UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
LAND
27 Jan 21. PPM Systems has designed and produced 90 custom filters for the British Army spectrum team based at Blandford Camp to support the Army’s Battlefield Tactical Communication and Information Systems (BATCIS) programme to upgrade its capability. The custom filters include multiple designs of narrow band cavity filters in band pass and band stop versions. They are an important element that allow for increased co-location and integration of systems onto common platforms. The use of filters reduces intermodulation and out of band noise, providing optimum signal levels and traffic throughput.
25 Jan 21. NATO customer awards Rheinmetall multimillion-euro contract for artillery ammunition and propelling charges. A NATO customer has awarded Rheinmetall an order for modern artillery ammunition. The Group’s South African subsidiary, Rheinmetall Denel Munition (Pty) Ltd., will supply several thousand conventional and extended-range artillery shells of the Assegai family (Base Bleed and V-LAP) as well as M92 Assegai tactical modular charges. Delivery commenced in December 2020 and is to be complete by May 2021. The order is worth around €25m. Manufactured by Rheinmetall Denel Munition, the tactical modular charges of the Assegai Series are intended to propel artillery shells from 155mm gun systems. The charge system is fine-tuned to the customer’s specific weapon systems and artillery shells for maximum effectiveness. Their modular design simplifies logistics and makes handling in self-propelled artillery systems easier. They also offer other advantages: Assegai charges reduce barrel wear (RDM’s Barrel Wear Reducer/BWR) and produce lower muzzle flash (RDM’s Muzzle Flash Reducer/MFR); the former results in longer barrel life, the latter makes the artillery system harder for the enemy to detect.
25 Jan 21. NATO selects Thales to supply its first defence cloud for the armed forces.
- NATO has selected Thales to provide the first theatre-level deployable defence cloud capability, a compact and fully certified solution for end-to-end management and control of connectivity, applications and data hosting.
- Nexium Defence Cloud was selected by NATO as it complies with the strictest military security and interoperability standards.
- Thales’s solution guarantees the sovereignty and strategic autonomy of the armed forces.
NATO has selected Thales to provide the first certified defence cloud solution that can be deployed in the theatre of operations in less than 24 hours. Thales was selected after a worldwide competitive tendering process on the basis of its defence systems integration know-how. With this contract, the Group enters a new market sector and demonstrating its capacity to integrate the best civil and commercial technologies available and to adapt them to the needs of the armed forces.
SEA
26 Jan 21. BAE Systems wins £230m contract to bolster Royal Navy torpedoes. Cutting-edge Spearfish and Sting Ray torpedoes carried by the Royal Navy are receiving a £230m maintenance uplift. Spearfish torpedoes – which use sonar to home in on targets – are carried by the Royal Navy’s Astute class and Trafalgar class hunter-killer submarines and the nuclear deterrent Vanguard class to neutralise underwater and surface threats. While Sting Ray torpedoes are deployed on Anti-Submarine Warfare mission, including frigates, Merlin and Wildcat helicopters. They provide a close attack capability which also automatically targets in on enemy threats. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
28 Jan 21. SEA, the UK’s defence and security electronic system specialist, has been reappointed to provide the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Naval Systems Integration Process Service (NSIPS) Phase 3 by Defence & Equipment Support Director Ships. The three-year contract has an initial value of £1.88m and includes an option of a two-year extension giving a total value of £2.5m. SEA will provide the Maritime Combat Systems (MCS) team with a Change Management and Configuration Control service for in-service submarines and surface ships, helping to streamline naval system procurement and generate time and cost efficiencies for the MoD. The contract, won in open competition, replaces its predecessor which SEA has successfully managed for the past five years, and complements other independent technical support provided to the MCS team. SEA has a depth of knowledge across a wide range of combat systems for both surface ships and submarines, including upgrading and updating platform and combat management systems in the Royal Navy. It offers the flexibility and responsiveness to meet evolving requirements, making SEA ideally placed to continue this support. As part of the contract, SEA will continue to manage the accurate, comprehensive and easy-to-use NSIPS database, GRIFFIN, which it initially built on behalf of the MoD. Containing vital information on combat management system integration, GRIFFIN enables stakeholders to make informed decisions on system changes when required. SEA’s successful management of the GRIFFIN database, which simplifies and speeds up the NSIPS process, has led to an increase in the number of MoD stakeholders using the database, from 220 in 2018 to 750 in 2020.
