EUROPE
SEA
02 Aug 13. German Navy’s Elbe-class ships to feature Indra’s communication systems. The German Navy has awarded a contract to Indra to install its satellite communication systems onto their Type 404 Elbe-class support ships. Under the three-year contract, the company will manufacture, install and test the satellite communication systems in support of the German Navy’s type 404 Elbe-class logistical support vessels to enhance communications capability at sea. Indra will install the terminals to enable secure communication in some of the most difficult conditions for the ships anywhere in the world, and will also provide training of the ships’ crews as part of the contract. The German Navy currently operates a total of six type 404 Elbe-class ships, built by Bremer Vulkan, Kröger Werft and Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft shipyards, to support the fast attack craft (FAC), submarine, minesweeper and corvette squadrons. (Source: naval-technology.com)
AIR
02 Aug 13. Turkey’s utility helicopter development programme moves ahead. The Turkish government has signed a contract with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for development of the country’s first national next-generation light utility helicopter. Signed by the undersecretary for defence industries as part of the indigenous helicopter project, launched in June 2010, the contract covers all three phases of the development programme, Defense News reports. An unnamed senior procurement official, familiar with the programme, was quoted by the news agency as saying that the project aims to produce a helicopter that is completely designed by local engineers, using customised sub-systems that can compete with other foreign developments in terms of performance and costs. (Source: army-technology.com)
TECHNOLOGY
30 Jul 13. Continuation announced for successful Ministry of Defence and
Industry partnership. A £17m contract for the continuation of Niteworks, a partnership between the MOD, Dstl and industry, has been awarded. Since its establishment in 2003, Niteworks has provided the MOD with wide-ranging expert advice in support of Armed Forces operations and capability planning: from delivering effective training through defending against cyber attack to setting better requirements for equipment. Benefits assessed from work under the previous contract have totalled £580m over 5 years. Additional non-financial benefits have also been realized by front-line operations, including those currently in Afghanistan.
USA
LAND
01 Aug 13. Bruker Detection Corp., Billerica, Mass., was awarded a firm-fixed-price, option-filled contract with a maximum value of $37,940,000 for the procurement of Improved Chemical Point Detection Systems and on-board kits. Performance location and funding will be determined with each order. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. The Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., is the contracting activity (W911SR-13-D-0002).
01 Aug 13. Exelis Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colo., was awarded a $463,192,596 modification (P00055) to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee, multi-year, option-filled contract (W52P1J-10-C-0062) for the Kuwait Base Operations and security support services. The cumulative total face value of this contract is $1,277,559,604. Work will be performed in Kuwait. Fiscal 2013 Procurement funds in the amount of $67,478,913 are being obligated on this award. The Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Ill., is the contracting activity.
29 Jul 13. Harris Corp., RF Communications Division, Rochester, N.Y., is being awarded a $22,117,791 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Harris radios and associated components which will be utilized within the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosive Response enterprise that interfaces with first responders, National Guard teams, military tactical components, law enforcement, and other De