22 Feb 05. The Canadian Department of National Defence and Boeing signed a new C$117m contract naming Boeing as the prime contractor for the next phase. The contract signing ceremony for Phase 2 of the CF-18 Modernization Project took place at Mirabel International Airport, Quebec. The aim of the CF-18 Modernization Project is two-fold: to bring the Canadian Air Force’s fleet of 80 CF-18 Hornets into full inter-operability with the aircraft of key allies; and to extend the life of the aircraft through 2017. The eight-year, two-phased project includes modernizing specifications of newer models through an avionics configuration upgrade program. This approach allows Canadian Forces uninterrupted access and use of its CF-18 fleet.
21 Feb 05. A subsidiary of Raytheon Company is one of two awardees that will compete for work under a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) systems development and integration (SDI) contract. With a potential value of up to $251m, the contract to Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC (RTSC) is performance-based with award term incentives. It has a one-year base period, four one-year option periods, and three one-year award terms for a total of eight years. Under the contract, Raytheon Information Solutions (RIS) will provide a wide variety of systems engineering support ranging from systems analysis and design to operations and program and project management. Work will be performed out of Raytheon’s Systems Development and Integration Center in
Alexandria, Va.
23 Feb 05. Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Hurst, Texas, is being awarded a
$165,422,738 cost-plus-award-fee contract for the development of Integrated
Avionics Suite (IAS) software upgrades in support of the H-1 upgrade program. In addition, this contract provides for incorporation of the software upgrades into existing AH-1W and UH-1Ns to convert them to AH-1Zs and UH-1Ys, respectively. Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, Calif. (70 percent); Hurst, Texas (25 percent), and China Lake, Calif. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2010. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-05-C-0083).
23 Feb 05. QinetiQ has won a £5.5m contract from BAE SYSTEMS to deliver key elements of the Tornado F3 “FSP programme” for the UK MOD. Shortly before Christmas, QinetiQ worked with BAE SYSTEMS to successfully secure a £25.5m contract with MOD’s Tornado IPT, in which BAE Systems, will act as Prime and QinetiQ as sub-Prime. The two companies will deliver a number of activities in concert and within a tight timeframe. FSP sets out to address a number of issues identified at the end of the AMRAAM Optimisation Programme (AOP), the last F3 upgrade programme. This is combined with a requirement to integrate the latest standards of air defence missiles. FSP is the lead project for the Tornado IPT “Capability Lean” initiative which, using innovative ideas results in a saving of over 30% to the MOD compared to a traditionally constructed project.
The key elements of FSP are: Integration of new standards of AMRAAM AIM-120C5 and ASRAAM FOC2. Extension to ASRAAM carriage life through an environmental assessment programme. Enhancement of the air defence missile capability, particularly the displays, by a number of radar and main computer software changes. Introduction of a combination of new software and hardware to retain a Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) capability on the FJWOEU aircraft.
21 Feb 05. Raytheon Company has been awarded a $151.3m contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command to provide engineering services support to the Patriot air and missile defense program. The award to Raytheon¹s Integrated Defense Systems (IDS) provides funding for the first of four, one-year options, to last year¹s base award for which IDS will pro