LOCATIONS
LAND
02 Apr 19. Contract awarded to support ADF infrastructure upgrades in north Queensland. A joint venture between FK Gardner and AECOM (FKG AECOM) has been contracted to deliver the planning phase of the North Queensland Mid-Term Refresh Program, which will see infrastructure upgrades to RAAF Base Townsville, Townsville Field Training Area and HMAS Cairns. The $4.9m contract is part of a $120m overall program to deliver upgrades to support ADF capability requirements in north Queensland.
“This investment will ensure the ongoing sustainability of critical support infrastructure and improve the capability of the Defence estate into the future,” said Assistant Minister for Defence David Fawcett. “The program is part of the Local Industry Capability Plan pilot and reflects Defence’s commitment to delivering major infrastructure projects in Queensland and maximising opportunities for local industry. I am pleased to report that FKG AECOM has committed to engaging 100 per cent of its sub-contractor workforce across planning and delivery phases from the local area. The program will see an expected $4.7m investment in local designers and professional industries in the planning phase, and an anticipated $82.7m in the delivery phase for local businesses, labour and construction material suppliers.”
Townsville-based senator Ian Macdonald “has welcomed the investment into the local economy under the North Queensland Mid-Term Refresh Program”.
“This project will provide opportunities for local jobs and economic activity in the region, which will benefit the local community,” Senator Macdonald said.
The description of the tender for the North Queensland Mid-Term Refresh Program is as follows:
HMAS Cairns:
Base services: Install fire ring main, replace SPS, install gross pollutant traps, possible replacement fuel farm high velocity pump;.
Building refurbishment: Limited works to living in accommodation; and
New infrastructure: Bosun’s Store replacement, pedestrian entry control and limited internal amenity and communications works.
RAAF Townsville:
Base and ICT services: Gas suppression to base server room, limited works to electrical and water reticulation, works to upgrade the fire ring main;
Building refurbishment: No. 65 Squadron (specific existing facility upgrade), 5th Aviation Regiment (MRH90 composite fibre maintenance facility) and No. 38 Squadron office and hangar; and
New infrastructure: Additional transit accommodation block.
Townsville Field Training Area:
Base services: Upgrade to specified services through the range area, and to the Urban Operations Training Facility ring road;.
Building refurbishment: Range control wash point to be enlarged with further four manual wash points, and some limited remediation to urban training containers; and
New infrastructure: Fanning Sector entry point (gate control, improved entry/exit, transporter parking and wash point) and added training buildings at the Urban Operations Training Facility.
The works are to meet north Queensland area sustainment and operational support capabilities. (Source: Defence Connect)
01 Apr 19. F-22s to Langley. The Air Force has identified Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia as the preferred location to re-house the F-22 Raptor formal training unit, the 43rd Fighting Squadron, that was displaced from Tyndall AFB following Hurricane Michael in October 2018. The service placed a notice of intent to prepare an environmental impact statement to base the Raptors at Hampton Roads in the Federal Register on Tuesday. Virginia lawmakers have been petitioning the Air Force to choose Langley, which already houses F-22s for the Air National Guard. The 43rd Fighting Squadron has been temporarily reassigned to Eglin AFB, Florida, since it was displaced. The Air Force has expressed plans to rebuild Tyndall as an F-35 base using supplemental funding from Congress. (Source: Defense Daily)
01 Apr 19. Japan Stands Up First F-35 Operational Unit. The Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) has officially stood up its first operational F-35A fighter squadron, dubbed the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, the F-35 Joint Program Office said Friday. The F-35 replaces Japan’s F-4EJ Kai fighter aircraft. “The F-35As of the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron will serve as an important addition to the security and stability of the region,” Vice Adm. Mat Winter, F-35 Program Executive Officer, said in a press release. “The JPO is proud of the accomplishments of the JASDF as they transit from this stand-up to their normal operating tempo, and we look forward to further supporting the Japan F-35 Program as they continue to operate the F-35 for many years to come.” (Source: Defense Daily)
MARITIME
03 Apr 19. Huntington Ingalls Industries Successfully Completes Acceptance Trials For NSC Midgett. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division announced today that the National Security Cutter (NSC) Midgett (WMSL 757) has successfully completed acceptance trials. Midgett, the eighth NSC Ingalls has built for the U.S. Coast Guard, spent two full days in the Gulf of Mexico proving the ship’s systems.
“The success of these trials is a direct result of the hard work and expertise of our shipbuilders, the INSURV team and our U.S. Coast Guard customer,” said George S. Jones, Ingalls’ vice president of operations. “At sea, the craftsmanship of every shipbuilder who has worked in this program was proudly on display. From the design phase to the ship’s delivery, these state-of-the-art vessels perform so well because every member of our team understands the importance of the U.S. Coast Guard in protecting our nation, and they take pride in providing these assets to the service.”
The U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey (INSURV) were on board, as Ingalls’ test and trials team led the sea trials and conducted extensive testing of the propulsion, electrical, damage control, anchor-handling, small boat operations and combat systems. The team finished the trials with a completed full-power propulsion run on Midgett.
“With the success of these trials, NSC 8 is one step closer to becoming another highly capable, vital asset to the men and women of our Coast Guard,” said Derek Murphy, Ingalls’ Coast Guard program manager. “Our dedicated NSC team has proven themselves once again, and we could not be more proud of what they have accomplished.”
Ingalls has delivered seven Legend-class NSCs and has two more under construction, including Midgett (WMSL 757), set to deliver before the end of the year. Stone (WMSL 758) is scheduled for delivery in 2020. In December of 2018, Ingalls received two fixed-price incentive contracts with a combined value of $931m to build NSCs 10 and 11.
