UNITED KINGDOM
LAND
09 Aug 23. Babcock supports the British Army with an engineering apprenticeship programme. Babcock has been awarded a six-year contract to continue to support the British Army in delivering one of the biggest apprenticeship programmes in the UK. The Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) provides engineering support to maintain and repair British Army equipment, from tanks to helicopters and vehicles to generators. Engineers often have to make critical engineering decisions in challenging conditions, so the training provided to engineers must give them the confidence and knowledge to tackle any engineering problem in any situation. The REME apprenticeship programme provides aspiring engineers with an opportunity to develop their skills and contribute to the British Army’s vital operations across the world – and our proven track record in delivering comprehensive training and support services positions us as the ideal partner.
EUROPE
LAND
04 Aug 23. Italy has signed a contract worth €848.8m (U.S. $928.3m) with a local consortium to upgrade its aging tanks as the country watches the war playing out in nearby Ukraine. Italy signed the deal to upgrade 90 of its Ariete tanks with CIO, a joint venture between Italian firms Iveco and Oto Melara, with an option for another 35 upgraded platforms. The country has a fleet of 200 Ariete tanks, but only 50 are operational. The deal, signed Aug. 2, has been in the works for months, but acquired new urgency as Italy seeks to beef up its tank capability. (Source: Defense News)
06 Aug 23. The Polish Ministry of Defense, through its Armament Authority, announced that it is purchasing hundreds of SPIKE LR Missiles through RAFAEL’s local industrial partner, MESKO, in a deal worth around 100m Dollars. As RAFAEL’s local Polish industrial partner, MESKO has already manufactured SPIKE Missiles for the Polish MOD, and this will be the third such deal involving the SPIKE Missile Family. MESKO and RAFAEL have collaborated in working with the Polish market since 2003, allowing for the sale of completely “Poland-ized” missiles to be provided for the Polish user. The robust local manufacturing capabilities have provided the Polish MOD with over 3,000 SPIKE missiles that are entirely Polish-made. The legacy of success between RAFAEL and MESKO has brought about yet another achievement. Through 20 years of joint work, the companies have helped support the Polish defense establishment in securing the country’s valued assets and providing its armed forces with the most sophisticated technology of its kind in the world. In keeping with RAFAEL’s global strategy, the support of local industry and allowing for not only technology transfer but also know-how has brought about another example of local industrial success and a thriving global partnership. This latest agreement further strengthens the existing relationship, and more similar deals are expected in the future.
20 Jul 23. Slovak MoD confirms the acquisition of 160 Oshkosh 4×4 JLTVs, Slovak Armed Forces will thus get the required capability after ten years. The Slovak Defence Ministry has officially accepted the US offer of one hundred sixty (160) Oshkosh 4×4 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) worth nearly $190m in Foreign Military Financing (FMF). Following the SVK Government’s approval, the Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the JLTVs was signed today by Defence Minister Martin Sklenár, in the presence of US Ambassador Gautam Rana and representatives of Oshkosh Defense as JLTV manufacturer. (Source: www.joint-forcescom)
SEA
04 Aug 23. Orizzonte Sistemi Navali Signs Contract for New Italian Navy OPVs. As part of the Italian Navy OPV (Offshore Patrol Vessel) acquisition programme Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (OSN), the joint venture between Fincantieri and Leonardo, with respective stakes of 51% and 49%, has signed a contract with the Italian Secretariat General of Defence and National Armaments Directorate for the construction of three next generation patrol vessels, with the options for a further three units and infrastructural upgrades required for the naval bases in Augusta, Cagliari and Messina, where the vessels will be based. The overall value of the contract for the first three units is euro 925m, including the related integrated logistics support. Over the coming days, OSN will finalise the sub-contracts with Fincantieri and Leonardo, with a value respectively of around euro 540 and 255m. The one for Fincantieri constitutes significant related party transactions defined in compliance with the applicable legislation. For Leonardo the above supply agreement, to be concluded between Leonardo and OSN, is a related party transaction of “lesser importance”, taking into account the contract value and the applicable relevance indexes. The transactions benefit of the exemption from the procedural regime provided for transactions with (even jointly) subsidiaries, pursuant to current regulations and respective procedures adopted. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com Orizzonte Sistemi Navali)
