UNITED KINGDOM
AIR
26 Oct 21. Astroscale Ltd., the UK subsidiary of Astroscale Holdings Inc. (“Astroscale”), the market-leader in satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability across all orbits, is delighted to announce selection for a UK Space Agency Study to remove two unprepared spacecraft in low Earth orbit. The Active Debris Removal Phase 0-A Feasibility Study announcement, made today by the UK Space Agency during the 72nd International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Dubai, prepares the ground for the UK government to lead an ambitious Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission by 2025. Astroscale is well positioned to lead the delivery of an ADR mission to capture two client satellites. The proposed Study programme, Cleaning Outer Space Mission through Innovative Capture (COSMIC) will harness Astroscale’s capture technology and in-orbit capabilities, currently undergoing extensive testing during the End-of-Life Services by Astroscale-demonstration (ELSA-d) mission. Those demonstrations got off to a great start on August 25 when the ELSA-d servicer successfully completed the first test capture of a replica debris satellite; Astroscale is now forging ahead with more complex non-tumbling and tumbling captures before de-orbiting the spacecraft. In parallel, through the European Space Agency’s Sunrise program, Astroscale is working with OneWeb to develop the ELSA-Multi (ELSA-M) service. Leveraging the technology from the ELSA-d mission, the UK team is maturing a servicer spacecraft capable of capturing multiple defunct satellites in a single mission. Planning is already underway to test ELSA-M’s multi-capture capability with a representative OneWeb satellite during an in-orbit demonstration.
TECHNOLOGY
25 Oct 21. UK Tests Raytheon’s High-Energy Laser C-UAS Weapon. Raytheon UK has been awarded a demonstrator contract to provide a High-Energy Laser Weapon System, or HELWS, to the UK Ministry of Defence. Raytheon UK will deliver the MOD’s high-energy laser demonstrator to show the application of directed energy weapons technology to help protect the UK armed forces from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in today’s battlefield. (Source: UAS VISION)
EUROPE
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25 Oct 21. Finland exercises option for five more K9 SPHs. Finnish Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen has approved the Finnish Defence Forces’ request to procure five more K9 155 mm self-propelled howitzers (SPHs) in 2022, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on its website on 21 October. The EUR30m (nearly USD35m) contract includes spare parts and supplies. (Source: Janes)
AIR
22 Oct 21. Kongsberg Awarded MNOK 3 950 Contract to Supply JSM to Norway’s Fleet of F-35a. Today Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS (KONGSBERG) was awarded a contract with the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency (NDMA) to supply the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for Norway’s fleet of F-35A Lightning II fighter aircrafts. The contract is valued at MNOK 3,950. The partnership between KONGSBERG, the Norwegian Armed Forces and Norwegian Defence Research Establishment in the definition, development and test of the JSM has been critical factor in developing a missile with such advanced capabilities. (Source: ASD Network)
USA
LAND
26 Oct 21. Block MEMS, LLC (Block) has been awarded a $2.6m contract in support of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to detect Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Devices (VBIEDs). The focus of the program is to detect vehicles containing VBIEDs before they enter stadiums, office building parking structures, and other “soft targets.” Block’s technology is able to detect trace explosives at a standoff distance of up to five meters. The program will build on Block’s next generation quantum cascade laser (QCL) technology, which was funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). (Source: PR Newswire)
26 Oct 21. A team formed between General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems (GA-EMS) and Boeing has secured a contract to develop a ‘distributed gain high-energy laser weapon system’. The contract has been awarded by the US Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. It will see the team deliver a 300kW-class solid-state distributed gain laser, which features an integrated Boeing beam director. The contract is aimed at demonstrating the design of the laser weapon system prototype. Both GA-EMS and Boeing will use their respective expertise in ‘Directed Energy’ to provide troops with safe and efficient combat-ready protection. GA-EMS noted that the laser system will use the company’s scalable ‘distributed gain laser’ technology combined with precision acquisition, tracking, and pointing software offered by Boeing. Together, the companies will provide a full demonstrator with ‘sophisticated laser and beam control’. (Source: army-technology.com)
25 Oct 21. Georgia Tech Applied Research Corp., Atlanta, Georgia, has been awarded a $770,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Advanced Radar Threat System – Variant 1 (ARTS-V1) production systems. This contract provides for the procurement of ARTS-V1 systems and interim contract support, training and completion of the technical data package. Work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 24, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2021 other procurement funds in the amount of $43,952 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8210-22-D-0001).
