IAI's Board of Directors Elected Harel Locker as Chairman

 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) board of directors today elected Adv. Harel Locker as chairman of the board. The appointment is still pending final approval by the Israeli government's Companies Authority Appointments Committee, as well as the Minister of Defense Avigdor Liebermann and the Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon.

Iran in Talks with Airbus to Buy 48 Helicopters for Civilian Use

Iran is reportedly negotiating with the European planemaker Airbus Helicopters to purchase 48 helicopters for civilian use.

"The Health Ministry is planning to order 45 HEMS (Helicopter Emergency Medical Service) helicopters and the purchase is being negotiated by the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development," Iran's Financial Tribune daily quoted Deputy Minister Asghar Fakhrieh-Kashan as saying. "Ports and Maritime Organization is also planning to hold a tender to purchase three search-and-rescue helicopters," he added.

Report: Singapore's Chinook, Apache Helicopters Upgraded with Elbit Defensive Suite

Singapore’s fleet of Boeing AH-64 Apache attack and CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters are being fitted with defensive suites from Elbit Systems, Defense News reported Tuesday.

According to the report, images of upgraded Apaches and Chinooks of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) show that they have been fitted with missile approach and laser warning systems that look identical to that offered by Elbit as part of its All-in-Small integrated electronic warfare suite.

Images Show Syria Building Missile Factories Similar to Iranian Sites

Last July, media reports revealed that Iran was building missile factories in Syria. According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), "In Zamanalwsl.net’s first report, on June 28, 2017, it stated that this new facility had been constructed in Wadi Jahannam and that it is under direct Iranian oversight."

First to Blink: Kim Jong-un Holds Off Missile Attack on Guam

Tensions between the US and North Korea showed signs of winding down, with Pyongyang backing off from its threat to fire missiles toward the US territory of Guam, according to a report by The Korea Herald. 

After being briefed by the military about plans for missile launches, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said he would watch the conduct of the US “a little more” before deciding whether to order the firings, Pyongyang’s state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported Tuesday. 

Lockheed Wins $8B Follow-On Contract for Global Logistics Support to US Special Forces

Lockheed Martin has been named prime contractor of US Special Operations Command's (USSOCOM) next-generation logistics and sustainment support program.

The Special Operations Forces Global Logistics Support Services (SOF GLSS) program is the competitive follow-on contract to the Special Operations Forces Contractor Logistics Support Services (SOF CLSS) contract awarded in 2010 and managed by Lockheed Martin.  

Orbit to Expand Development of Satcom Solutions for Helicopters

Orbit Communications Systems announced on Monday that it intends to expand the development of its new Multi-Purpose Terminal (MPT) for airborne SatCom to include helicopters. The company received an order for approximately US$3 million from a global provider of defense products and services for the delivery of helicopter systems to a leading air force between 2018 and 2022.

Iranian Drone Flew Dangerously Close to US Aircraft Carrier in Persian Gulf

 An Iranian drone flew in an "unsafe and unprofessional manner" close to a US aircraft carrier on Sunday, in the central Persian Gulf, according to the US Navy.

CNN reports that the QOM-1 drone came within 1,000 feet (300 meters) of US aircraft flying near the USS Nimitz. The official said the US Navy used an emergency radio frequency to attempt to call Iranian ground units.

A US defense official told CNN the US deemed the drone's behavior unsafe because it did not have any aircraft navigation lights on.

US Delivers Bradley Fighting Vehicles to the Lebanese Army

The United States delivered eight M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicles to Lebanon on Monday, the first batch of 32 Bradleys that will be delivered in the coming months, the US Embassy in Beirut announced.