AIR
26 Jan 21. BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems, Nashua, New Hampshire, is awarded an $81,348,624 firm-fixed-price modification (P00005) to previously awarded contract N00019-19-C-0001. This modification exercises an option to procure 1,512 radio frequency countermeasures for Lot 12 of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in support of non-U.S. Department of Defense participants, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers and for the Navy. Work will be performed in Nashua, New Hampshire (74%); Landenberg, Pennsylvania (7%); Topsfield, Massachusetts (2.5%); Industry, California (1.6%); Hamilton, New Jersey (1.5%); Carson, California (1.3%); Dover, New Hampshire (1.1%); Londonderry, New Hampshire (1%); Chartley, Massachusetts (1%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (9%), and is expected to be completed in March 2024. Fiscal 2021 procurement of ammunition (Navy and Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $27,761,832; fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $26,040,168; fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $15,925,392; and FMS funds in the amount of $11,621,232 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
25 Jan 21. Sellafield Ltd plays key role in drone development challenge. Consortium wins share of government challenge fund. Sellafield Ltd has a key role in a consortium of industrial, aerospace and aviation giants that has won a share of a £30m government challenge fund to develop and test a remotely operated drone system. The futuristic system will enable remote inspection and monitoring of nuclear sites and has a range of other applications including on construction sites, oil and gas installations, road, rail and telecoms infrastructure and in providing live support to emergency services. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
25 Jan 21. RAF’s new unmanned fighter aircraft dubbed the ‘loyal wingman’ gets £30m injection from MoD. An unmanned fighter aircraft dubbed the “loyal wingman” is to be produced following a £30m injection from the MoD. The contract to design and manufacture the RAF’s new prototype uncrewed fighter aircraft will support more than 100 jobs at Spirit AeroSystems in Belfast in a three-year deal. Utilising ground-breaking engineering techniques, the team will further develop the RAF’s Lightweight Affordable Novel Combat Aircraft (LANCA) concept, with a full-scale vehicle flight-test programme expected by the end of 2023. The ‘loyal wingman’ concept envisages highly sophisticated drones that will fly in formation with a manned aircraft such as Typhoon or F-35. (Source: Daily Telegraph)
TECHNOLOGY
27 Jan 21. GKN Aerospace-led project H2GEAR will receive a £27.2m government grant to develop an innovative liquid hydrogen propulsion system (a component that propels the aircraft forward) for regional air travel, which could be scaled up for larger aircraft and longer journeys.
27 Jan 21. InCEPTion, led by Blue Bear Systems Research, is receiving a £2.8m government grant to develop a fully-electrified zero-emissions propulsion system for aircraft, that is powerful, quiet and efficient and could be used for smaller aircraft travelling short distances – even within the same city
27 Jan 21. ZeroAvia’s HyFlyer II will receive a £12.3m government grant to scale up its zero-emissions engines for demonstration on a 19-seater aircraft, showcasing its significant technological advances, meaning that customers can expect to fly on zero-emissions aircraft as early as the end of 2023
EUROPE
LAND
26 Jan 21. Leonardo has signed a contract to supply the Slovenian Defence Ministry with its Type 163 Laser Target Designator (LTD). The contract makes Slovenia the 23rd nation to order the Type 163 LTD, more than 700 units of which have now been sold in total by Leonardo. The global success of the product reinforces Leonardo’s market leadership in the high-energy military lasers domain, with the company’s site in Edinburgh, U.K., satisfying 70% of global demand for applications on airborne platforms and around 60% of the total market, including for ground-based applications. (Source: ASD Network)
25 Jan 21. NSSLGlobal has today been awarded a contract by the German Armed Forces to supply 60 custom-made 1.5m VSAT RBM terminals for the SATCOM BW ST-II Project. In April 2020 NSSLGlobal was awarded a long-term framework contract to supply satellite services across all entities of the German Armed Forces – including the Navy, Army and Airforce.
22 Jan 21. Portugal’s Sodarca Defense has today announced they have provided the new Portuguese Army Benelli SuperNova shotgun. As part of the modernisation project for the [Portuguese] Army’s Light Weapons, within the scope of the Soldier’s Combat Systems Programme, the Army has received in its entirety,the batch of new Benelli SuperNova Shotguns provided by Sodarca Defense. The acquisition process was conducted through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA), this weapon being part of the family of new light weapons in use in the Portuguese Army. This weapon aims to equip the manoeuvre units, constituting an increase in their combat capacity, since it allows the use of more than one type of ammunition (door breacher, anti-drone, less lethal ammunition, among others). Benelli SuperNova: The SuperNova shotgun is a robust, practical and highly configurable weapon to ensure sniper comfort and speed in the firing position. The tip and the stock are made of technopolymer and guarantee maximum resistance both at high and low temperatures. All weapons supplied are personalised with the Portuguese Army logo on the barrel. (Source: joint-forces.com)
SEA
28 Jan 21. MBDA and Rheinmetall win contract for high-energy laser system. Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has awarded a consortium, or ARGE, consisting of MBDA Deutschland GmbH and Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH a contract to fabricate, integrate and support testing of a laser weapon demonstrator in the maritime environment. The order value is in the low double-digit million euro range. Work will be shared out on a roughly equal basis. MBDA Deutschland is responsible for tracking, the operator’s console and linking the laser weapon demonstrator to the command-and-control system. Rheinmetall is in charge of the laser weapon station, the beam guiding system, cooling, and integration of the laser weapon system into the project container of the laser source demonstrator. The demonstrator is to be fabricated, tested and integrated by the end of the 2021. Trials onboard the German Navy frigate F124 Sachsen are to take place in 2022. A breakthrough development in the history of defence technology, lasers engage targets at the speed of light, operating with great precision and producing very little collateral damage. A demonstrator system featuring these capabilities will soon be put to the test under highly realistic operating conditions onboard a German frigate.
