US And Italy Ink Space Deal | Lockheed Tapped For HIMARS | 1st Polish F-35 Pilots Finished Training
For more on this and other stories, please consider purchasing a membership.
If you are already a subscriber, login to your account.
Americas
The US has inked a deal with Italy to expand mutual collaboration in the space security sector. The agreement will strengthen interoperability between the US Space Force (USSF) and the Italian Air Force, bolstering its services and improving on its missions and activities through space security updates. USSF Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman and Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Luca Goretti signed the statement in Rome, with the aim to protect and defend the space domain in shared recognition of its relevance to defense and deterrence.
Lockheed Martin won a $742.2 million deal for production of High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2027. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
Middle East & Africa
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the release of a US-Israeli hostage announced by Hamas would not lead to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip or the release of Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages in Gaza would continue “under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office.
Europe
The first class of F-35A Lightning II pilots from the Polish Air Force have completed their training for the multirole combat aircraft. The pilots graduated from their practical training at the Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas, completing all theoretical and simulator drills. All of the airmen began their practical training in January, three months after initial guidance was given by the US 33rd Fighter Wing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
Asia-Pacific
Following a fatal crash in January, India’s entire fleet of Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters remains grounded, but the military has allowed some to fly after a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, on April 23. The Indian Army, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard rely heavily on 330-plus of the rotorcraft workhorses in their fleets. No end to their prolonged suspension is in view while an accident investigation unfolds.
