USCG awards Minotaur retrofit option
The US Coast Guard (USCG) has awarded a contract option worth around $3.6 million to L3 Technologies Integrated Systems Platform Integration Division for Minotaur missionisation of one HC-130J Super Hercules long range surveillance aircraft, the agency announced on 22 June.
This will be the last aircraft in the agency’s HC-130J fleet outfitted with the legacy mission system; all new aircraft are being outfitted with the Minotaur mission system upon delivery.
The aircraft, CGNR 2001, will undergo the integration process in early 2019, with delivery scheduled for late 2019.
Minotaur is a mission system architecture that incorporates sensors, radar and C4ISR equipment that enables aircrew to gather and process surveillance information for transmission to other platforms and units during flight. The USCG is integrating the mission system across most variants of its fixed-wing aircraft.
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Navy takes delivery of New Jersey SSN
The USN’s Virginia-class SSNs are replacing the old Los Angeles-class SSNs. The Virginia-class SSNs are fitted with the latest sensors and weapons and around 48 submarines are planned, with a total of 38 currently ordered.
-
BMT and DNV partner to meet Australia’s heavy landing craft requirement
Under Project Land 8710 Phase 2, Australia has been seeking to acquire an undisclosed number of Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels to replace the Balikpapan-class. The programme has an estimated value of AU$1.4 billion (US$910 million), with IOC slated for 2032.
-
Babcock to take over upkeep of Royal Navy Type-23 frigates
The Royal Navy’s Type-23 Duke-class frigates for the UK Royal Navy were designed as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships but now have a multi-role function. Of the 16 Type 23s built, 12 remain in service with the Royal Navy and will be replaced by the Type-26 frigates before 2035.
-
Austal completes autonomy trials with former Royal Australian Navy patrol boat
The work took place under the Patrol Boat Autonomy Trial (PBAT), which has been a collaboration between Austal, Greenroom Robotics, the Trusted Autonomous Systems Defence Cooperative Research Centre and the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) Warfare Innovation Navy Branch.
-
Singapore launches fourth and final Type 218SG submarine
The era of southeast Asian submarine modernisation has been in full swing fuelled by growing tensions in the South China Sea.