Romania opens the chequebook and reorganises as it watches Russian aggression
Romania is retiring old systems, some Soviet, and replacing them with western equipment from countries such as Sweden and Turkey and boosting existing modern fleets.
Lockheed Martin has announced that it has been awarded a contract by the US Air Force (USAF) to develop a new block upgrade for the C130J Super Hercules. The contract, announced by Lockheed Martin on 19 December 2011, is worth $167 million to the company.
The C-130J fleet is currently flying with the Block 6.0 configuration, while the Block 7.0 configuration is in flight trials. This upgrade will be the Block 8.1 enhancement, and will contain both software and hardware capability expansion for installation on all US government C-130Js and C-130Js of operator countries that select the upgrade.
According to the company, the new Block 8.1 configuration will include items such as updated Identification Friend or Foe (IFF); TEMPEST compliance; Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast; a Communications, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management Data Link; an Enhanced Inter-Communication System; enhanced Approach and Landing Systems; Enhanced Diagnostics; and additional Covert Lighting.
C-130J aircraft are currently in production for the US Air Force and Marine Corps, Iraq, Israel, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Oman and Tunisia. C-130Js are also flown by Australia, Canada, Denmark, India, Italy, Norway, Qatar, the United Kingdom and the US Coast Guard.
Romania is retiring old systems, some Soviet, and replacing them with western equipment from countries such as Sweden and Turkey and boosting existing modern fleets.
Exercise Dynamic Front 25 is part of a series of NATO exercises that will run until 26 November.
Milrem has delivered or is building a total of 200 Tracked Hybrid Modular Infantry System UGVs and has chosen Texelis as partner in its effort to develop a UGV.
The most recent nation to join NATO has joined other member nations in using the M3 system.
Slovakia is undergoing a radical refresh of its equipment, like many central and eastern European countries, and the arrival of new vehicles will form a substantial part of this.
In conversation... Patria’s Lauri Pauniaho talks to Shephard's Gerrard Cowan about how high mobility levels are essential for mortar systems in the face of modern counter-battery fire, and how a new platform-agnostic module can combine existing vehicles and mortar barrels into a cost-effective new weapon system.