MQ-4C Triton Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP), which will guide efforts to bring the UAV to a successful Milestone C decision, and into low-rate initial production. DOT&E. Test plan approved FY 2010 – 2011 Designation shifting to MQ-4C; Sub-systems in development. Global Hawk (click to view full) April 25/11: ZPY-3. Northrop Grumman announces the start of system tests for the BAMS UAV’s Multi-Function Active Sensor (MFAS) maritime surveillance radar. MFAS will use a 2-dimensional radar with both electronic and mechanical scanning. Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems sector facility in San Diego, CA is expected to take delivery of the 1st MFAS in June 2011, following ongoing radar software mode development and hardware synchronization and integration activities. A 2nd radar is slated for delivery in September 2011, and risk reduction flight tests on board the company’s Gulfstream II test-bed expected before year end. March 16/11: Northrop Grumman Corporation completes the 1st of 3 BAMS fuselages under the SDD phase. The MQ-4C fuselage will undergo final assembly and system checkout at the company’s Palmdale, CA facility, ahead of its first flight in 2012. NGC. March 7/11: CDR. Northrop Grumman announces that the BAMS program completed its system-level Critical Design Review (CDR) with the U.S. Navy in February 2011 – but it is not fully closed yet. The government and Northrop Grumman teams will be working to close out issues raised during the CDR, before it can be officially over. The system-level full CDR sets the initial product baseline for the MQ-4C system, and was preceded by 10 subsystem and segment CDRs. Northrop Grumman VP and BAMS program manager Steve Enewold says that the SDD phase’s first 2 UAV fuselages are being built at Moss Point, MS, and the first will ship in April 2011 to Palmdale, CA for final assembly. The next major milestone is Test Readiness Review, planned for fall 2011. First flight is expected in 2012, and Enewold says the program continues to meet its acquisition baseline cost, schedule and performance requirements. Feb 18/11: Sense & Avoid. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Sector’s Battle Management & Engagement Systems Division in Bethpage, NY receives a $25.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order to develop an “airborne sense and avoid capability for the Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aircraft system in support of the Navy and Air Force.” The goal is a TRL 7 system, i.e. a prototype tested in operationally-relevant conditions. The wording is interesting, as it implies that USAF RQ-4A/B Global Hawks will also be fitted with this capability. As they should be. Sense and avoid technologies are used in commercial aircraft, in order to prevent mid-air collisions. While flying at 60,000 feet will go a long way toward zero collisions, the UAVs do not begin at that altitude, and BAMS in particular will not spend all of its mission time at that level. Throw in funded experiments like aerial refueling between 2 Global Hawk UAVs, and expectations that the stratosphere is likely to be more crowded in future, and the necessity of sense & avoid technologies becomes clearer. To this point, however, the US Navy and USAF have pursued different technology approaches: an ITT-supplied air-to-air radar and ADS-B cooperative surveillance for the Navy, and a multi-sensor “multi-intruder autonomous avoidance (MIAA)” USAF project that uses 3 electro-optical cameras, a low-power radar, and the civil TCAS traffic collision avoidance system. Work to reconcile those approaches into a common prototype will be performed in Bethpage, NY (50%) and San Diego, CA (50%), and is expected to be complete in November 2012. $7,368,022 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (N00019-10-G-0004). See also: Aviation Week. Feb 9/11: Northrop Grumman announces a $3.3 million contract to participate in the Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Control Segment (UCS) Architecture Working Group (UCSWG), sponsored by the Office Secretary of Defense’s (OSD) Unmanned Warfare Office. The UCSWG is an open technical standards committee consisting of industry and government representatives from each UAS program of record, several emerging UAS programs and small businesses. The objective of the UCSWG effort is to define a common UAS control station architecture based on standard data models and service interface definitions to enable interoperability, scalability and adaptability of UAS ground stations. Sept 1/10: New designation. A ceremony at Northrop Grumman’s Moss Point, MS manufacturing facility marks the beginning of RQ-4N BAMS UAV construction. It is also the first official mention of the platform’s MQ-4C designation. Northrop Grumman spokesman Jim Stratford explains that “M” stands for “Multi-mission,” referring to planned expansion to communications relay and SIGINT missions. The “C” is because there are significant differences from the USAF’s RQ-4B Block 20/30/40, such as anti-icing and sense/avoid capabilities. The “RQ-4N” was Northrop Grumman’s designation during the BAMS competition, but it was never official. Northrop Grumman. March 3/10: Sub-contractors. Curtiss-Wright Corporation announces a $25 million contract from Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide BAMS’ Advanced Mission Management System (AMMS). Curtiss-Wright will design, develop and manufacture BAMS UAV AMMS units at the company’s Motion Control facility in Santa Clarita, CA Hardware deliveries will start at the end of 2010 and continue through 2011. FY 2008 – 2009 BAMS System Development & Demonstration contract; Australia steps back from BAMS program. Australian RQ-4N? No. (click to view full) Aug 13/09: USAF getting ideas? The Shepard Group reports that The United States Air Force is exploring a potential communications suite re-architecture for its RQ-4 Global Hawk fleet, based on the Navy’s RQ-4 BAMS set. The BAMS de-icing system has also attracted interest. April 27/09: Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems in Bethpage, NY received a $22.4 million modification to a previously awarded cost plus award fee BAMS System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract (N00019-08-C-0023). This modification will add wing static and load testing for the BAMS RQ-4N UAS. Work will be performed in San Diego, CA (90%) and Bethpage, NY (10%), and is expected to be complete in December 2012. March 2/09: Australia out. Defense minister Joel Fitzgibbon announces that Australia will not be exercising its option to continue as a member of the BAMS program. The country is shelving the “AIR 7000 Phase 1B” project, in order to concentrate on the introduction of the 737-based P-8A Poseidon instead. Despite the minister’s focus on operational difficulties and schedule slips, Northrop Grumman’s statements cite fiscal pressures as one of the key reasons behind the decision. Australia will probably want and need maritime patrol UAVs at some point, and its public-private CoastWatch program already has a provision for introducing some to the mix over the next decade. The question around BAMS is what price Australia might pay in penalty fees, if any, should the country decide to rejoin the BAMS program at a later date. Australian DoD | The Australian | Canberra Times. Australia out Feb 4/09: Delays. Aviation Week reports that the BAMS schedule has slipped, owing in part to delays created by Lockheed Martin’s protest. The first RQ-4N BAMS will begin testing in FY 2012 instead of FY 2011, with low-rate production beginning in FY 2013, and initial operational capability declared by FY 2016 instead of 2015. Full delivery is now expected by FY 2019. Feb 4/09: Reports indicate that one of the Gobal Hawk Maritime Demonstration UAVs has deployed to CENTCOM’s theater of operations by the US Navy. Information Dissemination believes that its future will include pirate tracking off of Africa’s eastern coast. GHMD is a limited program that is both a predecessor to BAMS, and a way to experiment and learn how an advanced maritime patrol UAV can be used in real world operations (CONOPS). Dec 23/08: Northrop Grumman announces that U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX-20) gave the RQ-4 Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) team its Q2 2008 Test Team of the Quarter award. To date, the 2 GHMD demonstrator aircraft have flown more than 1,350 hours. The team’s accomplishments included performing more than 1,000 hours of flight operations over an 18-month period, troubleshooting issues with the communications system, integrating the automatic identification system into the aircraft so it can be used in civilian air space, conducting tests with the ocean surveillance initiative, and developing tactics and guidelines for unmanned patrol systems. From January to June 2008, the team also supported various operational activities, including the Southeastern Anti-Submarine Warfare Initiative 08-2, the USS Iwo Jima Group Sail, and the Commander Carrier Strike Group 8. The team’s successes during this period culminated with the Trident Warrior exercise in June 2008, when the team flew more than 113 hours over a 5-week period, including an unplanned 23-hour humanitarian mission in which a GHMD was re-tasked to assist in the Northern California wildfires. July saw the UAVs participate in the Rim of the Pacific 2008 fleet exercise, which saw the team finish 4 missions totaling more than 92 hours. Sept 29/08: Rolls Royce puts out a release confirming that Northrop Grumman has selected their AE 3700H engine to power the RQ-4N BAMS UAV. This is hardly a surprise, as Rolls Royce was part of the bid team and those same engines power non-naval Global Hawks. Rolls Royce release. Aug 8/08: The Congressional Government Accountability Office (GAO) denies a protest from the Lockheed Martin MS2/ General Atomics team, which offered its MQ-9 Reaper derived Mariner UAV for BAMS. The grounds of that denial were interesting, and included improvement in Northrop Grumman’s contractor performance in comparable programs like the USAF’s MQ-9 systems. An improvement that was not matched by similar corrective successes at General Atomics. The BAMS program had been frozen while the appeal went forward, but it is now free to begin in earnest. US Navy NAVAIR announced on Aug 11/08 that the program would resume. See: GAO decisions #400135.1/2. GAO denies protest, contract continues April 22/08: Northrop Grumman Corp. Integrated Systems in Bethpage, NY won a cost-plus-award-fee contract with an estimated value of $1.16 billion for the BAMS System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase. This phase includes the design, fabrication, and delivery, of 2 unmanned RQ-4N Global Hawk variant aircraft with mission payloads and communications suites; one Forward Operating Base Mission Control System; one Systems Integration Laboratory; and one Main Operating Base Mission Control System. Work will be performed in Bethpage, NY (30%); San Diego, CA (25%); various locations throughout the United States (13%); W. Salt Lake City, UT (9%); Rolling Meadows, Ill., (7%); Falls Church, VA (6%); Baltimore, MD (5%); and Norwalk, CT (5%), and is expected to be complete in September 2014. This contract was competitively procured through a request for proposals; 3 firms were solicited and 3 proposals were received, as the RQ-4N beat out the General Atomics Mariner and Boeing’s “optionally manned” G550 for the contract (N00019-08-C-0023). See also US DoD release | Northrop Grumman release. BAMS SDD Jan 31/08: An 18-month, $15 million cooperative agreement between the United States and Australia becomes part of the pre-system development and demonstration processes for the US Navy’s Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System program. DC Military. FY 2007 and Earlier BAMS competition and contenders; Australia joins the program. NGC’s Gulfstream II (click to view full) Sept 4/07: General Atomics talks about their BAMS efforts, which they are undertaking in conjunction with Lockheed Martin. The firm announces successfully completion of wind tunnel testing at the San Diego Air & Space Technology Center on a 1/10 scale model of its Mariner, which “exceeded our expectations… Preliminary evaluations validated key competitive capabilities of the aircraft and suggest that Mariner’s design is even more efficient than originally assumed.” Basically, the testing enabled a specific set of configuration changes to be evaluated at a lower cost and faster pace, while generating important data regarding performance and statistical sensitivities. Aug 6/07: Northrop Grumman promotes its “sense and avoid” approach, which is intended to meet the BAMS requirement of safely operating alongside manned military and civilian aircraft. Though they rely in part on high-end capabilities like the Global Hawk’s radar, UAV deconfliction is a major industry issue and the underlying algorithms used are likely to be significant beyond BAMS – in its X-47B UCAS-D unmanned naval fighters, for instance. June 18/07: Boeing enters the fray. The BAMS 550 would create a manned/unmanned version of the Gulfstream G550 business jet (already in service with the Navy) with fully integrated sensor and communications suites and an advanced mission control system. The Boeing BAMS 550 industry team consists of Boeing, Gulfstream, Raytheon, Rolls-Royce and Honeywell, and touts “an offering that significantly improves upon the historically low reliability, limited payload and extensive support requirements of legacy unmanned aircraft systems.” The Register | Boeing handout [PDF] May 24/07: Northrop Grumman Corporation discusses its BAMS offer and proposed approach. Their offer is based on an RQ-4N maritime-configured RQ-4B Global Hawk, that will meet “all of the threshold and more than 90% of the Navy’s objective requirements.” The RQ-4N will benefit from the GHMD contracts and efforts already undertaken with the US Navy. Northrop Grumman’s approach is called Head Start, and is organized around step by step risk assessment that concentrates on system elements, sensor effectiveness, and demonstrating a ForceNet-compliant communications system. Head start will also use a specially modified Gulfstream II business jet as a flying test bed, equipped with the radar sensor that Northrop Grumman is offering as part of its BAMS system. Bill Beck, BAMS Head Start program manager, says: “The test-bed will be used to perform end-to-end communication functionality testing using the Advanced Mission Management System for network, bandwidth and sensor control. It will be tied to a company-built prototype of the Mission Control System (MCS), located at our Hollywood, Md., facility.” The prototype MCS contains off-the-shelf commercial software and hardware components, in keeping with the US Navy’s drive toward upgradeable open architecture approaches. Carl Johnson, NGC’s vice president of the BAMS program, claims that. “This approach creates a significant program schedule margin which ensures an initial operation capability well ahead of threshold requirements.” The Northrop Grumman RQ-4N BAMS team includes Northrop Grumman as prime contractor and team leader, unmanned aerial vehicle supplier and developer of the Multi-Function Active Sensor active electronically scanned array radar and the Night Hunter II electro-optical infrared sensor; L-3 Communications providing communications integration; Raytheon supporting the Mission Control System segment; and Rolls-Royce providing the jet engine. May 8/07: Lockheed Martin discusses its BAMS proposal, which involves the modified Mariner version of General Atomics MQ-9/Predator B. The firm has partnered with EDO, FLIR Systems, Honeywell, LSI, and Sierra Nevada Corp., and its entry will offer an Electro Optical Infrared (EOIR) high definition camera, Automatic Identification System (AIS) to identify ships at sea, a communications relay capability, and Link 16 among its systems. The Mariner shares its avionics, fuselage, flight controls, and engine (Honeywell TPE-331-1OT turboprop) with the MQ-9/Predator B, but adds enhanced wings (88 foot wingspan) and tails to support the increased takeoff weight, plus 2,000 pounds of additional fuel, 34 antennas for communications, anti-icing and deicing capability, and a retractable EO/IR surveillance turret as part of its 1,350 pound internal payload. The design has an extra 800 pounds of internal payload to offer, plus 4,000 pounds of external payload, which can be carried up to 50,000 feet. Maximum range would be 7,100 nautical miles, albeit at a rather slower speed than the jet-powered RQ-4. The flip side is that the Mariner would be able to cruise for long periods at low altitudes, and do so efficiently. Defense Daily. May 3/07: The Broad Area Maritime Surveillance Unmanned Aircraft System source selection process formally begins, with receipt of proposals from aerospace manufacturers. A winner is expected to be announced this fall following BAMS Milestone B approval, with a System Design and Development (SDD) contract award following soon after. Cdr. Bob Dishman, the BAMS Integrated Product team lead, is quoted in a NAVAIR release as saying that “This is a full and open competition and we are satisfied with the number, breadth and technical maturity of the proposals we have received.” See full NAVAIR release. Jan 29/07: Flight International reports that the US NAVAIR is delaying the release of tenders for its broad area maritime surveillance (BAMS) unmanned air system requirement until mid-February, in order to enable modification of bid documents to meet unique Australian requirements for the system. Jan 13/07: Aussies in. Australia formally signs a project agreement to participate in the BAMS system development and demonstration phase. July 28/06: The Australian government has given first pass approval to AIR 7000 Phase 1, under which Australia will spend A$ 1.0-1.5 billion to develop a “multi-mission unmanned aerial system.” Formal negotiations can now begin with the USA on a cooperative development program linked to BAMS, and a final participation decision is expected by late 2007. Australian industry participation will be a key factor, especially with respect to the Integrated Ground Environment for UAV control and fusion of sensor information. Australia Additional Readings & Sources Background: BAMS/ Triton and Key Ancillaries US NAVAIR – Persistent Maritime UAS. Global Hawk BAMS-D and MQ-4C Triton. Northrop Grumman – Triton. GlobalSecurity.org – Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS). DID FOCUS – The Wideband Gapfiller Satellite Program. BAMS’ initial control link. DID FOCUS Article – P-8 Poseidon MMA: Long-Range Maritime Patrol, and More. BAMS’ manned complementor. US NAVAIR, via WayBack – Persistent Unmanned Aerial Surveillance Program. PAge went down in 2007. It’s mostly of historical interest, and PUMAS was more of an overarching concept of Navy-related ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) systems and operations that includes various manned and unmanned platforms. See also “Northrop Grumman Wins U.S. Navy Contract to Study Maritime Surveillance Concepts.” Export Opportunities Australia DMO – AIR 7000: Phases 1B and 2B. Phase 1B is the unmanned portion, phase 2B will involve the manned P-8A aircraft. Phase 1B was shelved for a while, and is likely to re-start. It’s just a question of when. DID – Australia’s Coastwatch: A Public-Private Model for Coast Guards and CBP. Has included UAV trials with the MQ-9. News & Views Foxtrot Alpha (July 4/14) – Confessions Of A US Navy P-3 Orion Maritime Patrol Pilot. In-depth discussion of the P-8A and MQ-4C. StrategyPage (Oct 1/13) – The Death And Resurrection of Global Hawk. Flight International, via WayBack (Feb 9/09) – RQ-4N spreads Global Hawk brand to maritime patrol. C4ISR Journal, via WayBack (May 31/07) – BAMS Battle. DID (Dec 2/05) – Global Hawk UAV Prepares for Maritime Role (updated). These efforts are relevant to BAMS/PUMAS. DID (Aug 24/05) – Follow-Up: Rear Adm. Michael L. Holmes on The USA’s P-3C Force. Excellent in-depth interview, which discusses plans for the P-3 fleet, changes underway in the Navy, and the P-8/BAMS role. Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest, via WayBack (2003; Volume 24, Number 3) – Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Survivability in Modern Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Missions [PDF format] American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics [AIAA] Aerospace America Magazine, via WayBack (April 2002) – Maritime patrol market: Escaping the doldrums. By the Teal Group, an aerospace industry analyst firm. Very good at outlining the contours of the P-8’s market, as well as some of the turboprop vs. jet trade-offs in the maritime patrol role. View the full article

