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EUROPE
LAND
12 Jun 24. Bundeswehr orders another 1,515 military trucks from Rheinmetall out of special fund within framework contract – order value over €920m. Rheinmetall has been commissioned by the Bundeswehr with a further delivery of 1,515 logistic vehicles, 265 of which are protected swap-body systems. This is another call-off from the framework contract for swap-body systems (WLS) signed in June 2020. This large-scale call-off is largely financed by the Bundeswehr’s special fund. In addition to the vehicles, the Bundeswehr’s procurement agency, BAAINBw, ordered 500 swap-body platforms to serve as interchangeable load carriers and 500 tarpaulin / roof bow setups. The call-off is worth over €920m gross. Delivery of the vehicles will take place in the second half of 2024 and will be completed by mid-November 2024.
SEA
07 Jun 24. German Navy buys Mk 54 torpedos and operating infrastructure. The service announced plans to equip its new Poseidon aircraft with the torpedos while also moving ahead on the next iteration of the German Mission Network. In the same breath, the German Navy announced its acquisition of Mk54 torpedos as well as command and control infrastructure to enhance its expanding maritime network.
The German Parliamentary Budget Committee granted its approval for defence investments collectively worth €1bn ($1.08bn) – for these naval items, but also for 155-millimetre munitions and 1,500 trucks for the Army – on 5 June 2024. The service will procure Mk54 torpedos from the US Government to be used on its three new P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft, which it ordered in November last year. This follows the Committee’s approval to purchase five other P-8As back in 2021.
Raytheon, a prime US missile manufacturer, has developed these anti-submarine warfare weapons since 2004. Mk54 is capable of tracking, classifying and attacking underwater targets. (Source: naval-technology.com)
06 Jun 24. Rolls-Royce Supplies MTU Propulsion and On-board Power Systems for Three New Polish Navy Frigates. The mtu propulsion engines and four marine gensets for the propulsion and power supply of the first of three new Miecznik multipurpose frigates for the Polish Navy are currently being built at Rolls-Royce in Friedrichshafen, Germany. Four mtu 20V8000 main propulsion engines with 8,200 kW each and four mtu 12V4000 on-board generators with 1650 kW mechanical power each will be installed on each ship. The four main propulsion engines of the CODAD propulsion system, two per propeller, can be used flexibly in different combinations – from single engine operation for slow patrols to high-speed operation at over 20 knots (37 km/h) with all four engines. At a cruising speed of 12 knots (approx. 22 km/h), the Miecznik-class ships have a range of around 8,000 nautical miles (almost 15,000 kilometers). The four mtu on-board power generators feed the electrical power grid for ship and mission operations independently of the propulsion engines. The frigates are equipped with weapon and mission systems to monitor and control sea areas, protect naval bases and attack surface, underwater, land and air targets. The first ship of the Miecznik (swordfish) class, which is based on the British Arrowhead 140 concept, is currently being built at the state-owned PGZ shipyard in Gdynia. The first ship is scheduled to be launched in 2026 and commissioned in 2030, with the other two ships to be handed over to the Polish Navy by 2031. (Source: ASD Network)
AIR
13 Jun 24. NH90 comprehensive upgrade programme launched. NH Industries (NHI) and the NATO Helicopter Management Agency (NAHEMA) have signed a contract to launch the development and qualification of the NH90 Block 1 upgrade (also known as Software Release 3). NAHEMA acted on behalf of Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. This programme is part of the NH90 evolution roadmap and constitutes a major upgrade in terms of capabilities for both the TTH and NFH variants of the NH90 combat helicopter. The first phase of this 600m Euro programme includes an upgrade of the NH90 communication suite and the integration of Data Link 22 allowing beyond line-of-sight interoperability without going through satellite communications. IFF Mod 5 Level 2 (the latest version of the device used to identify and track military aircraft) will also be integrated. Other upgrades will be available to the operators and include the integration of a latest generation electro optical system, a new dipping sonar and the integration of the MK 54 torpedo and the Marte ER anti-ship missile. The NH90 Block 1 will be able to navigate with a civil grade global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and flight management system. The second phase of the programme, which is currently under finalisation, will consist of the deployment of the Block 1 configuration improvements on approximately 200 NH90s, both NFH and TTH, in total.
