Global wrap-up: South Korea to build new Aegis destroyers; UAE to acquire upgraded Patriot missiles

Asia-Pacific: 

• Japan has ended years of speculation over its multi-billion F-3 air superiority fighter replacement program – with the Ministry of Defense identifying that the nation would shift the focus away from acquiring additional Lockheed Martin F-35s and another foreign stealth aircraft to focus on developing a sixth generation air superiority fighter aircraft. 
• The US State Department has approved the foreign military sales (FMS) of up to 56 Raytheon Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB missiles in a deal worth an estimated US$1.15 billion. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region. It is vital to US national interests to assist Japan in developing and maintaining a strong and effective self-defence capability.
• Taiwan has been approved for a FMS worth US$500 million by the US State Department to provide the the continuation of a pilot training program and maintenance/logistics support for F-16 aircraft currently at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The deal will include the continuation of a pilot training program and maintenance/logistics, participation in approved training exercises; inert/dummy training munitions; supply and maintenance support; spares and repair parts; support equipment; program management; publications; documentation; personnel training and training equipment; fuel and fuelling services. 
• South Korea has approved a US$6 billion acquisition of an additional three Sejong the Great Class Aegis destroyers armed with ballistic missile interceptors, three Dosan Ahn Chang-Ho Class submarines with talks about the acquisition of a fleet of F-35B Joint Strike Fighters to be deployed onboard the Dokdo and Marado amphibious warfare ships. 
• BAE Systems has offered the Indian Navy the option to buy detailed plans for the 65,000-ton Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers - as India looks to replace its ageing aircraft carrier fleet. The Queen Elizabeth design features a short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) design to compliment the the F-35B variant.   
• Russia's Yantar Shipyard has commenced construction on two modified Admiral Grigorovich Class guided missile frigates to be operated by the Indian Navy as part of a deal signed in October 2018. The Admiral Grigorovich Class surface combatants are an upgraded variant of the six Talwar Class frigates that Russia built for the Indian Navy between 2003 and 2013. Displacing 3,620 tons, the frigates are reportedly capable of reaching top speeds of 30 knots and reportedly have an endurance of around 30 days. 

Middle East: 

• The US State Department has approved a possible US$2.78 billion FMS to the United Arab Emirates to provide 452 Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missiles Segment Enhanced (MSE) and related equipment. Also included are tools and test equipment, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, facility design, US government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics, sustainment and program support.
• Bahrain has secured a US$750 million FMS deal to support the acquisition of various weapons to support the F-16 Block 70/F-16V Viper fleet. The request included 32 AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM missiles, 32 AIM-9X missiles, 20 AGM-84 Block II Harpoon missiles, 40 AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) All-Up-Rounds, 100 GBU-39 250 lb Small Diameter Bomb (SDB-1) and 462 MK-82 or BLU-111 500lb Bomb Bodies (Supporting GBU-12, GBU-38, GBU-49, GBU-54).
• The US Department has approved a US$2.5 billion FMS to Bahrain to provide various Patriot missile systems and related support and equipment. The deal includes 60 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missiles, 36 Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM-T) missiles with canisters, nine M903 Launching Stations (LS) and communications equipment, tools and test equipment, range and test programs, support equipment, prime movers, generators, publications and technical documentation, training equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training, Technical Assistance Field Team (TAFT), US government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services.
• The Egyptian Navy has taken delivery of its third Type 209 submarines built by German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) as part of a deal for four submarines signed in December 2017. TKMS has handed over to Egypt the second out of four submarines, contracted to be obtained from Germany in April 2018 in the city of Kiel.

Europe: 

• German and Norwegian defence officials met in Munich to discuss a path forward for the development of a joint Type 212-CD submarine program – the design of the new boats has yet to be confirmed. The idea is for TKMS to produce six identical boats – two for Germany and four for Norway. Norwegian missile-maker Kongsberg, in turn, will outfit German Navy ships with an upgraded variant of its Naval Strike Missile.
• The French Air Force has taken delivery of its 15th A400M Atlas tactical air lifter – the 'tactical standard' aircraft includes the capability to land and take off from unprepared terrain and the capacity to make landing approaches under auto-pilot in all weather. Three previously delivered aircraft have been upgraded to this new standard. Two new capabilities will be added in autumn: the ejection of heavy loads up to 16 tonnes from the rear ramp, and refuelling by the central point. The 11 other Atlas aircraft currently in the French inventory will be upgraded to this tactical standard by 2020.
• The UK Royal Navy has unveiled its next-generation Dragonfire laser gun to mounted on board ships and to be deployed with other UK Armed Forces to protect against missile threats, drone attacks and artillery bombardment.
• British Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt announced that the Royal Navy's fourth Dreanought Class ballistic missile submarine will be named HMS King George IV on the 50th anniversary of the formation of the UK's continuous at sea deterrent (CASD) capability. 

North America: 

• The US Air Force has successfully tested its Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD) to shoot down "multiple air launched missiles in flight". The system is intended to eventually be mounted on an aircraft, where it could be used to shoot down incoming surface-to-air or air-to-air launched missiles. It includes three major components: the laser system, a control system to aim said laser, and a pod that would power everything, which would be mounted onto an aircraft.
• The US Army is planning to outfit three of its six brigades with Double V-Hull A1 Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicles with 30mm Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS) capability after reviewing lessons learned from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment in Europe as part of a US$300 million emergency approval from US Congress approved in 2015. 
• The US Army has selected five companies to design a new Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) – the companies include AVX Aircraft Co, L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, Karem Aircraft and Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky. The awards were made two months ahead of an already ambitious schedule to get FARA prototypes flying by 2023. A production decision could happen in 2028, but the service is looking at any way possible to speed up that timeline.
• Raytheon has been awarded a US$149 million fixed-price-incentive-firm contract for Lot 19 AIM-9X Block II and II+ all up round tactical missiles, captive air training missiles, captive test missiles, special air training missiles, advanced optical target detectors, guidance units (live battery), captive air and spares for the US Navy, US Air Force, and the governments of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Morocco, Oman, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Lockheed Martin has transitioned additional F-35 suppliers to longer-term performance based logistics (PBL) contracts and master repair agreements (MRA) in order to “enhance supply availability and reduce sustainment costs”.
• Harris Corp Government Communications Systems has been awarded a US$27.6 million indefinite-delivery requirements contract for production and repair services for the AN/PLM-4 Radar Signal Simulator System.
• OSI Maritime Systems announced the contract signing with Lockheed Martin Canada to design the integrated bridge and navigation bridge for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Type 26-based Canadian Surface Combatant vessels.

Australia: 

Stephen Kuper

Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.

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