UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
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06 Aug 21. UK orders Type 163 laser target designators to fill NATO mission gaps. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has contracted Leonardo for eight Type 163 laser target designators (LTDs). The contract, worth GBP800,000, was awarded in June 2021 for delivery the following month, and was revealed to Janes in August. The invitation to tender (ITT), issued in April 2021, stated a requirement for the LTDs “to terminate the capability gap on Op CABRIT and enable training and currency to continue for Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), notably for Very High Readiness (VHR) forces”. Operation CABRIT is the United Kingdom’s contribution to the NATO mission in Estonia. The Type 163 is in service with UK forces. It has a laser output power typically more than 80mJ, weighs 2.5kg including the battery, and measures 322 × 142 × 87mm. Leonardo has recently upgraded it with an improved human-machine interface and will be adding an integrated digital magnetic compass later this year. (Source: Jane’s)
AIR
11 Aug 21. Flare Bright wins UK MOD Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA) follow-up contract. Following a successful initial DASA contract to prove the concept of true autonomy in drones, Flare Bright have been awarded a larger follow-up contract to provide the same autonomy in powered drones to give increase persistence and endurance. This project will deliver a fixed wing drone that can fly without GPS or any remote-control, when other drones are unflyable due to jamming and denial. Flare Bright’s latest £425,391 contract lasts for 13 months and recently commenced, and follows on from the completion of an initial £226,500 contract that successfully concluded in April 2021. It will be announced at DSEI, to coincide with Flare Bright being selected to showcase its success at DASA’s stand (stand H2-110) and representatives will be talking through the innovative technology that creates this GPS-free technology throughout the show.
09 Aug 21. £9.5m investment for military space communications. The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have awarded a £9.5m contract to In-Space Missions Ltd for the build of the Titania satellite, which will undertake vital research on the next-generation of communications technology. To be launched in 2023 and approximately the size of a washing machine, the satellite will support the ‘Titania Operational Concept Demonstrator’ which is exploring the military utility of Low Earth Orbit (LEO) direct-to-earth free-space optical communications (FSOC). The satellite will be built in the UK by Hampshire-based In-Space Missions, with the contract directly supporting 20 jobs at the company and in the UK supply chain. Forming an important part of developing the MOD’s space capability, the contract follows the recent launch of UK Space Command at RAF High Wycombe, which saw the headquarters of Defence space capabilities and operations officially ‘stood up’. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
09 Aug 21. Leonardo DRS to Build Next-Gen Air Combat Training Systems for Draken Europe. Leonardo DRS announced today that it will provide advanced air combat training systems to Draken Europe in support of Draken’s program to support operational readiness training for the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. The Leonardo DRS Airborne & Intelligence Systems business is partnered with Collins Aerospace to deliver the next-generation air combat training systems for use by Draken in support of the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense (MoD). The system is a Joint Secure Air Combat Training System (JSAS) for use with Draken’s Falcon 20 fleet. JSAS enables the warfighter to train and improve joint tactics, techniques and procedures in a secure environment against a peer adversary threat. The solution is comprised of aircraft-mounted JSAS pods and a ground station, offering advanced, high capacity, low latency, and multi-hop mesh networking. A software-defined radio is used to host multiple waveforms providing key enablers to achieve secure, multi-domain, live, virtual and constructive training.
11 Aug 21. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been awarded a five-year, multi-million dollar contract from the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) in support of the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) Force (NAGSF). The contract, designed to support fleet readiness, covers operations, maintenance and lifecycle sustainment of NATO’s fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles, air vehicle mission command and control stations, and trainer. Under this contract, Northrop Grumman will provide full lifecycle sustainment including repairs, onsite maintenance and operations support to NAGSF at Sigonella Air Base, Sigonella, Italy. From the U.S., the team will provide program management, software sustainment, configuration management and technical support including sustaining engineering, technical documentation updates, integrated logistics support data analysis, reach back, airworthiness and system design responsibilities. The NATO AGS system of systems, which recently achieved initial operating capability, is comprised of five RQ-4D aircraft, which is based on Northrop Grumman’s wide area surveillance Global Hawk, ground and support segments, and advanced sensor technologies. The wide area surveillance of the RQ-4D Global Hawk and the fixed, mobile and transportable ground stations provide cutting-edge intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability around the clock, and support a full range of missions, including protection of ground troops and civilian populations, border control, crisis management and humanitarian assistance in natural disasters. Northrop Grumman also supports NAGSF with flight mission planning, spares and post design services.
