FARA developments, technology transfer reform and Lockheed Martin on NATO’s 70th

Who and why did the US Army choose to help develop its next-generation attack helicopter? And where to for NATO, on the 70th anniversary of the alliance?

This week on the Weekly Defence Podcast, we discuss US Army aviation and the service's decision to select five companies for its future attack helicopter programme, we speak to Lockheed Martin about NATO and the UK’s place in it, and our sponsor Nammo talks about technology transfer reform in our Industry Voice segment. 

• News Round Up (01:01)

This week Tim Martin, our air reporter, covers the US Army’s shortlisting of its Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) competition. Helen Haxell reveals what she has recently been talking to SENA about – namely the Spanish Navy’s AB-212 upgrade programme.

Beth Maundrill talks about the UK MoD’s contract with General Dynamics for the Foxhound 4x4 as well as Poland‘s new 155mm Krab self-propelled howitzers while Richard Thomas covers the situation with Damen Shipyards Group and the retirement of Russia’s Kirov battlecruisers.

Insight: What next for the FARA five?
Finishing touches for Spanish Navy’s AB-212 upgrades
UK funds new Foxhound upgrades
Poland receives first serial production Krab howitzers
Damen points to continued shipbuilding opportunity despite registering loss

• Interview – Quad A (16:57)

Tim Martin recently attended the Army Aviation Association of America summit in Nashville, where he discovered the latest developments in the FARA programme and Boeing’s Block 2 Chinook, as well as catching up with Jason Hawks, the Bell programme manager for the V-247 Vigilance.

• Interview – Peter Ruddock, Lockheed Martin UK (31:27)

Helen Haxell sits down with Lockheed Martin’s UK CEO Peter Ruddock to discuss the 70th anniversary of NATO, and the role the UK has played in the organisation over the years. 

• Industry Voice (38:12)

This week, Tony Skinner our VP of content, and Endre Lunde, SVP of Communications for Nammo, talk about the Norwegian-American Defence and Homeland Security Industry Council in the context of possible defence technology transfer reforms.

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest