EUROPE
LAND
05 Jan 10. Ballistic Sensor Fused Munition (BSFM): In Service Date. The International Defence Minister said (5 Jan 10) that the planned in service date for the BSFM is 2012, “subject to an internal review which is expected to conclude shortly”.
Comment: GIWS of Nurnberg, Germany, was awarded an £83m contract for the development and supply of BSFM in November 2007. It is claimed that the new munition, fired from the 155mm AS90 self-propelled howitzer, will be able to “seek out and destroy hostile armoured vehicles” at ranges up to 22.5km. The number of BSFM being procured has not been made public. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/02, 10 Jan 10)
07 Jan 10. Defence Training Review (DTR) Package 1: Investment Decision Postponed. The Armed Forces’ Minister announced (7 Jan 10) that an investment decision for DTR Package 1 is “on track” for Summer 2010. [The Minister’s predecessor had announced, on 9 Oct 08, that an investment decision was expected in Spring 2009 with contract signature following approximately 15 months later.]
Comment: Under Package 1 of the DTR, the MoD intends to bring together technical training in three disciplines: aeronautical engineering, electro-mechanical engineering and communications & information systems. At present, the three Services conduct this training separately and at different locations. (Source: DNA DEFENCE NEWS ANALYSIS, Issue 10/02, 10 Jan 10)
SEA
14 Jan 10. £333m of contracts awarded for new super Aircraft Carriers. Contracts worth £333M have been awarded by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance (ACA) to companies across the country to help to build the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers. Five sub-contracts have been awarded to suppliers from Glasgow to Portsmouth for equipment to be installed on the ships and services for their assembly, bringing the total value of sub-contracts awarded so far on the programme to almost £1.1bn. These contracts and sub-contracts represent the vast majority of the equipment orders for the Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers and demonstrate the progress made on the programme to date. The two future aircraft carriers will form the cornerstone of the UK’s Naval capability and will be the largest, most capable and powerful warships ever constructed in the UK. They will be a highly versatile and potent joint defence asset, able to meet the widest range of tasks around the world throughout their expected service life of around 50 years.
Sub-contracts have been awarded by the ACA to:
* Imtech Marine & Offshore Ltd in Billingham, Teesside and Portsmouth for heating, ventilation and air conditioning, worth £120M;
* Ship Support Services Ltd based near Rosyth for paint and scaffolding for the build process, worth £105M (SSS Ltd is a joint venture formed between Pyeroy in Gateshead and Cape in Wakefield);
* Henry Abrams in Glasgow for transport of sections of the ship from the yards across the UK to Rosyth for final assembly, worth £85M;
* Tyco in Manchester for fixed fire fighting systems, worth £15M; and
* AEI Cables in Birtley, Co Durham for much of the 2,500 km of cabling to be installed, worth £8M.
AIR
08 Jan 10. EADS Defence & Security (DS) signed a fixed-wing maintenance contract with the Spanish Navy for the AV8B Harrier II, AV8B Harrier II Plus and CESSNA aircraft. Worth more than 9m euros, the contract will run for 4 years and guarantees engineering, logistical support and MRO services as well as technical assistance, continued airworthiness support and airworthiness certification for all fixed-wing aircraft in the Navy’s fleet. (Source: ASD Network)
07 Jan 10. EU awards Galileo satellite-navigation contracts. A German/UK consortium has been asked to supply the first operational spacecraft for Europe’s Galileo satellite-navigation system. OHB System and Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) will build 14 satellites in a contract valued at 566m euros ($811m; £510m). The contract was annou