C-17 Post-Production: The Long Goodbye

by Joe Katzman | Jul 8, 2012 | Boeing, Contracts - Awards, Support Functions - Other, Transport & Utility, USA

This is the end…(click to view full) In July 2012, Boeing in Long Beach, CA received a $500 million contract for the orderly transfer of the manufacturing assets and data used to produce the C-17A Globemaster III heavy transport, once production ends. Work will...

Rapid Fire July 6, 2012: No Dutch F-35s?

by Joe Katzman | Jul 6, 2012 | Airbus, Asia - Other, BAE, Boeing, Britain/U.K., Budgets, Daily Rapid Fire, Europe - Other, Events, Fighters & Attack, France, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Other, USA

* A parliamentary majority opposed to buying the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has emerged in the Netherlands. Despite lobbying from the MvD, and 2 planes ordered already, the issue seems set to come to a vote. If the vote goes badly, the cost of ending the...

“Bushmaster Bonanza at Bendigo”

by Joe Katzman | Jul 4, 2012 | Australia & S. Pacific, Contracts - Intent, Europe - Other, Signals Radio & Wireless, Thales, Transformation, Trucks & Transport

Latest updates: Australia commits to more – up to 214 more, incl. a new role. Bushmaster & ASLAV(click to view full) Australia’s “Hardened and Networked Army” push led them to adopt the v-hulled, mine resistant Bushmaster vehicles, long...

Kuwait Wants the Latest Hellfire Missiles

by Joe Katzman | Jul 4, 2012 | Contracts - Intent, Helicopters & Rotary, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Other, USA

Kuwaiti Longbow(click to view full) June 28/12: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Kuwait’s request for 300 AGM-114R3 Hellfire II missiles, with the new triple-mode fragmentation/ blast/ armor piercing warhead. The Kuwaitis are also requesting missile containers, spare...

A160 Hummingbird: Boeing’s Variable-Rotor VTUAV

by Joe Katzman | Jul 4, 2012 | Aircraft, Boeing, Contracts - Awards, DARPA, Design Innovations, FOCUS Articles, Forces - Special Ops, Helicopters & Rotary, New Systems Tech, R&D - Contracted, Radars, RFPs, Sensors & Guidance, Small Business, Transformation, USA

A160T carries1,000 pounds(click to view full) Recent years have seen a variety of unmanned helicopter options introduced into the market. Boeing’s entry lays a breathtaking challenge before the field: what could the military do with a helicopter-like,...