EUROPE
AIR
02 May 12. Finland’s defence ministry has selected Aeronautics Defense Systems’ Orbiter 2 unmanned air system (UAS) for its operational needs. A €23m ($30m) contract is in the final approval phase and is expected to be signed soon. According to Finnish sources, the deal will include 55 mini UAS, with the acquisition aimed at giving the nation’s armed forces a new surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance capability. The final phase of the competition was between two Israeli-made systems – the Orbiter 2 and BlueBird’s SpyLite. The selected design has a 3m (9.8ft) wing span, 1m-long fuselage, and a 3.5h endurance up to an altitude of 18,000ft. (Source: UNMANNED)
08 May 12. Raytheon UK has received further orders under its current contract with Northrop Grumman Italia (NGI) for its jam-resistant Global Positioning System (GPS)-antenna technology for Eurofighter. NGI received the contract through Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica Company. This latest order is for Eurofighter Tranche 3 and is valued at more than £2.8m. It provides an additional 88 systems for the four nations of the Eurofighter consortium.
USA
LAND
09 May 12. American Science and Engineering, Inc. announced the receipt of a U.S. government award for four ZBV™ Military Trailers (ZBV Mil Trailer). The ZBV Mil Trailer is a ruggedized version of the Company’s patented, top-selling Z Backscatter™ Van (ZBV) and is ideal for screening vehicles for explosives and other hidden threats. The easily relocatable ZBV Mil Trailer will be deployed for counterterrorism missions in harsh environments. (Source: Yahoo!/BUSINESS WIRE)
10 May 12. BAE Systems, York, Pa., was awarded a $68,726,155 cost-reimbursement, no-fee contract. The award will provide for the modification of an existing contract to reset/convert Bradley Operational Desert Storm situational awareness vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pa., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2014. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-10-G-0003).
09 May 12. The U.S. Army Contracting Command has awarded General Dynamics Land Systems a $26m contract to build two Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) prototypes. The Joint Assault Bridge program is a multi-service initiative to replace the existing Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge (AVLB) system that is currently available to U.S. forces. The JAB system will be a fully tracked armored engineering vehicle specifically designed to provide Mobility Augmentation Companies with bridging capabilities allowing military vehicles to cross ravines or gorges in combat. It will provide crew with protection and vehicle survivability equal to the M1A1 Abrams tank fleet and have the speed and mobility to keep pace with the maneuver force. The JAB system will launch and recover the Army’s hydraulically actuated Military Load Class Scissor Bridge.
SEA
08 May 12. Under contract to Lockheed Martin Corporation, ATLAS North America (ATLAS NA) will deliver SeaFox™ mine neutralization systems as part of a system to address an urgent operational need from U.S. Navy Central Command for a more effective mine countermeasures system embarked in the Avenger-Class ships. This extends previous deliveries of the SeaFox™ for use with the MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters. Under the contract, ATLAS NA is responsible for SeaFox™ system delivery, testing, operation and life cycle support for three Navy Avenger-Class ships and six MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters. All deliveries are expected to be complete within one calendar year.
10 May 12. Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $313,843,757 combination fixed-price-incentive, cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price letter contract for low-rate initial production of fiscal 2012 Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Block I all-up rounds, special tooling and test equipment, spares and containers. Contract funds in the amoun