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July 2020 news
Air Forces - Aerospace and Defense Industry |
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On the 13th July, the operational version of the M-346 Fighter Attack, equipped with an optimised variant of Leonardo’s Grifo radar, successfully completed its maiden flight. The M-346FA is the new light attack variant from the Company’s M-346 Light Fighter Family of Aircraft (LFFA).
The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Chile of equipment and related services for F-16 Modernization for an estimated cost of $634.70 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.
According to a notice issued on July 23 by the U.S. DoD, Boeing, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems, and Northrop Grumman Systems have each been awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a shared ceiling of $400,000,000 for all subsequent competitively selected delivery orders in support of the Skyborg Vanguard Program.
Russian Helicopters Holding began a cycle of flight trials of Mil Mi-8AMTSh-VN combat-transport helicopter. The first flight took place in the Mil and Kamov National Helicopter Center. The new rotorcraft will land and support airborne assault and engage in special operations. It is equipped with the latest devices, reinforced weapons and protection, the holding said.
The US Air Force Research Laboratories have signed an agreement with an Indian startup to jointly research and develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ellen M. Lord said on July 21, according to Indian television channel NDTV, Boyko Nikolov reports on Bulgarian Military.
The 416th Flight Test Squadron recently completed a round of tests of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s “Gray Wolf” prototype cruise missile at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
Lockheed Martin was awarded a $702,881,910 modification to contract W31P4Q-18-C-0130 for the procurement of Hellfire missiles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2023. Fiscal 2010, 2011, 2018, 2019 and 2020 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $702,754,471 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
The eight Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II originally intended for Turkey will be bought by the U.S. for $ 862 million, according to the press service of the Pentagon.
Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced that it has received a contract from the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command to provide engineering design and test hardware for AN/AAQ-45 Distributed Aperture Infrared Countermeasure (DAIRCM) advanced aircraft protection systems. The mixed cost-plus-incentive-fee and firm-fixed-price, the contract is worth $120 million.
According to a piece of information published on July 21 by the U.S. DoD, Raytheon Missile Systems has been awarded a $375,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a miniature self-defense missile (MSDM).
After initial clearance from the U.S. State Department to buy Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, news broke that Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto intended to buy Typhoon fighters from Austria, Novan Iman Santosa reports in the Jakarta Post.
Seven companies representing the breadth of innovation across the UK have signed agreements to progress opportunities to work on future combat air concepts and underpinning technologies across Team Tempest. The companies involved include Thales in the UK, Bombardier Belfast, Collins Aerospace, GE Aviation UK, GKN Aerospace, Martin Baker, and QinetiQ. This is the first phase of organisations to sign such agreements, with more to be announced.
Japan published its 2020 Defense White Paper today and in the section on the F-35B, the government has confirmed that the stealth fighter will operate from the Izumo-class helicopter destroyer.
The Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Anzac Class frigate, HMAS Ballarat, and an S-100 Camcopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) have conducted flight trials.
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $15,000,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for C-130J development, integration, retrofit and production activities for all C-130J variants.
According to information released by the U.S. Air Force on July 15, 2020, U.S. Air Force has conducted test capabilities of the KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft during its first aeromedical evacuation on July 10, 2020.
China recently test-launched a new type of helicopter-based air-to-ground missile, which is at a world-leading level, according to the weapon's developers.
China recently conducted the first flight test of a maritime version of the locally developed Combat UAV (CUAV) CH-5, its developers said on Thursday, July 16. Deng Xiaoci and Liu Xuanzun report on Global Times. The new version of the CH-5 drone is a medium-to-high altitude, long-endurance large drone system that can cope with complicated and dynamic oceanic conditions.
According to information published by the Livefist Defence website on July 16, 2020, the Indian company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) could receive the final clearance for the sale of 83 local-made Tejas Mk.1A for the Indian Air Force. At the beginning of July, India has announced the purchase of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk1A soon and expects the beginning of the delivery in three years.
According to the AviaPressPhoto website, on July 14, 2020, the Naval Aviation of the Russian Navy received its first Be-200ES amphibious aircraft. The Be-200ES (presumably serial number 311) committed first flight on February 14, 2020, in Tagangrog at PJSC Taganrog Aviation Scientific and Technical Complex.
