EUROPE
LAND
07 Nov 18. Bittium to supply digital terminals to Finnish Defence Forces. The Finnish Defence Forces (FDF) Logistics Command will receive new digital terminals and related accessories from local company Bittium as part of a framework agreement worth up to EUR8.3m (USD9.5m). Bittium announced on 5 November that it will provide its Tough Comnode solution over a four-year period. The framework agreement is expected to see separate purchase orders from this year up to 2022, with all branches of the FDF utilising the technology. The new terminals are to enable a wired internet protocol (IP) communication and routing capability, as well as enable legacy combat-net radios to be integrated into a deployed Voice over IP (VoIP) infrastructure. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
05 Nov 18. HSW receives orders under WISLA. PGZ Group’s Huta Stalowa Wola (HSW) has received a contract from Raytheon for deliveries for Poland’s WISLA programme, the company announced on 25 October. The contract includes the development of the initial programme management plan as well as the maturity plan, identifying risks in the implementation of the programme. It also covers part of costs already incurred by HSW related to the preparation of the offer for the integration and production of the Patriot M903 missile launcher. As a part of the implementation of the first phase of the WISLA programme, an executive contract will be signed later in 2018 for the integration and production of 16 Patriot missile launchers. (Source: Shephard)
08 Nov 18. SIG SAUER, Inc. announced that the Norwegian Police have selected the SIG SAUER P320 X-Series as the standard service pistol for select agencies within their organization. The Norwegian Police is comprised of 8,000 police officers and 8,000 civilian personnel responsible for domestic law enforcement, border control, coordinating search and rescue operations, counter-terrorism, highway patrol, judicial orders, criminal investigation and prosecution.
SEA
07 Nov 18. DSIT Solutions Ltd., a subsidiary of Rafael Advance Defense Systems Ltd., announced today that it has received an order for the supply of PointShield Portable Diver Detection Sonar (PDDS) systems. The order was placed by the Dutch Ministry of Defense. The systems will be supplied to the customer in the Netherlands. DSIT’s PointShield PDDS is an automatic underwater security system. It is used to protect ships as well as fixed critical coastal and offshore sites from underwater intrusion and sabotage. The system can automatically detect, track and classify all types of underwater threats. The system is already being used by navies, coast guards and energy companies around the world.
02 Nov 18. Atmaca anti-ship missile production contract signed. Turkey’s Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSB) announced on 2 November that it had signed a contract with Roketsan on the serial production of Atmaca (Hawk) cruise missiles. The SSB announced on 2 November that it had signed a contract with Roketsan on the serial production of Atmaca cruise missiles. The SSB said the missiles were developed and will be produced by Roketsan, and the fire control systems and other components by Aselsan. The Atmaca will equip Turkey’s National Vessel (MILGEM) corvettes. The Atmaca appears to use the same launcher as the Harpoon missile, with almost identical launch tubes. The missile is also almost identical to the Harpoon, except the wings and nose section as the seekers are different. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
AIR
08 Nov 18. The Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a contract to national security solutions provider Kratos Defense & Security Solutions for its MQM-178 Firejet aerial target drone system. Under the agreement, the company will be responsible for providing the FMV with the MQM-178 aircraft, in addition to related ground support equipment, spares, payloads, components, expendables and support services. The sole-source, single-award indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract will continue for a period of three years, with two additional three-year exercisable option periods, taking the total potential performance period of the contract to nine years. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
USA
LAND
08 Nov 18. Optimising all aspects of operational mobility, Allison Specialty Series™ transmissions will equip the new generation of Amphibious Combat Vehicles (ACV 1.1) for the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC). The vehicles are being produced under a four-year, $400m contract won by BAE Systems, with support from Iveco Defense Vehicles, a leading provider of integrated and protected mobility solutions to military and civil protection customers. The first order by the USMC is for 30 vehicles, with future options for a total of 204 new vehicles. Iveco has chosen the reliability and technology of Allison fully automatic transmissions. This collaboration has already resulted in the design and manufacture of technologically-advanced armoured vehicles for the Spanish Army.
