EUROPE
LAND
14 Sep 06. The Hellenic Army has contracted with Rheinmetall Group to supply electronic diagnostic systems for its Leopard 2 main battle tanks as well as command and information systems for battalion command posts. A Group subsidiary, Rheinmetall Defence Electronics of Bremen, will execute the multi-million euro order; delivery of the systems is to be completed by 2008. The order takes the form of a commissioning agreement issued by Germany’s Federal Agency for Defence Technology and Procurement on behalf of the Greek authorities. It is based on a government-to-government agreement between Germany and Greece concerning the sale of 183 surplus Leopard 2 main battle tanks and peripheral systems from the Bundeswehr inventory. Another Group subsidiary, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, has been assigned partial responsibility for servicing the vehicles. Under the new contract, Rheinmetall Defence Electronics is tasked with supplying the necessary hardware and software as well as tactical and technical integration with the NATO-interoperable INIOCHOS command and information system through to battalion level.
13 Sep 06. FATS, Inc. announced that the Defence Procurement Agency of the United Kingdom has awarded FATS a contract amendment valued at approximately $9.2m for upgrades to the Ministry of Defence Dismounted Close Combat Trainer (DCCT). The order will take approximately two years to fulfill with deliveries complete by mid 2008. FATS, Inc. has delivered simulated training systems, continuous service support as well as system upgrades and improvements to the United Kingdom since 1992. These systems are used to train British military personnel who are deployed in Iraq and throughout the world. FATS has multiple orders to provide virtual training solutions to the UK MOD. FATS began supplying Dismounted Close Combat Trainers to British military forces in 2001. FATS DCCT simulators train multiple soldiers at the same time using computer generated imaging and digital video technology. DCCT supports basic to advanced marksmanship, use of force judgment, shoot/don’t shoot decision-making and small unit tactical training.
Sep 06. UK to spend €31m on Galileo. The Department for Trade and Investment says it will spend €31m more on the Galileo plan to develop Europe’s civil satellite navigation system. It is managed by the European Space Agency. (Source: Transport News Brief)
AIR
12 Sep 06. Today a Letter of Intent (LOI) has been publicly released by 13 NATO Allies to launch contract negotiations for the purchase of C-17 transport aircraft. On behalf of these nations, the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency (NAMSA) has begun negotiations with Boeing and the development of a formal Weapons System Partnership among the nations. This follows six months of intense negotiations among Allies. In addition to the LOI, the 13 nations have developed a plan to create “NATO Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC)” based at Ramstein Air Force Base. Initially comprised of 3 to 4 C-17s, the SAC will be flown by multinational aircrews (pilots and loadmasters) and a multinational military structure will be created to command and control the aircraft. Discussions are underway with NATO’s NAEW&C Force Command, the unit which flies the NATO AWACS, to determine the appropriate military organizational structure. Because of the urgent operational need for strategic airlift, the SAC nations intend to conclude contract negotiations this year, and have the goal of receiving the first C-17 by the middle or end of next year. Plans are already underway to identify pilots for training at US Air Force facilities. Additional planes are called for to be delivered every six months. Thus the initial operating capability is planned for 3rd Quarter, 2007 with full operating capability in 2009. The concept behind the SAC is similar to the SALIS (Strategic Airlift Interim Solution) arrangement, which involves the chartering of An-124 aircraft. The 13 N