UNITED KINGDOM
SEA
04 Nov 20. UK based marine engineering and propulsion company, Royston, has been awarded a multi-million pound contract to support and maintain small diesel engines onboard amphibious assault ships, mine hunters and other Royal Navy vessels. The £5.5m five-year contract, awarded by the Ministry of Defence, will see Royston responsible for providing diesel engine spares and technical support alongside repair and refurbishment of engines when required. This will include various Caterpillar, Cummins, Perkins and Volvo Penta diesel engines used onboard Royal Navy Type 23 frigates, single role mine hunters, Hunt-class minesweepers, Albion-Class amphibious ships as well as Royal Fleet Auxiliary Bay-class vessels. As well as the supply and overhaul of all spare parts, Royston will also have responsibility for the diagnostic, technical support and servicing of engines either onboard vessels or those sent for repair to its workshop facilities in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. (Source: Defence Online)
03 Nov 20. Viasat UK Ltd., a subsidiary of global communications company, Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), announced today it was awarded a contract to provide Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite communications (SATCOM) for the new Type 31 frigates, being delivered by Babcock Team 31, for the Royal Navy. UHF SATCOM is a mission-critical capability that will provide the Type 31 frigates with secure integrated voice and data services for communications between the operation’s headquarters and the maritime vessels when deployed. It allows commanders to remain informed and aware of the fleet disposition. It is also a vital component to enable maritime task group operations, extensively providing secure beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications between ships and mobile units such as sea boats, boarding teams and helicopters, which are all key elements of tactical combat and constabulary maritime operations.
EUROPE
LAND
26 Oct 20. EU-based real estate company awards contract for two Skylock counter drone systems. Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) company Skylock reports news of a recently signed deal with an EU based real estate company for the supply of two advanced counter-drone systems, according to a LinkedIn post by the Israeli company. Skylock says the deal marks a step towards strengthening ties and collaboration within the EU, as it lays the foundations for future cooperation. Skylock offers a wide range of modular, advanced, field-proven C-UAV solutions that provide full coverage of large areas, from 360 degree radar, RF detection and tracking to jamming systems and locating the drone operator. For further information visit: www.skylock1.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
SEA
31 Oct 20. Following an international contest, ECA Group has been awarded a contract worth more than €20m for the modernization of three mine countermeasures vessels belonging to the Latvian Naval Forces and equipped with conventional mine countermeasures vessels acquired from the Royal Netherlands navy in 2006, ECA Group announced. These vessels require a modernisation of their mine hunting system. These vessels will be delivered with a Mine Warfare Data Center successively in 2021, 2023 and 2024. (Source: News Now/https://navalnews.net/)
05 Nov 20. Belgian companies, ABC and FN Herstal, have been selected to provide equipment for the twelve mine counter measures vessels (MCMV) equipped with drone systems (Toolbox) of the Mine counter measures program for the Belgian and Royal Netherlands Navies led by Belgium Naval & Robotics – Naval Group and ECA Group consortium. FN Herstal and ABC will deliver critical capabilities of the vessels, respectively in the domain of combat system and propulsion.
