Americas

General Dynamics Land Systems was awarded a $21,998,374 modification for Abrams systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 15, 2025. Fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $21,998,374 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.

General Dynamics Mission Systems has inked a $33.7-million contract to provide lifecycle maintenance for the US Navy’s Independence-class littoral combat ship (LCS) systems. The project stipulates overall in-service support for the command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, and intelligence or C5I solutions aboard the LCS fleet and its corresponding shore-base centers.

Middle East & Africa

Turkish defense electronics giant Aselsan announced today a new Latin American office in Santiago, Chile, the latest move in the company’s global expansion. The office, which the company dubbed Aselsan Latin America, “will make a great contribution to Aselsan’s long-term potential cooperation in Latin America,” the company said. The announcement was made at Chile’s International Air and Space Fair, FIDAE 2024, and the opening of the office was attended by Suay Alpay, Turkey’s deputy minister of national defense.

Europe

Hungary welcomed C-390 Millennium military transport aircraft on April 12. The aircraft was manufactured in Brazil. This testing period will be the final stage before the C-390 enters Hungarian service. The aircraft will undergo both ground and air testing at Kecskemét. A crucial aspect of this phase will involve the installation and evaluation of NATO-standard communication equipment, ensuring seamless integration with allied forces.

Germany said Saturday it will send an additional Patriot air defense system to Ukraine to bolster its hard-pressed military and help it fend off increased Russian aerial attacks. “Russian terror against Ukrainian cities and the country’s infrastructure is causing immeasurable suffering,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, announcing the move. “It is jeopardising people’s energy supply and destroying the operational readiness of the Ukrainian armed forces.”

Asia-Pacific

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos said Monday the United States would not be given access to more Philippine military bases. Marcos’ remarks came days after a trilateral summit between the United States, Japan, and the Philippines in Washington where tensions over the disputed South China Sea — which Beijing claims almost entirely — were high on the agenda. The Philippines is a key focus of US efforts to strengthen regional alliances due to its proximity to the waterway and self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its own. Manila expanded a 2014 agreement last year to give US military access to another four military bases in the country, taking the total number to nine.

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