EUROPE
LAND
09 Aug 21. Netline Communications Technologies Ltd. – a leading developer and manufacturer of high-end electronic warfare and spectrum dominance systems for defense forces and homeland security agencies – has announced another milestone in its five-year contract with the Spanish Ministry of Defense for the provision of 334 improvised explosive device (IED) jammers with a recently-received order for a further 87 systems. This is in addition to the previous batch delivered in 2020, of 51 systems (in serial production) for 12 prototypes. Designed to be mounted on vehicles, Netline’s C-Guard RJ is a highly-flexible and resilient modular reactive jamming system. Providing reactive coverage to counter an extensive range of threats, the system constantly scans the spectrum and responds to any detected transmissions by focusing the jamming signal and power to defeat the threat.
AIR
06 Aug 21. Eurofighter and NETMA Agree Next Capability Enhancement Contract for Eurofighter Typhoon. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH and NETMA, the NATO Eurofighter & Tornado Management Agency, have signed a contract worth close to €300m, which provides the next steps in the capability evolution of the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. The Consolidation Package Step Two and Three, Phase 1 Contract’s most important elements include Typhoon capability enhancements when operating the Meteor beyond-visual-range, air-to-air missile, with the capability implementation being transferred from the current M-Scan to the new E-Scan radar. The package also includes improvements to Brimstone precision air-to-surface operations on Typhoon, along with adaptations to the cockpit display formats; interoperability enhancements through development of the MIDS Link 16, radio; and further improvements towards its Defensive Aids Sub-System (DASS). This contract is designed to satisfy the different requirements of the four core Nations customers and will equally benefit export customers, creating a consistent harmonised package as the baseline for ongoing capability development. (Source: ASD Network)
09 Aug 21. Italy to fund MC-27J Praetorian development and procure new KC-767 strategic airlifters. The Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) plans to fund new multi-year programmes for the development of three Leonardo MC-27J Praetorian special operations aircraft and the acquisition of two new Boeing KC-767 strategic transport/tanker aircraft for the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare Italiana: AMI). According to the country’s latest multi-year planning document (Documento Programmatico Pluriennale: DPP) for 2021–23, released on 5 August, the AMI will likely secure initial funding for these two strategic requirements, which have been lingering in the pipeline for quite some time. The DPP funds EUR80m (USD94.3m) between 2021 and 2026 for the MC-27J Praetorian development programme and mentions a requirement for three aircraft in the special operations configuration. However, the overall budget requirement amounts to EUR99m, leaving EUR19m unfunded. The MC-27J Praetorian programme was launched in the early 2010s to study and eventually develop a special forces version of the AMI’s C-27J tactical aircraft for commando and weaponised missions. The programme appeared to have stalled in the mid-2010s as no progress was reported until November 2020, when, according to official documents, the Italian Air Force Staff gave a mandate to the Directorate for Air Armaments and Airworthiness (DAAA) to proceed with the refinement of the technical-administrative process aimed at restarting the development (and subsequent procurement) of a ‘Praetorian’ mission system in Initial Operational Capability (IOC) configuration to be integrated on a C-27J transport aircraft. (Source: Jane’s)
USA
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12 Aug 21. Citadel Defense has been awarded a sole source contract for $6m from a Classified U.S. Department of Defense customer to build and deploy an AI-powered counter drone solution. The system will be deployed at sensitive government locations and effectively operated by non-specialist military personnel and first responders. The solution is designed to autonomously detect, classify, track, and defeat unwanted unmanned aerial systems (UASs) using state-of-the-art artificial intelligence, machine learning, and sensor fusion. Citadel specializes in the design, development and deployment of AI-powered counter-UAS solutions. The fusion of combat-proven radar, optics, and electronic warfare sensors into an intuitive user display gives military, government, and commercial customers a purpose-built solution that safely clears the airspace of hostile drones operating individually or in swarms. Citadel’s integrated solution is designed for force protection in contested environments, the protection of critical infrastructure, urban surveillance, and security at high-profile events. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