22 Oct 21. L3 Harris Technologies Inc., Melbourne, Florida, has been awarded a $120,766,929 fixed-price incentive-firm contract for a ground-based, deployable electronic warfare capability to reversibly deny satellite communications, early warning and propaganda. This contract provides for the upgrades of 16 Counter Communications Block 10.2 fielded systems which currently operate at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado; Vandenberg Space Force Base, California; Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida; and classified deployed locations outside the continental U.S. Work will be performed in Melbourne, Florida, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2025. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which two offers were received. Fiscal 2021 Space Force procurement funding in the amount of $25,766,547 is being obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity (FA8819-22-C-0001).
28 Oct 21. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded a $243,066,376 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for long range fires technology development and demonstration. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Oct. 27, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-22-D-0002).
26 Oct 21. The Army awarded the $1.67m SBIR Phase II contract to NODAR to develop 3D vision systems for military off-road autonomous ground vehicles. NODAR will be working with the U.S. Army in developing 3D vision systems for autonomous military vehicles operating in off-road and harsh environments. Rather than detecting pedestrians, traffic signs and signals as done for passenger vehicles, NODAR’s Hammerhead technology will be used to sense terrain, vegetation and other off-road obstacles in degraded visual environments that have low or no light, dust, smoke, rain, or other harsh conditions. NODAR’s long-range vision systems can sense up to 1,000 meters, which allows the perception system to detect hidden threats long before the vehicle enters the area. To achieve this, NODAR mounts multiple cameras with overlapping views on the vehicle, and applies patent-pending computer vision software to maintain alignment between cameras. Because of this, NODAR Hammerhead uniquely provides 360 degrees, long-range, high-density, high frame-rate 3D data in real-time to the vehicle’s navigation system. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/https://defence-blog.com/)
22 Oct 21. Parsons has secured a $1.1bn multiple award task order contract (MATOC) from the US Corps of Engineers (USACE). The potential ten-year order will support USACE Huntsville in meeting challenges related to environmental and munitions responses. The chemical, environmental and munitions response unrestricted (ChEM-RU) contract supports Military Munitions Response (MMR) programme responses. (Source: army-technology.com)
26 Oct 21. Raytheon Intelligence & Space, Dulles, Virginia, has awarded a $340,000,000 firm-fixed-price, cost-reimbursable, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for mobile sensors operations and maintenance services of the Cobra King radar system. Work will be performed at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, and outside continental U.S. locations, and is expected to be completed by Oct. 31, 2031. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition in which one offer was received. Fiscal 2022 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $17,699,700 are being obligated at the time of award. Acquisition Management and Integration Center, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA7022-22-D-0001).
22 Oct 21. Thales Receives 1st Order for Javelin Radios in Support of US Army’s Single Channel Radio Program. Thales has been awarded its first Delivery Order from the U.S. Army to provide the AN/PRC-170 Javelin Radio. Under the Army Single Channel TSM Radio program, and in support of Capability Set fielding’s into the Integrated Tactical Network (ITN), the AN/PRC-170 Javelin is ideally suited to expand reliable and affordable voice, data connectivity, and streaming video to the tactical edge. Under this award, and in partnership with the U.S. Army, Thales is delivering the smallest form factor TSM, Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking (MANET) capable radio. This enables Warfighters to have increased flexibility in multi-domain operations and ensures a modern, highly resilient tactical network. The AN/PRC-170 Javelin has been evaluated in force-on-force evaluations for U.S. Army tactical maneuver operations proving its high reliability, ease of use, and exceptional battery life to become the communications centerpiece for the individual Soldier. Soldier events where the AN/PRC-170 was tested include the Advanced Expeditionary Warfighting Experiment (AEWE), Fort Bragg user evaluations, and key test events at Fort Huachuca Electronic Proving Ground. The Thales AN/PRC-170 Javelin is a Non-Developmental Item that provides a key capability to the U.S. Army’s Integrated Tactical Network to support fielding of Army Capability Sets. (Source: ASD Network)