USA
LAND
07 Aug 23. American Rheinmetall Vehicles and Team Lynx awarded contract for U.S. Army’s XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle program, The U.S. Army has awarded American Rheinmetall Vehicles (Sterling Heights, MI) and the industry leading companies of Team Lynx – Textron Systems, Raytheon Technologies, L3Harris Technologies, Allison Transmission, and Anduril Industries – a contract for the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle (OMFV) Phase 3 Detailed Design and Phase 4 Prototype Build and Test phases of the five-phased program, now named the XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle program. The Army awarded a total of two contracts for Phase 3 and 4 performance. The two competitors will now complete the designs that began in the Phase 2 Concept Design phase and build at least seven and as many as 11 prototypes for Army evaluation with a full contract value in excess of $700m. mAmerican Rheinmetall Vehicles and Team Lynx are developing a next-generation XM30 that achieves the Army’s requirements for a combat vehicle with superior protection, unsurpassed firepower, and unbeatable mobility. Operating with other units or independently, the vehicle can sense, move, and strike in a connected, rapidly changing, complex, and lethal operational environment unlike any Infantry Combat Vehicle before. With its modular design and open architecture, the Army can tailor the Lynx OMFV to meet specific missions or threats, rapidly evolving to adapt to future requirements. These features also significantly reduce the training and logistics burden, leading to greater operational readiness. The Lynx OMFV’s Ground Combat Systems Common Infrastructure Architecture (GCIA) hosts an electrical, software, and structural architecture that results in a uniquely modular concept that reduces production and lifecycle costs. This open systems approach to the vehicle architecture, coupled with weight growth margin and electrical power reserve, delivers a transformational platform today that is prepared for rapid adoption and insertion of the emerging new technologies of the future – ensuring overmatch today and overmatch tomorrow.
10 Aug 23. HAVIK,* San Diego, California, is being awarded a $19,900,000 (maximum ceiling value) indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (H92403-23-D-0010) with a $155,000 minimum ordering guarantee for the acquisition of the HAVIK system, spares, license renewals, sustainment, and new equipment training in support of U. S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). Fiscal 2021, 2022, and 2023 procurement funds in the amount of $4,495,000 are being obligated at time of award on the first delivery order. Operations and maintenance funds will be used on this contract for such items as spares and license renewals. The contract is a Small Business Innovation Research Phase III award in accordance with 15 U.S. Code 638(r)(4). USSOCOM, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity.
10 Aug 23. Honeywell International Inc., Clearwater, Florida, was awarded a $49,861,529 firm-fixed-price contract for eTALIN II 6000 Inertial Navigation Units. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 8, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Newark, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (W15QKN-23-D-0039).
08 Aug 23. Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ: KOPN), a leading provider of application specific optical systems and high performance micro-displays for defense, enterprise, consumer and medical products, today announced it has received an approximately $12.8m follow-on order for its eyepiece subassembly. The eyepiece subassembly is a critical component provided to a Department of Defense prime contractor that integrates the eyepiece into a sophisticated video “see through” AR optical module using Kopin’s high-brightness microdisplay together with custom-designed Pancake® optics. The order is a significant increase in year-over-year demand which has scheduled deliveries of the eyepiece subassemblies in 2024, with early deliveries allowed.(Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
07 Aug 23. Viasat Receives Over $80m in Development Awards for Multi-Function AESAs. Across Warfighting Domains. Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it has received awards totaling over $80m to develop Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) systems for ground, maritime, and space applications. AESA, a type of phased array antenna that offers greater flexibility and resilience to support military platforms, is often employed when multiple beams, low probability of intercept (LPI) and jamming resistance are required. Viasat is leveraging commercial AESA phased array antenna technology and products to meet these demanding defense requirements. The developments will allow Viasat’s existing phased array technology to be extended and adapted to support defense operational environments and mission needs, enabling scalable, and highly flexible capabilities to be achieved at previously unattainable recurring cost.
