EUROPE
LAND
13 Jan 16. Saab has in December 2015 received an order for RBS 70 BOLIDE missiles from NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). The order value amounts to SEK106m and deliveries will take place during 2016-2017. The Saab portfolio of short-range ground based air defence missile systems comprises of the RBS 70 and the further enhanced RBS 70 NG. The order for RBS 70 BOLIDE missiles, placed by NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), is part of the customer’s long-term plan to enhance their air defence capabilities. 19 countries have procured more than 1,600 RBS 70 systems, including more than 17,000 missiles. The BOLIDE missile is the 4th generation all-target very short range air defence (VSHORAD) missile from Saab. With the missile the RBS 70 system aims at the complete threat spectrum from fixed and rotary wing aircraft down to small targets such as cruise missiles and UAVs, with a range of more than 8 kilometres and with altitude coverage in excess of 5,000 metres.
AIR
11 Jan 16. Indra to develop NH90 simulators for Spain. Indra has won a EUR77m (USD83.6m) order to develop a flight simulator system for the Spanish Armed Forces’ NHIndustries NH90 utility helicopters, the company announced on 12 January. Due to be ready for 2020, it will be located at Agoncillo Air Base in northern Spain and be linked with other Indra-developed simulators the Chinook, Cougar, and H135 helicopters at Colmenar de Viejo near Madrid, and for the Tiger at Almagro, south of the capital.
The company said all the simulators will be “completely integrated, making it the most advanced military helicopter simulation centre in Europe”.(Source: IHS Jane’s)
14 Jan 16. Romanian Army Gets Four Phoenix 30 UAVs.
Romania’s army has a new quadrotor capability following the arrival of four UAV Solutions Phoenix 30 unmanned air vehicles. The aircraft were delivered via the US Foreign Military Sales programme, which also includes the company’s Dragon View combined electro-optical/infrared stabilised camera, a ground control system, spares and ground support equipment. The battery-powered UAV weighs 6kg (14lb) and can carry a 0.9kg payload with a 30-35min endurance. Maximum speed is 24kt (45km/h) and cruise speed is 15.5kt. Romania also operates a variant of the Textron Unmanned Systems RQ-2 Pioneer UAV – the Shadow 600 – based with the 142nd Unmanned Aircraft Squadron in Timisoara. Through its involvement in the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance programme that is acquiring five Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawks, Romania will also have access to a high-altitude, long-endurance UAV capability. UAV Solutions has previously delivered four examples of the Phoenix 30 to the Bulgarian military. (Source: UAS VISION/Flightglobal)
USA
SEA
11 Jan 16. The U.S. Navy has awarded a production contract for its Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 1B3 to General Dynamics Mission Systems. General Dynamics will deliver Block 1B3 system upgrades over the next five years. The upgrades will be integrated into new and existing Navy ships providing significantly improved situational awareness of the tactical environment surrounding the ship. General Dynamics has been involved with the SEWIP Block 1 program since 2003 and received a low-rate initial production contracts for the SEWIP Block 1B3 in 2014. Work on the contract will take place in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. SEWIP is comprised of capability improvements divided into production blocks. This contract is part of Block 1, which provides enhanced electronic warfare capabilities to Navy ship combat systems improving anti-ship missile defense, counter targeting and surveillance. The block 1B3 system is the final upgrade for Block 1, providing high-gain/high-sensitivity electronic capability.
11 Jan 16. The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $66.6m firm-fixed-price contract for fiscal year 2016 for Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 guided missil