04 Dec 03. Textron Systems has finalized a contract worth an estimated $38m to develop Unattended Ground Sensor (UGS) systems for the U.S. Army’s groundbreaking Future Combat Systems (FCS) program. Textron Systems will be developing an unattended ground sensor system capable of detecting, classifying, locating and tracking ground vehicles, low flying aircraft and personnel, in both rural and urban environments, and transmitting that information in a timely fashion via the FCS C4ISR.

28 Nov 03. BAE Systems Australia has been awarded a contract to provide strategically important elements of the Advanced Satellite Communications Terrestrial Infrastructure within the ADF’s Military Satellite Communications Programme JP2008. Under the A$75m contract, BAE Systems Australia will furnish the satellite communications infrastructure to give mobile and deployed forces the capability to transfer information for Command Control and the capability to access other information. . It aims to extend the strategic level Defence Information Environment (DIE) to the operational and tactical environments using the Defence owned communications payload operating on board the recently launched C1 satellite.

02 Dec 03. The U.S. Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation’s Laser Systems unit a $22m contract to produce an improved
version of the Special Operation Forces Laser Marker (SOFLAM).
A compact, lightweight portable laser rangefinder and designator system, SOFLAM enables ground forces to pinpoint critical enemy targets for delivery of precision laser-guided weapons. Work under the contract is expected to be completed by February 2006.

05 Dec 03. EADS will develop an air defence system together with the Malaysian company System Consultancy Services Sdn.Bhd. (SCS), Kuala Lumpur. Thanks to the latest technologies, the system will guarantee a more effective coordination between the existing anti-aircraft facilities. The two companies signed the corresponding cooperation agreement in Kuala Lumpur. The air defence system will be based on the concept devised by SCS and on technologies developed by the EADS Business Unit Defence & Communication Systemswhich have already been used successfully by the German armed forces. The concrete work packages of the partner companies will be finalised during the ensuing negotiations for the agreement. The EADS share of the project is chiefly based on the air defence command and control system SAMOC (Surface-to-Air Missile Operations Center), which was developed for the German armed forces and already offers network-centric operations capabilities.

03 Dec 03. Sydney based Thales Underwater Systems Pty Limited has signed a A$21m contract with Tenix Defence Pty Limited on behalf of the ANZAC Ship Alliance, to supply eight ‘Petrel’ Mine and Obstacle Avoidance Sonar systems for the Royal Australian Navy’s ANZAC Class frigates. The ‘Petrel’ Mine and Obstacle Avoidance Sonars will further enhance the self-protection capability for Australia’s new fleet of ANZAC frigates. The ‘Petrel’ Mine and Obstacle Avoidance Sonars detect mines and navigational hazards in sufficient time for ships to avoid them.

03 Dec 03. The U.K. Defence Logistics Organisation and BAE Systems have announced the award of a cockpit upgrade contract worth some £82m for the MOD’s fleet of Tornado GR4 aircraft. The contract will replace 1970s wet film and display processing technologies with a new pilot multi-functional display (PMFD) integrated with a new radar and navigator’s map processor known as the Tornado Advanced Radar Display and Information System (TARDIS). TARDIS is supplied by BAE Systems Platform Solutions Sector, and the PMFD by Astronautics. The proposed design incorporates the latest display and map-generation technology.
As prime contractor and design authority BAE Systems CS&S will begin fitting the equipment in July 2004 to meet an In Service Date of August 2006.

24 Nov 03. IT