SEA
02 Aug 23. HII (NYSE: HII) subsidiary under its Mission Technologies division was awarded the $1.4bn Joint Network Engineering and Emerging Operations (J-NEEO) task order. Issued under the General Services Administration’s ASTRO contract vehicle with a one-year base period and four one-year options, the scope of work is similar to our past support of the Joint Capability Embedded Technology Insertion and Integration (JCETII) task order. (Source: ASD Network)
04 Aug 23. Textron Systems Corp., New Orleans, Louisiana, is awarded a $241,371,747 cost-reimbursable, not-to-exceed undefinitized contract action contract for the procurement of LCAC 100 Class material and non-recurring activities for five future Ship to Shore Connector Landing Craft Air Cushion 100 Class craft. Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana (22%); Herndon, Virginia (21%); Milford, Ohio (14%); Gloucester, United Kingdom (12%); Twinsburg, Ohio (8%); Huntington Beach, California (6%); Cincinnati, Ohio (5%); Portsmouth, Virginia (2%); Gold Beach, Oregon (2%); Davenport, Iowa (2%); Jupiter, Florida (2%); Goleta, California (1%); Chanhassen, Minnesota (1%); Painesville, Ohio (1%); and Gulfport, Mississippi (1%), and is expected to be completed by October 2025. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funds in the amount of $99,846,368 (55%); and fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funds in the amount of $77,389,764 (45%), will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. In accordance with 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), this contract was not competitively procured: only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Work to be performed is the procurement of long lead time material and non-recurring activities for up to five SSC class crafts. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR
30 Jul 23. NASA has selected 11 U.S. companies to develop technologies that could support long-term exploration on the Moon and in space for the benefit of all — the technologies range from lunar surface power systems to tools for in-space 3D printing, which will expand industry capabilities for a sustained human presence on the Moon through Artemis, as well as other NASA, government, and commercial missions. Each company will contribute a minimum percentage – at least 10-25%, based on company size – of the total project cost. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) will issue milestone-based funded Space Act Agreements lasting for up to four years. The selected technologies support infrastructure and capabilities in space and at the Moon. Six of the selected companies are small businesses. The awarded companies, their projects, and the approximate value of NASA’s contribution are:
- Astrobotic Technology of Pittsburgh, $34.6m – LunaGrid-Lite: Demonstration of Tethered, Scalable Lunar Power Transmission
- Big Metal Additive of Denver, $5.4m – Improving Cost and Availability of Space Habitat Structures with Additive Manufacturing
- Blue Origin of Kent, Washington, $34.7m – In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU)-Based Power on the Moon
- Freedom Photonics of Santa Barbara, California, $1.6m – Highly Efficient Watt-Class Direct Diode Lidar for Remote Sensing
- Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colorado, $9.1m – Joining Demonstrations In-Space
- Redwire of Jacksonville, Florida, $12.9m – Infrastructure Manufacturing with Lunar Regolith – Mason
- Protoinnovations of Pittsburgh, $6.2m – The Mobility Coordinator: An Onboard COTS (Commercial-Off-the-Shelf) Software Architecture for Sustainable, Safe, Efficient, and Effective Lunar Surface Mobility Operations
- Psionic of Hampton, Virginia, $3.2m – Validating No-Light Lunar Landing Technology that Reduces Risk, SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power), and Cost
- United Launch Alliance (ULA) of Centennial, Colorado, $25m – ULA Vulcan Engine Reuse Scale Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator Technology Demonstration
- Varda Space Industries of El Segundo, California, $1.9m – Conformal Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator Tech Transfer and Commercial Production
- Zeno Power Systems of Washington, $15m – A Universal Americium-241 Radioisotope Power Supply for Artemis (Source: Satnews)
09 Aug 23. Amentum was awarded an $818m contract for adversary aircraft sustainment and modernization of the U.S. Navy F-16 fleet. Amentum will manage all aspects of the Viper Maintenance Group Aircraft Maintenance and Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract by providing technical, sustainment and logistics solutions for the Navy F-16 aircraft based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, Nevada. (Source: ASD Network)