22 Oct 21. Thales Receives 1st FRP Order for the US Army’s Leader Radio Program. Thales has been awarded its first Full Rate Production and the fourth 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 10,400. As a critical component to the Army’s unified network strategy, the Thales IMBITR system provides advanced networking capabilities to the tactical edge allowing Warfighters increased flexibility in multi-domain operations and increased flexibility and ensuring a modern, highly resilient tactical network. Under this award and in partnership with the U.S. Army, Thales is further delivering the latest WREN-TSM, Mobile Ad-Hoc Networking (MANET) waveform, while simultaneously delivering critical narrowband, tactical line-of-sight and beyond-line-of-sight communications capabilities. Together, these capabilities provide assured, simultaneous networked voice, data and video communications for improved situational awareness and real-time decision-making. Currently, 6,400 IMBITR radios are operationally deployed and highly successful, supporting Army Security Force Assistance Brigades and Infantry Brigade Combat Team/Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. (Source: ASD Network)
SEA
28 Oct 21. BAE Systems has secured a systems engineering and integration support services contract to continue working with the US Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) office. The five-year contract is worth up to $478m. The SSP is responsible for maintaining the Strategic Weapons System and Attack Weapons System on-board current US Ohio and UK Vanguard class submarines. The office will also be in charge of overseeing the weapon systems on future US Columbia and UK Dreadnought class submarines. (Source: naval-technology.com)
28 Oct 21. BAE Systems has received a $26m contract to equip the U.S. Navy’s Constellation class frigates with the fully-automatic 57mm Mk 110 naval gun. The contract, awarded earlier this month, includes engineering support and calls for two Mk 110s for the USS Constellation (FFG 62) and USS Congress (FFG 63). The new Constellation class of multi-mission guided-missile frigates is designed to operate in blue water and in the littorals, for an increased forward naval presence. The Mk 110 gun system, known internationally as the Bofors 57 Mk 3, is the deck gun of choice for the Constellation class. It is a multi-mission, medium-caliber shipboard weapon, effective against air, surface, or ground threats without requiring multiple round types. The system is capable of firing up to 220 rounds per minute at an effective range of more than nine nautical miles using BAE Systems’ six-mode programmable, pre-fragmented, and proximity-fused (3P) ammunition. (Source: News Now/BAE Systems)
AIR
26 Oct 21. Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS), a leading National Security Solutions provider, announced today that Kratos Unmanned Systems Division (KUSD) has been awarded a $17,677,612, 12-month cost plus fixed-fee contract to design and develop an Off Board Sensing Station (OBSS) Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) in support of Air Force Research Laboratory’s Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) technology maturation portfolio. Work under the program award will be performed at secure Kratos engineering and technology facilities located in Texas, California, and Oklahoma over the next 12 months. The OBSS program includes an optional subsequent 15-month Manufacture and Demonstration period. With the base and option awards, total contract to Kratos would be $49m. The OBSS vehicle is intended to be an affordable, highly modular conventional takeoff and landing jet-powered UAS. The Kratos OBSS solution incorporates innovative manufacturing techniques that enhance its ability to not only provide significant performance for sensor extension missions for manned jet aircraft, but also will accommodate significant offensive weapons volume to also act as a weapons bay extension for manned aircraft. OBSS is a new addition to the Kratos family of low-cost Autonomous Collaborative Platforms (ACP) designed to employ weapons, sensors, and other effects that generate affordable, force multiplier combat power with a forward force posture. Kratos’ industry leading digital engineering (DE) framework for high performance jet UAS will be used to develop, mature, leverage, and integrate system-ready technologies and supplement its DE framework with prudent early ground and flight demonstrations and experiments. (Source: ASD Network)
28 Oct 21. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $298,186,561 cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable no-fee, indefinite-delivery requirements contract modification (P00003) to previously awarded contract FA8539‐21‐D‐0001 for the RQ-4B Global Hawk. The contract provides for repair services for “common items” for both the RQ-4B and MQ-4C Triton. It will support reparable National Stock Numbers (NSNs) which encompass the Air Vehicle, multiple sensor packages, Mission Control Element, and Launch and Recovery Element. In addition, this effort includes support engineering services covered under the engineering delegation authority for NSNs transferred to and under the management of the 407 Supply Chain Management Squadron. Work will be performed in San Diego, California; Salt Lake City, Utah; El Segundo, California; Sterling, Virginia; Las Cruces, New Mexico; Valencia, California; Joplin, Missouri; Vandalia, Ohio; Troy, Ohio; Longueuil, Quebec; Woodland Park, New Jersey; Whippany, New Jersey; Indianapolis, Indiana; Woburn, Massachusetts; Twinsburg, Ohio; Medford, New York; Cypress, California; Wichita, Kansas; San Jose, California; and Linthicum, Maryland. Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2027. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Air Force Sustainment Center, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, is the contracting activity.
