EUROPE
AIR
08 Oct 13. Greece has approved the purchase of 10 CH-47D Chinooks from ex-US Army stocks. The aircraft will complement 15 CH-47s already in service. The Greek Parliament’s Permanent Defence Procurement Committee approved the purchase of 10 Boeing CH-46D Chinook transport helicopters on 9 October. The aircraft, which come from ex-US Army inventories, are intended for use by the Greek Army Aviation. The approval from the committee means that an official request can now be forwarded to the United States. IHS Jane’s understands that the price per helicopter could reach up to USD5m, although this will only be confirmed during further discussions with the United States. This price includes depot-level maintenance costs and possibly the installation of chaff/flare dispensers, all to be performed in the United States. (Source: Jane’s)
04 Oct 13. Dassault Aviation and Thales welcome the award by the French
Ministry of Defence of the contract to modernise the French Navy’s fleet of Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol aircraft. Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian signed the contract at a ceremony to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Thales facility in Brest (French Brittany), in the presence of Laurent Collet-Billon (DGA), Eric Trappier (Dassault Aviation), Jean-Bernard Lévy (Thales), Patrick Boissier (DCNS) and Patrick Dufour (SIAé). The contract was negotiated with the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and calls for the modernisation of the mission systems of fifteen ATL2s. The main aims of the programme are to develop, then integrate on board the aircraft, next-generation technologies for a new tactical mission system and state-of-the-art sensor subsystems and display consoles. The integrated systems will be among the most sophisticated in the entire aerospace industry. France is the only country apart from the United States to produce maritime patrol aircraft capable of deploying both advanced sensor suites (optronic, radar, acoustic) and a wide range of weapon systems (anti-ship missiles, torpedoes, laser-guided weapons).
USA
LAND
04 Oct 13. GDC4S secures US Army contract for additional WIN-T Inc 2 systems. General Dynamics C4 Systems (GDC4S) has been awarded a contract to deliver the next batch of warfighter information network-tactical increment 2 (WIN-T Inc 2) systems to US Army brigade combat teams and division headquarters units. The $111m contract extension follows the Department of Defense’s (DoD) authorisation and builds on the success achieved by the network during its first deployment in Afghanistan in 2012. A central component of the army’s existing and future capability sets, the WIN-T Inc 2 is designated as the army’s mobile battlefield network at the company level and above, and provides combatant commanders with situational awareness and the ability to command from anywhere on the battlefield.
10 Oct 13. Harris Corporation has been awarded the Communications and Transmission Systems (CTS) contract by the U.S. Army. The contract enables the company to compete for a wide range of communications systems and services projects supporting the ongoing upgrade and maintenance of the Army’s terrestrial network infrastructure. Harris was one of 12 prime contractors selected for the five-year, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract, which has a total potential value of $4bn. Under the CTS IDIQ, Harris will pursue individual task orders for satellite communications systems and components, multimedia/multi-frequency solutions, and corresponding management and administrative responsibilities to support the Army’s worldwide networks of satellite communications terminals and terrestrial transmission systems. Specific services could include systems integration, engineering and analysis, and facility and site preparation, as well as installation, operation, maintenance, program management, logistics, technical field assistance, and other support activities. The Harris CTS t