EUROPE
LAND
16 Feb 16. Poland buys 200 squad grenade launchers. Poland has ordered lightweight 40mm RGP-40 revolver-type grenade launchers from Zaklady Mechaniczne Tarnow (ZMT), making the Polish Land Forces the first European army to introduce this type of weapon with its regular infantry.
In total 200 were ordered by the Polish Armament Inspectorate in a PLN8.9m (USD2.26m) contract with Polish firm ZMT. A first batch of 100 is planned to be delivered by October, with remaining 100 by August 2017. Under the contract the ZMT will also supply the Armed Forces with 6 cutaway instructional models and 72 training cartridges.
The shoulder-fired, semi-automatic grenade launcher RGP-40 was developed by OBRSM Tarnow (now part of ZMT). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Feb 16. Thales to provide first interoperable command information system for French Army and Navy.
• The French defence procurement agency has awarded Thales the SIA C2 contract to upgrade command information systems for the French Army and Navy.
• The programme will harmonise existing systems and enable force interoperability. • This latest award strengthens Thales’s leadership in the command information systems market.
The French defence procurement agency (DGA) has selected Thales to upgrade the command functions of the French Army and Navy as part of the SIA information system transformation programme. Under this contract, designated SIA C2, Thales will replace the Army and Navy’s legacy command information systems with a single harmonised system to meet the growing need for force interoperability.
SEA
17 Feb 16. General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Pittsfield, Massachusetts, is being awarded a $74,013,910 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee modification (P00002) to a previously awarded contract (N00030-16-C-0005) for new procurement efforts for sustainment of the U.S. and United Kingdom (U.K.) SSBN fire control system; and the U.S. SSGN attack weapon control system, including training and support equipment. Also included is the missile fire control for the Ohio replacement, and U.K. Successor Common Missile Compartment program development, through first unit U.K. production. The work will be performed in Pittsfield, Massachusetts (90 percent); Bremerton, Washington (3.8 percent); Kings Bay, Georgia (2.8 percent); Dahlgren, Virginia (1 percent); Cape Canaveral, Florida (1 percent); Portsmouth, Virginia (1 percent); and the United Kingdom (0.4 percent), with an expected completion date of December 2020. Fiscal 2014 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $5,126,400; fiscal 2015 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $614,000; fiscal 2016 other procurement (Navy) in the amount of $17,737,087; fiscal 2016 weapons procurement (Navy) in the amount of $3,914,000; fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance (Navy) in the amount of $28,390,659; fiscal 2016 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,753,000; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $15,478,764 are being obligated at the time of award, $5,126,400 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
12 Feb 16. Serco has contracted Damen Shipyards Group to build a powerful new tug to support the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers at Portsmouth Naval Base as part of its contract to provide Marine Services to the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD). The vessel will be the first of its type under the UK Flag. The Damen ART (Advanced Rotor Tug®) 80-32 tug will have the manoeuvrability, power (80 Tonnes Bollard Pull) and towing flexibility needed to support the Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers, the two largest ships ever commissioned for the Royal Navy.
AIR
17 Feb 16. Airbus Defence and Space has won an order from the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) for the manufacture and operation of two solar-powered Zep