DefenseNews

US Air Force completes tests of swarming munitions, but will they ever see battle?

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force has wrapped up the first phase of its Golden Horde demonstration effort, putting the service one step closer to developing swarming smart weapons that behave semi-autonomously and use algorithms to seek high-priority targets. But the technology won’t immediately move into a program of record, said Gen. Arnold Bunch, who leads Air Force Materiel Command.
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DefenseNews

Lebanese Navy to receive 7 offshore patrol vessels

BEIRUT — The Lebanese Navy expects to receive seven offshore patrol vessels, including four with help from France and three Protector-class OPVs that are part of U.S. military aid. “Currently, there is coordination with French shipbuilders to supply Lebanon with four…
DefenseNews

Dynetics unveils Enduring Shield, its solution for the US Army to counter cruise missiles

WASHINGTON — Leidos-owned Dynetics has been tight-lipped about the product it offered to the U.S. Army and demonstrated in a live-fire event for the service’s enduring indirect fires protection capability, designed to defend against a variety of airborne threats. While it’s been well-known that one team consisted of Rafael and Raytheon, offering up the Iron Dome launcher and Tamir…
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US approves location for Singaporean F-16, F-35 training

MELBOURNE, Australia — The U.S. and Singaporean governments have chosen Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to host the Southeast Asian nation’s Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighter Falcon and future F-35B fighter jet training detachments. The Arkansas…
DefenseNews

US Army chooses winner to build its new Stryker gun system

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army has chosen Oshkosh Defense to build its new Medium Caliber Weapon System — a 30mm, unmanned turreted auto-cannon — for the Stryker combat vehicle. The first delivery order covers 91 vehicles valued at roughly $130 million. The Army could…
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The British Army’s new Ajax vehicles ride too rough, too loud: report

LONDON — British Army attempts to modernize its armored fighting capabilities have taken a new hit with reports that the General Dynamics UK-built Ajax reconnaissance vehicle has encountered significant design problems. British newspaper Daily Telegraph cited a leaked document outlining issues such as excessive vibration, which had required the Army to impose speed restrictions on the vehicle…
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US Air Force awards $465M contract for new E-11A planes

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force on Tuesday awarded Learjet a contract worth up to $465 million for Bombardier Global 6000 business jets, which will be modified into the E-11A aircraft used to relay data between platforms that cannot normally share information. The…
DefenseNews

Boeing bullish on battlefield communications market

MELBOURNE — Boeing Defence Australia is in the final stages of developing its Integrated-Battlefield Telecommunications Network for the Australian Army under Joint Project 2072 Phase 2B, and is now turning its attention to other local opportunities. The Army’s name…
DefenseNews

US Air Force to skip a year of Grey Wolf helicopter procurement in FY22

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is taking a year off from buying the MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter due to ongoing delays in getting the platform certified by the Federal Aviation Administration, service officials said Friday. “Basically what we are doing is we are deferring the procurement of the MH-139 until [fiscal 2023]. It’s not in the budget in FY22 due to an FAA certification issue…
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