Monthly Archives: August 2020

Space

La Jument nanosatellite

Lockheed Martin is building mission payloads for a Space Engineering Research Center at University of Southern California (USC) Information Sciences Institute small satellite program called La Jument, which enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) space technologies.

Render of La Jument nanosatellite (Courtesy: University of Southern California)

For the program, four La Jument nanosatellites – the first launching later this year – will use Lockheed Martin’s SmartSat software-defined satellite architecture on both their payload and bus. SmartSat lets satellite operators quickly change missions while in orbit with the simplicity of starting, stopping or uploading new applications.

The system is powered by the NVIDIA Jetson platform built on the CUDA-X capable software stack and supported by the NVIDIA JetPack Software Development Kit (SDK), delivering powerful AI at the edge computing capabilities to unlock advanced image and digital signal processing.

SmartSat provides on-board cyber threat detection, while the software-defined payload houses advanced optical and infrared cameras utilized by Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Technology Center (ATC) to further mature and space qualify Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies. The La Jument payloads are the latest of more than 300 payloads Lockheed Martin has built for customers.

«La Jument and SmartSat are pushing new boundaries of what is possible in space when you adopt an open software architecture that lets you change missions on the fly», said Adam Johnson, Director of SmartSat and La Jument at Lockheed Martin Space. «We are excited to release a SmartSat software development kit to encourage developers to write their own third-party mission apps and offer an orbital test-bed».

 

Powering Artificial Intelligence at the Edge

La Jument satellites will enable AI/ML algorithms in orbit because of advanced multi-core processing and on-board Graphics Processing Units (GPU). One app being tested in orbit will be SuperRes, an algorithm developed by Lockheed Martin that can automatically enhance the quality of an image, like some smartphone camera apps. SuperRes enables exploitation and detection of imagery produced by lower-cost, lower-quality image sensors.

«We were able to design, build and integrate the first payload for La Jument in five months», said Sonia Phares, Vice President of Engineering and Technology at Lockheed Martin Space. «Satellites like this demonstrate our approach to rapid development and innovation that lets us solve our customers’ toughest challenges faster than ever».

 

Bringing Four Satellites Together

The first of the four La Jument nanosatellites is a student-designed and built 1.5U CubeSat that will be launched with a SmartSat payload to test the complete system from ground to space, including ground station communications links and commanding SmartSat infrastructure while in-orbit. The second is a 3U nanosat, the size of three small milk cartons stacked on top of each other, with optical payloads connected to SmartSat that will allow AI/ML in-orbit testing. Finally, two 6U CubeSats are being designed jointly with USC that will be launched mid-2022. The pair will launch together and incorporate future research from USC and Lockheed Martin, including new SmartSat apps, sensors and bus technologies.

Lockheed Martin has a long history of creating small satellites, having launched more than 150. More recent nanosat projects include Pony Express 1, Linus, NASA’s Lun-IR, Janus and Grail. Additionally, Lockheed Martin will be the prime integrator for DARPA’s Blackjack small sat constellation.

Navy

At a private event

The U.S. Navy commissioned Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) USS St. Louis (LCS-19), August 8.

Navy Commissions Littoral Combat Ship USS St. Louis (LCS-19)

Due to public health safety concerns and restrictions of large public gatherings related to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the U.S. Navy commissioned USS St. Louis (LCS-19) at a private event.

«Nearly 200 years after the first ship to bear the name was launched, today we commission the seventh USS St. Louis», said Secretary of the Navy Kenneth J. Braithwaite. «Much like that sloop of war did in 1828, LCS-19 and her crew will protect the U.S. and our interests near and abroad. Whether conducting counter-narcotic operations in the Caribbean or working to enhance interoperability with partners and allies at sea, USS St. Louis will provide maneuverability, stability and lethality in today’s era of Great Power Competition».

Rear Admiral Brad Cooper II, commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic, welcomed the ship that brings capabilities to counter diesel submarine, mines, and fast surface craft threats to the world’s premier surface force.

«St. Louis brings speed and agility to the fleet», said Cooper. «Congratulations to St. Louis’ captain and crew for all of your hard work to reach this milestone. You join a proud Surface Force that controls the seas and provides the nation with naval combat power when and where needed».

Barbara Broadhurst Taylor, the ship’s sponsor, offered congratulations to everyone who played a role in delivering USS St. Louis (LCS-19) to service.

