EUROPE
LAND
11 Oct 11. The Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation has awarded ITT Corporation a $27m contract to further equip the Norwegian Armed Forces with Generation 3 night vision systems. The contract is composed of ITT’s latest technology regarding monocular night vision devices and related accessories and includes options for future procurements.This latest procurement reflects an amendment to a contract that was first awarded to ITT in 2006. Since then, ITT has delivered more than 10,000 night vision monoculars that have been used within all branches of the Norwegian Military forces. ITT’s latest technology is the most advanced night vision technology available today and provides outstanding resolution for target recognition and identification. These rugged devices can be used in a variety of operational scenarios and operate on a standard battery.
10 Oct 11. HGH is selected by the French Navy for the supply of the VIGISCAN to equip part of the French fleet for operation against pirates. Vigiscan is mast mounted (see below photos) & captures a full 360 degree panoramic view every 2 seconds. The optical head contains a “cooled” Long Wave Infrared Detector (sensitive to thermal energy in the 8 to 12 micron wavelength band) & the electronics for capturing about 12 million pixels worth of data from a 5 degree vertical Field of View. The imagery is presented in different display modes to enable the operator to see all that is going on around him. Multiple moving targets are simultaneously detected & tracked automatically by the Vigiscan software, with outputs of elevation, azimuth & range estimations.
SEA
13 Oct 11. Northrop Grumman Corporation has signed a full production
contract for the Navigation Lights Shapes and Sounds (NLSS) signaling system for the Royal Navy’s next-generation Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers. The contract was awarded to Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit by the Aircraft Carrier Alliance, an industrial alliance between the UK Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems Surface Ships, BAE Systems Integrated System Technologies, Babcock Marine and Thales Naval.
06 Oct 11. Sonar upgrade for Swedish corvettes. Saab is to upgrade the sonar systems in the Royal Swedish Navy’s (RSwN’s) Göteborg- and Visby-class corvettes under a SEK400 million (USD58m) contract awarded by the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). Hardware and software, including the network architecture and processor cards, in the Hydra 135 (Visby) and 137 (Göteborg) multi-sensor sonar systems will be replaced, FMV spokesman Ulf Lindström told Jane’s on 4 October. (Source: Jane’s Navy International)
USA
LAND
11 Oct 11. The US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has awarded a contract to AlumiFuel Power to deliver a PBIS-2000 Portable Balloon Inflation System. Under the contract, the company will also supply 360 cartridges as well as a spare parts kit, a tool kit and two days of training at the AFSOC site. The PBIS-2000 generates hydrogen that can inflate a 200g weather balloon within 20 minutes using up to six cartridges contained in a single reactor vessel. The PBIS family will allow the air force to launch weather balloons in remote locations and reduce the cost and difficulty of transporting the source of lift gas. The system will be delivered by the end of February 2012. (Source: airforcetechnology.com)
13 Oct 11. Alcoa will supply ArmX aluminum armor kits to Oshkosh Defense for the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) A4. The c-kit armor provides blast protection for the underside of the vehicle. (Source: ASD Network)
11 Oct 11. DRS, St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $14,914,028 firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the procurement of M1200 Armored Knight vehicles. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo., with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2013. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is t