UNITED KINGDOM
AIR
12 Apr 19. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced it has been awarded a $1.8m contract by the British Army to deliver the FLIR Black Hornet 3 Personal Reconnaissance System (PRS). The order is for an experimental procurement of the combat-proven Black Hornet PRS and part of the UK Ministry of Defense’s Transformation Fund Rapid Procurement Initiative. Units delivered under the contract will support platoon- and troop-level surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. They also will be used in part for a test and evaluation of nano Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) capabilities to enhance warfighters’ situational awareness on the frontlines. At 32 grams with a flight time up to 25 minutes, the nearly silent, pocket-sized Black Hornet 3 transmits live video and high-definition still images back to the operator. Its information feed provides soldiers with immediate covert situational awareness to help them more effectively complete their mission. FLIR has delivered more than 7,000 Black Hornets to military customers worldwide, and this new contract with the British Army expands use of the Black Hornet PRS for military surveillance and reconnaissance programs. FLIR will manufacture the systems in Hvalstad, Norway. Deliveries will begin immediately and are expected to be completed within six months. For more information about the FLIR Black Hornet PRS, please visit www.flir.com/blackhornet.
EUROPE
LAND
16 Apr 19. Heavy haulers: HET design trends diverge. Key Points:
- Two of Europe’s newest tank transport vehicle offerings showcase significant design differences
- RMMV’s HX81 was designed to legally operate on European roads, while the larger and heavier MZKT-741351 had no such parameters
In December 2018 the German Bundeswehr awarded a seven-year framework-type contract to Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) that allows for up to 137 HX81 tank transporters to be ordered. The original announcement also revealed an initial order for 32 vehicles valued at about EUR32m (USD36m). Delivery of the first example is slated for later this year, with the remaining 31 set to be delivered from 2020. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
16 Apr 19. Two more NATO member states procure Rheinmetall’s fast-acting ROSY smoke/obscurant system. Two NATO member nations have opted to purchase Rheinmetall’s ROSY rapid smoke/obscurant system for protecting their vehicle families. This versatile modular system thus continues to expand its presence in the global force protection market. The two orders are worth several million euros. Delivery of 126 systems to Spanish defence contractor URO Vehículos Especiales S.A. (UROVESA) is set to begin in April 2019. UROVESA will be installing these systems in 126 out of 139 VAMTAC protected patrol vehicles purchased by the Portuguese armed forces in July 2018 via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, or NSPA. Delivery of the systems will be complete in March 2020. Pre-series delivery in response to another order begins in May 2019, this time from Belgium. Here, Rheinmetall is acting as subcontractor for the British company Jankel, which is supplying the Belgian Army with the Light Troop Transport Vehicle, or LTTV. All 199 of the vehicles are being prepared for integration of the system, in addition to the supply of control units and launchers for 167 vehicles. Series production commences in February 2020 and will be complete the same year.
These two orders mean that ROSY will soon be in service in no fewer than eleven countries. ROSY provides protection from surprise attacks by creating a wall of smoke/obscurant that renders vehicles invisible to the enemy. Unlike conventional smoke/obscurant systems, it not only produces an instantaneous, extensive, multispectral interruption in the line of sight, but also generates a dynamic smoke screen that provides moving assets with long-lasting protection. Assuring 360° protection, the system’s multi-mission capability offers a strong defence against multiple assaults, including stream and wave attacks. Thanks to effective screening measures in the visual and infrared spectrum, including integrated IR jamming and decoying effects, ROSY reliably wards off all TV-, EO-, IR-, IIR-, laser- and SACLOS-guided weapons.
ROSY is available in a number of different versions. Fundamentally suitable for vehicles of all types, ROSY_L encompasses a basic system consisting of one control unit per vehicle as well as one to four launchers which, depending on the model, can hold two or three magazines each. The modular variant ROSY_Mod lends itself to small weapon stations and small vehicles of the kind used by special forces, for example. ROSY_Mod can be directly and invisibly integrated into the vehicle without a launcher. ROSY_N was specially developed to provide small naval and coast guard vessels with effective protection.
16 Apr 19. RUAG’s TTEL telephony solution has been selected as part of Switzerland’s key ICT voice system of the armed forces (VSdA) project, the company announced on 9 April. The autonomous, tactical and independently operated communication system enables secure command level voice communications. TTEL enables users to set up and operate a telephony system with a decentralised directory for maximum flexibility and security. All users, regardless of their physical location, can be reached permanently on a secure line. Under the terms of the contract, RUAG will also carry out installation and maintenance of the system. With the VSdA project, the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport will support the Swiss armed forces’ command capability in all situations. The project also includes the procurement of a secure, militia-compatible telephony solution for a dedicated group of users. (Source: Shephard)
AIR
11 Apr 19. German government buys new planes after technical embarrassments. The German government has purchased three new Airbus 350 long-haul planes for official trips after a series of embarrassing technical failures with its current fleet, including one which grounded Chancellor Angela Merkel. Berlin will pay €1.2bn for the three A350s, the first to be delivered in 2020 and the remaining two in 2022, the ministry said Wednesday. Among the embarrassing technical failures that hit the government service fleet in the last months was one in November affecting Merkel. (Source: News Now/https://www.thelocal.de)
USA
LAND
11 Apr 19. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced today it has received an award from the United States (U.S.) Department of Defense (DOD) Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND) in support of the Nuclear Biological Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle Sensor Suite Upgrade (NBCRV SSU) program for the U.S. Army. The Other Transaction Authority Agreement (OTA) is valued at $48.1m, with execution extending through mid-2022. FLIR will be the lead integrator in the modernization of the U.S. Army’s NBCRV system. Under the agreement, FLIR will develop a platform agnostic modular mission payload, which integrates multiple chemical, biological and radiological sensors into a flexible command and control (C2) system. This C2 system will allow for data integration from the various sensors that will enable automation of certain tasks, reducing warfighter burden. The C2 system and the automation will allow for collaboration between manned Stryker vehicles, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), and sensor integrated drone platforms.
16 Apr 19. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Alliant Techsystems Operations LLC has received orders totaling $194m from the U.S. Army for small-caliber ammunition. Orders were placed for 5.56mm, 7.62mm and Cal. 50 cartridges under the company’s supply contract to produce small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. government at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence, Missouri. As the largest manufacturer of small-caliber ammunition for the U.S. Department of Defense, the company has produced more than 18 billion rounds of small-caliber ammunition at Lake City since 2000 to support U.S. and allied warfighters around the globe. In recent years, the company has completed several significant investments at the facility in state-of-the-art, high-volume technology that have enhanced employee safety, product quality, environmental stewardship and overall efficiency.
16 Apr 19. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $19,667,534 modification (P00175) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 to incorporate Engineering Change Proposal OSKW8233R2 (Capsule Roof Hatch) into the baseline configuration of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle Family of Vehicles. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2017, 2018 and 2019 other procurement, Army; Marine Corps procurement; Air Force procurement; and research, development, test and evaluation funds in the combined amount of $19,677,534 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
SEA
12 Apr 19. Huntington Ingalls Industries Awarded Advance Procurement Contract Modification For Virginia-Class Block V Submarines. Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) announced today that its Newport News Shipbuilding division has received a $727.4m contract modification from General Dynamics Electric Boat to continue the procurement of long-lead-time material for Virginia-class submarines. The award provides new funding to an existing contract for long-lead-time material to support construction of Block V submarines. The current contract brings the overall contract value to $1.04bn. Newport News is teamed with General Dynamics Electric Boat on the Virginia class, a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines being built to replace the Los Angeles-class submarines as they are retired. Virginia-class submarines incorporate dozens of new technologies and innovations that increase firepower, maneuverability and stealth and significantly enhance their warfighting capabilities. These submarines are capable of supporting multiple mission packages and can operate at submerged speeds of more than 25 knots for months at a time. (Source: ASD Network)
AIR
12 Apr 19. The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded a $14,314,300,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the modification, modernization, engineering, sustainment and test of the B-1/B-52 weapons systems. This B-1/B-52 Flexible Acquisition and Sustainment contract provides for the upcoming modernization and sustainment efforts to increase lethality, enhance survivability, improve supportability, and increase responsiveness. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and is expected to be complete by April 11, 2029. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,215,568 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8628-19-D-1000).