AIR
25 Oct 20. GomSpace’s subsidiary in Luxembourg and the European Space Agency (ESA) have signed a development contract valued at 1,350,000 euros for the continued development of GomSpace’s satellite operations platform called HOOP by GomSpace Luxembourg SARL. The development of the Hands-Off Operations Platform (HOOP) to enable autonomous satellite operations for single satellites and constellations was initiated in 2018 (gomspace.com/news/gomspace-luxembourg-receives-development-cont.aspx) under a first development contract resulting in the development of the minimum viable product. HOOP is today fully flight proven and operationally deployed in customer projects. (Source: Satnews)
03 Nov 20. Romania – F-16 Modernization and Logistics Support. The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Romania of F-16 Modernization and Logistics Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $175.4m. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Romania has requested to buy upgrades to the avionics, software, communication equipment, navigational aids, and cockpit of its Mid-Life Update (MLU) Block 15 F-16 aircraft fleet along with additional logistics support. Included in the aircraft modernization are eight (8) LN-260 Global Positioning System (GPS) and nineteen (19) Multifunctional Information Distribution System Joint Tactical Radio Systems (MIDS JTRS). Also included is AN/APX-126 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe (IFF); ARC-210 Radios; KIV-78 Cryptographic Appliques; other secure communications, navigation, and encryption devices; Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) software; aircraft minor modification, integration and test support, support equipment, software and software support; personnel training; spare and repair parts; publications and technical documentation; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical and logistical support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The estimated total cost is $175.4m. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a NATO ally in developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defense capability. This proposed sale will enhance U.S. national security objectives in the region. The proposed sale will improve Romania’s capability to meet current and future threats by upgrading its avionics to meet interoperability requirements for encrypted communications systems used by NATO forces. This increased secure communications capability will assist Romania in the defense of its homeland and U.S. personnel stationed there. Romania has demonstrated a significant financial commitment to modernizing its military, which will further enhance its interoperability with NATO. Romania will have no difficulty absorbing these capabilities into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company of Fort Worth, TX. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives in Romania. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law. The description and dollar value is for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded. (Source: ASD Network)
TECHNOLOGY
03 Nov 20. Airbus has been awarded the lead in the European Space Agency (ESA) contract for the TRUTHS A/B1 (System feasibility Studies and Pre-Developments) as part of ESA’s Earth Observation Earth Watch programme. The TRUTHS satellite mission will collect measurements of the Sun radiation and of the sunlight reflected off Earth’s surface traced to an absolute metrological reference, which will then be used to improve the climatological data sets and calibrate the observations of other satellites. This space-based climate and calibration observing system will enable data from other satellites to be compared more easily providing greater standards of data harmonisation for even more accurate climate change forecasts. TRUTHS stands for Traceable Radiometry Underpinning Terrestrial and Helio Studies. The study will define the TRUTHS mission system implementation concept as well as focus on the preparation of critical technologies ahead of implementation of the mission in 2023. TRUTHS will carry a Cryogenic Solar Absolute Radiometer (CSAR) to provide a primary calibration standard in order to benchmark measurements of both incoming solar radiation and outgoing reflected radiation – measured with a Hyperspectral Imaging Sensor (HIS) also part of the payload – with unprecedented accuracy. These measurements will give the ability to estimate radiative imbalance underlying climate change and, importantly, in a shorter time than is currently possible. TRUTHS will serve to calibrate other satellite sensors, such as those carried on the Copernicus missions, through co-imaging operations.
USA
LAND
04 Nov 20. The U.S. Marine Corps has awarded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) a five-year, $88m ceiling, single-award IDIQ contract — with an initial delivery order of $21m — for a small, lightweight satellite terminal that delivers extremely reliable high-bandwidth voice, video and data. L3Harris will provide its Panther II Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSAT) as part of the Marine Corps Wideband Satellite-Expeditionary (MCWS-X) program. The MCWS-X terminal consists of the 96cm Panther II VSAT in a tri-band configuration with multiple modular modems and power options. A custom backpack is provided that allows any combination of band and modem to be carried in a lightweight single mission configuration. The modular design of the Panther II allows the system to quickly adapt to varying missions. The operator can easily change modems, RF band, aperture size and acquisition method. To enable access to global service, the system is certified on a wide range of commercial and government satellite networks.
30 Oct 20. Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, is being awarded a sole-source, cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus fixed-fee contract. The total value of this contract is $724,001,438, inclusive of all options. Under this follow on contract, the contractor will conduct full development and lifecycle engineering for the Aegis Weapon System (AWS) fielding for cruisers, destroyers and Aegis Ashore configurations. The AWS contract will support the following efforts: Aegis Baseline (BL) 5.4.1 (Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) 4.2) development; BL 9 (BMD 5.X) development; Aegis BMD In-Service support; BMD ground and flight test support; modeling and simulation support; Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex combat system engineering, testing, site support, modernization, technical and logistics support; and Aegis BMD ship installation and planning. The work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey, with an estimated completion date of February 2024. Fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation; and fiscal 2021 procurement defense wide, and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $45,036,867, will be obligated at the time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0851-21-C-0002).
