UNITED KINGDOM
27 June 19. QinetiQ signs new contract with the Royal Navy to optimise gunnery training. QinetiQ has signed a new 5 year contract with the Royal Navy that will see the introduction of a dedicated training variant of QinetiQ’s Pointer system to optimise the effectiveness of Anti-Surface Warfare training on a wide range of weapon systems. Developed in partnership with the MOD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), the Pointer data analytics and measurement system provides an effective link between the Command and Control function and weapon operators to counter threats from Fast In-shore Attack Craft (FIAC). The adoption of Pointer T in Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) exercises for the Royal Navy will improve situational awareness and performance evaluation on a range of platforms, while also providing immediate and objective training assurance for all non-firing FP serials. Featuring a weapon-mounted Laser Range Finder, Pointer T uses encoders to establish the precise position and attitude of weapon systems as well as the location of GPS-tracked threats and determines the nature and impact of ‘hits’. This data is recorded and displayed in real-time on a portable situational awareness tool, providing trainers with accurate and measurable performance data to maximise the effectiveness of training exercises. (Source: ASD Network)
AIR
27 June 19. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $106,108,230 firm-fixed-price domestic and foreign military sales (Netherlands and United Kingdom) contract for Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor systems, subcomponent production and technical services for the Apache Attack Helicopter. One bid was solicited with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2023. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity (W52P1J-17-D-0043).
TECHNOLOGY
27 June 19. RSTA project looks to improve UK route survey capabilities. UK geospatial and data company Envitia has been contracted to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-based application to improve route survey planning, execution, and post-mission data analysis. The Route Survey and Tasking Analytics (RSTA) project, to be delivered by Envitia in partnership with BAE Systems Applied Intelligence, is intended to deliver an unmanned capability for routine mine countermeasures (MCM)/route survey tasks in UK waters by 2022. RSTA will exploit the UK Royal Navy’s (RN’s) own Programme NELSON data platform. The RSTA project has been developed to address the RN’s need for a new and improved platform from which to plan, task, and analyse ‘Q-Route’ surveys using Machine Learning (a form of AI) to improve mission success over time. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
EUROPE
LAND
24 June 19. Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division, a trusted leading supplier of tactical data link solutions, today announced that its Tactical Communications Group (TCG) business unit was awarded a contract by armasuisse, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement for the Swiss Confederation, to provide its Battlefield Operations Support System (BOSS®) software to upgrade Switzerland’s Air TEESS (Air Test Evaluation and Engineering Support System) and provide its Ground Tactical Data Link System (GTS®) hardware and software to replace Switzerland’s legacy Ground TEESS. This upgrade includes simplifying the existing air and ground configurations while adding support for the Link 16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) radios and Block Upgrade 2 (BU 2) terminals. TCG will also perform additional systems engineering to integrate BOSS with the Pilatus PC-12 aircraft’s navigation system and Air TEESS roll-on/roll-off hardware. Under the contract, shipments began in Q2 2019 and will continue until Q1 2021.
24 June 19. In a ceremony last week in Tallinn, Estonia, the Estonian MoD signed a €40m Framework agreement with Eurospike (a European Joint Venture between Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, Diehl Defence and Rheinmetall Defence) for the supply of SPIKE LR ATGM’s, launchers and associated maintenance and training. The contract included ICLU (Integrated Control Launch Units) launchers and live SPIKE rounds. SPIKE is a cutting-edge precise, multi-platform, multi-mission and multi-range electro-optical missile Family, with capabilities of fire-and-forget, as well as fire, observe and update, allowing attack of hidden targets. Estonia is the 32nd user nation of the SPIKE missile, and the 19th user among the EU and NATO. More than 30,000 SPIKE missiles have been supplied to-date around the world, with over 5500 SPIKE missiles firings, both in training and in combat.
24 Jun 19. Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $561,802,200 hybrid (cost-plus-fixed-fee and fixed-price-incentive) foreign military sales (Bahrain, Poland and Romania) contract for production of Army tactical missile guided missile and launching assembly service life extension program production 3. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas; Camden, Arizona; Boulder, Colorado; Clearwater, Florida; St. Louis, Missouri; Lufkin, Texas; Windsor Locks, Connecticut; and Williston, Vermont, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2022. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 missile procurement, Army and foreign military sales funds in the combined amount of $561,802,200 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-C-0092).
27 June 19. Sweden signs framework agreement for Carl-Gustaf M4. Saab has signed a framework agreement with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to provide the Swedish armed forces with the Carl-Gustaf M4 shoulder-launched weapon. This agreement will allow FMV to place orders during a ten-year period, and an initial order worth some SEK330m has been placed with deliveries due to be carried out during 2020-2023. The new version of the weapon, Carl-Gustaf M4 was launched in 2014, and has an improved and lightweight design weighing less than 7kg, which offers mobility improvements. In 2018, FMV placed the first order for Sweden, and the framework agreement recently signed is the beginning of larger investments in the system, which will eventually lead to the entire Swedish armed forces being equipped with the Carl-Gustaf M4 weapon. In addition, the Estonian and Latvian armed forces are also allowed to purchase under this framework agreement. Since the launch in 2014, Saab has signed contracts with eleven different nations for the Carl-Gustaf M4.(Source: Shephard)
AIR
21 Jun 19. Italian AF Solidifies KC-767A Tanker Mission Readiness with Boeing PBL Agreement. Boeing [NYSE: BA] will continue providing Performance-based Logistics (PBL) support to the Italian air force (ItAF) fleet of KC-767A tankers through July 2021 per an extended contract agreement for two additional years announced at the Paris Air Show.
Through the partnership with Boeing, the ItAF can rely on outstanding aircraft availability, which has been instrumental to the success of missions. The ItAF aims at having continued mission readiness and success through the extended PBL agreement. The KC-767A has been the first international tanker to be certified for aerial refueling of fifth generation aircraft. The ItAF utilized a Boeing built and maintained KC-767A tanker on June 13 and 14, 2019 to successfully ferry by refueling an Italian built F-35B fighter en route from Italy to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort in Beaufort, South Carolina. (Source: ASD Network)
USA
LAND
25 June 19. BAE Systems, along with teammate Iveco Defence Vehicles, has been awarded a $67m contract modification by the U.S. Marine Corps to develop new variants for the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) Family of Vehicles program for enhancing battlefield situational awareness and firepower. The contract calls for the design and development of the command (ACV-C) and the 30mm medium caliber cannon (ACV-30) variants. The ACV-C incorporates seven work stations to provide situational awareness and control of the battle space. The ACV-30 integrates a 30mm cannon to provide the lethality and protection the Marines need while leaving ample room for troop capacity and payload. BAE Systems was previously awarded a low-rate initial production contract in June 2018 for the personnel variant (ACV-P). The Marine Corps announced the ACV had successfully completed anticipated requirements testing and would no longer be pursuing an envisioned incremental ACV 1.1 and ACV 1.2 development approach. The program is now known as the ACV Family of Vehicles, which encompasses the breadth and depth of the vehicle’s capabilities and multiple variants. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
26 Jun 19. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT, TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems”) announced today that its subsidiary in the U.S., Elbit Systems of America, LLC (“Elbit Systems of America”), was awarded an approximately $26m contract from the United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) to install an Integrated Fixed Towers (“IFT”) system in the U.S. Border Patrol Casa Grande Area of Responsibility (“AoR”) in Arizona. The project will be performed over a one-year period. To date, Elbit Systems of America has been awarded a number of contracts from CBP to install IFT systems in numerous AoR’s covering a total of approximately 200 miles of the Arizona–Mexico border. The IFT system comprises a command and control center and a networked multi-tower, multi-sensor system that continuously monitors portions of the U.S. southern border. Information from the towers is sent to the command and control center at a Border Patrol Station providing agents with long-range, persistent surveillance and situational awareness that allows them to dispatch an appropriate response. This capability provides greater safety for the agents patrolling the border in the Casa Grande AoR.
21 Jun 19. Meggitt PLC (LON:MGGT) has won a defence contract in the US to develop a system to keep the next generation of tanks from overheating. The fixed-price contract has been awarded by General Dynamics Land Systems (GDLS) after it was given the task by the US Pentagon of procuring more than 2,100 new advanced cooling systems, valued at over $250m, for its next-generation ground vehicles, including the eight-wheeled Stryker. (Source: proactiveinvestors.co.uk)
27 June 19. SRCTec LLC, Syracuse, New York, was awarded a $91,400,000 modification (P00013) to contract W15P7T-13-D-C702 for lightweight counter mortar radar systems, vehicle mounts, spare parts, retrofit kits and support services. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 16, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
SEA
26 June 19. BAE Systems Technology Solutions and Services Inc., Rockville, Maryland (N00039-19-D-0031); Serco Inc., Herndon, Virginia (N00039-19-D-0032); and Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia (N00039-19-D-0033), are each awarded a cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract for logistics, integration, engineering, procurement, fabrication, assembly, test, inspection, zone integration and installation of integrated command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) system of systems capabilities aboard new construction aircraft carrier and large deck amphibious ships, to include refueling and complex overhaul ships. Throughout the duration of the awarded contracts, the total obligated amount on orders for all of the awarded contracts combined will not exceed $747,097,000. Each contract includes options, which if exercised, would bring the estimated value of each contact to $601,513,730 for BAE System; $608,243,247 for Serco Inc., and $599,544,784 for Scientific Research Corp. These contracts will support various Navy shipbuilding programs. These programs require integrated C4I capabilities to provide communications for maritime operations and flight safety. The integrated capability is composed of distributed systems that provide network capabilities, communications, command and control, intelligence, and non-tactical data. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (73%); Charleston, South Carolina (17%); and Pascagoula, Mississippi (10%), and work is expected to be completed by June 2029. No contract funds will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $50,000 will be obligated on the first task order under each contract utilizing fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy); fiscal 2019 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy), and fiscal 2019 research and development (Navy) funds. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were awarded pursuant to full and open competition, with three offers received. The Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.
25 June 19. Mercury Systems Receives $16m in DRFM Jammer Orders from US Navy. Mercury Systems, Inc. announced it received an additional $16m in follow-on orders against its previously announced $152m 5 year sole-source basic ordering agreement (BOA) to deliver advanced Digital RF Memory (DRFM) jammers to the U.S. Navy. The orders were received in the fourth quarter of the Company’s fiscal 2019 year and are expected to be delivered over the next several quarters. Mercury DRFM jammers are size, weight and power (SWaP) optimized to meet the unique requirements of airborne pod-based solutions and incorporate decades of DRFM technology development, validated electronic attack techniques, and custom RF components. (Source: ASD Network)
AIR
26 June 19. NAVAIR contracts BAE Systems, Raytheon for Dual Band Decoy demonstration phase. The US Navy (USN) has selected BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems and Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems to develop a new towed offboard radio frequency (RF) countermeasures system to protect the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter against RF threat radars. Known as the Dual Band Decoy, the new countermeasure is intended to serve as a replacement for the BAE Systems ALE-55(V) Fiber-Optic Towed Decoy and the Raytheon ALE-50 Advanced Airborne Expendable Decoy systems deployed by the Super Hornet. The Dual Band Decoy will incorporate both high-band and low-band capabilities. BAE Systems was awarded a USD36.7m Demonstration of Existing Technologies (DET) contract by Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on 16 May for the demonstration and development of the Dual Band Decoy capability following the evaluation of three offers. (Source: IHS Jane’s)
27 June 19. Raytheon Co., McKinney, Texas, is awarded $16,132,820 for job order 0012 under a previously awarded basic ordering agreement N00164-17-G-JQ02 for seven Multi-spectral Targeting Systems “B” AN/DAS-3. The Multi-spectral Targeting Systems “B” AN/DAS-3 are in support of the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP 3 and 4) efforts of the MQ-4C Triton Program. Work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, and is expected to be complete by July 2021. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $16,132,820 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1) – only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity.
TECHNOLOGY
25 June 19. The US Air Force Installation Contracting Agency (AFICA) has awarded a task order to Alion Science and Technology to perform research and development (R&D) work related to ordnance systems. The $48.6m 48-month task order was awarded under the US Department of Defense (DoD) Information Analysis Center (IAC) multi-award contract (MAC). The task order includes R&D and engineering solutions for DoD ordnance challenges. It will also support the development of solutions to help improve US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E) capabilities. Alion is required to carry out the majority of contract work at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, US. R&D of damage mechanisms will include reactive materials, formulation and manufacturing of traditional engineering materials and ordnance design to exploit energetics, fusing and structural components. The company’s team will perform R&D of high explosive energetic materials from the concept formulation stage to the pilot plant production phase to allow for transition into existing or future inventory weapon systems. In addition, the team will work on systems and technology to achieve optimum warhead burst point for weapons used to counter both airborne and surface target. Tasks will focus on technologies to support the fusing of existing and future weapon systems. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
24 June 19. The U.S. Navy has awarded BAE Systems a five-year, $90m indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to modernize and maintain C5ISR systems embedded within vehicles, watercraft, and specialized communications platforms. C5ISR includes command, control, communications, computers, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems that are integrated and networked to improve the situational awareness of their military operators and decision makers. BAE Systems has been supporting Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s Special Communications Mission Solutions Division with mobile deployable systems for more than 25 years. Work on this program will be performed in St. Inigoes, Maryland; Little Creek, Virginia; and Fayetteville, North Carolina. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
26 June 19. GD Awarded Air Force Intelligence System Support Contract . GDIT will continue 20-year legacy as the sole network support provider for the Air Force’s Distributed Common Ground System. General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT) announced today it will support the U.S. Air Force’s 480th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing (480 ISRW) through their Technical Operations Support contract. The single-award contract holds a total estimated value of $217m. It includes a nine-month base period with seven one-year options as well as a possible six-month extension. The Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (AF DCGS), also referred to as the AN/GSQ-272 SENTINEL, is the Air Force’s primary ISR planning, collection, processing and exploitation, analysis and dissemination weapon system. It employs a global communications architecture that connects multiple intelligence platforms, Department of Defense networks and sensors. The AF DCGS weapon systems’ communications architecture is a complicated, high-speed network that supports combatant commanders across the globe. The 480th leads global ISR operations within the AF DCGS’ weapon system. They provide time-sensitive, Multiple-source Intelligence (Multi-INT) data and products derived from selected service/allied/coalition ISR platforms. AF DCGS participates in operations throughout the world, including those led by the United Nations, NATO, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. European Command, U.S. Forces Korea, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Pacific Command and U.S. Southern Command. (Source: ASD Network)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
24 June 19. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ:CMTL) announced today that during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2019, its Orlando, Florida-based subsidiary, Comtech Systems, Inc., which is part of Comtech’s Government Solutions segment, received a $4.0m contract from the Brazilian military to expand their satellite-based network for its air traffic control system. This includes the provision of new remote satellite terminals and services. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
24 Jun 19. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace has received a contract from Raytheon Australia to supply National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS) components. The Nkr1.6bn ($186.2m) contract will support the Australian Government’s Land 19 Phase 7B programme for the army. Raytheon Australia is the prime contractor for the delivery of the NASAMS missile systems to the programme that seeks to deliver the army-operated component of the Joint Integrated Air and Missile Defence (JIAMD) capability. The new air defence capability will serve as the Australian Army’s principal air defence weapon, replacing the existing short-range air defence (SHORAD) capability, including the RBS-70. Under the project, Australia will acquire new capability elements, including radars, missile launchers, command and control systems, as well as integration with current army vehicles and radios. The Australian Government approved the A$2.5bn ($1.76bn) acquisition of NASAMS in March. The approval came after a year-long risk mitigation activity that involved the integration of NASAMS with in-service protected vehicles, communication systems, tactical data links, and radars. (Source: army-technology.com)
27 June 19. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) U.K.-based air traffic communications subsidiary, Park Air Systems Limited, has signed a “Deed of Standing Offer” to provide its T6 radio to Airservices Australia. The internet protocol- (IP) capable, very high frequency (VHF) ground-to-air equipment will be provided for a period of five years. The T6 VHF radios will accommodate a number of upcoming air traffic communication service expansions, network changes and relocations. They will also integrate with Airservices OneSKY Australia program, one of the most complex transformations of air traffic management in aviation history, to align civil and military aviation needs. The primary demand for the project is to migrate to an IP-based network structure, supporting voice over internet protocol (VoIP) to the ED137 standard. Ideal for the varied and immense Australian environment, Park Air successfully offered the T6 VHF equipment from its Sapphire portfolio, providing powerful IP capability, small form factor and low maintenance requirements. As one of the largest countries in the world, Australia has some very remote locations, which can take up to three days to reach by car. By installing the R4 remote control and monitoring system and MARC server from the Park Air portfolio, Airservices Australia will be able to focus resources where they are needed most. Built to enable alerts and intelligence to a network configuration, as well as diagnostics, the MARC server provides important assurance when dealing with a nationwide installation.
28 Jun 19. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $320,000,000 modification (P00060) to domestic and Foreign Military Sales (Argentina, Djibouti, Iraq, Lebanon, Romania) contract W56HZV-09-D-0159 for procurement of Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle variants. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 24, 2021. Fiscal 2019 foreign military sales and other procurement, Army funds in the amount of $320,000,000 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Warren Michigan, is the contracting activity.
AIR
24 June 19. Indian MoD approves procurement of 10 more P-8I aircraft for Indian Navy. India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has approved the procurement of 10 more Boeing P-8I Neptune long-range maritime multi-mission aircraft for the Indian Navy (IN) for a total of USD3bn. Official sources told Jane’s on 24 June that the MoD’s Services Capital Acquisition Plan Categorisation Higher Committee endorsed in mid-June the import of the additional platforms via a direct commercial sale with Boeing, while the related weaponry, radar, and associated equipment are set to be acquired via the US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme. The sources said that over the next few weeks the MoD’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), which is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, would grant ‘acceptance of necessity’ (AoN) to fast-track the procurement of the aircraft and related equipment. (Source: IHS Jane’s)