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Poland makes official request for US rocket launchers



According to an announcement on Poland’s ministry of defense website posted Oct. 19, the country has provided the U.S. a letter of request for one M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, division as part of what it’s calling its HOMAR program.

Poland had planned to buy the Lockheed Martin-made systems since 2015, but its original plans to share in production work for the HIMARS systems through PGZ, its state-run defense group, proved complex and ran up against several walls in the negotiation process.

The country announced this summer that it had decided to go the direct Foreign Military Sales route and buy the HIMARS systems from the U.S. government, to speed up the acquisition and also to lower the cost of the purchase.

Romania is the first eastern European country to buy HIMARS. Poland would become the second. Both countries, as well as the rest of eastern Europe, are working to beef up their air defenses to deter what they perceive as Russian aggression in the region following the country’s annexation of Crimea.

The U.S. State Department cleared a possible $250 million sale in November 2017 for 56 HIMARS launchers.

Lockheed announced several years ago it will restarting its HIMARS production line to build new launchers for the United Arab Emirates, but since then the company has seen a growing interest, particularly in eastern Europe, as well as an interest to incorporate the launchers into plans to extend cannon artillery ranges for the U.S. Army.

Lockheed and partner Rheinmetall to bid for German navy helicopters







MH-60R Seahawk - Public domain


Lockheed, Rheinmetall to make joint bid to supply German navy helicopters


BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. weapons maker Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and German peer Rheinmetall AG (RHMG.DE) said on Thursday they will make a joint bid to supply the German navy with MH-60R Seahawk helicopters built by Lockheed’s Sikorsky unit.

The two firms are also cooperating on a bid to supply new heavy-lift helicopters to the German air force, as announced in February, for a contract that could be worth around 4 billion euros ($4.6 billion).

The German navy has begun planning to replace its fleet of 21 Westland Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare helicopters, which are due to be retired in 2025.

Europe’s Airbus (AIR.PA) is also likely to bid for the contract with its NH90 Sea Lion multi-role naval helicopter, as is AgustaWestland, part of Italy’s Leonardo Finmeccanica SpA (LDOF.MI), which built the current fleet of helicopters.

“With this Letter of Intent, Rheinmetall and Sikorsky are prepared to strengthen their partnership in support of the German military and look forward to offering the MH-60R Seahawk as the replacement for the current fleet of Sea Lynx helicopters,” Sikorsky said in a statement.

($1 = 0.8627 euros)

Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Susan Fenton
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The F110 frigate will incorporates industry technologies 4.0

Finland moves to boost its naval power in the Baltic Sea hotspot


Boats of the Finnish Border Guard patrol in the waters off the coast near Helsinki on April 28, 2015. (Jussi Nukari/AFP via Getty Images)

HELSINKI — The increasingly strategic value of the Baltic Sea as a potential theater of military conflict between Russia and NATO is triggering fresh steps by Finland to modernize its naval forces.

Strengthening its presence in the Baltic Sea and protecting its 838-mile-long border with Russia remain two of the core pillars of Finland’s national defense strategy.

The country’s new vision for naval power aims to bolster Finland’s open sea surface warfare and anti-submarine capability in its primary territorial Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia areas.

The reinforcement of Finland’s naval strength in the Baltic Sea is being carried out under the $1.5 billion Squadron 2020 Program. Central to the project is the acquisition of four multirole, ice-breaking submarine-hunter corvettes with requisite weapons and control systems.

The Ministry of Defence has given the Finnish Defence Forces the green light to request final tenders for the Squadron 2020’s ship and combat system.

Three international companies — Saab, Atlas Electronik and Lockheed Martin Canada — have been short-listed as potential suppliers of onboard weapons systems, said Jussi Niinistö, Finland’s defense minister.

“It’s critical that Finland has a modern navy that is fit for purpose. The Baltic Sea has become a possible focal point for tension between East and West. We are dealing with a more unpredictable Russia. Increased military cooperation with partners will also see the Navy more engaged in joint international exercises in the region, especially with our Nordic neighbors and NATO forces,” Niinistö said.

Latvia: last M109A5 self-propelled howitzers from Austria delivered



The Latvian national armed forces have now received all the self-propelled feeds purchased from Austria. On Friday, October 19, Defense Minister Raimonds Bergmanis and Commander of the National Armed Forces Lieutenant-General Leonid Kalnins visited the Adazi base to view the self-propelled feedstock purchased from Austria.

Czech defense minister pledges purchase of new jet trainers from local company




up to six new L-39NG jet trainers from local to replace its outdated L-39 Albatros aircraft.

"The Ministry of Defence and the military are interested in these aircraft, negotiations are, of course, already taking place and we will acquire these aircraft," Metnar said, as reported by local broadcaster Ceska Televize.

In addition to the Czech Air Force, Aero Vodochody hopes to supply its new jet trainer to a number of foreign markets.

Earlier this year, Giuseppe Giordo, the company’s president, said the firm estimates that in the next 10 to 15 years there will be a need to replace up to 3,000 training aircraft worldwide. The manufacturer aims to supply more than 100 L-39NGs in the next 10 years.

Four jet trainers have already been ordered by Senegal, and deliveries are expected to begin in early 2020, according to Aero Vodochody.

The L-39NG is fitted with the FJ44-4M turbofan engine made by Williams International.

Aero Vodochody says it is the Czech Republic’s largest aerospace company, with some 1,900 employees.

EUROPEAN NAVIES DDGs/FFGs IN 2035

German budget committee approves the purchase of 6 C-130 airlifters - The Aviation Geek Club

The C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft will be stationed in Evreux in Normandy where France already operates the same type of aircraft

timepass said:

Uzbekistan's MiG-29 gets new paint scheme after overhaul in Belarus

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Brother, always read your news posts with keen interest. Just want to point out that Uzbekistan is in the Continent of Asia, not Europe, and this is a European Military thread.

Franco-German Joint Sixth Generation Fighter Program Could be Over Before it Ever Truly Begun