13 Oct 20. Sarcos Defense, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sarcos Robotics, today announced that the company has been awarded a contract by the Office of Naval Research to develop a remote-controlled variant of the upper-body of the innovative Sarcos Guardian® XO® wearable exoskeleton robot. The new, platform-agnostic, upper-body variant will be adapted to attach to a variety of mobile bases, such as wheeled or tracked vehicles that can operate at height. These include boom lifts, scissor lifts, and bucket trucks to address maintenance and logistics needs. Leveraging more than 30 years of technology development from prosthetic arms and humanoid robots to powered, full-body exoskeletons, the Guardian® DX defense robot variant and the Guardian® XT commercial robot variant will provide unparalleled strength, dexterity, precision, and versatility at human scale, enabling the robot to perform difficult tasks in dangerous environments while keeping the operator safe and out of harm’s way. This contract award follows a recent announcement with the U.S. Air Force for a contract to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system that would enable robotic platforms, like the Guardian DX robot, to learn how to perform tasks with human-like movement through positive reinforcement and imitation machine learning (ML) technologies, known as Cybernetic Training for Autonomous Robots (CYTAR™). The CYTAR system furthers the Sarcos vision of robotic systems that augment rather than replace humans by reducing the system operator’s cognitive load for basic tasks, yet still relying on human intelligence, judgment, instincts, and reflexes to manage more complex tasks. The Guardian XT commercial robot version is expected to begin shipping to industrial customers in late 2021. (Source: ASD Network)
SEA
02 Nov 20. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has awarded contracts for its Sea Train program, which seeks to enable autonomous vessels to perform long-range transit operations. In September, Applied Physical Sciences Corp., Gibbs & Cox Maritime Solutions and Mar Technologies were chosen for the program, which will include two 18-month phases. The contract awards’ total potential values were $31.2m, $30.4m and $28.5m, respectively. Through the effort, DARPA wants “to provide some operational flexibility for medium-sized unmanned surface vessels,” said Andrew Nuss, a program manager within the agency’s tactical technology office. Each company is “developing a unique approach to be able to address the goals of the Sea Train program.” Unmanned surface vessels are generally limited in operational range, typically 3,500 to 4,000 nautical miles, he said in an interview. However, DARPA hopes to extend that to about 14,000 nautical miles under the Sea Train program. Usually unmanned surface vessels must undergo multiple refuelings to go farther distances, he noted. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/NDIA.org)
04 Nov 20. Airborne Tactical Advantage Co. LLC, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a $441,583,013 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides contractor-owned and operated Type III high subsonic and Type IV supersonic aircraft to Navy fleet customers for a wide variety of airborne threat simulation capabilities in support of the Specialized and Proven Aircraft program, Contracted Air Services. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia (44%); Point Mugu, California (37%); Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii (14%); and Atsugi, Japan (5%), and is expected to be completed in November 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposal; two offers were received. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00421-21-D-0008).
05 Nov 20. General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), announced today that the U.S. Navy has awarded it a $9.474bn contract modification option for construction and test of the lead and second ships of the Columbia class, as well as associated design and engineering support. Electric Boat is the prime contractor on the Columbia program, which will replace the aging Ohio class of ballistic missile submarines. Electric Boat will perform about 78% of the construction of the Columbia class and recently shifted the program to full-scale construction at the company’s manufacturing complex in Quonset Point, Rhode Island. Construction of four of the six ‘supermodules’ will take place at Electric Boat’s Quonset Point facility. The supermodules will then be transported by barge to the company’s Final Test and Assembly yard in Groton, Connecticut, where the components will be assembled into a complete submarine in a 200,000 square-foot facility now under construction specifically for the Columbia class. General Dynamics recently reported that the design maturity for Columbia was almost 90% complete, nearly twice the level of design completion of the lead Virginia-class submarine when it started construction.