12 Jun 24. The US State Department has approved a potential Foreign Military Sale of hundreds of AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to Denmark and Norway. Denmark’s purchase of 84 missiles in a bilateral FMS worth $215.5m (Dkr1.5bn) is dwarfed by the Norwegian Government’s acquisition of 300 of the same arms in a $1.94bn (Nkr20.7bn) proposal. While both sales will enhance the two Nato members’ air-to-air capabilities by equipping them with modern munitions, Norway’s sizable deal will replace its ageing stocks of AIM-120B missiles. AIM-120A is the first variant, which is no longer in production. Meanwhile, the B variant is an improved variant introduced in 1994, while C has smaller control surfaces to enable the internal carriage on the F-22 combat aircraft and carries an improved warhead. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
12 Jun 24. Patria and RTX’s Pratt & Whitney sign agreement for production of F135 engines within Finland´s F-35 industrial participation programme Patria and Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that covers the contractual framework for Pratt & Whitney F135 engine production and sustainment projects in Finland by Patria. The agreement covers the assembly of F135 engines and components between 2025-2030, followed by a transition to F135 engine Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul and Upgrade (MRO&U) operations, beginning in 2030. The needed assembly and maintenance lines will be built in Linnavuori, Nokia, in Finland. The direct employment impact of this MOA for Patria during this timeframe is estimated to be approximately 50 persons.
USA
LAND
07 Jun 24. AM General LLC, South Bend, Indiana, was awarded an $11,586,938 modification (P00026) to contract W56HZV-23-D-0008 for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Family of Vehicles. Work will be performed in South Bend, Indiana, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 8, 2033. Fiscal 2022 other procurement, Army funds; fiscal 2024 procurement, Marine Corps funds; fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation, Navy funds; and fiscal 2023 research, development, test and evaluation appropriations in the amount of $11,586,938 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
10 Jun 24. Chemring’s Norwegian subsidiary, Chemring Nobel, has signed a 15-year partnering agreement with Northrop Grumman for the supply of HMX energetic materials used in its missile programmes. As part of this agreement, Chemring also received a delivery order from Northrop Grumman, valued at $83m, for the supply of HMX.
13 Jun 24. DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., Bridgeton, Missouri, was awarded a $49,194,148 modification (P00143) to contract W56HZV-16-C-0028 for Joint Assault Bridge systems. Work will be performed in West Plains, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of May 11, 2026. Fiscal 2024 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement, Army funds and Foreign Military Sales (Romania) funds in the amount of $49,194,148 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
07 Jun 24. General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $65,995,190 fixed-price-incentive contract for the production of Stryker Double V-Hull A1 vehicles. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W912CH-24-F-0069).
06 Jun 24. Raytheon Missiles and Defense has been awarded a $12.6m modification to previously awarded contract for the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), the Department of Defense said Wednesday.
This modification is for the acquisition of the GhostEye MR radar system, the DOD said. GhostEye is expected to identify threats such as cruise missiles, drones, and aircraft. The radar has been undergoing testing and simulations work for years. Work on the system has been a partnership with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation office and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. AFRL is based at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. (Source: Google/Yahoo!)
07 Jun 24. RENK America LLC, Muskegon, Michigan, was awarded an $88,826,798 modification (P00052) to contract W56HZV-20-C-0124 for transmissions, containers and control modules. Work will be performed in Muskegon, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2026. Fiscal 2023 and 2024 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement, Army funds in the amount of $88,826,798 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
SEA
11 Jun 24. Anduril Industries announced today it received a $19m contract to “design, build and test second stage rocket motors” for use in the Navy’s Standard Missile-6, a key win for the company’s relatively new efforts in the market. The contract is Anduril’s first with the Pentagon for rocket motors and gives the company a foot in the door with one of the Navy’s favored interceptors used to counter air, surface and hypersonic missile threats. A Navy spokesman declined to comment when asked if similar contracts were awarded. (Source: Breaking Defense.com)
07 Jun 24. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $677,715,433 fixed-price incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-22-C-5500 to exercise options for hardware production of the AN/SPY-6(V) Family of Radars. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts (31%); San Diego, California (9%); Sykesville, Maryland (9%); Scottsdale, Arizona (8%); Syracuse, New York (5%); Cerritos, California (5%); Stafford Springs, Connecticut (4%); Tulsa, Oklahoma (3%); Indianapolis, Indiana (3%); Portsmouth, Rhode Island (2%); Riverside, California (2%); and various locations across the U.S., each less than 1% (19%). Work is expected to be completed by September 2028. Fiscal 2024 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $303,501,451 (45%); fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $202,837,244 (30%); fiscal 2024 other procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $132,269,344 (19%); fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $28,255,401 (4%); and fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $10,851,993 (2%) will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR
06 Jun 24. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) received a $34m contract from the U.S. Air Force to help modernize the B-52 Stratofortress bomber. The award is part of the Air Force’s Global Strike Command B-52 Quad Crew Program to consolidate the functions of the electronic warfare officer and navigator into one position. The B-52H is currently operated by a five-person crew that includes two pilots, two navigators and an electronic warfare officer. The consolidation of the two crew positions will include moving the control and display unit panels to the navigator station. The joint effort with the customer-led Crew Station Working Group will include a series of analysis – such as aircraft weight and balance, structural and electrical load analysis and thermal cooling – to identify any impact on the B-52 airframe and inform the modification kit design. (Source: ASD Network)
10 Jun 24. Leonardo DRS, Inc. (NASDAQ: DRS) announced today that it has received another full-rate production contract to supply its industry-leading Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) technology to enable Common Infrared Countermeasure (CIRCM) systems for critical military aircraft protection. The award from Northrop Grumman continues the collaboration between the two companies on this QCL capability that provides advanced protection against current, evolving, and proliferating missile threats to U.S. military aircraft. CIRCM is a fifth-generation, laser-based infrared countermeasure system designed to track and defeat incoming missiles. At its core, the DRS QCL technology enables CIRCM to defeat incoming missiles with an unlimited number of rounds. Its reduced weight and increased power with a powerful laser system protect current and future U.S. Army rotary-wing aircraft. CIRCM recently reached a major milestone of Initial Operational Capability with U.S. Army aircraft, positioning the system for accelerated fielding on more than 1,500 helicopters.
