WASHINGTON - The U.S. State Department has approved a potential foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia for training and logistics support worth an estimated $250 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency has informed Congress about the sale, which aims to bolster the training of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces. This sale adds to a previous $37 million training agreement and includes advanced military training programs provided by the U.S. Navy.

The sale supports U.S. foreign policy and national security by enhancing the security of Saudi Arabia, a key ally in promoting stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region. This agreement is also expected to improve Saudi Arabia's defense capabilities against regional threats, support maritime freedom, and enhance interoperability with U.S. and other Gulf forces.

Source: Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Associated URL: https://www.dsca.mil/press-media/major-arms-sales/kingdom-saudi-arabia-blanket-order-training

WASHINGTON - L3Harris is seeing a surge in demand for secure communications among European militaries, which the firm attributes to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The American defense company is finding "unprecedented demand among our NATO partners and allies for secure, resilient, tactical communications," L3Harris president of communication systems Samir Mehta told media in Washington. Mehta added, "I think one only needs to look at a map to understand exactly what is driving that demand. If you can’t communicate, you can fight but you can’t win."

Unsecured communications leave military units exposed to potential strikes from enemy forces. Mehta said, "Every time that you take your non-high-assurance communication device out, whether it be a cell phone, whether it be Starlink, and use it to communicate, you are sending an emission that allows the Russians to find out exactly where you are."

L3Harris has sent over 30,000 radios and other equipment to Ukraine for use on the battlefield, Defense News reported.

In November, the British Ministry of Defense selected L3Harris to provide new handheld and manpack software-defined radios for the Army, drawing on lessons from the war in Ukraine. Germany has also requested to purchase new radio equipment, according to a State Department approval published on February 27.

Source: Defense News
Associated URL: https://www.defensenews.com/industry/2024/05/02/ukraines-comms-struggles-spur-european-hunger-for-l3harris-radios/

WASHINGTON - Lockheed Martin Corp., Syracuse, New York, is awarded a $21.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to a previously awarded delivery order (N00024-24-F-6220) under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00024-19-D-6200) to exercise options for design and qualification testing of the BLQ-10 submarine electronic warfare system.

Work will be performed in Syracuse, New York, and is expected to be completed by February 2025. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

Source: U.S. DoD
Associated URL: http://www.defenselink.gov