02 Nov 20. Huntington-Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is awarded a not to exceed $284,285,022 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-15-C-2114, and a not-to-exceed $30,714,978 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost plus incentive fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-09-C-2116, for the accomplishment of CVN 79 single phase delivery and Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) capabilities. The Navy is transitioning to a single-phase delivery approach to meet both Fleet requirements and a congressional mandate of ensuring that CVN 79 is capable of operating and deploying Joint Strike Fighter (F-35C) aircraft before completing the post-shakedown availability as codified in Section 124 of the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (Public Law 116-92). The single-phase delivery date is planned for June 30, 2024. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by June 2024. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $13,961,569 will be obligated at 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.
AIR
03 Nov 20. BAE Systems has been awarded multiple contracts from the U.S. Army to develop key technologies for the Advanced Teaming Demonstration Program (A-Team). BAE Systems was the only company awarded contracts for three of the program’s four focus areas, designed to advance manned and unmanned teaming (MUM-T) capabilities that are expected to be critical components in the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift (FVL) program. In order to combat the increasingly complex, contested, and communication-denied battlespace presented by near-peer adversaries, the U.S. Army developed the A-Team program to create an automated system to offload the cognitive burden of pilots while enabling them to command swarms of unmanned aircraft. BAE Systems was selected to deliver a highly automated system to provide situational awareness, information processing, resource management, and decision making that is beyond human capabilities. These advantages become exceedingly important as the Army moves toward mission teams of unmanned aircraft that will be controlled by pilots in real time. The contracts total $9m and include awards for the Human Machine Interface, Platform Resource Capability Management, and Situational Awareness Management elements of the program. To deliver the critical autonomy technology, BAE Systems’ FAST Labs research and development team and Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) Systems business area will leverage their decades of work pioneering autonomy technologies. The program will leverage the Future Open Rotorcraft Cockpit Environment Lab to conduct simulation tests and demonstrations with products from different contractors in consideration of transition to the FVL program. (Source: ASD Network)
TECHNOLOGY
04 Nov 20. Altamira Technologies Corp., McLean, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0076); Amergint Technologies Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado (FA8612-21-D-0077); Carahsoft Technology Corp., Reston, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0078); Geosite Inc., Stanford, California (FA8612-21-D-0079); Lyteworx Automation Systems LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0080); MarkLogic Corp., San Carlos, California (FA8612-21-D-0081); Rebellion Defense Inc., Washington, D.C. (FA8612-21-D-0082); Rhombus Power Inc., Moffett Field, California (FA8612-21-D-0083); Soar Technology Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan (FA8612-21-D-0084); Vidrovr Inc., New York, New York (FA8612-21-D-0085); Advanced Simulation Research Inc., Orlando, Florida (FA8612-21-D-0086); Borsight Inc., Ogden, Utah (FA8612-21-D-0087); Datanchor Inc., Columbus, Ohio (FA8612-21-D-0088); Digital Mobilizations Inc., Warrenton, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0089); EFW Inc., Fort Worth, Texas (FA8612-21-D-0090); F9 Teams Inc., Snohomish, Washington (FA8612-21-D-0091); Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co., Reston, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0092); ); Infinity Labs LLC, Xenia, Ohio (FA8612-21-D-0093); Radiant Mission Solutions Inc., Chantilly, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0095); Microsoft Corp., Redmond, Washington (FA8612-21-D-0096); Ortman Consulting LLC, Alexandria, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0097); Peraton Inc., Herndon, Virginia (FA8612-21-D-0098); R2 Space Inc., Ann Arbor, Michigan (FA8612-21-D-0099); and Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada (FA8612-21-D-0100), have collectively been awarded $950,000,000 ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to compete for future efforts associated with the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control. These contracts provide for the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. The locations of performance are to be determined at the contract direct order level and are expected to be complete by May 28, 2025. These awards are the result of fair and open competition. Initial deliver orders will be funded with fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds. The Air Force Life Cycle Management, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