11 Apr 19. The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is awarded $93,632,264 for cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order N0001919F2963 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-16-G-0001). This order provides for the manufacture, test, installation, integration, and qualification of up to eight Wideband Satellite Communication kits in the P-8A Poseidon aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington (83 percent); Patuxent River, Maryland (15 percent); and St. Louis, Missouri (2 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,118,429 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
16 Apr 19. Lockheed Martin Space, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has been awarded an $879,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Reentry System/Reentry Vehicles (RS/RV) subsystem support. This contract provides for sustainment engineering, maintenance engineering, aging surveillance, modification of systems and equipment, software maintenance, developmental engineering, production engineering, and procurement of the Minuteman III RS/RV subsystem and related support equipment. Work will be performed primarily in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; and Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and is expected to be complete by June 4, 2030. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $7,818,298 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill AFB, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8214-19-D-0001).
TECHNOLOGY
11 Apr 19. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Biological Technology Office selected Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) to prototype sensing capabilities using undersea organisms to assist in passively detecting and tracking undersea threats. As part of the PALS program, Northrop Grumman will develop biological sensing hardware that has increased sensitivity for certain sensor modalities, achieving greater range. Artificial intelligence will be applied to observe patterns in the marine environment to help classify targets. Northrop Grumman is partnered with Coda Octopus (Nasdaq: CODA), Duke University, University of Maryland, Baltimore County and the University of Memphis.
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
17 Apr 19. The New Zealand Ministry of Defence has tasked the Cubic Corporation with delivering its command and control (C2) capabilities to support the Network Enabled Army (NEA) program’s Tactical Network (TNet) project. The NEA program is a “transformational program” that will be delivered in four tranches over 12 years, for the benefit of New Zealand Army’s Land Forces and Special Operations Forces. Cubic Corporation’s business division, Cubic Mission Solutions (CMS), will be responsible for the work. For the initial work scope, Cubic will provide “scalable and deployable command post computing solutions based on its DTECH M3-SE and M3X product lines”, with these solutions allowing “reliable and scalable hyper-enabled operations up and down all echelons of command”.(Source: Defence Connect)
16 Apr 19. Indian Army approves ‘emergency purchase’ of Spike MR ATGWs. The Indian Army (IA) has approved the import of 240 Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Spike MR (medium-range) anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) and 12 launchers as part of an ’emergency purchase’ to meet immediate operational requirements. Official sources told Jane’s on 16 April that the decision to acquire the Spike MR anti-tank guided weapon (ATGW) was taken during the five-day bi-annual Army Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi that concluded on 13 April. They said the equipment is being procured under the recently enhanced financial powers of IA’s Vice Chief of Staff, who now has the authority to acquire goods and materiel worth INR5bn (USD71.8m) without prior approval from the Ministry of Defence (MoD). (Source: IHS Jane’s)
SEA
12 Apr 19. Indonesia signs USD1bn contract for three follow-on SSKs to Nagapasa class. Key Points:
- Indonesia has signed a USD1bn contract with South Korean shipbuilding company DSME for three more diesel-electric submarines
- The Indonesian shipbuilder PT PAL will play a larger role in the construction of these vessels
The Indonesian Ministry of Defence has signed a USD1bn contract with South Korean shipbuilder Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) for three Type 209/1400 diesel-electric submarines (SSKs). The contract was signed on 12 April in Bandung, West Java. The vessels will be a follow-on to the country’s Nagapasa class, the contract for which was also awarded to DSME in 2011. Two submarines under this earlier contract have been commissioned by the Indonesian Navy (Tentara Nasional Indonesia – Angkatan Laut: TNI-AL), while a third was launched at PT PAL’s premises in Surabaya on 11 April. Industry sources, who have been updating Jane’s on the progress of the negotiations for the follow-on SSKs since early January 2019, have also confirmed that PT PAL will take on larger workshare roles in this new deal with DSME as part of a technology transfer programme. For the first vessel under the new contract, which will be the fourth-in-class overall, two of the SSK’s six modules will be constructed by PT PAL in Surabaya, while DSME will build the remaining four in South Korea. The Indonesian-built modules will be shipped to Okpo for assembly. For the second submarine, which will be the fifth-in-class overall, PT PAL will construct four of the six modules in Surabaya, with DSME constructing the remaining two in Okpo. As with the first vessel, modules that have been constructed in Surabaya by PT PAL will be shipped to South Korea for final assembly. For the third vessel in the contract, which will be the sixth-in-class overall, PT PAL initially proposed to build the entire submarine. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
