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JuLY 2023 news
Defense Aviation and Aerospace Industry |
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Together with its American partners Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, Rheinmetall has reached another important milestone in a key Bundeswehr project, while simultaneously opening a new chapter in German-American defence technology cooperation.
An £870 million, five-year contract has been awarded to upgrade radar capabilities on the RAF Typhoon, fitting one of the world’s most advanced radars.
The Congolese government has acquired nine Chinese-made CH-4 attack drones to combat the M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), as reported by UASVision and originally published by Lionel Ukele in Military Africa. The CH-4 drones are medium-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) capable of carrying various weapons. This purchase represents a significant advancement for the Congolese military in their fight against the insurgency.
After two weeks of intense training, Hot Blade 2023, EDA’s final multinational helicopter exercise, drew to a close at the end of June. This year's iteration, the 17th edition of the Blade series and the sixth time held in Portugal, has once again showcased the European Defence Agency's (EDA) commitment to enhancing helicopter capabilities and preparing military personnel for future operational challenges.
On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Department of State approved a potential military sale of F-35 aircraft, munitions, and related equipment to the Czech Republic. The estimated value of the sale is $5.62 billion, although the final cost will depend on specific requirements, budget authorization, and the signing of sales agreements, if and when concluded.
On July 2, 2023, the Israeli Ministry of Defense announced the acquisition of 25 F-35 fighter aircraft from the US government, marking an expansion of the Israeli Air Force's fleet. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin, these stealth aircraft will enhance Israel's military capabilities and solidify its position as a regional power.
On June 30, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced that the State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Romania of equipment and services to modernize thirty-two (32) F-16 Mid-Life Update Block 10/15 aircraft to be procured through third-party transfer from Norway. The equipment includes KY-58M and KIV-78 cryptographic devices for an estimated cost of $105 million.
The Planning Office of the German Armed Forces has awarded Airbus Defence and Space GmbH, Quantum-Systems GmbH and Spleenlab GmbH with a research endeavor to demonstrate and analyze the AI building blocks required for swarms of tactical UAS in a real-world scenario. The project, titled KITU 2 (Künstliche Intelligenz für taktische UAS; Artificial Intelligence for tactical UAS), is funded by the German Ministry of Defence. The focus of the study is on the effectiveness of tactical UAS. The partnership enables each company to leverage and bring in its key strengths.
