CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
EUROPE
LAND
16 Jul 09. Defence Fixed Telecommunications Service (DFTS): New Contract
BT announced (16 Jul 09) the award of an MoD contract worth over £99m, to support communications across 197 military bases. The five year contract forms part of the DFTS Agreement that BT is delivering on behalf of the MoD. The new service is planned to be effective from 1 Oct 09 and will focus on the maintenance of existing infrastructure, while ensuring that new projects are standardised.
Comment: The DFTS Agreement started on 1 Apr 05 and, having been extended, now ends on 31 Jul 12. The Agreement rationalises fixed telecommunications requirements within the UK and selected overseas locations. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/28, 27 Jul 09)
SEA
30 Jul 09. Astrium Services’ Secure Satcom Systems division has delivered the first set of satcom equipments to Aselsan for the first of class MILGEM, the prestigious Turkish National corvette programme. The Astrium delivery comprises a set of equipments based on Astrium’s Mini-SCOT naval terminal. Aselsan, as the prime contractor for the MILGEM satcom suite, are responsible for system design and software development of the terminal and the control station, assembly, integration and test of the terminals as well as the installation, acceptance and test on board and system delivery. Aselsan and Astrium have previously supplied 16 sets of GEMI shipborne terminals, for the Meko and Perry Class ships, under the Turkish Military Satellite Communications System (TMSCS) project. The Turkish Navy currently has the additional benefit, within TMSCS, of a separate 3 channel direct satellite communications fixed ground terminal known as SABIT, used for direct communication with ships. Aselsan, as the Prime Contractor and Astrium, as the Sub-Contractor were favoured by Savunma Sanayii Marlii (SSM) with a further order in 2008 to supply a second SABI Terminal, with enhanced features including a 5 channel capability and installation in an EMP protected building. Delivery of the SABIT equipment to Aselsan by Astrium is scheduled for 2009.
21 Jul 09. BVT Surface Fleet: Terms of Business Agreement (ToBA). The Defence Equipment Minister announced (21 Jul 09) that a 15-year contract to sustain the UK’s ship building and support industry has been signed with BVT Surface Fleet. The ToBA provides a guarantee that BVT will receive a minimum level of MoD work over the next 15 years, worth around £230m each year. Welcoming the ToBA, BAE Systems commented that BVT was a maritime joint venture with the VT Group. VT, however, has announced that it expects to leave the joint venture in 2009 when BVT will become wholly owned by BAE Systems.
Comment: According to the ‘Financial Times’ (22 Jul 09): “Britain’s remaining shipyards are at full stretch building aircraft carriers, frigates and submarines.”. The first aircraft carrier steel was cut on 7 Jul 09 and there are no frigates currently being built in the UK’s yards. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/28, 27 Jul 09)
30 Jul 09. The Portuguese Ministry of Defence procurement agency DGAED (Direcção Geral de Armamento e Equipamentos de Defesa) is planning to launch a procurement programme for the construction of a single LPD (Landing Platform Dock) type vessel called NPL (Navio Polivalente Logístico). The vessel construction is included on the 2009 LPM (Lei de Programação Militar) procurement law revision planned to be released before the end of the year by the new Portuguese Government to be elected in September 27. Howaldtswerke Deutsche Werft GmbH (part of Thyssen Krupp Marine Systems AG) already delivered the vessel design project under the two U209PN submarines procurement offset package. (Source: Google)
AIR
28 Jul 09. The U.K. MoD announced a five-year strategic agreement for
IBM to manage the UK Air Surveillance Command & Control System (UCCS). The IBM system is used to identify every one of the th