12 Aug 21. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL), a global leading provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies, announced today, that during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, it was awarded multiple contracts aggregating $3.6m from a U.S. system integrator for X-band SSPAs and BUCs for transportable satellite communication terminals. Secure and available satellite communications are required to support all phases of a mission from the command center to the tactical edge. Comtech’s X-band SSPAs and BUCs are rugged and compact, supporting voice, video and data communications among dispersed elements of the battle force. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
10 Aug 21. The U.S. Army Contracting Command – Detroit Arsenal (ACC- DTA) announced that it has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK), a $99m order to upgrade an additional Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) with the 30 mm Medium Caliber Weapon System (MCWS). In June 2021, the U.S. Army selected Oshkosh Defense and partners Pratt Miller Defense and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems to integrate the 30 mm MCWS onto the Stryker Double V Hull Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICVVA1). The six-year requirements contract is for the production and fielding of the Oshkosh Defense MCWS for up to six Stryker brigades. The first delivery order covered 91 vehicles valued at $130m. This latest award calls for an additional 83 vehicles.
05 Aug 21. The joint venture (JV) of PAE and Perini Management Services (PAE-Perini) has secured a new task order from the US Air Force (USAF). Under the $36.8m order, the JV will provide installation support and sustainment services to the 724th Expeditionary Air Base Squadron in Agadez, Niger. The scope of works will include offering civil engineering support including operations, maintenance and repair services, as well as force support services for mission partners and personnel through September 2026. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
10 Aug 21. Sierra Nevada Corp., Sparks, Nevada (W15P7T-21-D-0001); and General Dynamics Mission Systems, Dedham, Massachusetts (W15P7T-21-D-0002), will compete for each order of the $744,220,874 hybrid (firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee) contract for the Next Generation Load Device-Medium. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Aug. 8, 2031. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
10 Aug 21. Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has secured a new contract to support the US Army Ground Vehicle Systems Center with the development of autonomous and robotic vehicles. The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (ID/IQ) contract may value up to $34m over five years. As agreed, the institute will be responsible for project management, research and development (R&D), modelling and simulation, software development, systems integration, testing and data analysis services. (Source: army-technology.com)
SEA
09 Aug 21. L3Harris wins US Navy contract. The US Navy has awarded a US$393m ($535.7m) contract to L3Harris Technologies, which has been tasked with installing ‘Increment II’ and ‘Increment III’ of the Undersea Warfare Training Range (USWTR). The new contract, which follows 10 years of support provided by L3Harris on ‘Increment I’, is set to involve the replacement and upgrade the remaining underwater training range sites. USWTR Increment I involved installing the ocean sensor and shore electronics subsystems across approximately 500-square-nautical-miles near Jacksonville, Florida. Under Increments II and III, L3Harris will now upgrade and replace the previously installed systems at the US Navy’s three other range locations near Hawaii, Bahamas and southern California. Each range includes over 950 kilometres of undersea cables, several hundred sophisticated acoustic sensors, as well as shore-based control, display and processing facilities. The USWTRs technology is designed to enable ships, submarines and aircraft to track targets on the surface and subsurface for anti-submarine warfare training. (Source: Defence Connect)
AIR
11 Aug 21. Astrobotic Awarded Funding to Map Uncooperative Spacecraft in Real Time. The new ALIN system will enable satellite servicing and mapping of planetary bodies. Astrobotic wins a Phase I NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to further develop sensors that three-dimensionally map uncooperative spacecraft and planetary bodies in real time. Astrobotic’s Laser Imaging, Detection, and Ranging (LiDAR)-Inertial Navigation (ALIN) software solution uses LiDAR Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) to provide navigation and mapping in a modular sensor for multiple uses in space. This allows for more affordable, faster data transfers on spacecraft. ALIN will specifically target applications requiring high-fidelity relative navigation and three-dimensional mapping to achieve a variety of mission objectives in Earth, lunar, and Martian orbit. Phase II, if awarded, would focus on optimizing the localization algorithms, mapping performance, and timing to meet Rendezvous Proximity Operations and Docking (RPOD) mission requirements. Phase III could yield a flight-ready system, providing an opportunity for early mission infusion and data collection on smaller CubeSat-style missions or aboard the International Space Station.
10 Aug 21. US Space Force awards OSP-4 IDIQ contract to Astra Space. OSP-4 will be able to accommodate mission requirements for payloads weighing more than 400lb. Astra Space has secured a contract from the Rocket Systems Launch Program (RSLP) of the US Space Force (USSF) for the Orbital Services Program (OSP)-4 programme. Under the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract, Astra will preserve, stimulate and improve the small launch industrial base. The company also claims that it supports the USSF in securing a unique vendor pool in support of the nation’s defence. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
12 Aug 21. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), the world’s leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) systems, secured nine prime positions on the new General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Systems Integration Management Center (FEDSIM) ASTRO – a multiple award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract vehicle geared towards the needs of the Department of Defense and the U.S. military. The contract vehicle’s scope includes operations, maintenance, readiness, development, research and development, hardware, and systems integration of manned, unmanned, and optionally manned systems, robotics, and platforms, as well as the services that support those systems, robotics, and platforms within the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission (ISR) area. There is no ceiling value assigned to ASTRO, and associated contracts are projected to support a 10-year ordering period. GA-ASI secured prime positions in nine of the 10 available pools: Data Operations; Mission Operations; Aviation; Space; Maritime; Development and Systems Integration; Research and Development; Support; and Training. Inclusion in these pools allow GA-ASI to broaden its capability offerings, leveraging decades of expertise delivering unmatched ISR platforms and services to now provide engineering, training, intelligence, test and evaluation services to U.S. government customers.
06 Aug 21. Air Force Awards Contract to Hermeus. In an effort to accelerate the commercial development of hypersonic aircraft and propulsion systems, the U.S. Air Force is investing in the Hermeus Corporation – a U.S. based aerospace company – via a $60m jointly funded contract that was awarded July 30. Currently, the company is developing a hypersonic aircraft capable of flying at five times the speed of sound. At this speed a flight from New York to Paris would only take 90 minutes, compared to the seven and a half hours it typically takes today. The contract is being funded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Presidential and Executive Airlift Directorate, the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and various venture capital sources. The engagement with Hermeus is part of a larger effort led by the directorate to fuel the burgeoning commercial resurgence of high speed passenger travel, and has been dubbed the “Vector Initiative”. The initiative aims to partner with commercial sector leaders to accelerate their development and, as a byproduct, advance enabling technologies that could provide the Air Force options for a variety of missions. (Source: ASD Network)
10 Aug 21. Kaman Corp. (NYSE:KAMN) announced today that it received an order under Option 16 of its Joint Programmable Fuze (“JPF”) contract with the U.S. Air Force (“USAF”). This order has an expected value of approximately $43m for the procurement of JPFs for foreign militaries. Kaman has been a provider of the JPF to the USAF since 2002. In addition to the USAF, Kaman provides the JPF to forty other nations. The JPF allows the settings of a weapon to be programmed in flight and is qualified for use on a number of weapons including general purpose bombs, and guided bombs that use JDAM or Paveway kits, on U.S. aircraft such as F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35, A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52 and the MQ-9 UAV as well as on international aircraft such as Mirage 3 and Gripen. Kaman produces the JPF at facilities in Orlando, Fla., and in Middletown, Connecticut. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
06 Aug 21. Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., Sacramento, California, has been awarded a $338,071,466 firm fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee and time-and-material contract for Lots 17-21 production, out-of-warranty-repairs, and contractor logistics support. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, and is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition, and fiscal 2021 procurement (3010) funds in the amount of $30,499,362 were obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida is the contracting activity (FA8678-21-D-0001).
