CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
EUROPE
LAND
21 Apr 08. KVH Industries Inc. received a $6m order for its precision DSP-3100 fiber optic gyros from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace. Kongsberg will integrate the precision fiber optic gyros in its Protector family of remote weapon stations. Shipments are scheduled to begin during the third quarter.
Apr 08. Forty Five different vehicles and vehicle / trailer combinations have been assessed for compliance with the recently introduced Whole Body Vibration regulation in the fastest ever programme of its type. Using new test procedures and technologies, Millbrook was able to halve the time typically required for the test procedure. Millbrook won the contract following a competitive tender against the major UK test specialists. It’s experience with military vehicles and its unique ability to simulate a vast range of real operating terrains were complemented by a very competitive price and the promise of turnaround times that would get the vehicles back into the field in record time. The keys to this success are sophisticated new project management systems and a significant investment in new test technologies.
22 Apr 08. Raytheon Company has been awarded a $5m U. S. Missile Defense Agency contract to begin initial planning and requirements definition for the European
Mid-course Radar program proposed for the Czech Republic. Subject to successful completion of negotiations with the Czech Republic and ratification, this program includes the assembly and installation of an existing X-band radar located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The radar will be moved to a newly prepared site southwest of Prague. The relocation is part of the United States’ initiative to extend missile defense capability to include the protection of Europe and deployed U.S. and allied forces from potential long-range ballistic missile threats.
AIR
16 Apr 08. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to the United Kingdom of continued participation in the USAF/Boeing Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $225m. The Government of the United Kingdom has requested continued participation in the USAF/Boeing Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership which consists of support for the United Kingdom’s fleet of six Boeing C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft, contractor technical and logistics personnel services, support equipment, spare and repair parts, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $225m. The United Kingdom is a major political and economic power in NATO and a key democratic partner of the U.S. in ensuring peace and stability in this region and around the world. (Source: ASD Network)
22 Apr 08. The Netherlands awarded Raytheon Company a competitively bid contract for the combat-proven Enhanced Paveway™ II precision-guided munition (PGM) April 8. The contract, which is a direct commercial sale for an undisclosed sum, will
provide the Netherlands with 200 kits to convert 500-pound “dumb” bombs into
the GBU-49, a precision weapon that has been used extensively in Iraq.
USA
LAND
22 Apr 08. DRS Technologies Inc. received a $10.1m order to build more than 140 additional M989A1 Heavy Expanded Mobility Ammunition Trailers (HEMATs). The order was part of a previously awarded fixed-price, five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract from the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, Michigan. Work for this contract is being performed by the company’s DRS Sustainment Systems unit in West Plains, Missouri. The HEMATs are part of the U.S. Army’s future force transformation and modularization into combat brigades rather than divisions. The trailer has a heavy industrial payload capacity to transport numerous and extremely heavy Multiple Launch Rocket System pods,