UNITED KINGDOM
LAND
22 Jun 20. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $10,564,760 modification (P00097) to contract W56HZV-15-C-0095 for field service representatives to provide maintenance to Joint Light Tactical Vehicles during an exercise being conducted by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (United Kingdom) funds in the amount of $10,564,760 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
SEA
22 Jun 20. General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Connecticut, is awarded an $869,043,785 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-17-C-2117. This modification includes continued design completion, engineering work, affordability studies and design support efforts for the Columbia Class fleet ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs). Work will be performed in Groton, Connecticut (41%); Quonset Point, Rhode Island (14%); and Newport News, Virginia (2%), with other efforts performed at various sites throughout the U.S. (43%). This modification also includes submarine industrial base development and expansion efforts as part of the integrated enterprise plan and multi program material procurement supporting Columbia SSBNs and the nuclear shipbuilding enterprise (Virginia class and Ford class). The contract modification also provides additional United Kingdom (U.K.) Strategic Weapon Support System kit manufacturing and effort to support expansion of the domestic missile tube industrial base. Specific effort includes design completion associated with the SSBN 827 technical variance documentation; non-recurring design effort for scope changes between the SSBN 826 and SSBN 827; design for affordability; lead ship component development lead yard support; follow ship lead yard support; and implementation of enhanced cyber security measures. Further, the action includes U.K. Strategic Weapon Support System kit manufacturing; expansion of the domestic missile tube industrial base; and submarine industrial base supplier development efforts. The submarine industrial base development and expansion efforts improve sub-tier vendor stability and gains economic efficiencies based on production economies for major components. The nuclear shipbuilding industrial base continues to ramp up production capability to support the increased demand associated with the Navy’s Force Structure Assessment. Improved capacity at the sub-tier vendors reduces risk across nuclear shipbuilding programs. The contract modification includes a fully priced option for the construction of SSBN 826 and SSBN 827, associated design and engineering support. For SSBN 827, the modification covers advance procurement, advance construction and subsequent fiscal 2024 construction of SSBN 827. This option is required to support October 2020 construction start of the SSBN 826. If the option is exercised, the cumulative value of this contract will increase to $9,473,511,245. Work is expected to be complete by December 2031. The industrial base development work is for the furtherance of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92) and the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2020 (Public Law 116-93), which authorized and appropriated additional funds for submarine industrial base development and expansion to ensure second and third-tier contractors are able to meet increased production requirements. This is a joint U.S. and U.K. program; U.S. fiscal 2020 national sea-based deterrence funds in the amount of $31,903,052 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
25 Jun 20. L3Harris Technologies’ (NYSE:LHX) WESCAM MX10MS maritime sensor has been selected as the electro-optic/infra-red (EO/IR) sensor for the Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST-13) Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV) system. Operated by the United Kingdom’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), the MAST-13 equipped with the WESCAM MX-10MS will be used to develop ASV technologies for the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, including the testing and evaluation of new algorithms, sensors, payloads and novel concepts of operation. The selection of the WESCAM MX-10MS was backed by an evaluation period in early 2020 when it was successfully integrated onto the MAST-13 for a high-speed demonstration on the English Channel. During the trial, the WESCAM MX-10MS showcased its image quality, stabilization control and detection, identification and recognition ranges.
AIR
22 Jun 20. Inzpire’s GECO Mission Support System (GECO MSS) contract with Joint Helicopter Command’s frontline Puma Force has been extended for a further five-year period. The initial contract started in 2015 after the Invitation to Tender sought a 10-year contract broken in to two five-year spells, with the latter being an optional extension which has now been accepted. Full operating capability on the system was declared in early 2017. This contract extension will see RAF Benson’s 33 and 230 squadrons equipped with the system until 2025, with the fleet using GECO MSS on all flying operations in the UK and internationally. Users will benefit from the system’s slick user interface, which has been developed by Inzpire’s expert former military aviators and highly experienced engineers. Throughout the five-year contract, the customer will benefit from iterative improvements linked to an annual update cycle. GECO MSS provides an end-to-end mission capability which supports mission planning, rehearsal, briefing, airborne execution and mission debrief.
EUROPE
LAND
23 Jun 20. Contract Authorized for the First Production Batch of the Spanish VCR 8×8 Combat Vehicle. The Council of Ministers has authorized the award of the contract for the first production batch of the Vehículo de Combate sobre Ruedas 8×8 (8×8 Wheeled Combat Vehicle, or VCR) for an estimated value of 2,083,275,262.81 euros. The Armored Wheeled Combat Vehicle belongs to a family of versatile and adaptable medium-weight armored vehicles with protection, firepower and mobility capabilities that allow their rapid deployment to any Operations Zone. The vehicles will include their respective components of the mission system, weapons, level of protection, sensors, communications and command and control systems, as well as their logistical support equipment. The contract includes the manufacture of 348 VCRs, which will be delivered progressively over ten years, until the year 2030. The vehicles will be manufactured in different configurations, which will allow them to adapt to different operating environments. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/Spanish Government)
SEA
19 Jun 20. Contract Signed for the Construction of the German Multi-Purpose Combat Ship 180. The construction of four Multi-Purpose Combat Ships 180 (MKS 180) is of great importance both for the German Navy and for Germany as a business and industrial location. After the approval of the budget committee of the German Bundestag to finance the new ships on June 17, 2020, the contract between the procurement office of the Bundeswehr and industry was signed on June 19, 2020. With the signing of the contract, a major milestone was reached after a multi-year, competitive award procedure. The MKS multi-purpose combat ship 180 is being built in cooperation between the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group, the Thales Group and the Lürssen shipyard, incorporating the German Naval Yards. The construction of the ships will begin in 2023 after a three-year development phase. The first ship will be delivered after another four years. The three subsequent ships are to be handed over to the Navy by the beginning of the next decade. In the contract, the Bundeswehr kept an option to purchase two more ships. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: defense-aerospace.com/German Ministry of Defence)
25 Jun 20. GE Marine has announced that it has received a contract from Sefine Shipyard to provide two LM2500 marine gas turbines to power the Turkish Naval Forces’ new Fleet Replenishment Ship. Known as the DIMDEG project, this new-generation ship will satisfy the fuel, water transport and supply needs of Turkey’s surface combatants in the open seas around the world. (Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report)
19 Jun 20. Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems, Braintree, Massachusetts, is awarded a $45,324,258 modification to previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-6405 for the production of MK54 MOD 0 lightweight torpedo (LWT) array kits. This modification combines purchases for the Navy (18%); the government of Canada (68%); Republic of Korea (8%); Denmark (5%); and Spain (1%), under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Braintree, Massachusetts (70%); and Lititz, Pennsylvania (30%). This action is to exercise Phase One of Option Year Two of the MK54 MOD 0 LWT array kits program to supply array nose assembly kits. This option provides MK54 LWT MOD 0 array kits for the Navy and FMS partners, in addition to spares, production support material and related engineering services, hardware support and the maintenance of government-furnished equipment. Work is expected to be complete by March 2023. FMS funding in the amount of $37,374,934; and fiscal 2020 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,949,324 will be obligated at time of award. Funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
AIR
26 Jun 20. Airbus has been awarded a contract for the development, supply and integration of 115 Eurofighter ESCAN Radars for the German and Spanish Eurofighter fleet. It marks the so far largest order for the world’s most modern electronically scanned array radar, Captor-E. The contract signature followed the approval by both governments in recent weeks. The contract foresees the delivery and integration of 110 Captor-E radars for Germany and an initial batch of 5 radars for Spain to be delivered by 2023. The new sensor will equip Tranche 2 and Tranche 3 Eurofighters as well as new aircraft. Whereas the Airbus sites in Manching, Germany and Getafe, Spain will act as overall integration Hub, the development and building of the radar will be subcontracted to a consortium under the leadership of Hensoldt and Indra and by participation of further Eurofighter partner companies.
