LOCATIONS
LAND
20 Mar 24. G3 Systems wins overseas construction works contract for refurbishment of the British Deputy High Commission Office in Lagos, Nigeria. G3 Systems Limited, the British company with over 20 years of operationally proven expertise in designing and producing deployable containerised solutions and providing infrastructure support to military and government organisations in remote locations across the globe, has just been awarded a multi-m-pound contract by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) for the remodelling and refurbishment of the British Deputy High Commission (BDHC) in Lagos, Nigeria. The contract, awarded following a competitive tendering exercise, is a mix of demolition, refurbishment, new build and landscaping works estimated to take 18-24 months. The objectives of the FCDO project are to enhance the working environment for deployed staff, ensure compliance with modern building standards, maximise space utilisation and minimise ongoing maintenance and running costs. The project will also seize the opportunity to enhance compound security and improve the compounds overall environmental performance, in line with government net carbon zero goals. Throughout the works, the BDHC will remain occupied and fully operational. Therefore, an essential component of the project is to provide close liaison with staff to ensure the project works are synchronised with their operational needs. Nick Rose, Managing Director G3 Systems said, “This is excellent news for G3 Systems and a very exciting extension of our existing construction capability. We have a strong pedigree of providing deployable containerised embassy solutions for the government in the past and delivering projects in remote locations for the military, but this is a first to manage a complex construction project in a remote location for the FCDO, which is a fantastic addition to our current portfolio.”
MARITIME
21 Mar 24. French Navy begins construction of largest submarine ever built in France. Naval Group initiated the production of SSBN 3G to revolutionise France’s subsea deterrence capabilities. Naval Group began constructing the first third-generation French nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SNLE 3G) in an event underscoring France’s commitment to bolstering its defence capabilities. The steel-cutting ceremony at the Cherbourg shipyard on 20 March symbolises a shift in France’s naval deterrence posture, aligning with its vision of safeguarding national security well into the 21st century. These four third-generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines will provide the French Navy with significant improvements in their nuclear deterrence and maritime warfare capabilities, with the SNLE 3G expected to remain in service up until 2080–90, according to GlobalData’s intelligence on the French defence market. The submarines will replace the four Le Triomphant-class (SNLE 2G) SSBNs in service from 2035. Representing the cornerstone of France’s strategic oceanic force (FOST), the SNLE 3G programme embodies a collaborative effort between the armed forces, the French defence procurement agency (Direction Générale de l’Armement – DGA), the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and Naval Group, in association with TechnicAtome.
Pierre Éric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, emphasised the significance of this endeavour, stating: “Through this major programme, Naval Group is fully committed to serving French sovereignty and nuclear deterrence by mobilising all its skills, talents, and industrial resources.”
The initiative encompasses the construction of the largest submarine ever built in France, with production distributed across various sites in the country. Naval Group embarks on an industrial venture to fortify France’s maritime strength. The SNLE 3G submarine features enhanced stealth, extended detection capabilities, and weapons systems. These submarines ensure optimal operational efficiency and have a mission lifespan that extends well beyond the 2080s. Moreover, the technological advancements pioneered by the SNLE 3G programme will benefit France’s future submarine fleet and enhance the performance of existing SSBNs (SNLE 2G). This strategic modernisation initiative shows France’s commitment to maintaining a deterrence posture and safeguarding national interests amidst evolving geopolitical dynamics. As France embarks on this historic mission, mobilising over 400 companies and 400 skills nationwide, the SNLE 3G programme is a testament to France’s industry and dedication to national defence. With construction underway, the French Navy stands poised to ensure the security and sovereignty of the nation for generations to come. The French Navy recently announced the return of its Ruby-class nuclear attack submarine, Perle, to operational status after prolonged maintenance and repairs initiated in 2019, exacerbated by a fire incident in June 2020. Following damage recovery and upgrades, including the capability to employ the F21 heavyweight torpedo, Perle underwent dockside and sea trials, with operational potential extended until 2028. (Source: naval-technology.com)
15 Mar 24. USN Christened Submarine Idaho. The USN christened its newest Virginia-class attack submarine, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), during a 10 a.m. EDT ceremony March 16, at General Dynamics Electric Boat, in Groton, Connecticut. The Honorable Nickolas H. Guertin, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) for Research, Development, and Acquisition (RDA), delivered the ceremony’s principal address. Senior representatives from the Navy, the shipbuilders, Congress, and the state of Idaho are also expected to speak. In a twist on the time-honored Navy tradition of breaking a bottle of sparkling wine across the bow, the Submarine’s Sponsor, Ms. Teresa Stackley, christened the boat with water she has collected from several lakes in Idaho. Stackley is the daughter of a Navy Sailor and is the spouse of the Honorable Sean Stackley, a former Naval officer who served as ASN (RDA) from 2008 to 2017. The submarine, which began construction in 2017, will be the 26th Virginia-class fast attack submarine and the fifth U.S. Navy ship to be christened with the name Idaho. The last ship named Idaho was battleship BB 42, commissioned in 1919. Though landlocked, the state of Idaho prides itself in its rich Naval history and continuing contributions to the fleet. The Navy’s Acoustic Research Detachment on Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho’s largest and deepest body of water, is a state-of-the-art facility that supports research, development, testing, and evaluation of submarine acoustic stealth technology and propulsor design. Lake Pend Oreille is a critical body of water to the U.S. Submarine Force. Virginia-class submarines are built to operate in the world’s littoral and deep waters while conducting anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface ship warfare; strike warfare; special operations forces support; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; irregular warfare; and mine warfare missions. This next-generation attack submarine provides the Navy with the capabilities required to maintain the nation’s undersea superiority well into the 21st century. (Source: U.S. DoD)