NSC 8 is named to honor the hundreds of members of the Midgett family who have served in the U.S. Coast Guard and its predecessor services. At least 10 members of the Midgett family earned high honors from the U.S. Coast Guard for their heroic lifesaving deeds. Seven Midgett family members were awarded the Gold Lifesaving Medal, the U.S. Coast Guard’s highest award for saving a life, and three were awarded the Silver Lifesaving Medal. (Source: ASD Network)
03 Apr 19. USS Dwight D Eisenhower completes sea trials following upgrades. The US Navy’s Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) has successfully completed its sea trials off the Virginia coast. Also known as Ike, the vessel returned to the sea towards the end of last month for the first time since August 2017 after receiving upgrades during a scheduled planned incremental availability (PIA) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). CVN 69 performed the sea trials alongside NNSY engineers and shipyard employees who were onboard to perform testing of the vessel.
Ike commanding officer captain Kyle Higgins said: “Sea trials were successful well beyond expectations. Our investment in our ship paid off and now the real work begins: getting the flight deck certified so we start doing what this warship was built to do, launch and recover aircraft.”
As part of the trials, the engineers and shipyard workers oversaw a series of activities including conducting small-boat operations, testing countermeasure wash-down systems, executing high-speed turns, and testing catapults. Sailors engaged in various drills during the trials to assess their readiness. The focus areas of the drills were damage control, deck seamanship, and flight deck operations. The crew also got the opportunity to encounter real-life scenarios while navigating the open ocean during the five-day period.
Ike assistant navigator lieutenant commander Benjamin Sanders said: “These five days made our bridge teams much more proficient and allowed us to carefully evaluate our strengths and weaknesses so we can continue to improve.”
The vessel will now start the basic phase of the Optimised Fleet Response Plan (OFRP). Higgins noted that following the completion of the basic phase, the training will be more focussed and intense.
CVN 69 is part of the Carrier Strike Group 10, which is also known as the USS Dwight D Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group.
Other assets in the CSG include the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers USS Monterey (CG 61), USS San Jacinto (CG 56), and USS Vella Gulf (CG 72); the ships and staff of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 26; and the squadrons and staff of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 3. (Source: naval-technology.com)
01 Apr 19. U.S. delivers six patrol boats to Vietnam amid deepening security ties. The United States has delivered six patrol boats worth $12m to Vietnam’s Coast Guard, the U.S. embassy in Hanoi said on Monday, amid warming ties between the former foes. The vessels are in addition to another twelve “Metal Shark” patrol boats and a high-endurance cutter provided to Vietnam by the United States in the last two years.
“Delivering these patrol vessels represents deepening U.S.-Vietnam cooperation in the areas of maritime law enforcement, maritime search and rescue, and maritime humanitarian assistance operations within Vietnam’s territorial waters and exclusive economic zone,” the embassy said in a statement.
Since emerging from decades of diplomatic isolation in the early 1990s, Vietnam has been eager to improve ties with large powers and the region to help balance its historically thorny relations with its giant neighbor, China, which confronts Vietnam over claims to the South China Sea. An Indian Coast Guard vessel docked at a port in the central city of Danang for a four-day visit on Monday, Vietnamese state media reported, amid strengthening military ties between the two countries.
China claims 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, but Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also lay claim to parts of it, through which about $3trn of trade passes each year.
U.S. President Donald Trump used a meeting with Vietnamese officials to pitch arms exports from the United States, ahead of his Hanoi summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in February. The Metal Shark “45 Defiant” patrol boat is manufactured in the United States by Gravois Aluminium Boats LLC. It can reach speeds of up to 50 knots (93km per hour) and is suited for both inland and offshore use, according to the manufacturer’s website. (Source: glstrade.com/Reuters)
31 Mar 19. Admiralty Shipyards launches first Project 636.3 submarine for Russia’s Pacific Fleet. Admiralty Shipyards launched the first Project 636.3 Improved Kilo-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) bound for the Russian Navy’s Pacific Fleet on 28 March. The vessel, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, was laid down in July 2017 and will be delivered to the naval service before end-2019, said the Russian Navy’s deputy commander, Vice Admiral Igor Mukhametshin, at the launching ceremony. Russia’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed for six Improved Kilos for its Pacific Fleet in September 2016. The second vessel in this class, Volkhov, is having its sections combined into a single hull, while the third and fourth ships, Magadan and Ufa, are in various stages of being built. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
29 Mar 19. Russian Navy rotating submarines stationed in Syria. A rotation of the Russian Project 636.3 ‘Kilo’-class submarines stationed in Syria was seemingly confirmed when one was spotted making its way north through the Bosphorus to the Black Sea on 27 March.
The submarine was identified by Turkish ship spotters as Veliky Novgorod , one of two Kilos that have been operating out of Tartus since September 2017. This followed a south-bound Bosphorus transit of a Project 636.6 identified as Krasnodar on 14 March. Earlier in March the commander of the 4th Independent Submarine Brigade stated in the Black Sea Fleet’s newspaper that both Krasnodar and Stary Oskol were preparing for long deployments, Jane’s has been told. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
28 Mar 19. Indonesia moves third Nagapasa submarine to alternative site for long-delayed launch. Key Points:
- PT PAL has successfully completed a risky operation to transfer the third Nagapasa-class submarine to an alternative launch site
- Vessel will be the first-ever submarine to be launched in Indonesia once it takes to the water
Indonesian state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL has successfully transferred its third Nagapasa (Type 209/1400)-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK) to an alternative launch site, after heavy silting was discovered at the original location where it was supposed to enter the water.