AIR
25 Jan 21. Greece Equips Itself With the Rafale in the Continuity of a Partnership With Dassault Aviation of More Than 45 Years.
- Theodoros Lagios, General Director of Armament and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, and Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, signed today a contract for the acquisition of 18 Rafale aircraft for the Hellenic Air Force, as well as a contract for the logistical support of the fleet.
- This signing ceremony was held in Athens in the presence of Mrs. Florence Parly, Minister of the Armed Forces of France, and Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Minister of National Defense of Greece.
- As a European country and member of NATO, Greece is a major strategic partner of France. Dassault Aviation is honored by the Greek government’s decision, that extends an uninterrupted partnership for 45 years.
Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, and Theodoros Lagios, Director General of Armament and Investments of the Greek Ministry of Defense, signed in Athens, in the presence of Mrs. Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces, and Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Greek Minister of National Defense, two contracts respectively for the acquisition of 18 Rafale aircraft and for the associated logistic support. The order for 18 Rafale includes 12 Rafale recently in service with the French Air Force and 6 new Rafale produced at Dassault Aviation plants. To meet the urgent need of the Greek authorities, the deliveries of aircraft will be begin in the summer of 2021 and will be spread over two years. The logistic support contract will support the Hellenic Air Force Rafale’s air activity over four and a half years, maintaining the availability of equipment and systems at the highest level. The arrival of the Rafale in Greece highlights the quality of the strategic relationship between Greece and France and the continuation of more than forty-five years of solid partnership with Dassault Aviation and its industrial partners Thales and Safran.
As with the Mirage F1 in 1974, the Mirage 2000 in 1985 and finally the Mirage 2000-5 in 2000, the Rafale is an opportunity to launch new cooperation’s with the Greek aerospace industry. (Source: ASD Network)
26 Jan 21. The European Commission awarded two contracts for 12 satellites — 6 satellites each — for a total of EUR €1.47bn to ThalesAleniaSpace (Italy) and Airbus Defence & Space (Germany) following an “open competition.” OHB System AG, the maker of 38 Galileo satellites to date, was shut out. The first 2nd generation satellites are scheduled to orbit orbit by the end of 2024, carrying new technologies such as digitally configurable antennas; inter-satellite links for ranging, mission dissemination, command and control; new atomic clock technologies; and use of full electric propulsion systems. Altogether, these are foreseen to improve Galileo’s accuracy of Galileo as well as the robustness and resilience of its signal, key to security and military usage. (Source: Google/Satnews)
27 Jan 21. Lockheed Martin Corp., Orlando, Florida, is awarded a not-to-exceed $49,663,781 undefinitized firm-fixed-price modification (P00001) to cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-21-F-0062 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This modification adds scope for the production and delivery of 19 AN/AAQ-30A Target Sight Systems; 14 for the government of Bahrain and five for the government of the Czech Republic. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida (36%); Burlington, Ontario, Canada (34%); Merrimack, New Hampshire (14%); Ocala, Florida (5%); Santa Barbara, California (3%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (8%), and is expected to be completed in January 2023. Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $7,433,265 will be obligated at the 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. (Awarded Jan. 26, 2021)
25 Jan 21. MBDA to arm Hellenic Air Force’s new Rafale fighter jets. Lieutenant General Theodoros Lagios, General Director for Defence Investments and Armaments of the Greek Ministry of Defence and Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, today signed a contract to provide the armaments for 18 Rafale combat aircraft intended for Greece’s air force. A signing ceremony was held in Athens in the presence of the French Minister for Armed Forces, Florence Parly, and the Greek Minister for Defense, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos. The new aircrafts’ weapons will benefit from the strong commonality with those from the Mirage 2000s and Mirage 2000-5s currently in service in the Hellenic Air Force. Like these, the Rafales will be armed with SCALP cruise missiles, AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles and MICA multi-mission air-to-air missiles. Additionally, MBDA will also supply Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles.
27 Jan 21. Virgin Orbit to Launch 1st Satellite for Dutch MoD. Virgin Orbit, the California-based satellite launch company, announced today that it has been selected by the Dutch space engineering company Innovative Solutions in Space (ISIS) to launch the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s (RNLAF) first ever satellite, a 6U CubeSat called BRIK-II. Designed and integrated by ISIS, BRIK-II will serve as a testbed for various communications experiments and demonstrate how nanosatellites can provide a meaningful contribution to military operations. The mission represents a significant step forward for the Dutch Ministry of Defense’s efforts to develop their first space capabilities, with a particular emphasis on responsive launch. Currently scheduled to launch in 2021, BRIK-II will fly as a rideshare payload on an upcoming LauncherOne mission. Virgin Orbit is also working via their subsidiary, VOX Space, to add payloads to this mission from the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DOD) Space Test Program. With the U.S. government as a co-passenger, the mission represents an exciting opportunity for the Netherlands and the U.S. to jointly explore, develop and benefit from the next generation of space capabilities. (Source: ASD Network)
USA
LAND
27 Jan 21. Envistacom, LLC, a leading technology company which delivers advanced communications, cyber and other related solutions and services to customers in the aerospace, defense, and intelligence communities, today announced the award of a three-year, $235m prime contract for the U.S. Army. Envistacom will provide Field Service Representative (FSR) support services for communications and IT infrastructure to the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and NATO forces to maintain mission connectivity in critical theaters globally. As part of the extensive FSR support, Envistacom will deliver on site technical services for tactical and strategic satellite communications systems, satellite terminals, logistics, system and network engineering and administration including information assurance and cybersecurity. This task order was awarded on Envistacom’s prime contract by U.S. Army Contracting Command using the ten-year, $5.1bn Global Tactical Communications Systems (GTACS) II contract vehicle. As the Army continues to modernize its tactical communications network, GTACS II provides a competitive contracting mechanism to facilitate the acquisition of new technology and services solutions to support all branches of the Department of Defense (DoD).
26 Jan 21. FLIR Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: FLIR) announced it has received an additional $30.1m contract from the United States (U.S.) Army for sustainment efforts tied in part to the service’s Man Transportable Robotic System Increment II (MTRS Inc. II) and Common Robotic System-Heavy (CRS-H) ground robot programs. The award raises the maximum value on the company’s existing Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to $88m, covering maintenance, parts and overall sustainment support for the entire FLIR unmanned ground systems family of small, medium and large robots used by the Army.
27 Jan 21. Thales has been awarded its third delivery order from the U.S. Army to provide the AN/PRC-148D Improved Multiband Inter/Intra Team Radio (IMBITR®). Under the Army Leader Radio program and in support of Capability Set fielding’s into the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), this latest award brings total IMBITR radio orders to more than 6,000. In collaboration with the U.S. Army and under previous fielding’s, Thales provided the IMBITR to multiple operationally deployed units to generate important Soldier feedback for testing and risk reduction prior to the U.S. Army’s formal Operational Test and Evaluation in January 2021. Important capability feedback from Soldier Touch Points – both as a standalone radio as well as a device integrated into the ITN architecture – was highly positive affirming IMBITR’s ability to provide cutting-edge tactical communications for mounted or dismounted Soldiers.
SEA
28 Jan 21. The U.S. Navy recently awarded a contract modification to General Dynamics Mission Systems that includes a broad scope of work for the Columbia and Dreadnought ballistic missile submarine class to support development, production, and installation requirements. This $43.2M award is comprised of development, production, installation, and deployed-systems support exclusively for the Columbia/Dreadnaught (CLB/UKD) class of U.S. and U.K. submarine strategic weapons systems and subsystems and coincides with one of the largest manufacturing floor expansions at the Pittsfield, Massachusetts facility. General Dynamics Mission Systems’ Maritime and Strategic Systems line of business will deliver fire control systems for the U.S. Navy’s first Columbia class submarine (US01) and the first U.S. Columbia class training facility (Kings Bay Trident Training Facility) as well as installation support and pre-deployment planning for both U.S. and U.K. sites. This contract also includes CLB/UKD design completion scope and continuation of design activities for the first planned refresh of the CLB/UKD fire control system, as well as design support for CLB/UKD planning at the KB-TTF and procurement of the infrastructure material to support the new Trident Training Facility labs. The majority of the work in support of this contract will take place in Pittsfield.
28 Jan 21. Leonardo DRS, Inc. announced today that it has received a contract from the U.S. Navy to supply critical system hardware and full life-cycle support for AEGIS and Ship Self Defense System Combat Management Systems. The cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple award contract was awarded in December 2020, and is worth up to $211.5m. Under the contract Leonardo DRS will provide sustainment of TI-16 Combat Systems Processing, Network, Storage and Display Hardware fielded across the surface ship fleet. Included in the contract is the sustainment, manufacture, assembly, and testing of TI-16 hardware, spares; engineering services, procurement, and installation of ordinance alteration kits and related products. Leonardo DRS is the prime contractor for the Surface Navy producing Consoles, Displays and Peripherals (CDP) and the Common Processing System (CPS) TI-16 for the Navy’s surface combatants.