The DRS QCLs are commercial off-the-shelf, lightweight, and powerful multi-color laser systems. They deliver best-in-class performance for aircraft survivability against missile threats and are designed to enable new or upgraded capabilities in a range of other military uses. The technology is a core part of DRS’s capabilities that are aligned with some of the most critical programs of the U.S. Department of Defense, and allied nations.
11 Jun 24. Merlin, a leading developer of safe autonomous flight technology for fixed-wing aircraft, today announced it has been awarded a $105M Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to begin working towards a production-ready reduced aircrew capability on Special Operations Forces (SOF) C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, the most-used cargo platform in the Department of Defense’s fleet. Utilizing Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) authorities, this contract allows Merlin to rapidly bring to production its advanced automation systems onboard the C-130J with contracted scope for introduction into the broader SOF fixed wing fleet. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
06 Jun 24. NG Extends Operations, Sustainment and Support for BACN to 2027. The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) a task order for continued Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) operations, sustainment and support through January 2027. BACN enables communication and data interoperability between disparate systems, platforms and sensors.
The task order secures:
• Operations and sustainment for existing and future payloads contained in or connected to the BACN system, as well as associated ground stations or controls, ancillary equipment, support equipment and system integration laboratories.
• The ability to provide persistent connectivity and operational support 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the U.S. Air Force and the critical partner missions it supports.
• Inclusion of the BACN platform in four large force customer exercises per year for the duration of the task order.
13 Jun 24. RapidFlight, an integrated designer and manufacturer of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), has been awarded a contract valued up to $10 m by the United States Department of the Air Force (DAF) AFWERX Autonomy Prime program to develop and produce a customizable, autonomous, fixed-wing aircraft system, the SPX. The DAF created AFWERX to bring cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups, such as RapidFlight, to address its most pressing challenges. The Autonomy Prime branch focuses on the collaborative development of autonomous technologies with industry to accelerate transition into Air Force programs of record. For the first phase of the 36-month contract, RapidFlight will design SPX UAVs for developmental test and evaluation at the Autonomy Prime Proving Ground, a state-of-the-art facility designed to facilitate swift and iterative testing and development of autonomous UAS technologies. RapidFlight will then conduct a contractor-owned, contractor-operated (COCO) demonstration of the SPX to the United States Air Force (USAF) at RapidFlight’s flight test facility in Manassas, Va. Throughout the contract, RapidFlight will provide comprehensive operations and maintenance training for SPX to USAF operators.
(Source: UAS VISION)
13 Jun 24. Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (H9240824D4343), with a ceiling of $293,000,000, with a $33,700,000 initial task order for sustainment, support, research, development, and supplemental objectives related to the Silent Knight radar systems in support of U.S. Special Operations Command Program Executive Office-Fixed Wing, Special Operations Forces Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics-KF. Fiscal 2024 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $977,000 are being obligated at time of award to the initial task order. The work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, and is expected to be completed by June 14, 2030. This contract was awarded under authority 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements, as implemented by Federal Acquisitions Regulation 6.302-1. U.S. Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force, Florida, is the contracting agency.
10 Jun 24. Raytheon, an RTX (NYSE: RTX) business, was awarded a $677 m contract to continue to produce AN/SPY-6(V) radars for the U.S. Navy. This is the third option exercised from the March 2022 hardware, production and sustainment contract that is valued up to $3bn over five years. Under this contract, the U.S. Navy will receive seven additional radars, increasing the total amount of radars under contract for procurement to 38. The U.S. Navy is integrating SPY-6 into its surface fleet beginning with the USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) that was commissioned in October 2023. The USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD 29) is the second ship and the first to deploy the (V)2 variant. LPD 29 was delivered to the U.S. Navy April 11 following successful completion of builder’s and acceptance trials in the Gulf of Mexico. The SPY-6(V)2 radar not only provides defense against missile threats but will also provide air traffic control capability. (Source: PR Newswire)
TECHNOLOGY
10 Jun 24. CACI Inc.-Federal, Chantilly, Virginia, was awarded a maximum $450,000,000 firm-fixed-price, firm-fixed-price-level-of-effort, fixed-price-incentive-fee, cost, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Navigation Warfare Center IV. This contract provides research and development support services for the Joint Navigation Warfare Center. Work will be performed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 15, 2034. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and five offers were received. Fiscal 2024 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $14,262,214 are being obligated at time of award. The Space Acquisition Integration Office, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (FA2518-24-D-0002).