03 Aug 21. U.S. Navy Awards L3Harris Contract For 16 COMSATCOM Terminals. The U.S. Navy has awarded L3Harris $18m as part of the Commercial Broadband Satellite Program (CBSP), a continuing effort to bolster sailors’ access to commercial broadband communications while on active maritime duty. The company’s long-standing commitment to the program and on-time delivery of the systems led to four additional units being added to this year’s contracted activities. CBSP provides terminal-to-shore, space and terrestrial connectivity, increasing throughput for commercial satellite communications to provide redundancy for military satellite communications. The program includes two U.S. Navy contracts for separate types of terminals, one for Force-Level Variants (FLV) and another for Unit-Level Variants (ULV). (Source: Satnews)
10 Aug 21. The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a $157m contract to augment C2BMC’S engagement support capability for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system that protects the U.S. from long-range ballistic missile attacks. The GMD system includes silo-based interceptors, connections to sensors on land and sea, distributed fire control and launch support systems. Currently, the GMD system engages a threat using the best single source data from multiple radars. The next upgrade to C2BMC, called Spiral 8.2-7, will provide GMD with a single, real-time, composite picture of threat system tracks by correlating and fusing data from a broader set of sensors, including satellites, ground- and ship-based radars. Once the spiral upgrade is complete, the GMD system will see the same battlespace picture currently seen by combatant commanders. Additionally, Spiral 8.2-7 will also enable C2BMC to report hypersonic threat activity onto the Link 16 military tactical data link network and display to the operators. (Source: ASD Network)
12 Aug 21. Mynaric and SpaceLink today announced the signature of a definitive agreement on the sale of optical inter-satellite link (OISL) terminals for satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) with a total order volume of up to $28m depending on exercised options and SpaceLink’s satellite prime selection. Mynaric expects to ship SpaceLink’s first units during the first quarter of 2023. The deal includes mutually agreed upon milestone payments leading up to initial delivery. (Source: PR Newswire)
06 Aug 21. Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) will provide the U.S. Air Force with its high-performance MJU-73/B and MJU-62A/B infrared countermeasure flares. The company’s next-generation countermeasures will help protect large aircraft and helicopters from advanced surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. The MJU-73/B and MJU-62A/B infrared countermeasure flares build upon a more than 50+ year history of protecting aircrews, and will serve as an integral component of the suite of protective measures used by the military to increase aircraft survivability. Continued testing and development has enabled Northrop Grumman to deliver advanced solutions that meet the challenges posed by peer and near-peer adversaries. Under the not-to-exceed $61.8m IDIQ award, which has a period of performance through 2026, the company will develop cutting-edge, first-fire application technology that applies a first-fire coating to support flare ignition while increasing safety during the manufacturing process.
