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The V-280 Valor tiltrotor will become the main helicopter of the US Army. The V-280 won the tender, which also included the Defiant X helicopter, developed by Sikorsky and Boeing. The US will replace 2,000 Army UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters with one unified Bell V-280. The V-280 Valor tiltrotor was developed by Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin. The V-280 has an all-composite fuselage, superior flight performance and lower cost than the competition. The V-280 Valor does not have a removable rotary wing, which significantly reduces the weight of the machine, and there is no rotary engine - only the propeller rotor changes the position. By using dual motors with common drive shafts, both rotors can be powered by the same motor in the event of a mechanical failure. The tiltrotor crew consists of four people and can carry up to 14 paratroopers with heavy weapons. The tiltrotor has a cruising speed of 520 km/h, a service ceiling of 1800 meters and a combat range of up to 1480 kilometers.

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Possibly even a smart move on the Canadian's part to drop the F-35 and then resign for it. The price per unit has dropped significantly over the past couple of years.
 
Possibly even a smart move on the Canadian's part to drop the F-35 and then resign for it. The price per unit has dropped significantly over the past couple of years.
More by pure arse than good management mate ;)
 
Well they DID lose their parts in the construction contracts when the dropped it the first time. So there is that cost too.
 
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has sought proposals for a counter-anti-access(A2)/area denial (AD) drone swarm command and control (C2) system.

The Pentagon agency wants the Autonomous Multi-domain Adaptive Swarms-of-Swarms (AMASS) to steer thousands of disparate drones, enabling US and coalition forces to penetrate adversaries’ theatre-level A2/AD bubble.

The system is intended to let unmanned platforms operate independently in A2/AD environments without requiring constant communications, which might not be possible in such scenarios.
 
USA:
A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a test reentry vehicle at 11:01 p.m. Pacific Time Feb. 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

This test launch is part of routine and periodic activities intended to demonstrate that the United States’ nuclear deterrent is safe, secure, reliable and effective to deter twenty-first century threats and reassure our allies. Such tests have occurred over 300 times before, and this test is not the result of current world events.

“A test launch displays the heart of our deterrence mission on the world’s stage, assuring our nation and its allies that our weapons are capable and our Airmen are ready and willing to defend peace across the globe at a moment's notice,” said Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, Air Force Global Strike Command commander.

The ICBM's re-entry vehicle travelled approximately 4,200 miles to the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. These test launches verify the accuracy and reliability of the ICBM weapon system, providing valuable data to ensure a continued safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent.

“This launch showcases the redundancy and reliability of our strategic deterrence systems while sending a visible message of assurance to allies,” said Col. Christopher Cruise, 377th Test and Evaluation Group commander.

“This multilateral team reflects the precision and professionalism of our command, and our joint partners.”

Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, were selected for the task force to support the test launch. The missile bases within Air Fore Global Strike Command have crew members standing alert 24 hours a day, year-round, overseeing the nation’s ICBM alert forces.
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https://www.20af.af.mil/News/Articl...-readiness-of-us-nuclear-forces-safe-effecti/
 
Northrop Grumman in the United States tested the Hatchet loitering ammunition launched from the MQ-1C Gray Eagle heavy UAV. Hatchet ammunition can hit objects with an accuracy of up to 2 meters, and its weight of 2.7 kilograms allows the Gray Eagle UAV to take on board up to 12 such loitering charges. The aerial bomb uses two versions of the guidance system, one uses GPS signals, the other is combined, using satellite navigation and a semi-active laser homing head. Ammunition "Hatchet" is packed in a launch container, after the release of the bomb from the container, the control surfaces are revealed. In this case, three sensors are activated, detecting a laser “spot” of target designation. The planning aerial bomb "Hatchet" has a high-explosive fragmentation warhead, the power of which is enough to defeat manpower and unprotected enemy equipment. The price of ammunition "Hatchet" has not yet been reported.

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The United States conducted another test of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, the missile was launched from the Vandenberg base in California. Minuteman III is the only land-based intercontinental ballistic missile currently in service with the United States since 1970. The Minuteman III missile has three warheads and is capable of hitting a target at a distance of up to 13,000 kilometers. The Minuteman III missile is one of the fastest nuclear missiles in the world, its speed reaches 30,000 km per hour, at the moment it is faster only by Russia's Avangard strategic hypersonic complex, which we talked about earlier. The United States currently has about 450 Minuteman III missiles in service, some of them used for testing. The missiles will expire in 2030.

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BAE Systems has been awarded a $466-million contract to supply its M109A7 Paladin self-propelled howitzers to the US Army.

According to a US Department of Defense announcement, the agreement includes the delivery of M992 Field Artillery Ammunition Support Vehicles. The precise number of howitzers and carriers under order remains to be disclosed.
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Two Tennessee National Guard pilots were killed after their Black Hawk helicopter crashed onto an Alabama highway Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

The crash occurred on Highway 53 near the intersection of Burrell Road in Madison County, near the Alabama-Tennessee border, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

"We are deeply saddened by the loss of two Tennessee National Guardsmen, and our prayers are with their families during this heartbreaking tragedy," Brig. Gen. Warner Ross, Tennessee's Adjutant General, said in a press release. "We ask Tennesseans to join us in supporting their families during this time of unthinkable grief."

The Madison County Sheriff's office received a distress call on its 911 system around 3 p.m., spokesperson Brent Patterson told ABC News.

First responders who arrived first at the scene found the helicopter "engulfed in flames," Patterson said. The aircraft was a "total loss," and given the extent of visible damage, they determined there were no survivors, he said.

The pilots were identified by the Tennessee National Guard on Thursday as Chief Warrant Officer 3 Daniel Wadham of Joelton, who had 15 years of service, and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Danny Randolph of Murfreesboro, who had 13 years of service.

The soldiers were assigned to A Company, 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion, from Nashville’s Berry Field Air National Guard Base.

They were approaching the Huntsville Executive Airport "when the aircraft rapidly descended and impacted the ground," the Tennessee National Guard said.
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US Navy Can’t Keep Up with China’s PLA In Shipbuilding, Service Chief Says (excerpt)

Feb. 22, 2023
(Source: CNN; posted Feb. 22, 2023)

 
Boeing won a $1.2 billion contract action for the E-7A Rapid Prototype program. This contract provides for the initiation of the development activities for the program.

Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be complete by August 2024. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity. The E-7A Wedgetail “will provide advanced Airborne Moving Target Indication and Battle Management, Command, and Control capabilities, and advanced Multi-Role Electronically Scanned Array radar that enhances airborne battle management and enables long-range kill chains with potential peer adversaries,” the Air Force said.

The E-7A was originally developed for Australia, and has also been adopted by the U.K. By leveraging allied investment in the E-7A, the US aims to acquire the new AWACS replacements more quickly than would otherwise be possible.
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