«To witness the skill and commitment of the officers and crew of USS St. Louis as they brought our magnificent ship to life has been one of the greatest honors of my life. All of us in the great city of St. Louis are proud to be part of our ship’s historic legacy, and extend our appreciation and lasting friendship to the crew and their families», Taylor said. «Your patriotism and dedication to preserving peace and freedom inspires us. May God bless our ship and all who sail her».

Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, and Environment Charles Williams expressed gratitude to the ships sponsor for their commitment to the U.S. Navy. «I want to express the Navy’s deep appreciation to the Taylor family. Much of what they do is anonymous but believe me when I say they are the preeminent philanthropic family of the St. Louis community and a donor to Navy causes», said Williams

St. Louis’ commanding officer, Commander Kevin Hagan, reported the ship ready.

«I’m incredibly proud of the work the crew of St. Louis put in to get this ship ready to sail. I am absolutely honored to lead this crew through all of the trials required of a brand new ship in the fleet», said Hagan. «Their perseverance and dedication will set the foundation for our crew and for all future crews that will call USS St. Louis their home».

USS St. Louis (LCS-19) is the 22nd LCS to be delivered to the U.S. Navy, and the tenth of the Freedom-variant to join the fleet and is the seventh ship to bear the name. The first St. Louis, a sloop of war, was launched in 1828. It spent the majority of its service patrolling the coasts of the Americas to secure interests and trade. In addition, it served as the flagship for the West Indies Squadron working to suppress piracy in the Caribbean Sea, the Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico region.

The littoral combat ship is a fast, agile and networked surface combatant, and the primary mission for the LCS includes countering diesel submarine threats, littoral mine threats and surface threats to assure maritime access for joint forces. The underlying strength of the LCS lies in its innovative design approach, applying modularity for operational flexibility. Fundamental to this approach is the capability to rapidly install interchangeable Mission Packages (MPs) onto the seaframe to fulfill a specific mission and then be uninstalled, maintained and upgraded at the Mission Package Support Facility (MPSF) for future use aboard any LCS seaframe.

LCS may also pair with the MH-60R Seahawk advanced maritime helicopter giving it a robust anti-submarine mission capability that is fully interoperable with the U.S. Navy and its coalition partners. Primary missions of the MH-60R Seahawk include anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance, communications relay, combat search and rescue, naval gunfire support and logistics support.

 

Ship Design Specifications

Hull Advanced semiplaning steel monohull
Length Overall 389 feet/118.6 m
Beam Overall 57 feet/17.5 m
Draft 13.5 feet/4.1 m
Full Load Displacement Approximately 3,200 metric tons
Top Speed Greater than 40 knots/46 mph/74 km/h
Range at top speed 1,000 NM/1,151 miles/1,852 km
Range at cruise speed 4,000 NM/4,603 miles/7,408 km
Watercraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 4
Aircraft Launch and Recovery Up to Sea State 5
Propulsion Combined diesel and gas turbine with steerable water jet propulsion
Power 85 MW/113,600 horsepower
Hangar Space Two MH-60 Romeo Helicopters
One MH-60 Romeo Helicopter and three Vertical Take-off and Land Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicles (VTUAVs)
Core Crew Less than 50
Accommodations for 75 sailors provide higher sailor quality of life than current fleet
Integrated Bridge System Fully digital nautical charts are interfaced to ship sensors to support safe ship operation
Core Self-Defense Suite Includes 3D air search radar
Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) gunfire control system
Rolling-Airframe Missile Launching System
57-mm Main Gun
Mine, Torpedo Detection
Decoy Launching System

 

Freedom-class

Ship Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
USS Freedom (LCS-1) 06-02-2005 09-23-2006 11-08-2008 San Diego, California
USS Fort Worth (LCS-3) 07-11-2009 12-07-2010 09-22-2012 San Diego, California
USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) 10-27-2011 12-18-2013 11-21-2015 San Diego, California
USS Detroit (LCS-7) 08-11-2012 10-18-2014 10-22-2016 San Diego, California
USS Little Rock (LCS-9) 06-27-2013 07-18-2015 12-16-2017 San Diego, California
USS Sioux City (LCS-11) 02-19-2014 01-30-2016 11-17-2018 Mayport, Florida
USS Wichita (LCS-13) 02-09-2015 09-17-2016 01-12-2019 Mayport, Florida
USS Billings (LCS-15) 11-02-2015 07-01-2017 08-03-2019 Mayport, Florida
USS Indianapolis (LCS-17) 07-18-2016 04-18-2018 10-26-2019 Mayport, Florida
USS St. Louis (LCS-19) 05-17-2017 12-15-2018 08-08-2020 Mayport, Florida
USS Minneapolis/St. Paul (LCS-21) 02-22-2018 06-15-2019
USS Cooperstown (LCS-23) 08-14-2018 01-19-2020
USS Marinette (LCS-25) 03-27-2019
USS Nantucket (LCS-27) 10-09-2019
USS Beloit (LCS-29) 07-22-2020
USS Cleveland (LCS-31)

