The deal in question is the $990-million contract awarded to AeroVironment on August 27 for an “organic, stand-off solution” capable of neutralizing hostile tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel targets.

Although the grounds for the petition have not yet been disclosed, the protest will halt production of the loitering munitions while the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reviews the case.

An official decision is expected to be made within 100 calendar days as required by law.

If successful, Mistral’s protest could force the US Army to re-open a competition.

The Agreement

On August 28, AeroVironment confirmed it had entered a five-year agreement with the US Army to support its Lethal Unmanned Systems (LUS) requirement by supplying an undisclosed number of Switchblade attack drones.

The systems will be used by dismounted infantry formations to defend against the threats of enemy armored assets.

The company stated that its Switchblade munitions will enhance soldier lethality and give operators the ability to track and engage moving, non-line-of-sight targets.

“AV (AeroVironment) is proud to have been selected to provide Switchblade for this critical and urgent army requirement,” Senior VP Brett Hush noted.

Deliveries of the Switchblade systems were originally scheduled to begin in months, but the protest may delay them until next year.

‘Well Positioned’

The Switchblade is a tube-launched, precision-guided munition that is flown like a drone and detonates upon contact with the target.

It can stay airborne for up to 20 minutes to monitor the surroundings and search for a target.

Prior to Mistral’s protest, AeroVironment said that its Switchblade munitions offer “unmatched maturity and effectiveness” for various missions.

Additionally, the company affirmed it is well positioned to meet the army’s emerging needs by leveraging robust production capability and supply chain capacity.

“This contract further solidifies AV’s role as a leading provider of innovative unmanned solutions,” AeroVironment noted. “The company remains committed to supporting US Army missions by delivering advanced technology that ensures operational superiority”

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Under the agreement, Northrop will supply an undisclosed number of APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars for installation on the fourth-generation aircraft.

Production and integration will take place in Maryland, with an expected completion date of May 2031.

In April, the company also received a $56-million order for the same AESA radars to enhance the capabilities of the F-16s.

The latest deal brings the total value of F-16 radar contracts to $1.6 billion.

5th Generation Fighter Radar Capability

In 2017, Lockheed Martin selected Northrop’s APG-83 as the new radar for upgraded F-16 jets used by the US Air Force and Taiwan.

The radar can detect, track, and identify multiple targets simultaneously in hostile electronic warfare environments.

The company claims that its APG-83 is an advanced system suitable for jets as modern as fifth-generation aircraft.

It features a target detection and tracking range of 65 nautical miles (120 kilometers) and faster search and target acquisition.

In addition to the F-16s, the Northrop radar is also installed on the US Marine Corps’ F/A-18C Hornet fighter aircraft.

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They are intended to replenish some of the over 300 Bradleys sent to Ukraine with an updated version.

“The Bradley Fighting Vehicle brings game-changing capabilities to the Army and our allied nations,” director of ground vehicle production for BAE Systems’ Combat Mission Systems business Dan Furber said.

“Because of the support for additional production of the modern Bradley A4 variant, this enduring capability continues to make a difference for troops all over the world, ensuring they have the firepower, mobility and survivability they need to achieve their missions.”

Bradley A4

The A4 retains the previous design for logistics reasons while enhancing its battlefield performance in a range of scenarios, including close-combat, urban warfare, and open-combat situations. 

It features new suspension and track upgrades, improving mobility, architecture, and power management, enabling the platform to host technologies such as the Active Protection System and communications technology.

Additionally, it features “the latest digitized electronics for optimum situational awareness, network connectivity and communication within the [Armored Brigade Combat Team].”

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The firm-fixed-price incentive modification contract covers the production of additional AMRAAM missiles, AMRAAM telemetry systems, initial and field spares, and other production engineering support hardware and activities. 

It builds on the previous $1.15-billion contract from 2023 to supply AMRAAM Production Lot 37 to the US Air Force, US Navy, and partner countries.  

Through foreign military sales, this 2024 contract specifies that Bahrain, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the UK will also receive said equipment.

The production work is expected to be completed by December 31, 2028.

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An integrated TPS shields hypersonic platforms from extreme heat at over Mach 5, with temperatures reaching 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 F). 

