Brian Hobbs, PMP’s Post

U.S. State Department authorizes a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case to Brazil for its purchase of up to 12 UH-60M Black Hawk Helicopters and related elements of logistics and program support for an estimated cost of up to $950 million. The value includes initial acquisition of $450 million in Major Defense Equipment, and up to $500 million in other equipment and services. In addition to accessories and equipment, the Government of Brazil had requested to buy : - twelve (12) UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters; - thirty-four (34) T700-GE-701D engines (24 installed, 10 spares); - twenty-eight (28) EAGLE-M Embedded Global Position Systems with Inertial Navigation (EGI) or functional equivalent (24 installed, 4 spares); and - twenty-four (24) AN/ARC-231A radio systems. #helicopter

The U.S. Air Force is requesting $329 million in its 2025 budget to purchase a single C-40D. What's a C-40D? It's a VIP/senior leader transport aircraft for the "Top Five users". That includes the vice president, first spouse, secretary of state, secretary of defense an chairman of the joint chiefs of staff. At a time when the USAF is divesting combat aircraft - cutting procurement of F-35As and F-15EXs by six aircraft each in 2025 due to "ficsal constraints" - why is the service spending more than a quarter billion dollars on a non-combat aircraft? For the price of the single C-40D, the USAF could purchase roughly three more F-35As or F-15EXs. My story in FlightGlobal. https://lnkd.in/eDxQNwEV

No, it doesn't! Smaller carriers are not cost effective, nor are they harder to find and destroy. Also... everyone talks about a war with China to be Navy on Navy. That will not be the case. The US is in the business of fighting in an integrated combat arms approach. Our approach would be similar to what was used with Iraq (twice) and Libya. Take out the command-and-control capabilities and Air defense network. As much as possible destroy known mobile launchers for A2/AD missiles. This is where the submarine force comes really into play in the initial stages of combat. When you can launch cruise missiles within a short distance from shore, you reduce the enemy's response time to defend themselves. This is what was done with Libya when the USS Florida launched 90 missiles and a few other submarines added 25 more. That barrage destroyed Libya's integrated air defense network. That achievement allowed the fighters and tactical bombers from the US and other countries to come in and do their work with significantly lower risk. In a "toe to toe" fight we also have to consider the ability of the USAF to deliver long range fires from their B1-B, B2 and B-52 platforms. That's around 140 heavy bombers that can deliver a huge amount of guided munitions from quite a long distance, well outside the A2/AD missile footprint. As of now, and is mentioned in the article comment thread, one of the biggest problem the USN has is that by the end of the decade 616 submarine missile launch cells will be gone without replacement when all 4 SSGN's are decommissioned. That's about 50% of the current missile cells the submarine force possesses. Although the Navy is looking at replacing some of that capability with the Block V VA SSNs with the Vertical Payload Module (VPM) that adds 28 more missiles to the ship, it will still take @ 15 of those ships to replace the cells lost from the 4 SSGN's. In the short run (rest of this decade) what the Navy needs to concentrate on doing is in significantly decreasing the maintenance backlog that has @ 30% of the SSN fleet unable to deploy to do their mission.

The #defensegroundsupportequipment market is expected to witness promising growth owing to rising military expenditure and upsurge demand for combat-ready #aircraft. Technological advancements in the #aviationsector and upgradation of existing aircraft fleets have fueled the demand for advanced ground support equipment. https://lnkd.in/d44_T_d4

🚀 Big news for the Royal Air Force! ✈️ The RAF is set to order 27 more F-35B Lightning II jets, bolstering its fleet to 74 by the end of the decade. This move strengthens our carrier-enabled power projection and supports the formation of a third frontline squadron by 2033. The timing is critical as our aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, require robust fighter support. With the current fleet stretched thin, this expansion is a crucial step forward. What do you think about the RAF’s strategic investments in the F-35B program? Is it the right direction for our defence capabilities? https://lnkd.in/eK5e9fxE #DefenceNews #Defence #Procurement #Equipment #DefenceInnovation #DefenceSpending #MilitaryBudget

Israel's Ministry of Defense (IMOD) has signed a $5.2 billion deal to acquire 25 advanced F-15 fighter jets from Boeing. - by Frederic Eger/Israel GPO/Israel MoD - Photo: Israel MoD - The deal, part of a broader package of U.S. aid approved by the U.S. Administration and Congress earlier this year, includes an option for 25 additional aircraft. The new F-15IA aircraft will be equipped with cutting-edge weapon systems, including the integration of state-of-the-art Israeli technologies. The upgraded aircraft will feature enhanced range capabilities, increased payload capacity, and improved performance across various operational scenarios. Delivery of the F-15 aircraft will begin in 2031, with 4-6 aircraft to be supplied annually. This procurement marks a significant milestone in deepening defense cooperation between Israel and the United States, reflecting their mutual commitment to regional security. The IMOD is executing a comprehensive strategy to enhance the IDF's operational capabilities, having secured procurement agreements worth nearly $40 billion since the onset of the war. The F-15 squadron, alongside the third F-35 squadron procured earlier this year, represents a historic enhancement of Israel's air power and strategic reach, capabilities that proved crucial during the current war. President of Boeing Israel, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Ido Nehushtan, expressed pride in its longstanding partnership with Israel and plans to continue working with the U.S. and Israeli governments to deliver the advanced F-15IA aircraft through standard military procurement channels.