 

Air

X-Plane Program

DARPA has selected three performers to work on the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program, which aims to demonstrate an aircraft design based on Active Flow Control (AFC), an area not fully explored compared to traditional flight controls. The goal is to demonstrate significant efficiency benefits of AFC, as well as improvements in aircraft cost, weight, performance, and reliability.

Three performers on the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors program will seek to demonstrate active flow control for aircraft stability and in-flight control

«The performers are looking at using active flow control very early in the design scope. That’s the differentiating piece that hasn’t been done before», said Alexander Walan, the program manager for CRANE in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. «AFC has been explored at a component level, but not as an integral piece of aircraft design. By altering the design approach, CRANE seeks to maximize the chance of a successful X-plane development while also integrating AFC into the aircraft’s stability and control».

The program is kicking off Phase 0, a long conceptual design phase to give performers time to evaluate flow control options before solidifying their demonstration approaches. The performers selected for Phase 0 are:

  • Aurora Flight Sciences;
  • Lockheed Martin; and
  • Georgia Tech Research Corporation.

Phase 0 awards will comprise multiple conceptual design trades, active flow control component testing, multi-domain analysis and optimization, concept down selection, and a conceptual design review.

Over the past two decades, the term AFC has described a wide range of fluid dynamic control approaches. For the CRANE program, active flow control is defined as the on-demand addition of energy into a boundary layer for maintaining, recovering, or improving vehicle aerodynamic performance. CRANE is excluding already proven techniques that use large external moving surfaces, mechanical vectoring of engine jet exhaust, or other traditional moving aerodynamic control devices.

CRANE performers are expected to maximize use of commercial off-the-shelf-parts and components for non-flight control subsystems to reduce program risk outside of unique configurations and AFC technologies.

«Active flow control technology has matured at the component level to the point where a potential leap forward in aircraft technology is possible», said Walan. «We see an opportunity with CRANE to open up the future design space for both defense and civilian applications».

Ground Forces, Missile Defense

Iron Dome facility

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business, and RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., an Israeli-based defense technology company, have signed a joint venture to establish an Iron Dome Weapon System production facility in the United States. The new partnership, called Raytheon RAFAEL Area Protection Systems, anticipates finalizing a site location before the end of the year.

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, RAFAEL team to establish U.S.-based Iron Dome Weapon System production facility

«This will be the first Iron Dome all-up-round facility outside of Israel, and it will help the U.S. Department of Defense and allies across the globe obtain the system for defense of their service members and critical infrastructure», said Raytheon Missiles & Defense Systems’ Sam Deneke, vice president of Land Warfare & Air Defense business execution.

The new facility will produce both the Iron Dome Weapon System, which consists of the Tamir interceptor and launcher, and the SkyHunter missile, a U.S. derivative of Tamir. Both Tamir and SkyHunter intercept incoming cruise missiles, unmanned aerial systems and short-range targets such as rockets, artillery, mortars and other aerial threats.

«We are excited about this new stage in our partnership with Raytheon and proud of our U.S. production», said Brigadier General (res.) Pini Yungman, executive vice president for Air and Missile Defense of RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems. «We have long partnered on U.S. production of Iron Dome and are pleased to increase manufacturing and bring SkyHunter to the U.S».

Raytheon Missiles & Defense and RAFAEL have teamed for over a decade on Iron Dome, the world’s most-used system with more than 2,500 operational intercepts and a success rate exceeding 90 percent.

Navy

Integrated Sea Trials

The U.S. Navy’s twelfth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS Newport (EPF-12), successfully competed Integrated Sea Trials, July 30.

The U.S. Navy’s twelfth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS Newport (EPF-12), successfully competed Integrated Sea Trials, July 30 (Photo by Austal USA)

Integrated Trials combine Builder’s and Acceptance Trials, allowing for the shipyard to demonstrate to the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey the operational capability and mission readiness of all the ship’s systems during a single underway period. During trials, the shipbuilder conducted comprehensive tests to demonstrate the performance of all of the ship’s major systems. The USNS Newport (EPF-12) is the second EPF ship to undergo the Integrated Trial, signifying the stability and maturity of the shipbuilding program.

«Achieving this milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the shipbuilding team and our partners in industry», said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships. «We are eager to press forward with delivering USNS Newport (EPF-12) to the fleet this year and to enhance the operational flexibility available to our combatant commanders».

EPFs are designed to operate in shallow waterways and are capable of a wide range of activities. The vessels are versatile, non-combatant, transport ships that are being used for high-speed transportation of troops, military vehicles, and equipment. Their missions include overseas contingency operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, support of special operations forces, theater security cooperation activities and emerging joint sea-basing concepts.

EPFs are capable of transporting 600 short tons/544 metric tons 1,200 nautical miles/1,381 miles/2,222 km at an average speed of 35 knots/40 mph/65 km/h. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. The ships are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank.

The USNS Newport (EPF-12) is on track to deliver later this year. Austal USA has also started construction of the future USNS Apalachicola (EPF-13) and is under contract to build the future USNS Cody (EPF-14).

As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft.

 

SPECIFICATIONS

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS
Material Hull and superstructure – aluminium alloy
Length overall 103 m/337.9 feet
Beam overall 28.5 m/93.5 feet
Hull draft (maximum) 3.83 m/12.57 feet
MISSION BAY
Area (with tie-downs) 1,863 m2/20,053 feet2
Clear Height 4.75 m/15.6 feet
Turning diameter 26.2 m/86.0 feet
ISO TEU (Twenty Equivalent Units) Stations 6 Interface Panels
ACCOMMODATIONS
Crew 41
Single SR 2
Double SR 6
Quad SR 7
Troop Seats 312
Troop Berths Permanent: 104
Temporary: 46
Galley and Messing 48
PROPULSION
Main Engines 4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L Diesel Engines 4 × 9.1 MW
Gear boxes 4 × ZF 60000NR2H Reduction Gears
Waterjets 4 × Wartsila WLD 1400 SR
PERFORMANCE
Average Speed 35 knots/40 mph/65 km/h @ 90% MCR with 635 mt (700 st) payload
Maximum Speed 43 knots/50 mph/80 km/h without payload
Maximum Transit Range 1,200 NM/1,381 miles/2,222 km
Self-Deployment Range 5,600 NM/6,444 miles/10,371 km
Survival Through SS-7
AVIATION FACILITIES
NAVAIR Level 1 Class 2 Certified Flight Deck for one helicopter
Centreline parking area for one helicopter
NAVAIR Level 1 class 4 Type 2 Certified VERTREP (Vertical Replenishment)
Helicopter Control Station
AUXILIARY SYSTEMS
Active Ride Control Transcom Interceptors
Foils: 3.24 m2/34.9 feet2 each, forward on inboard sides of demi-hulls
Vehicle Ramp Articulated Slewing Stern Ramp
Straight aft to 45 Starboard
Telescoping Boom Crane 12.3 mt @ 15 m, 18.2 mt @ 10 m/13.6 Lt @ 49.2 feet, 20.1 Lt @ 32.8 feet

 

Ships

USNS Spearhead (EPF-1), Delivered

USNS Choctaw County (EPF-2), Delivered

USNS Millinocket (EPF-3), Delivered

USNS Fall River (EPF-4), Delivered

USNS Trenton (EPF-5), Delivered

USNS Brunswick (EPF-6), Delivered

USNS Carson City (EPF-7), Delivered

USNS Yuma (EPF-8), Delivered

USNS City of Bismark (EPF-9), Delivered

USNS Burlington (EPF-10), Delivered

USNS Puerto Rico (EPF-11), Delivered

USNS Newport (EPF-12), Launched

USNS Apalachicola (EPF-13), Under construction

USNS Cody (EPF-14), Planned

Navy

Trent joins fleet

HMS Trent (P224) has been commissioned into the Royal Navy fleet during a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on August 3, 2020.

New Offshore Patrol Vessel HMS Trent (P224) joins fleet

In 2013 it was announced that the Royal Navy had signed an Agreement in Principle to build three new offshore patrol vessels, based on the River-class design, at a fixed price of £348 million including spares and support.

The following year, BAE Systems signed the contract to build the ships on the Clyde in Scotland. The Ministry of Defence stated that the Batch 2 ships are capable of being used for constabulary duties such as «counter-terrorism, counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations».

According to BAE Systems, the vessels are designed to deploy globally, conducting anti-piracy, counter-terrorism and anti-smuggling tasks currently conducted by frigates and destroyers.

