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29 Oct 15. The U.S. State Department has approved the sale of precision bomb kits valued at $70m to Turkey, a member of NATO and a key part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, the Pentagon said Thursday.
Lawmakers have 15 days to block the sale, although such action is rare. Once it has cleared that hurdle, Turkey and the U.S. government can negotiate the actual sale.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees foreign arms sales, told lawmakers that the government of Turkey had asked to buy 1,000 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits that are used to turn unguided bombs into all-weather smart munitions using GPS guidance systems.
“It is vital to the U.S. national interest to assist our NATO ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability,” the agency said in a notice to lawmakers that was posted on its website on Thursday.
It said the proposed sale would enhance the Turkish Air Force’s ability to defend its own territory and work together with NATO allies.
Principal contractors on the deal would be Raytheon Co , privately-held General Atomics Corp, and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (Source: Reuters)
27 Oct 15. Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) has introduced its TOW® EagleFire™ launcher, an evolutionary development designed to bridge the capabilities of existing launchers and eliminate obsolescence issues.
Designed to fire both the wire-guided and wireless radio frequency missiles, TOW EagleFire provides increased capabilities over the TOW 2 launcher at a lower cost.
“We improved target acquisition and engagement found in the older TOW 2 launcher system,” said Duane Gooden, vice president of Raytheon’s Land Warfare Systems. “TOW EagleFire is simpler to maintain and more reliable, thanks to built-in test equipment and a significant reduction in system subassemblies.”
Other improvements include:
• Integrated day-and-night sight with range-finding capability
• Ergonomic handgrips
• Extensive Built-in-Test capability
TOW EagleFire’s lithium-ion power source allows for a nine-hour silent watch capability, when a vehicle’s engine is off, along with built-in AC and on-vehicle charging capability.
“Because the new system is less complex, we can provide superior performance in a reduced package,” said Gooden. “By planning today for tomorrow’s upgrades, TOW EagleFire will accommodate future missile evolution.”
27 Oct 15. UK extends SPEAR Cap 3 assessment phase, keeps options open.
Key Points:
• UK MoD plans to fund extended assessment phase for MBDA’s SPEAR Cap 3 solution
• Raytheon’s SDB II remains under consideration despite not meeting all Key User Requirements
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to fund MBDA Missile Systems for the continued development of a next-generation powered stand-off weapon to meet its Selective Precision Effects At Range Capability 3 (SPEAR Cap 3) requirement, the UK National Audit Office (NAO) has revealed.
However, the MoD has at the same time left the door open for a rival off-the-shelf solution, in the shape of Raytheon’s GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDBII), ahead of a SPEAR Cap 3 Main Gate decision planned for 2018. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
28 Oct 15. A technology being developed to allow military forces to select the explosive output in theatre – commonly known as ‘scalable effects’ or ‘dial a yield’ – has been successfully demonstrated by TDW GmbH with support from BAE Systems Munitions. The technology, an enhanced version of TDW’s RADIUS® (Range Adaptable Device Incorporating Unique Scaling) system was demonstrated to an international audience on 21 October at the UK MOD’s Otterburn Test Range.
The RADIUS® technology will allow military forces to control the effects of any blast / fragmentation or penetrator warhead betwe