Let's hit a first principal out of the gate here: if you are serving in the military for the money - get out. Your nation does not need or want you here. Thank you for your service and enjoy your civilian career. Now that this is out of the way, let's hit a topic in the Salamander Top-10: we have a glut of General Officers and Flag Officers in the US military. We have more than we know what to do with, so we keep making up jobs for them - bloating the tail while starving the teeth. That bloat means that we have a lot of very talented people who are underemployed. Trust me on this, with one or two exceptions, take any 4-star right now, and there are a few dozen 3 or 4 stars, and perhaps a few 2-stars, who could take their job and do it just as well and perhaps better. Every, single, one. So, we have an excess supply and - in a static force - a static to slacking demand. With that in mind, check this out; Military service members received a heralded 3% pay increase under the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, but this increase camouflaged the continued stagnation in general and flag officer pay stemming from provisions in the 2015 NDAA six years prior. That law limits the pay of generals and admirals (officers in pay grades O7 and above) to the Executive Level II salary level for civilians. This pay cap limits current and retirement pay of senior executives to $199,300. While that may sound like an impressive amount of money, these are executive leaders responsible for organizations larger than any of the companies whose chief executives earn, on average, $21.3 million. As a result of the cap, officers stop receiving pay raises at the two star rank. It’s a limit that discourages continued service and makes it harder to keep talent at the highest levels of the military. As of February, chief operating officer annual salaries in the United States averaged $447,971. That’s more than twice as much as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff earns. If the U.S. Army were a corporation, with its over 1 million active duty and reserve soldiers and 300,000 civilian employees, it would rank just behind Walmart in the size of its workforce. The compensation package for the chief operating officer of Walmart is almost $10 million, whereas, the Army Chief of Staff earns $199,300. For the three- and four-star officers who remain in the Army for 40 years, the cap creates a cumulative pay reduction of more than $1 million in earnings when compared to pay without the limitation. It is a military "service" and a calling - not a self-enriching career path. I'm not sure how much of this comes from too many of our senior leaders being sent to Ivy League schools for a to mix it up with trust fund kids for a few weeks or months, or having them live for years with the rent-seeking rich in the DC metropolitan area ... but child please; they are not underpaid. Especially when you consider their retirement packages ... no. If any GOFO feel "underpaid" then by all means, leave. The door is right there. Feel free. No one is stopping you. There are dozens of just as well qualified O6+ who can take your place. 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=S_bNrV6_oTg:f8_C12mAArs:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=S_bNrV6_oTg:f8_C12mAArs:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=S_bNrV6_oTg:f8_C12mAArs:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=S_bNrV6_oTg:f8_C12mAArs:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/S_bNrV6_oTgView the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin Space won a $558.8 million contract modification for Trident II (D5) missile production and deployed systems support. The UGM-133A Trident II, or Trident D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the American and British navies. Work is expected to be completed September 30, 2026. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $477,091,291; United Kingdom funds in the amount of $73,747,000; and fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) in the amount of $8,003,070 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Bell Boeing Joint Project Office won a $25.7 million order, which provides flight test support for the V-22 aircraft in support of the Navy, Air Force, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. The V-22 Osprey is a joint-service, medium-lift, multimission tilt-rotor aircraft developed by Boeing and Bell Helicopters. Boeing is responsible for the fuselage, landing gear, avionics, electrical and hydraulic systems, performance and flying qualities. Work under the new contract will take place in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Texas and Florida. Estimated completion date is in March 2026. Middle East & Africa According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), international arms exports in the years 2015-2020 remained at the same level as in the years between 2011 and 2016. While the US, France and Germany increased its exports, these were offset by fewer exports from Russia and China. There was a strong growth in exports to the Middle East. The Middle East was the fastest growing market for arms, importing 25% more in 2016-20 compared to the previous five year period. The biggest increases came from Saudi Arabia (61%), Egypt (136%) and Qatar (361%). The German Air Force has delivered a replacement Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Israel to Afghanistan in order to replace one that was forced to make a controlled landing on March 5. Germany leases two Heron drones from Israel for its mission in Afghanistan. Europe According to The Telegraph, Britain is set to announce that it is increasing the number of nuclear warheads it can stockpile. The final details of this will be revealed on March the 16th in the Integrated Review. The review was previously described by Boris Johnson as the largest review of its kind since the Cold War and will be published later this month. It is expected next week to signal a potential increase of the number of Trident nuclear warheads for the first time since the end of the cold war.The UK’s stockpile of nuclear weapons peaked at about 500 in the late 70s, but had been gradually decreasing ever since as the perceived threat from the Soviet Union and now Russia had been assumed to be decreasing. Asia-Pacific Israel and South Korea are to co-operate in the field of unmanned airborne intelligence, surveillance, targeting and reconnaissance (ISTAR). A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed on March 15. The MOU between Elbit Systems and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is geared at developing future unmanned airborne ISTAR capabilities for the Republic of Korea (RoK) Armed Forces and potential international customers. Today’s Video Watch: Elbit Systems / Shore Protection Missile System (SPMS) View the full article

From our point of view from the other side of the Pacific, Americans tend to focus on the points of first resistance from the People's Republic of China - Taiwan, South China Sea, etc. Is that really what China is worried about? Is she really building her huge Navy to challenge us somewhere west of Wake, or is she thinking of something else we are just too parochial to see? Did you notice that France, UK, and even Germany have decided they need to head east of Suez to spend some time in the Indo-Pacific theater? Connected? As with most things, it is helpful to take a deep breath and ask yourself - what does the map say? h/t The Other Sal. 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=GVHIRMwkREA:q9Mqv2isFOE:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=GVHIRMwkREA:q9Mqv2isFOE:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=GVHIRMwkREA:q9Mqv2isFOE:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=GVHIRMwkREA:q9Mqv2isFOE:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/GVHIRMwkREAView the full article

Americas Raytheon demonstrated to the US Army that it can fire the Stinger missile from a Javelin Lightweight Command Launch Unit. The missile successfully took down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) during the demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base. The LWCLU’s primary mission is as the launcher for the Javelin missile, however its superior optics also allow for stand-alone Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions. A category 2 deficiency for the KC-46A aerial refueling tanker is prevent pilots from taking off in the tanker until the On-Board Inert Gas Generation System (OBIGGS) countdown timer reaches zero. OBIGGS will fill the fuel tanks with nitrogen to prevent the tanks from exploding if there is residual fuel inside. Maj. Tim McBride, an instructor pilot with the 931st Air Refueling Wing, told Defense News that the system take on average 1.5 hours to be ready. But occasionally, the countdown timer will reset and that increased the waiting time. To fix the issue, the service has decided to amend the flight manual so that the flight crew can now take off even if the OBIGGS is still counting down. This will be implemented next month. Middle East & Africa President of Turkish Defense Industries, ?smail Demir, revealed that Baykar will be building a new unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) dubbed Bayraktar TB3 for the Turkish Navy’s TCG Anadolu amphibious assault ship. Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of Baykar, says the development program will take one year. Between 30 and 50 folding-winged Bayraktar TB3 UCAVs will operate from Anadolu. Turkey was suppose to field the F-35B on that ship but lost the option after the United States drop Turkey from the F-35 program. Europe The United States’ State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Germany of Boeing P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and associated support, and related equipment, for an estimated cost of $1.77 billion. Germany has requested to buy five (5) P-8A Patrol Aircraft; nine (9) Multifunctional Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems 5 (MIDS JTRS 5); and twelve (12) LN-251 with Embedded Global Positioning Systems (GPS)/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGls). Germany currently operates the Lockheed P-3C Orion, but that aircraft is reaching end-of-life and will retire in 2024. The European country plans to replace it with the P-8A Poseidon. A 12-day, five-nation NATO anti-submarine exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, Dynamic Manta 2021, successfully concluded last week, the US Navy said on Friday. Maritime forces of the United States, France, Turkey, Italy and Greece participated in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare drills near the Catania, Italy, home base of the annual exercise. Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and the United States also added support vessels. Asia-Pacific French Navy frigate Prairial arrived at Cam Ranh, Vietnam on March 9 so that engineers can go on board the warship to fix its Alouette III helicopter. Repairs were completed on March 12. During this time, the crew aboard the ship were able to go on shore leave after two months at sea. The frigate’s visit to Vietnam forms part of a military cooperation framework between Vietnam and France, according to the French Embassy in Hanoi. Today’s Video Watch: Stinger; Surface-to-Air Missile (Documentary) View the full article

While the rest of the world paused to focus on COVID-19 the last year, even though the pandemic started there, the People's Republic of China did not stop her long, steady push out to the world to take the place she feels she in entitled to. From the border of India to South America and back to the Western Pacific, China feels the wind at her back. Where is China signaling she will be be the greatest challenge to her neighbors and the global community? Returning to Midrats this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern for the full hour will be our guest Dean Cheng. Dean is the Senior Research Fellow for Chinese political and security affairs at the Asia Studies Center of The Heritage Foundation. He specializes in Chinese military and foreign policy, and has written extensively on Chinese military doctrine, technological implications of its space program, and “dual use” issues associated with China’s industrial and scientific infrastructure. He is the author of “Cyber Dragon: Inside China's Information Warfare and Cyber Operations.” Before joining The Heritage Foundation, he was a senior analyst with the Center for Naval Analyses, a federally funded research and development center, and a senior analyst with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC, now Leidos), the Fortune 500 specialist in defense and homeland security. He has testified before Congress, spoken at the (American) National Defense University, US Air Force Academy, and the National Space Symposium, and been published in the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the iTunes button at the main showpage - or you can just click here. You can find us on almost all your most popular podcast aggregators as well. 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=vEtXbo2hUEk:Js8p0vrptgY:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vEtXbo2hUEk:Js8p0vrptgY:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vEtXbo2hUEk:Js8p0vrptgY:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=vEtXbo2hUEk:Js8p0vrptgY:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/vEtXbo2hUEkView the full article

What are you willing to do to get your squadron mates home ... or at least a chance? How far are you willing to push yourself and your equipment? How well do you know the capabilities - written and unwritten - of your equipment? Ponder Pardo's Push via Air and Space; The air strike that March day in 1967 was on the ferociously well-defended Thai Nguyen steel mill, north of Hanoi, North Vietnam. One of the attacking U.S. Air Force McDonnell F-4C Phantoms was hit twice by anti-aircraft fire, and gas was streaming from the fuselage. Pilot Earl Aman and weapons systems officer Bob Houghton no longer had enough fuel to return to safe territory. The airplane Bob Pardo and backseater Steve Wayne were flying wasn’t in much better shape: During the strike it also caught an anti-aircraft round and was leaking fuel, and the two weren’t even sure they could reach an airborne tanker to refuel for the flight back to their base in Thailand. “But I couldn’t see leaving a guy I’d just fought a battle with,” Pardo says, so he radioed Aman, “I’m gonna try to give you a push. Fly that thing as smooth as you’ve ever flown.” Read it all for the awesome details, but here is where it ended; Pardo’s Push, as the feat became known, had lasted for about 20 minutes and carried both jets 80 miles—far enough for a safe rescue. Pardo, Aman, and Houghton injured their backs punching out, and all four airmen had to move to evade an approaching group of Laotian communist militia. Later, the aviators were extracted from the jungle by rescue helicopter crews. “When we got to the club, man, we couldn’t buy a drink,” Pardo recalls. “We had a pretty good party until about midnight. “The next day, Steve and I went back to war.” The target? The same steel mill north of Hanoi. Nice simulation; 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=_TiMZvrdB8o:-ihw_jRj9qg:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=_TiMZvrdB8o:-ihw_jRj9qg:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=_TiMZvrdB8o:-ihw_jRj9qg:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=_TiMZvrdB8o:-ihw_jRj9qg:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/_TiMZvrdB8oView the full article

Americas US Air Force “Orange Flag” and “Black Flag” exercises this week tested mission planning with cross-domain data gathering, the Air Force said. The exercises involved the Air Force Test Center’s 412nd Test Wing, headquartered at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and the 53rd Wing of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, in achieving what the Air Force terms All-Domain Command and Control. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved a request to extend the deployment of National Guard members in the Capitol through late May, the Department of Defense announced. Per a statement from Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, about 2,300 National Guard personnel will continue to support the mission, a reduction of about half of the current support force in the Capitol. On Monday a national security task force released a report, which said the US Capitol Police were “inadequately trained” to deal with the violent mob attack of Jan. 6. Middle East & Africa The special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR) warned that the withdrawal of US contractors in May will have an enormous impact on the combat capabilities of the Afghan military. John Sopko says the Afghans rely on the Americans to carry out 100 percent of the maintenance work on the C-130 and Black Hawk helicopters. Without those contractors, those aircraft could only fly for a few months after their departure. He added that the departures “will negatively impact Afghan security forces, threaten the Afghan state and imperil own national security interests if Afghanistan should further destabilize.” Europe Denmark’s first F-35, L-001, has flown this week. The jet will be delivered to the Royal Danish Air Force in April and will be flown to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, later this year for pilot and maintainer training. Lockheed Martin says the Danish Air Force will bring its F-35s back home in 2023 and be based at Royal Danish Air Force’s Fighter Wing Skrydstrup. Asia-Pacific Japanese media revealed that eight Japanese companies are participating in the development of the F-X fighter. The main contractor will be Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. IHI Corporation will develop the engine, Subaru and Kawasaki Heavy Industries will build the airframe, Mitsubishi Electric will take the electronic warfare system portion while Toshiba, Fujitsu and NEC will design the avionics and radar. The Philippine Navy chief told Philippine News Agency (PNA) that his service will be acquiring only one battery of the Indian-made BrahMos supersonic anti-ship missile. One battery consists of three systems, Vice Adm. Giovanni Carlo Bacordo was quoted as saying. Each system has its own launcher with 2 to three missiles each. He added that the purchase is still awaiting approval from by the Commander-in-Chief. Today’s Video Watch: F-X Japanese 6th Generation Fighter Jet View the full article

Take a moment and think about all that is going on in the world from the South China Sea, to Afghanistan, to the Sahel, to the Russian near abroad. Think about the challenges military members and their families face on a daily basis with record deployments, caring for kids in a COVID environment, take your pick. I now want you to think about what you want the scarce time available in each mortal's 24-hr day invested in by the following people: Deputy Secretary of Defense; Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; The Secretaries of the Military Departments, Military Service Chiefs, and the OSD Principal Staff Assistants. What if we had it a weekly meeting called the Deputy's Workforce Council (DWC), to address the Department's people management, personnel policy, and total force requirements. You're thinking about what? Recruiting? Forward deployed units at proper strength & training? Family support? Housing? Work-life balance in the face of 11-month and double-pump deployments? Don't be silly. Topics the DWC shall examine will include, but shall not be limited to: • Sexual Assault Prevention and Response • Countering Extremism • Transgender Issues • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion • Workforce Development and Talent Management • · Professional Military Education • Leveraging Technology in Support of Workforce Goals· Just so 'ya know. You can read the full memo below; 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=HuUXsTQjDqo:NJX3-YDXyJg:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=HuUXsTQjDqo:NJX3-YDXyJg:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=HuUXsTQjDqo:NJX3-YDXyJg:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=HuUXsTQjDqo:NJX3-YDXyJg:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/HuUXsTQjDqoView the full article

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that the Virginia Class submarine Montana was launched into the James River at the company’s Newport News Shipbuilding division. The 7,800-ton submarine, which had been in a floating dry dock since being transferred from a construction facility in October, was submerged and moved by tugboats to the shipyard’s submarine pier, for final outfitting, testing and crew certification, it says in a news release. Through the teaming agreement with General Dynamics Electric Boat approximately 10,000 shipbuilders, as well as suppliers from all 50 states, have participated in Montana’s construction since the work began in 2015. Montana is approximately 92% complete and scheduled to be delivered to the US Navy in late 2021. Cobham has been given a contract by the US Navy to supply a new oxygen concentrator for its T-45 advanced jet trainer fleet. The new GGU-25 is an upgraded version of GGU-7, which is currently installed on the T-45. The GGU-25 is smart enough to supply the required amount of oxygen to the pilot and also records key operational parameters in real time. The service decided to replace the concentrator after a series of hypoxia events which lead to more than 100 T-45 instructors refusing to fly the jet back in 2017. Investigations found no root cause but it was determined that the oxygen concentrator was not sending out enough air to the pilots in certain flight profiles. Middle East & Africa Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (M0U) with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) for unmanned loitering munition (LM) systems. Under the MoU, the two companies will partner to provide the LM systems to the Republic of Korea (ROK) military forces. KAI president and CEO Hyun-ho Ahn said that IAI and KAI partnered on many programmes for the past few years. These programmes included defencse and commercial projects. The agreement is aimed at expanding the long-standing cooperation of the two companies to market the loitering munitions as per the requirements of the ROK Army. Europe A B-1B Lancer conducted a Bomber Task Force mission in Norway and Sweden earlier this week, according to the Air Force. The B-1B, from the 7th Bomb Wing at Texas’ Dyess Air Force Base, provided support to Norwegian and Swedish joint terminal attack control training. The aircraft also conducted a “warm-pit refuel” at Bodø Air Force Station in Norway and integrated with four Swedish JAS-39 Gripen fighter aircraft. The mission is one of several recent B-1 deployments to the Arctic region. Asia-Pacific The Philippine Air Force has started training 10 officers since March last year to operate the SPYDER air defense missile system. The Missile System Office Course is being taught at Basa Air Base in Floridablanca town. Rafael is expected to deliver the system to Philippines this year. A report from Bloomberg says India is to approve the $3 billion purchase of 30 MQ-9B unmanned air vehicles next month. The deal would add to India’s military capabilities as the drones it has now can only be used for surveillance and reconnaissance. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is reportedly expected to visit India this month. The MQ-9B will give the Indian Navy the ability to better monitor Chinese warships in the southern Indian Ocean, and equip the army to engage targets along the disputed India-Pakistan border in the Himalayas. Today’s Video Watch: Akula Class Submarine vs Virginia Class Submarine View the full article

