CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
EUROPE
SEA
28 Oct 08. Astute Class SSN: Sonar Contract. Thales UK announced (28 Oct 08) that the Company had been awarded a contract to supply the sonar system for the fourth Astute Class SSN (AUDACIOUS). The contract is for a complete sonar system, comprising both inboard and outboard equipment and the associated inboard processing hardware and software. Thales UK points out that evolution of the Sonar 2076 system continues.
Comment: ‘Navy News’ (November 2008) notes that First of Class HMS ASTUTE will not be formally handed over to the RN until 2009. The boat has suffered damage to her turbo generators and has also had problems with her electrical systems and valves. During the Defence debate (Item 3) the Defence Secretary said that it was the MoD’s “intention” to build seven Astute Class SSN and “that remains our plan”.(Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 0843, 03 Nov 08)
06 Nov 08. WFEL, the Stockport-based defence engineering company, has completed a major new order for the US Department of Defense.
The business, based in Heaton Chapel, is about to ship a 250 tonne ski jump ramp to the US where it will be used by pilots testing the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The aircraft is the product of the JSF Programme, which has been under development by the US Military since mid-90s, and involves nine other Western militaries worldwide.
The ski jump – the first of this type to be built anywhere in the world – was designed to replicate the runway of an aircraft carrier. It will enable the JSF to be tested on land, potentially saving the military millions of pounds.
AIR
05 Nov 08. As part of a product improvement programme, EADS Defence & Security (DS) will equip the German Armed Forces’ CH-53 G transport helicopters with the new operations support system EUA (Einsatzunterstützungsanlage) for mission preparation and planning. The system with an order volume of around €10m will be developed by Defence Electronics, an integrated activity of EADS DS, which is already developing self-defence and avionics systems for the CH-53 helicopter as a subcontractor of Eurocopter Deutschland.
31 Oct 08. Northrop Grumman Corporation subsidiary, Park Air Systems, has been awarded a contract by the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (Polsk? Agencj? ?eglugi Powietrznej) for the provision of an integrated ground-air radio system providing VHF and UHF frequencies. The project involves the installation of three remotely controlled PAE T6 VHF and UHF multi-channel radio systems for the air traffic control centre at Warsaw and three remotely controlled PAE T6 VHF and UHF multi-channel radio systems for the air traffic control centre at Katowice. The contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems on a points-based tender, product capability and performance history with other national air traffic control organisations.
04 Nov 08. Thales Alenia Space announced today that its Spanish subsidiary Thales Alenia Space Espana has been chosen to supply the X-band communication subsystems and the S-band TT&C transponders for the first three Sentinel observation satellites in the European Space Agency’s Kopernikus program (formerly known as GMES – Global Monitoring for Environment and Security.) The Sentinel satellites are being developed as part of the Space Component of the Kopernikus program, which is being co-funded by the European Commission. Thales Alenia Space Italy and France are prime contractors for the Sentinel 1 and 3 satellites, respectively, while Astrium is in charge of Sentinel 2. As prime contractor for the X-band communication subsystem (TXA), Thales Alenia Space Espana leads a consortium including Thales Alenia Space France and Belgian companies. They are responsible for the specification, design, assembly, integration and testing (AIT), and delivery of this assembly for the Sentinel 1, 2 and 3 satellite families, as well as for the three recurrent ones. (Source: