EUROPE
SEA
18 Oct 18. The Dutch Defence Material Organisation (DMO), alongside the Royal Netherlands Navy, has renewed its confidence in Thales for its new- generation IFF systems. As well as the supply of the identification systems, the contract includes the adjustment of the current LW08 radar systems and the delivery of a user interface for stand-alone control. Identifying air targets after they have been detected is crucial to the prevention of friendly fire in the theatre of operations. Naval forces today need to be able to rely on new technology to make the right decisions when it matters most. Thales helps them to conduct their missions more safely at every decisive moment. Building on its air surveillance expertise and an in-depth knowledge of operational contexts, Thales has developed high value added end-to-end IFF solutions that comply with NATO standards and meet the requirements of the Dutch defence ministry. The Netherlands sold two of its eight M-class frigates to Belgium and another two to Portugal. As a result, Belgian and Portuguese requirements were taken into consideration as well as the requirements of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The contract includes an option for three more New Generation Identification Systems (NGIS) for the Vasco Da Gama frigates of the Portuguese Navy. This contract marks an important milestone in the introduction of new NATO agreements and standards. Mode 5 is the latest military standard and will progressively replace all other modes for NATO members. Mode 5 will be mandatory on NATO-led coalition operations from 2020. The upgrade will also include the civil Mode S to generate a comprehensive Recognised Air and Surface Picture (RASP).
AIR
18 Oct 18. The Portuguese Air Force (Força Aérea Portuguesa: FAP) has ordered five AgustaWestland AW119Kx Koala light utility helicopters for a range of support operations. The deal, announced by Leonardo on 18 October, is valued at approximately EUR20m (USD23m) and includes options for an additional two helicopters. Production will take place at Leonardo’s Philadelphia facility in the United States, with deliveries of the five contracted airframes to run from later this year through to 2020. Portugal’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) has chosen the single-engined AW119Kx to replace the air force’s ageing Aerospatiale Alouette III helicopters that have been in service since 1963. In securing the contract, Leonardo beat Airbus Helicopters, which had offered its H125. Once operational, the AW119Kx helicopters will be used for roles such as training, medical evacuation, troop transport, and short-range maritime search and rescue. They may also be used for firefighting. The AW119Kx is the latest variant of the type that is equipped with a Garmin G1000HTM integrated flight deck system, which features a synthetic vision system, moving map display, and the Helicopter Terrain Avoidance Warning System (HTAWS). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
USA
SEA
16 Oct 18. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced today that it has been awarded a contract from the United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in support of the U.S. Coast Guard’s (USCG) Second Generation Automatic Identification System (AIS-2) program. The indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract has a ceiling value of $9.9m to provide second generation Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders, associated peripherals, and spare parts for nearly 1,774 boats and 282 cutters in the USCG’s active fleet. The government anticipates the purchase of vessel class-specific kits and spare parts to equip all USCG vessels with AIS-2 over the next five years. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
16 Oct 18. General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California, is awarded a $136,753,425 undefinitized contract action on a not-to-exceed basis for the procurement of long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support for the Expeditionary Sea Base 6. This action allows the procurement of ship sets of the purchase specifications supporting integrated propulsion, main diesel generator engines, propeller and shafting, integrated bridge electronics, centrifugal pumps, fuel and lube oil purifiers and steering gear components. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (21 percent); Beloit, Wisconsin (19 percent); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (17 percent); various cities in Alabama and Iowa (9 percent); Chula Vista, California (5 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (5 percent); Iron Mountain, Michigan (4 percent); Busan, Korea (3 percent); and various other locations totaling 17 percent, and is expected to be completed by May 2019. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $65,876,713 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with U.S. Code 2304(c) (1) – only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.
AIR
12 Oct 18. Iridium Satellite LLC, Tempe, Arizona, was awarded a non-competitive, firm-fixed-price $44,000,000 contract modification (P00008) for the extension of services on the current airtime contract (HC104714C4000) in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.217-8. Fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds will be used. Performance will be at the contractor’s facility. The period of performance for the option period is Oct. 22, 2018, through April 21, 2019. The Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization, Scott AFB, Illinois, is the contracting activity.
17 Oct 18. The US Navy’s Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane has awarded a contract to ManTech for agile development of sensors for the service’s Hawkeye aircraft. Valued at $45m, the contract was awarded by under the US Department of Defense Information Analysis Center (DoD IAC), Defense Systems Technical Area Task (DS TAT), multiple award contract issued by the Air Force Installation Contracting Agency.
Under the four-year deal, the company will be responsible for the technical advancement of sensors used by the US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on its PMA-231 Hawkeye aircraft. (Source: naval-technology.com)
17 Oct 18. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., doing business as Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Sector, Bethpage, New York, is awarded a $697,029,788 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for system upgrades for the EA-18G system configuration sets, Airborne Electronic Attack and Electronic Warfare systems and final upgrades for the EA-6B system for the Navy and the government of Australia under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Pt. Mugu, California (50 percent); Baltimore, Maryland (29 percent); Bethpage, New York (20 percent); and Rolling Meadows, Illinois (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2023. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funds in amount of $996,902 are being obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, California, is the contracting activity (N68936-19-D-0007).
11 Oct 18. Rolls-Royce North American Technologies-LibertyWorks, Indianapolis, Indiana, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $100,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract (FA8650-19-D-2063) for Advanced Turbine Technologies for Affordable Mission-Capability (ATTAM) Phase I. The mission of the ATTAM Phase I program is to develop, demonstrate, and transition advanced turbine propulsion, power and thermal technologies that provides improvement in affordable mission capability. This approach extends to a range of legacy, emerging, and future military propulsion, power and thermal technology needs in multiple applications. Work will be performed in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is expected to be completed by October 2026. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and 54 offers were received. No specific funds are obligated on the basic IDIQ, although in conjunction with the basic IDIQ award, the first task order (FA8650-19-F-2078) is incrementally funded with fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $17,000 at time of award. Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
18 Oct 18. Saab has received an order from Boeing for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase for the Advanced Pilot Training Aircraft, T-X. The value of this order is approximately MUSD 117.6. The order will run until 2022. Saab and Boeing were selected by the U.S. Air Force on 27 September for the T-X programme, a new era in Saab and Boeing’s partnership going forward. The T-X programme is divided into multiple phases. This order concerns the first phase, EMD, in which Saab and Boeing industrialise the T-X aircraft together with the customer. EMD includes testing, U.S. military flight certification and delivery of five jets. The EMD phase will be followed by a serial production phase.
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
15 Oct 18. RADA Electronic Industries Ltd. a leader in the development, production and sale of tactical land radar for force and border protection – announced the receipt of approximately $5m in new radar orders, in recent weeks. The orders were for RADA’s software-defined radars for counter rocket artillery and mortar (C-RAM) and counter UAV and short range air defense (SHORAD). All orders were from new and strategic customers. These new customers are leading defense organizations and represent initial sales from which RADA expects significantly greater further follow-on orders in the future. Deliveries of these orders will be completed in 2018.
AIR
16 Oct 18. Elta Systems awarded contract for ELM-2032 fire-control radars. Elta Systems, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), announced on 16 October that it has been awarded a USD55m contract to supply multimode airborne ELM-2032 fire-control radars to be installed on “newly produced advanced combat aircraft” for an undisclosed client. The radar “offers a broad range of operational modes, including high-resolution mapping in SAR [synthetic-aperture radar] mode; detection, tracking, and imaging of aircraft, moving ground, and sea targets,” said the company in a statement, pointing out that contract is for a repeat order. The radar, which can be installed on a variety of fighter aircraft, is operational on several such platforms, the company added without providing any details about the amount of radars to be delivered or the exact type of aircraft set to receive them. (Source: IHS Jane’s)