The vessel was transferred to its launch site at PT PAL’s dock at Semarang via a 300-foot intermediate barge, and is now slated for launch on 12 April if all precedents for the ceremony are assessed to be in order, an industry source confirmed with Jane’s on 28 March. Alugoro was originally slated for launch at PT PAL’s dock adjacent to Jalan Letnan Supriadi as early as October 2018. However, PT PAL engineers later discovered that the location has become too shallow owing to sedimentary deposits. The situation was aggravated in recent years by construction work at the nearby Terminal Teluk Lamong, said an industry source who first informed Jane’s of the situation. The submarine will now be launched at the same site where larger ships, such as the Philippine Navy’s strategic sealift vessels (SSVs), first took to the water. Alugoro is Indonesia’s third-in-series overall for the Nagapasa class. But the boat is the first-ever submarine to be assembled locally at PT PAL’s facilities in Surabaya. The SSK’s assembly was done in collaboration with engineers from South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) as part of a technology transfer programme. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
AIR
04 Apr 19. EU delivers Cessna ISR aircraft to Mali. The Malian Air Force received a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft configured for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) on 2 April, the European Union and Armed Forces of Mali (FAMa) announced. The Cessna was donated to Mali by the EU as part of its ongoing Programme of Support for Enhanced Security in the Mopti and Gao Regions and for the Management of Border Areas (PARSEC Mopti-Gao). The EU valued the aircraft, its sensors, and personnel training programme at EUR5m (USD5.6m). It said it was handed over at Bamako Sénou Air Base 101 but would operate from Mopti-Sévaré airport, the location of the FAMa’s Air Base 102. No information on the sensor suite was disclosed but photographs released by the EU showed the Cessna 208 fitted with an electro-optronic payload on the left side of its fuselage. While it presumably has an onboard control station, it is unclear if a ground control station has been delivered and whether the aircraft has a datalink for live transmission of imagery captured by its sensor. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
03 Apr 19. Akaer presents conceptual Mosquito multi-role aircraft. Key Points:
- Akaer conceptually designed the Mosquito to perform missions ranging from airborne C2 to armed ISR and aerial refuelling
- The company believes it could provide better visibility than competitors Super Tucano and Wolverine
Akaer of Brazil is presenting a conceptual twin-engine multi-role aircraft called the Mosquito at the 2019 LAAD Defence & Security exposition that, if developed, would be the company’s first aircraft.
The Mosquito would conceptually perform missions such as close air support (CAS); intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR); armed ISR; and aerial refuelling. It could also perform combat search and rescue (CSAR); communications intelligence; air defence; airborne command and control (C2); and battlefield interdiction.
Fernando Ferraz, Akaer chief operations officer, told Jane’s on 3 April that Mosquito is the result of a two-to-three-year effort to identify needs and trends in the light attack aircraft market. The company, he said, also went through 10 different designs before settling on this model while trying to blend many requirements from around the world.
“We are trying to mix some trends,” Ferraz said. “This is what should be a product able to comply with all the wishes we could find.”
Ferraz said an engine provider for the Mosquito has not been finalised but the company conceptually used the 500-1,000 shaft hp class Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A propulsion system. An engine provider would be according to a customer’s request. The Mosquito would differentiate itself from competing light attack aircraft such as the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano or the Textron AT-6 Wolverine by providing better visibility. Ferraz said Akaer conceptually designed the Mosquito with raised wings on the fuselage. Both the Super Tucano and the Wolverine have wings much lower on the aircraft fuselage. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Apr 19. Debris Again Causes USAF to Pause KC-46 Acceptance. The Air Force again stopped accepting next-generation KC-46A tankers from Boeing after more debris was found hidden in closed compartments, the service said Tuesday. Foreign object debris turned up last month, causing the Air Force to once again pause acceptance March 23—just two weeks after the service resumed acceptance. Still more debris was discovered this week after the pause.
“This week our inspectors identified additional foreign object debris and areas where Boeing did not meet quality standards,” Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Air Force Magazine. “The issues are unrelated to design or engineering specifications. Air Force leadership is meeting with Boeing to approve additional corrective action plans before aircraft acceptance can resume.”
She did not answer how many aircraft had debris or how many KC-46 deliveries are affected by the pause. The service has seven new tankers in its inventory. (end of excerpt) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Air Force Magazine)
03 Apr 19. The Biggest In The World Mi-26T2V Helicopter Completes Preliminary Flight Tests. Russian Helicopters (part of Rostec State Corporation) successfully completed preliminary flight tests of the Mi-26T2V helicopter. The machine is being prepared for a handover to the Russian Ministry of Defense to do joint official tests.
The upgraded heavy Mi-26T2V helicopter designed in the interests of the Ministry of Defense made its first flight in August 2018. The machine participated in the International Military and Technical Forum ARMY 2018. Then it was transferred to Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant to do preliminary flight tests.
The customer requested that Mi-26T2V should ensure completion of tasks even in regions with complex physical and geographical and adverse climatic conditions, at any time of the day, at equipped and unequipped routes, or even without routes, and on featureless terrain, in conditions of fire and information counteraction of the enemy.
The new helicopter differs from the basic Mi-26 model due to a modern integrated NPK90-2V avionics suite, which significantly simplifies piloting of the helicopter. The latest avionics system allows following the route in automatic mode, coming to a preset point, performing approach and final approach maneuvers, and returning to the main or alternate aerodrome. The helicopter is also equipped with a digital flight center, and the crew cockpit has multi-function color LCD indicators that significantly reduce the workload of the flight crew. Moreover, Mi-26T2V got a new airborne defense complex Vitebsk that not only detects a threat to the helicopter, but also repels attacks.
