April 2020 news

Naval Forces, Defense Industry, Navy Technology, Maritime Security


The sea trials of the Suffren, the first Barracuda-class nuclear attack submarine, have just begun. They will enable the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and the French Navy to test the performances of the submarine at sea before her delivery later this year. A total of six Barracuda-class vessels will be added to the French Navy’s fleet by 2030.

The Navy in FY2021 and beyond wants to develop and procure three types of large unmanned vehicles (UVs). These large UVs are called Large Unmanned Surface Vehicles (LUSVs), Medium Unmanned Surface Vehicles (MUSVs), and Extra-Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (XLUUVs). The Navy is requesting $579.9 million in FY2021 research and development funding for these large UVs and their enabling technologies.

Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $13,227,000 engineering services, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded delivery order under indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the design, prototyping and qualification testing for the TI-20 AN/BLQ-10.

Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces, welcomes the first dive for the Suffren at sea, carried out on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, after her departure from the naval base of Cherbourg. The Suffren is the first of six Barracuda nuclear attack submarines. Led by the French Armaments Directorate (DGA), these sea trials, which will last several months, will confirm the robustness and efficiency of the submarine before its delivery to the French Navy.

In an impressive firepower display, Pakistan Navy Fleet units demonstrated their combat readiness through live weapon firing of anti-ship missiles in the North Arabian Sea. Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi graced the occasion as Chief Guest and witnessed the event along-with Commander Pakistan Fleet Vice Admiral Asif Khaliq and other senior naval officers.

Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, and management services, has been awarded one of 40 positions on the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract (IDIQ-MAC) to support the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Surface Vehicle Family of Systems. The contract has a ceiling value across all awardees of $982 million over a 10-year period, if all options are exercised.

Since 2005, F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II aircraft have been rolling off Boeing’s production line and serving as the U.S. Navy’s multi-mission capable workhorse. The service took delivery of the final Block II Super Hornet, closing out a run of 322 one-seater F/A-18Es and 286 two-seated F/A-18Fs, on April 17, 2020.

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