“Gloves are off” as US Defense Secretary memo calls for sweeping drone procurement reform
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has promised to usher in a new era of “military drone dominance”.
The AN/ALQ-172 is installed on B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers. (Photo: USAF/Senior Airman Jacob Thompson)
The Electronic Warfare Contracting Branch of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center has awarded L3Harris Technologies a ten-year IDIQ contract worth $947.29 million, to provide modernisation and engineering services associated with the AN/ALQ-172 radar warning receiver.
Work includes block cycle, non-block cycle and engineering sustainment, as well as enhancements for Air Force Global Strike Command, the DoD announced on 31 August.
The AN/ALQ-172 is installed on B-52H Stratofortress strategic bombers and the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft. The system protects these aircraft from radar-guided threats.
Earlier in August, L3Harris was awarded a contract to provide repair services to the USAF for the AN/ALQ-172 radar warning receiver under a $39.73 million sole-source contract.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has promised to usher in a new era of “military drone dominance”.
The possible sale for nine HH-60W by the US government could make Norway the first Foreign Military Sale customer for the rescue and combat helicopter and add to the country’s ongoing acquisition of Sikorsky-made helicopters.
The programme first began in 2023 with Bell and Boeing’s concepts progressing to Phase 1B, in which testing has been carried out over the last year.
The report discloses that while the capability provided by the F-35 is superior to previous UK aircraft, delays from the UK Ministry of Defence on the programme have significantly impacted the country’s warfighting capabilities.
The new ‘Entente Industrielle’ will work on a range of other projects to boost the UK economy and defence industry, including joint development on new high-tech frequency weapons and extended range air-to-air missiles.
The E-7A is one of three aircraft submitted for the South Korean AEW&C II competition, which seeks to acquire four more aircraft of the type for its air force by 2028.