In numbers

£177m

Value of the contract Lockheed Martin awarded BAE Systems to develop LRASM seekers

3,800

Approximate number of M-2 Bradley infantry vehicles the US Army’s OMFV programme will replace

750kg

Payload QinetiQ’s Titan uncrewed ground vehicle can carry

2023

Planned delivery date of Australia’s first MQ-4C Triton aircraft

20.9%

US Air Force’s female population

From our sites

BAE Systems wins Phase II contract for DARPA’s ACK programme


The Multi-domain Adaptive Request Service software was created under Phase I. Systems. BAE Systems has secured a contract from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to advance software development for semi-autonomous, multi-domain mission planning. The $6.5m Phase II contract has been awarded as part of the Adapting Cross-Domain Kill-Webs programme.

Read more at Army Technology

USAF B-52 bombers support Pacific Air Forces’ BTF deployment


The US Air Force (USAF) B-52 Stratofortress bombers have deployed to support Pacific Air Forces’ Bomber Task Force (BTF) missions in the Indo-Pacific region. The deployment includes a group of USAF 2nd and 307th Bomb Wings B-52 aircraft, 230 airmen and support equipment at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana.

US and Israeli naval vessels sail together in Gulf of Aqaba


The US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) has carried out a combined maritime security patrol with the Israeli Navy in the Red Sea. The milestone maritime patrol, which was conducted on 30-31 August, saw four Israeli and US Navy ships sailing together in the Gulf of Aqaba. US 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Forces NAVCENT commander vice-admiral Brad Cooper said: “Our navies are ushering in a new era of expanded cooperation and capacity building.

Read more on Naval Technology

In quotes

// Credit: Twitter

Racial disparities in the military justice system have been a problem for far too long. We are committed to identifying solutions fitted to this problem with detailed attention and careful implementation. Our people deserve nothing less.

US Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr Kathleen Hicks addressing racial disparities in the US military justice system.

// Credit: Ilyas Tayfun Salci / Shutterstock

Credit: U.S. Air Force

In 14 days over 15,000 people have been airlifted on over 165 flights. We should be proud of our armed forces, welcoming to those coming for a better life, and sad for those left behind. Our obligation to them does not end with our leaving. There will be many lessons to learn but over the last 20 years there are also endless examples of amazing achievements, bravery and friendships formed.

Ben Wallace UK Secretary of State for Defence & MP for Wyre and Preston North as the last British Air Force Aircraft leaves Kabul, Afghanistan.

On TWitter

https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1433063313362104325
https://twitter.com/DSEI_event/status/1433779484310884369
https://twitter.com/dstlmod/status/1433032498846515200
https://twitter.com/DefenceHQ/status/1431208636840300544
https://twitter.com/SpaceForceDoD/status/1433430612002545666

In Pictures

US Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli completes FCTUSS Tripoli underway in the Gulf of Mexico. Credit: US Navy photo courtesy of Huntington Ingalls Industries. Credit: Derek Fountain/ commons.wikimedia.org.

Kazakhstan orders two Airbus A400M military transport aircraft. It will be the ninth country to operate the aircraft alongside the UK, France, Spain, Luxembourg, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, and Malaysia. Credit: Airbus

The UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory demonstrated a range of uncrewed ground vehicles at the Combat Service Support Training and Development Unit (CSS TDU) in Aldershot on 12 August. Credit: Norbert Neumann

A US Army UH-60 Black Hawk of the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, Wings of Victory, flies over the Black Sea for maritime operations crew certification flights off the coast of Bulgaria on May 5, 2021, during Exercise Swift Response 21, part of DEFENDER-Europe 21. Credit: US Army

The British Army has sent almost 2,000 troops to Liverpool to help with the mass testing of residents for Covid-19. Image: Crown Copyright / MOD