Selected press releases and news covering EU defence procurement and industry http://www.european-defence.co.uk The UK Ministry of Defence and the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA), comprising BVT Surface Fleet, Babcock International, KBR and Thales UK, signed a manufacturing contract on 3 July for the two new Carrier Vessel Future (CVF) for the Royal Navy.The two 65,000-tonne CVFs, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, are due to enter service in 2014 and 2016. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab has officially submitted the JAS-39 Gripen for Switzerland's requirement for a replacement for the F-5E Tiger. The Gripen will be pitted against the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Aviation in demonstrations due to take place this month and in August. Saab also revealed that the Gripen will be evaluated by the Netherlands as an alternative to the F-35 Lightning II. The Gripen has also been offered to Brazil and India. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin are to join forces to develop a long-range 5-inch precision-guided Extended Range Munition (ERM) for the US Navy. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Babcock International has been awarded a contract to provide in-service support for Canada's four Victoria Class submarines. The Victoria In-Service Support Contract (VISSC) contract will be handled by Babcock Marine's joint venture with Weir Canada, the Canadian Submarine Management Group (CSMG). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK's new surface vessel shipbuilder, BVT Surface Fleet, was officially launched on 1 July. BVT is a joint venture between BAE Systems and the VT Group. It is responsible for most of the UK's naval shipbuilding capabilities with some 7,000 people employed at shipyards at Clyde, Govan, Portsmouth and Scotstoun. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK MoD announced on 30 June that contracts had been awarded to Northwestern Shiprepairers and Shipbuilders (NSL) and the A&P Group to maintain the 16 vessels of Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK MoD has ordered further Jackal and Viking vehicles for operations in Afghanistan. An order for 72 Jackal MWMIK (Mobility Weapons Mounted Installation Kit) 4x4 light patrol vehicles has been placed with Babcock Marine Services at Plymouth, while a separate contract has been placed with BAE Systems Hagglunds for 14 BvS10 Viking All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) that are thought to be replacements for Vikings that have been lost in Afghanistan. Deliveries of the new vehicles are expected to take place in 2009. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/UK_orders_more_armoured_vehicles.html BAE Systems announced on 27 June that it had completed the purchase of the Australian defence firm Tenix Defence. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US's ITT Corporation has signed a contract with Sweden's Defence Material Administration (FMV) for the Reliability and Modification (REMO) upgrade of the PS-870 coastal/gapfiller radar systems. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The first A400M military airlifter, MSN001, was rolled-out on 26 June in a ceremony at EADS Casa's plant in Seville, Spain. Flight testing is expected to begin in September/October. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems signed an agreement at DVD 2008 at Millbrook with the UK MoD to provide a through-life support contract for the new Panther Command and Liaison Vehicle (CLV). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Germany's ESG Elektroniksystem- und Logistik-GmbH has awarded the US's DiSTI a contract to develop a Sea Lynx MK88A Cockpit Procedure Trainer (CPT) Instrumentation and Instructor Operator Station for the German Navy. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html AgustaWestland announced on 24 June that the Turkish Attack and Reconnaissance Helicopter (ATAK) programme had officially started with a ceremony held at facilities belonging to Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI). The ATAK project will see TAI build and develop in collaboration with AgustaWestland a version of AgustaWestland's AW129 attack helicopter for the Turkish Land Forces. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Patria's Millog Oy and the Finnish Army have signed an eight-year partnership agreement that will see army material maintenance transfer to Millog Oy in 2009. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Rheinmetall Defence has won an order to supply the Netherlands with 81mm mortar ammunition. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab has signed a collaboration agreement with the Sensis Corporation that could see the US company market Saab's Sea Giraffe and Giraffe AMB radar systems in the North American defence market. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and the Italy's Iveco have signed a agreement to develop a new armoured vehicle. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK MoD confirmed on 19 June that it will not proceed with an order for two extra Type 45 Daring Class Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) destroyers that would have brought the number to enter Royal Navy service from 2009 up to eight. Six Type 45s were ordered in 2000 to enter service in 2009-2013: HMS Daring (D32), Dauntless (D33), Diamond (D34), Dragon (D35), Defender (D36) and Duncan (D37). These will replace the Navy's eight Type 42 Sheffield Class destroyers, which have been in service since 1980s. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Thales and Barco announced on 16 June at Eurosatory 2008 in Paris that they had signed an agreement to jointly promote C4I, ISTAR and networked visualisation solutions. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recommended that the USAF reopen its tanker competition after it claimed irregularities during the process to recently select the Northrop Grumman/EADS North America KC-30. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saudi Arabia has awarded MTU Friedrichshafen a contract to supply 300 Model 6V 53T engines as part of an modernisation programme for the Kingdom's M113 series APCs. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Eurocopter delivered the first EC135 helicopter to the Spanish Army's Disaster Response Unit. Four helicopters are due to be delivered where they will be tasked with participation in disaster relief operations. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Diehl Aerospace, Liebherr Aerospace, Safran, Thales and Zodiac announced on 17 June that they had formed the new defence aerospace support company OEM Defence Services. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html FB Heliservices has been awarded a contract by AgustaWestland to deliver from RAF Shawbury and Valley from 2009 instrument rating and SAR training for foreign customers using two AW139 and two A109 helicopters. The UK MoD has additionally extended from 2010 to 2017 FB Heliservices support in Cyprus operating three Griffin HAR2 SAR helicopters. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Northrop Grumman announced on 18 June that its German navigation systems subsidiary LITEF GmbH based in Freiburg has been renamed Northrop Grumman LITEF. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The first C-27J Spartan Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA) made its maiden flight on 17 June from Alenia Aeronautica's Turin facility in Italy. The JCA is being developed L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Alenia North America and Global Military Aircraft Systems (GMAS) for the US Army and USAF. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has been awarded by the US Marine Corps (USMC) a contract to modify 40 RG33 6x6-based Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles for special operations. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Finland has placed an order for ten AN/AAQ-28 Litening AT Block II Pods that will be delivered by 2012. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Saab Group announced on 17 June that it had been awarded a contract AT4 CS anti-armour system. The press release has not detailed the customer. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Netherlands has ordered an extra 13 Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMV). The Netherlands ordered 35 vehicles in 2005, but six models were lost while deployed in Afghanistan. Three vehicles from the new order will be deployed to Afghanistan. Apart from the Dutch, the Bushmaster is operated by Australia while the UK recently placed an order for 24 models as an urgent operational requirement (UOR). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK's third Skynet military communications satellite was launched on the 12 June. Skynet 5C will act as an in-orbit spare for the Skynet 5A and 5B that were launched in March and November 2007. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Saab have signed an agreement at the Training and Simulation Exhibition ITEC 2008 in Stockholm, Sweden to join forces to offer live virtual training capabilities on the international defence market. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Boeing has delivered the sixth C-17A Globemaster III to the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF), joining the five other aircraft already in service with 99 Squadron at RAF Brize Norton. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Marshall Aerospace began on 10 June ground runs of the Europrop International (EPI) TP400-D6 engine that will power the A400M military airlifter. Using a modified C-130 Hercules as a flying test bed for the engine, the ground runs mean that the A400M is now moving closer to its first test flight with a roll-out of the first aircraft, MSN 001, due at the end of June. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems and VT Shipbuilding finally signed an agreement to merge their surface shipbuilding businesses to create the new joint venture, BVT Surface Fleet. BVT is expected to be officially formed on 1 July 2008. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Rockwell Collins through its recent acquisition of Athena Technologies has been awarded a follow-on contract to deliver Athena 411 integrated inertial navigation, global positioning, and air data attitude heading reference systems (INS/GPS/ADAHRS) for the UK's U-TacS Watchkeeper Tactical UAV (TUAV) project. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Lockheed Martin has awarded CAE UK a contract to develop and deliver Hawk Mk128 Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Full Mission Simulators (FMS) as part of the UK's forthcoming Military Flying Training System (MFTS) programme. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The prototype Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) F-35B Lightning II, BF-1, made its maiden flight on 11 June from Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth site in Texas. Piloted by British BAE Systems test pilot, Graham Tomlinson, the aircraft undertook a short flight test lasting just over 30 minutes. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has announced a new armed UAV platform developed in partnership with Thales UK. It is planned that the Fury will be armed with Thales UK's new Lightweight Multirole Missile (LMM) that the company unveiled at the beginning of June. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html EADS Defence and Security has been awarded a contract to upgrade four Harrier AV-8B "Day Attack" fighters to a similar standard as the rest of the Spanish Navy's Harrier II fleet. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 9 June that it had completed the acquisition of the US defence company MTC Technologies. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Finnish Border Guard has ordered three AW119 Ke helicopters (plus option for one further model) that will be tasked with border surveillance, special operations and fire fighting. Deliveries are due to take place in 2010. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html France's interim MALE UAV system, Systeme Interimaire de Drone Male (SIDM), completed its flight acceptance trials at Mont-de-Marsan on 5 June. SIDM is based on two versions of the Heron UAV produced by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) with EADS the prime contractor with the type to enter French Air Force service. First flight of the SIDM system took place in September 2006. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US's Curtiss-Wright has been awarded a contract by Fincantieri to deliver Twin Claw-Aircraft Ship Integrated Secure and Traverse (TC-ASIST) helicopter handling systems to allow the Italian Navy to operate NH-90 and EH101 helicopters from its first two FREMM frigates. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and General Dynamics European Land Systems (GD ELS) announced on 5 June that they will be jointly working on the development of a new 155mm artillery system known as the DONAR. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Rolls-Royce's new gas turbine engine, the MT30, has reached a major milestone when it became operational with the US Navy Littoral Combat Ship Freedom (LCS 1). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html It was announced on 5 June that QinetiQ North America's Technology Solutions Group had shipped the first Modular Advanced Armed Robotic System (MAARS) to the US military. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Boeing announced on 4 June that Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) had completed its first domestic conversion of the second Boeing 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Peace Eagle for the Turkish Air Force. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) has notified US Congress of a possible sale to Spain of 20 RGM-109E Block IV Surface Ship Vertical-Launched Tomahawk land attack missiles plus associated systems to operate from the Spanish Navy's F-100 Class frigates. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US Department of Defence has awarded BAE Systems a major contract to deliver up to 10,000 Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) to the US Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 3 June that it had completed the acquisition of the South African defence company IST Dynamics. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Rheinmetall Defence announced on 2 June that an agreement had been signed to co-operate on IAI's Heron TP UAV to meet the German armed forces' requirement for a MALE UAV from 2010. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Ultra Electronics is due to acquire the US battlespace IT specialist ProLogic. The company is now waiting for regulatory approval for the sale to go ahead. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html AeroVironment has been awarded a contract to deliver a number of RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to the Netherlands. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Rheinmetall Defence signed a contract at the Berlin Air Show ILA on 29 May to manage the German Army's Combat Training Centre from September. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html It was announced on 2 June that Ascent, a joint venture equally owned by Lockheed Martin UK and the VT Group, had signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defence to deliver the 25-year UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) PFI contract. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Dassault Aviation, Thales and Indra have joined forces and submitted a version of the Israeli Heron TP UAV to meet French and Spanish requirements for a Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance (MALE) UAV. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Eurocopter announced on 28 May that it had signed an agreement to modernise six German Army CH-35G helicopters with defensive mission systems and ballistic protection. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html EADS Defence and Security and France's Nexter Systems signed an agreement on 28 May to form a new joint venture that aims to oversee major modernisation equipment projects for the French Army, dubbed Operation Scorpion. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Chemring announced on 27 May that it had agreed to purchase the US company Scot Inc, which manufactures aviation cartridge-actuated and propellant-actuated devices. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The first of four C130J Super Hercules for the Royal Norwegian Air Force was rolled-out by Lockheed Martin on 27 May. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Saab Gripen Demo made its maiden flight on 27 May from Linkoping in Sweden. The Demo will be used to test and demonstrate the Gripen's future capabilities. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The European Defence Agency announced on 26 May that it has agreed to allow non-EU member Norway to participate in the Regime on Defence Procurement. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US's Boeing and Italy's Alenia Aermacchi announced a partnership agreement on 26 May to co-operate on the marketing, sales and support of the M-346 and M-311 jet trainers for the international market. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The European Defence Agency will be launching a new Joint Investment Programme (JIP) research into emerging technologies that could have a disruptive effect on the battlefield. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 22 May that it had been awarded a contract to build further Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles (FMTV) for the US Army, totalling some 370 vehicles. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html GKN Aerospace announced on 21 May that it is on schedule with the assembly of the Future Lynx, due to fly in 2009. GKN Aerospace is due to assemble the airframes for all 70 AgustaWestland Future Lynx helicopters that are on order for the British Army and Royal Navy. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK MoD has said that four companies will be bidding for the Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability (MARS) fleet tankers contract, comprising BAE Systems with BMT Defence Services and the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) Company, Italy's Fincantieri, Spain's Navantia and South Korea's Hyundai. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Krauss-Maffei Wegmann announced on 21 May that it has joined forces with Rheinmetall Defence to develop new 4x4 mine protected vehicles. The first prototype is due to rolled-out in 2009. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Aero Vodochody, Gripen International and Saab Czech signed an agreement on 19 May to co-operate on the marketing, sales and future development of Aero's L-159 Alca advanced jet trainer. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems, Thales UK and VT Group as part of the Aircraft Carrier Alliance have all welcomed the MoD's indication that it is ready to proceed with the contract signature for two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 19 May that it had received an order to provide thermal imaging modules for Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace's Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) II programme for the US Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has announced that it has been awarded by the MoD a contract to provide engineering, logistics and technical support to the RAF's VC-10 fleet as part of the Joint Approach to VC10 Engineering and Logistics Integration (Javelin) programme. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Romanian government has requested a possible purchase of 24 F-16C/D Fighting Falcon Block 50/52 and 24 upgraded Block 25 fighters under the US's Foreign Military Sales (FMS). The US Defence Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) announced that it had informed US Congress about the proposed sale on 16 May. Romania is looking for replacements for its MiG-21 Lancer fleet and is also considering the Eurofighter Typhoon and JAS-39 Gripen. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 15 May that it will deliver advanced interoperable communications systems to the US Navy. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US DoD announced on 14 May that a contract has been awarded to Lockheed Martin to supply long-lead materials for 18 F-35 Lightning IIs, which will include the first two F-35B STOVL aircraft for the UK that will be procured as part of the aircraft's Initial Operational Test and Evaluation stage. For a full assessment of the F-35 programme to date, the Defence Project Guide: F-35 Lightning II is now available to order online from European-defence.co.uk. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US has ordered Carl Gustaf weapon systems from Saab with deliveries due to take place in 2009 http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 13 May that it had been awarded a contract by the US Defence Logistics Agency for 45,000 advanced combat helmets. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to develop M109A6 Paladin Integrated Management (PIM) self-propelled howitzer vehicles for the US Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Northrop Grumman announced on 14 May that it had been selected to supply AAR-54(V) Missile Warning Systems (MWS) for the Royal Netherlands Air Force's CH-47F Chinook helicopter fleet. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Finmeccanica announced on 13 May that it had entered an agreement to purchase the US defence electronic company DRS Technologies. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Alenia Aermacchi has been awarded a contract to supply the Philippine Air Force with 18 SF-260F/PAF primary training aircraft. The aircraft will be assembled in the Philippines by the Aerotech Industries Philippines with deliveries to begin in 2009. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html General Dynamics UK announced on 9 May that it will supply a tactical communications and data system to Libya as part of UK government efforts to improve ties with the country. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) has requested a US Foreign Military Sale (FMS) for two C-17A Globemaster III transport aircraft plus spares. SAC was formed in 2006 to deliver strategic airlift for 15 NATO states plus Finland and Sweden. Once an order has been placed before end-2008 and the two C-17s delivered, the aircraft will be based at Papa in Hungary. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The New Zealand MoD announced on 8 May that it had signed a contract with AgustaWestland for five AW109 LUH helicopters for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) to enter service in 2011. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab announced on 8 May that the first JAS-39 Gripen had been delivered to the South African Air Force (SAAF) on 30 April. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab has announced that it has made 45 people redundant at its subsidiary Saab Denmark A/S. The redundancies come after Denmark cancelled the Danish Army Command and Control Information System (DACCIS). http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UK MoD announced on 8 May that General Dynamics UK's Piranha V had been provisionally selected as the the preferred design for the Utility Vehicle (UV) version of the Future Rapid Effect System (FRES) medium-weight armoured vehicle requirement for the British Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html QinetiQ has signed an 11-month contract with the MoD to establish a joint naval ship design office in Bristol, working on future Royal Navy projects. The Naval Design Partnership (NDP) includes Thales UK, BAE Systems, Babcock, BMT and VT Group. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Norway's Kongsberg announced on 2nd May that it had signed an agreement with France's Renault Trucks Defence to deliver Protector weapon control systems for the French Army's VAB fleet. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Thales UK announced on 6 May that the Watchkeeper TUAV made its maiden flight in Israel on 16 April. The Watchkeeper will be delivered to the British Army from 2010. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Force Protection confirmed on 2nd May that it had received two separate contracts from the UK MoD covering the acquisition of 157 Cougar Category I Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. These will be called the Ridgback in British Army service. Deliveries will be undertaken by 2009. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html GKN Aerospace has been awarded a follow-on five-year contract by Lockheed Martin to deliver nacelles for the C-130J Hercules. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Sagem Defence Security announced on 29 April that it had been awarded a contract by the DGA for 500 additional SITEL information systems for the French Army. The French Army is due to order 4,500 SITEL systems with 1,000 already ordered. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html AgustaWestland has announced that it has opened a new regional business headquarters in Turkey's capital Ankara. The headquarters will concentrate on increasing AgustaWestland's share of the Turkish helicopter market and will also oversee the Turkish Army's T129 ATAK attack helicopter project. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 29 April that it had been awarded a contract by the US Army to supply vehicle emergency escape windows for its HMMWV fleet. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The first in a series of detailed PDF Defence Project Guides, covering the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, is now available to order from www.european-defence.co.uk. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/defence_projectguides.html Saab announced on 28 April that the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) had officially submitted its offer of the Gripen NG to the Norwegian government, which is looking for 48 new fighters to replace the F-16 Fighting Falcon. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html It was announced on 28 April that Saab had officially submitted the Gripen IN to compete for India's Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) requirement for up to 126 new fighters. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has announced that it has been awarded a contract by the US Navy to manufacture Mk 14 Mod 2 Tomahawk missile launching canisters. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Lockheed Martin announced on 25 April that BF-1's F135 engine had powered-up for the first time seven days earlier as the first F-35B prepares for its first flight, when it will be piloted by a British test pilot. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The European Defence Agency (EDA) has announced that Bulgaria has become the latest EU state to sign its code of conduct, aimed at enhancing competition within the EU defence industry. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab unveiled on 23 April its twin-seat demonstrator of the JAS-39 Gripen, the Gripen Demo. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Saab has announced that is collaborating with Thales to develop a new AESA radar for the Gripen Demo. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has demonstrated how multiple unmanned aerial and land vehicles on the battlefield can be used by commanders for surveillance and reconnaissance tasks. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Raytheon announced on 22 April that it has been awarded a contract to supply Enhanced Paveway II PGMs to the Netherlands http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems has been awarded a a one-year extension contract by the UK MoD to maintain the Royal Navy's Spearfish torpedoes. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Boeing has established a new training centre at RAF Lakenheath to deliver mission training for F-15E Strike Eagle aircrew. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The UAE Signal Corps has awarded Thales a contract to deliver a deployable tactical internet system known as ZAGIL. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Babcock International announced on 21 April that it had acquired Weir Strachan and Henshaw. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Stork SP Aerospace has signed an agreement with Lockheed Martin identifying Fokker Elmo as the supplier of wiring for the F-35 Lightning II. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 18 April that a UK-based sub-contractor had cut the first metal for the first production F-35A destined for the USAF. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Diehl Defence has announced that JUNGHANS Microtec has been awarded a contract to deliver Artillery Fuzing System (AFS) to the British Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The Swedish Defence Material Administration announced on 9 April that it had responded to a request by Croatia for information on the JAS-39 Gripen. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html BAE Systems announced on 16 April that it has agreed to acquire the South African fire control company IST Dynamics. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to provide continued engineering and project management support for the Royal Navy's Trident II D5 ballistic missiles. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The French Army has taken delivery of its first PVP small armoured vehicles. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html The first flight testing A400M, MSN001, has left station 40 during assembly Madrid as the aircraft nears closer to its first test flight, due in July 2008. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html Sagem Defence Security has announced an order for 5,045 Integrated Equipment and Communications Infantryman (FELIN) systems for the French Army. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html European Union governments have asked the European Defence Agency (EDA) to produce an Armaments Strategy to meet the future needs of EU member states armed forces. http://www.european-defence.co.uk/news.html