EUROPE
LAND
19 Jan 06. As part of the TERRIER® programme BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies (Insyte) has been awarded a contract to provide TERRIER Training Systems. This contract was won in competition against several other Simulation and Training companies. The systems enable the training of British Army crews in driving, digging and maintenance of the TERRIER vehicle, providing a comprehensive, cost effective and environmentally friendly approach to training. Delivery of the contract requirement, valued at approximately £10 million, is due in February 2008. The BAE Systems solution is for three training systems: four mission crew trainers (simulated crew compartments on motion platforms), a remote control trainer and a classroom set of VoRTEX diagnostic emulator workstations. VoRTEX is a software suite that underpins the next generation of virtual reality trainers.
18 Jan 06. Saft has been awarded a contract by Sagem Défense Sécurité (part of the Safran Group) to develop the new generation rechargeable lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery packs that will power the French Army’s infantryman of the future (FELIN). This initial contract award by Sagem is for a study and development phase, in which Saft will design, develop and test specialised, ruggedised high-performance Li-ion battery packs for FELIN, as well as supplying small batches for product qualification.
SEA
13 Jan 05. U.K. DEFENCE Procurement Minister Lord Drayson announced today (Fri 13 Jan) that MoD is investing in advanced computerised training systems
to help the Royal Navy maximise the combat effectiveness of existing
major surface warships – and future Type 45 destroyers. A £100m contract has been placed with BAE Systems Insyte to equip new facilities in Devonport Naval Base and the shore base HMS Collingwood near Portsmouth in time to be ready to train Type 45 crew later this decade.
17 Jan 06. QinetiQ led consortium wins multimillion pound underwater sensing
contract. Osprey, a QinetiQ led consortium of 17 industrial and academic organisations including major partners Thales UK and SEA, has won an MOD enabling contract worth at least £4m a year over three years with an option to extend for a further two years. The combined expertise of the Osprey consortium represents the best of the UK’s underwater sensing research capabilities.
12 Jan 06. Thales Underwater Systems to replace French Navy’s mine warfare surveillance systems. The French defence procurement agency has selected Thales Underwater Systems to replace the mine warfare system designed to maintain surveillance over the approaches to Brest and protect the SSBN fleet, and to conduct power projection and fleet support missions. The contract further consolidates the world leadership of Thales in mine warfare solutions. The programme has two key objectives: to replace the DUBM41 sonars equipping the BRS sonar vessels (Bâtiments Remorqueurs de Sonar) for surveillance of the approaches to Brest and protection of the SSBN fleet; and to provide an autonomous vehicle deploying the same sonar as the BRS for power projection and fleet support missions. The replacement sonar selected is Thales Underwater Systems’ new DUBM44 sidescan Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). The new technology, the first to be developed on an operational sonar, significantly increases sonar resolution, making it possible to detect and classify objects measuring a few centimetres across at a range of 150 m. For the additional requirement involving support for power projection missions by naval forces, Thales has proposed an autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) remotely operated at distances of up to 15 km from a container installed on the shore or on another vessel. The ASV concept is based on a 9.5-metre rigid-hulled inflatable craft developed in France in partnership with Sirehna and Thales Safare, with the same towed body equipped with the sidescan sonar. The ASV and its container can be transported by air to the the