Mi-26T2 lighting equipment is now adapted to the use with night vision goggles, and the cockpit is equipped with new energy-absorbing seats for the crew. There are also improvements to a navigation system and satellite communications of the helicopter. JSC “Russian Helicopters”, a part of Rostec State Corporation, is a leading player in the global helicopter industry, the sole Russian designer and manufacturer of helicopters. The Holding Company was established in 2007 and is headquartered in Moscow. We operate five helicopter assembly plants, two design bureaus, component production and maintenance enterprises, aircraft repair plants and one helicopter service company providing after-sales support in Russia and abroad. The customers of the Holding Company are the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Home Affairs, EMERCOM of Russia, and other state customers, Gazpromavia, UTair Aviation company, large Russian and foreign companies.
Rostec State Corporation is a Russian corporation that was established in 2007 to facilitate the development, production and export of high-tech industrial products designed for civilian and military applications. The Corporation comprises over 700 organizations that are currently part of eleven holding companies operating in the military-industrial complex and four holding companies working in civilian industry, as well as over 80 directly managed organizations. Rostec’s portfolio includes well-known brands such as AVTOVAZ, KAMAZ, Concern Kalashnikov, Russian Helicopters, UralVagonZavod, etc. Rostec companies are located in 60 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and supply products to the markets of more than 100 countries. In 2017 the consolidated revenue of Rostec reached 1trn 589bn rubles, while the consolidated net income and EBITDA amounted to 121 and 305bn rubles respectively. In 2017, the average salary in the Corporation was 46 thousand rubles. According to Rostec’s strategy, the main objective of the Corporation is to ensure that Russia has a technological advantage in highly competitive global markets. Rostec’s key objectives include the introduction of a new techno-economic paradigm and digitalization of Russian economy.
02 Apr 19. UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF. The UK transferred control of its Britten-Norman Defender AL2 surveillance aircraft and Islander AL1/CC2 surveillance and utility aircraft from the British Army Air Corps (AAC) to the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 1 April. The Defenders and Islanders that had previously been under the authority of the Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) will now fall under the direction of the RAF’s No 1 Group. As noted by the head of No 1 Group, Air Vice-Marshal Harv Smyth, the AAC’s 651 Squadron that fields the Fixed-Wing Manned Aerial Surveillance (FWMAS) capability has transferred to the RAF as a unit, while its personnel will transition over the next few years. “It will be operated in a joint fashion for a period as various postings out and in occur,” Smyth said.
While 651 Sqn is based at JHC Flying Station (JHC FS) Aldergrove in Northern Ireland, neither AVM Smyth nor the head of JHC, Rear-Admiral Jonathan Pentreath, noted any future change in the unit’s location.
The AAC’s 651 Sqn is a special forces support unit, so the Ministry of Defence (MoD) rarely comments on the unit or the Defender and Islander fixed-wing twin turboprops that it flies. This opacity extends to the precise number of aircraft in service, although Jane’s has previously quoted a 2016 UK Armed Forces Equipment and Formations report in which the MoD said it owned nine Defender AL2s, three Islander AL1s, and three Islanders CC2s, with eight, three, and one aircraft respectively in daily use. There were also a further three Islanders in long-term storage at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
01 Apr 19. Iceland coastguard receives new helos. The Icelandic Coast Guard has received two Airbus Helicopters H225 search-and-rescue (SAR) platforms as part of a revamp of its rotorcraft capabilities.
The two new helicopters will replace three AS332L1 Super Pumas that were received from 1995 and are being leased from Norwegian helicopter lessor Knut Axel Ugland Holding AS until a permanent replacement platform is purchased in 2022. Airbus Helicopters said on 1 April that it is providing pilot and technician training, as well as maintenance and support under an ‘HCare Smart Parts By the Hour’ contract. Iceland does not operate an air force, with all national aviation assets being flown by the coastguard. Besides the three Super Pumas, the organisation operates one Dash 8 Q300 maritime surveillance aircraft, and is responsible for a command and reporting centre at Keflavik Airbase as well as four FPS-117(V)5 long-range, 3D radars (located at Midnesheidi, Stokksnesi, Gunnolfsvíkurfjalli, and Bolafjalli). This Iceland Air Defence System (IADS) is part of the NATO Air Command and Control System. As part of its wider role, the Icelandic Coast Guard provides SAR support to the NATO air policing and training mission that operates out of Keflavik. Participating nations typically spend their first week conducting familiarisation flights over the country under the control of the Icelandic Coast Guard Control and Reporting Centre Loki at Keflavik. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
01 Apr 19. Japan Declares F-35A Initial Operational Capability. Japan’s Air-Self-Defense Force on March 29 declared that its first F-35 unit, the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, had attained Initial Operational Capability, meaning it is capable of carrying out simple operational missions. Japan is the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to declare IOC for its F-35s. Other regional operators include Australia and South Korea, which coincidentally received its first two F-35As on the same day, while Singapore announced last month it would order two for evaluation purposes. In Japanese service, the Lockheed Martin F-35 replaces the Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai, a Japanese variant of the McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom built under license by Mitsubishi Aircraft.
“This is a major milestone for the F-35 enterprise, as it marks the first F-35 IOC for an Indo-Pacific region customer,” says Vice Admiral Mat Winter, head of the F-35 Joint Program Office. “This significant achievement is a testament to the global nature of this program, and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) values the long-established bond with our Japan allies. This could not have happened without the hard work and collaboration between the F-35 JPO, the Japan F-35 program, our industry partners and the Japanese Air Self Defense Force.”
