Tag Archives: outlook

U.S. Air Force Awards Hypersonic Weapon Contract as Pentagon Continues Broader Development Efforts

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by Shaun McDougall, Military Markets Analyst, Forecast International.

High-Temperature Structures Concept Image
Source: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth up to $480 million for the conduct of a Critical Design Review and to provide test and production readiness support for the U.S. Air Force’s Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW, pronounced “Arrow”), one of the service’s ongoing hypersonic weapon development efforts.  The Air Force is obligating $5 million at time of award.  Contract work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by November 30, 2021.     Continue reading →

Strong Forecast for New-Build Submarines Drives Sales of Advanced Periscope System

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by Andrew Dardine, Electronic Systems Analyst, Forecast International.

Virginia class, North Carolina (SSN 777)

The U.S. Navy has recently awarded $20 million in contracts to L3 KEO for production and support of non-penetrating periscopes (NPPs).  Work on the first NPPs will be performed in Bologna, Italy and Northampton, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by April 2020. Continue reading →

BEWARE SCAM MARKET “RESEARCH”

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by Ray Peterson, Forecast International.

Over the past year the Internet has become flooded with dozens of so-called information providers with URLs that are slightly different but when opened the sites appear suspiciously as if they are related.   Many of these tout single reports that are PDFs with 100 or so pages, but are priced in excess of $5,000, with prices then advancing to as high as $8,000 – $10,000 for Unlimited Access, typically termed Corporate or Library access.   We even noted one that promised delivery in 20 days, a clue that the report would  be generated only after one had been sold.   Continue reading →

Lockheed Martin’s LRDR Selected for Japanese AEGIS Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense Sites

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by C. Zachary Hofer, Electronic Systems Analyst, Forecast International.

Aegis Ashore installation. Source: Lockheed Martin

On July 30, the Japanese Ministry of Defense announced that it had decided to procure Lockheed Martin’s radar over rival Raytheon’s to equip two AEGIS Ashore installations. AEGIS Ashore is a U.S. military technology for land-based ballistic missile defense and early warning derived from a long-standing naval AEGIS program. Continue reading →

Trump Administration Moves Space Force Plans Forward

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by Bill Ostrove, Space Systems Analyst, Forecast International.

Space Force logo designs were released by the Trump campaign to supporters for a vote. Source: Trump campaign

With a speech by Vice President Mike Pence, along with an interim report issued by the Pentagon, the U.S. government has begun laying out its plan to create a Space Force as a branch of the U.S. military. The plans will shake up an organization that has managed the launch of 116 satellites over the past eight years. Continue reading →

Thales Gains Back Market Share with New Radio Contract

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by Greg Giaquinto, Electronic Systems Analyst, Forecast International.

Thales AN/PRC-14 8 C
IMBITR radio. Source: Thales

Thales has been awarded a $37 million contract from the U.S. Army to equip the new rapidly deployable security force assistance brigades (SFABs) with the PRC-148C Improved Multiband Inter-Intra Team Radio (IMBITR), establishing it as the first dual-channel, certified networking radio to enhance communications at the tactical edge, providing interoperability for joint and coalition forces. Continue reading →

Microturbines: Back to Normalcy?

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by Carter Palmer, Power Systems Specialist, Forecast International.

Electricity has long been produced by large plants that distribute power over vast distances. But a small but significant trend has emerged whereby end-users are looking at other, smaller options.  Distributed generation is a phenomenon that promises better, more tailored energy solutions. Both renewable and fossil technologies are being utilized by a growing number of customers looking for cost savings and reliability. The microturbine is one technology that will have a stable future in the distributed generation market. Continue reading →

Boeing Increases Production and Insourcing Efforts as Backlog Rises

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by Richard Pettibone, Aerospace & Defense Companies Analyst, Forecast International.

Boeing 737 MAX 7 First Flight. Source: Boeing

The market for large commercial transports continues to rise following a brief downtick in 2015-2016.  At the 2018 Farnborough Airshow, both Airbus and Boeing generated an impressive number of orders and commitments. All told, the over 1,400 aircraft orders placed was the biggest total since 2013, with Airbus garnering 431 orders and Boeing “winning” the show with 676. Continue reading →

Joint Tactical Networking Center: Making Software Radios Interoperable, Secure, and Affordable

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by Greg Giaquinto, Electronic Systems Analyst, Forecast International.

The Joint Tactical Networking Center (JTNC) was created following the cancellation of the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) program.  The U.S. Department of Defense needed an entity to store the software communications waveforms developed under the JTRS program, and consequently established the JTNC. Continue reading →

After Counterinsurgency Victory, Syria Looks to Rearm

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by Derek Bisaccio, International Military Markets Analyst, Forecast International.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, and Chief of General Staff Valery Gerasimov in November 2017. Source: Russian Presidency website

More than seven years after domestic protests broke out against the Syrian government and President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian military, with Iranian and Russian backing, has achieved victory over insurgent forces. Pockets of anti-government forces certainly remain, including in the southwest and southeast of Syria, as well as the province of Idlib in the northwest, and a large question mark hangs over the future of the Syrian government’s relations with the U.S.-protected People’s Protection Units (known by the Kurdish acronym YPG) and of portions of rebel territory where Turkey has deployed troops. Nevertheless, the war for the ouster of President Assad is at its conclusion. Continue reading →