Can you have a long war in Asia without putting a boot on the mainland? Should we be thinking that through? Have we looked at a map? Ponder with me over at USNIBlog. h/t CMD 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=Z13H-FRyDH0:Rgat6d_HksI:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=Z13H-FRyDH0:Rgat6d_HksI:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=Z13H-FRyDH0:Rgat6d_HksI:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=Z13H-FRyDH0:Rgat6d_HksI:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/Z13H-FRyDH0View the full article

Americas Honeywell International won a contract worth $476.1 million for the procurement of CH-47 aircraft T55 engines, CH-47 aircraft T55 engine electronic control units, and CH-47 aircraft T55 engine installation kits. The Honeywell T55 is a Family of military turboshaft engines. The most prominent aircraft application is the Boeing CH-47 Chinook and MH-47 helicopters. The new CH-47F uses more powerful Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines that improve fuel efficiency and enhance lift performance. The higher powerful Honeywell T55-GA-714A engines are fitted with full authority digital engine control (FADEC) and have a thrust of 3,529kW (4,733shp). The operating range was increased to 609km (329nm) with a mission radius of 370.4km (200nm). The Missile Defense Agency is again considering a radar defense array in Hawaii, with two sites under consideration, after previously dropping plans to build it because of adverse public reaction. The proposed Homeland Defense Radar-Hawaii, which MDA is accepting public comment on through April 12, would face North Korea and have properties similar to the Long-Range Discrimination Radar in Alaska, a facility largely completed with initial operating plans scheduled for the end of 2021. Middle East & Africa The Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, United Kingdom Royal Navy, France Marine Nationale and US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) participated in exercise Khunjar Hadd 26, February 21-25. During this year’s iteration of the exercise, Omani Lynx helicopters landed on the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG 73), marking the first time this type of Omani aircraft has landed on a US. warship. Practicing these landings, designated as helicopter operations from ships other than aircraft carriers (HOSTAC), ensures partner nation pilots and ship crews can successfully and safely conduct cross-deck helicopter operations. A US Air Force B-52 bomber joined escort aircraft of Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in a flight over the Persian Gulf, in a show of force aimed at Iran. The B-52, a heavy bomber, from Minot Air Force Base, “flew through the CENTOM AOR [Central Command area of responsibility] March 7. Multiple partner nations joined the bomber at different point of the mission,” a brief statement from US Air Forces Central said. “These missions reiterate the US Air Force global reach capability & commitment to regional security,” the statement concluded. F-15 fighter planes of Israel, Qatar and Saudi Arabia served as escorts in their respective airspaces until the B-52 returned to the United States. Europe According to Jane’s, Belgium has received into service its second Airbus Defense and Space A400M Atlas transport aircraft, bringing the number it now operates as a joint unit with Luxembourg to three. Aircraft CT-03 arrived at Melsbroek, the military area of Brussels airport, on March 4. The Belgian Air Component (BAC) will operate a total of seven A400Ms, including one purchased by Luxembourg. Besides receiving seven aircraft of its own, Belgium is also an industrial contributor to the A400M programme, responsible for manufacturing detailed machined wing elements and flight-control surfaces. Asia-Pacific The Indian Navy is expected to take delivery of its first MH-60R helicopter in June and a total of three rotorcraft are expected to be delivered this year. Financial Express says air crew and maintenance personnel will soon depart to the United States to begin training on the helicopter. Today’s Video Watch: 14 Amazing Facts About CH-47 Helicopter, Including Can Land on the Water View the full article

We started the "Keeping and Eye on the Long Game" over a decade and a half ago. Many of you have been loyal members of the Front Porch since that time, so I know you are not surprised where 2021 finds us. Look at it. Don't avert your eyes. You ... yes you ... allowed this to happen because you elected the people you elected and promoted those you promoted. You allowed other priorities to creep in where maintaining the world's dominate navy should have been #1. Sadly, many are either refusing to accept this fact or are acting as if it all of a sudden snuck up on them. Fire them all. China was already in the midst of a shipbuilding spree like few the world has ever seen. In 2015, Xi undertook a sweeping project to turn the PLA into a world-class fighting force, the peer of the United States military. He had ordered investments in shipyards and technology that continue at pace today. By at least one measurement, Xi's plan has worked. At some point between 2015 and today, China has assembled the world's largest naval force. And now it's working to make it formidable far from its shores. In 2015, the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) had 255 battle force ships in its fleet, according to the US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI). As of the end of 2020, it had 360, over 60 more than the US Navy, according to an ONI forecast. Four years from now, the PLAN will have 400 battle force ships, the ONI predicts. Go back to 2000, and the numbers are even more stark. "China's navy battle force has more than tripled in size in only two decades," read a December report by the leaders of the US Navy, Marines and Coast Guard. I didn't make this another in the Long Game series by post title for a reason. We are here. You have the Long Game intersecting with another long term project here, The Terrible 20s. We did not get here by accident. This was by design via the natsec leadership - uniformed, civilian, elected and appointed - by both political parties. Again, it is a matter of "when" not "if" the communist Chinese will challenge us. When they do, it will mostly be - if we are smart about it - a naval and air war. If the results are less than victory for the USA, it will be a hard break on a phase of history that has been with us for decades. There is not much time. Demand answers. Demand proper priorities. Demand action. If not, then prepare yourself for a nation and a globe neither you nor your children will recognize. You think the people of 1913 were shocked by where they found themselves in 1933, you don't even what to imagine with two decades after a shift to a Sino-centric world would be like. 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=hYkQIf9w7Xk:P-mhaX8o4P0:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=hYkQIf9w7Xk:P-mhaX8o4P0:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=hYkQIf9w7Xk:P-mhaX8o4P0:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=hYkQIf9w7Xk:P-mhaX8o4P0:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/hYkQIf9w7XkView the full article

Americas According to Lockheed Martin, the US Army’s new extended-range version of its Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) had a successful 80-kilometer flight demonstration at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on March 4. Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer of the GMLRS munition and has worked with the Army to double the rocket’s reach through extended-range capability development. The 80-kilometer shot fired from the Army’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System met the test objectives, Lockheed said in its news release. The release added that the demo “confirmed the missile’s flight trajectory performance, range and validated interfaces with the HIMARS launcher and system software performance.” Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $7.8 million deal for the LongShot, Phase 1. The contract provides for the research, development and demonstration of the LongShot unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The LongShot program is developing an air-launched unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with the ability to employ multiple air-to-air weapons. The objective is to develop a novel UAV that can significantly extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft. Work will take place in California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in February 2022. Middle East & Africa According to Israel Defense, the Israeli Air Force Training Department, in cooperation with the 133rd Squadron, which is named “Knights of the Twin Tail” developed a new method of air combat training during the last two years. This was the topic of a day of study that was attended by the commanders of all the combat squadrons and the regional control units, and led by the commander of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin. The head of the Training Department, identified only as “Col. L.”, was quoted as saying “The countries around us are arming themselves with very advanced fighter planes. In an operational scenario, when the surroundings are full of planes and electronic warfare systems, it is possible that missiles will miss (their targets), and planes will reach outside radar range, and then the pilots may find themselves in a tight battle with enemy planes at close range in which they see them with their eyes.” Next month the entire combat array will train according to the new training portfolio that was composed by the Training Department. The head of the Training Department was quoted by Israel Defense: “We are currently considering the advanced and sophisticated weapon and electronic warfare systems that we have, and also those of our enemies. The training takes the air crews a step forward, training them in operating the advanced weapon and in its readiness for the weapon systems of the enemy.” Europe The Sunday Times has reported that the Royal Navy is to receive new vessels as part of the defense review. “The Royal Navy gets new frigates, supply ships and underwater surveillance vessels.” The new frigates are likely to be the Type 32s. The Type 32 was first announced by Boris Johnson in November 2020 as part of a defense investment pledge ahead of the Integrated Review. The review’s first conclusions are reportedly related to the restoration of the United Kingdom as “the foremost naval power in Europe” through the construction of new ships. All branches of the UK Armed Forces are on average six percent below the target strength set out in the 2015 Strategic Defense and Security Review. A House of Commons library research briefing published on March 8, titled “UK Defence Personnel Statistics“ provides details on how UK military service personnel statistics are measured and discusses current and historic strength levels. Asia-Pacific China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC) told Global Times that its HQ-17AE mobile air defense missile system is now being offered to foreign countries. The HQ-17 is China’s copy of the Russian Tor system. The HQ-17A is a wheeled chassis variant that first appeared in public back in 2019. The HQ-17AE is the export variant. The system is capable of firing on the move with the vehicle traveling at a maximum speed of 25 kph. It carries a total of 8 missiles and can engage up to 4 targets at the same time. Today’s Video Watch: DARPA to Develop Air Launched UAV with Multiple Air-to-Air Weapons Capabilities View the full article

Mk54 HAAWC (click to view full) American maritime patrol aircraft currently carry torpedoes as part of their armament, which serve as key weapons against enemy submarines. As any high-diver of cliff-jumper knows first hand, however, water can feel surprisingly solid after a long fall. Torpedoes still have to be released from low altitude, typically 100 feet or less above the waves. Two recent developments, however, are making this approach less practical for the US military. One is tests of sub-launched anti-air missile systems, using modified short-range air-air missiles that do not require radar guidance. The other is its selection of the 737-based P-8A Poseidon as its next maritime patrol and surface surveillance aircraft. The P-8A can perform low swoops if necessary, but its airframe is really optimized for cruising at altitude. As these trends developed, someone in the US military asked the logical next question: P-3: Bermuda 1985 (click to view full) “what if we could attach a JDAM-ER style glide kit with GPS guidance to a lightweight torpedo, launch from high altitude, then let the kit maneuver it into attack position and release it near sea level instead? Not only would this fit the P-8A’s strengths, it would also let us reduce airframe fatigue on the old P-3C fleet.” Enter Lockheed’s Longshot, aka. the High Altitude ASW Weapons Concept (HAAWC). The LongShot system is a low-cost, self-contained wing adaptor kit that can provide these capabilities to a range of existing air-to-surface munitions, including sea mines, gravity bombs, laser-guided bombs and cluster bomb dispensers. The system is self-contained and includes a flight control computer, a GPS-based navigation system, and power sources; range is up to 50 nautical miles. This makes the LongShot kit a potential competitor to Boeing’s JDAM-ER offerings. GBU-87 WCMD-ER Test (click to view full) It’s a competitor with a major difference, however. LongShot does not require a MIL-STD-1760 interface, or even an electrical interface with the aircraft. This means LongShot offers instant GPS capability and compatibility to a wide range of aircraft that would not otherwise be capable of launching GPS-guided weapons, without requiring a costly and time-consuming process of re-wiring the aircraft, and/or setting up a weapons interface with its onboard systems. Targeting information can be input via a laptop computer, or through an in-aircraft knee pad device that plugs into the aircraft intercom. The knee pad device establishes two-way communication with LongShot via the aircraft’s UHF radio. This procedure is an inconvenience to a fighter pilot when compared to fully-integrated weapons, but it works excellently well on aircraft like the P-3C, P-8A, and other bombers or specialty aircraft that have multiple crew and more work space. Lockheed Martin had already been developing this extended range kit for the WCMD GPS-guided cluster bomb, and leveraged the “Longshot” kit it picked up in the Leigh Aerosystems acquisition as a starting point. The HAAWC wing kit is attached to the torpedo by two metal bands. A device forces open the bands, enabling the wing kit to jettison normally from the torpedo. In actual operation, the wing kit jettisons when the torpedo reaches its normal launch altitude close to the surface of the water. At that point, the torpedo simply performs normally. Contracts and Key Events P-8A: oncoming (click to view full) March 9/21: Phase 1 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics won a $7.8 million deal for the LongShot, Phase 1. The contract provides for the research, development and demonstration of the LongShot unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The LongShot program is developing an air-launched unmanned air vehicle (UAV) with the ability to employ multiple air-to-air weapons. The objective is to develop a novel UAV that can significantly extend engagement ranges, increase mission effectiveness, and reduce the risk to manned aircraft. Work will take place in California and Florida. Estimated completion will be in February 2022. September 5/19: MK54 MOD 1 Progeny Systems won a $10.7 million modification to exercise Option Year Two for the production of MK54 MOD 1 lightweight torpedo proof of design components, test equipment, associated production support material, spares, and engineering and hardware support services. The MK54 is a standard 324mm torpedo. The MK 54 Mod 1 hardware upgrades the torpedo’s sonar array from 52 to 112 elements, providing higher resolution. Associated software upgrades are designed to exploit these features to improve target detection, enhance false target rejection, and correct previously identified deficiencies. The modification combines purchases for the USN as well as one percent for the government of the UK. Work will take place in Pennsylvania, Utah, and Virginia and is scheduled to be finished by March 2022. May 22/19: Canada The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of MK 54 lightweight torpedoes to Canada. The deal is valued at $387 million. Canada had requested to buy 425 MK 54 lightweight torpedo conversion kits. The country intends to upgrade its current MK 46 torpedoes to MK 54 to be used on the Royal Canadian Navy’s Halifax class ships, the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora aircraft, and the CH-148 maritime helicopters. The sale also includes torpedo containers, recoverable exercise torpedoes with containers, fleet exercise section and fuel tanks, as well as air launch accessories for fixed wing, torpedo spare parts, training, publications, support and test equipment, US government and contractor engineering, and technical and logistics support services. January 11/19: Boeing tapped for HAAWC integration on P-8A The US Naval Sea Systems awarded Boeing a $9.3 million contract modification for the integration of the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) on the Poseidon P-8A submarine-hunting aircraft. The High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) provides an all-weather, anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon system capable of high altitude launch of the MK-54 torpedo from the P-8A Poseidon. HAAWC consists of a modular, Air Launch Accessory (ALA) kit that attaches to the MK-54 Torpedo. the ALA transforms the MK-54 into a precision-guided glide weapon wich operates in either GPS-aided or GPS-denied environments. Back in June the the US Navy announced, it intended to award Boeing a contract for full rate production of the HAAWC Air Launch Accessory for use in launching the MK 54 Torpedo from the P-8A Poseidon aircraft from high altitude. Work will be performed in Missouri and is expected to be finished by May 2020. March 30/17: A decision will be made shortly by the US Navy to go ahead with low-rate production of the Lockheed Martin High Altitude Anti-submarine warfare Weapon Capability (HAAWC) package. The package integrates an air-launched accessory (ALA) kit with a GPS guidance system and folding wings onto a standard Mk54 torpedo, and will be made available to P-8A Poseidon foreign customers, which currently include Australia, India and the UK. A guided flight test is scheduled for late Fiscal 2017, and could see as many as 140 high-altitude torpedoes total ordered over the first two lots. April 27/11: US NAVSEA announces its plans to issue a competitive Request for Proposal (RFP), covering Air Launch Accessory requirements for the the HAAWC precision-guided, high-altitude torpedo kit’s successful integration with both the P-8A Poseidon, and the MK 54 Torpedo. A Request for Information (RFI) and related attachments was originally slated for May 31/11, but it has been moved back to Sept 30/11. It is the Government’s intent to review Industry comments/questions regarding the RFI prior to the release of any RFP. FBO.gov May 29/07: Lockheed Martin reports success in a single point concept demonstration conducted at the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC) in the Bahamas. A MK-54 HAWC torpedo was launched from the internal weapons bay of a P-3 Orion aircraft flying above 8,000 feet, navigated via GPS into position, then self-jettisoned as the fully functional MK-54 exercise torpedo successfully splashed down. Lockheed Martin release. Sept 26/06: Lockheed Martin announces successful wind tunnel and wing separation tests of its High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Concept (HAAWC) system, using the Lockheed Martin LongShot Wing Adapter Kit on the MK-54 torpedo. In the wind tunnel test at the San Diego Air and Space Technology Center’s Low-Speed Wind Tunnel, HAAWC demonstrated expected performance that would enable the torpedo to be launched at cruising speeds, at the maximum desired range from the target. Lockheed Martin is working under a 7-month, $3 million contract for the U.S. Navy to demonstrate delivery of the MK-54 lightweight torpedo from a P-3C aircraft operating at high altitudes (approximately 20,000 feet). June 13/06: Lockheed Martin announces a 12-month, $3 million US Navy contract for its High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Concept (HAAWC). The program will demonstrate delivery of the MK-54 lightweight torpedo from a P-3C aircraft operating at high altitudes (approximately 20,000) feet. The demonstration will include a high-altitude launch, where the HAAWC-equipped torpedo will glide to its normal launch altitude close to the surface, and then jettison the LongShot wings prior to water entry. March 11/03: Lockheed Martin announces its acquisition of certain assets of Leigh Aerosystems in Carlsbad, CA. Terms of the sale were not disclosed. Privately held Leigh Aerosystems designs, tests and produces the LongShot Wing Kit that can be attached to existing “dumb” bombs to increase accuracy and range. Lockheed’s release says that the kit will be adapted into Lockheed Martin’s $102 million Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, Extended Range (WCMD-ER) program to be used on CBU-87, -89, and -97 dispenser weapons. WCMD-ER is expected to go into production in 2005. The Air Force has requested 7,500 of these systems. Additional Readings & Sources Lockheed Martin – Longshot DID – Team Torpedo: Raytheon Partners to Support MK48 and MK54 Requirements. Deagel – Mark 54 Federation of American Scientists – MK-54 Lightweight Hybrid Torpedo Seapower Magazine (June 2005) – Boeing Eyes High-Flying Torpedo. For the P-8A Poseidon program. The 737-based P-8A is a capable aircraft, but isn’t well suited to flying just 100 feet above the waves. Undersea Warfare Magazine (Winter/Spring 2002) – Torpedoes and the Next Generation of Undersea Weapons View the full article