The squadron is stationed at Misawa Air Base, on the northern tip of Honshu Island, which host a large number of American and Japanese flying units, including the US Air Force’s 35th Fighter Wing. The new squadron flies F-35A fighters assembled in Japan at the F-35 Final Assembly and Check-Out facility in Nagoya, operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It is the second FACO located outside of the United States, the first being operated by Italy’s Leonardo at Cameri, near Milan. Japan is one of four countries to buy the F-35 under the United States’ Foreign Military Sales program, together with Belgium, Israel and South Korea. Given the much higher cost of assembling the aircraft in Japan — reportedly adding over $33m to the cost of each aircraft – the facility will however only build 38 aircraft in Japan’s original order for 42 aircraft, while follow-on orders will be produced in the United States. (Source: Defense-Aerospace.com)
30 Mar 19. Delivery Dates Announced for Russian Military. The Russian Defense Ministry will get the first serial Il-76MD-90A military transport plane next week, Russian aircraft manufacturer and design bureau Ilyushin said on Thursday.
“The first serial plane is fully ready. It is expected to be handed over next week,” a company source told reporters.
The military transport aviation wing of the Russian Aerospace Forces received two Il-76MD-90A aircraft as a pre-production delivery. A defense industry source told TASS that the use of those aircraft helped the makers to improve the first serial plane. The company confirmed that no other Il-76MD-90A planes have been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces since 2014.
Before 2030, the Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy more than 100 Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A military transport aircraft, as well as aerial refueling tankers based on them, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov told reporters earlier on Thursday.
While visiting the Ulyanovsk-based Aviastar-SP factory that produces Il-76MD-90A planes, Borisov said that under the state procurement order, three aircraft of this type were to be handed over to the Russian Defense Ministry last year. He confirmed that the company was about 3-4 months behind the delivery schedule. A special commission was set up to prevent such delays in future.
The Il-76MD-90A Upgrade
The Il-76MD-90A is a heavily upgraded version of the Il-76MD military transport plane. The plane’s new version is outfitted with the PS-90A-76 engines that help reduce fuel consumption by 10% The plane can carry a payload of 52 tonnes and operate at a distance of 5,000 km compared to 47 tonnes and 4,000km, respectively, for the Il-76MD. It is capable of carrying a greater number of transportable and air-droppable military hardware.
The upgraded plane is designated to transport heavy large-size hardware and cargoes, and also to land personnel, hardware and cargoes.
The plane can also be used in disaster response, for example, for extinguishing fires. In October 2012, Russia’s Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Corporation signed a contract worth 140bn rubles ($2.1bn) for the delivery of 39 Il-76MD-90A military transport planes to the Russian Armed Forces. (Source: Warfare.Today)
31 Mar 19. Saudi Arabia rolls-out first domestically built Hawk jet trainer. The first of 22 locally built BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainers for Saudi Arabia was rolled out on 1 April. Saudi Arabia rolled-out the first of 22 domestically manufactured BAE Systems Hawk Mk 165 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft during a ceremony held on 1 April. The event at the King Abdulaziz Air Base in the Eastern Province, which was attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, marked a major milestone in the country’s Vision 2030 programme for technical expertise and economic growth.
Already a customer of the legacy Mk 65 and Mk 65A-variant Hawk, the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) ordered its first replacement batch of 22 Mk 165 AJT aircraft in 2012, with deliveries from BAE Systems’ facility in Warton beginning in 2016 and running through to 2018. The 22 additional Hawks to be assembled in-country were disclosed in 2016, although at that time BAE Systems said it was unable to discuss the contract, which first appeared in its preliminary annual report for 2015. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
29 Mar 19. South Korea receives second A330 MRTT aircraft. South Korea has received the second of four Airbus Defence and Space (DS) A330-200 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft ordered in 2015, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in Seoul announced on 28 March. The aircraft is expected to become operational with the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) within a month, the MND said, adding that the two remaining platforms are expected to be delivered in November and December this year. The RoKAF officially introduced its first A330 on 30 January.
The tanker-transport aircraft, which is known as the KC-330 Cygnus in RoKAF service, is expected to extend the reach of the RoKAF’s strike aircraft into North Korea and improve strategic operations beyond the Korean Peninsula. After examining rival proposals from Boeing, Israel Aerospace Industries(IAI), and Airbus, South Korea selected the A330 MRTT in 2015 in a deal valued at about KRW1.4trn (USD1.2bn). Boeing had submitted its KC-46A Pegasus platform, while IAI proposed its B767-300 Multi Mission Tanker Transport (MMTT). According to South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the A330 MRTT beat its rivals because of its superior performance (endurance, fuel capacity, personnel, and cargo capacity), its pricing, and the fact that it is already in service with several air forces around the world, as Jane’s reported at the time. In late 2016 the US approved a possible USD141m Foreign Military Sale of AN/AAQ-24(V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) systems for installation on the RoKAF’s four MRTTs. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
01 Apr 19. Boeing Wants to Field Upgraded Compound Apache by 2028. Boeing [BA] has conducted wind tunnel testing of a 30 percent scale model of an AH-64E Block II compound helicopter, which the company believes it could field by 2028 to serve as a gap filler in a U.S. Army Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. “Boeing seeks to provide an affordable means to keep the current U.S. Army medium attack helicopter, the AH-64 Apache, capable on the highly complex multi-domain battlefield of the future through 2060,” the company said in written response to questions from sister publication Rotor & Wing International. “Boeing’s objective is to offer and field new technologies which make up the advanced Apache in the late 2028 timeframe.” The AH-64E production line is set to end in 2026. Unveiled last October at the Vertical Flight Society’s Helicopter Military Operations Technology (HELMOT) conference in Hampton Roads, Virginia, the AH-64E Block II compound helicopter would feature a wing and a rear propulsor, increase aircraft speed to 185kts, increase payload to 5,900 pounds hover-out of ground effect (HOGE) on takeoff, and increase range to 460nm.