27 Jan 21. The Maritime Administration has inked a deal for two more training ships for its prospective Merchant Marine officers in a move that could provide the Navy with a suitable hull for special mission auxiliary ships in the future. MARAD contracted for two additional National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, adding on to the two it purchased last year. The ships are destined for use at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, and Texas A&M Maritime Academy in Galveston, Texas. The contract, announced Jan. 19, with Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is worth approximately $600m. If the last ship is contracted, it would bring the total buy to $1.5bn, according to the marine trade publication gCaptain. (Source: Defense News)
AIR
27 Jan 21. Leading small satellite manufacturer and mission services provider Blue Canyon Technologies, LLC. (“BCT” or “Blue Canyon”) today announced it is providing the microsatellites for NASA’s Pioneers Aspera and Pandora missions – small-scale astrophysics missions. BCT will build a Mercury-class microsat to support the Aspera mission from the University of Arizona, which will examine hot gas in the space between galaxies, otherwise known as the intergalactic medium. While the intergalactic medium is a major component of the universe, it remains poorly measured, which Aspera aims to address. BCT also provided a Venus-class Microsat – part of the X-SAT product line to support Pandora, a mission from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Goddard Space Flight Center. This small satellite will study 20 stars and their 39 exoplanets in visible and infrared light, with the mission to disentangle the signals from stars and planetary atmospheres. Understanding how starlight changes can affect measurements of exoplanets is an outstanding problem in the search for habitable planets beyond the solar system. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
22 Jan 21. The Boeing Co., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, has been awarded Option Year Four to its indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (FA8106-17-D-0002) via multiple task orders estimated at $123,114,183 for engineering support services (ESS). ESS Option Year Four exercise provides recurring and non-recurring engineering support services from The Boeing Co. in support of commercial derivative aircraft. Work will be performed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Warner Robins AFB, Georgia; and San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2023. This contract is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $49,257,428 are obligated at time of award via task order FA8134-21-F-1000. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.
28 Jan 21. Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded a $612,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for C20/C37 engineering services support. The contractor will provide the engineering and data support on a recurring basis for all Gulfstream executive aircraft for the duration of the contract. Work will be performed for the Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard in Savannah, Georgia; Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; Ramstein Air Base, Germany; Joint Base Andrews, Maryland; Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii; Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Hawaii; and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. The work is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2031. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $10,872,957 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8134-21-D-0001).
27 Jan 21. The U.S. Air Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) a five-year, up to $668m IDIQ contract to help maintain its C-130 aircraft fleet readiness. L3Harris will perform sustainment on C-130H and J-model aircraft at its 1.1 million-square-foot aircraft modification center in Waco, Texas. The center features hangars to support a full range of missionization and aircraft services, including conducting parallel avionics modernization and programmed depot-level maintenance efforts for reduced aircraft downtime. The center supports the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130H aircraft fleet under the U.S. Air Force Avionics Modernization Program Increment 2. The center also services the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, space, commercial and international operators. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
28 Jan 21. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Marietta, Georgia, is awarded a $33,229,494 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of up to a maximum quantity of 38 large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCM) A-kits, up to 38 supplemental kits, five bench stock kits and LAIRCM-advanced threat warning a-kit replacement parts in support of the C/KC-130J aircraft. Work will be performed in Marietta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed in December 2025. No funds will be obligated at the time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-21-D-0011).
26 Jan 21. Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded a $64,121,341 modification (P00013) to firm-fixed-price order N00019-20-F-0571 against previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0008. This modification exercises options for the procurement of Digital Channelized Receiver/Techniques Generator and Tuner Insertion program technology to upgrade F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft with Digital Tuner Insertion Program electronic warfare racks and high efficiency low voltage power supply. These upgrades will enable for future upgrades to Lot 15 Block 4 configuration, including Technical Refresh Three for the Air Force and non-Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed in June 2025. Fiscal 2020 aircraft procurement (Air Force) funds in the amount of $57,865,601; and non-DOD participant funds in the amount of $6,255,740 will be obligated at the 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.
26 Jan 21. Logos Technologies LLC, a leader in wide-area sensors and airborne processing systems, announced today that it was awarded a Phase I development contract from the U.S. Army’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program to develop new approaches to significantly reduce the signature and increase the range of airdropped systems. The SBIR contract will support research into signature reduction technologies for an airborne platform that can deliver materiel to troops without exposing itself or friendly positions. Logos believes that such a platform can also carry sensor and communications payloads for long-endurance operations. Powered paragliders, however, tend to have issues with acoustic and other signatures. This is where ParaHawk comes in. Developed and demonstrated in 2015, the Logos hybrid-electric aircraft was designed to carry up to 200 pounds of payload. When approaching the ground, ParaHawk can operate very quietly and deliver a payload safely without landing. In the Phase I of the SBIR contract, Logos will build on its work on ParaHawk to identify, test, and demonstrate multiple approaches for practical radar, optical, infrared, and further acoustic signature reduction. In subsequent phases, technologies will be demonstrated that enhance the platform’s combination of simplicity, large payload, and long endurance. Once developed, these powered paragliders might also support additional missions like force protection, ISR, and communications missions. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
26 Jan 21. Marotta Controls, a rapidly growing aerospace and defense supplier based in New Jersey, announced today that it has designed and will be manufacturing a new Control Actuation System (CAS) for the U.S. Navy’s Supersonic Propulsion Enabled Advanced Ramjet (SPEAR) project. The Navy’s Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division is co-developing the SPEAR demonstrator with Boeing, which will help the Navy determine technical requirements for future carrier-based weapons systems. Marotta’s CAS will be utilized on SPEAR during its technology prove-out demonstration slated for late 2022. (Source: ASD Network)
22 Jan 21. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Redondo Beach, California, is being awarded a firm-fixed-price prototype award with a total value of $155,030,206 through the Missile Defense Agency’s authority under 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. This prototype award was competitively solicited among awardees of the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor Phase IIA effort, which was competitively awarded as a prototype other transaction pursuant to 10 U.S. Code § 2371b. Four proposals were received. Under this award, the performer will provide the Missile Defense Agency’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor program with an on-orbit prototype demonstration, culminating with launch and early orbit testing. The work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, with an estimated completion date of July 22, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $25,000,000 will be obligated at the time of award. These funds will expire at the end of the 2021 fiscal year. Missile Defense Agency, Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, is the contracting activity (HQ0857-20-9-0003).
