EUROPE
LAND
23 Aug 12. Defence Minister Peter Luff MP confirmed the U.K. MoD’s intention to spend around £30m on an additional 25 Foxhound vehicles from General Dynamics Force Protection.
21 Aug 12. Poland’s Ministry of Defense has purchased an additional 200 Rosomak eight-wheel-drive armored modular vehicles (AMVs), reported local newspaper Rzeczpospolita. The new vehicles are expected to increase the mobility and firepower capacity of the land forces, said retired Gen. Waldemar Skrzypczak, Poland’s deputy defense minister responsible for the military’s modernization. The Polish Army used the Rosomak on deployments to Afghanistan and Chad, Skrzypczak told the newspaper. Since 2004, the AMV has been produced by state-run manufacturer Wojskowe Zaklady Mechaniczne Siemianowice under a license from Finland’s Patria. WZMS is part of Wojskowe Przedsiebiorstwa Remontowo-Produkcyjne, Poland’s second largest defense group. The Army did not disclose the amount of the deal, but local analysts estimate it will total about 2bn zloty ($630m). The vehicles are scheduled to be delivered by 2018. (Source: Defense News)
22 Aug 12. Finland’s Ministry of Defence has placed an order for manned weapon stations to equip its fleet of RG-32M mine hardened armoured patrol vehicles. Valued at more than US$1.7m, the contract was placed with Australian weapon mount producer, W&E Platt. It will involve supply of 39 Platt MR550 Bi-Metal Ring Mounts, which are to be shipped to Finland for installation on Finnish Army RG-32M vehicles.This is the second order of the MR550 Bi-Metal Ring Mount by Finland, coming off the supply of 10 mounts to a similar configuration in late 2011. Sweden also operates the RG32M fitted with the MR550 Bi-Metal Ring Mount, where it has been deployed on operations in Afghanistan. Deliveries of MR550 Bi-Metal Ring Mounts to Finland will commence in the 4th quarter of 2012.
22 Aug 12. The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), the MoD’s property and services provider, has selected three consortia to continue to the next stage of the competition to potentially become its private sector business partner. Following a robust procurement exercise, launched in May 2012, three consortia have been selected. They consist of: Telereal Trillium / KPMG / Mace; Serco / DTZ / Bechtel; Capita / URS / PA Consulting. This marks a significant step in DIO’s Transformation Programme. Long-term partnering with Industry may enable DIO to harness the expertise available in the private sector to create a world-class sustainable, efficient and professional organisation at the best cost to the taxpayer. DIO plans to issue the three selected consortia an Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) in the next few weeks. The consortia will be asked to further prove that they can provide the MOD with the right skills and expertise, before the DIO makes a final decision regarding their preferred Strategic Business Partner next summer. However, a contract will only be awarded if it can be found to provide value for money to the MOD and the taxpayer.
AIR
23 Aug 12. Cirrus Aircraft announced that Cirrus SR20s and SR22s have been selected by Cassidian Aviation Training Services (CATS) in a public tender for the French Air Force and Navy. A fleet of 13 Cirrus SR20s will be dedicated for training pilots at the French air force base of Salon de Provence. An additional fleet of seven Cirrus SR22s will be dedicated to training flights of navigating officers arm systems (NOSA) and liaison flights, in particular to accompany the French Air Force’s aerobatic team. Through the agreement with CATS, another fleet of three Cirrus SR20s will be dedicated to the students of the Ecole Navale at the naval air station of Lanveoc Poulmic. CATS will be in charge of maintenance and airworthiness of all fleets. The transaction was handled by Cirrus France. (Source: Yahoo!/PRNewswire)
24 Aug 12. QinetiQ has been awarded a prime contract worth £6.4m by the U.K. MoD scientis