At the HELMOT conference in Philadelphia this May, Boeing is to present its drag computation and validation of the compound helicopter and an overview of the wind tunnel testing. Boeing said that it is working with the Apache program office and the Army Training and Doctrine Command capability manager “to understand future requirements.” “The U.S. Army has committed no funding to the advanced Apache but continues to follow the Boeing IRAD (internal research and development) program,” according to the company’s written response to R&WI. The Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) — FVL Capability Set 1 — is the furthest along in the Army acquisition process. The Army kicked off the FARA competition last October — a solicitation that lays out a four-phase competitive prototyping effort that should yield operational, experimental aircraft flying by November 2022. FARA is to replace the AH-64 Apache gunships currently filling in for the retired OH-58D Kiowa Warrior on scout reconnaissance duty in the Army’s 11 heavy attack recon squadrons. For FARA, Airbus said that it is offering a concept based on the company’s Rapid and Cost-Effective Rotorcraft (RACER) that should fly 50 percent faster than a traditional helicopter while burning 25 percent less fuel. Sikorsky [LMT] is likely offering its S-97 Raider or some variant of the compound helicopter, while Bell’s [TXT] offering is likely one based on its V-280advanced tiltrotor. A joint proposal from L3 [LLL] and AVX Aircraft is also under wraps. In addition, MD Helicopters is developing “Swift,” a new, all-composite, winged version of its 969 twin-engine attack aircraft. The company said that “Swift” will use MD’s no-tail-rotor (NOTAR) technology and will fly at up to 200 knots, which is within the Army’s desired capability range for FARA.
The AH-64E Block II compound helicopter “is an intriguing idea, and if they keep development costs low and commonality with the current AH-64E high, they might succeed,” said Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at the Teal Group. “But the problem is that of all the FVL cape sets, FARA is the furthest along. That means a scout/attack model might come first, perhaps as early as service entrance around 2030. If that happens, this Boeing proposal won’t have a very big window, and the Army might decide to stick with the current model. Still, this is an interesting concept, and this architecture has been tested for many years, giving it a relatively high level of maturity.” Last October, in a visit to Boeing’s Mesa, Arizona, Apache plant, Shane Openshaw, Boeing’s director of Apache programs — a former Army Apache and Black Hawk pilot — told R&WI that “even using the most aggressive plan they have to replace that fleet with something of the Future Vertical Lift family, there will have to be another evolution of some sort to keep the [AH- 64E] aircraft sustainable, ready and relevant to support the warfight out to that time frame.”
Can the Army maintain military superiority at a lower cost to taxpayers through upgrading its fleet of Black Hawks, Apaches and Chinooks, or will the military service need a new start FVL program?
“That’s the big question,” Aboulafia said. “But of course there are different cape sets. It seems prudent to do one at a time, to mitigate risk to the other categories. It sounds like the scout/light attack cape set will be first, but that puts a big question over whether medium and large transport recapitalization can wait until they are reinvented under a different FVL category.”
The Army has conducted an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) on FVL Capability Set 3 — the future long-range assault aircraft (FLRAA) — by using the Black Hawk and various UH-60 upgrades, including the Improved Turbine Engine Program and main rotor and tail rotor enhancements, as a baseline, and Army leaders are scheduled to finalize the results of the AoA by this summer. The military service has not yet disclosed the results of the AoA, but service officials have said that they want to start the FLRAA competition this year. The Army has budgeted $4.7bn over the next five years, including $800m in fiscal 2020, for FVL, which includes FLRAA and the Future Tactical Unmanned Aerial System and FARA, both of which are in source selection. (Source: Defense Daily)
29 Mar 19. Boeing flies Block 2 Chinook for first time. Boeing has flown a Block 2-standard CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for the first time, the company announced on 28 March. The flight took place at Boeing’s Philadelphia production facility in Pennsylvania and comes two months after the US Army revealed it is to shortly award its first low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract for the configuration. The Block 2 enhancements, which are being developed for the US Army’s wider CH-47F fleet, include the Advanced Chinook Rotor Blade (ACRB), which features geometry and a new asymmetric aerofoil to increase the aircraft’s lift capacity by about 1,500 lb (680 kg) at 4,000 ft and 35°C in the hover (the army’s 4K/95 performance benchmark). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
01 Apr 19. The Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) has appointed Andrew Cowdery as its new Industry Co-Chair. Andrew Cowdery’s appointment follows Allan Cook CBE’s departure who had been Industry Co-Chair since February 2016. Established in 2014, the DGP works to strengthen the UK’s defence industry by working with key stakeholders across Government, academia, trade associations and all levels of industry. Andrew brings over 35 years’ experience in Aerospace, Defence and Space to the role, having held senior positions with Marconi, Ferranti, Astrium, BAE Systems and more recently Leonardo. Andrew has been involved with Panavia & Eurofighter collaboration from the late 1980’s, working with European Governments and Industry partners on Tornado and Typhoon aircraft programmes. He continues to chair the Euroradar and EuroDASS consortiums.
