EUROPE
LAND
08 Dec 17. Bittium has received a purchase order from the Finnish Defense Forces for versatile Bittium Tough Comnode terminal. The purchase order concerns the final phase of the terminal’s productization over a duration of nine months and the delivery of a batch of the terminals to the Finnish Defence Forces after the end of the productization phase. Bittium Tough Comnode will fulfil the data transfer needs of the Finnish Defence Forces’ mobile troops by functioning for example as a VoIP phone (Voice over IP), an IP router (Internet Protocol), and an SHDSL repeater (Symmetrical High-speed Digital Subscriber Line). Bittium Tough Comnode is rugged, easy to install in different environments and is also portable by soldiers on the battlefield. The terminal is compatible with the software defined radio based Bittium Tactical Wireless IP Network™ (TAC WIN) system, which is meant for broadband tactical data transfer and is used by the Finnish Defence Forces. The terminal offers diverse connectivity options also to third-party equipment and systems. Bittium Tough Comnode also enables using legacy Combat Net Radios (CNR) as part of the IP-based tactical communication system (Radio over IP, RoIP). The value of the purchase order is EUR 1.1m (excl. VAT). The purchase order has no effect on Bittium’s financial outlook for the year 2017, published on October 10, 2017 in Bittium’s financial guidance for the year 2017.
14 Dec 17. Domo Tactical Communications (DTC), the wireless communication specialist, announced that it has been awarded an initial contract for the delivery of wireless IP mesh radios to support a commercial European customer with their Connected & Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) programmes. This builds upon DTC’s previous sales of wireless mesh radios for Unattended Ground Vehicles (UGVs), remote sensing and scene assessment vehicles, remote vehicle track testing and commercial remote autonomous/unmanned truck testing. Autonomous vehicle technology is developing rapidly and DTC is a proven provider of secure high data rate wireless NETNode mesh radios, with enhanced into non-line-of-sight (NLOS) capability, ideal for urban and city environments where CAV manufacturers and operators need resilient data and communication links to ensure that these new modes of transport can operate effectively and safely.
13 Dec 17. Subject to Contract, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) has approved the take up of competitively obtained option prices from MASS, a Cohort plc company, for a two year extension to its existing Joint Warfare Support contract. MASS will continue providing training and exercise support to the MOD‘s Joint Forces Command (JFC). The value of the contract is £10m and commences in April 2018.
The contract includes the continued provision of:
• A comprehensive exercise scenario scripting capability
• Design, installation and delivery of a detailed exercise planning and management communications information systems capability
• Manning a state-of-the-art joint simulation system
All of which are supported by an exercise observation and learning capability. Through the Joint Warfare Support Team (JWST) at JFC, MASS will also continue to provide a highly advanced Contingent Capability Reporting and Standards system and exercise mentoring and reporting capability, as well as a Defence Exercise Planning tool.
SEA
14 Dec 17. BAE Systems has been awarded a new long-term contract by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to manage, maintain, and evolve the combat management systems, tactical data networks, and shared infrastructures fitted fleetwide to Royal Navy (RN) surface ships.
Valued at approximately GBP200m (USD267m), the Joint Support Solution 2 (JSS2) programme follows on from the original JSS contract signed with the MoD in 2010. The new contract, let by the Maritime Combat Systems (MCS) team in Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) in August, forms part of the MoD’s new Common Support Model, whic