08 Nov 18. Colt’s Manufacturing Company LLC, West Hartford, Connecticut, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00008) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0102 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in West Hartford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,109 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.
06 Nov 18. DRS Sustainment Systems Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, was awarded a $17,274,668 modification (P00032) to contract W56HZV-16-C-0028 for Joint Assault Bridges. Work will be performed in West Plains, Missouri, with an estimated completion date of May 11, 2024. Fiscal 2018 other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $17,274,668 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
08 Nov 18. FN America LLC, Columbia, South Carolina, was awarded an $88,607,109 modification (P00009) to contract W15QKN-15-D-0072 for M4 and M4A1 carbines. Work will be performed in Columbia, South Carolina, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 25, 2020. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $88,607,709 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.
08 Nov 18. Fibrotex USA Inc has won the contract to supply the U.S. Army’s Next-Generation Ultra-Light Camouflage Netting System (ULCANS), proven to deliver world-leading protection across the electromagnetic spectrum. The contract is a 10-year, indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity award, with a total value of USD480m. Full-rate production is expected to begin in early 2019. Fibrotex USA’s new ULCANS contract is the result of a nearly two-year long period of highly competitive testing, trials and data collection conducted by the U.S. Army’s Natick Soldier Systems Center (PM-FSS), which assessed camouflage technologies from major global manufacturers against the Army’s most advanced battlefield surveillance sensors. The combat-proven technologies underpinning the new ULCANS are based on technology developed by parent company Fibrotex Technologies Ltd (FTL) over the last two decades, but have been specially modified for the U.S. Department of Defense. ULCANS will be manufactured in a new state-of-the-art vertical manufacturing facility in McCreary County, Kentucky – the only such facility in the U.S. – creating and securing hundreds of new skilled American jobs over the next ten years. The new facility is being established next to Outdoor Venture Corporation (OVC), which is a strategic partner to Fibrotex USA, and has been delivering soldier support systems to the U.S. Army for decades.
05 Nov 18. KBR, Inc. (NYSE: KBR) announced today that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded a $500m contract to provide personal services in human performance and behavioral health to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) to support its Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) mission. The POTFF mission is to increase the physical, mental, social, and spiritual capacity of the Special Operations Forces (SOF), thereby enhancing the resilience and well-being of soldiers and their families throughout the USSOCOM enterprise. KBRwyle will provide state-of-the-art, professional services including integrated, performance-based strength and conditioning programs and rehabilitation techniques to accelerate the warfighter’s return to duty. It will also provide individual, group, and family counseling, intensive case management, and other activities that integrate the physical, spiritual and psychological wellness of SOF warriors and their families. KBRwyle will maintain a highly qualified workforce to help care for the warfighter. Its staff will include clinical psychologists, nurse case managers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, dieticians, family support coordinators, data scientists and other experts.
08 Nov 18. Raytheon Missile Systems Co., Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $74,847,815 sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00049) to contract HQ0276-15-C-0003. This modification award is for the execution of the Guidance Electronics Unit (GEU) Phase III procurement under the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA contract. Congress was notified of the Phase II procurement in December 2016. Under this contract, the contractor will continue efforts for qualification, test and integration of the enhanced GEU capability to the SM-3 Block IIA missile. The modification brings the total face value of the SM-3 BLK IIA contract to $1,192,183,647 from $1,117,335,832. The work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, with an expected Phase III completion date of Sept. 30, 2020. The performance period is from Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2020. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0276-15-C-0003).
