The defence industry briefing
The news, views and numbers you need to know about this month
News in numbers
$21bn
The sum to be invested in US Naval shipyard modernisation
57
The number of countries signed up to the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace
7
Number of emergency landings made by Japanese F-35s since entering service, before the early April crash
6.3%
Increase in Australia’s defence budget from 2018-2019 to 2019-20
$82bn
Value of potential US Logistics Civil Augmentation Program (LOGCAP) V contract
$10bn
Value of the US JEDI cloud services contract, to be awarded to either Amazon or Microsoft
$14.31bn
Value of a USAF contract awarded to Boeing to increase the lethality of its B-1 and B-52 bombers
This month on twitter
Stratofortress in action
UK Apaches in Estonia
Lincoln carrier at sea
Sikorsky-Boeing Defiant
"We will bring every tool to bear against them in every corner of cyberspace.”
Howard Marshall of the FBI’s cyber division on a joint US and UK response to alleged Russian cyber attacks.
Around the world
The US Army is laying out plans for its Pacific Defender 2020 operation under which it will conduct partnership building exercises and high-end combat scenarios in the South and East China Seas.
Source: The Diplomat
The US Air Force has deployed an unspecified number of F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft to the Middle East for the first time, in order to replace the aging F-22 Raptor stealth fighter aircraft.
Source: Verdict.co.uk
The US Army has contracted Raytheon to develop a preliminary design for a 100kW class laser weapon system. The $10m contract is part of the US Army's High Energy Laser Tactical Vehicle Demonstration programme.
Source: The Drive
The Trump administration’s acting defence chief Patrick Shanahan has responded to claims that his decision to buy new F-15X aircraft on behalf of the US Department of Defense was due to the fact he was a former Boeing executive.
Source: The Hill
The search continues for a missing Japanese F-35 stealth fighter after it crashed into the Pacific Ocean while conducting a military training exercise at Misawa Air Base.
Source: CNN
A secret £5m drone, allegedly belonging to the UK Ministry of Defence, has crashed in the Western Australian outback during a series of tests led by a team from Airbus.
Source: Telegraph
The Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak met with US President Donald Trump to discuss Turkey’s planned procurement of the Russian S-400 air defence missile system.
Source: Reuters
The US Pentagon’s inspector general has announced plans to deliver an audit on how the US Navy is developing the propulsion and steering system for the $128bn Colombia–class nuclear submarines.
Source: Bloomberg
US lawmakers, including the acting defence chief and the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have said that while there is a need for the US to counteract unprecedented military competition in space, they have questioned Trump’s idea to create a separate $2bn US Space Force.
Source: Washington Post
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