EUROPE
LAND
11 Mar 13. Cobham has been awarded a £16m order to supply NATO forces with leading-edge vehicle mounted Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detection equipment. These systems will be delivered in 2013 by Cobham Antenna Systems in the UK.
14 Mar 13. Diehl to supply IRIS-T SLS missile systems to Swedish Army. Diehl Defence has been awarded a contract for delivery of the new infrared imaging system-tail/thrust vector controlled (IRIS-T) surface-launched, short-range (SLS) guided missile systems to Swedish Armed Forces. The contract, which was awarded by the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV), covers production and supply of an undisclosed number of IRIS-T systems to the Swedish Army. (Source: armytechnology.com)
SEA
11 Mar 13. ATLAS ELEKTRONIK and Thales Deutschland have jointly been commissioned to modernize the combat system of the German Class F124 frigates. The CEOs of both enterprises recently signed the contract at the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in Koblenz. With completion scheduled for 2017, the “HW Regeneration CDS F124” consortium formed by the two companies will refurbish the hardware of the Combat Direction System (CDS) and also adapt and update the software. The regeneration process is driven by the sweeping implementation of commercial hardware and software, because technological development in this field is progressing at a rapid pace. Here it will be possible build up on the know-how and experience gained during the F124 construction and service phase, in which both companies were involved. The order comprises the three frigates “Sachsen”, “Hamburg” and “Hessen” as well as the Test and Training Centre (EZ/AZ) in Wilhelmshaven and the Reference Maintainer and Training Site (RMTS) in Den Helder. The work is to be organized and managed in such a way that the vessels will not need to be taken out of service. The activities include replacement of the outdated console processors, the data recording modules, and various network modules using components of the latest generation. Supportability of CDS components that are not regenerated yet critical for the system’s realtime response will, however, be ensured. An intentional side-effect is that, following the hardware regeneration, the computer systems will offer sufficient capacity for the integration of new subsystems and future CDS functionalities.
AIR
14 Mar 13. The acquisition of an EC145 by the Police Service of Northern Ireland will add another helicopter to this agency’s all-Eurocopter fleet, and reinforces the company’s impressive presence with law enforcement agencies in the British Isles. This latest rotary-wing aircraft is to be delivered in the first half of 2013, joining the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s current helicopter inventory, consisting of an owned EC145 and EC135, along with a leased BK117. With the rest of the fleet the new EC145 will be ready to serve in June this year, during the G8 Summit in Northern Ireland.
TECHNOLOGY
14 Mar 13. Roke Awarded UK Sensor Research Programme Contract. Roke Manor Research Limited (a Chemring Group company) has been awarded a three-year, £5m research contract by the UK Government’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). Under the Dismounted Close Combat Sensors (DCCS) Research Programme, Roke will lead a team of specialists, drawn from across industry and academia, to assess, mature and integrate innovative sensor technology for the dismounted close combat infantry soldier. An important goal of the programme is to develop an open system architecture, in line with the developing Generic Soldier Architecture (GSA), to allow for the integration of multiple sensor-based subsystems, such as acoustic, thermal imaging and RF subsystems. The system would enhance situational awareness, facilitate collaborative targeting and increase operational tempo, while minimising the size, weight and pow