Air Industries Group (“Air Industries”) (NYSE American: AIRI), a leading manufacturer of precision assemblies and components for large aerospace and defense prime contractors, today announced it has received orders, from two customers, aggregating $8.2 million, for components used on UH-60 Black Hawk and H-92 Super Hawk helicopters. Deliveries for these components are expected to begin in 2025. Air Industries supports the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter platform by providing flight critical components, such as the primary flight control assembly and the main transmission beam. Serving as the primary helicopter for the U.S. Army, the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter fulfills essential roles in transport, troop movement, medical evacuation and cargo lift operations. Manufactured by Sikorsky, it includes many variants and is utilized by other branches of the U.S. military and U.S. allied countries. The H-92 is a multi-mission, military derivative of the S-92 commercial helicopter, making it a larger alternative to the UH-60 Black Hawk. It is used by Canada for its Maritime Helicopter Program. Air Industries Group is a leading manufacturer of precision components and assemblies for large aerospace and defense prime contractors. Its products include landing gear, flight controls, engine mounts and components for aircraft jet engines, ground turbines and other complex machines. Whether it is a small individual component or complete assembly, its high quality and extremely reliable products are used in mission critical operations that are essential for the safety of military personnel and civilians. #military #defense #defence #militaryleak https://lnkd.in/gdemYVUK

We’re proud to be a part of the future of military aviation! The U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) is set to revolutionize combat aviation with its unmatched range and speed, paving the way for next-generation capabilities. With Bell Flight leading the development of this cutting-edge weapon system, our T1100/3960 carbon fiber prepreg will be crucial in constructing lightweight, high-strength airframes that meet the rigorous demands of modern military operations. “Working collaboratively with Toray on the accessibility of T1100/3960 prepregs, materials utilized for FLRAA’s primary airframe structure, instills confidence in our organization’s ability to meet our manufacturing and performance objectives.” – Vince D’Arienzo, Bell Technical Fellow of Technology and Innovation Read More: https://lnkd.in/d5ihPnsh We’re proud to contribute to the next chapter of aviation history. #AerospaceInnovation #FLRAA

Credit to SETH ROBSON STARS AND STRIPES August 14, 2024 Pentagon awards $32.9 million contract for more upgrades at Philippine fighter base https://lnkd.in/guhchsdP The Defense Department has announced additional improvements at a Philippine fighter base as part of an effort to deter China by rebuilding airfields across the Pacific. A $32.9 million contract awarded to Acciona CMS Philippines LLC calls for a new parking apron, shoulders and taxiway at Cesar Basa Air Base by mid-2026, the Pentagon announced late last month. In November, the U.S. and the Philippines completed a $24 million runway upgrade at the air base on the Philippines’ main island of Luzon. The Pentagon has already paid $66 million for projects at Basa, including a warehouse and fuel storage tanks, the Philippine Inquirer reported Nov. 8. The installation just south of the larger Clark Air Base is home to the Philippine air force’s 5th Fighter Wing and was built by the U.S. military at the start of World War II. The base in June hosted U.S. forces involved in the Marine Aviation Support Activity exercise. This month, Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters were there for another drill — Iron Blade — alongside Philippine FA-50PH fighters, the state-run Philippine News Agency reported Sunday. Images released by the Department of Defense show Raptors from the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Basa on Thursday. The unit is deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa. Six Raptors from the squadron were in Australia’s Northern Territory last month for the biennial Pitch Black airpower drills involving 140 aircraft and 4,400 personnel from 21 nations. During that exercise, Pacific Air Forces’ commander, Gen. Kevin Schneider, discussed nearly $450 million of U.S.-funded base construction in the territory during a meeting with reporters at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin. The latest work at Basa, funded under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, will include a 625,000-square-foot parking apron with room for 20 aircraft, USNI News reported Friday. The initiative, established by Congress in fiscal 2021, aims to maintain America’s military advantage over China by modernizing and strengthening the U.S. presence in the Indo-Pacific. Naval Facilities Engineering Command is seeking proposals for at least three projects worth up to $15 billion combined and funded by the initiative in Australia’s Cocos Islands, the Philippines, Timor-Leste and Papua New Guinea, according to a June 26 bid solicitation. The Basa renovations are among several projects at bases in the Philippines that American forces have access to under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA. U.S. forces can operate from nine sites in the country, including four announced in February 2023 under the 2014 security pact.