MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia has selected Boeing’s AH-64E Apache Guardian as it’s next armed reconnaissance helicopter, replacing its Airbus Helicopters Tiger fleet under the Land 4503 program estimated to be worth AU$4-5 billion (U.S. $3–3.8 billion).
The selection of the Apache follows the release of a request for information in July 2019 and was announced by Australian Defence…
American warship, F-35 jets to deploy with British fleet
January 20, 2021
LONDON — U.S. combat jets and a destroyer are to join the British Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier on its maiden operational deployment to the Asia-Pacific region later in 2021, after officials formally approved the deployment Tuesday.
British Defence Secretary Ben…
US Navy halts deliveries of Freedom-class littoral combat ship
January 20, 2021
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy has halted deliveries of Lockheed Martin’s Freedom-class littoral combat ship, citing a design flaw with the ship’s transmission.
In a statement to Defense News, the Navy pointed to “a material defect” with the ship’s combining gear…
French Army orders 364 Serval armored vehicles
January 16, 2021
PARIS — The French Army is expected to receive 108 Serval armored vehicles in 2022 as part of an order from manufacturers Nexter and Texelis totaling 364.
The contract was finalized through the DGA procurement agency on Dec. 23 but was not announced until Jan. 15.
The two companies, which formed a temporary joint operation to build the light-armored, multirole Serval, will deliver the…
US Army taps industry for autonomous drones to resupply troops
January 16, 2021
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Army is tapping industry for drones that can deliver supplies to infantry brigade combat teams in the field, according to a request for information posted to the federal contracting website Beta.Sam.Gov on Jan. 13.
Army Futures Command’s…
Aerovironment buys Arcturus UAV in $405M deal
January 16, 2021
WASHINGTON — Aerovironment, a leading supplier of unmanned aircraft systems to the U.S. military, has purchased Arcturus UAV for $405 million. Arcturus is currently competing for a $1 billion Army contract to replace the Shadow tactical unmanned aircraft system.
…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy’s new Long Range Anti-Ship Missile must go through more rigorous and realistic testing, according to the 2020 annual report from the director of operational test and evaluation.
Citing “multiple hardware and software failures” in the first iteration of the LRASM missile, the DOT&E report calls on the Navy to put the new LRASM 1.1 through a rigorous testing…
US Navy’s No. 2 civilian claims leadership shouldn’t be blamed for old failures. Some disagree.
January 15, 2021
WASHINGTON – In an eyebrow-raising statement, the acting undersecretary of the Navy complained about congressional oversight of Navy programs, suggesting that current leaders shouldn’t be held responsible for previous administrations’ failures.
“You shouldn’t be…
LONDON – The Northern Ireland arm of Thales UK has struck a partnering arrangement with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) as part of its effort to secure a deal with the Indian military to purchase the British-developed Starstreak man-portable, air-defense system.
In a…
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy wants to buy a next-generation large surface combatant by the end of the 2030s, but its not being built for a new kind of sensor or weapon system. The newly dubbed DDG(X) is being built for power.
The Navy has, or course, built ships around advancements in engineering systems before: Nuclear power or steam engines, for example, have led to big leaps in naval design.
