LONDON — British F-35B combat jets are to be equipped with a new mini cruise missile following the signing of a £550 million (U.S. $750 million) production contract by the Ministry of Defence and contractor MBDA, the company announced Jan. 6.
The deal should see the Spear 3 missile achieve initial operation capability on the aircraft in 2025, making it the primary air-to-ground weapon for…
Israel, Greece sign $1.7 billion deal for Air Force training
January 6, 2021
JERUSALEM — As part of a $1.68 billion deal between Israel and Greece — the largest-ever defense agreement between the two countries — the Hellenic Air Force will acquire 10 M-346 aircraft and Israel’s Elbit Systems will establish a flight school and maintain…
Lockheed aeronautics chief Michele Evans has died
January 3, 2021
WASHINGTON — Michele Evans, who led Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics business since 2018, died on Jan. 1, the company announced Saturday.
Evans took a leave of absence that began Dec. 1 “to address health issues unrelated to the coronavirus pandemic,” according to a…
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin delivered 123 F-35s to the U.S. military and international customers in 2020, missing its initial 141-aircraft goal for the year but meeting its revised target, the company announced Monday.
The COVID-19 pandemic proved itself to be a formidable challenge to Lockheed’s main F-35 production line in Fort Worth, Texas, as well as its network of suppliers across the…
WASHINGTON — An effort to pursue a mid-range missile capable of going after maritime targets using the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) has been terminated, according to the fiscal 2021 defense spending bill released Dec. 21.
The bill, which emerged from conference…
WASHINGTON — Buried inside the massive $2.3 trillion spending package passed by Congress on Monday was a $286 million lifeline for General Atomics that will keep the Air Force buying MQ-9 Reaper drones at least one more year.
In its fiscal 2021 budget request, the Air…
LONDON — An industry consortium led by Capita is taking over Royal Navy personnel training in a deal awarded earlier this month by the Ministry of Defence.
The British company announced via Linked-In that a consortium it is leading alongside Raytheon UK, Elbit Systems UK and Fujitsu has secured a wide-ranging navy training deal in a 12 year agreement worth up to £2 billion, or $2.7…
Army long-range cannon gets direct hit on target 43 miles away
December 22, 2020
WASHINGTON — The Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system under development hit a target 43 miles away — or 70 kilometers — on the nose at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Dec. 19, using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell, according to Brig.
Lockheed Martin buys Aerojet Rocketdyne in $4.4B deal
December 21, 2020
WASHINGTON — Lockheed Martin will acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne in a $4.4 billion deal that will allow the defense giant to beef up its technical know-how in the areas of space, propulsion and munitions, the companies announced Dec. 20.
The acquisition signals Lockheed’s…
Air Force Visits Army; Service Academy Supremacy at Stake
December 18, 2020
Army quarterback Tyhier Tyler celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
The coronavirus pandemic has led to an unprecedented two-week stretch of football at West Point.
A week after hosting service-academy rival Navy, Army is welcoming Air Force to Michie Stadium. The Black…
