The Rockets’ Red Ink: from EELV to a Competitive Space Launch Future

by Joe Katzman | May 13, 2019 | Boeing, Contracts - Awards, Issues - Political, Launch Facilities, Launch Vehicles, Legal, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, Satellites & Sensors, Spotlight articles, USA

Boeing Delta IV Heavy (click to view full) The EELV program was designed to reduce the cost of government space launches through greater contractor competition, and modifiable rocket families whose system requirements emphasized simplicity, commonality,...

LCAC Hovercraft: US Navy’s Champion Schleppers Get SLEPped

by Joe Katzman | May 13, 2019 | Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Modifications, Delivery & Task Orders, Electronics - General, Engines & Propulsion - Naval, Forces - Marines, L3 Communications, Other Corporation, Power Projection, Spotlight articles, USA

LCAC versatility (click to view full) The US military calls them Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC). They’re high-speed, fully amphibious hovercraft capable of carrying a 60-ton payload (75 tons in overload) over water and land at speeds in excess of 40 knots and...

CEC: Cooperative Engagement for Fleet Defense

by Joe Katzman | May 10, 2019 | ABM, Americas - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, Britain/U.K., Contracts - Modifications, Electronics - General, FOCUS Articles, IT - Software & Integration, Protective Systems - Naval, Radars, Raytheon, Sensors & Guidance, Support & Maintenance, Support Functions - Other, Surface Ships - Combat, Transformation, USA

CEC Concept (click to enlarge) Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) is the US Navy’s secret weapon. Actually, it’s not so secret. It’s just that its relatively low price means often leads people to overlook the revolutionary change it creates for...

The New Iraqi Air Force: F-16IQ Block 52 Fighters

by Joe Katzman | May 9, 2019 | Alliances, BAE, Fighters & Attack, Iraq, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Pre-RFP, Rumours, Simulation & Training, USA

F-16IQ (D) (click to view full) Iraq’s military has made significant strides in recent years, and the country is ordering more advanced military equipment to match. A slew of 2008 requests aimed to spend over $10 billion to buy advanced armored vehicles,...

$1.1B to Upgrade Turkish F-16 fleet

by Joe Katzman | May 3, 2019 | Alliances, BAE, Bases & Infrastructure, Contracts - Intent, ECM, Electronics - General, Events, Fighters & Attack, Issues - International, Lockheed Martin, Missiles - Air-Air, News, Radars, Signals Radio & Wireless, Turkey, USA

Turkish F-16 (click to view full) The Turkish and US governments signed a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) on April 26/05 for the $1.1-billion modernization of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16s to a common avionics configuration. December 2006 saw a $635.1 million...