The Canopy system works on the same cooling principle as sweating or how plants cool themselves through evaporation.

In the case of TPS, a “highly-pressurized fluid” is expelled on the hypersonic vehicle’s surface and as the fluid evaporates instantly, it “forms a protective insulative layer for the vehicle that protects it from the extreme aerothermal heating generated from friction between the vehicle skin and the atmosphere,” the Denver-based firm explained.

Greater Hypersonic Speed, Maneuverability

Canopy has leveraged its advances in additive manufacturing of ceramic materials to develop the system, enabling hypersonic platforms to achieve greater speed and maneuverability.

“I think the biggest technological or industrial capability we can invest in would be to increase our production rates, particularly, of the thermal protection systems and additive – thermal protection systems for glide vehicles and additive manufacturing for cruise missile engines,” Director of the Joint Hypersonic Transition Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research & Engineering Gillian Bussey said.

Health Monitoring System

The second project entails inserting sensors inside TPS material, enabling a greater degree of understanding of material ablation or damage and the ability to structurally monitor the TPS throughout its lifespan.

A plasma layer is formed around space re-entry and hypersonic flights, making it difficult for traditional sensors and communication protocols to work.

Sensors inserted in the TPS material have a much better chance of monitoring the system.

Enables Design Extension, Reduces Downtime

Additionally, the Health Monitoring Systems for Re-entry Systems or Smart TPS enables “extension of design envelope for future systems development and reduces downtime needed for maintenance and inspection of strategic nuclear re-entry systems,” Canopy explained.

The investment will enable engineering in manufacturability, ground testing, and integration trials, leading up to flight readiness at the conclusion.

It is part of a broader push by the Department of the Air Force and the Pentagon to modernize its strategic weapons portfolio and aligns with the US Air Force’s goal to develop resilient long-range strike capabilities against advanced threats.

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It includes new sensors, spares, and support equipment, with work expected to be completed by May 8, 2029. 

Some of the classified sensors were recently tested on the fifth-generation aircraft, program executive officer for fighters and advanced aircraft Brig. Gen. Jason D. Voorheis told reporters in July.

He added that the service plans a “rapid prototyping effort to get them on the jet.”

Infrared Search-and-Track

One of the sensors the aircraft was reportedly spotted with last year is an advanced infrared search-and-track (IRST) system, Air and Space Magazine revealed, citing air force officials.

An IRST system detects a low-observable aircraft through its infrared radiation.

According to Air and Space Magazine, the IRST is part of the aircraft’s $7.8 billion modernization effort — $3.1 billion for research and development and $4.7 billion in purchases before 2030.

Quashes Early Retirement Plans

The latest award further solidifies the aircraft’s future beyond this decade, a shift from the service’s earlier assessment to phase out the F-22 fleet within a decade amid the rising “Chinese stealth threat.”

It might also make the service reconsider its earlier plan to retire 32 older Block 20 F-22s out of the total fleet of 186 in a few years.

“What I can tell you is that we are hyper-focused on modernization to sustain that air superiority combat capability for a highly contested environment for as long as necessary,” Air and Space Magazine quoted Voorheis as saying.

The air superiority aircraft first entered service in 1997, featuring a combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics.

Rethink Over NGAD Program Roadmap

It comes amid the service reexamining its approach to the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, the intended replacement for the F-22.

The NGAD includes a sixth-generation crewed aircraft controlling up to six unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA).

One of the points over which the program is being reevaluated is the NGAD manned platform’s massive cost, estimated to run into “multiple hundreds of millions” of dollars per unit.

Secondly, the manned aircraft might be technologically overtaken by the CCA over the next 10 to 15 years, necessitating a reconciliation between the two.

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Valued at $3.4 billion, the agreement covers an undisclosed number of GMLRS systems to be delivered by October 2027.

The GMLRS is a precision-strike rocket system with a reported reliability rating of over 98 percent.

It comes in three variants: the GMLRS Unitary and GMLRS Alternative Warhead, each with a range of 70 kilometers (43.5 miles), and the GMLRS Extended-Range, which has a strike range of up to 150 kilometers (93 miles).

In April 2023, the US Army also awarded a $4.79-billion contract to Lockheed Martin for the delivery of GMLRS rockets by 2026.

Replenishing Stockpiles

The recent contract is expected to help the US Army replenish stockpiles significantly depleted by supply to war-torn Ukraine.

Although the Pentagon has not disclosed the exact number of GMLRS shipped to Kyiv, reports indicate that Washington has sent them “in large quantities,” along with the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

In an effort to quickly restore its inventory, the US announced plans to dramatically increase the production of GMLRS from 6,000 rockets per year to 14,000 by 2025.

It has also considered producing them outside the US, with Australia signing a $37.4-million contract to manufacture the weapons locally.

The post Lockheed Secures Major GMLRS Contract From US Army appeared first on The Defense Post.

This marks the first time a follow-on order was made to the massive $7.2-billion Javelin deal the service inked with Lockheed Martin and Raytheon in May 2023.

According to Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) President Andy Amaro, the additional order underscores the weapon’s reputation as the most effective and combat-proven anti-armor weapon in the world.

“Through this contract, we will continue to produce and deliver this needed capability to support global ground forces in their efforts to protect and defend their interests and sovereignty,” he said.

The JJV did not say how many Javelin missiles are covered by the follow-on order.

Ramping Up Production

In 2022, Lockheed Martin said it would ramp up the production of Javelin missiles in anticipation of a surge in demand due to the Ukraine war.

Since then, it has been producing 2,400 missiles per year — a 15-percent increase over the previous year.

But as geopolitical conflicts emerge in other parts of the world, the joint venture saw the need to further increase its production to 3,960 Javelins annually by 2026.

“This is being accomplished by employing new tooling and test equipment, improving the efficiency of our production line, and partnering with our already-active supply chain,” Lockheed stated.

Staying Ahead of Ready

The Javelin is a versatile, shoulder-fired weapon designed to neutralize tanks and other heavily armored assets.

It boasts a fire-and-forget capability, allowing operators to hit beyond line-of-sight targets.

With more than 20 years of proven performance, the weapon has been involved in major armed conflicts, including the Iraq war in 2003 and the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war.

According to JJV VP Dave Pantano, the “mission-focused” capabilities of the Javelin missiles allow military customers to “stay ahead of ready” in defending against threats.

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Valued at $990 million, the contract noted that the solution must be “organic” and capable of neutralizing hostile tanks, armored vehicles, and personnel targets.

It will be used by dismounted infantry formations to defend themselves against the threats of enemy armored assets.

The US Army did not provide specific details about the desired features of the stand-off solution.

Work for the contract is expected to be complete by August 2029.

Addressing ‘Critical Gaps’

In late 2023, the Association of the US Army released a startling report claiming that there were critical gaps in the service’s anti-tank capability.

It said that while the army has invested in material solutions such as active protection systems, it does not have a “holistic” approach to fill such gaps.

The service has made several investments to bolster its anti-tank capabilities, including a $323-million agreement with Raytheon to supply tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW) 2B anti-tank missiles.

It also integrated some of its anti-tank weapon systems into robotic platforms to keep soldiers safe from enemy counter-fire.

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A medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) version of the UH-60M, the chopper comes with a necessary mission equipment package to support the seamless transport of wounded troops from the battlefield.

It also boasts robust GE engines and state-of-the-art digital avionics for enhanced situational awareness, survivability, and overall performance.

According to a Pentagon announcement, Sikorsky will do the work for the contract at its facility in Connecticut. It is expected to be complete by June 2027.

The company did not disclose the exact number of HH-60Ms under order.

Expanded MEDEVAC Fleet

The contract is part of the US Army’s plan to procure up to 419 HH-60M helicopters through 2026 to expand its MEDEVAC fleet.

By 2012, Sikorsky had reportedly delivered a total of 100 units to the army, while entering into multi-year agreements to supply more.

The HH-60M Black Hawks can be reconfigured to support other missions, including personnel and cargo transport, aerial reconnaissance, and search and rescue.

They are also fitted with forward-looking infrared radar to provide increased visibility for executing missions under adverse weather conditions.

The helicopters are capable of flying at a speed of 140 kilometers (87 miles) per hour with a range of 275 nautical miles (509 kilometers).

Once delivered, the HH-60Ms are expected to bolster the US Army’s ability to conduct emergency response missions “even in the harshest of environments.”

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