EUROPE
SEA
13 Nov 13. Babcock awarded gun support contract extension. Babcock has been awarded an 18 month contract extension from 1 November 2013 by the UK MoD to support the 4.5 inch Mk8 Mod1 gun. Babcock delivers in-service support to the gun systems under an on-going long-term Contractor Logistics Support (CLS) contract. This includes a 24 hour technical help desk, maintenance and repairs as required, provision of spares (held at base and onboard) including management of stock levels for maximum cost-efficiency, and sourcing for replacement of obsolete items, all delivered against specified availability targets. Under the same contract Babcock also successfully upgraded the 4.5 inch Mk8 guns to Mod1 standard, in a long-term programme completed last year, involving major modification and overhaul work to provide improved safety and reliability and a reduced maintenance requirements.
AIR
12 Nov 13. Romania requests F-16 weapons and equipment sale from US. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a
potential foreign military sale (FMS) of F-16 mid life upgrade (MLU) Block 15 aircraft weapons, equipment and support to Romania. Under the $457m sale, Romania has requested a possible sale of weapons, equipment, and support for a total of 12 F-16 MLU Block 15 aircraft that are being procured through a third party transfer from Portugal. Articles and services requested under the FMS include 13 embedded global positioning systems/inertial navigation systems (EGPS/INS) with GPS security devices, airborne, three AN/ALQ-131 electronic countermeasure pods, 30 AIM-120C advanced medium range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM), five AIM-120C captive air training missiles (CATMs), and 60 AIM-9M sidewinder missiles. The package also includes four AIM-9M CATMs, 48 LAU-129 launchers, ten GBU-12 enhanced guided bomb units, 18 AGM-65H/KB Maverick missiles, four AGM-65 CATMs, 15 multifunctional information distribution system/low volume terminals and two multifunctional information distribution system ground support systems. Romania also sought spare and repair parts, support equipment, software development/integration, test and equipment, personnel training and training equipment and other related elements of logistics and programme support. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
13 Nov 13. Vector Aerospace UK has been awarded an extension to the Lynx Aircraft and Component Servicing, Repair and Overhaul contract by the Ministry of Defence.
USA
LAND
13 Nov 13. Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a pre-planned product improvement (P3I) contract for the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) from the U.S. Army. Under the three-year initial agreement valued at $36m, Northrop Grumman will provide development and delivery of two JTAGS P3I prototype systems. The development scope includes design, fabrication, test and demonstration of the units prior to delivery. Work will be performed in Colorado Springs, Colo., Azusa, Calif., and Huntsville, Ala. JTAGS is a relocatable information processing system that receives and processes in-theater, infrared data downlinked from satellite sensors of the Defense Support Program, Space Based Infrared System and other systems. JTAGS disseminates warning, alerting and cueing information on tactical ballistic missiles and other tactical events of interest throughout the theater using multiple communications networks. JTAGS P3I, as a replacement for the current JTAGS system, will be located in a fixed facility. The upgraded system will provide significant performance improvements and the ability to process additional sensors. JTAGS units are deployed worldwide.
AIR
08 Nov 13. GA-ASI orders MQ-9 Reaper’s carriage and release systems from Exelis. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) has awarded a follow-on contract to Exelis for production of the BRU-71/A ejector rack for installation onboard the US Air Force’s (USAF) Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper rem