AIR
16 Apr 19. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, is awarded $30,135,588 for modification P00001 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00019-18-C-1057). This modification continues the Phase I design maturity, analysis and test planning for the Stand-off Land Attack Missile – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) production line for the government of Saudi Arabia. In addition, this modification provides for the redesign of obsolete parts to replace obsolete, nearly obsolete or uneconomical parts to support SLAM-ER weapon system production and improve future sustainment. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri (59 percent); Indianapolis, Indiana (13 percent); Melbourne, Florida (11 percent); Walled Lake, Michigan (7 percent); Black Mountain, North Carolina (3 percent); Windsor Locks, Connecticut (3 percent); South Pasadena, California (1 percent); Albuquerque, New Mexico (1 percent); Stillwater, Oklahoma (1 percent); and various locations within the continental U.S. (1 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2019. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $30,135,588 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
15 Apr 19. Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) – CONUS Based F-16 Training. The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to TECRO for the continuation of a pilot training program and maintenance / logistics support for F-16 aircraft currently at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona for an estimated cost of $500m. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. TECRO has requested a possible sale for the continuation of a pilot training program and maintenance / logistics support for F-16 aircraft currently at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, to include flight training; participation in approved training exercises; inert/dummy training munitions; supply and maintenance support; spares and repair parts; support equipment; program management; publications; documentation; personnel training and training equipment; fuel and fueling services; engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of program and logistical support necessary to sustain a long-term CONUS training program. The total estimated program cost is $500m. This proposed sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96‑8. These services and equipment will support the continuing pilot training program currently at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. This program enables the recipient to develop mission ready and experienced pilots through CONUS training. The training provides a “capstone” course that takes experienced pilots and significantly improves their tactical proficiency. Training is a key component of combat effectiveness. The prime contractors will be URS Federal Services, Inc., Germantown, MD and L3, Greenville, Texas. At this time, there are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Defense Security Cooperation Agency)
15 Apr 19. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded a $65,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Small Diameter Bomb Increment I miniature munitions. This contract provides for integration, sustainment and support of the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I miniature munition and carriage system on various Foreign Military Sales aircraft platforms. This support includes all testing, engineering, management, technical, and logistical activities associated with Small Diameter Bomb Increment I weapon system with various aircraft and associated systems. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, various Air Force test ranges, and in each respective country. Work is expected to be complete by April 15, 2029. This contract involves foreign military sales to Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Israel, South Korea, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Singapore and any other future country with an approved letter of offer and acceptance. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $2,474,387 are being obligated on the first task order at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA8681-19-D-0009).
15 Apr 19. Indonesia signs USD16m contract for one Super Puma helicopter. Key Points:
- Indonesia has acquired another Super Puma helicopter from PT Dirgantara Indonesia
- The airframe is expected to be deployed primarily for search-and-rescue duties
The Indonesian Ministry of Defence has signed an IDR237trn (USD16.8m) contract with state-owned aerospace company PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) for one NAS-332 C1+ Super Puma helicopter.The contract was signed on 12 April in Bandung, and includes a training package for pilots, technical publications, and maintenance equipment. PTDI will supply the airframe with a flight management system, flight planning software, unspecified optical sensors, and a search-and-rescue (SAR) Direction Finder that can locate emergency locator transmissions (ELTs) from distressed aircraft or boats, said the company. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
TECHNOLOGY
16 Apr 19. Swinburne University of Technology, alongside its research and industry partners, has been awarded A$1m of funding for a A$3.5m project focused on Industry 4.0 manufacturing of high-volume lightweight composites. The funding was awarded through the Global Innovation Linkages (GIL) program, and will see a “world-first process” for 3D printing of industrial scale composites in Swinburne’s Industry 4.0 Testlab. (Source: Defence Connect)