03 Aug 23. The United States Airforce has awarded the next option on a T-1A upgrade contract to Field Aerospace, the leading aircraft modification, and support service provider. This option includes the upgrade of three Operational Flight Trainer simulators and provides one new Part Task Trainer simulator. The simulators will reflect the T-1A AMP aircraft configuration. The Air Education and Training Command (AETC) plans to use the upgraded simulators to train USAF pilots. This work builds on the larger avionics modification program (AMP) upgrade which completed modification of the 73rd and final aircraft earlier this year. The T-1A Jayhawk is a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer used by AETC to train future pilots of the Air Force’s airlift and tanker aircraft including the KC-135, KC-46, and C-130. (Source: ASD Network)
29 Jul 23. NASA selects company to develop lunar night technology. Intuitive Machines, Inc. (Nasdaq: LUNR, LUNRW) has been awarded by NASA’s Space Technology and Mission Directorate (STMD) a $15m Tipping Point initiative award to the Zeno Power-led team, including Intuitive Machines. The award is for the development of a Radioisotope Power System (RPS) that may enable lunar assets to survive and operate during the lunar night and in permanently shadowed regions of the Moon. Intuitive Machines has been designated approximately $2.4m of the award to assist Zeno Power in developing an interoperable americium-241 (Am-241) radioisotope Sterling generator that may be integrated into lunar landers to enable it to survive the lunar night cycle. (Source: Satnews)
10 Aug 23. Peraton was awarded a competitive subcontract to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory with a total contract value of the $513.5m. The company has a history with DSN dating back to 2004 – including helping the James Web Space Telescope communicate across the cosmos, linking mankind and the moon, and supporting the Perseverance rover on Mars. Peraton will provide DSN engineering, testing and sustainment services, mission planning, network operations and support, network operations, network logistics and will manage the maintenance and operation of the Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, California The work involves the highly technical sustainment of four antenna stations – each equipped with large parabolic dish antennas and ultra-sensitive receiving systems – capable of detecting incredibly faint radio signals from distant spacecraft. (Source: PR Newswire)
09 Aug 23. Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a drone technology company integrating robotic hardware and software for military, government and commercial operations, today announces that subsidiary Teal Drones has received a $2.6m purchase order to supply its Teal 2 sUAS to the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Teal will deliver 172 units of the Teal 2 plus spare parts and training. This order was requested by U.S. Air Force Security Forces, whose role is to defend Air Force bases and installations. The procurement was sourced by global operations support company Noble Supply & Logistics, LLC (NOBLE) as part of the DLA’s Special Operational Equipment Tailored Logistics Support (SOE TLS) Program. NOBLE is a DLA-designated provider for the SOE TLS Program. This 10-year program, capped at $33bn, covers the delivery of logistics support to federal agencies, military bases and other DLA customers worldwide, helping them meet their SOE requirements. (Source: ASD Network)
REST OF THE WORLD
SEA
09 Aug 23. RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. has won a new contract with an Asian nation to provide comprehensive maintenance support services for operational systems employed by its navy. The multi-year agreement is estimated at 100m Shekels (30m dollars) and will include maintenance services for the navy’s TYPHOON and MINI-TYPHOON remotely-controlled naval weapon stations, Naval SPIKE ER and NLOS missile systems, EO surveillance systems, as well as EW Integrated Decoy Systems (IDS). The services will bolster the technological and operational cooperation between RAFAEL and the user and establish maintenance capabilities for additional systems.
AIR
10 Aug 23. The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was awarded a $94,099,251 firm-fixed-price and cost type contract for integration and installation of modernization on two Boeing 777 aircraft. This contract provides for aircraft modernization technology. Work will be performed at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; and Ardmore, Arkansas, and is expected to be completed by Nov. 9, 2027. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to India. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2023 FMS funds in the amount of $78,254,892 are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8638-23-C-0028).