1 June

French defence contractor Naval Group has announced that it is set to return to pre-crisis levels of industrial and operational activities. The company is implementing a gradual and controlled resumption of production activities within a “strict sanitary framework”. It also noted that several key milestones have been reached despite facing slow down in its industrial activities. So far, two-thirds of the group’s workforce has returned to on-site works. Naval Group will continue to maintain teleworking wherever possible. It expects to soon reach 90% of its staff working.

Officials from the US Army Futures Command have said that timeline adjustments were made to a number of air and missile defence modernisation programmes due to Covid-19. The service noted that that the slight delay will not put the programmes off track in delivering capabilities as expected. Army acquisition, logistics and technology assistant secretary Bruce Jette said: “We remain on track for the first unit equipped for all programmes.” Some of the projects include Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense platform and the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System.

Researchers from the US Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Chemistry Division have responded to the Navy’s request for shipboard decontamination strategies. The team recommended the quaternary ammonium family of compounds for effectively deactivating the Covid-19 virus while making the products safe for the sailors and reducing shipboard corrosion. The research team also recommended the application of the product. Center for Corrosion Science and Engineering head Ted Lemieux said: “Our extensive fundamental knowledge of chemical processes and the naval shipboard corrosion prevention risks and reduction led to the speedy recommendation.”