30 Oct 20. Astronics Corporation (Nasdaq: ATRO), a leading provider of advanced technologies for global aerospace, defense and other mission critical industries, and Xenex® Disinfection Services Inc. (“Xenex”), the world leader in UV disinfection for healthcare facilities, today announced Xenex has awarded a $20m contract to Astronics to assist in the manufacturing of Xenex’s unique LightStrike Germ-Zapping Robots. Xenex’s patented pulsed xenon ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection technology is proven to achieve a 99.99% level of disinfection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in two minutes. LightStrike robots emit bursts of high energy UV light to quickly destroy harmful viruses, bacteria, and spores, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19. The high intensity UV light spans the entire germicidal spectrum (200-315 nm), deactivating the pathogens at the wavelengths where they are most vulnerable. Over 40 published peer reviewed studies support the efficacy of the LightStrike technology, and unlike continuous single spectrum UV light generated by mercury bulbs, the pulsed UV light produced by LightStrike does not damage expensive materials present in hospitals, hotels and other environments. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
30 Oct 20. The Pentagon re-awarded its Defense Enterprise Office Solutions contract to CSRA on Friday, nearly 14 months after it awarded it to the General Dynamics Information Technology subsidiary last year. The award to CSRA was delayed several times after the General Services Administration twice took corrective action after protests by Perspecta, the other contractor in the competition. According to the announcement from the General Services Administration and Department of Defense, the blanket purchasing agreement is estimated to be worth $4.4bn over a decade, with a five-year base. The contract was estimated to be worth $7.6bn when the award was made last year. The DEOS contract will provide the DoD with productivity tools such as word processing and spreadsheets, email, collaboration, file sharing, and storage across the enterprise. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
03 Nov 20. General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), announced today it was awarded the Defense Enterprise Office Solutions (DEOS) contract by the General Services Administration (GSA) in partnership with the Defense Department (DoD) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). General Dynamics Information Technology announced it was awarded the Defense Enterprise Office Solutions (DEOS) contract by the General Services Administration in partnership with the Defense Department and the Defense Information Systems Agency. DEOS will streamline the DoD’s use of cloud email and collaborative tools while enhancing cybersecurity and information sharing across the DoD’s enterprise based on the latest commercial technology. GDIT will stand up and accredit DEOS cloud environments as well as support the migration of existing DoD Office 365 (O365) tenants into DEOS. The DEOS environments are intended to support over 3.2 million DoD users and GDIT will provide engineering, migration, training and support services for those users. DoD estimates the value of the DEOS Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) at $4.4bn over a 10-year period, which includes a five-year base period with two two-year options and one one-year option. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
03 Nov 20. Australia – Javelin Missiles. The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Australia of Javelin missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $46m. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Australia has requested to buy two hundred (200) Javelin FGM-148E missiles with U.S. Government technical assistance and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated cost is not to exceed $46m. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States. Australia is one of our most important allies in the Western Pacific. The strategic location of this political and economic power contributes significantly to ensuring peace and economic stability in the region. The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is seeking to fill a short-term shortfall in its Javelin missile inventory in order to maintain the appropriate level of readiness. Australia will not have any difficulty absorbing these missiles into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. These missiles will be provided from U.S. Army stocks. There are no known offsets associated with this sale. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Australia. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. This notice of a potential sale is required by law. The description and dollar value is for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded. (Source: ASD Network/Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)
SEA
30 Oct 20. Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a sole-source, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for a ceiling value of $722,400,000. This contract is a hybrid of fixed-price incentive firm-target, firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-incentive fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee. This contract is for fiscal years 2021-2029. Under this contract, the contractor will provide the management, material and services associated with the sustaining engineering and product support services of the Standard Missile-3 Block missile variants for the U.S. and Foreign Military Sales partners. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona; and Huntsville, Alabama, with an ordering period of nine years from contract award through Oct. 29, 2029. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test, and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,695,129 will be obligated at time of award. The Missile Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Virginia, is the contracting activity (HQ0851-21-D-0001).