TECHNOLOGY
27 Oct 21. The Department of Defense released today the Military Intelligence Program (MIP) appropriated top line budget for FY 2021. The total MIP budget, which included both the base budget and Overseas Contingency Operations appropriations, was $23.3bn and is aligned to support the National Defense Strategy. The department has determined that releasing this top line figure does not jeopardize any classified activities within the MIP. No other MIP budget figures or program details will be released, as they remain classified for national security reasons. (Source: US DoD)
26 Oct 21. BKM IDS LLC,* Arlington, Virginia, was awarded a $2,415,685,748 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for National Cyber Range Complex event planning and execution, site services, range modernization, technology service management, range operations, and site security services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 29 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 26, 2031. U. S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida is the contracting activity (W900KK-22-D-0001).
22 Oct 21. Leonardo DRS announced today that it has been awarded a position on a U.S. Air Force contract to build range electronic warfare threat systems for combat training, under the Range Indefinite-delivery/Indefinite-quantity Support Effort (RISE). The contract is worth up to $950m over five years. Under the contract, awardees will provide technology prototyping, production, sustaining engineering, and additional technology demonstration activities to support the build of range threat systems for training use. The company’s electronic warfare threat simulators range in size and complexity from hand-held, low cost radar warning receiver (RWR) simulators, to full effective radiated power (ERP) fifth generation digital threats. The product line can be configured or modified to meet specific customer training and operational test and evaluation requirements. Leonardo DRS has the capability to design, manufacture and deliver threat systems to ranges, and provide range integration solutions to meet user requirements. The Leonardo DRS Airborne and Intelligence Systems business has more than 50 years of electronic warfare pilot/aircrew training experience with proven range threat system technical competence. That experience continues today with innovative, industry-leading electronic warfare technology. The Leonardo DRS electronic warfare technologies are part of the company’s broader warfighter protection technologies. These electronic warfare threat systems have been rated by operators as reliable, high fidelity (threat-faithful) systems that are trusted to provide realistic threat replication.
26 Oct 21. Peraton Labs has been awarded a contract to design, develop, demonstrate, test, and evaluate the Operational Spectrum Comprehension, Analytics, and Response (OSCAR) solution for the Department of Defense (DOD) Office of the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD R&E). OSCAR is part of a broader DOD portfolio that develops near real-time spectrum management technologies, leveraging machine learning and artificial intelligence to allocate spectrum usage based on operational planning and intended outcomes. OSCAR comprises prototype software, with a unified graphical user interface, automated workflows, an extensible framework, and a sensor network. The contract supports aerial combat training and other training operations at DOD ranges. The contract, issued under DOD’s Spectrum Access Research & Development Program through the National Spectrum Consortium, is worth up to $18m over a three-year period. (Source: PR Newswire)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
28 Oct 21. The Philippine military is buying tactical vehicles from China and Russia, a variance from recent contracts with South Korea. On 15 July, the Philippine Army received around 70 tactical vehicles from China. It is believed that price was the main criteria for their selection, although a move to buy Chinese military equipment could be seen as politically sensitive given the tensions that exist in the South China Sea. The vehicles, believed to have been obtained through Philippine Army annual operating funds (dating from FY2019) rather than the modernisation budget of the armed forces, included three types of Chinese-built platforms. The Davao-based firm Jinyi Import and Export Trading Co won a public bidding effort in November 2020. (Source: Shephard)
TECHNOLOGY
25 Oct 21. exactEarth Ltd. (“exactEarth” or “the Company”) (TSX: XCT), a leading provider of Satellite-AIS data services, announces a $1.5m one-year Satellite-AIS services contract with Geospatial Intelligence Pty Ltd (“GI”) of Barton, Australia. All financial figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated. Under the terms of the agreement, exactEarth will provide GI with the Company’s real-time exactAIS® Platinum Plus product, its Shipview™ web-based analysis tool, certain historical Satellite-AIS data sets and its Position Anomaly analytics application. GI will deploy the services with its customer, an agency within the federal government of Australia. The term of the contract is one-year. (Source: PR Newswire)
26 Oct 21. Kraken Robotics has signed a contract with the Canadian Government to offer Robotics as a Service (RaaS). Funded under the Canadian Government’s ‘Innovative Solutions Canada’ programme, the $500k RaaS contract is for testing Kraken’s ultra-high resolution survey equipment with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). The RCN’s Halifax-based Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic (FDU-A) is serving as the testing department for this service. According to the company, the RCN has been ordered to develop and maintain a capability that can store advanced sonar imaging and data for its coasts. This capability will also be implemented to national and international areas of interest. The contract is scheduled for completion in March next year. Kraken noted that the RaaS capability will be tested in two configurations. (Source: naval-technology.com)