CONTRACT NEWS IN BRIEF
EUROPE
LAND
03 Sep 09. The German Bundeswehr will receive ten additional Fennek light armoured reconnaissance vehicles for its joint fire support teams (JFST). (Source: army-technology.com)
03 Sep 09.The DGA orders 332 VBCI armoured vehicles. The French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) has notified the group of companies
formed by Nexter Systems and Renault Trucks Défense of an order for 332 infantry armoured combat vehicles (VBCI).
31 Aug 09. Following the contract notified in April 2008 and concerning 588 VAB with remote weapon stations providing effective protection of the soldiers, the DGA has placed an order of 20 additional VAB TOP units to Renault Trucks Defense upon the request of the French army.
This order is following the 60 VAB TOP delivered to the forces and deployed for operational urgency procedure.
01 Sep 09. After several months of competition, the DGA – the French Defense Procurement Agency – has awarded Thales a contract to renew the Government’s range of network security equipment guaranteeing national sovereignty over the next fifteen years. The contract provides for the roll-out, in 2013, of a first batch of 12,000 encrypters together with in-service support.
AIR
28 Aug 09. Royal Navy flying training is receiving a significant boost thanks to a £57m service contract with Ascent, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and VT Group. This new contract will provide an incremental approach to Basic Observer Training improving the current course with the Basic Flying Training phase carried out in new aircraft. The new Basic Observer Course will be delivered by Ascent in three phases. Phases 1 (Introductory Flying Training and Common Core Ground School) and 2 (Elementary Navigation Training) will be conducted at RAF Barkston Heath, the flying elements being delivered on the Grob 115Es, owned by the VT Group. Phase 3 (Basic Flying Training) will be conducted at RNAS Culdrose on four new MOD-owned Beechcraft B350ER King Air aircraft. The contract in-turn includes a sub-contract between Ascent and Cobham plc that will see FR Aviation, part of Cobham, integrate a radar and tactical mission training system into the King Air aircraft and thereafter conduct maintenance and continuing airworthiness services.
USA
LAND
02 Sep 09. Alliant Techsystems recently received a $10m order for Enhanced Portable Inductive Artillery Fuze Setters (EPIAFS), following successful completion of First Article Acceptance Testing (FAAT) with the U.S. Government. The contract was awarded to ATK by the U.S. Army Program Manager – Combat Ammunition Systems located at Picatinny Arsenal, New Jersey. The EPIAFS provides warfighters the capability to download automated fire control data to initialize the Global Positioning System (GPS) on 155mm projectiles such as XM982 Excalibur, and rounds equipped with ATK’s Precision Guidance Kit (PGK). In addition, the EPIAFS is also capable of setting all NATO standard fuzes on projectiles fired from the M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer, M777A2 lightweight towed howitzer and the future Non-Line-Of-Sight cannon.
Sep 09. GKN Aerospace has been awarded a $425,000 contract by the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) of the United States Department of Defense to develop instantly dimmable bullet resistant windows. The development programme will combine GKN Aerospace’s bullet resistant glazing expertise with ‘suspended particle device’ (SPD-SmartGlassTM) technology from Research Frontiers Inc. GKN Aerospace is licensed by Research Frontiers to use SPD-SmartTM technology to develop armoured glass products that will also offer vehicle occupants instant ‘on-demand’ light control and attenuation, privacy, and protection from heat, glare, and ultraviolet (UV) light penetration.
28 Aug 09. KONGSBERG has booked an order valued at NOK 1,1bn from the US Army. The order is part of the NOK8bn Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations (CROWS