12 Jun 24. Core4ce, a federal contractor with expertise in data and cyber operations, today announced that it has been awarded a five-year $90m Other Transaction Authority (OTA) Production contract by the Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic to expand its support of Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) operational environments across the center’s network. The new contract builds on Core4ce’s long-term partnership with NIWC Atlantic and was preceded by a Defense Health Infrastructure and Application Engineering contract award in 2022. Under the scope of the contract, Core4ce will provide the engineering, architecture and operations needed to support the delivery of full-scale CSSP services by NIWC Atlantic to the Department of Defense, leveraging a prototype solution developed in 2022. This contract will help progress DoD’s larger information technology strategy to adopt commercial cloud services and support defensive cyber operations in PaaS and SaaS environments. Core4ce will transition its previously developed cloud CSSP prototype into several operational networks, assisting the CSSP in optimizing and improving services. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
12 Jun 24. SRC, Inc. has been awarded a $60,000,000 contract with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Sensors Directorate, Spectrum Warfare Systems Engineering Branch. SRC will explore new and emerging concepts related to the development, integration, assessment, evaluation and demonstration of cyber security, open system architecture, novel avionics and sensor technologies, as well as multi-domain electronic warfare technologies. SRC will provide Next Generation Electronic Warfare Environment Generator equipment and engineering staff to perform testing of Air Force and Space Force technologies. The contract is estimated to run through April of 2031. (Source: ASD Network)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
10 Jun 24. John Cockerill is to Modernize Dozens of BV-206 Vehicles for Ukraine. Following the modernization of several M113 vehicles already delivered by the Belgian Ministry of Defense to the Ukrainian army to help it in its conflict with Russia, John Cockerill has been asked to adapt and supply BV-206 vehicles. The modernizations involve the engine and other associated mechanical aspects, as well as the interior configuration. These BV-206s will be adapted and optimized to be transformed into medical vehicles, equipped with medical kits and upgraded engines. The BV-206 caught the attention of the Ukrainian and Belgian authorities. This vehicle is already in use in Ukraine, and recognized for its high mobility in complicated field of operation. These characteristics make the BV-206 ideally suited to evacuation missions for wounded soldiers. The project calls for expertise in the maintenance, repair and operation of military vehicles, which the teams at John Cockerill Defense in Aubange (Belgium) have acquired in a wide range of military programs. (Source: ASD Network)
18 Jun 24. Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks will produce more than 1,500 Zetros logistics trucks for a major order from the Canadian Department of National Defence. The Canadian Armed Forces plans to use the vehicles for the off-road transportation of goods and personnel. Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks, Marshall Canada, Soframe, Manac, and General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada (GDLS-Canada) make up the commissioned “The Power Team” consortium. The five enterprises are working together to implement the order for the modernization of the Canadian logistics fleet as part of the “Logistics Vehicle Modernization” (LVM) project.
SEA
10 Jun 24. Turkey will build three vessels for the Royal Malaysian Navy under the latter’s Littoral Mission Ship Batch 2 Project as part of a deal signed by the two nations. This marks the first time Malaysia has signed a government-to-government agreement to procure defense equipment. The countries inked the deal at a ceremony Monday, during which Turkish defense industry chief Haluk Görgün and Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin said STM will build the littoral missions ships in Turkey. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
AIR
10 Jun 24. Al Yah Satellite Communications Company PJSC (Yahsat), the UAE’s flagship satellite solutions provider announced today that it has contracted Airbus Defence and Space, a leading satellite manufacturer, for its new geostationary telecommunications satellites, Al Yah 4 (“AY4”) and Al Yah 5 (“AY5”). The significant step follows the signing of an Authorisation-to-Proceed with Airbus in Q2 2023 to commence initial activities in relation to the AY4 and AY5 satellite programme. Airbus will design and build the AY4 and AY5 satellites based on the Eurostar Neo platform, with each having flexible payloads and benefitting from the strong heritage of the Eurostar family. The flexible multi-band payloads can be fully reconfigured while in orbit, capable of adjusting the coverage area, capacity and frequency “on the fly” to meet evolving mission scenarios.
06 Jun 24. The US State Department has approved a potential $220m (T$7.1bn) sale of F-16 spare and repair parts to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States. The deal shows the US commitment to maintaining military balance and political stability in a region marked by rising tensions.
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