To start your week off right you should give our friend James Holmes's latest over at Real Clear Defense a read, How to Overcome Weaknesses in the Western Way of Sea War. He starts by setting up two distinguishing characteristics of how we prefer to start a war; Chinese anti-access strategy envisions pummeling U.S. forces forward-deployed along the East Asian rimland while preventing the larger U.S. Pacific Fleet from reaching the battleground from its home ports in Hawaii or on the west coast in time to affect a war’s outcome. ... The second aspect is this: Western maritime services fight in “systems” that depend heavily on the electromagnetic spectrum to pass information and instructions to the constituent parts of the system and back. He then offers up six solutions, these two got my head nodd'n the most; Second, we need to make geography our ally. The complex thing about maritime East Asia is that not just one home team but two—China and Japan—have taken the field. In fact, they have carried on a running series since about the seventh century. Japan has been on top since 1895, China wants to avenge past defeats, and the U.S.-Japan alliance wants to keep the streak going. Using Japanese geography in concert with sea power could let us give China a very bad day by bottling up naval and mercantile shipping within the first island chain, or preventing whatever happens to be outside the island chain from returning home. Sorting out the politics of island-chain warfare is of prime importance in the strategic competition, as is assuring our navies and air and ground forces can fight together in the near-shore domain. If successful we will make the U.S.-Japan alliance the dominant home team along the island chain. ... Fifth, we should identify substitute hardware and methods in advance so that operators have a fallback in case a successful kinetic or non-kinetic assault fractures the system. This might, but need not, involve developing some sort of high-technology solution. It might involve reverting to older but time-proven methods. We might even see signal flags or flashing-light signals make a comeback in fleets riding the waves. To name one such reversion to past practice, the U.S. Navy has made a long-overdue course correction in recent years by reinstating celestial-navigation training at navy schoolhouses. By relearning how to navigate by the stars, we partly weaned our ships away from GPS, any savvy opponent’s prime target in wartime. Furthermore, newly developed weapons are designed to function in a degraded tactical setting. The logic behind such measures is straightforward. If we can’t find our way from point A to point B or detect, track, target, and engage enemy forces, we can accomplish little—even if the foe never shoots down one of our planes or sinks a ship. So developments such as these are all to the good. There is a lot more to ponder ... so read up. It's only four pages, and well worth your time. 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=RZdBmn4PA3I:xMcBx_kgFFE:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=RZdBmn4PA3I:xMcBx_kgFFE:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=RZdBmn4PA3I:xMcBx_kgFFE:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=RZdBmn4PA3I:xMcBx_kgFFE:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/RZdBmn4PA3IView the full article

Americas The Defense Department’s awarded a contract to Raytheon, which is meant to support integration of AMRAAM missiles with current and future Air Force aircraft. The $74 million deal to Raytheon Missile Systems was announced on Thursday, and provides the “necessary aircraft lab, flight test, flight clearance and simulation support during all integration requirements in AMRAAM for F-15, F-16, FA-18, F-22, F-35 and other current inventory or next generation platforms that may join the Air Force or Navy inventory before the end of fiscal 2029,” the Defense Department announced. The contract is the latest of several awarded by the Defense Department pertinent to the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, a seven-inch-diameter, beyond-visual-range missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Work will be primarily conducted at Raytheon’s Tucson, Arizona, facilities. The US Air Force says it is preparing to carry out the first booster test flight (BTF-1) of the AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) following the delivery of the test missile to Edwards Air Force Base on March 1. “The BTF-1 test vehicle is complete and is progressing through ground testing to verify its readiness for flight. The team has successfully dealt with COVID challenges and resolved technical findings not uncommon in a first-of-a-kind weapon system. We have minimized schedule delays while maintaining a laser focus on engineering rigor. Our first BTF will happen in the next 30 days, followed by several additional booster and all-up-round test flights by the end of the year,” said Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, Air Force Program Executive Officer for Weapons. Middle East & Africa Jerusalem is currently in talks with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates over establishing a four-nation defense alliance, local news reported at the end of last month. Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have discussed expanding cooperation in facing common enemies, an Israeli official familiar with the matter confirmed on March 1. The matter is being “informally discussed,” the source said, adding that the countries are US allies. All four believe a nuclear Iran would be a major threat and have been eyeing the Biden administration’s plan to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with concern. In an interview with Fox News, defense minister Benny Gantz said on March 4, that Israel is preparing to act independently against Iran and is updating plans for military strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites: “If the world stops them [Iran] before, it’s much the better. But if not, we must stand independently and we must defend ourselves by ourselves“. Europe The F3R Standard of the Dassault Rafale fighter jet integrated the Meteor missile. With this, the Standard has reached a new milestone. Developed by MBDA within the framework of cooperation involving France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Germany, the Meteor is a beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. The weapon has a range of over 150 kilometers (90 miles) and can reach Mach 4 speed. The French Air Force announced on March 4, that it carried out the first operational flight with a Rafale equipped with combat-ready Meteor missiles. According to the UK Royal Navy, the HMS Magpie was able to chart the waters around Plymouth purely using regular radar installed on shipping the world over and a specialist computer program which measures wave height. Using that data and information about currents, the software can produce a detailed profile of the seabed in a matter of hours – without the ship or boat having to physically sail over the area being surveyed. Asia-Pacific Taiwan is unlikely to take delivery of the Harpoon Coastal Defense System in 2024 after the United States inform the island that Boeing can only start delivery of equipment in 2025, Up Media reported. Also, the delivery of the missiles will only take place in 2026 and Taiwan will also have to purchase communications equipment that was not included in the original Foreign Military Sale package. The news report added that Taipei had requested to buy the RGM-84Q-4 Harpoon Block II+ ER missile but Washington only agreed to sell the RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II. It was also pointed out that the entire purchase, from formulation to approval, took only three months and it was not part of the Navy’s weapon acquisition work plan for 2020. This lead to speculation that the sales contract to Boeing was forced on the Navy. Today’s Video Watch: RAFALE FRENCH NAVY PILOTS – CHILLOUT 7 View the full article

