Several days after the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was cleared for low-rate initial production, the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command awarded Northrop Grumman two contracts to produce the aircraft. The first contract, valued at $255.5 million, will see Northrop Grumman manufacture three
A U.S. Navy helicopter squadron made history earlier in September when the MQ-8B unmanned helicopter they operated successfully tracked a target and served as a laser designator for an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter to fire an AGM-114N Hellfire missile The Northrup Grumman MQ-8B Fire Scout detected targe
U.S. Navy’s MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) was authorized for low-rate initial production approval following a successful Milestone Decision Authority (MDA) led review. This decision marks the beginning of the production and deployment phase of the U.S Department of Defense acquisition
The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing and Lockheed Martin $43 million contracts for further work on the Navy’s MQ-25 Stingray unmanned carrier aviation air system. Under the latest contract, the companies asked to refine concepts and develop the trade space for requirements generation before the project
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has awarded Sikorsky Aircraft a $232 million contract for the procurement of another two CH-53K system demonstration helicopters. The service initially ordered four aircraft from the company in 2013 in order to carry out operational evaluation of the new helicopter
Sailors aboard U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109) and USS Lassen (DDG 82) tested their skills in fighting against drones during exercise Black Dart off the coast of Destin, Florida. During the exercise which took place September 20, both Jason Dunham
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command has recently shared a video of an F/A-18 E/F strike aircraft firing the newest Joint Standoff Weapon, JSOW C-1, to sink the decommissioned frigate USS Rentz. The F/A-18 E/F fighter jet from USS Ronald Reagan’s air wing deployed the weapon during the U.S. exercise V
The Panamanian Navy is host to this year’s iteration of exercise UNITAS which is attended by the United States, Panama, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru and the United Kingdom. The ten-day exercise kicked off September 18 and will includ
Royal Navy frigate HMS Monmouth abandoned the scenario during a Canadian-hosted anti-submarine exercise in order to help a Canadian fisherman in the North Atlantic. The Plymouth-based ship was around 100 miles east of Nova Scotia when she picked up a mayday. The crew of the trawler Double Mischief r
The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Eastern Shipbuilding Group a $110.29 million contract for the production of the lead Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC) and up to eight follow-on cutters. If the Coast Guard opts to build all nine cutters the contract will be worth $2.38 billion. The OPC acquisition will r
Ships assigned to the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (BHR ESG), with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, joined the U.S. military exercise Valiant Shield 2016, on September 15. Valiant Shield is a biennial exercise held between the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force in an effor
U.S. ships and aircraft used live fire munition to sink a decommissioned U.S. Navy guided missile frigate in waters 30,000 feet deep and 117 nautical miles northeast of Guam on September 13. The boat sank in five hours after sustaining 22 missile hits, finally succumbing to hellfire missiles shots b
The U.S. Marine’s F-35 Lightning II and the Navy’s Aegis air and missile defense weapon system worked together for the first time during a live fire exercise. According to Lockheed Martin, the company involved in the production of both systems, the event successfully demonstrated the integration of
A contingent of Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 7 staff embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) on September 11, to serve as the sea combat commander (SCC) for the expeditionary strike group during the upcoming joint exercise Valiant Shield. This will be the second time DESR
