The U.S. Navy’s next-generation Sub-Sonic Aerial Target (SSAT), BQM-177A, reached Initial Operational Capability (IOC) Feb. 27 and will begin land-based operations in Point Mugu, California.
The French defence procurement agency DGA has awarded the RIFAN 2.1 contract to an industrial consortium headed by Airbus and also comprising the Naval Group and Rohde & Schwarz. This contract was signed for a maximum duration of eight years and up to a maximum amount of € 150 million.
Boeing has secured a US$429 million advanced acquisition contract for P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft production for the US Navy, New Zealand and Republic of Korea, the US DoD stated on Feb. 28, 2019.
The US Navy today announced that the aircraft carrier variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35C Lightning II, met all requirements and achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC).
Rheinmetall continues to make steady headway in the world of laser weapons, having recently completed a number of comprehensive trials with a weapon station. In combination with a laser, the weapon station demonstrated its speed and precision in tests conducted in December 2018. The weapon station can be armed with lasers in the 100 kW output power range.
Boeing has been awarded a US$157 million to deliver training systems and management technical expertise for the UK P-8A Poseidon MRA1 Mk.1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft procurement program, the US DoD announced on Feb. 27, 2019.
ELTA Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), was awarded a contract by the Systems Missiles and Space Group of IAI to supply to the Israeli Navy four ELM-2248 MF-STARs Multi-Function Digital Radars, based on the latest Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) technology.
The steel cutting ceremony of the first patrol vessel (OPV – Offshore Patrol Vessel) ordered to Fincantieri by the Qatari Ministry of Defence within the national naval acquisition programme, took place today at the Muggiano (La Spezia) yard.
The US Navy announced completion of developmental testing for the AN/AQS-20C mine-hunting sonar system at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division, Feb. 26.
The French Navy’s sixth FREMM Normandie started builder’s trials on February 25, Naval Group announced today. Based on photos posted on the company’s Twitter account, the multirole frigate seems to have set sail from the Naval Group Lorient shipyard.
