Global Ordnance and Sparkz disclose plans for 500,000 US-made UAV batteries a year
The companies have outlined plans for US$25 million manufacturing lines and initial deliveries in 2027 as Washington tightens restrictions on Chinese UAV components.
Germany still to decide on P-8A weapons package
An artist's impression of a German Navy P-8A Poseidon MPA in flight. (Image: Boeing)
Despite committing to spend €1.43 billion on five Boeing P-8A Poseidon MPA’s, Germany is no closer to deciding on which weapons to invest in for the platforms.
The German MoD has told Shephard it will decide which weapons are fitted to new P-8A Poseidon MPA’s at a ‘later date’, on account of ‘some conditions’ being tied to the decision.
Those conditions were not detailed by a MoD spokesperson, but the fact that the US State Department did not include Poseidon weapons when originally approving the $1.77 billion German order on 12 March 2021, suggests the issue has been problematic for some time.
As the P-8A is typically fitted with MK 54 air-launched lightweight torpedoes and AGM-84D Harpoons, choices for Berlin are limited, unless it wants to take
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