News
Lockheed filed a pre-award protest of U.S. Air Force‘s Huey replacement competition. Here‘s why –
The U.S. Air Force hasn’t chosen a winner for its UH-1N Huey replacement contest, but Sikorsky — a Lockheed Martin subsidiary and one of the three companies vying for the contract — has already filed a protest with the Government Accountability Office in the hopes of getting the service to pare back its control over certain data rights.
Business
Japan to buy at least 20 more F-35A stealth fighters, say sources –
Japan plans to buy at least 20 additional F-35A stealth fighters over the next six years, some or all of which it may purchase directly from Lockheed Martin in the United States rather than assemble locally, three sources said.
State clears Dutch Apache upgrades, Kuwait boats, Finnish weapons –
The State Department on Tuesday cleared the potential sale of Apache helicopter upgrades to the Netherlands, fast patrol boats to Kuwait, and ship-based missile launchers for Finland, which if completed could be worth a combined $1.37 billion in foreign military sales.
Trainer jet market flourishes in the Middle East –
There is an increasing need for trainer jets in the Middle East as countries there work to expand their fighter fleets. The growing interest has been detected in the Gulf nations for trainers of both types: those used solely for training, and those able to perform close-air support missions.
Turkey to replace T-38 aircraft with locally built armed jet –
Turkish procurement officials say the country will replace its aging fleet of T-38 trainers with the Hurjet, an armed trainer jet developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Latvia’s $134 million missile buy expected to bolster anti-tank capability –
Latvia’s Ministry of Defence has signed a deal worth €108 million (U.S. $134 million) to purchase Spike missiles from EuroSpike GmbH.
Belgium wants to buy Rafale fighters for naval capability, says French lawmaker –
Belgium has shown interest in the Rafale fighter jet for maritime use, said Jean-Jacques Bridey, chairman of the French Defence Committee of the lower house National Assembly.
HII awarded $1.4 billion for new amphibious transport dock for U.S. Navy –
Shipbuilding company Huntington Ingalls Industries has been awarded a $1.43 billion contract to design and build the U.S. Navy’s newest amphibious transport dock, LPD 29.
General Atomics, Boeing Autonomous System Division team for MQ-25A bid –
The Navy’s pilotless carrier-based air tanker bidders are beginning to announce development partners.
Defense
A light attack aircraft fleet: Could it change the fight or put lives at risk? –
A new light attack aircraft could provide the Air Force a cheaper, more cost-effective way of dealing with low-end threats — and free up its more advanced fighters to deal with more serious adversaries.
Failed missile test off of Kauai costs $130 million –
A missile failed to intercept an air-dropped intermediate-range target missile during a Jan. 31 demonstration off of Kauai, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported Feb. 17.
U.S. Army is putting cyber, electronic warfare teams in its BCTs –
Years of training led Army Cyber Command to develop expeditionary cyber-electromagnetic teams that can be tailored to the needs of brigade commanders for specific missions and deployments.
Navy asks DOD for longer forward deployed tours –
Forward deployed sailors home-ported in Japan, Guam, and Rota, Spain, could be getting longer sea-duty tours in the coming years.
Navy, Marines step up training to prepare for high-end fight –
Navy type commanders have boosted the quality of their training events to prepare for battle against a peer or near-peer competitor and continue to look for ways to make their training more complex and operationally relevant.
Structural issues plague US Pave Hawk helicopters –
The HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter is showing its age. Specifically, at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, the aircraft are experiencing structural cracks and frequent maintenance issues that hamstring the fleet.
Veterans
White House offers faint support for embattled VA Secretary Shulkin –
White House officials on Feb. 20 gave no indication of imminent action against Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin, but they also declined to give strong support to the embattled Cabinet official’s work leading the department.