26 Jan 21. Sikorsky Aircraft Cor., Stratford, Connecticut, was awarded a $26,009,930 modification (P00165) to contract W58RGZ-17-C-0009 to exercise an option for two Army Black Hawk Exchange and Sales Team UH-60M aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $26,009,930 were obligated at the time of the award. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
TECHNOLOGY
22 Jan 21. General Dynamics Information Technology (GDIT), a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), announced today that it has been selected as one of three prime contractors on the U.S. Department of State’s Global Support Strategy (GSS) 2.0 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract vehicle (IDIQ). The IDIQ, awarded in fourth-quarter 2020, has a total estimated value of up to $3.3bn over a 10 year period, inclusive of a one-year base period and nine one-year options. GDIT announced that it has been selected as one of three prime contractors on the U.S. Department of State’s Global Support Strategy (GSS) 2.0 indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract vehicle (IDIQ). Under the contract, GDIT will deliver overseas consulate support services to the Bureau of Consular Affairs in support of visa application and issuance at U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world. GDIT will build upon an extensive record under the previously awarded GSS 1.0 contract to provide services such as fee collection, document delivery and mission-focused enterprise IT tailored to the complex global environment. (Source: PR Newswire)
25 Jan 21. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (Nasdaq: KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that Juniper Networks has awarded the company a second Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Advisory Services contract. Kratos will update their existing System Security Plan (SSP) to meet the CMMC Level 3, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-171 and DFARS clause 252.204-7012 compliance requirements using Juniper solutions. The CMMC is a unified security standard and a certification process developed by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to protect the security of Federal Contract Information (FCI) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) within the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). The SSP captures the security requirements of a system, describes the implementation state of security controls within the system and identifies responsibilities and expected behaviors of all individuals who interact with the system. As such, it is a critical CMMC requirement. The SSP will include a mapping of security controls to NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC security controls. Also included in the award is a Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) that will include existing gaps, as identified during the previously completed CMMC Gap Assessment, performed by Kratos. Consisting of five maturity levels of security practices ranging from Basic to Advanced, CMMC will be phased into DoD RFPs by early 2021. A CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) will be required to conduct assessments on organizations seeking a CMMC level certification. (Source: ASD Network)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
28 Jan 21. Downer secures $3m Defence contract. The Sydney-based integrated services provider has been awarded a contract via the Defence Innovation Hub to deliver CIED capability as part of the LAND 154 Phase 4 project. Downer Defence Systems (DDS) has been selected as the prime contractor for the delivery of ‘Muskito’ capability — an integrated Counter Improvised Explosive Device (CIED) concept that leverages autonomous systems and machine learning to detect above-ground and below-surface threats before alerting an operator via a visual interface. As part of the $3m contract, awarded through the Defence Innovation Hub, DDS will work with local industry to develop the technology, which forms part of the capability requirements for the LAND 154 Phase 4 – the Joint Counter Improvised Explosive Device Capability project. Local firms expected to support DDS’ delivery include Urban Circus, EPE, and Insitu Pacific, which will collaborate to develop a Muskito prototype before delivering a technology demonstration for Defence.
The partners will be tasked with the following responsibilities:
- DDS will act as prime systems integrator and implement its machine learning capabilities in the detection of surface and subsurface threats, and provide overall project management to integrate the technology into the Muskito Mission System;
- Urban Circus will develop the system that converts the sensor data into a visual reference for the operator;
- Insitu Pacific will deliver the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that will integrate with the unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to provide tactical data; and
- EPE will support the initial conduct of a concept of operations workshop, supplying innovation and integration support aligned to the provision of the HDT Hunter Wolf UGV, the Cobham Ground Penetrating Radar and a number of other technical systems. (Source: Defence Connect)
26 Jan 21. Elbit Systems Awarded $172m Contract to Supply Light Tanks to a Country in Asia-Pacific. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ:ESLT and TASE: ESLT) (“Elbit Systems” or “the Company”) announced today that it was awarded a contract valued at approximately $172m to supply light tanks to the Army of a country in Asia-Pacific. The contract will be performed over a three-year period. As the prime contractor, Elbit Systems will supply the “Sabrah” light tank solution based on the tracked ASCOD platform that is manufactured by General Dynamics European Land Systems Santa Bárbara from Spain (“GDELS“), and on the wheeled Pandur II 8X8 platform manufactured by Excalibur Army from the Czech Republic. The 30-ton “Sabrah” light-tank solution provides a unique combination of powerful fire capacity and high maneuverability. Both platforms will be equipped with a 105mm turret and a range of the Company’s subsystems, including electro-optical sights, fire control systems, TORCH-XTM battle management systems, E-LynXTM software defined radio systems and life support systems.
