DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Northrop Grumman to Produce First Japanese E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Northrop Grumman to Produce First Japanese E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Northrop Grumman
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada (REDONDO BEACH, Calif.,) - January 6, 2016:-- Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has received a U.S. Navy contract modification for non-recurring engineering and recurring support to configure the first Japanese E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.

The E-2D is an all-weather, airborne early warning (AEW), command and control aircraft that will meet the Japanese Defense Ministry's requirements for a future airborne early warning platform, according to a statement it released in November 2014. The aircraft will be produced at the company's Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in St. Augustine, Florida.

Under the $285,975,244 contract modification, Northrop Grumman will configure the Japanese E-2D aircraft utilizing the same E-2D multiyear production line used for U.S. aircraft to allow for a more efficient and affordable delivery schedule. The E-2D is the world's only in-production AEW aircraft.

In November 2014, the Japan Ministry of Defense competitively selected the E-2D to fulfill an emerging next-generation AEW requirement.

"The E-2D will provide a critical capability that will serve as a force multiplier for the Japanese government," said Jane Bishop, vice president, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound programs, Northrop Grumman. "First responders will be able to receive and act on information more quickly than before with greater airborne early warning capability and a networked communications system."        

The Japanese Air Self Defense Force has operated the E-2C Hawkeye since the late 1980s. The E-2C is also currently in use by Taiwan, France and Egypt.

Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.

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*Link for This article compiled by K. V. Seth from reliable sources Northrop Grumman
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DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: What If Japan Dumps Lockheed Martin?

DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: What If Japan Dumps Lockheed Martin?
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Navjot Kaur, The Motley Fool - Daily Finance
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 7, 2012: Japan recently made its first public announcement that it may cancel its big order for Lockheed Martin's (NYS: LMT) F-35 fighter planes if the company adds to the pre-decided price or extends the delivery period of these planes. The cancellation can potentially wipe out more than $5 billion that Lockheed is expected to earn from the deal.

A flashback

After the death of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il late in 2011, uncertainty and instability cropped up in the Korean peninsula, an area where 1.7 million troops from North Korea, South Korea, and the U.S. are stationed. In the wake of North Korea improving its ballistic missiles and both Russia and China developing stealth fighters, Japan -- with the world's sixth-largest defense budget -- also planned on improving its air defense network.

Japan placed an order to buy 42 F-35 fighter jets, costing between $114 million and $122 million per unit. This marked the F-35's first win in a competitive tender, as well as Japan's costliest fighter jet procurement. The company is expected to begin delivery of the planes in 2016, beginning with four jets.

F-35 program in troubleThe F-35 is expected to become the centerpiece of military forces in the U.S. and other countries. Lockheed Martin is supposed to develop 2,400 F-35s for the U.S. and other nations, helped by industry peers Northrop Grumman (NYS: NOC) and BAE Systems. However, the program has run into a series of cost overruns and delays.

Recently, Lockheed faced a delay in orders from the U.S. and some order cancellations from Italy, owing to defense budget cuts in those nations. This has effectively slowed down the company's production and reduced its ability to generate bulk orders for supplies, thereby increasing the cost per aircraft. In fact, the cost of this program has now increased to $385 billion from $233 billion earlier, and it may go up even further.

This means Lockheed will now have to charge a higher price per aircraft, and there is a chance of delay in delivery, as well.

The Japanese dilemmaGiven its uncertain economic condition and military buildup in neighboring countries, neither the delay nor the price hike will go down well in Japan. The Japanese military requires further confirmation and clarity on the cost and delivery details before summer, without which the country has threatened to cancel the F-35 order and look for a replacement instead. That's surely bad news for Lockheed.

What if Lockheed fails?Naturally, the other bidders for this contract stand to gain. Lockheed's F-35 jet was short-listed over two lower-cost, combat-tested aircraft, including Boeing's (NYS: BA) F-18 Super Hornet and Eurofighter GmbH's Typhoon fighter. Despite costing over $100 million per unit, the F-35 was selected because of its next-generation stealth design, which provides radar-evading facilities from the front and back of the aircraft.

The F-35s are supposed to replace Boeing F-4s, which were last assembled in Japan in 1981. In case Lockheed fails to clinch the deal, Boeing definitely has an edge over other competitors, as it is a tried-and-tested supplier of Japan's military requirements.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Navjot Kaur, The Motley Fool - Daily Finance
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DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Ripple Effect From India's Biggest Defense Deal

DTN News - INDIA DEFENSE NEWS: Ripple Effect From India's Biggest Defense Deal
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Harsh V. Pant - Special to The Japan Times
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - March 6, 2012: First it was the United States that got annoyed, and now it is Britain's turn to ask some tough questions about its India policy. Ever since the French Rafale fighter was declared the lowest bidder in the multibillion dollar contract to provide a new generation fighter for the Indian Air Force, a debate has been raging in the United Kingdom as to what went wrong with Prime Minister David Cameron's charm offensive in wooing India.

His visit to India in 2010 was widely viewed as a highly successful. He made all the right noises in India about Pakistan and terrorism, and there was a sense that U.K.-India ties had finally turned a corner. The Cameron government has also decided to give India £1.4 billion between now and 2015, amounting to almost 1 percent of Britain's own £159 billion debt.

But when it came to the much sought-after Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contract, France was the winner and the Eurofighter, produced by a consortium of four nations, including Britain's BAE systems, lost. Apparently, saying the right things and giving aid doesn't get you any influence in New Delhi!

From the very beginning, this saga has been rather interesting. Last year in April, India rejected bids by Lockheed Martin and Boeing (along with Russian and Swedish bids) for the $10 billion-plus contract for the 126 combat aircraft, despite extensive lobbying by the U.S. military-industrial complex, supported by President Barack Obama himself.

Nothing works better in New Delhi than a putdown to the U.S. — and that was quite a snub indeed! Instead, New Delhi short-listed Dassault Aviation's Rafale and the Eurofighter Consortium's Typhoon. There were extensive field trials, and technical considerations ostensibly drove the final decision. But the dismay in Washington was widespread and, to some extent, understandable given the investment that the U.S. has made in cultivating India in recent years.

The focus then shifted to the French vs. British, Rafale vs. Eurofighter rivalry in which the French came out on top. Dassault Aviation, Rafale's French manufacturer, will be entering into commercial negotiations with India over the next few months before final deals are signed. As this is a company that has been struggling to get foreign buyers, it would be keen on signing the contract more or less on Indian terms.

Deemed expensive and not cutting edge, the Netherlands, South Korea, Singapore, Morocco, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland have all turned Rafale down in the last few years. India, in more ways than one, will now be subsidizing the French defense sector.

India's decision was clearly influenced by the price factor as the EADS Eurofighter Typhoon is a much more expensive venture. But technology transfer was clearly another guiding factor with the tender stipulating 50 percent direct offset obligation for the winning bidder.

The Indian Air Force's familiarity with French Mirage 2000 aircraft would also have helped as Rafale is operationally and technically similar to the Mirage 2000. India would be buying the aircraft over 10 years with 18 Rafale jets constructed in Dassault plants in France and 108 assembled by Hindustan Aeronautics in India.

Coming just before French elections in which President Nicholas Sarkozy is trailing, this decision will boost his prospects.

It's no wonder that Sarkozy was euphoric, suggesting that "France is delighted at the decision by the Indian government. ... It will include important technology transfers guaranteed by the French government."

At a time when major European countries are drastically cutting their defense budgets, the defense sector needs external help to survive and India's decision will be a big help to France. Dassault was quick to react, saying it is "honored and grateful to the government and people of India." In Britain, on the other hand, there are fears of job losses at BAE Systems, which owns 33 percent of Eurofighter. The deal has been described a "major win for France and a major loss for the U.K." The U.K. government, at least publicly, is still hoping that New Delhi could yet reject the French offer and turn to the Eurofighter.

This is India's largest defense contract at a time when India's defense modernization has been attracting a lot of attention. The fighter levels in the IAF have dropped to an all-time low of 32 squadrons compared with an official level of 39.5 and a desired 42 squadrons. The IAF is desperate to replace its aging fleet of MiG 21 fighters.

At one level, the seeming transparency of the process should indeed be heartening to those who have puzzled over India's inability to get its defense modernization program on track for some time now.

For a usually lackadaisical Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) this is a welcome change. After years of returning unspent money, the MoD last year not only managed to spend its entire budget but also asked for capital procurement funds.

Now, with movement on the MMRCA bids, it is clear that the ministry wants to move swiftly on new defense procurement, relegating its ultra-cautious approach to the sidelines.

But there is a larger question that still needs to be answered. Major defense purchases are not an end in themselves. Ideally, they should be a means of helping a nation achieve its strategic objectives.

It's not readily evident what strategic objectives of India are being served by choosing Rafale over Typhoon. One can only hope that the Indian defense establishment is not missing the wood for the trees.

Harsh V. Pant is a professor of defense studies at King's College, London.


*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources By Harsh V. Pant - Special to The Japan Times
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DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: Japan Upgrading Airlift Assets

DTN News - JAPAN DEFENSE NEWS: Japan Upgrading Airlift Assets
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources UPI
 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - February 24, 2012: Japan is upgrading its fleet of military cargo planes and has requested engines and other support from the United States.

The Foreign Military Sale request, reported to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, is for six KC-130R aircraft engines and 30 T-56-A-16 engines as well as overhaul, modifications and logistics support for them.

The engines would be provided as Excess Defense Articles, the agency said.

As part of the package, Japan also requested six non-EDA spare T-56-A-16 engines, six AN/APS-133 radars, nine AN/APX-119 transponder systems and other related services.

The estimated cost is $170 million.

"Japan is one of the major political and economic powers in East Asia and the Western Pacific and a key ally of the United States in ensuring the peace and stability of this region," the notification to Congress said. "The U.S. government shares bases and facilities in Japan. This proposed sale is consistent with these U.S. objectives and with the 1960 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security."

 
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*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources UPI
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