22 Jun 20. Airbus to upgrade training capabilities of German Eurofighter pilots. Airbus, acting as the main contractor within the industrial Pilot Synthetic Training System (PSTS) consortium, has been awarded two contracts to extend the Eurofighter PSTS at the Main Operating Base (MOB) in Laage and introduce state-of-the-art simulator cockpits at all Eurofighter MOBs in Germany. The first contract includes the upgrade of existing Full Mission Simulators (FMS) and Cockpit Trainers (CT) in Laage and the provision of two additional FMS according to the new standard, extending the training capability from two to four simulators. This will enable the German Air Force to perform four-ship training at a single location and multi-ship training at distributed networked locations. Due to the new design of the Visual Display Systems, the building can accommodate the four FMS within the existing simulator halls without major infrastructure adaptions. The second contract includes the replacement of 10 cockpits in the FMS and CT at all the German Eurofighter bases in Neuburg, Laage, Wittmund, Nörvenich and the Central Integration Facility at Airbus Manching. With the introduction of modern cockpit replicas within the PSTS, a major sub-system of all Eurofighter simulators will be renewed to guarantee best performance of the pilot’s working place for the next decade. All PSTS cockpits for the German MOBs will be equipped with a full suite of cockpit displays and control panels including a newly developed facsimile head-up-display. It will also comprise a G-seat motion cueing system, an anti-G inflation system as well as a breathing air system, all controlled by a cockpit linkage system developed by Airbus. The entire cockpit will be night vision goggle compatible. The FMS will be equipped with a state-of-the-art LED projection system, which provides a high-resolution out-the-window view for pilots, regardless of the time, day and weather conditions in which the training takes place. Furthermore, by introducing a common concept for computer racks, power supplies and emergency equipment throughout all devices, a baseline for future upgrades of the remaining German MOBs has been created. The PSTS consortium is the result of a collaboration agreement between the German and Spanish Ministries of Defence and is composed of three partners: Airbus Defence and Space, Indra and CAE, where Airbus is the main contractor. The development of the PSTS is intrinsically linked to the improvements with which the Eurofighter’s capabilities and performance have been reinforced, emphasizing those related to electronic defence systems, state-of-the-art avionics and the new CAPTOR-E radar.
16 Jun 20. Thales Alenia Space has enlisted the expertise of NanoAvionics to initially build two satellite buses for Omnispace’s satellite-based Internet of Things (IoT) infrastructure. The flight-proven performance, lower cost NanoAvionics’ M12P satellite buses are optimized for IoT and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications. NanoAvionics’ two satellite buses will host the payload which is being developed by prime contractor Thales Alenia Space, in partnership with Syrlinks. Omnispace is reinventing mobile communications by delivering the world’s first global hybrid 5G non-terrestrial network based on 3GPP standards. These initial satellites, for operation in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO), will support the development and implementation of Omnispace’s global hybrid network. In addition to the satellite buses, NanoAvionics will provide launch support and in-orbit operations. The launch of these first two satellites of the Omnispace constellation is scheduled for 2021. The contract with Thales Alenia Space follows a recent co-operation agreement between NanoAvionics and Thales Alenia Space France. Both companies agreed to work together delivering a ‘high technology space asset’ as well as preparing and submitting technical solutions for nanosatellites. (Source: Satnews)
USA
LAND
22 Jun 20. Aimpoint, the originator and worldwide leader in reflex sighting technology, has been awarded a second contract for supply of the Aimpoint® FCS13RE Fire Control Systems to the U.S. Military. The system is currently being deployed as the primary Fire Control on the M3E1 MAAWS lightweight 84mm Carl-Gustaf produced by SAAB Dynamics for use by the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Special Operations Command. The FCS13RE™ is a direct view, Dynamic Universal Reflex Sight (DURS) which utilizes an integrated laser range finder and ballistic computer to give the gunner an aiming point corrected for range, type of munition, terrain angle, and environmental conditions. In addition to the 84mm Carl-Gustaf, the system can also be utilized on other weapons including the AT4, 40mm high velocity grenade launchers (Mk19), .50 caliber heavy machine guns (M2), and the M134D Minigun. The FCS13RE provides an extremely high probability of first round hits on both stationary and moving targets during day and night. The system can be enhanced with a magnifier, a thermal imager, and is compatible with all generations of military night vision.
24 Jun 20. Avon Protection has been awarded a sole source requirements contract to supply the U.S. Department of Defense (“DoD”) with the M50 Mask System, related spares and accessories. The contract has an initial maximum value of $50m over a duration of five years. Avon Protection anticipates receiving the first order under this contract shortly with deliveries expected to commence in the second half of the current financial year and contributing to our expected Military revenues for the 2020 financial year. (Source: ASD Network)
25 Jun 20. BAE Systems Inc., York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $266,865,094 modification (P00039) to contract W56HZV-18-C-0133 for Bradley A4 Production Option Two, which awards 159 vehicles. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of March 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 weapons and tracked combat vehicle procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $266,865,094 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
25 Jun 20. Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today that it has received a competitively awarded contract worth up to $206m to deliver vehicle installation kits (I-Kits) for the next generation Mounted Family of Computer Systems II (MFoCS II). The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract was issued on behalf of the U.S. Army Project Manager Mission Command and PEO Command Control Communications – Tactical. The three year contract to provide the I-Kits includes up to seven option years. The Leonardo DRS Land Electronics business will provide cables, brackets and other associated hardware to support installation of MFoCS II ware onto ground vehicle platforms. As the Army executes its Network Modernization Plan, the continued fielding of MFoCS II systems across operational units increases the need for additional Installation Kits, or platform integration hardware. The MFoCS II systems are a family of mission-critical platform processors, tablets and rugged displays which enable the use of Joint Battle Command-Platform and the Army’s next generation Mounted Mission Command capability.
23 Jun 20. DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO or DRO.AU) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) has completed delivery of, and received payment for, the approximately A$450,000 order from its United States Government agency customer. The order was originally announced by the Company on 9 March 2020. The order includes several of the company’s handheld and portable products, which will be used by the customer in evaluation towards potential follow-on orders. This order follows the others received this quarter from Government agencies across several countries, in anticipation of larger contract awards.
19 Jun 20. Oshkosh Defense LLC, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, was awarded a $71,134,382 modification (PZ0009) to contract W56HZV-19-C-0087 for heavy equipment transport system trailer and contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in Kampen, Netherlands; and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, with an estimated completion date of May 23, 2023. Fiscal 2018 and 2019 other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $71,134,382 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity.
SEA
23 Jun 20. Austal has announced that the US Department of Defense (DoD) has signed a US$43.36m ($62.7m) contract with the company’s US division. The Title III Agreement – made out under the Defense Production Act (DPA) – looks to maintain, protect, and expand US domestic production of steel shipbuilding capability and capacity through capital projects that will be executed over the next 24 months, beginning this month. The DoD has entered into the agreement with Austal USA as part of the national response to COVID-19, which has seen Washington emphasise the importance of domestic supply chains. It is likely that Austal will match the DPA agreement funding, which would take the total investment to circa US$100m. These investments will also have long-term benefits for US Navy shipbuilding while accelerating pandemic recovery efforts in the Gulf Coast region. Using funds authorised and appropriated under US coronavirus stimulus package – the CARES Act – Austal said that this investment “will protect jobs and bolster the local economy in a region hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure critical capabilities are retained in support of US Navy operational readiness”. (Source: Defence Connect)
24 Jun 20. Fairbanks Morse has secured a purchase order from Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) to build and deliver four propulsion diesel engines to power the US Navy’s Landing Platform Dock (LPD) 31 ship. LPD 31 is the second of 13 in the LPD Flight II class of ships. The LPD Flight II design has been modified with additional features based on the existing San Antonio-class hull. These features included an improved flight deck, a well deck, as well as hospital facilities and defensive features. The vessels are capable of sustaining more than 500 combat-equipped marines for up to 30 days with their vehicle and cargo capacities. Under the contract, the company will deliver four turbocharged 16-cylinder FM | Colt-Pielstick PC 2.5 diesel engines, providing the vessel with 31MW of propulsion power. The common rail system technology of the engines uses a high-pressure fuel header, high-pressure pumps, electronically controlled fuel delivery, an electronic governing system, and a control system to deliver optimal amount of fuel. Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment. Set to be built at the Fairbanks Morse manufacturing facility in Beloit, the engines will be delivered to HII’ Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi. (Source: naval-technology.com)
AIR
25 Jun 20. L3 Unmanned Systems Inc., Ashburn, Virginia (H92408-20-D-0001); Precision Integrated Programs LLC Newberg, Oregon (H92408-20-D-0002); Arcturus UAV Inc., Petaluma, California (H92408-20-D-0003); Insitu Inc., Bingen, Washington (H92408-20-D-0004); Wildflower International Ltd., Santa Fe, New Mexico (H92408-20-D-0005); and AAI Corp., doing business as Textron Unmanned Systems Inc., Hunt Valley, Maryland (H92408-20-D-0006), is awarded six indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts with a maximum combined ceiling of $975,000,000 for Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems IV intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) services in support of U.S. Special Operations Command enterprise requirements worldwide. This multiple-award acquisition supports competition at the task-order level to ensure the most capable platforms and payloads provide real-time, responsive airborne ISR solutions to Special Operations Forces. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount $1,500 have been obligated for each contract at the time of award. The contracts were awarded competitively through a full and open competition with 10 proposals received. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity.
23 Jun 20. Adaptive Surface Technologies (AST) has secured a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to develop an icephobic coating. Awarded under the USAF’s AFWERX programme, the $499,000 contract will see the development of a coating that improves pre-flight and in-flight anti-icing properties on military aircraft and avionics. The contract will build upon results obtained during the AST’s SBIR Phase I Feasibility Study. Last year, a new coating for the USAF based on AST’s existing antifouling marine coating was launched. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
19 Jun 20. The US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has procured a ‘highly modified’ De Havilland Canada (DHC) Dash-8 aircraft for special mission support operations. The command disclosed on 17 June that it had awarded a sole-source contract to Virginia-based Leidos Inc. for the procurement of a single Dash 8, noting, No details pertaining to the contract value or delivery timeline were disclosed, and neither did the USSOCOM comment on the aircraft’s mission or configuration. As previously noted by Janes , Leidos has on past occassions supplied the US Army with Dash-8 aircraft modified for its Airborne Reconnaissance Low (ARL) mission. In its ARL-Enhanced (ARL-E) configuration the aircraft is kitted out with high-resolution, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) imaging, digital mapping, and full motion video (FMV), as well as signals intelligence (SIGINT), communications intelligence (COMINT), foliage penetrating (FOPEN) radar, ground moving target indication/synthetic aperture radar (GMTI/SAR), dismount moving target indicator (DMTI), and ground penetrating (GPEN) radar equipment. Within this ARL-E mission, the Saturn Arch configuration is geared towards neutralising improvised explosive devices (IEDs), while the Desert Owl configuration is an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capability to simultaneously conduct measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT) and imagery intelligence (IMINT) missions in near all-weather conditions. (Source: Jane’s)
22 Jun 20. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Poway, California, is awarded a $26,866,441 firm-fixed-price contract that procures two MQ-9A Reaper unmanned air systems (UAS); one dual control mobile ground control station; one modular data center; and one mobile ground control station for Group 5 UAS intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services/persistent strike efforts. Work will be performed in Yuma, Arizona (40%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (60%), and is expected to be complete by December 2020. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds for $26,866,441 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-20-C-0031). (Awarded June 19, 2020)
16 Jun 20. SES has selected two U.S. satellite manufacturers, Northrop Grumman and the Boeing Company, to deliver four new satellites as part of the company’s accelerated C-band clearing plan to meet the Federal Communications Commission’s objectives to roll-out 5G services. Northrop Grumman will deliver two, flight-proven, GeoStar-3 satellites, each equipped with a high-quality C-band payload to deliver the superior customer experience that end users are accustomed to. The two satellites – SES-18 and SES-19 – will be designed, assembled and tested in Dulles, Virginia. The Boeing Company will deliver a pair of highly efficient, all-electric, 702SP satellites. The two satellites – SES-20 and SES-21 – will be manufactured and assembled in Los Angeles, California. These four C-band only new satellites will enable SES to clear 280 MHz of mid-band spectrum for 5G use while seamlessly migrating SES’s existing C-band customers. Each satellite will have 10 primary transponders of 36 MHz plus back-up tubes so they can enable the broadcast delivery of digital television to more than 120 million TV homes as well as provide critical data services. The satellites, when launched in Q3 2022, will be positioned at 103 degrees West, 131 degrees West and 135 degrees West orbital slots. The cost of manufacturing these four satellites is part of the $1.6bn investment envelope that SES has announced in May. SES is committed to investing in America by procuring services and equipment needed for the C-band transition from large and small businesses across the U.S., and these significant partnerships with Northrop Grumman and the Boeing Company are cornerstones of that commitment. (Source: Satnews)
24 Jun 20. NAVSUP WSS Awards P-8A Contract to Small Business. NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support (WSS) awarded a five-year, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ), long-term contract for the P-8A Poseidon Maritime aircraft estimated at $30m to small business, S&K Aerospace, in May 2020. These items have been deemed “commercial common,” or items that can be used on both the P-8A, as well as, the Boeing 737 aircraft and were previously repaired primarily by large business Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Since these 362 items are identical to the ones used on the Boeing 737, it was decided by the NAVAIR Program Office that items could be repaired at various Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 145 Repair Stations. This is the first time that NAVSUP WSS has procured repairs/upgrades/overhauls from approved Federal Aviation Administration 145 Repair Stations. As the prime contractor, S&K Aerospace will be responsible for maintaining all items under this contract and coordinating the necessary repair work to return items to ready for issue (RFI) condition via repair stations. This contract will enhance overall mission readiness for the P-8A weapon system by leveraging the existing commercial common items repair competitive environment to achieve benefits in cost and repair turnaround time. (Source: ASD Network)
TECHNOLOGY
25 Jun 20. Aurora Flight Sciences Corp., Manassas, Virginia, has been awarded a $7,115,128 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (50%); Tucson, Arizona (26%); St. Louis, Missouri (15%); and Los Angeles, California (9%), with an estimated completion date of June 2021. Fiscal 2020 research and development funds in the amount of $7,109,177 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract is a competitive acquisition in accordance with the original broad agency announcement HR0011-19-S-0072. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HR0011-20-C-0119). The Control of Revolutionary Aircraft with Novel Effectors (CRANE) program aims to design, build, and flight test a novel X-plane that incorporates Active Flow Control (AFC) as a primary design consideration. Crane seeks to optimize the benefits of active flow control by maturing technologies and design tools, and incorporating them early in the design process. Active flow control could improve aircraft performance by removing jointed surfaces, which currently drive design configurations that increase weight and mechanical complexity. Demonstrating AFC for stability and control in-flight would help open the design trade space for future military and commercial applications. (Source: UAS VISION)
22 Jun 20. Innovative Defense Technologies LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, is awarded a $9,738,679 cost-plus-fixed-fee order (N68335-20-F-0349) against previously issued basic ordering agreement N68335-19-G-0036. This order provides for continued research and development efforts under Small Business Innovation Research topic N171-012, titled “Transition of Mission Planning Software to a Next Generation Component Based, Open Architecture using Advanced Refactoring Technology;” topic N07-137, titled “Artifact Assessment Tool Suite Infrastructure;” and topic N171-049, titled “Cyber Resiliency via Virtualization for Combat System.” Work will be performed in Huntsville, Alabama (58%); Mt. Laurel, New Jersey (20%); Arlington, Virginia (20%); and Fall River, Massachusetts (2%). This order provides further research and development of the Next-Generation Open Architecture (NGOA) Mission Planning System. The NGOA Mission Planning System includes a combat management system architecture that enables rapid software changes and fleet fielding, and an artificial intelligence/machine learning based dynamic mission planning capability that spans fleet-level and individual platform-level planning. Work is expected to be complete by June 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds for $9,403,719 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity.
22 Jun 20. Orolia Defense and Security has been selected by the U.S. military to supply multiple BroadSim™ advanced GPS simulator systems. A contract valued at US$1.7m has been awarded to Orolia Defense and Security in an effort to upgrade testing facilities and field test assets. These new simulator systems will enable better testing of widely deployed military GPS receivers, which are integrated into air and ground-based Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems. BroadSim will be leveraged with Orolia’s PANACEA™ test suite, currently utilized by the U.S. military to conduct automated testing and analysis for PNT system performance, vulnerabilities, and more. BroadSim will bring versatility to the testing process by supporting diverse test methods and environments such as a laboratory setting, or an Over-The-Air (OTA) field test event. BroadSim was selected based on its flexibility to support the ever-changing military tasks at hand. It can be easily configured to support laboratory testing one day, and field testing the next with its four independent RF outputs, removable drives, and software-defined architecture. (Source: Aerospace Daily & Defense Report)
24 Jun 20. SAIC Wins $630m Contract to Modernize AF Critical Infrastructure for Accurate, Timely Weather Reports. SAIC acquisition of Unisys Federal results in major win with new customer for application development, software integration, application infrastructure, cloud migration, hardware, security and data management Science Applications International Corp. (NYSE: SAIC) has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force 557th Weather Wing to manage and modernize the critical hardware and software for its Technology Application Development and Sustainment (TADS) system to support the development of accurate and timely weather reports. The contract, new business for SAIC, includes application development, software integration, application infrastructure, cloud migration, hardware, security and data management. The IDIQ contract has a base five-year ordering period and a six-month extension. If all options are exercised, the contract has a ceiling value of $630m. The recipient of the contract, Unisys Federal, was acquired by SAIC in March 2020. (Source: ASD Network)
19 Jun 20. Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) was recently awarded a five-year contract to support the Force Development and Integrated Warfare Offices of United States Fleet Forces Command (USFFC). Under this contract, SPA will support the Director of Fleet Capabilities and Force Development with analysis and assessment of capabilities to assist with USFFC Force Development’s role to deliver a more lethal Fleet. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
22 Jun 20. Rheinmetall Group subsidiary Rheinmetall Denel Munition has won a €13m plant engineering contract. The contract encompasses modernization of an existing production facility belonging to an established, longstanding customer. Due to begin shortly, the project is to be complete in 2021. Given its highly developed capabilities in plant engineering, the South Africa-based company enables customers and partners in over thirty countries around the world to produce an extremely wide array of ordnance and demilitarized products safely and effectively. Rheinmetall Denel Munition’s Plant Engineering unit possesses globally acknowledged expertise in the design, manufacture, installation and commissioning of process equipment and turn-key industrial manufacturing plants. In addition, Rheinmetall Denel Munition offers courses in explosives engineering as well as training in the characteristics and behaviour of explosives and their safe utilization. The company thus provides valuable services to the military ordnance and commercial explosives industries. These competencies are supported by Rheinmetall’s global reputation as a manufacturer of ammunition and related systems and technologies.
AIR
24 Jun 20. Japan’s National Police Agency (NPA) has ordered one new H225 and four H135 helicopters as part of its fleet modernisation programme. Currently operating 12 H135, four H155 and six AS365 helicopters, with one H215 and two H225 already on order, NPA deploys its growing fleet for missions including law enforcement, personnel and VIP transport, goods transportation, disaster relief, as well as wide area support. The five new helicopters will complement the agency’s law enforcement capabilities. The new order will take NPA’s Airbus fleet to 30.
