NGAS AoA. Air Force Maj. Gen. David Tabor, the service’s director of programs, says the Air Force plans to finish an Analysis of Alternatives this fall on the service’s future Next Generation Aerial Refueling System (NGAS). The latter may incorporate stealth to allow the plane better survivability in high air threat areas.
…KC-46A Software. Boeing says that it has delivered 84 of its KC-46A Pegasus tankers to the Air Force out of a planned service buy of 179. The company said on July 22 that it has received a nearly $17 million contract for KC-46A software and data enhancements, including upgrades to the Onboard Performance Tool software “for expedited mission launch, with specific improvements for efficient cargo loading and takeoff and landing data management for flight planning.” The company said that the improvements will allow the tanker aircrews “to complete weight and balance calculations more efficiently and load the aircraft and start missions quickly.” In addition to the 84 Air Force KC-46As, Boeing said that it has delivered four to the Japan Air Self-Defense Force.
1957-2024. As United Launch Alliance (ULA)–a partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin–transitions to the Vulcan rocket for National Security Space Launch (NSSL), the classified U.S. Space Force-51 (USSF-51) mission will be the last in the Department of the Air Force (DAF) to use the Atlas V, USSF’s Space Systems Command (SSC) said. The Atlas rockets have been in service since 1957 with 682 “reported launches,” SSC said. The final DAF Atlas V is to carry USSF-51 into orbit on July 30 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. The Atlas V, the NSSL “workhorse,” has carried 52 NSSL missions aloft since 2007, SSC said. “Although it’s being retired from the NSSL program, an additional 15 commercial and non-defense missions, including crewed launches, are planned for the Atlas V,” the command said.
Rheinmetall/Ukraine Ammo. Germany’s Rheinmetall said on July 24 it has received the first order from Ukraine to begin construction of a new ammunition plant in the country. Rheinmetall first announced in February it had partnered with an unnamed “Ukrainian partner company” to work on building the ammo manufacturing facility, with a goal to produce a “six-digit number of 155mm caliber bullets per year in the future.” The initial deal with Ukraine is in the “low three-digit million euro range,” Rheinmetall said, and covers the technical equipment for the factory. Rheinmetall added its aim is to begin ammo production in Ukraine within 24 months. “We are putting our words into action and together with our partner we will create a Ukrainian competence center for ammunition. The order underlines the confidence in Rheinmetall’s expertise and manufacturing capacities. We are grateful to be able to support the country in its re-industrialization and in strengthening its defense capability,” Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall, said in a statement.
Restricted SSBN. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported it published a restricted report about the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) on July 25. GAO said this kind of restricted product has “been determined to contain either classified information or controlled unclassified information by the Executive Branch audited agencies and therefore cannot be publicly released.” The report is titled “Overcoming Persistent Challenges Requires Yet Undemonstrated Performance and Better-Informed Supplier Investments.”
E-2Ds. The Navy awarded Northrop Grumman a $1.5 billion modification on July 19 to procure nine E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft carrier-based tactical airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft. The DoD announcement said this order is split into four for the U.S. Navy and five for Japan and includes “over and above support.” The production work is expected to last through March 2029. Funding for this modification is divided into $369 million in the fiscal year 2024 Navy aircraft procurement account, $320 million in the FY 2023 Navy aircraft procurement account and $767 million in Foreign Military Sales customer funds.
DDG-127. General Dynamics Bath Iron Works plans to christen the future USS Patrick Gallgher (DDG-127) Flight IIA Arleigh Burke-class destroyer during a ceremony on July 27 at the company’s shipyard facility in Bath, Maine. The ship is named after a Vietnam War recipient of the Navy Cross. DDG-127 will be the 77th overall destroyer in its class and last Flight IIA ship scheduled, numbered after two succeeding Flight III variant ships because it was inserted by Congress rather than planned by the Navy in initial planning.
EPF-16. On July 22 Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced the future Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ship EPF 16 will be named the future USNS Lansing July 22. This will be the first ship honoring Michigan’s capital city. Del Toro made the announcement while visiting the state capitol.