Air Force, Fighters

A valued partner

On July 30, the U.S government submitted the Request for Proposal (RFP) response for the Lockheed Martin built F-35 Lightning II to Canada in support of their Future Fighter Capability Project.

The U.S government submitted the Request for Proposal (RFP) response for the Lockheed Martin built F-35 Lightning II to Canada in support of their Future Fighter Capability Project

Canada has been a valued partner since the inception of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) competition. Canadian industry plays an integral role in the global F-35 Lightning II supply chain and has gained significant technical expertise over the past 15-plus year involvement in the F-35 Lightning II production.

«We are extremely proud of our longstanding partnership with Canada, which has played a key role in the F-35’s development», said Greg Ulmer, F-35 Lightning II Program executive vice president. «The 5th Generation F-35 Lightning II would transform the Royal Canadian Air Force fleet and deliver the capabilities necessary to safeguard Canadian skies. The F-35’s unique mix of stealth and sensor technology will enable the Royal Canadian Air Force to modernize their contribution to North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) operations, ensure Arctic sovereignty and meet increasingly sophisticated global threats».

The program will continue to bring manufacturing and production opportunities to Canada, with an estimated 150,000 jobs supported over the life of the program. The F-35 Lightning II program connects Canadian industry to a global supply chain supporting a growing fleet that will deliver more than 3,200 aircraft and delivers sustainment well past 2060.

To date, the F-35 Lightning II operates from 24 bases worldwide. More than 1,040 pilots and over 9,340 maintainers are trained. Nine nations operate the F-35 Lightning II from their home soil and six services have employed F-35s in combat operations.

Navy

Harry DeWolf

The first Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS), HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430), was delivered to the Government of Canada on July 31, 2020, in Halifax.

First Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship delivered

This is the first warship to be delivered as part of the National Shipbuilding Strategy (NSS), and signifies the start of a long and exciting road for the Navy, with many more ships to come as part of our future fleet.

As outlined in Canada’s defence policy, Strong, Secure, Engaged, the Government of Canada is investing in six new AOPS to support the current and future needs of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

«Today’s delivery of the first AOPS is very exciting not only for currently serving members of the Royal Canadian Navy, but moreover, it is also inspiring for our aspiring shipmates, seeking state-of-the-art technology to form new experiences in and expand their professional horizons», said Vice-Admiral Art McDonald, Commander of the RCN. «What this new fleet brings to the table is impressive. It is designed with a thick and robust hull that will allow it to operate in up to 120 cm of first-year sea ice. With its considerable space to efficiently transport cargo, it can accommodate a Cyclone helicopter as well as small vehicles, deployable boats, and cargo containers».

AOPS will meet the needs of our modern Navy and offers facilities that will create a better quality of life for our shipmates. Its modern facilities include gender-inclusive washrooms, individual crew accommodations, and the flexible use of common spaces, such as the briefing room, wardroom, and boarding party room, to serve as a silent space for prayer or meditation required for various religious practices. This underscores our commitment to improved inclusivity and well-being for our shipmates.

Designated the Harry DeWolf-class in honour of Vice-Admiral Harry DeWolf, a Canadian naval hero, the delivery of this new class of ship represents an historic milestone for the RCN, marking the delivery of the first ship in the largest fleet recapitalization Canada’s peacetime history.

Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship (HMCS) Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) will require significant work and additional tests and trials to complete construction and operationalize the ship. Once complete, the ship will undergo a formal commissioning ceremony in summer 2021, which will mark its entry into active naval service.

Three additional ships are currently in production, with delivery of the second ship expected in 2021, and construction of the fifth ship expected to begin in 2021.

Future crew members of HMCS Harry DeWolf (AOPV 430) are in the process of conducting operational readiness and training activities to familiarize themselves with the ship and how it functions. As part of this training, the RCN is planning a deployment near Newfoundland and Labrador this fall that will prepare the crew for a deployment to the Arctic next year.

«This new class of ship is built for a real and clear purpose, and will provide the RCN with a modern, effective and high-quality ship to patrol Canada’s three coasts», said Vice-Admiral McDonald. «We look forward to welcoming the first new AOPS into RCN service in summer 2021».

The AOPS will primarily conduct presence and surveillance missions along Canada’s maritime approaches, to know who is operating in our waters and be prepared to react to a wide variety of incidents. They will also support other government departments and agencies, such as the Canadian Coast Guard, that are focused on ensuring safe navigation of shipping in the Arctic waters.

