Breaking Defense is reporting on several significant defense contracts and technological advancements. GE was awarded deals totaling up to $2.9 billion for F414 engine parts for F/A-18 aircraft and a separate contract to provide a hypersonic test vehicle for the Defense Innovation Unit.
The U.S. Army awarded AV a $465 million contract for directed-energy systems, marking the nation's first production-directed energy program. Separately, the Army allocated $192 million for the TITAN system, with Palantir receiving $127 million and Anduril $65 million.
In other news, the Navy has postponed proposal and award dates for its Undergraduate Jet Training System program, for which Textron Aviation Defense and SNC are competing. Breaking Defense also highlighted an op-ed from the commander of the Defense Contract Management Agency’s Unmanned Systems – Experimental Command (US-X), cautioning against prioritizing unit cost over long-term viability when acquiring small drones.
Internationally, Sweden is evaluating the addition of French long-range strike missiles to its new frigates following a 4.3 billion euro deal. Breaking Defense is also launching a new video series exploring Europe's modernization of manned and unmanned aircraft.