AIR
14 Mar 24. First crash for India’s LCA Tejas. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has reported its first loss of a Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mk 1 fighter aircraft to an air crash on 12 March. The IAF said in a statement that the aircraft had crashed during an “operational training sortie”. According to the air force, the pilot “ejected safely”. The IAF added that a “court of inquiry has been constituted to find out the cause of the accident”. A seven-second video of the incident, which was circulated on X (formerly Twitter), shows that the pilot ejected at an altitude of about 1,500–2,000 ft. The video imagery shows the fighter aircraft continuing to glide unattended before it passes out of the video frame. (Source: Janes)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
19 Mar 24. British Army welcomes Iraq and Afghanistan veteran as new Commander Field Army. A veteran of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq has officially become the new Commander Field Army. Lieutenant General Mike Elviss, who began service commissioning into the Royal Regiment of Artillery in August 1995, was selected for sub-unit command in 2002 and twice deployed to Iraq in infantry and artillery roles a year later. A return to Iraq followed his appointment as Chief of Staff 20th Armoured Brigade, having attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course. Lt Gen Elviss was later deployed to Afghanistan, where he eventually commanded the Task Force Helmand Joint Fires and Targeting Group during Operation Herrick 18. (Source: forces.net)
21 Mar 24. Mr James Dauris has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Panama in succession to Mr Tim Stew MBE who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Dauris will take up his appointment during March 2024.
19 Mar 24. Mr Andrew Mitchell CMG has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, in succession to Ms Jill Gallard CMG CVO who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Mitchell will take up his appointment during September 2024.
22 Mar 24. Mr Nathaniel Copsey has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Bulgaria in succession to Dr Rob Dixon who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Mr Copsey will take up his appointment during August 2024.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
18 Mar 24. USMC LG James F. Glynn for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific; and commanding general, Fleet Marine Forces Pacific. Glynn is currently serving as the deputy commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Quantico, Virginia.
18 Mar 24. USAF MG Duke A. Pirak for appointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, Air National Guard, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. Pirak is currently serving as deputy director, Air National Guard, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
18 Mar 24. USN Rear Adm. (lower half) Joseph B. Hornbuckle for appointment to the grade of rear admiral. Hornbuckle is currently serving as commander, Fleet Readiness Centers, Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland.
15 Mar 24. Today, the Department of Defense announced that David M. Cattler has been selected as the next director of the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency. The appointment will be effective March 24, 2024. Mr. Cattler has extensive leadership experience within the intelligence community, military, and NATO, making him the ideal candidate to hit the ground running and lead DCSA. He has served multiple times as an intelligence enterprise mission manager in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and led complex efforts across organizational and functional boundaries. He has significant intelligence collection management and analytic experience at the national, joint, and service levels, and has advised the President, civilian agencies, Defense department and military leaders, and operational forces through roles at Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Staff, National Security Council, and during a career as a naval surface warfare officer. Mr. Cattler understands the criticality of the DCSA security mission to the Department, our federal partners, and industry.
INDUSTRY
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
20 Mar 24. AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, announced today that Jeffrey N. Edwards has been elected to AAR’s Board of Directors, effective immediately. This appointment increases AAR’s Board from 11 to 12 Director positions. Mr. Edwards, 63, brings more than 40 years of experience in the financial services sector. As Partner and Vice Chairman of New Vernon Capital, Mr. Edwards prioritizes the firm’s clients, focusing on investment portfolios, operations, and business development. Prior to New Vernon Capital, Mr. Edwards spent over 20 years with Merrill Lynch, serving in various leadership positions, including Chief Financial Officer. His other current board positions include Lead Independent Director for Raymond James Financial, Inc. and Chair of the Audit, Finance, and Risk Committee for American Water Works Company, Inc., both S&P 500 companies.
21 Mar 23. Astrobotic announced today the addition of four distinguished space industry leaders to its team. These veteran appointments will bring decades of spacecraft experience, expertise, and lessons learned as the company prepares Griffin for its lunar mission. Steve Clarke joins as the Vice President of Landers and Spacecraft, Frank Peri joins as the Director of Engineering with a focus on Griffin-1, and Jim Reuter and Michael Gazarik join as advisors to the company.
