EUROPE
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05 Oct 15. The Czech military has placed a major order with Rheinmetall for the handheld Mithras illumination rocket. Through to November 2015, the Düsseldorf, Germany based defence contractor will supply the tried-and-tested Czech armed forces with an initial shipment of tens of thousands of Mithras rockets. The order is worth around €720,000. Mithras is a self-contained system fired without a flare pistol or other launch device. It features a triply secured, rotatable arming mechanism, assuring safe handling in accordance with STANAG 4497, which can also be returned to safe. Other outstanding features include low recoil in combination with a negligible smoke signature as well as spin and surface stabilization for low wind sensitivity. Every variant of the handheld Mithras rocket family is equipped with the same fuse system, differing only with regard to payload.
08 Oct 15. Saab Defense and Security USA, LLC (SDAS) has signed a contract with the U.S. Army Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI) to produce and field an upgrade and expansion to its previously fielded live training equipment for the Bulgarian Armed Forces (BAF). Saab Defense and Security USA’s Training and Simulation unit is responsible for delivery of the new and upgraded equipment. The Deployable Instrumented Training System (DITS) hardware will be integrated into the Bulgarian Armed Forces existing training systems. (Source: Yahoo!/PRNewswire)
AIR
06 Oct 15. DOD/DSCA Notifies Congress of Possible FMS of MQ-9 Block 5 Aircraft to Spain
. The U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified the Congress that the Government of Spain has requested a possible sale of:
• Four (4) MQ-9 Block 5 Remotely Piloted Aircraft
• Twenty (20) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Guidance Unit (EGI) (3 per aircraft, and 8 spares)
• Two (2) Mobile Ground Control Stations (MGCS)
• Five (5) Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems (MTS-B) (1 per aircraft, 1 spare)
• Five (5) Synthetic Aperture Radar, Lynx AN/APY-8 (1 per aircraft, 1 spare)
Also provided are a unique and common spares package, support equipment, United States Air Force (USAF) technical orders, country specific technical orders, Contractor Logistics Support for two (optional three) years, contractor provided aircraft components, spares, and accessories, personnel training, and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated MDE cost is $80m. The estimated total cost is $243m. The principal contractor will be General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. in San Diego, California. Other sole source requests identified in the Letter of Request are Raytheon Company in McKinney, Texas, and L-3 Communications Systems – West in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Source: glstrade.com)
05 Oct 15. The Royal Netherlands Air Force selected Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) to equip its F-16 fleet, becoming the 21st international customer to acquire the multi-mission system. The contract was awarded through the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation and includes 29 Sniper ATPs as well as support equipment, training and sustainment. Pod deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2016. Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will provide sustainment support for the Royal Netherlands Air Force through a Performance-Based Logistics program. Depot repairs will be performed at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex through Lockheed Martin’s partnership with the U.S. Government.
USA
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05 Oct 15. USSOCOM orders new two-channel handheld tactical radio from Harris. Harris has secured a contract to supply a new specialised, handheld, tactical communication system to the US Special Operations Forces (SOF). Awarded by the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), the $390m single-source, indefinite delivery/quantity contract consists of a five-year base period and one-year op