On Tuesday, July 19, the Space Development Agency (SDA) awarded two companies with contracts to build 28 satellite prototypes with enhanced missile-tracking abilities with the ability to keep up with next-generation hypersonics. The $1.3 billion award is going toward tracking layers for satellite constellations with missile warning and tracking abilities. Other contracts awarded are directed to segments for launch services and ground operations and sustainment, are part of a longer term plan to field new satellites in low- and medium-earth orbit that would improve the sharing of missile target data.

On Wednesday, July 20, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) a Pentagon office that conducts research and development of emerging technologies, said it successfully conducted the first flight test of the Operational Fires Program at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The medium-range hypersonic missile was launched from the back of a Marine Corps logistics truck. Any USMC or Army trucks equipped with the Palletized Load System can be converted into a launch platform. The program uses missile round pallets that are designed to be used with the load handling systems on these vehicles. An Army artillery fire control system was used to initiated the launch as well. An integrated systems critical design review of the OpFires program will be completed in 2022, DARPA said.

On Thursday, July 24, the U.S. Department of State cleared a possible foreign military sale of 96 Raytheon-made Patriot surface-to-air missiles to the Netherlands in a deal estimated to be worth $1.2 billion. The Netherlands requested to buy the Patriot MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical, or GEM-T, missiles, which the State Department said support its goal of improving its defenses and increase its interoperability with the U.S. and fellow NATO forces.“The proposed sale will improve the Netherlands’ capability to meet current and future threats,” the announcement reads.

On Monday, July 25, Tawain ordered people to stay indoors in an air-raid exercise as the nation ramps up its preparation in the event of a Chinese invasion. Sirens sounded at 1:30 p.m. (0530 GMT) for the mandatory street evacuation drills, which effectively shut towns and cities across northern Taiwan for 30 minutes. Periodic air-raid drills are required by law in Taiwan. The island has raised its alert level since the Russian invasion of Ukraine even though it has reported no unusual Chinese military activity.

Also on Monday, the Turkish defense industry has delivered the first batch of the Sungur Weapon System, a portable air defense missile system effective against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), jets and helicopters, to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK). The Sungur Air Defense Missile System is an air defense missile system to be used in the short-range air defense of mobile/fixed units and facilities on the battlefield and in the rear area. The system is designed to be compatible with different platform integrations.

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