11 Dec 03. DRS Technologies, Inc. has received a $20.3m contract to provide rugged Applique Computer Systems for the U.S. Army’s Force XXI Battle Command, FBCB2 program. Installed on M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tanks and M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles, these systems will support the Army’s Blue Force Tracking requirements, which include beyond line-of-sight reporting and tracking, as well as significant improvements in vertical and horizontal information integration for incorporation into the Army’s overall battlefield visualization efforts.
16 Dec 03. Serco Defence and Aerospace (“Serco”) today delivered the first two Beechcraft King Air B200s to RAF Cranwell for Royal Air Force (“RAF”) pilot training as part of Serco’s Multi-Activity Contract (MAC) and Multi-Engine Pilot Training Interim Solution. The RAF will ultimately have seven King Air B200s at its disposal through this ground breaking contract.
08 Dec 03. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics, an $8.4m long-lead material contract to begin work on increment nine of an Egyptian co-production program. This increment calls for 125 M1A1 Abrams tanks, and will increase the number of Egyptian co-production built M1A1 Abrams tanks to 880 since the program began in 1992. The contract is estimated to be valued at $277m when fully exercised. Deliveries begin in February 2005 and continue through June 2008.
15 Dec 03. BAE Systems has been awarded a $6.7m contract by the U.S. Air Force to provide operations, maintenance, and logistics support for the AN/FPQ-16 Perimeter Acquisition Radar Attack Characterization System (PARCS) radar at Cavalier Air Force Station, North Dakota. The estimated value of the five-year contract is $37.7m, if all options are exercised, extending the period of performance through September 2008. The contracting agency is the U.S. Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado.
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.
17 Dec 03. The Amey Lex Consortium (ALC) has been chosen as the Preferred Bidder for a new Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deal to provide heavy plant equipment for the Armed Forces, Lord Bach, Minister for Defence Procurement, announced today. The contract, known as C Vehicles, will cover all heavy plant equipment, logistic support and construction machines required by the Armed Forces. These components are used in digging, dozing, lifting and transporting, both in peace-time and whilst on operations. The importance and utility of this type of equipment could be seen on recent operations, building and maintaining the infrastructure for our troops. The new 15-year contract is valued at over £500m. (Full Story BATTLESPACE MILITARY VEHICLE NEWS Vol. 2 Issue 8, December 19th 2003)
17 Dec 03. Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla said on Wednesday that the government will start exclusive talks with Sweden for the purchase of Gripen combat jets to replace its aging fleet of Soviet MiG-21 fighters. The announcement follows the recommendation earlier this month by a commission to lease 14 Swedish JAS 39 Gripen combat jets, made by Sweden’s Saab and Britain’s BAE Systems. The choice of the Gripen over four other bids that involved U.S.-made fighter jets is likely to anger Washington, which recently warned Prague that Czech-American relations could be at risk over the tender.
10 Dec 03. Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by the U.S. Air Force to develop an infrastructure supporting the