25 Jun 10. Lockheed Martin will partner with BAE Systems Australia to provide readiness and sustainment support for the Australian F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) combat aircraft. The agreement will provide future in-country support of the JSF fighter that follows the Australian Government’s approval to procure the first 14 of an expected 100 F-35 aircraft. BAE will provide support for the F-35 at its facility at Williamtown, which currently provides maintenance and life support to the F/A-18 Hornet and Hawk lead-in-fighter fleets. BAE Systems Australia director of aerospace John Monaghan said the firm would leverage its capability at Williamtown to reduce the transition risk and cost of introducing the F-35 aircraft into service in Australia from 2018. Equipped with a powerful and comprehensive sensor and mission avionics, the F-35 is an advanced multirole fighter that can conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground combat missions simultaneously. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)
15 Jun 10. OTO Melara, a Finmeccanica company, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with TAWAZUN for the marketing and production of the DRACO system. The Holding Company TAWAZUN is the industrial and commercial
investment arm of Offset Program Bureau of the United Arab Emirates.
DRACO or “SAMOUM” – as the system has been renamed for this project like the hot wind blowing in the desert – is a very advance system, fitted with the successful 76mm gun in service with 56 Navies all over the world. The system is specialized as primary role in the AA defence, through special ammunition like the guided DART; other roles include C-RAM, coastal defence against different targets including small and fast boats, and anti armour against IFV.
18 Jun 10. Nexter Systems of France and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) of India signed a Consortium Agreement for 155mm Mounted Gun Artillery program for the Indian Army. Nexter Systems will be the leader of the Consortium. Under the proposal to the Ministry of Defence of India, Nexter Systems will field CAESAR®, a 155mm/52-calibre weapon system. Nexter Systems has already received orders for more than 180 CAESAR® systems to the defence forces in France, Middle East and Asia.
22 Jun 10. Thales Australia has signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Nordic arms company Nammo to cooperate on the development of next-generation aircraft ammunition. The partnership is based on Norway and Australia’s involvement in the F-35 fighter programme, and the need to develop a new lethal ammunition against soft and hard targets. The LoI will include cooperation on the Norwegian APEX ammunition concept and a special training round, and the Thales APFI frangible ammunition round.
The Norwegian Ministry of Defence and Nammo are fully funding the APEX
development and qualification programme. Nammo’s medium and large-caliber division executive vice-president Kjell Kringsja said the APEX concept would give the air forces superior performance in air combat and close air support roles. Thales Australia CEO Chris Jenkins said the cooperation would pave the way for industrial participation related to the F-35 programme and entry into the field of aircraft ammunition. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)
24 Jun 10. A|D|S, the UK’s AeroSpace, Defence and Security trade organisation today (Thursday) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Intellect the trade association representing the UK technology industry. A|D|S and Intellect have agreed to work together in order to ensure that there is a single clear voice representing the cyber security industries in the UK, and which will also act as the prime point of contact between Government and industry.