Elbit Systems Acquires Harris Night Vision Business

Elbit Systems of America, a subsidiary of Elbit Systems and the Harris Corporation have agreed to move forward with the acquisition of Harris’ Night Vision business for $350 million. The acquisition of Harris’ night vision business opens a huge market for Elbit Systems, both domestic and international. Over 50 years Harris and its predecessors Exelis and ITT have established their night vision systems as the market leader. But with the planned merger between Harris and L3 Technologies, Inc., the night vision systems business becomes redundant under the combined portfolio.

Source: Harris Night Vision Acquisition – a Big Deal for Elbit Systems – Defense Update:

Army Picks Bell & Sikorsky For FARA Scout

WASHINGTON: The Army has now narrowed its future aircraft choices to Sikorsky vs. Bell.This afternoon, the service announced that it had picked Sikorsky and Bell to build competing prototypes for Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA), a high-speed optionally manned scout to replace the retired Bell OH-58 Kiowa. Just eight days ago, it picked the same two firms – plus aerospace giant Boeing, acting as Sikorsky’s de facto junior partner – to compete for the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA), which will replace the Sikorsky’s UH-60 Black Hawk as the military’s aerial workhorse for everything from Ranger raids to medevac.

Source: FVL: Army Picks Bell & Sikorsky For FARA Scout « Breaking Defense – Defense industry news, analysis and commentary

Raytheon awarded $2.3B production contract for missile defense radars 

TUCSON, Ariz., June 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a Raytheon Technologies business (NYSE: RTX), received a $2.3 billion U.S. Missile Defense Agency production contract for seven gallium nitride (GaN)-based AN/TPY-2 radars as part of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system, which is designed to protect against incoming ballistic missile threats. The contract is part of a foreign military sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Source: News | Raytheon Missiles & Defense awarded $2.3B production contract for missile defense radars | Raytheon Technologies

BAE’s to Buy Two Businesses From Raytheon and Collins Aerospace

BAE Systems’ U.S. subsidiary has agreed to acquire two businesses that are being divested in order for United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX) and Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) to secure the required antitrust approval for their pending merger.

Source: BAE’s US Arm to Buy Two Businesses From Raytheon, UTC’s Collins Aerospace; Jerry DeMuro Quoted – GovCon Wire

US Air Force to Recompete 3DELRR Radar

HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – U.S. Air Force tactical radar experts are moving forward with a quick-turnaround plan to recompete an air-defense radar system intended to detect, identify and track enemy missiles as well as manned and unmanned aircraft.

Source: radar recompete 3DELRR | Military & Aerospace Electronics

Raytheon completes first Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor radar antenna

ANDOVER, Mass., Feb. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Raytheon Company [NYSE: RTN]  finished building the first radar antenna array for the U.S. Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor. Raytheon completed the work less than 120 days after the U.S. Army selected Raytheon to build LTAMDS, a next-generation radar that will defeat advanced threats like hypersonic weapons.

Source: Raytheon: Raytheon completes first Lower Tier Air & Missile Defense Sensor radar antenna – Feb 21, 2020

Which components will next generation air defense depend on? 

We are looking at a decade where over 10,000 defense aircraft are expected to be delivered worldwide. With those aircraft come amazing new capabilities, including unprecedented levels of networking and computing power.

Source: Which components will next generation air defense depend on? | Editorials, Editors Choice, Global, North America, On Ticker, top articles News

Raytheon signs $6B contract modification with DOD

Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE: RTX) signed a $6 billion contract modification Monday to provide the Defense Logistics Agency with parts and repair and engineering services for multiple weapons systems.

Source: Raytheon signs $6B contract modification with DOD – Washington Business Journal

Shipboard electronics steams into the 21st century

NASHUA, N.H. – The U.S. Navy surface warship fleet in 2019 achieved important strides in shipbuilding and fielding new weapons. In late June, the Naval Sea Systems Command’s (NAVSEA) Electric Ships program office released a Naval Power and Energy Systems Technology Development Roadmap, or NPES-TDR — a path to new enabling technologies for exotic new shipboard weapons and sensors.

Source: Shipboard electronics | Military & Aerospace Electronics

NASA Announces Contract With Northrop Grumman for Gateway 

NASA is continuing with its plans to build the Gateway space station that will orbit around the moon, as part of its efforts to create a sustainable, long-term lunar presence. The agency has announced it is awarding a $187 million contract to aerospace company Northrop Grumman to design the habitation and logistics outpost (HALO) for the station, with a first design review expected by the end of the year.

Source: NASA Announces Contract With Northrop Grumman for Gateway | Digital Trends

Lockheed Scales Back F-35 Program

Lockheed Martin is making significant scheduling changes to hold on to employees while dealing with supplier delays impacting the F-35 program as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Lockheed Scales Back F-35 Program | Manufacturing.net