Britain and France appear to be taking steps to press ahead with the joint development of a future cruise and anti-ship missile, despite apparent ongoing differences about how to proceed with development.
It is easy to dismiss the proposal as a congressionally-mandated busy work for the Pentagon, and perhaps that’s all it is. And, yet, Israel’s military has demonstrated a unique capacity for strategic surprise. Could the idea of an MOP in Israeli hands be enough to create a deterrent effect in Tehran?
Speaking to the IDGA Hypersonic Weapons Summit on Oct. 29, Gen. Timothy Ray also suggested the non-nuclear policy for hypersonic weapons could be revisited.
U.S. government officials often accuse China of stealing or copying American research in hypersonics, but a close reading of Chinese research papers actually was the inspiration for the new consortium.
The estimated $2.37 billion deal announced by the U.S. State Department would include 100 Harpoon Coastal Defense Systems, 4111 missile containers, 100 transporters, 25 radar trucks and support services.
It is tempting to speculate that Lockheed’s third-quarter, classified earnings windfall—accounting for 26% of a year-over-year, $502 million sales increase for Aeronautics—is based on something we already know about.
The Directorate’s Direct Attack Division published a broad agency announcement on Oct. 19 calling for a study of a next generation Global Precision Attack Weapon.
The package of deals, worth an estimated $1.8 billion, follows the sale of 66 Lockheed F-16C/D Block 70 fighters to Taiwan, which was finalized in August.
If National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien’s statement about the Arleigh Burke-class upgrade applies to the Conventional Prompt Strike program, it would imply a significant retrofit program.
“The SPEAR flight demonstrator will provide the F/A-18 Super Hornet and carrier strike group with significant improvements in range and survivability against advanced threat defensive systems,” said Steve Mercer, Boeing’s SPEAR program manager.
A video of a missile test from the Black Sea report of Sinop on Oct. 16 drew a response from the U.S. Defense Department condemning its NATO ally, if the reports of an S-400 missile firing are accurate.
The new suppliers fill-out the OpFires industry team for OpFires program following DARPA’s selection of Aerojet Rocketdyne to deliver the critical upper-stage last summer.
A “request for solutions” (RFS) published Oct. 14 on beta.sam.gov by Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane seeks new production technologies for carbon-carbon and ceramic matrix composite materials in a vertically-integrated production facility.