Canada LTVs. Canada has awarded GM Defense a $25.9 million contract to provide 90 light tactical vehicles (LTV), with an option for an 18 additional LTVs, for its Armed Forces, the company said on July 23. GM Defense Canada said the deal covers delivery of nine-passenger LTVs and a “new utility variant of the LTVs that leverage the design of a proven solution currently fielded with the U.S. Army,” which is the Infantry Squad Vehicle platform. The company said the LTVs will support Canada’s participation in the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Multinational Battlegroup in Latvia. “We are providing this critical capability to the Canadian Armed Forces within a timeline that meets their urgent operational requirement,” Steve duMont, president of GM Defense, said in a statement. “We see this contract award as the beginning of a long strategic partnership with the Canadian Armed Forces to provide enhanced tactical mobility for soldiers today and into the future.”
UK Laser. Raytheon UK said on July 22 it successfully tested RTX’s High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWS) from a British Army combat vehicle for the first time. The company said the test milestone “marks a major leap forward” in the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator program. “We have proven that the Raytheon high energy laser weapon system can track and engage targets whilst mounted on a vehicle,” James Gray, Raytheon UK’s chief executive and managing director, said in a statement. “The speed at which this capability was delivered is only possible due to the hard work of our British SME partners, coupled with the operationally proven technology developed by Raytheon.” Raytheon UK said the next phase of testing the HELWS with the British Army will include further familiarizing soldiers with the capability and helping to refine requirements for a future capability.
Interoperability Theme. L3Harris Technologies’ Chief Executive Chris Kubasik last week said he attended the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., earlier this month where the “theme…was all about interoperability” when it comes to its defense equipment needs based on lessons observed from the Russo-Ukrainian War. The European market is a potential “100,000 radio opportunity in the years ahead” for L3Harris’ tactical military radio business. The fact that the company’s radios are software defined means it is well positioned to help NATO and Europe satisfy their interoperability needs, he said during L3Harris’ second quarter earnings call.
Acquisition Deal. Engineering services company Astrion last week said it has agreed to acquire Axient, a systems integrator serving the defense and civil markets with multi-domain test and analysis, mission engineering and operations, and advanced technologies. Astrion, a portfolio company of the private equity firm Brightstar Capital Partners, provides services across cybersecurity, digital solutions, mission support, science and engineering, and test and evaluation to the Air Force, Army, federal civilian agencies, Navy, and Space. The pending deal is expected to close in the third quarter and will add capabilities and expand market presence, Astrion said. Deal terms were not disclosed. Astrion’s financial advisers on the deal are JP Morgan and Jefferies, and Axient is being advised by KippsDeSanto & Co. and Stone Key Partners.
Bulking Up. AeroVironment is beefing up its government relations team, adding four new professionals who will report to Church Hutton, the company’s senior vice president of government relations and communications, who joined the company in December 2023. The new hires include Rachel Lipsey, who will oversee congressional affairs and most recently led congressional engagement and strategic advocacy on defense acquisition for Boeing. Bill Pennington will also focus on congressional affairs and previously was director of the Navy and Marine Corps Congressional Appropriations Matters Office. Chris Meyers is senior director for Washington Operations, working with the executive branch in support of domestic business development. Meyers most recently was director of business development for government programs at CesiumAstro. Andy “Rocky” Checca, a retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel and former presidential helicopter pilot, is director for Washington Operations, working with the legislative and executive branches, foreign embassies, industry associations, and think tanks in support of AV’s international affairs. AV also created the new position of vice president of marketing and communications, hiring Rene Carbone Bardorf, who previously led communications for Business Executives for National Security and has served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for public affairs.
FAA Praise. Counter-drone technology developer D-Fend Solutions last week said the Federal Aviation Administration evaluated and confirmed the company’s EnforceAir2 is safe to operate with U.S. airport operations and does not interfere with national airspace. D-Fend quoted the FAA as saying it “evaluated EnforceAir2’s ability to detect, track, and identify potential risks posed by errant or hostile unmanned aircraft systems, and ensured the system does not adversely impact or interfere with safe airport operations, navigation, air traffic services, or the safe and efficient operation of the National Airspace System (NAS).” The FAA is evaluating counter-drone systems to develop plans to certify, permit, and authorize the use of unmanned aircraft detection and mitigation in the NAS.