27 Jan 21. Kenya orders 118 armored vehicles from Turkey. Kenya’s military has ordered 118 four-wheel drive personnel carriers from Turkish armored vehicles manufacturer Katmerciler. Kenya Defence Forces spokesperson Col. Zipporah Kioko told local press that the Ministry of Defence is finalizing the deal for the mine-resistant, ambush-protected Hizir vehicles through Turkey’s Export Credit Agency. (Source: Defense News)
26 Jan 21. The Australian Defence Force has awarded L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) contracts totaling $233m (USD) to deliver secure communications and advanced night vision goggle technology to support the country’s key modernization initiatives. L3Harris was awarded a three-year, $115mi follow-on FFP contract under the Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) arrangements for the Australian Defence Force’s Delphic – Cryptographic Modernization program. L3Harris will deliver tactical radios, waveforms and ancillaries that support emerging cryptographic modernization standards. The company also was awarded a $118m contract to provide advanced night vision goggle technology to enhance Army soldiers’ ability to locate and engage threats – improving their situational awareness, mobility and safety. The award follows L3Harris’ successful delivery of night vision technology for Tranche 1 of the Land 53 program in 2020. L3Harris will deliver its Fused Night Vision System (FNVS), which incorporates the latest in night vision capabilities – fusing image intensification technology with thermal imagery to provide soldiers with enhanced situational awareness, targeting and identification capability in all battlefield conditions and light levels. When combined with the L3Harris battery pack, the FNVS delivers critical battlefield information directly to the soldier’s eye. Both contracts include full in-country support and repair capabilities in Australia. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
25 Jan 21. Myanmar to acquire Pantsir-S1 SHORAD systems, radar stations, and Orlan-10E UASs from Russia. The Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 22 January that it will supply an undisclosed number of radar stations, Pantsir-S1 self-propelled short-range air-defence (SHORAD) systems, and Orlan-10E multirole unmanned aerial systems (UASs) to the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw). The MoD said in a statement that the move is part of an agreement signed in Naypyidaw between Tatmadaw Commander in Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu. The Russian MoD announced on 22 January that it signed an agreement with Myanmar for the supply of an undisclosed number of radar stations, Pantsir-S1 SHORAD systems (similar to these ones in Serbian service), and Orlan-10E UASs to the Tatmadaw. (Serbian MoD) The MoD provided no further details about the deal, including the value of the contracts, the delivery schedules, or the type of radar stations ordered, but pointed to the growing military-technical co-operation between Moscow and Naypyidaw since 2001. The Pantsir-S1 SHORAD system was developed by Russia’s KBP Instrument Design Bureau as a replacement for the older Tunguska family of anti-aircraft systems. The system’s TELAR (transporter, erector, launcher, and radar) consists of a combat module that is typically mounted on a KamAZ 8×8 wheeled chassis, although the base platform depends on customer requirement. The TELAR is armed with two sets of 2A38M twin 30mm automatic cannons, and eight ready-to-launch 57Ye6-E missiles. Each of the cannons is provided with 700 rounds of 30×165mm ammunition and has a rate of fire of 1,950–2,500 rds/min. The missiles can engage targets at ranges from 1.2km to 20 km and at altitudes from 15 m to 15 km. They are radio-command guided and fitted with a 20kg high-explosive/fragmentation warhead with impact and proximity fuzing. (Source: Jane’s)
20 Jan 21. Pearson Engineering is to supply 1500 Track Width Mine Ploughs to the Indian Army for integration with the T-90 S/SK main battle tank. Pearson Engineering is under contract to supply over 1500 Track Width Mine Ploughs (TWMP) to the Indian Ministry of Defence. The order, which will see the Pearson plough integrated with the T-90 S/SK tank, will be delivered in partnership with BEML Limited. With previous experience in integrating counter-mine capabilities with the T-72, T-90, Arjun Mk1 Main Battle Tank and BMP-2 Armoured Vehicles, Pearson Engineering is proud to be a current supplier to the Indian Army. (Source: joint-forces.com)
28 Jan 21. TacMed Australia — a supplier of emergency services training and equipment — has announced it has been selected by Rheinmetall Defence Australia (RDA) to develop a Lynx KF41 Ambulance Variant. The variant is to be offered in RDA’s tender submission for the Commonwealth government’s $18.1-$27.1bn LAND 400 Phase 3 program. The partnership was established following the government’s Australian Industry Capability roadshow in the first half of 2020. (Source: Defence Connect)
AIR
28 Jan 21. Airbus has recently signed a contract to provide a digital services focus for the maintenance of the Air Refueling Boom System (ARBS) on the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport (A330 MRTT) fleet. Based on the Airbus suite of digital services SmartForce, this service is intended to support the operator in reducing maintenance costs and improving fleet availability by optimizing the fault diagnosis and troubleshooting tasks for the ARBS of the tanker aircraft, based on data analytics applications. The Central Data System plays a key role, allowing operators to draw on the flight data recorded by the Mission Recording System and provides information outputs about issues registered during the flight and recommended maintenance actions to fix them.