Harpoon in flight (click to view full) The sub-sonic, wave-skimming GM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s sole anti-shipping missile, with the minor exception of small helicopter-borne AGM-119B Penguin missiles. The Harpoon has been adapted into several variants, and exported to many navies around the world. At present, the Harpoon family includes AGM-84 air, RGM-84 sea/land, and UGM-84 submarine-launched versions. Variants such as the Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles and the upgraded AGM-84K SLAM – Expanded Response will also be covered in this DID FOCUS Article. It describes the missiles themselves, and covers global contracts involving this family. The Harpoon family’s best known competitor is the French/MBDA M38/39/40 Exocet, but recent years have witnessed a growing competitive roster at both the subsonic (Israel’s >Gabriel family, Russia’s SS-N-27 Klub family, Saab’s RBS15, Kongsberg’s stealthy NSM, China’s YJ-82/C-802 used by Hezbollah in Lebanon), and supersonic (Russia’s SS-N-22 Sunburn/Moskit, SS-N-26 Yakhont, and some SS-N-27 Klub variants, India’s SS-N-26 derived PJ-10 BrahMos) tiers. GM-84 Harpoon Family: The Missiles UGM-84 Harpoon launch (click to view full) The sub-sonic, sea-skimming GM-84 Harpoon is the standard anti-shipping missile used by the US Navy, and its variants are in service with 27 navies around the world. Boeing lists its range as “in excess of 67 [nautical miles]”; other sources place the range for basic Harpoon types between 140-200 km (75 – 120 nautical miles). The current version in service with most US ships and aircraft is the Block IC. At present, air-launched AGM-84 Harpoon missiles are qualified for use on serving P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft, F/A-18 and F-16 fighters, and B-52 Bombers. Because they don’t need to fight gravity at launch, and are already moving forward at speed, air-launched missiles have the longest ranges. The ship-launched version is the RGM-84, and it includes a solid rocket booster to help it fight gravity at launch and extend its range. The submarine-launched UGM-84 also includes a rocket booster, all inside a container that pops to the surface when the missile is fired. The rocket booster ignites as the container reaches the surface. Block II test (click to view full) Harpoon Block II. This privately-developed upgrade program was designed to improve the missile’s ability to attack targets in congested littoral environments, where nearby land masses and other ships can provide cover for would-be targets. xGM-84L Block IIs have more waypoints associated with missile flight in their software, which allows them to take less direct routes. To ensure that they do arrive, GPS/INS guidance gets them to the target area. Once the missile arrives in the target area, the Block II’s targeting system can use shoreline data provided by the launch platform to make it much better at distinguishing between a ship and a nearby land mass; indeed, these upgrades reportedly offer a 90% shrinkage of the Block I’s “problem zone” near local shorelines. To keep costs down, the Block II program leveraged progress on several other weapons, using the low-cost Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS) from Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) smart bomb program, plus GPS antennae and software from Boeing’s Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM) and AGM-84K SLAM Expanded Response (SLAM ER). Its GPS/INS capabilities give it the ability to hit targets on land, and the existing 500 pound blast warhead can deliver lethal firepower against targets like coastal missile batteries and ships in port. The Harpoon Block II can use existing command and launch equipment, and will eventually work with all platforms that currently use the Harpoon Missile system. Harpoon Block II has been bought or requested by some foreign navies (Australia, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey), but not by the US Navy. An upgrade called Block II+ uses JSOW C-1’s Common Weapon Datalink for targeting updates and re-targeting, and should be operational in 2017. Block III (canceled). The proposed Harpoon Block III program was intended to be an upgrade kit for up to 800 of the US Navy’s surface and air-launched UGM/AGM-84 Block IC missiles, and 50 RGM-84 Block IC ship-launched missiles. Once complete, it would also have become a new missile or upgrade option for other customers. It would have built on the Block II, reportedly adding more jam-resistant SAASM GPS, “land blanking” capability for improved near-shore and land attack; and a 2-way datalink that lets controllers receive the missile’s radar picture, update or even switch targets in mid-flight, and confirm hits. Navy budget documents estimated that the entire development program would have cost $113.7 million between 2007-2009. The US Navy decided not to go ahead with Block III, but SAASM GPS systems have been tested as part of Block II. The other Block III enhancements will have to wait, as will competitive upgrades like extended range, fitting an electro-optic terminal seeker similar to that used on the AGM-84K SLAM-ER (Standoff Land Attack Missile – Enhanced Response); and allowing vertical launch from strike-length Mk 41 Vertical Launch System cells mounted inside Navy ships. That last capability would allow navies to remove the separate Harpoon launcher on the deck, improving both ship flexibility and radar signature. None of these would have been realized in Block III, though Boeing had said that the missiles would be “positioned” for vertical launch and extended range. Whatever that meant. SLAM-ER Highlights (click to view full) SLAM-ER. Boeing’s AGM-84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles-Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) is an advanced derivative of the Harpoon missile, and competes with precision attack missiles like Lockheed’s JASSM, and European missiles like the EADS Taurus KEPD 350 and MBDA’s Storm Shadow. In service since 2000, it is the primary long-range land attack missile for US Navy F/A-18 aircraft, and has also been ordered by South Korea (F-15K) and Turkey (F-16). Powered by an air-breathing turbojet engine, the 1,400 pound/ 635 kg SLAM-ER can deliver its 500-pound warhead over 150 nautical miles, flying by INS/GPS navigation at subsonic speeds. The missile can also receive in-flight target position updates, via an In-Flight Flex-Targeting capability and video link. Once it nears its designated target area, the missile activates its imaging infrared (IIR) sensor, using pattern-matching algorithms to compare the target scene with on-board reference images, in order to locate the pre-planned aimpoint in the target scene. The Weapon System Operator or pilot can then change the decision taken by the missile, or do nothing and have it continue to its target. A special Stop Motion Aimpoint Update makes this task easier, and allows narrowband datalinks like Link 16 to be used for near-real time battle damage assessment and transmission. Defense Update reports that approximately 700 SLAM missiles in the U.S. Navy arsenal will be retrofitted with the SLAM-ER upgrade. They add that: “The missile is equipped with a 500 pound derivative of the Tomahawk Block III warhead developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif. The WDU-40/B warhead uses a titanium case shaped specifically to increase penetration and becomes reactive during detonation, substantially increasing the blast and incendiary effects.” GM-84 Harpoon Family: Contracts & Key Events RGM-84 AUR, loading (click to view full) Before we begin, a few terms. Entries referring to “encapsulated all-up rounds” (AUR) refer to a missile pre-loaded into a container that contains electronics required to transmit data and fire the missile, or protects a missile that’s ready to load. The idea is that it’s all one simple package that can be dropped into torpedo bays, or fitted to the Harpoon launchers on a ship’s deck. Countries can also specify AUR containers only, if they have existing stocks of missiles. The Harpoon missile body consists of the Guidance Section, Warhead Section, Sustainer (propulsion) Section, and the Control Section. The Harpoon missile body, along with an appropriate air launch, canister (ship) or other launch kit (to include wings, fins, booster if applicable for UGM-84s), makes up a Harpoon AUR. Harpoon canister AURs can be bought in any of 3 configurations. Thickwall Canister is armored against small arms fire and other hazards. Grade B Canister is only protected against near-miss shock. Lightweight Canister is the lightest configuration, designed for use on small ships. Unless otherwise noted, all contracts are issued to Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO. Unless otherwise noted, US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract. This is also true for Foreign Military Sales, where it acts as the buyer’s agent. FY 2020-2021 March 8/21: Delays Taiwan is unlikely to take delivery of the Harpoon Coastal Defense System in 2024 after the United States inform the island that Boeing can only start delivery of equipment in 2025, Up Media reported. Also, the delivery of the missiles will only take place in 2026 and Taiwan will also have to purchase communications equipment that was not included in the original Foreign Military Sale package. The news report added that Taipei had requested to buy the RGM-84Q-4 Harpoon Block II+ ER missile but Washington only agreed to sell the RGM-84L-4 Harpoon Block II. It was also pointed out that the entire purchase, from formulation to approval, took only three months and it was not part of the Navy’s weapon acquisition work plan for 2020. This lead to speculation that the sales contract to Boeing was forced on the Navy. August 14/20: Captive Air Training and Tactical Missiles Boeing won a $15.6 million order, which provides for the production and delivery of 25 Harpoon Block II+ captive air training missiles and 24 tactical missiles. Harpoon Block II is an over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile manufactured by Boeing Defence, Space & Security. It is the world’s superior anti-ship missile capable of performing land-strike and anti-ship missions. The all-weather missile can engage a wide variety of land-based targets, including coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile sites, aircraft, port or industrial facilities, and naval ships anchored in ports. Work will take place in Missouri, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Alabama, Minnesota, Arizona and Iowa. Estimated completion will be in August 2023. May 29/20: Taiwan Taiwan’s deputy defense minister Chang Zhe-Ping has confirmed to legislators that Taipei has decided to acquire the coastal road-mobile variant of the Boeing Harpoon Block II missile. Chang said the missiles should enter service with the Navy’s Hai Feng squadron in 2023. When asked, why the country chose to buy the American weapon when the existing Hsiung Feng II & III missiles are already in service, Chang clarified that studies showed that more missiles are required to destroy 50 percent of the invading force from China. This can only be achieve rapidly by buying new missiles from abroad. May 15/20: Harpoon And SLAM ER Boeing received two contracts worth $2.6 billion combined from the US Navy to produce and deliver Harpoon and Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response weapon systems to foreign military sales customers. The company will supply 650 units of SLAM ER missiles and provide nonrecurring engineering support related to the weapon system to the government of Saudi Arabia under a potential $1.9 billion contract. Work will occur in Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Florida, Connecticut and North Carolina through December 2028. Naval Air Systems Command will obligate the full contract amount using FMS funds at the time of award. The company also won a $657 million modification, which covers the production of 467 Block II lot 91 full-rate production Harpoon missiles and delivery of support equipment to Brazil, Thailand, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Japan, India and South Korea and the Netherlands. Work under the modification will be performed across several sites within the continental US and the UK through December 2026. NAVAIR will use FMS funds to obligate the full contract amount. April 29/20: Non-Coastal Target Suppression For Morocco The Boeing AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles that the United States approved for Morocco’s Royal Air Force to purchase are the „non-coastal target suppression“ version, the US Federal Register revealed on Monday. This reduction in capability was not mentioned when the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on April 14 that the US State Department had approved the sale of 10 AGM-84Ls for an estimated USD62 million for use by the RMAF’s F-16 multirole fighters. The AGM-84L was designed to have a substantially improved ability to find target ships sailing close to shore or in congested waters. April 16/20: Morocco The State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Morocco of ten AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Air Launched missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $62 million. The Government of Morocco had requested to buy 10 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Air Launched missiles. Also included are containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US Government and contractor representatives’ technical assistance, engineering and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The AGM-84 Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system produced by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing). Its low-level, sea-skimming cruise capability, active radar guidance and warhead design assure high survivability and effectiveness. The missile is capable of being launched from aircraft, surface ships, submarines, and shore batteries. April 15/20: India The US State Department approved the potential foreign military sale of ten AGM-84L Harpoon Block II air launched missiles and related equipment to the Government of India for $92 million. The deal also includes containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, Specialized Assignment Airlift Missions (SAAM). The Harpoon missile system can perform anti-surface warfare missions to defend critical sea lanes when integrated into the P-8I aircraft. Tiger Class (click to view full) FY 2019 December 12/19: Integrated Logistics Boeing won a $9.5 million delivery order, which provides Harpoon/SLAM-ER missile system and Harpoon launch systems follow-on integrated logistics and engineering services support for the Navy and various Foreign Military Sales customers. The A/U/RGM-84 Harpoon is an anti-ship missile system capable of being launched by aircraft, surface ships, submarines and shore batteries. The Harpoon is a subsonic missile with a range of over 70 miles and a 488-pound blast/fragmentation warhead. It has been in use with upgrades since 1977 and is a standard anti-ship weapon with 28 countries. The AGM-84K Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response is a longer ranged upgraded version of the original SLAM, which is itself a development of the Harpoon. Work will take place in Missouri and Virginia. Expected completion is February 2022. May 16/19: Obsolescence Redesign for Saudi Arabia The US Navy awarded Boeing a $10.9 million contract modification supporting the Harpoon Block II missiles for Saudi Arabia. The modification provides for obsolescence redesign efforts in support of production and delivery. The Harpoon all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile can be installed on the P-3 Orion, the P-8 Poseidon, the AV-8B Harrier II, the Hornet as well as the B-52H Bombers. Block II intends to to offer an expanded engagement envelope, enhanced resistance to electronic countermeasures and improved targeting. Boeing will perform work within the US. The scheduled completion date is in August this year. April 18/19: Saudi Arabia Boeing won a $30.1 million contract modification to continue the Phase I design maturity, analysis, and test planning for the Stand-off Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) production line in support of Saudi Arabia. The SLAM-ER is a low-cost, low-risk upgrade to the SLAM, which is designed to provide surgical strike capability against high-value, fixed land targets, ships in port, or ships at sea. It can be launched from safe standoff ranges of more than 150 nautical miles. Under the modification Boeing will also redesign obsolete parts to replace obsolete, nearly obsolete or uneconomical parts to support SLAM-ER weapon system production and improve future sustainment. Work will take place within the continental US and is expected to be finished in July this year. Foreign Military Sales funds in the full amount will be obligated at time of award. FY 2018 December 5/18: Support Services Navy is ordering integrated logistics and engineering support services for itself and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers. The contract modification, worth $10.5 million, exercises an option to provide calendar year 2019 support services for the Harpoon and SLAM-ER weapon systems. The GM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s sole anti-shipping missile, which competes with MBDA’s Exocet and Saab’s RBS15, among others. The AGM-84K SLAM-ER is an advanced derivative of the Harpoon missile, and competes with precision attack missiles like Lockheed’s JASSM, and European missiles like the EADS Taurus KEPD 350 and the MBDA Storm Shadow. The modification combines purchases for the Navy totalling at $2.5 million and FMS customers in the amount of $7.9 million. Work will be performed at Boeing facilities in St. Louis, Missouri; St. Charles, Missouri; Yorktown, Virginia and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Performance is set to run through November 2019. November 1/18: International Orders Boeing is being contracted to supply multiple US foreign military sales customers with anti-ship missiles. The $244.7 million not-to-exceed, firm-fixed-price contract enables the company to procure long lead material for the Harpoon full-rate production Lot 91. The Harpoon Block II is an over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile capable of performing land-strike and anti-ship missions. The missile leverages progress on several other weapons to reduce its cost. The Harpoon’s GPS/INS guidance system is taken from Boeing’s JDAM program, and its GPS antennae and software are found on Boeing’s SLAM. The missile’s 500 pound blast warhead can deliver lethal firepower against targets like coastal missile batteries and ships in port. Work will be performed at multiple locations including – but not limited to – St. Charles, Missouri, Galena, Kansas and Elkton, Maryland. September 28/18: USN orders more upgrade kits The Navy is ordering additional anti-ship missiles for its warships. Boeing will deliver 53 Harpoon Block II+ tactical missile upgrade kits under a $14.2 million firm-fixed-price delivery order. The sub-sonic, wave-skimming GM-84 Harpoon is the US Navy’s sole anti-shipping missile. Block II was designed to improve the missile’s ability to attack targets in congested littoral environments, where nearby land masses and other ships can provide cover for would-be targets. The Block II+ upgrade adds a JSOW C-1’s Common Weapon Datalink for targeting updates and re-targeting to the missile. Work will be performed at multiple locations throughout the US including, St. Charles, Missouri; Minneapolis, Minnesota and Lititz, Pennsylvania. Production of the missile upgrade kits is expected to be completed by December 2020. FY 2013 – 2017 September 19/17: The British Royal Navy has rolled back on a decision to retire the Harpoon anti-ship missile in 2018 and will keep it in service until at least 2020. The Ministry of Defense had earlier announce the plan to retire the Boeing weapon from its Type 23 frigates in 2018 without a replacement. Speaking at last week’s Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) 2017 defence exhibition in London, on service source added that “there is work ongoing to look at options for longer extension in service.” August 15/17: Despite receiving clearance from the US State Department, Thai Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha has played down a deal to buy Harpoon anti-ship missiles, adding that the sale still needs to be finalized. Gen Prayut said that the procurement was possibly part of a previous purchase plan by its state procurement agency and will now need to be followed up by the Defense Ministry before approval. He added that he will seek more information from Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwan. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency cleared the $24.9 million sale on Aug. 10, for use on Thailand’s DW3000 Class frigate. August 14/17: The US State Department has cleared the $24.9 million sale of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to the government of Thailand. The foreign military sale includes delivery of five RGM-84L Harpoon Block II Surface Launched Missiles and one RTM-84L Harpoon Block II Exercise Missile, as well as the supply of missile containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, personnel training and training equipment and contractor support. Boeing will act as lead contractor and the missiles will be used on Bangkok’s DW3000 Class Frigate. May 5/17: Boeing has pulled its Harpoon anti-ship missile out of a US Navy contract aimed at procuring an over-the-horizon (OTH) cruise missile for its Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) and frigates. Proposed upgrades to the current Harpoon Block II would have initially extended its range to 150 miles, along with providing a new, more powerful warhead. However, the company stated that changing service requirements “would have to take a lot of capability out of this existing system and really deliver a less-capable weapons system.” Boeing added that they would continue to deliver upgrades for the missile. This leaves the Raytheon/Kongsberg Naval Strike Missile (NSM ) and Lockheed Martin Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) as the likely candidates in the OTH effort. January 13/17: The US Navy plans to test-fire Boeing’s AGM-84 Harpoon Block II+ER extended range anti-ship missile this year. Upgrades to the missile can fit inside the existing Block 1C airframe, providing for easier integration as well as a cheaper separation testing process. Navy F/A-18 and P-8A Increment III aircraft will be fitted with the missile, and will give the platforms a doubling in target range alongside a new warhead. December 27/16: Boeing will manufacture and deliver 51 Lot 90 Harpoon weapon systems for Brazil, Egypt and South Korea. Valued at $207 million, the contract was issued by the US Navy, and also includes components and spares for the governments of Japan, Australia, Thailand, India, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, and Taiwan. The anti-ship missile system is utilized by navies and air forces in over 30 countries. June 17/16: Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) intends to negotiate and award a Firm-Fixed-Price (FFP) contract with Boeing for the integration of the AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile on the Saudi F-15SA. The notice was made on the US Federal Business Opportunities website. NAVAIR’s plan to award Boeing the contract was justified as the company “alone has the experience, special skills; proprietary technical documentation, software/algorithms; facilities and manufacturing techniques required to produce, assemble and integrate this equipment and furnish the supplies and services within the required timeframe.” November 20/15: Boeing has reached an important milestone in the development of the latest Harpoon Block II+ missile after successful tests carried out by the US Navy. The main feature of the missile is the ability to receive in-flight updates through a network enabled data link as well as an upgraded GPS guidance kit. The missile will receive more rigorous testing in the new year but all seems to be pointing to the positive for Boeing who also this month received increased orders of its existing systems from foreign buyers worth $124.6 million. November 9/15: The Navy has awarded Boeing a $124.6 million contract for 53 Harpoon weapons systems, along with Standoff Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) missiles. The contract covers Foreign Military Sales requirements for several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Australia, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Japan requested the Harpoon system in May, with Australia reportedly looking to integrate the missiles onto its P-8A Poseidon aircraft. May 15/15: The State Department has approved a possible sale of 48 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles to Japan. The submarine-launched Block II version of the missile is designed to improve the missile’s ability to attack targets in congested littoral environments, where nearby land masses and other ships can provide cover for targets. The Foreign Military Sale would be worth $199 million, with the missiles manufactured by Boeing. The company is meanwhile offering the latest version of the missile – known as the Harpoon Next-Gen – to the US Navy. July 29/14: Australia. Flight Global reports that Australia is looking to incorporate the AGM-84G Harpoon Block I anti-ship missile into its P-8A Poseidon long-range sea control jets. The AGM-84 Block IG is based on the Block IC, and reportedly adds seeker improvements and re-attack mode. It could be created by upgrading existing Australian AGM-84 missiles, which serve on the existing AP-3C Orion fleet of sea control turboprops. Australia has requested Harpoon Block IIs for other platforms, but appears to be satisfied with smaller-scale air-launched upgrades. There seems to be a bit of a divergence on the P-8, but no matter which missile is picked, it needs to be fully integrated with the plane’s mission software. The USA has been testing the AGM-84 Block IC, Australia has picked the Block IG, and India’s P-8i seems set to host the GPS/radar guided AGM-84L Block II with land attack capability. Sources: Flight Global, “Australia pushes for Harpoon integration on P-8As”. May 28/14: Portugal. Portugal’s pair of U212 (U209PN) Air-Independent-Propulsion diesel submarines will soon be able to fire the country’s small handful of Harpoon Block II missiles operationally, with plans for formal induction in Q4 2014: “Eight Portuguese Navy RGM-84 Block I surface-launched anti-ship missiles are being adapted into Block II weapons in Den Helder, the Netherlands, with the installation of upgrade kits supplied by Boeing, the missile’s original equipment manufacturer. Upgrade of the first missile was completed on schedule at the end of 2013…. Portugal also purchased eight capsules and associated containers in 2009 under its Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LoA) agreement with the United States.” The submarines were delivered with Harpoon compatibility, for use alongside its Black Shark heavy torpedoes. A Sources: IHS Jane’s Navy International, “Portugal to induct Harpoon Block II for submarines in 2014”. May 6/14: Brazil. The US DSCA announces Brazil’s formal export request for AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Missiles. Specifically, they want an initial order of 16 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Missiles, 4 CATM-84L Harpoon Block II Captive Air Training Missiles, containers, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $169 million, but the exact price will depend on contract negotiations. Adding AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles would give Brazil’s P-3AMs a long-range weapon to extend their reach over sea and land, and proportionately reduce their response time to high-level threats. This is only enough for an initial buy, but it will get the FAB started and allow their crews to become fully proficient with the new weapon. For full context, read “Brazil’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft“. DSCA: Brazil request Dec 17/13: The Boeing Co., St. Louis, MO, is being awarded a $70 million firm-fixed-price contract for 12 encapsulated Harpoon AURs; 5 harpoon Grade B exercise Missiles; 2 encapsulated harpoon certification training vehicles and shipping containers; 100 harpoon improved fuze booster kits; 50 harpoon improved fuze kits; 2 harpoon blast test vehicles; and associated hardware and containers. They’re for the US Navy ($2.4 M / 3.42%) and various foreign military sales customers: South Korea ($38.1M / 54.44%); Canada ($10M / 14.25%); Japan ($7.7M / 10.97%); Germany ($6.5M / 9.27%); Australia ($3.4M / 4.79%); Taiwan ($812,520 / 1.16%); Saudi Arabia ($460,952 / 0.66%); Turkey ($444,749 / 0.64%); Egypt ($239,618 / 0.34%); and the United Kingdom ($51,225 / 0.07%). All funds are committed immediately. The USA isn’t buying these missiles any more, so it’s likely that most of these missiles are headed for South Korea. Work is expected to be complete in December, 2014, and will be performed in the St. Charles, MO (48.2%); United Kingdom (12%); McKinney, (8.83%); Middletown, CT (4.77%); Elkton, MD, (4.16%); Toledo, OH (3.72%); Lilititz, PA (2.24%); Joplin, MO (2.09%); Galena, KS (1.9%); St. Louis, MO (1.74%); Grove, OK (1.38%); Lancaster, PA (1.04%); Huntsville, AL (1.0%); Newton, PA (0.8%); China Lake, CA (0.8%); Chandler, AZ (0.7%); Minneapolis, MN (0.56%); East Camden, AR (0.55%); and various locations in the continental United States (3.52%). This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1, by US NAVBAIR in Patuxent River, MD (N00019-14-C-0005). Missiles & Parts Dec 4/13: Support. Boeing in St. Louis, MO receives an $8.5 million firm-fixed-price delivery order top provide 2014 integrated logistics support/engineering services for Harpoon/ SLAM-ER Missile System and Harpoon Launch System parts for the US Navy and various foreign military sales customers. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($3,122,737; 36.82%); the governments of Korea ($759,253; 8.95%); Taiwan ($715,517; 8.43%); Turkey ($632,914; 7.46%); Egypt ($421,912; 4.97%); United Kingdom ($317,393; 3.74%); Japan ($302,563; 3.57%); Pakistan ($283,035; 3.34%); Australia ($260,331; 3.07%); Chile ($223,047; 2.63%); Saudi Arabia ($223,212; 2.63%); Canada ($204,204; 2.41%); Israel ($165,053; 1.95%); Bahrain ($109,006; 1.29%); United Arab Emirates ($106,102; 1.25%); the Netherlands ($83,584; 0.99%); Germany ($83,582; 0.99%); Kuwait ($77,246; 0.91%); Singapore ($75,386; 0.89%); Oman ($71,439; 0.84%); India ($64,462; 0.76%); Portugal ($62,687; 0.74%); Thailand ($45,825; 0.54%); Denmark ($41,791; 0.49%); and Malaysia ($28,823; 0.34%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (91.17%); St. Louis, MO (5.43%); Yorktown, VA (2.64%); Pt. Mugu, CA (0.71%); and Oklahoma City, OK (0.05%), and is expected to be complete in July 2014 (N00019-11-G-0001, DO 2035). Oct 17/13: Testing. You wouldn’t think that loading an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet with 4 Harpoon missiles underwing would be a problem, but its canted pylons magnify the effects of turbulence and buffeting on the aircraft, and on each missile launch. US NAVAIR is just now beginning tests of this load-out, beginning with a simple flight test of the load. It’s a good reminder that just because an aircraft is integrated with a specific weapon, doesn’t mean that any configuration is automatically acceptable. Testing may or may not test the full range. Sources: Boeing feature, “Locked & Loaded” (incl. video). Oct 15/13: A pair of DSCA export requests from Saudi Arabia and the UAE would deliver a large number of Harpoon Block II and SLAM-ER missile to those Mideast air forces, for use from their F-15SA (Saudi) and F-16E/F (UAE) fighters. If the orders go through, they’ll be a big boost for the production line. Saudi Arabia: Part of a $6.8 billion request 400 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles. 40 Harpoon CATM. 20 ATM-84L Harpoon Exercise Missiles. 650 AGM-84H SLAM-ER cruise missiles. The Saudis already deploy MBDA’s stealthy, long-range Storm Shadow cruise missile from their Tornados, but SLAM-ER will definitely add punch to the F-15 fleet. 40 CATM-84H Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), with seekers but no motor. 20 ATM-84H SLAM-ER Telemetry Missiles for test shots. 4 Dummy Air Training Missiles. Sometimes you just need similar weight & form factor. 60 AWW-13 Data Link pods. Pilots can receive text, data, and photos from various sources, and can also use it to communicate with the SLAM-ER in mid-flight. UAE: Part of a $4 billion request 300 AGM-84H SLAM-ER cruise missiles. 40 CATM-84H Captive Air Training Missiles (CATM), with seekers but no motor. 20 ATM-84H SLAM-ER Telemetry Missiles for test shots. 4 Dummy Air Training Missiles. Sometimes you just need similar weight & form factor. 30 AWW-13 Data Link pods. Pilots can receive text, data, and photos from various sources, and can also use it to communicate with the SLAM-ER in mid-flight. Sources: US DSCA 13-48, Oct 15/13 | US DSCA 13-49, Oct 15/13. DSCA: Saudi Arabia & UAE June 24/13: Testing. One of NAVAIR’s P-8A test aircraft serving in VX-20 successfully fires an AGM-84D Block IC Harpoon anti-ship missile, which scores a direct hit on the Low Cost Modular Target’s fabric. The Point Mugu Sea Test Range firing is the 1st live Harpoon firing by the new P-8 sea control jet. US NAVAIR. Dec 20/12: Egypt & Turkey. A $12.2 million firm-fixed-price contract from Egypt ($11.9M/ 98%) and Turkey ($312,482/ 2%), with all funds committed. Turkey gets 1 Lot of AN/SWG-1A(V) Harpoon Shipboard Command Launch Control Set (HSCLCS) hardware; 1 of the 90-day Prime Spares Kits; 1 Global Positioning System Receiver Assembly (GPS-RA) and associated hardware; and 1 Lot of Engineering Technical Assistance. When Germany transferred 5 of its Tiger Class Type 148 Fast Attack Craft to Egypt about a decade ago, they were equipped with MM38 Exocet missiles. Egypt appears to be in the process of converting 4 of its 5 Type 148s to Harpoon Block IIs, per its Dec 18/09 DSCA request, to create commonality with its forthcoming Ambassador III Class FACs. They’re buying 4 AN/SWG-1A(V) HSCLCS, including both classified and unclassified portions; 4 Ordinance Alteration EGE 3987 kits; 8 GPS-RA Retrofit Kits and associated hardware; Installation and Checkout Prime Spares Kit (both classified and unclassified portions); 4 of the 90-day Primes Spares Kits; 1 Classified Prime Spares Kit – 2 years; 2 Unclassified Prime Spares Kit – 2 years; 1 Harpoon Shipboard Equipment Integrated Logistics Support Program; and 1 lot of engineering and technical assistance. Work will be performed in Lititz, PA (51%); St. Louis, MO (32%); Pryor Creek, OK (5%); Santa Fe Springs, CA (5%); Madison, AL (3%); Kirkwood, MO (3%); and Irving, TX (1%), and is expected to be complete in July 2014. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304c1 (N00019-13-C-0019). Egypt & Turkey Nov 9/12: JCTS. A $34.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the design, development and test of the Harpoon and SLAM-ER’s Joint Common Test Station. This contract includes purchases by the Governments of Saudi Arabia ($15.0M/ 57.7%) and Australia ($11.0M/ 42.3%), who use Harpoons. That $26 million is committed. The rest will be spent as required by the USA. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in March 2016. This contract was not competitively procured, pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-13-C-2022). Nov 5/12: FMS parts. A $36.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for Harpoon Weapons System components to the governments of Australia ($32M/ 87.48%); Japan ($1.5M/ 4.00%); Saudi Arabia ($786,992/ 2.15%); Korea ($953,400/ 2.60%); the Netherlands ($848,925/ 2.32%); Egypt ($311,045/ 0.85%); Taiwan ($87,710/ 0.24%); Oman ($73,128/ 0.20%) and the United Arab Emirates ($59,390/ 0.16%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in April 2014 (N00019-12-C-0103). FY 2012 Multi-national buy; Korean request for sub-launched Block IIs; Korea’s failed test: a reminder. AGM-84 Harpoon launch (click to view full) Sept 3/12: Post-Harpoon? Aviation Week offers a look into potential Harpoon replacements, as part of a larger shift toward “net enabled weapons.” In June 2012, the US Navy announced a sole-source contract to Raytheon to develop the interim Offensive Anti-Surface Weapon (OASuW) by modifying Tomahawk Block IV missiles with new sensors and data links. The missile is expected to enter service by 2015. Full PE 0604786N OASuW Technology Development awards are expected to begin in FY 2013, after a Q2 Milestone A decision. The technical Development phase runs from FY 2013 – FY 2017, to an expected total of $557.2 million, with Initial Operational Capability currently set for 2024. RDT&E finding is proposed as: FY 2013: $86.8 million FY 2014: $44.3 million FY 2015: $88.9 million FY 2016: $138.5 million FY 2017: $198.7 million The Navy is looking to replace the Harpoon and Standoff Land Attack Missile—Extended Range (SLAM-ER) in the maritime interdiction role, and they will have choices. The USN is deploying Raytheon’s new AGM-154C-1 glide bomb with anti-ship capabilities, and Raytheon continues to develop their powered but slow JSOW-ER. In Norway, Kongsberg’s Joint Strike Missile offers high subsonic speeds, and would share JSOW-ER’s ability to fit inside an F-35C fighter. Lockheed Martin is developing the stealthy, long-range LRASM-A under a DARPA/USN contract, effectively re-introducing a more advanced form of the JASSM missile that competed against the AGM-84K SLAM-ER. LRASM-A would even be capable of vertical launch, which offers a unique capability within this set. Boeing isn’t idle, fielding AGM-84K SLAM-ERs and Harpoon Block IIs with foreign militaries, and developing the AGM-84L Harpoon Block II Plus. Block II+ uses JSOW C-1’s Common Weapon Datalink for targeting updates and re-targeting, and should be operational in 2017. It won’t fit inside an F-35, though, or launch vertically – and looks set to face stiff competition from many directions. June 29/12: Lot 87? A $145.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for the nearly 90 Harpoon Block II missiles and associated hardware “for the U.S. and 4 foreign militaries.” The $145.1 million contract also includes exercise and test variants of the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER). In truth, almost all of these orders are exports. The USN isn’t buying Harpoon missiles, which are so low on their priority list that they don’t even rate a mention in Navy FY 2012 budget justification documents. Boeing has now confirmed that: “The contract for the U.S. portion included the “associated hardware.” The Harpoon Block II’s were for the four FMS customers, not the USN.” The first missile deliveries under this contract are scheduled for August 2012, and contract work is expected to run through December 2013. Boeing. 2012 orders May 22/12: ROK request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] South Korea’s official request to buy 18 UGM-84L Harpoon Block II All-Up-Round Missiles, 1 UGM-84L telemetry exercise section, and containers, Guidance Control Unit (GCU) spares, recertification and reconfiguration support, spare and repair parts, tools and tool sets, and other forms of support. The estimated cost is up to $84 million; actual prices will depend on contract negotiations. UGM-84s are submarine-launched missiles, which could be employed from the ROKN’s U209 and U214 diesel-electric boats. The DSCA says that they’re intended to “supplement current weapon inventories and bring the ROK’s Naval Anti-Surface Warfare performance up to existing regional baselines.” Boeing will be the prime contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale won’t require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor personnel to Korea, but there will be occasional visits for program, technical, and management support. South Korea request May 21/12: An $11.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for GM-84 Harpoon and SLAM-ER components. Orders are from the US Navy ($4.3 million/ 39.2%) and, under the Foreign Military Sales Program, the governments of: Australia ($2.9 million/ 26%); Britain ($237,005/ 2.1%); Canada ($241,015/ 2.1%); Egypt ($39,834/ 0.4%); India ($59,428/ 0.5%); Japan ($916,182/ 8.3%); Kuwait ($79,668/ 0.7%); Pakistan ($246,452/ 2.2%); Saudi Arabia ($313,751/ 2.8%); South Korea ($537,786/ 4.9%); Turkey ($1.1 million/ 10.2%); and the United Arab Emirates ($67,431/ 0.6%). Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in August 2013. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-12-C-0058). May 21/12: ROK. A $7.8 million delivery order covers an Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control System software license for the government of Korea, integrating ships with Encapsulated Harpoon Command Launch System III hardware. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO, and is expected to be complete in June 2012 (N00019-11-G-0001). Dec 1/11: A $9.2 million firm-fixed-price basic ordering agreement modification, exercising an option to provide Harpoon/ SLAM-ER System and Harpoon Launch System integrated logistics and engineering services support to the U.S. Navy (35.82%); and to the governments of South Korea (8.22%), Turkey (6.94%), Taiwan (5.06%), Japan (4.72%), Egypt (4.62%), Greece (3.88%), United Kingdom (3.63%), Pakistan (3.07%), Australia (2.97%), Chile (2.76%), Canada (2.24%), Saudi Arabia (2.34%), Israel (2.04%), Singapore (2.03%), Thailand (1.45%), Bahrain (1.24%), United Arab Emirates (1.10%), Germany (1.09%), Netherlands (1.09%), Portugal (0.82%), Kuwait (0.81%), Malaysia (0.76%), Oman (0.74%), and Denmark (0.55%). Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (91.17%); St. Louis, MO (5.43%); Yorktown, VA (2.64%); Point Mugu, CA (0.71%); and Oklahoma City, OK (0.05%), and is expected to be complete by November 2013. $3.3 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00019-11-G-0001). Nov 29/11: ROK Test fail. Consternation and controversy in Korea, where an AGM-84K SLAM-ER missile test-fired from an F-15K falls into the sea. The Korea Herald reports that ROKAF is drawing criticism for not disclosing the failed June 15/11 live fire drill. Their other live firing to date, on June 17/11, worked just fine; it was used as televised warning footage on Nov 23/11, the 1st anniversary of North Korea’s attack on the Yeonpyeong islands. This may seem like a lot of concern over 1 failed test, but the SLAM-ER is the ROKAF’s longest-range strike weapon, for use against the most heavily defended targets. It’s important enough that the ROKAF’s new F-15K Strike Eagle family fighters are colloquially known as “Slam Eagles”. The ROKAF’s response was to note that as a rule, they don’t talk about test results, so they didn’t hide anything by not mentioning this one. They are trying to investigate the failed launch as best they can, however, without the missile’s remains to help them. They’re also are checking other SLAM-ER missiles in inventory for defects, and the missile’s importance assures a high priority for those tasks. Having said tall that, most people think of missiles the way they think of a flashlight: assemble it, then turn it on when you need it and it lights up. The truth is that keeping them combat-ready is a very involved exercise of careful handling, frequent inspections, and periodic testing; otherwise, a country will have a surprising number of failures. This isn’t to say that the ROKAF has failed at these tasks, only that the task itself is more chancy and complex than it seems. Some missile manufacturers are working to get ahead of this curve by installing self-test systems inside, and turning the storage container itself into as push-button test device. Raytheon’s new SM-6 medium range air defense missile is a good example of that. SLAM-ER test FY 2011 Missile orders from Egypt, India, Taiwan. F-15E w. SLAM-ERs (click to view full) Sept 14/11: A $9.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity support contract, to include engineering, training and technical services, for the Harpoon and SLAM-ER missile; the Encapsulated Harpoon Command and Launch Systems; encapsulated support; and the Harpoon Shipboard Command Launch Control System. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO, and is expected to be complete in December 2013. Funds will be committed if and as needed. Since Boeing is the missiles’ manufacturer, this contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-11-D-0041). August 15/11: An $8.8 million firm-fixed-price delivery order to provide integrated logistics services in support of Harpoon and SLAM-ER programs for the US Navy and for the governments of various foreign military sales customers. The total estimated value including all options is $18 million. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (91.17%); St. Louis, MO (5.43%); Yorktown, VA (2.64%); Point Mugu, CA (0.71%); and Oklahoma City, OK (0.05%), and is expected to be complete in November 2012. $3.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This order combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($3.2M/ 36.64%) and the governments of Korea ($711,007/ 8.06%); Turkey ($607,029/ 6.88%); Taiwan ($435,217/ 4.93%); Japan ($418,388/ 4.74%); Egypt ($402,423/ 4.56%); Greece ($343,865/ 3.90%); United Kingdom ($314,938/ 3.57%); Pakistan ($264,047/ 2.99%); Australia ($256,929/ 2.91%); Chile ($246,008/ 2.79%); Canada ($193,501/ 2.19%); Saudi Arabia ($196,640/ 2.23%); Israel ($173,608/ 1.97%); Singapore ($173,345/ 1.96%); Thailand ($125,777/ 1.43%); Bahrain ($110,445/ 1.25%); Germany ($99,643/ 1.13%); Netherlands ($99,643/ 1.13%); UAE ($95,249/ 1.08%); Portugal ($74,732/ 0.85%); Kuwait ($68,820/ 0.78%); Malaysia ($65,153/ 0.74%); Oman ($64,075/ 0.73%); and Denmark ($49,821.45/ 0.56%). See also FBO.gov). July 6/11: Orders. A $119.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for Lot 86 Harpoon missiles and associated equipment. Based on past order requests, all missiles in this set are Block II Harpoons with dual radar/ GPS guidance. Orders include: Egypt: $51.2 million/ 42.9%. 20 tactical light weight canister BGM-84 AUR. Egypt’s new Fast Attack Craft missile boats will use Harpoons. India: $35.1 million/ 29.4%. 20 tactical air launch AGM-84 AUR; and 2 exercise air launches. Taiwan: $26.9 million/ 22.5%. 2 AGM-84 Harpoon missile bodies; 2 exercise Grade B canister All Up Rounds (AUR); 8 anti-submarine rocket AUR (not Harpoon-related); associated hardware, and 2 exercise air launches. Taiwan is receiving refurbished P-3C Orion aircraft, which will use the air-launched version. “Harpoon-related hardware” will for existing customers in Australia ($1.9 million/ 1.6%), Canada ($695,994/ 0.6%), Japan ($2.1 million/ 1.7%), Korea ($1.2 million/ 1%), and Singapore ($404,441/ 0.3%). Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (43.5%); McKinney, TX (13.5%); Toledo, OH (6.0%); Motherwell, United Kingdom (4.4%); Cedar Rapids, IA (3.6%); Lititz, PA (3.5%); Elkton, MD (3.0%); Grove, OK (2.6%); Black Mountain, NC (2.2%); Middletown, CT (1.8%); Kirkwood, MO (1.6%); Galena, KS (1.5%); Joplin, MO (1.3%); Huntsville, AL (1.1%); Chandler, AZ (1.0%); Palo Alto, CA (0.8%); McCalester, OK (0.8%); El Paso, TX (0.7%); Clearwater, FL (0.7%); Lancaster, PA (0.7%); Estill Springs, TN (0.6%); and various locations in and outside the continental U.S. (5.1%). Work is expected to be completed in July 2012. This contact was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1 (N00019-11-C-0300). Egypt, India, Taiwan, etc. FY 2010 India equips its Jaguars; Missile buys from Canada, Pakistan; Requests from Taiwan & Egypt. IAF Jaguar IMs (click to view full) Sept 2/10: India buy. India’s Economic Times reports that India signed a deal with Boeing for 24 Harpoon Block II missiles in late July 2010, but the missiles will equip its its Jaguar strike aircraft. The paper quotes Boeing defence, space and security’s India head Vivek Lall, who says that no agreement had been reached yet with regard to supplying the missile for P-8I. That will be a separate Foreign Military Sale case. India is believed to possess about 10 Jaguar IM maritime strike variant fighters in No.6 Squadron, which have been upgraded over the years with IAI ELta’s EL/M-2032 radar and improved electronic defense systems. At present, the Jaguars are limited to carrying 1980s-vintage Sea Eagle missiles, and their land attack capabilities have not kept pace. Adding the Block II Harpoons, with their dual sea-land attack capabilities, will make the Jaguar fleet a potent threat once again. See also Sept 9/08 entry. India July 29/10: Orders. A $66 million firm-fixed-price contract for: 32 Lot 85 Harpoon missile bodies (HMB) for the government of Taiwan 4 Harpoon canister grade “B” missiles for the government of Canada Associated spares and support. Harpoon missile spares for the governments of Canada, the Netherlands, Portugal, Japan, the United Kingdom, Israel, Pakistan, Turkey and Singapore, to include containers; Plus Block II guidance section upgrade kits; wire bundle assemblies; and guidance control units. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (55.3%); McKinney, TX (10.7%); Toledo, OH (6.2%); Huntsville, AL (4.5%); Lititz, PA (3.7%); Middletown, CT (2.7%); Grove, OK (2.3%); Galena, KS (1.6%); Minneapolis, MN (1.5%); Motherwell, UK (1.2%); Elkton, MD (1.1%); Kirkwood, MO (1%); Anniston, AL (0.8%); Clearwater, FL (0.7%); McAlester, OK (0.6%); Melbourne, FL (0.6%); and various locations in and outside the contiguous U.S. (5.5%). Work is expected to be complete in June 2011. This contract combines purchases for the governments of Taiwan ($43.8M; 66.4%), Canada ($10.1M; 15.3%), Portugal ($7.6M; 11.5%), the Netherlands ($3.2M; 4.8%), Japan ($514,864; 0.8%), the United Kingdom ($263,986; 0.4%), Israel ($194,635; 0.3%), Pakistan ($169,360; 0.3%), Turkey ($31,643; 0.1%), and Singapore ($2,584; 0.1%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-10-C-0053). Taiwan, Canada, etc. Jan 29/10: Taiwan request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request for 12 “Harpoon Block II Telemetry” missiles. The DSCA release cites 10 “RTM-84L” and 2 “ATM-84L” missiles, which have telemetry payloads for missile tests, instead of the warheads found on standard RGM-84 (ship-launched) and AGM-84 (air-launched) variants. In addition to the missiles, Taiwan would receive containers; training devices; spare and repair parts; supply/technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; and U.S. Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is $37 million, the prime contractor will be Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, Missouri, and implementation of this sale will not require any additional U.S. Government personnel or contractor representatives. The Harpoon Block II could be militarily significant, because its GPS guidance and improved clutter resolution allow it to attack land targets, as well as ships. See also the Oct 3/08 entry, requesting submarine-launched Block II missiles. Taiwan is building its own “HF-2E Hsiung Feng” land attack cruise missiles with much longer ranges, however, so the Block II’s land-attack capability would not be a new military development in the region. Taiwan request Dec 18/09: Egypt request. The US DSCA announces Egypt’s formal request to buy of 20 RGM-84L/3 Harpoon Block II anti-ship missiles with rocket boosters; 4 AN/SWG-1A Harpoon Shipboard Command Launch Control Systems including all consoles, software, and shipboard canister launcher units (4 missile battery); plus spare and repair parts; supply/technical support; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; technical data and publications; and U.S. Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is $145 million. Egypt intends to use the missiles and launch systems on upgraded S-148 Tiger Class Patrol Boats, and consolidate the configuration of the surface-to- surface missiles within its inventory away from the shorter range MM-38 Exocet missiles that had previously equipped this class. The principal contractor will be Boeing in St. Louis, MO. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale, and implementation of will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. government or contractor representatives to Egypt. U.S. government and contractor representatives will be required to travel to Egypt annually for a period of 1-2 weeks, however, to participate in program and technical reviews. DSCA requests are not contracts, and Congress can block the sale if it acts promptly. The Harpoon Block II’s land attack capabilities have created concern and lobbying from Israel, which had previously succeeded in ensuring that American missiles sold to Egypt could not be used to strike its population centers. Egypt request Dec 8/09: Australia. Australian Minister for Defence Personnel, Materiel and Science Greg Combet provides an update regarding their Air Warfare Destroyer program, and notes both Lockheed Martin’s “pull the plug” ceremony, and an A$ 20 million (currently $18.3 million) contract with Boeing for the Advanced Harpoon Weapon Control System. Its accompanying missiles, expected to be BGM-84 Harpoon Block IIs with dual radar/GPS guidance “…will allow our three Air Warfare Destroyers to engage surface and land targets at ranges well beyond the horizon.” That contract is still pending. FY 2009 Harpoon Block III canceled; Taiwan request; Block II tested with improved GPS; SLAM-ER cleared for land targets. SLAM-ER CATM (click to view full) Sept 21/09: Block III. Forecast International reports that the U.S. Navy has dropped plans to purchase the Harpoon III. Senior Missile Analyst Larry Dickerson refers to the company’s overall forecast of a $7 billion anti-ship missile market through 2018, and sees the possibility of MBDA eclipsing Boeing thanks to its updated Exocet and Otomat/ Marte offerings. Boeing’s American orders will drop, but export sales will continue as the anti-ship market changes. Eventually, Dickerson sees anti-ship missiles disappearing as an independent segment, becoming submerged in a larger strike weapons market. No Block III Sept 10/09: Block II SAASM. A Boeing Harpoon Block II missile equipped with a redesigned Guidance Control Unit (GCU) flew for the first time in a test from the USS Princeton off the coast of California, scoring a direct hit on a land-based target on San Nicolas Island, CA. The new GCU incorporates a Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to improve GPS security, replaces some obsolete electronics, and has been designed to accommodate a future 2-way datalink if one is funded. Boeing began developing the new GCU in 2007, and all new Harpoon missiles will incorporate it. In its release, Boeing says that it has delivered more than 7,100 Harpoon missiles to the United States and 28 allied partners over the program’s lifetime. July 2/09: SLAM-ER cleared for land. The U.S. Navy declares the AGM-84K SLAM-ER missile operationally effective against moving targets on land, following a successful Operational Evaluation. This is extremely useful against targets like missile launchers and mobile radars, but its 2-way datalink and in-flight re-targeting also have obvious uses against elusive and mobile targets like terrorists. Boeing release. SLAM-ER for land attack Dec 18/08: SLAM-ER upgrade. Raytheon Technical Services Co., LLC in Indianapolis, IN received an $8.5 million firm-fixed-price and cost plus fixed fee delivery order against a previously issued basic ordering agreement. This delivery order will provide for the development of the upgraded Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) systems’ AWW-13 Data Link Pod with the AWW-13 Frequency migration. The AN/AWW-13 Advanced Data Link can allow retargeting in flight to deal with targets of opportunity, or let the operator select a more refined aimpoint via mid-course corrections. In order to “close the loop,” it can receive seeker video images from the missile’s data link transmitter, for display in the pilot’s cockpit video. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, IN, and is expected to be complete in October 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00019-05-G-0008). Nov 8/08: Dutch test. The Royal Netherlands Navy successfully test-fires Boeing Harpoon Block IC missiles from its new air defense and command frigate HMS De Zeven Provincien. It’s the first time the Dutch Navy has launched multiple Harpoons on a single target, and both missiles hit. The Netherlands has been a Harpoon customer since 1975. Boeing release. Oct 3/08: Taiwan request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request for 32 UGM-84L Sub-Launched Harpoon Block II missiles. Taiwan’s request adds 2 UTM-84L Harpoon Block II Exercise missiles, 2 Advanced Harpoon Weapons Control System (Version 2) for installation on Taiwan’s 2 Seadragon Class submarines, 36 Harpoon containers, 2 UTM-84XD Encapsulated Harpoon Certification and Training Vehicles, test equipment and services, spares and repair parts for support equipment, and other forms of support. The estimated cost is $200 million, and the contractor is Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St Louis, MO. The US DSCA notes that “The recipient has previously purchased both air and surface launched HARPOON missiles and will be able to absorb and effectively utilize these submarine-launched missiles.” As such, no additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives will be required. Taiwan request: sub-launched FY 2008 Missile buys: Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey; Harpoon Block III development contract. Aug 25/08: Orders. A $149.8 million firm-fixed-priced contract covers purchases for the US Navy, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. The orders include: US Navy: 9 SLAM-ER exercise missiles retrofitted and certified from SLAMs to SLAM-ERs ($9.2 million; 6%) Canada: 4 UGM-84 Block II Grade B exercise missiles in canister AURs ($8.4 million; 6%) Japan: 1 Harpoon Exercise Section and associated hardware ($432,103; 0.3%) South Korea: 9 AGM-84 air-launched missiles and associated hardware and 1 missile exercise section with associated hardware ($11.5 million; 8%) Taiwan: 60 AGM-84 air-launched AURs and associated hardware ($89.8 million; 59.7%); Turkey: 4 UGM-84 Block II missiles with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) GPS added, in AURs that fit to ships’ Tartar launchers rather than conventional Harpoon missile launchers ($30.4 million; 20%). That suggests a possible fit with Turkey’s upgraded FFG-7 frigates. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (55.32%); McKinney, TX (10.71%); Toledo, OH (6.28%); Huntsville, AL (4.58%); Lititz, PA (3.76%); Middletown, CT (2.68%); Grove, OK (2.25%); Galena, KS (1.55%); Minneapolis, MN (1.52%) the United Kingdom, (1.17%); Elkton, MD (1.08%); and various locations across the United States, (9.10%). It is expected to be complete in June 2010 (N00019-08-C-0042). USA, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey June 5/08: An $8.1 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for engineering, logistics, and technical services in support of the Harpoon Weapon Systems and SLAM-ER Missile System for the U.S. Navy, and for the Governments of Australia, Canada, Chile, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Oman, Pakistan, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United Arab Emirates under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and is expected to be complete in December 2010. This contract was not competitively procured (N00091-08-D-0011). Jan 30/08: Harpoon III SDD. A $73.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-08-C-0021) for the system development and demonstration of the Harpoon Block III Missile Program. See above for details re: the missiles/ upgrade kits, and see the Sept 11/07 entry for related market analysis. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (92.12%); Lititz, PA (1.93%); Cedar Rapids, IA (0.84%); Chatsworth, CA (0.76%); Galena, KS (0.49%); Lowell, MA (0.42%); and various locations across the United States (3.44%), and is expected to be complete in August 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $5 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. Harpoon III SDD Dec 27/07: Turkish order. A $16.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-07-C-0037) for 9 Harpoon Lightweight Canister All-Up-Rounds for the Government of Turkey under the Foreign Military Sales Program. In addition, this modification exercises an option for an Encapsulating Training All-Up-Round for the Government of Turkey. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (38.64%); McKinney, TX (20.48%); various locations within the U.S. (10.45%); Toledo, OH (7.40%); the United Kingdom (5.13%); Chicago, IL (4.49%); Elkton, MD (3.97%); Kirkwood, MO (3.97%); Galena, KS (2.79%); and Hartford, CT (2.68%), and is expected to be complete in December 2011. Turkey FY 2008 Missile buys: Pakistan, Turkey, South Korea; Requests from Israel, Pakistan, Taiwan, Turkey; Harpoon datalink development; Global ASM market. RGM-84 launch (click to view full) Sept 19/07: Datalink contract. Rockwell Collins announces an $18 million contract by Raytheon Missile Systems to design, develop, and produce the Strike Common Weapon Data Link for the JSOW Block III precision glide bomb, and the next generation of Harpoon anti-ship missiles. The Strike Common Weapon Data Link Program is ultimately sponsored by the U.S. Navy’s PMA-201 program management office. S See “Harpoon & JSOW Getting 2-way Datalinks” for the full story, and a scenario explaining how this would work in practice and why it would matter. Sept 11/07: Harpoon III. In “Harpoon III Order a Boost for Boeing,” Forecast International sees the forthcoming Harpoon Block III version giving Boeing another push in the global anti-ship missile market. F.I. sees $1.5 billion in revenues for Boeing from anti-ship missile sales over the next 10 years, followed by MBDA with $789 million in sales. China will build the largest number of anti-ship missiles, according to the market forecast, and Russia will manufacture nearly as many missiles as the United States, but receive considerably less money for them. Aug 24/07: Israel request. The US DSCA announces Israel’s request for 30 RGM-84L Harpoon block II anti-ship missiles with containers, 500 AIM-9M Sidewinder Short Range Air-to-Air Infrared Guided missiles, spares and repair parts for support equipment, training, publications and technical documents, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The principal contractors will be the Boeing Company in St. Louis, MO (Harpoon) and Raytheon systems Corporation in Tucson, AZ (Sidewinder), and the estimated total for both purchases is $163 million. Israel request Aug 8/07: Taiwan request. The US DSCA announces [PDF format] Taiwan’s formal request (“the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States”) for 60 AGM-84L air-launched HARPOON Block II missiles, 2 HARPOON guidance control units, 30 HARPOON containers, 30 HARPOON extended air-launch lugs, 50 HARPOON upgrade kits from AGM-84G to AGM-84L configuration, missile modifications, test equipment and services, spares and repair parts for support equipment, training, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated cost is $125 million. This sale is consistent with United States law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8. The U.S. is committed to providing military assistance under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act. Taiwan has previously purchased both air and surface launched Harpoon missiles, and will be able to absorb and effectively utilize the additional missiles (60 new, 50 upgraded). Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas will be the prime contractor, and although the purchaser generally requires offsets, at this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Taiwan request June 14/07: Turkey request. The US DSCA announced [PDF] Turkey’s request for 51 All-Up-Round, Selected Availability, Anti-spoofing Module-compliant Block II Tactical HARPOON missiles in the following configurations: 8 set for Tartar launcher, 38 Lightweight canisters, and 5 Encapsulated missiles. Also included: containers, test sets and support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government (USG) support, contractor representatives’ engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support. DSCA adds that: “Turkey will use these missiles to augment its present HARPOON missile inventory and enhance its anti-ship warfare capability. The capabilities of this weapon system will improve Turkey’s ability to contribute to coalition NATO operations. The missiles will be provided in accordance with, and subject to the limitation on use and transfer, under the Arms Export Control Act, as amended, and as embodied in the Letter of Offer and Acceptance. This proposed sale will not adversely affect either the military balance in the region or U.S. efforts to encourage a negotiated settlement of the Cyprus question.” The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $159 million. The prime contractor will be Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas. Turkey request May 31/07: Pakistan. A $8.1 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0027) for the procurement of a Harpoon Missile Subsystem Test Set Weapon Station upgrade, interim spares, installation and checkout, and applicable training for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (34.02%); Dallas, TX (28.89%); St. Louis, MO (18.46%); Oklahoma City, OK (7.34%); St. Louis, MO (3.43%); Yorba Linda, CA (3.19%); Chatsworth, CA (1.20%); Englewood, CO (0.70%); Austin, TX (0.60%); and various locations across the United States (2.17%) and is expected to be complete in January 2009. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD. April 13/07: Pakistan. Small business qualifier Delex Systems, Inc. in, Vienna, VA received a $7.5 million firm-fixed-priced order against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-03-G-0015) for the development, documentation, testing and delivery of a turnkey Harpoon Tactical Training Program for the Pakistan Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Vienna, VA (95%), and Karachi, Pakistan (5%), and is expected to be complete in April 2012. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract. March 30/07: Orders. A $191.4 million firm-fixed-priced contract combines US and foreign military sales: US Navy TL: $3.7 million – 1.96% 4 SLAM-ER exercise missiles retrofitted from SLAMs to SLAM-ERs for the U.S. Navy Japan TL: $821,504 – 0.43% 6 Harpoon Guidance Section Containers 2 Harpoon Exercise Sections 2 Harpoon Exercise/Warhead Containers Pakistan: $63.7 million – 33.27% 30 Harpoon Tactical Block II Encapsulated All-Up Rounds Turkey: $79.2 million – 41.36%. Fulfills prevous DSCA announcement. 48 SLAM-ER tactical missiles 59 SLAM-ER All Up Round (AUR) Missile Containers 3 SLAM-ER Instrumented Recoverable Air Test Vehicles 2 each SLAM-ER Guidance Sections; SLAM-ER Warhead Sections; SLAM-ER Sustainer Sections; SLAM-ER Control Sections; SLAM-ER Exercise Missiles; SLAM-ER Captive Air Training Missiles South Korea TL: $44 million – 22.98% 30 Harpoon Tactical Block II Encapsulated All-Up Rounds (AUR) 9 Harpoon Air Launch AUR Containers 2 Harpoon Captive Air Training Missile (CATM-84) Ballistic Air Test Vehicle-uninstrumented Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (45.75%); various locations across the United States (9.35%); McKinney, TX (8.29%); the United Kingdom (8.03%); Toledo, OH (5.44%); Tucson, AZ (4.18%); Huntsville, AL (3.59%); Melbourne, FL (3.31%); Fort Washington, PA (2.74%);Middletown, CT (1.91%); Galena, KS (1.80%); Erlanger, KY (1.44%); Elkton, MD (1.44%); Clearwater, FL (1.44%); and Kirkwood, MO (1.29%) and is expected to be complete in December 2011. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-07-C-0037). USA, Japan, South Korea, Turkey Feb 12/07: Pakistan buy. A $15.8 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0027), exercising an option for 10 Harpoon Tactical Block II Grade B All-Up-Round (AUR) missiles and 10 MK631 Canister AUR Containers for the Government of Pakistan under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Retired Indian Commodore RS Vasan’s “The impact of induction of the P3C Orion Aircraft on the Indian Navy’s Preparedness: An Assessment” is an excellent source for those who wish to understand the regional military implications of Pakistan’s expanding P-3 fleet and recent Harpoon missile purchases – a topic that grows in importance as Pakistan itself becomes less stable. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (50.46%); McKinney, TX (15.14%); Toledo, OH (5.93%); United Kingdom (5.28%); Huntsville, AL (3.86%); Clearwater, FL (3.79%); Galena, KS (2.33%); Elkton, MD (2.19%); Kirwood, MO (2%); Middletown, CT (1.83%), and other various locations throughout the United States (7.19%), and is expected to be complete in February 2007. Pakistan Oct 23/06: A $17.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for Harpoon Ship Command Launch Control Systems upgrades, modifications and associated equipment and spares for the Governments of Pakistan, Chile, and Turkey. This contract combines purchases for the Governments of Pakistan ($6.1M/ 35%); Chile ($5.9M/ 34%); and Turkey ($5.3M/ 31%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (74%); Lititz, PA (8%); San Diego, CA (6%); Baltimore, MD (5%); Cedar Rapids, IA (4%); Kellyville, OK (2%); and various locations across the United States (1%), and is expected to be complete in July 2008. This contract was not competitively procured (N00019-06-C-0090). Oct 13/06: ROK buy. A $37.5 million modification to previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract N00019-06-C-0027 exercises an option for 20 tactical Block II airlaunch all-up-round (AUR) missiles, 10 MK607 airlaunch AUR containers, 6 tactical Block II encapsulated AUR missiles, and 6 MK630 canister AUR containers for the government of Korea under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in St. Charles, MO (50.46%); McKinney, TX (15.14%); Toledo, OH (5.93%); Huntsville, AL (3.86%); Clearwater, FL (3.79%); Galena, KS (2.33%); Elkton, MD (2.19%), Kirwood, MO (2.00%); Middletown, CT (1.83%); other various locations throughout the United States (7.19%), and the United Kingdom (5.28%); it is expected to be complete in November 2007. South Korea Additional Readings & Sources Background: Harpoon Family Boeing – AGM-84D Harpoon The USN actually uses the xGM-84 Block IC. Their generic Harpoon page is actually about the GPS-enabled Harpoon Block II, which isn’t in America’s arsenal but has been exported. GlobalSecurity – AGM-84 Harpoon/ SLAM [Stand-Off Land Attack Missile]. Boeing, via WayBack – Standoff Land Attack Missile — Expanded Response SLAM-ER. Information Dissemination (Sept 11/07) – The US Navy and the Harpoon III. Defense Update – SLAM-ER Guided Missile. Indian Commodore RS Vasan’s “The impact of induction of the P3C Orion Aircraft on the Indian Navy’s Preparedness: An Assessment.” Excellent perspective on operational deployment of Harpoon missiles on Pakistani P-3C Orion long-range maritime patrol aircraft, and its implications in and around the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf. Background: Competitors Sub-sonic Wikipedia – CHETA C-802. Also known as YJ-82 in China, and CSS-N-8 by NATO. MBDA – Exocet MM40 Block 3. The AM39 (see MBDA sidebar) is the air-launched variant, and the SM39 is the submarine-launched variant. GlobalSecurity.org – Exocet AM.39/ MM.40. Defense Update – Exocet MM40 Block 3. Wikipedia – Gabriel Missile. Defense Update – IAI Unveils Gabriel 5. DID – LRASM Missiles: Reaching for a Long-Range Punch. Derived from Lockheed Martin’s AGM-158B LRASM-ER, this stealthy missile will be the Harpoon’s immediate successor. It may also win a wider order for ship-launched replacements, as it will be compatible with the Mk.41 VLS. DID Spotlight – Norwegian Contracts Launch NSM missile. Saab Bofors Dynamics – RBS-15 Mk3 Surface-to-Surface Missile. They also have a page for the air-launched RBS-15F. Wikipedia – Kh-35. Also known as SS-N-25; sometimes unofficially called the “Harpoonski” for its resemblance. Limited export succes, to India and Algeria. Supersonic BrahMos Aerospace – Home Page. This is the Indian joint venture based on Russia’s P800/ SS-N-26. The envision a hypersonic Brahmos II. GlobalSecurity.org – Moskit/ SS-N-22 Sunburn. Warfare.RU, via WayBack – SS-N-27 Sizzler / P-900, 3M54 Klub family. Anti-ship designs become supersonic during their terminal attack phase. View the full article

