The air power exercise over the Arctic and the future of the military satellite business

What is the Arctic Challenge Exercise? How is Raytheon positioning itself for changes in the space sector? 

This week on the Weekly Defence Podcast, we head to Sweden to see the Arctic Challenge Exercise, and talk to the vice-president of Raytheon’s Space Systems about its space sector activities. 

• News Round-Up (01:10)

This week in our News Round-Up:

The US Marine Corps is still considering its options for the Future Vertical Lift programme, seeking to replace their UH-1Y Venom and AH-1Z Viper platforms, with the V-280 Valor in contention. Air reporter Tim Martin discusses the options.

The Spanish Foot-Soldier System (SISCAP) soldier modernisation effort will soon enter its test readiness review (TRR) phase. The programme is the latest effort to improve soldier equipment following the collapse of the earlier COMFUT (Combatiente Futuro) soldier modernisation programme. 

Deputy land editor Beth Maundrill outlines how SISCAP is focused on developing fire control and targeting systems and communications systems for dismounted troops within the Spanish Army.

The US Coast Guard is awaiting a report from Eastern Shipbuilding Group, the prime contractor for the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC), on how a major hurricane last year will affect the programme’s cost and schedule. Sea editor Richard Thomas has the details.

USMC weighs up FVL options

Spanish Army's soldier modernisation efforts advance

Report to assess hurricane’s impact on US Coast Guard’s Offshore Patrol Cutter

• Event coverage – ACE 2019 (12:28)

Helen Haxell attended the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2019 (ACE 2019) in Sweden this week, and spoke to representatives of both the Swedish Air Force and the US Air Force about the platforms they were using and the challenges of the exercise. 

The Air Forces of Sweden, Finland and Norway are hosting the multinational Arctic Challenge Exercise 2019 (ACE 19) with more than 100 aircraft from nine nations participating in the air power exercise carried out in the airspace over the northern areas of the host countries.

• Interview – Wallis Laughrey, Raytheon (20:30)

Helen also met with the vice-president of Raytheon Space Systems, Wallis Laughrey, to talk about the company’s activities in the space sector and how it is positioning itself for future opportunities.

Among the programmes covered are the US Overhead Persistent Infrared constellation programme and DARPA’s “Project Blackjack”, which looks to research ways to create a LEO constellation of small-sats that will be cheap and easily replaceable. 

Music and sound mixing provided by Fred Prest