23 Jan 21. According to open-source export-import records, the Chinese defence contractor Aerospace Long-March International (ALIT) delivered five CH-4 unmanned aerial vehicles to the Pakistan Army. The shipment was recorded on 15 January 2021. It is not yet clear if this order is an initial batch ahead of a larger acquisition, or a small-scale purchase for testing or limited utilization. Pakistan joins Iraq, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Myanmar, and Jordan as an operator of the CH-4. It is unclear if Pakistan ordered the CH-4A or CH-4B. If the CH-4B, the Pakistan Army will gain another armed drone (in addition to its Burraq-series) for unmanned combat operations. The CH-4 reportedly has a maximum take-off weight (MTOW) of 1,300 kg. According to ALIT, the CH-4 can carry up to four munitions (weighing 50 kg each) plus an electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) turret. It has a reported endurance of 40 hours and a cruising speed of 180 knots. Pakistan was initially linked to a possible CH-4 drone purchase in 2016 when Shi Wen, the lead designer of drones at China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) at the time, said the company was talking to a South Asian customer. In June 2016, a Wing Loong had crashed in Mianwali, Pakistan from an “experimental flight,” indicating that Pakistan was evaluating Chinese UAVs. (Source: Google/https://quwa.org/)
25 Jan 21. IAI to supply Heron MK II UASs to unnamed Asian nation. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed two deals to supply its Heron MK II unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to an undisclosed central Asian nation. Announced by the company on 25 January, the deals comprise one lease and one sale of its medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAS to the same country for “tens of millions of dollars”. The systems include an undisclosed number of air vehicles, reconnaissance payloads, and ground control stations. While no details pertaining to the potential customer were disclosed, the Heron 1 that precedes it is fielded by India in the central Asian region. Azerbaijan is also a customer, if not strictly classified as central Asian. As previously reported by Janes during its public unveiling at the Singapore Airshow in 2020, the Heron MK II retains the same dimensions and general performance specifications as the earlier Heron 1, with improvements including a widened fuselage pod for a greater number of sensors and/or more powerful mission systems. It also boasts a new propulsion configuration comprising the fully certified Rotax 915 iS 1,352 cc turbocharged four-stroke engine, which has a time before overhaul (TBO) rating of 1,200 hours and which produces up to 135 hp at maximum continuous power while coupled to a three-bladed variable-pitch pusher propeller. (Source: Jane’s)
28 Jan 21. Lockheed Martin subsidiary Sikorsky has awarded a contract to Melbourne-based firm Sentient Vision Systems’ (Sentient), for the further testing and development its ISR system, ViDAR (Visual Detection and Ranging). If successful, the system could be integrated with the sensor suites on the Sikorsky-built MH-60R Seahawk. Lockheed Martin has committed to working with Sentient to enhance the capability of the ViDAR system — a persistent wide area motion imaging (WAMI) system designed to autonomously detect, geo-locate, track and classify objects over vast areas of terrain below an aircraft or UAS. (Source: Defence Connect)
TECHNOLOGY
28 Jan 21. BIRD Aerosystems, the leading developer of Airborne Missile Protection Systems (AMPS) and Airborne Surveillance, Information, and Observation (ASIO) solutions, has received a follow-on contract to develop additional advanced capabilities for its RCD (Radar Control and Display) that controls HENSOLDT’ PrecISR™ advanced multi-mode radar family. After successfully completing the first phase of development and customization of the RCD to the PrecISR™ earlier this year, the next phase of development has been agreed upon by the companies and will include developing specific and more advanced capabilities tailored for HENSOLDT customers. The new capabilities to be implemented by the RCD include, for example, Dynamic SAR imagery footprints, control of multi-layered data visualization, and enhanced real-time radar information and status. Furthermore, the RCD system will be integrated with additional surveillance sensors used by the customers along with the HENSOLDT Radar (e.g., AIS and others). The follow-on contract and the new capabilities that will be developed under this contract are all focused on customizing the RCD for new customers and programs. BIRD will also provide an ILS package that includes RCD training and system documentation, to be provided to HENSOLDT and its Customers.