If geography is destiny, then Singapore is a nation of destiny. Sitting astride one of the world's most critical chokepoints, this polyglot island republic with a population of Denmark on a spot of land 1/4 the size of Rhode Island. For her size, she has a modern, large, and capable navy and military - important for what has always been a rough neighborhood. What makes Singapore's national security requirements unique, and what role does she play as the Indo-Pacific Theater becomes the center of global concern? Returning to Midrats this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern to discuss this and more will be Blake Herzinger. Blake is a Non-resident WSD-Handa Fellow with the Pacific Forum and President of the Singapore chapter of CIMSEC. He studied political science at Brigham Young University before spending a decade in active service with the U.S. Navy as an intelligence officer. His analysis has been published in Foreign Policy, War on the Rocks, and The Diplomat, as well as the publications for the Lowy Institute and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He's lived in Singapore since 2013 and is a 2017 graduate of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies. Blake’s research focus is on security assistance dynamics, maritime security, and seapower. If you can't join us live but want to make sure you catch every Midrats? Subscribe to the podcast! If you use iTunes, you can add Midrats to your podcast list simply by clicking the iTunes button at the main showpage - or you can just click here. You can find us on almost all your most popular podcast aggregators as well. 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=oQ5qZMzX-3s:XjKmVyBRwQQ:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=oQ5qZMzX-3s:XjKmVyBRwQQ:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=oQ5qZMzX-3s:XjKmVyBRwQQ:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=oQ5qZMzX-3s:XjKmVyBRwQQ:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/oQ5qZMzX-3sView the full article