25 Jun 20. The Boeing Co., Mesa, Arizona, was awarded a $439,179,677 modification (P00062) to contract W58RGZ-16-C-0023 for new-build Apache AH-64E aircraft and Longbow crew trainers. Work will be performed in Mesa, Arizona, with an estimated completion date of March 1, 2025. Fiscal 2020 Foreign Military Sales (Morocco) funds in the amount of $439,179,677 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
22 Jun 20. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT, TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems”) announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $38m from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to provide operation, maintenance and logistic services for the Textron T-6 trainer aircraft (“T-6”) fleet of the Israeli Air Force (“IAF”). This contract award follows a decade during which Elbit Systems has provided the IAF with operation and maintenance services for the T-6 fleet, meeting the IAF’s standards of service, availability and flight safety. The contract will be executed over a five-year period, with an option for an additional five-year period. The T-6 fleet is used by the IAF for cadet test flights during the basic training phase of the Flight Academy course. Elbit Systems also provides logistic services and training technologies to two other fleets of the IAF Flight Academy, the M-346 trainer jet fleet and the GROB G-120A trainer jet fleet. In addition, a joint venture of Elbit Systems UK and a subsidiary of KBR, Inc. (NASDAQ: KBR), provides procurement, operations and maintenance services for three aircraft types of the UK Army Flight Academy.
25 Jun 20. Azerbaijan is planning to acquire scores of Turkish-made armed drones, the Azeri defense minister has said. Recently, the Azeri parliament approved a bill to receive financial assistance from Turkey to be used for the purchase of weapons systems. The Azeri minister did not specify which drone systems the government intends to buy. But Turkish sources said Azerbaijan is interested in the Bayraktar TB2, a medium-altitude, long-range tactical UAV. The drone was developed by Kale-Baykar, a joint venture of Baykar Makina and the Kale Group. It can perform reconnaissance and intelligence missions. Recently, Baykar Makina launched a naval version of the TB2. In a 2017 deal, Baykar Makina sold a batch of six TB2s to Qatar. And in 2019, Kale-Baykar won a $69m(Source: Defense News) contract to sell a batch of six TB2 systems to Ukraine, which also included the sale of ammunition for the armed version.
25 Jun 20. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, California, is awarded a $333,401,760 modification (P00007) to previously-awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target contract N00019-19-C-0008. This modification exercises options for the production and delivery of three low-rate initial production MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft, two main operating bases and one forward operating base in an integrated functional capability-four and multiple-intelligence configuration, with associated export compliance support for the government of Australia. Work will be performed in San Diego, California (23.3%); Red Oak, Texas (13%); Palmdale, California (11.5%); Linthicum, Maryland (9.4%); Salt Lake City, Utah (9.3%); Bridgeport, West Virginia (5.2%); McClellan, California (4.7%); Indianapolis, Indiana (4.5%); Moss Point, Mississippi (3.3%); Waco, Texas (2.1%); San Clemente, California (1.5%); Newton, North Dakota (1%); various locations within the continental U.S. (9.8%); and various locations outside the continental U.S. (1.4%). Work is expected to be completed by April 2025. Foreign cooperative project funds for $27,601,190 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.
22 Jun 20. India is planning to purchase 33 fighter jets from Russia amid ongoing border tensions with China. Under the proposed government-to-government deal, Russia will supply 21 MiG 29 fighter jets and 12 Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF). The deal is estimated to cost Rs60bn ($787.6m), reported ANI. The proposal has been forwarded to the Indian Ministry of Defence for final approval. According to a WION news report, Russia will assess the feasibility of delivering the jets in the shortest possible timeframe. Currently, Russia is also working with the IAF to support the modernisation of MiG 29 fighters. The upgrades will improve the combat capabilities of MiG-29 fighters, as well as enable the aircraft to integrate new weapons and technologies. The modernisation is expected to increase the service life of MiG 29 fighters by up to 40 years. On the other hand, the Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft is the only fighter in IAF arsenal that can fire BrahMos supersonic missiles. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
TECHNOLOGY
22 Jun 20. Northrop Grumman has purchased an initial 50 licences of archTIS’ Kojensi cloud platform to securely share information for its business development teams and the SME’s first such win with a global defence prime. The Northrop Grumman contract represents archTIS’ first defence industry sector win with a global military system integrator (MSI). According to the Centre for Defence Industry Capability there are approximately 5,000 businesses in the Australian defence industry sector employing approximately 40,000 individuals. This is a key sector for archTIS’ Kojensi platform, which addresses the critical need to share various levels of information across the defence industry supply chain. (Source: Defence Connect)