Global wrap-up: Korea seeks new anti-sub helicopters; Poland to acquire F-35

Asia-Pacific:

• The South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has issued a US$804 million tender for the procurement of a second batch of anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters for the Republic of Korea Navy - tenders have been received from Lockheed Martin and Leonardo-Finmeccanica. 
• US President Donald Trump has toured the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) ship Izumo ahead of the vessels modification to accommodate a fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35B short take-off, vertical landing (STOVL) to become Japan's first aircraft since the end of the Second World War. 
• Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has been awarded a US$52.5 million contract by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to modify the service's T-50TH Golden Eagle lead-in fighter trainers (LIFT).
• The Indian Air Force (IAF) has confirmed it will arm its Su-30MKI with BrahMos-A air-launched missiles in the next two or three years - the BrahMos missile has been developed by Russia’s Research and Production Association of Machine-Building and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO).
• The Japanese Ministry of Defense's Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA) has confirmed a US$91.2 million contract extension to Mitsubishi Electric Corporation for the development of a ship-launched surface-to-air missile (SAM) system based on the Type-03 SAM system. 
• The US Department of State has approved a US$317 million foreign military sales (FMS) to Japan for an additional batch of Raytheon AIM-120C-7 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) along with related equipment and services.
• Korean-based Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has successfully launched the first Jose Rizal Class frigate on order for the Philippine Navy and laid down the keel for a second vessel as part of a US$337 million contract. 
• Dutch shipbuilder Damen has launched the first of two corvettes for the Pakistan Navy - the 2,300-ton vessel has been described as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) 

Middle East: 

• Saudi Arabia has been approved for a transfer of aircraft support services valued at US$2.7 billion - which includes three separate approvals covering aircraft follow-on support services for US$1.8 billion, aircraft follow-on support and services for US$800 million, and continued Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft for US$136 million.
• The United States has deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a range of other military firepower including US Air Force B-52H as tensions between the US and Iran continue to grow. 
• The US Department of State has approved a US$1.2 billion contract to supply the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with air-to-surface missiles, additional Javelin anti-tank missiles, RQ-21A Blackjack small tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and US Marine Corps training. 

Europe: 

• Poland has announced plans to acquire a fleet of 32 Lockheed Martin F-35A aircraft worth in excess of US$2.5 billion to replace the ageing Soviet-era aircraft of the Polish Air Force (PAF). The announcement has drawn attention from Russia. 
• German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) is continuing to invest in developing its private venture remote-controlled Artillery Gun Module (AGM) that, when integrated onto the rear of the Boxer 8×8 Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV), is now being referred to as the Remote Controlled Howitzer 155mm (RCH 155).
• Boeing and Lockheed Martin have both formally responded to the German Bundeswehr’s tender for 44-60 heavy helicopters for the German Luftwaffe. Boeing is expected to present the CH-47F Chinook while Lockheed Martin's subsidiary Sikorsky will present the CH-53K King Stallion helicopters. 
• Royal Air Force F-35B aircraft have deployed for their first overseas deployment in UK service - the six aircraft took off from their home base at RAF Marham in Norfolk and flew non-stop to RAF Akrotiri with support from an RAF Airbus A330 air-to-air refuelling aircraft.
• Russia is expected to take delivery of 20 Su-35S fighter jets by the end of 2020, with the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Plant announcing that it is ready to start mass manufacturing Su-57 fifth-generation fighter aircraft. 
• The French Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, has announced that the launch of the Joint Light Helicopter program has been brought forward to 2021. The HIL program, for which the Airbus Helicopters H160 was selected in 2017, was initially scheduled for launch in 2022 by the current military budget law. Launching the program earlier will enable delivery of the first H160Ms to the French Armed Forces to be advanced to 2026.

North America: 

• Boeing is offering to expedite deliveries of F-15EX Advanced Eagle combat aircraft to the US Air Force by two years, should the service request it. The USAF has requested eight F-15EX as part of its FY2020 budget request and is expected to request 18 aircraft annually from FY2021-24.
• Embraer remains committed to participating in the USAF's Light Attack Experiment (LAE) despite the prospect of a large procurement batch being delayed, if not diminishing. The USAF recently settled on buying six aircraft, three Embraer/Sierra Nevada Corp (SNC) A-29 Super Tucano light turboprop aircraft and three Textron Aviation Defense AT-6 Wolverines.
• Raytheon Missile Systems has been awarded a US$355.5 million contract by the USAF for the AGM-88B High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Replace Exchange In Kind (REIK) program.
• The US Navy has formally launched the Block 2 upgrade for the Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack (EA) aircraft, with a request for information (RFI) issued in late May. The anticipated start date for the effort to retrofit all 161 of the USN's Growlers to the Block 2 configuration is 7 June 2020, with the upgrade itself being launched in FY2022 and aircraft being received from 2025. 
• Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) made the first steel cut on 23 May to officially begin advance construction for USS Columbia, the first-of-class ballistic-missile submarine (SSBN) slated to replace the ageing Ohio Class ships performing nuclear deterrence patrols.
• The US Army is moving out with plans to field its first brigade of up-gunned Strykers in 2022, and has selected five companies to participate in a design integration study. On 22 May, the service announced it was kicking off its two-phased plan by awarding a handful of companies – General Dynamics Land Systems, Kollsman, Leonardo DRS, Raytheon, and Pratt & Miller Engineering and Fabrication – with contracts valued up to US$150,000 each.

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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