AIR
30 Oct 20. The Government of Guyana has requested to buy two (2) Bell 412EPi Light Utility Helicopters with customer-unique modifications; two (2) Bell 429 Light Utility Helicopters with customer-unique modifications; two (2) WESCAM MX-10 cameras; mission equipment; contractor-provided pilot and maintainer training; particular ground support equipment; spares; publications; integrated product support; technical assistance; transportation; Repair and Return; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated program cost is $256m. The principal contractor will be Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (BHTI), Piney Flats, TN. The purchaser typically requests offsets. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. (Source: glstrade.com)
04 Nov 20. TECRO – MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft. The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States (TECRO) of four (4) Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $600m. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. TECRO has requested to buy four (4) Weapons-Ready MQ-9B Remotely Piloted Aircraft; two (2) Fixed Ground Control Stations; two (2) Mobile Ground Control Stations; and fourteen (14) Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigations Systems (EGI) with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) (12 installed, 2 spares). Also included are MX-20 Multi-Spectral Targeting Systems and spares; SeaVue Maritime Multi-Role Patrol Radars; SAGE 750 Electronic Surveillance Measures (ESM) Systems; C-Band Line-of-Sight (LOS) Ground Data Terminals; Ku-Band SATCOM GA-ASI Transportable Earth Stations (GATES); AN/DPX-7 IFF Transponders; Honeywell TPE-331-10GD Turboprop Engines; M6000 UHF/VHF Radios; KIV-77 Mode 5 IFF cryptographic appliques; AN/PYQ-10C Simple Key Loaders; secure communications, cryptographic and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) equipment; initial spare and repair parts; hard points, power, and data connections for weapons integration; support and test equipment; publications and technical documentation; personnel training and training equipment; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; and other related elements of logistical and program support. The total estimated program cost is $600m. This proposed sale is consistent with U.S. law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8. This proposed sale serves U.S. national, economic, and security interests by supporting the recipient’s continuing efforts to modernize its armed forces and to maintain a credible defensive capability. The proposed sale will help improve the security of the recipient and assist in maintaining political stability, military balance, economic and progress in the region. This proposed sale will improve the recipient’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing timely Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), target acquisition, and counter-land, counter-sea, and anti-submarine strike capabilities for its security and defense. The capability is a deterrent to regional threats and will strengthen the recipient’s self-defense. The recipient will have no difficulty absorbing these systems into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be General Atomic Aeronautical System, Inc., San Diego, CA. The purchaser typically requests offsets. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor. (Source: ASD Network)
04 Nov 20. L3Harris Technologies Awarded Contract for 3 Canadian Special Mission Aircraft. L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has been awarded a firm-fixed price contract to missionize three new King Air 350ER aircraft for the Canadian manned airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (CMAISR) project. The aircraft will be delivered to the Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) as a Foreign Military Sale managed by the U.S. Army, Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation, Fixed Wing Project Office. The CMAISR project will provide the DND with a rapidly deployable, airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability for its deployed operations, ensuring an innovative, flexible and interoperable force. The aircraft will feature a suite of L3Harris systems, including full-motion video sensors, a mission management system and communication datalinks. The capability upgrades offer increased threat indications and warning, as well as high-accuracy target detection and location. Modification will include sensors integration, secure communications and navigation systems, as well as pilot, operator and maintenance training. L3Harris will complete the modifications at its facility in Greenville, Texas, supported by the company’s facility in Mirabel (Quebec), Canada. The contract was awarded via the Other Transaction Authority competitive procurement process. (Source: ASD Network)
30 Oct 20. L3Harris Technologies Inc., Clifton, New Jersey, has been awarded a $97,505,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide repair and return (R&R) services for unclassified and classified line-replaceable unit/standard equipment module assets of the ALQ-211 (V)4, (V)8, and (V)9 systems of the airborne F-16 Advanced Integrated Defense Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) weapon systems. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to support air forces of Chile, India, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Turkey, Iraq and Morocco. Procurement of these R&R logistical support services is necessary to restore F-16 AIDEWS systems to mission capable condition and to equip partnering F-16 FMS fleets with airborne self-defense and survivability against electromagnetic threats. Work will be performed in Clifton, New Jersey, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 29, 2025. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $73,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity (FA8523-21-D-0001).
30 Oct 20. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Sierra Vista, Arizona, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $158,390,024 undefinitized contract action for Global Hawk (RQ-4) aircraft sustainment. This contract provides for aircraft spares and contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in the Republic of Korea and Sierra Vista, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 29, 2024. This contract involves Foreign Military Sales (FMS) to the Republic of Korea. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. FMS funds in the amount of $33,835,878 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 (FA8690-21-C-1001).