Steve Clarke, the former Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration in NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, brings 39-years of experience in executive leadership, systems engineering, program management, and operations to his new role leading lunar lander delivery at Astrobotic. Clarke’s leadership contributions across several NASA mission directorates have been recognized with NASA’s Exceptional Achievement Medal and the Presidential Rank Award. His distinguished service in government and commercial space programs, coupled with his expertise in program management and lunar systems, make him an ideal fit to lead Astrobotic’s payload delivery missions to the Moon.
Frank Peri, former Director for the Safety and Mission Assurance Office at NASA Langley Research Center, has 35 years of executive leadership, most recently leading the institutional safety and mission assurance program, executing complex programs while maintaining standards of quality and safety. Frank’s background will be invaluable as the company executes Griffin-1, delivering the largest lander to the Moon since the Apollo program.
Jim Reuter, a former Associate Administrator for Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA, brings significant technical evaluation capability as well as deep knowledge of the state of the art in space technologies. With a career highlighted by leadership roles in technology programs worth over $1bn annually, Reuter’s strategic insights will guide Astrobotic in its pursuit of pioneering lunar exploration initiatives such as LunaGrid.
Michael Gazarik, another former Associate Administrator of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, joins Astrobotic’s advisory board as a seasoned leader in engineering and technology development. Gazarik’s extensive background in spaceflight systems design and deployment, coupled with his role in shaping NASA’s technology roadmap, will provide invaluable guidance to Astrobotic as the company continues to map its future space technology developments and businesses.
21 Mar 24. Comtech (NASDAQ: CMTL), a global technology leader, today announced the appointment of telecommunications and public safety industry leader Jeff Robertson as the Company’s new President of its Terrestrial and Wireless Networks business segment. Prior to joining Comtech, Robertson served as President & CEO of Intrado Life Safety, a company specializing in first responder technology in North America. Under his leadership, Robertson enhanced Intrado Life Safety’s operating structure, implemented critical digital transformation initiatives, migrated legacy products to next-generation cloud-based infrastructures, improved employee retention, and strengthened key go-to-market partnerships in under four years. Intrado Life Safety was sold in 2023 for $2.4bn under Robertson’s leadership. Throughout his career, Robertson has held numerous leadership roles, including Senior Vice President of Public Safety for startup innovator RapidSOS, CEO of Airbus DS Communications North America, Vice President and General Manager of Intergraph’s public safety software division, CEO of TCI – TelControl, and CML Emergency Services. He was also the founding executive director of the 9-1-1 Industry Alliance.
18 Mar 24. Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a leading innovator of purpose-built vehicles and equipment, today announced that its Board of Directors will nominate Annette Clayton, chairwoman and former president and chief executive officer of Schneider Electric North America, for election to the Oshkosh Board at the Company’s 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Ms. Clayton, 60, is the chairwoman and former president and chief executive officer of Schneider Electric North America, the largest operating region of Schneider Electric, a multinational firm specializing in energy management and industrial automation solutions. Prior to Schneider Electric, Ms. Clayton served in various leadership positions with Dell, including as vice president of global operations. She previously served in senior management roles with General Motors Corporation, including as president of Saturn Corporation. Ms. Clayton currently serves as a director of NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ: NXPI), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK) and Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ: NDSN). In addition, she sits on the boards of the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
18 Mar 24. Beca appoints new managing director for Australia. The managing director began his tenure at the advisory, design and engineering consultancy on 18 March. Andrew Mailer has been appointed managing director for Australia, joining the company after having recently served as a general manager at Tetra Tech Coffey, and Asia-Pacific head of strategy and growth at Tetra Tech. The appointment is hoped to drive growth for the company, Beca Group chief executive Amelia Linzey said. “Andrew’s Australian market knowledge and commercial experience, combined with a unique global perspective, aligns with Beca’s strategic priority of growth in Australia. His focus on nurturing our culture will ensure that our incredible people and clients remain at the heart of everything we do. (Source: Defence Connect)
20 Mar 24. South Australia-based REDARC Defence & Space has announced renewed focus on pushing to wards a ‘Tier 2’ defence supplier role, with the appointment of a new general manager for sales. It’s understood defence industry veteran Craig Inns will lead the new focus, having previously served in senior business development roles across the defence and commercial sectors with companies including Collins Aerospace, Toll Group, and CHC Helicopters. Scott Begbie, executive general manager, sales, REDARC Defence & Space, welcomed Inns to the company, saying, “This is a pivotal role within REDARC Defence & Space as we scale our business into a ‘Tier 2’ defence supplier. The recruitment process identified Craig as a highly credentialled and experienced candidate who will strengthen our team.” Inns’ commercial experience builds on his service with the Royal Australian Air Force, following an 18-year career as an Air Combat Officer and aircraft engineer, including deployments in the Middle East. He also holds a bachelor of aeronautical technology, aeronautics from UNSW and several graduate diplomas in avionics from the School of Air Warfare. (Source: Defence Connect)