The Biden Administration is still filling out the mid and lower echelons of their national security and defense team, but the major players are in and the “people are policy” effect is kicking in. If you were paying attention to the 2020 election, you have a general idea where things are going, but it is always best to wait to see what is put out … because that is what good staff people do; wait for higher Direction and Guidance, and then form your actions to align with them. This week, everyone has something to chew on, President Biden’s Interim National Security Strategic Guidance. As I like to do with such documents, I look for larger themes through the use of words. Words matter – details matter – and you can find out a lot about priorities and themes by investigating them. Yes, you need to see what people do and not what they say … but what they say matters. When words and actions align, it can show a well-functioning and serious organization and give you more to work with if you are looking for clues to the future. When words and actions are not aligned, that disconnect can – depending on the aspects of the disconnect – tell you even more interesting things. So, before we pull some of the detailed observation from the guidance, look at the word count above. That is from the document … but that only gives you so much. We know that national security was a 3rd-tier concern in the 2020 election; 1st was former President Trump, and 2nd was domestic policy. What do the words used tell us? Wordcount time. As I am a navalist, let’s start there to see what focus three may be on the issues of our greatest concern: - Navy: 0 - Maritime/Sea/Ocean: 0 Huh, we see where this is going. What about the “hard” natsec challenges? - China: 15 - Russia: 5 - Iran: 4 - Pacific: 3 - North Korea: 2 - NATO: 2 Well. Everyone take out your JPME-1 notebook. In the DIME view of the domains of national power you have Diplomatic, Informational, Military, and Economic. You can, rightfully, accept the new reality that Military is well back in the toolbox – something they tell us in the guidance and we’ll quote later. That leaves the other three. How do these, “soft” natsec challenges come out of the wordcount? - Economy/Economic: 42 - Cyber: 16 - Diplomacy/Diplomatic: 13 - Information/Disinformation: 6 Regulars recall a story I’ve mentioned here and on Midrats a few times; ~2010 I had with Admiral Foggo. The one point I left with him was that the best thing the Navy could do was to send more line officers off to get their PhD in Economics. Don’t shunt them off to teach at USNA, put them on your major staffs. More than any other service, the Navy needs a smart understanding of Economics. Ha! Sal wins again. Now for the real depressing part. Look at the “hard” and “soft” word counts again, and then take a deep breath. Center yourself. Go get your emotional support animal as required … now brace. The Terrible 20s are here, and they are pissed. More than anything, this document makes it absolutely clear that not only are national security issues 3rd tier, the personnel, infrastructure, and power in DOD will be used to support, advance, and defend domestic political policy agenda items. Some of that is in the “Economy” count above, but these words make it clear; - Climate: 27 - Equity/equitable (NB: this does not mean equality): 11 - Diversity: 7 - “Build back better:” 5 - Racial/racism: 5 - Inclusive: 4 - Justice: 3 Compare those numbers and you get the direction the wind is blowing. It is only a 24-page document, so you should really read it all, but let me pull a few items for your consideration. In the President’s introduction, he outlines what he sees as the “new crisis” that demand our attention; ...the pandemic, nuclear proliferation, and the “fourth industrial revolution. He also wants a, revitalization of … our democracy. This in an inwardly focused national security policy, underlined by this paragraph; Achieving these goals rests on a core strategic proposition: The United States must renew its enduring advantages so that we can meet today’s challenges from a position of strength. We will build back better our economic foundations; reclaim our place in international institutions; lift up our values at home and speak out to defend them around the world; modernize our military capabilities, while leading first with diplomacy; and revitalize America’s unmatched network of alliances and partnerships. In a strange disconnect, there is a bone thrown in the direction of the internationalists/interventionists/R2P crowd; And as we do this work, we must also demonstrate clearly to the American people that leading the world isn’t an investment we make to feel good about ourselves. It’s how we ensure the American people are able to live in peace, security, and prosperity. It’s in our undeniable self-interest. They’re not wrong. The American people still do not understand the value of the Libyan chaos or underwriting German security against the Russians while the Germans are planning to surrender their energy security to the Russians. Good luck with that. The foreign aid lobby and the NGO rent seekers get a nod; When we invest in the economic development of countries, we create new markets for our products and reduce the likelihood of instability, violence, and mass migrations. We also have evidence that we have a large mass of people who have not learned anything from two decades in Afghanistan; . When we defend equal rights of all people — of women and girls, LGBTQI individuals, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and people of every ethnic background and religion — we help ensure that those rights are protected for our own children here in America. “Build back better” – the Biden version of a campaign slogan like “Make American Great Again” – as outlined above, makes a few appearances in the document. It strives in places to want to return to some ill-defined point in the past where things were somehow better. Well, we don’t have a time machine, and the world advances in many places on its own agenda and in directions that may or may not be in our control … nor should be. That is a dangerous place to be. It sets up perverse incentives and unrealistic policy goals. This is the 3rd decade of the 21st Century, not the 1990s. Diplomacy is back. Alliances are back. But we are not looking back. If you have to say it … well. So, remember when I warned you this was mostly aligned with domestic policy agenda items? We confront a global pandemic, a crushing economic downturn, a crisis of racial justice, and a deepening climate emergency. We face a world of rising nationalism, receding democracy, growing rivalry with China, Russia, and other authoritarian states, and a technological revolution that is reshaping every aspect of our lives. Ours is a time of unprecedented challenges, but also unmatched opportunity. See what leads, then note what follows. Order defines precedence. Precedence established priorities. A final note; nothing here is “unprecedented.” It is hard to get more inwardly focused as this;The United States must lead by the power of our example, and that will require hard work at home … to truly address systemic racism, I am trying hard to find something that could be used in our competition against China … but as there is so little clarity and so much domestic play here, they can be used either way. One example was the use above of “racial justice.” Are we talking about domestic policy here – as we clearly do in other mentions of racial challenges – or could that be used concerning China’s treatment of Uighurs and Tibetans? What about the “digital authoritarianism” below, domestic or Chinese social credit system and censorship? Together with our allies and partners, we can modernize the architecture of international cooperation for the challenges of this century, from cyber threats to climate change, corruption, and digital authoritarianism. To further underline the desire to use the umbrella of national security to chase domestic policy shadows, note the first paragraph on page-9 under “Our National Security Priorities:” …we must redefine America’s economic interests in terms of working families’ livelihoods, rather than corporate profits or aggregate national wealth. That places an imperative on an economic recovery grounded in equitable and inclusive growth, as well as investments to encourage innovation, strengthen national competitiveness, produce good-paying jobs, rebuild American supply chains for critical goods, and expand opportunities for all Americans. And we must remain committed to realizing and defending the democratic values at the heart of the American way of life. If I am looking for a hook to claw back defense dollars for domestic use and call it national security related, that paragraph gives me all I need. Right after that … and whoever snuck this is I want them to drop me a line so I can send them a Harry and David gift basket, is something actually useful and good; At its root, ensuring our national security requires us to: - Defend and nurture the underlying sources of American strength, including our people, our economy, our national defense, and our democracy at home; - Promote a favorable distribution of power to deter and prevent adversaries from directly threatening the United States and our allies, inhibiting access to the global commons, or dominating key regions; and - Lead and sustain a stable and open international system, underwritten by strong democratic alliances, partnerships, multilateral institutions, and rules. First bullet is “America First.” Second is to keep China down. Third is promoting a rules based international order. Sold. Someone get me an endorsement letter to sign. Keep this, throw away the rest, and we’re good to go. This next goal will end in tears if the recent Yemen decision that emboldens Iranian proxies is any indication; Our aim will be to de-escalate regional tensions and create space for people throughout the Middle East to realize their aspirations. The order here is incorrect, but I am very happy Africa gets a mention; We will help African nations combat the threats posed by climate change and violent extremism, and support their economic and political independence in the face of undue foreign influence. The next line is cringe. So 1980s, so “with whom?” We will head off costly arms races and re-establish our credibility as a leader in arms control. China – whose defense budget just grew by 6.8% while ours is posed to fall, has zero to gain from this … and anything with Russia is meaningless because they are not a problem and will violate it anyway. We know … and this is smart.…we will make smart and disciplined choices regarding our national defense and the responsible use of our military, while elevating diplomacy as our tool of first resort. On page 14 is something that is just gobsmacking if you wonder if we are a learning institution. It is as if the mistakes of Rumsfeld and the Age of Transformationalism – that we still have not started to recover from – have been forgotten. As if no one remembers the lie of “throw away what you have now and will need to fight in 5 years for the promise of pixie dust powered unicorns bearing sharks with laser beams on their head tomorrow.” The people with this mindset keep popping up because no one holds them accountable for their errors. …working with the Congress, shift our emphasis from unneeded legacy platforms and weapons systems to free up resources for investments in the cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that will determine our military and national security advantage in the future. … We will prioritize defense investments in climate resiliency and clean energy Of course. The Great Green Fleet was such a success, let’s throw more rare funds down that onomastic rat hole. There is going to be a hell of a battle in this administration over Afghanistan. You can see the conflict in this document itself. The United States should not, and will not, engage in “forever wars” that have cost thousands of lives and trillions of dollars. We will work to responsibly end America’s longest war in Afghanistan while ensuring that Afghanistan does not again become a safe haven for terrorist attacks against the United States. I will give credit to the writers. They make it clear that national security policy is a supporting entity to the supported effort; domestic policy agenda items; …our trade and international economic policies must serve all Americans, not just the privileged few. There is a great scene in Dr. Zhivogo where the Red Partisan commander is arguing about all he has done for the revolution and is reminded by the Commissar that once the war is over, everyone will be judged politically regardless of what they did in the war. Boy, is that clear here. …our strength abroad requires the United States to build back better at home. A dynamic, inclusive, innovative national economy with a flourishing population is a critical American advantage that must be renewed. That starts by decisively responding to the public health and economic crises unleashed by COVID-19. Our national strategy—reinforced by the 12 initial executive actions issued by President Biden in his first two days in office—centers on restoring trust with the American people; mounting a safe, effective, and comprehensive vaccination campaign; and mitigating disease spread through masking, testing, an expanded public health workforce, and better data. It easy to ignore such documents or, in the wave of a cynical hand, dismiss them as meaningless – but that would be a mistake. Smart staffers try to align what they do with whatever direction and guidance they can find from those up the chain. This is that. Reality will change things, but for the first year of the administration, this is what we have to work with. Let me book mark this post with something to back up what we started with on the wordcounts. Why, you may ask, would such domestic issues be of such importance in a national security document? To understand it, you need to realize the world those appointed in the Biden Administration come from. What are their interests? What are their supporters concerned with? Where they can, the above will be reflected in all parts of our government under the control of the Executive Branch. You don’t have to agree with it, but it would be irresponsible not to recognize it and prepare accordingly. 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=OIECqcrbvTM:vMzhhlhCUjw:gIN9vFwOqvQ http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=OIECqcrbvTM:vMzhhlhCUjw:-BTjWOF_DHI http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=OIECqcrbvTM:vMzhhlhCUjw:V_sGLiPBpWU http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/blogspot/FAFV?i=OIECqcrbvTM:vMzhhlhCUjw:F7zBnMyn0Lo http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/blogspot/FAFV/~4/OIECqcrbvTMView the full article