These contemporary and multifunctional ships will be at the core of an enhanced Canadian Arctic presence, and will effectively and strategically complement the capabilities of our current and future warships through critical reconnaissance and surveillance operations.

They will also be capable of participating in a wide variety of international operations such as anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and international security and stability. These ships will be able to contribute to humanitarian assistance, emergency response and disaster relief domestically and internationally, and undertake a diverse range of missions worldwide.

The RCN is growing in terms of capabilities, and that means that we will further enhance our ability to serve Canadians at home and abroad by being Ready to Help in terms of natural calamities and search and rescue; Ready to Lead in international maritime collaboration, and Ready to Fight and protect our Arctic waters and beyond.

For the first time in its 110-year history, the RCN has named a class of ships after prominent Canadian naval figures, proudly honouring their leadership, achievements and heroism while serving Canadian interests at sea.

Ground Forces

Lithuanian Air Defence

On July 28 President of the Republic of Lithuania Gitanas Nausėda was accompanied by Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis, Chief of the Defence Staff of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Maj Gen Gintautas Zenkevičius and Commander of the Lithuanian Air Force Col Dainius Guzas on a visit to the Lithuanian Air Force Base in Šiauliai to familiarise with the air defence capabilities Lithuania has and to meet with the Spanish, British and German airmen conducting the current rotation of the NATO Air Policing Mission in the Baltic states, as well as U.S. and Lithuanian soldiers.

Lithuania’s Air Defence Battalion operates Swedish RBS-70 and US-made Stinger short-range anti-aircraft missiles, with Sentinel and Giraffe surveillance radars, and the NASAMS medium-range missile are now being delivered

President was shown the RBS70, Stinger missile air defence systems operated by the Air Defence Battalion, Sentinel and Giraffe surveillance radars, and elements of the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) mid-range air defence system delivered to Lithuania in June earlier this year.

«Arrival of the NASAMS reinforces air defence of Lithuania and NATO’s eastern flank, all the components of the integrated defence system are linked together, and deterrence becomes stronger as a result», Minister of National Defence R. Karoblis says.

Procurement of the ground-to-air mid-range air defence system NASAMS is currently in progress and is expected to be completed in 2021. NASAMS components will undergo the first trial in Lithuania at international Exercise Tobruq Legacy 2020 in September this autumn.

NASAMS is the most widely used mid-range air defence system in NATO member states, and even for guarding the airspace over the White House, Washington. Lithuania has acquired the most recent, third generation, NASAMS 3, its current users are still only the Lithuanian Armed Forces and the Armed Forces of Norway, the manufacturer.

The guests also viewed fighter aircraft the allies protect the Baltic airspace with: F18 Hornets of the Spanish Air Force, Eurofighter Typhoons of the British Royal Air Force and the German Air Force, and Spartan transport aircraft and Dauphin AS365N3+ helicopters operated by the Lithuanian Air Force.

Air Force, Fighters

Japan Super Interceptor

Boeing and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) recently signed a Direct Commercial Sale agreement to support upgrades to Japan’s F-15J fleet.

Artist’s rendering of upgraded JASDF F-15JSI (Boeing rendering)

The contract is part of a larger $4.5 billion modernization program, announced by the U.S. Government in October 2019. The upgrades will introduce state-of-the-art electronic warfare and weapons. An all-new advanced cockpit system, running on the world’s most advanced mission computer, will deliver pilots enhanced situational awareness.

Under the agreement, Boeing will provide MHI with retrofit drawings, ground support equipment and technical publications for the upgrade of the first two F-15J aircraft to the Japan Super Interceptor configuration.

Boeing has partnered with MHI in the defense arena since the 1950s. MHI produced under license the current Japan F-15J fleet of over 200 aircraft between 1980 and 2000, and will serve as prime contractor for the upgrade. Sojitz Corporation, a trading company that works with Boeing’s team in Japan, will support this effort.

«Through this agreement, Boeing is honored to further our long-standing tradition of support for Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and MHI», said Will Shaffer, Boeing Japan President. «These upgrades will deliver critical capability for national and collective self-defense, in which the F-15J plays a key role. At the same time, they will provide MHI and our partners in Japan’s aerospace defense industry with an opportunity to enhance their own extensive engineering capabilities».

This DCS contract lays the foundation of the modernization program. MHI will develop the detailed modification plan for the jets and prepare the facilities and workforce for the induction and upgrade of up to 98 aircraft beginning in 2022.