SEA
08 Nov 18. Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (HII) Newport News Shipbuilding division has secured a contract modification to advance construction on the US Navy’s first Columbia-class submarine, the future USS Columbia (SSBN-826). Valued at $197m, the current award is a modification to a previously awarded contract from General Dynamics’ (GD) wholly owned subsidiary Electric Boat. Under the deal, Newport News will be responsible for delivering long-lead-time material and advance construction for the US Navy’s ballistic-missile submarine. Advance procurement funds will be used by the company to purchase major components and commodity materials. Construction of vessels is expected to start in the fiscal year 2021, while delivery of the first boat is slated for 2028. (Source: naval-technology.com)
AIR
06 Nov 18. AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems for both defense and commercial applications, today announced it received a $3,228,856 firm-fixed-price contract on Sept. 14, 2018 from the U.S. Department of Defense to provide RQ-20B Puma AE II small unmanned aircraft systems, training and support to an allied nation in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility. Delivery is anticipated by March 30, 2019.
08 Nov 18. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colorado, has been awarded a $255,418,494 firm-fixed-price contract modification (P00008) to previously awarded contract FA8810-18-C-0002 for the Weather System Follow-on Microwave. This contract modification provides for the exercise of an option for development and fabrication of the Weather System Follow-on Microwave Space Vehicle 1. Work will be performed in Boulder, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 15, 2023. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $349,552,413. The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.
05 Nov 18. General Atomics – Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, has been awarded a $263,403,355 firm-fixed-price contract for MQ-9 Reaper production. This contract provides for the production of the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft in the fiscal 2018 production configuration. Work will be performed at Poway, California, and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2017 and 2018 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $263,403,355 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8620-19-F-2374).
02 Nov 18. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aerospace Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $130,359,625 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive fee contract (N00019-18-C-1004) in support of the F35 Block 4 Pre-modernization Phase II effort. This modification provides for pre-modernization requirements decomposition and design work for Block 4.1 Partner participant weapon capabilities for maturation to an air system requirements review level of maturity. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in March 2020. Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation (Air Force, Navy); and non-U.S. Department of Defense (non-U.S. DoD) participant funding in the amount of $90,505,737 will be obligated at time of award, $13,262,261 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($17,557,293; 13.5 percent); Navy ($14,223,730; 10.9 percent); Marine Corps ($14,223,730; 10.9 percent); and the non-U.S. DOD participants ($84,354,872; 64.7 percent). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
05 Nov 18. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, has been awarded a $350,000,000 increase to an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) production support. Contractor will provide lifecycle support for all efforts related to JASSM, Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, JASSM-Extended Range, and any JASSM variant in the areas of system upgrades, integration, production, sustainment, management and logistical support. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida, and is expected to be completed by April 17, 2022. This award is the result of sole-source acquisition. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8682-17-D-0002).
06 Nov 18. USAF to upgrade A-10Cs with 3D-audio for pilot situational awareness. The US Air Force (USAF) is moving ahead with plans to equip its Fairchild-Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II combat aircraft with 3D-audio to enhance the situational awareness of its pilots. Following a request for information (RFI) issued in December 2017, a notification was issued by the service on 5 November disclosing that it is to award Terma a sole-source Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to equip between 150 and 200 of its A-10Cs with a system to provide the pilot with 3D-audio cues. As noted by the USAF, the overall acquisition strategy of the 3-Dimensional Audio Program is to deliver a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) system to drastically improve the spatial, battlespace, and situational awareness of its A-10C pilots by providing audio cues that are accurate to within 15° of both azimuth and elevation. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
07 Nov 18. Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it has received a Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) order of 1,000 National Security Agency (NSA)-certified Mini Crypto devices from the U.S. Air Force (USAF). In today’s battlespace environment, technological breakthroughs have enabled smaller sensors and smaller platforms of every kind, but until now the available high-assurance cryptographic technology did not meet the needs for these devices at the tactical edge. Viasat’s Mini Crypto devices are designed for easy embedment on U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) small form factor systems, allowing them to transmit SECRET and Below data securely across the battlespace. Systems include unmanned systems, emerging robotics applications, communications devices, and existing and emerging sensors. According to the USAF, the Mini Crypto device will enable forward-deployed warfighters to secure these small, tactical edge systems in extremely hostile environments. The Mini Crypto device will ensure tactical communications and data exchanges, no matter where they take place, stay safe and secure. Due to its small size and embedded operational use case, the Mini Crypto device provides high levels of security with minimal additional weight and power. In addition, because they are embedded and have a self-contained encryption engine capable of generating their own keys, they are not required to undergo the same special handling as other security devices, thereby expanding their operational use case and reducing operational costs. The initial LRIP order of Viasat’s Mini Crypto devices demonstrates a critical transition point for this embeddable security technology, and is a key step towards securing a Full-Rate Production order from the USAF. First deliveries of Viasat’s Mini Crypto devices are expected during the third quarter of Viasat’s fiscal year. Viasat’s Mini Crypto device is based on the Company’s industry-leading programmable and embeddable PSIAM™ cryptographic technology, which provides accredited cryptography for a wide range of applications including unmanned systems, handheld communications, weaponized platforms and high-speed cloud computing. The NSA-certified Mini Crypto device is available for immediate purchase across all U.S. DoD and U.S. Government organizations.
TECHNOLOGY
07 Nov 18. Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) has won two prime Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contracts from the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency to develop advanced data automation, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities. The contracts have a potential combined total value of up to $600m. Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services will lead the Elevation Content and Precise Imagery programs, which are part of NGA’s Janus initiative to build systems that give agency partners access to NGA content services. To align with NGA’s “AAA” strategy — Automation, Augmentation and Artificial Intelligence — Raytheon will apply more than 30 years of advanced photogrammetric algorithm development experience to automate NGA data production capabilities while streamlining processes and workflows. Raytheon currently works with NGA on several projects and was recently awarded multiple contracts under the agency’s “BIG Broad Agency Announcement or BIG BAA” initiative.
REST OF THE WORLD
SEA
05 Nov 18. Canada buys sixth Arctic patrol ship. Canada is acquiring a sixth Arctic and Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) for the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN), Minister for Defence Harjit Sajjan said during a presentation on 2 November at Irving shipyard in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The AOPS acquisition programme started in 2015 with a contract for CAD3.5bn for five vessels and the option for a sixth. “The decision for a sixth ship was made possible after ensuring adequate funding for the acquisition of the ship, as well as the modified production schedule,” read an official statement from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The first AOPS, the future HMCS Harry DeWolf was launched in September 2018 and is expected to enter service with the RCN in 2019. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
05 Nov 18. Tellumat has fulfilled a three-year contract for the supply of an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) system for the Indonesian Navy, providing the naval warship with the ability to safeguard itself by responding to interrogations from other friendly vessels or aircraft, thus preventing friend-on-friend incidents. Tellumat’s Defence & Security business unit, a South African manufacturer and supplier of defence solutions, provided the PT-2500 naval IFF system to UK-based Ultra Electronics – the prime contractor for the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of Indonesian Navy Corvette the KRI Fatahillah. The warship was handed over to the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Indonesia in December 2016. In 2017, the Indonesian Navy had the system in their hands, enabling them to carry out the necessary trials and checks, the favourable outcome of which culminated in the end of a successful project. The IFF system forms a key part of the KRI Fatahillah’s new combat management system and sensors, which were replaced along with the ship’s re-powering and general overhaul.
08 Nov 18. Egypt reportedly orders Meko A-200 frigates. Egypt has ordered Meko A-200 frigates from German company ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), according to French and German newspaper reports. La Tribune reported on 5 November that the frigate deal was signed in September, is worth EUR2bn (USD2.3bn) and covers four A-200s, one of which will be built in Egypt. Citing industry sources, Handelsblatt corroborated the report two days later, but said the contract was worth around EUR1bn and had not yet come into effect. It did not say how many ships it covers. Egyptian officials, TKMS, and the German government have not confirmed the existence of the deal. (Source: IHS Jane’s)