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $38.7 million contract modification, which exercises an option for ordering emerging capabilities and analysis systems engineering to include programmatic and logistics tasks that will analyze the F-35 air system’s ability to meet future operational requirements, investigating cost and weight reduction program options and conducting modeling and simulation activities. Additional assessments may include such efforts as analyzing changes to design life, operational readiness, reliability and air system design and configuration. Work will take place in Fort Worth, Texas. Estimated completion is in December 2021. The 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron recently flew an F-15E carrying six JDAMs on a single side of the fighter to prove a concept for Agile Combat Employment (ACE). The test proves that the Strike Eagle can now carry up to 15 JDAMs, up from nine previously, to a remote location and use those bombs to reload itself or other fighter aircraft. Previously, it took two C-130s to carry the necessary munitions and personnel to a remote location for the loading. And those JDAMs had to be assembled once they arrived. With this new approach, the requirement for onsite bomb building is now longer needed. Only one C-130 will be used instead. Middle East & Africa Ten rockets were fired March 3 at a military base in Iraq that hosts US forces, the Defense Department said. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said the rockets landed at the Ain Ain al-Asad air base. The base, which is located just north of Baghdad, hosts US, Iraqi and coalition troops. No US service members died or sustained injuries in the attack, but a US civilian contractor had a “cardiac episode” while sheltering and died, Kirby added. Europe Thales UK has won a £98.4 million contract to maintain Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) capabilities for the British Army and Royal Marines. The Ministry of Defense says that SHORAD is made up of “High Velocity and Lightweight Multi-role Missile systems that can intercept air threats including fast jets, attack helicopters and unmanned air systems in a matter of seconds”. Thales UK won the initial contract in 2018, helping to modernize and develop the missile systems as part of the Future Air Defense Availability Project (F-ADAPT). Asia-Pacific Philippine Defense Undersecretary Raymund Elefante and Indian Ambassador Shambu Kumaran have signed an agreement that will support Manila’s potential purchase of the BrahMos supersonic missile. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, who witnessed the signing ceremony, told reporters that the country is buying the BrahMos. The agreement involved the procurement of defense materiel and equipment by the Philippines from India. Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force will now scramble fighters to intercept Chinese aircraft less frequently and only do so when the planes are threatening to violate the country’s airspace, Kydo News reports. The report says this is in order to reduce the burden on personnel and free up resources in order to conduct more training on the F-35. Today’s Video Watch: Indian Navy’s Stealth Destroyer Successfully Test Fired BrahMos Supersonic Missile View the full article

Americas BAE Systems was awarded a $58 million contract from Boeing. The deal is to start low rate initial production of the F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System for the US Air Force. “The start of EPAWSS production marks a critical milestone and is a testament to the dedication and commitment of our industry team,” said Jerry Wohletz, BAE’s VP/GM of Electronic Combat Solutions, in a press statement. “Our technology is cutting-edge, our factories are world-class, and our people are innovative and mission-focused.” The all-digital system EPAWSS enables pilots to monitor, jam and deceive threats in contested airspace and combines multispectral sensors and countermeasures, industry-leading signal processing, microelectronics, and intelligent algorithms to deliver fully integrated radar warning, situational awareness, geolocation and self-protection capabilities. The Wasp Class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge departed Naval Station Norfolk for sea trials Monday, the Navy announced. The crew will test critical systems, operations and personnel requirements needed for deployment. Planned tests include an anchor drop test, a live-fire demonstration using the ship’s close-in weapons system, a small boat recovery evolution, and they will test the aqueous film forming foam fire suppression system. Middle East & Africa The Indian Air Force sent six Su-30MKI fighters, two C-17s and one Il-78 aerial tanker to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on March 3 to participate in exercise Desert Flag. The exercise will take place at Al Dhafra airbase and run till 21st of this month. United States, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Bahrain are participating as well. Europe Rolls-Royce has been awarded funding by the UK Ministry of Defense to further develop and demonstrate the ‘Artificial Chief Engineer’ technology. The tech is essentially an autonomous machinery control system which “allows naval vessels to undertake long endurance missions with less human interaction”. The funding to continue the development, has been awarded under the MoD’s Defense and Security Accelerator ‘Intelligent Ship Phase Two’ programme, which is used to de-risk and evaluate technologies and approaches to enhance the armed forces’ technical advantage. French company MBDA has been awarded a first contract for Albatros NG, a brand new CAMM-ER based air defense system. According to the company, the first order, from an undisclosed international customer, marks a “further validation of the wide appeal of the CAMM air defense family on the global marketplace and paves the way to further acquisitions by the same customer and other Navies”. The CAMM-ER missile is capable of providing self and local area defense against the evolving airborne threat at ranges exceeding 40km; it will be integrated in the new ground based air defense systems for the Italian Army and Italian Air Force. CAMM family systems have already been delivered to the British Army, to the Royal Navy and to several export nations. Asia-Pacific The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) received three new Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters on February 11, the Australian Department of Defense announced in March. The aircraft, which arrived at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Sydney, after completing a three-day journey from the United States as part of ‘Exercise Lightning Ferry 21-1’, are the first to join the fleet since the F-35A reached initial operational capability in December 2020. The three F-35As had previously been based at Luke Air Force Base in the US state of Arizona, where they were used for pilot training. Today’s Video Watch: USS Kearsarge – US Navy Amphibious Assault Ship View the full article