12 Aug 21. The US Navy (USN) has awarded Skydweller Aero a $5m contract to demonstrate its solar-powered, long-endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV). The company declines to comment on the demonstration’s objectives, but said on 4 August that it is working with the service to develop key performance parameters. A site has yet to be selected for the effort, which is planned to take place between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the second quarter of 2022. Skydweller is a US-Spanish start-up that uses technology developed for the experimental Solar Impluse 2, a manned solar-powered aircraft that circumnavigated the Earth over the course of 2015-2016. The company acquired the right to use the technology in 2019. The Skydweller UAV, which does not yet have a formal name, first flew in December 2020. “Since, we have had multiple flight tests with incremental advancements towards autonomous flight,” says the company. (Source: UAS VISION)
TECHNOLOGY
06 Aug 21. US DoD contracts ARC to advance weapon-sensing technology development. The contract awarded to ARC is part of the military’s ‘Joint All-Domain Command and Control’ project portfolio. Predictive analytics company Armaments Research Company (ARC) has secured a contract from the US Department of Defense (DoD) and General Services Administration (GSA) to advance ‘AI-Based Weapon Sensing’ technology. Valued at $60m, the new five-year indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract has been awarded under Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase III contract. It is a continuation of the company’s advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-based weapon-sensing technology development undertaken for the DoD and GSA. The contract is also part of the military’s ‘Joint All-Domain Command and Control’ (JADC2) project portfolio. (Source: army-technology.com)
12 Aug 21. Mercury Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRCY, www.mrcy.com), a leader in trusted, secure mission-critical technologies for aerospace and defense, announced it received a $17m order from the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center’s Aircraft Division (NAWC-AD) for Advanced Data Transfer Systems (ADTS) for deployment across multiple rotary-wing and tilt-rotor platforms. The ADTS, a rugged data, video, and audio loader and recorder with cybersecurity capability, is used for moving mission data securely to and from the aircraft for pre- and post-mission analysis. The order is part of a firm-fixed-price, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract award worth up to $84.9m originally received in September 2020 by Physical Optics Corporation, recently acquired by Mercury Systems. The $17M delivery order was received in Mercury’s fiscal 2021 third quarter and is expected to be delivered over the next several quarters.
11 Aug 21. US Army awards $774m encryption device contract. The U.S. Army chose Sierra Nevada Corp. and General Dynamics Mission Systems to build its next-generation encryption device that will secure the joint force’s future tactical network, the service announced Wednesday. The two companies will participate in the development, production and sustainment of the Next Generation Load Device-Medium, a cryptography tool to secure the service’s network from adversaries’ cyber and electronic warfare threats. The contract, worth up to $774.2m over 10 years, was awarded by Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications-Tactical. The advanced cryptology device that will replace the Army’s legacy Simple Key Loader devices. The new capability will allow network managers to reconfigure cryptographic products, remotely download new software and improve operational environment awareness, according to a PEO C3T press release. The release of the NGLD-M request for proposals was delayed last summer after the Army decided to adjust its acquisition strategy. The RFP was released in November. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
11 Aug 21. Peraton has been awarded a nearly $1bn task order (TO) to provide the Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and its mission partners with operational planning, implementation, and assessment services (OPIAS) to achieve operational advantages in the information space and to counter threats to U.S. national security. The TO is worth up to $979m over a five-year period. Under OPIAS, Peraton will increase the ability of USCENTCOM and its mission partners to coordinate, collaborate, and fuse information related capabilities (IRC), and information operations (IO) through effective messaging. Peraton will also drive innovation to boost IO capabilities, helping the U.S. extend its competitive advantage to achieve national security objectives. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
11 Aug 21. Major contract for Rheinmetall – international partner orders material kits for Fuchs/Fox 2 wheeled armoured vehicles worth €250m. An international partner has placed a follow-up order with Rheinmetall to supply material kits for the Fuchs/Fox 2 wheeled armoured vehicle. This new order, which also encompasses an initial supply of spare parts, is worth around €250m. Delivery will take place during the 2021-2023 timeframe, with production to be carried out in the partner’s country. This major order underscores the long-lasting nature of this successful strategic partnership. The order is particularly important for the Group’s Kassel plant, birthplace of the tried-and-tested 6×6 vehicle. Last year marked the fortieth anniversary of the Fuchs armoured transport vehicle’s entry into service with the German Bundeswehr.