UK MoD unveils first steps for British Army Watchkeeper replacement
Project Corvus will look for a replacement for the Watchkeeper Mk1 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) that was retired from service in the British Army in March 2025.
Maintenance and sustainment operation support for Italian and Norwegian F-35 aircraft will continue to be provided by Lockheed Martin under a new $13.12 million contract modification from US Naval Air Systems Command.
Work will be performed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for completion by December 2022, the DoD announced on 7 January.
Norway purchased 52 F-35As through an FMS programme for $11.2 billion in 2008, with deliveries to the Royal Norwegian Air Force scheduled between 2015 and 2024.
Italy has ordered 90 F-35 aircraft (60 F-35As and 30 F-35Bs); however, as noted by Shephard Defence Insight, the programme has been dogged by political controversy. Deliveries have been postponed and payments missed.
Even so, the defence budgets for 2019 and 2020 contained significant funding for the F-35 programme, suggesting that the programme is still moving ahead.
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Project Corvus will look for a replacement for the Watchkeeper Mk1 uncrewed aerial system (UAS) that was retired from service in the British Army in March 2025.
The Swedish Government has asked parliament to authorise two possible export sales as part of its 2025 Spring amending budget bill.
Contracts for the procurement of two platforms have been signed, and will be tested by the German armed forces.
The company has been negotiating the supply of TCTS II to US allies and partners.
The second and third Airbus A330 MRTT for the Spanish Air Force have been undergoing conversion in Getafe, Madrid.
The two countries have already signed defence industrial partnerships in recent years, most recently between Republikorp and Turkish firm Baykar in February 2025.