EUROPE
LAND
19 Nov 10. JCB has been awarded one of the largest British Army machine orders in its 65-year history. The order for 236 machines was won in the face of fierce global competition and will be delivered by the end of January 2011. ALC, a joint venture between Amey plc and Babcock International Group plc, which is the service provider to the Ministry of Defence for plant and mechanical handling equipment for the British Army, awarded the contract for 138 JCB 4CX backhoe loaders and 98 JCB 436eHT wheel loading shovels. The backhoe loaders are made at JCB’s World HQ, Rocester, and the wheeled loading shovels at JCB Earthmovers, Cheadle. It follows an ALC order in 2007 for 420 JCB Loadall telescopic handlers which are currently in service with British troops all over the world, including Afghanistan. JCB’s largest ever military order was for $230m from the United States military in 2005 for JCB’s High Mobility Engineer Excavator (HMEE). That order was for up to 800 machines. JCB was selected for the latest military contract after extensive user trials, during which the ease of use and compatibility with other machines already in the Army’s fleet were considered a key deciding factor.
24 Nov 10. Saab received an order from the French Defence Forces through Dga (Direction générale de l’armement) for additional Light Anti-Tank Weapon AT4CS. The order value is approximately MSEK150 (approximately €15m). The contracted product 84 mm light anti tank weapon AT4CS can be fired from confined spaces, which often is the requirement when fighting in built up areas. The new French contract will be delivered during three years starting end 2011. This contract is the fourth AT4CS contract from France. In total Saab has received orders from France for AT4CS totaling more than SEK 1000m (100m€).
SEA
22 Nov 10. Cassidian is equipping the German Navy’s new F125 stabilisation frigates with their newly developed TRS-4D/NR radar, which detects movements on the sea and in the air with previously unattainable precision. Cassidian has received an order for four naval radars and one land-based system from Blohm & Voss Naval GmbH, in Hamburg, Germany. With its name, the TRS-4D symbolises the step from the conventional system design of the TRS-3D into a “new dimension”. The TRS-4D radar is based on a new aerial concept and the latest radar technology which, in comparison to conventional radar systems, enables completely new options for location and surveillance. For the new F125 frigates, each radar is installed with four fixed, i.e. non-rotating, aerial panels. The TRS-3D on the other hand works with a rotating aerial.
TECHNOLOGY
24 Nov 10. Purple Secure Systems Ltd has been awarded a three year software development framework by the Met Office. The Met Office is embarking on a highly focussed web strategy, where the development of its web capability is central to the organisation’s corporate strategy. In order to satisfy the growing need to commercialise its data, the Met Office may use Purple to cover all aspects of the software development lifecycle. This could include business process work, requirements capture (the ‘discovery’ phase), or full product or service software development and support. Purple will deliver its full lifecycle software development capability
USA
LAND
19 Nov 10. BAE Systems, York, Pa., was awarded on Nov. 5 a $250,128,753 cost reimbursement, no fee contract. This requirement will procure Operation Desert Storm Situational Awareness (ODS-SA) long-lead material for a total of 247 ODS-SA conversion kits; 202 will be used under the contract to convert vehicles from ODS to ODS-SA configurations in support of the Bradley fighting vehicles. Work is to be performed in York, Pa., with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2012. One bid was solicited with one bid received. U.S. Army, TACOM Contracting Center, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-G-0003)
19 Nov 10. BAE Sys