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
04 Apr 19. U.S. Navy Command Master Chief Ryan Burton, currently assigned as the command master chief for Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Three, San Diego, California, has been selected to replace Command Chief Master Sgt. Richard L. Winegardner Jr. as the senior enlisted advisor for U.S. Africa Command, J3 Operations and Cyber Directorate, Stuttgart, Germany.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Christopher P. Azzano has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Azzano is currently serving as the commander, USAF Test Center, USAF Materiel Command, Edwards USAF Base, California.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Kenneth T. Bibb Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Bibb is currently serving as the director, Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters USAF Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson USAF Base, Ohio.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Angela M. Cadwell has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Cadwell is currently serving as the director, Cyberspace Operations, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson USAF Base, Colorado.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Sean M. Farrell has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Farrell is currently serving as the director, USAF Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, USAF Life Cycle Management Center, USAF Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson USAF Base, Ohio.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Alexus G. Grynkewich has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Grynkewich is currently serving as the deputy director, Global Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Michael A. Guetlein has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Guetlein is currently serving as the program executive, Programs and Integration, Missile Defense Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Timothy D. Haugh has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Haugh is currently serving as the director, Cyber National Mission Force, Headquarters U.S. Cyber Command, Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Eric T. Hill has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Hill is currently serving as the deputy director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, J-5, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill USAF Base, Florida.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG David R. Iverson has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Iverson is currently serving as the commander, 332d Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Combat Command, Southwest Asia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Lance K. Landrum has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Landrum is currently serving as the deputy director for Requirements and Capability Development, J-8, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Jeannie M. Leavitt has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Leavitt is currently serving as the commander, USAF Recruiting Service, Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Michael J. Lutton has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Lutton is currently serving as the deputy director, Nuclear, Homeland Defense and Current Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Corey J. Martin has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Martin is currently serving as the U.S. senior defense official/defense attaché, U.S. Embassy, U.S. European Command, Tel Aviv, Israel.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Tom D. Miller has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Miller is currently serving as the director, Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Richard G. Moore Jr. has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Moore is currently serving as the chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. USAFs in Europe – USAFs Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Aaron M. Prupas has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Prupas is currently serving as the director, Intelligence, Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Bradley C. Saltzman has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Saltzman is currently serving as the special assistant to the Chief of Staff for Multi-Domain Command and Control, Office of the Chief of Staff of the U.S. USAF, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Michael J. Schmidt has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Schmidt is currently serving as the program executive officer for Command, Control, Communications, Intelligence and Networks, USAF Life Cycle Management Center, USAF Materiel Command, Hanscom USAF Base, Massachusetts.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG William A. Spangenthal has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Spangenthal is currently serving as the director, Operations and Communications, Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG David H. Tabor has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Tabor is currently serving as the assistant commanding general-support, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Andrea D. Tullos has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Tullos is currently serving as the director of security forces, Deputy Chief of Staff for Logistics, Engineering, and Force Protection, Headquarters U.S. USAF, Arlington, Virginia.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG John T. Wilcox II has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Wilcox is currently serving as the director, Operations and Communications, Headquarters USAF Global Strike Command, Barksdale USAF Base, Louisiana.
03 Apr 19. USAF BG Craig D. Wills has been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. Wills is currently serving as the deputy chief, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq, U.S. Central Command, Baghdad, Iraq.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
05 Apr 19. Australian Defence Industry Minister Linda Reynolds has announced the appointment of Kate Carnell AO has co-chair of the Centre for Defence Industry Capability (CDIC). Minister Reynolds also announced that James Fitzgerald, the executive chairman of Civmec, was appointed to the board, and serving members Karen Stanton, director corporate strategy at Heat Treatment Group, and Amanda Holt, CEO and chief engineer defence and aerospace at SYPAQ Systems, were reappointed. Minister Reynolds said Ms Carnell would bring extensive experience from the business sector to the CDIC’s advisory board.
“Ms Carnell is the current Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman and a former Australian Capital Territory chief minister. Prior to her appointment, she served as chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry,” she said.
The CDIC is a defence industry policy initiative that assists Australian businesses entering or working in the defence industry and supports sector-wide projects to improve the capacity and capability of Australia’s defence industry.
The advisory board brings together industry leaders and senior public sector representatives to guide the CDIC’s work. (Source: Defence Connect)
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
03 Apr 19. United Kingdom’s SEA signs MOU with Brazilian SIATT for Tamandaré-class corvette torpedo tubes. The United Kingdom’s SEA, part of the Cohort Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Brazil’s SIATT-Engenharia, Indústria e Comércio for torpedo tubes for the Brazilian Navy’s Tamandaré-class corvette project. The partnership agreement, which was signed on 2 April at the 2019 LAAD Defence and Security 2019 exposition, covers the potential technology transfer from SEA to SIATT for SIATT to manufacture lightweight torpedo launching systems in Brazil, a source told Jane’s on 3 April. In Brazilian service, the tubes will be configured to launch Raytheon Mk 46-series torpedoes. The four MEKO A-100-based corvettes to be built by Águas Azuis for Brazil will include two SEA triple-torpedo launching systems as well as the launcher selection panel. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
02 Apr 19. Australian marine technology firm AMOG Ventures Pty Limited (AMOG) and French naval technology specialist ECA GROUP have formed a Melbourne-based Joint Venture company to pursue a Royal Australian Navy contract worth up to $100m. The birth of the new 50:50 joint venture company, Advanced Magnetic Ranges Australia Pty Limited (AMRA), was witnessed by Victorian Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade, The Hon Martin Pakula MP, and the French government’s Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) representative here in Australia for the RAN’s submarine project, SEA1000, General Yannick Cailliez. The two companies, along with Victoria-based THYCON Industrial Pty Limited (THYCON), had previously signed a preliminary Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Euronaval 2018 show in Paris.
PERSONNEL
EUROPE APPOINTMENTS
03 Apr 19. Babcock has appointed first woman chair Former Shell executive Ruth Cairnie is preferred candidate to succeed Mike Turner. Ruth Cairnie has been a non-executive director at Rolls-Royce since 2014 and spent most of her career at Shell. A former oil executive from Royal Dutch Shell has emerged as the frontrunner to become the first woman chair of Babcock International, Britain’s second-largest defence contractor, as it seeks to regain investor confidence after a turbulent year. Ruth Cairnie, currently a non-executive director on the board of aero-engine group Rolls-Royce, is the preferred candidate on a shortlist to succeed outgoing chair Mike Turner. An announcement could come in the next 10 days. If confirmed, Ms Cairnie would take over from Mr Turner at the company’s annual general meeting in July. Ms Cairnie has been a non-executive director at Rolls-Royce since 2014 and spent most of her career at Shell, where she worked on strategy and planning. She also ran its fuel sales business. She is currently a non-executive director at Associated British Foods and Keller Group, the contractor to the construction industry. Her expected appointment was first reported by Sky News. Babcock declined to comment on Sunday. Ms Cairnie will need to help Babcock regain the initiative after a torrid year. The company was ejected from the FTSE 100 in December 2017 amid investor concerns about its dependence on contracts from the Ministry of Defence at a time of negative sentiment towards support services groups in the wake of the collapse of Carillion. The company has since been reclassified as an aerospace and defence group. Babcock was also hit by damaging claims in a research note by an organisation calling itself Boatman Capital. The note alleged that Babcock had “buried a lot of bad news” and that its management team was “not up to the job”. Babcock refuted the allegations but the shadow of the report continued to loom over the company. The defence group announced in January that Mr Turner would step down later this year after a decade in the role and in the wake of the introduction of a new corporate governance code. The timing of the announcement, however, was a surprise to many company observers because no immediate successor had been lined up. Speaking to the Financial Times at the time, Mr Turner said two top 20 shareholders had told him that they thought the company would have more credibility if he stepped down. “They think a chairman coming in with backing of the City . . . might add some credibility with a new pair of eyes,” said Mr Turner. Mr Turner made his name as chief executive of BAE Systems, Britain’s largest defence contractor, while at the helm between 2002 and 2008. He had also been chairman of GKN, the automotive and aerospace engineer, but had come under criticism for his handling of that company during a highly contentious takeover by Melrose Industries. (Source: Google/FT.com)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
04 Apr 19. Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) today named former NSA official and In-Q-Tel executive, Teresa Shea, vice president of Cyber Warfare and Mission Innovations within its Intelligence, Information and Services business. Reporting to John DeSimone, vice president of Cybersecurity and Special Missions at IIS, Shea will run a newly created business area which integrates Raytheon’s DoD cyber warfare initiatives with Intelligence Community cyber mission programs. Shea was most recently Executive Vice President of Technology at In-Q-Tel where she directed technology investment and adoption with Intelligence Community and DoD customers. Prior to that, she had a distinguished 32-year career with the National Security Agency, culminating in her role as Director of Signals Intelligence.
REST OF THE WORLD APPOINTMENTS
02 Apr 19. Former ambassador Skweyiya is new Armscor chair. It’s official. After being acting Armscor chair since last October, Thutukile Skweyiya now chairs the State-owned defence and security acquisition agency. The former South African ambassador to France was named by Defence and Military Veterans Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula as acting chair when serving chair, retired vice admiral Johannes Mudimu, resigned citing ill-health. He handed his resignation to the Minister days after last year’s Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition ended at AFB Waterkloof but Mapisa-Nqakula only acknowledged his departure when she named Skweyiya acting chair in January. That was when the Defence Ministry confirmed Mudimu’s resignation and indicated the deputy chair (Skweyiya) had been acting since October. This publication was told “a process is currently underway to appoint a replacement” at that time.
In addition to being South Africa’s top diplomat in France, Skweyiya was also South Africa’s ambassador to UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation). She entered the international relations sphere when she joined what was the Department of Foreign Affairs, now International Relations and Co-Operation, in 1995. She was the first woman to be a deputy director general charged with managing South Africa’s relations with Asia and the Middle East.
Her appointment was announced in a Cabinet statement which also named Malusi Motimele as deputy Armscor chair and a non-executive Armscor board member for the next three years. Skweyiya’s term as chair runs until the end of April next year.
Motimele is a Member of Parliament and co-chairs both defence-related portfolio committees – the Joint Standing Committee on Defence and the Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans. (Source: Google/https://www.defenceweb.co.za)
04 Apr 19. Rohde & Schwarz Australia has announced the appointment of Gareth Evans as its new managing director, and will look to “further sharpen the company’s profile as a turnkey supplier for superior communications solutions for the Australian Defence Force and government agencies”.
Evans has over 20 years’ experience in the high-tech intensive defence, aerospace and transportation industries, and has held various managerial positions in these industries at both global and medium-sized enterprises.
Before taking up his role at Rohde & Schwarz he was executive general manager, technology services at SYSTRA Scott Lister.
Rohde & Schwarz Australia is responsible for the design and delivery for the Royal Australian Navy’s Hobart Class DDGs external communications system. More recently, the company has been selected to deliver a new nationwide air traffic control (ATC) communications system for the Airways Corporation of New Zealand. (Source: Defence Connect)
03 Apr 19. UK defence and security electronics system specialist SEA has appointed Jim Manson as its business development advisor, in order to “develop its presence and support existing partners and customers in Australia and New Zealand”. Manson is currently co-chair of the Australian Maritime Environment Working Group, and arrives at SEA with 24 years of military service and 17 years of experience in business development and marketing in the defence and high technology sectors. In his new role, Manson will be responsible for “developing business relations in the countries and supporting existing partnerships, including with Daronmont Technologies, with whom SEA signed a memorandum of understanding in November 2018”. The partnership will enable SEA to pursue opportunities with the Australian submarine and naval shipbuilding programs and establish a specialist unit in Adelaide planned for 2019. (Source: Defence Connect)