EUROPE
LAND
09 Feb 16. Finnish forces receive approval to procure GMLRS munition from US. Finland defence minister Jussi Niinistö has allowed the country’s armed forces to procure munitions for a guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) from the US. Backed by the Cabinet Finance Committee, the proposal will be carried out as a foreign military sales (FMS) from the US government. Under the €70m procurement, Finland is seeking munitions for a GMLRS alternative warhead (AW) to engage area targets, and a GMLRS Unitary for precision firing. Manufacturing work under the contract, which is yet to be awarded, will be performed by Lockheed Martin, with deliveries expected to run until 2018. The new guided munition will provide Finnish defence forces with long-range capabilities, and allow them to use the existing heavy rocket launcher system more effectively. Between 2012 and 2015, the Finnish MLRS’s fire control system was upgraded, enabling the launchers to fire guided munitions. An upgraded version of the legacy M26 rocket, the GMLRS is a short-range, road-mobile, solid-propellant artillery rocket. It is designed to destroy ground targets at a distance of up to 70km, with minimal collateral damage. In November last year, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a potential $150m FMS for 40 GMLRS pods to Finland. The Jordanian Government also requested an estimated $192m sale of M31 unitary GMLRS pods in March 2016. (Source: army-technology.com)
SEA
10 Feb 16. BAE Secures Successor Missile Submarine Design Contract. Design of a new fleet of Royal Navy nuclear missile-carrying submarines has advanced with the award to BAE Systems of a £201m (US $290m) contract to complete assessment phase work on the boat. The cash will allow BAE to develop the design of the submarine, including equipment and systems layout, develop-manufacturing processes, and undertake production of early prototypes, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement released Tuesday. The next phase of the program, known as Successor, is expected later this year subject to parliamentary approval to renew Britain’s nuclear deterrent. The Conservative government has committed to building four Trident missile-armed submarines to replace the current Vanguard class of boats providing Britain’s nuclear deterrent. The £201m deal is the final large design payment to BAE under a £3.3bn assessment phase package earmarked by the previous government for development of Successor. The announcement follows three funding packages awarded to BAE: two awards of £328m and £315m to commence initial design in 2012, followed by £257m in 2015 for the detailed design. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
AIR
12 Feb 16. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Marietta, Georgia, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $141,936,871 value firm-fixed-price, undefinitized contract action for the P-3B modernization program for the government of Greece, which will provide an extension of service life by 15,000 flight hours. This contract provides for the reactivation of one P-3B aircraft and the procurement of hardware kits for the upgrade/modernization of four P-3B aircraft to support a structural mid-life upgrade. In addition, this contract provides for phased depot maintenance; a Greece indigenous mission integration and management system; new avionics; and other ancillary hardware and services. Work will be performed Marietta, Georgia (62 percent); Athens, Greece (15 percent); Schimatari, Greece (13 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (9 percent); and Greenville, South Carolina (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Foreign military sales funds in the amount of $26,514,460 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c) (4). The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting a