UNITED KINGDOM
AIR
03 Nov 21. £110m upgrade for RAF Shadow fleet. The RAF’s Shadow surveillance aircraft fleet will be increased and upgraded with the latest defensive technology. Awarded to Raytheon UK, the £110m contract will see the current fleet of six aircraft increased to eight, and the integration of the latest UK Sovereign Defensive Aids Systems, ensuring this vital capability continues to provide battle-winning intelligence gathering for years to come. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
EUROPE
LAND
04 Nov 21. INVISIO has received an order for 40 Intercom systems. The customer is a European NATO country. The order is the first somewhat substantial commercial follow-up order and thus significant for future marketing of the system. The order value is less than SEK 10m. After an extensive evaluation process of the Intercom system the customer placed an order for another 40 or so systems. The customer intends to mount the systems in light transport vehicles, to enable effective internal communication while traveling. Interest in the Intercom system is great and since its launch several small orders have been received from customers wishing to test and evaluate the system. The current order is the first somewhat substantial commercial follow-up order.
02 Nov 21. According to the Strategic Vision published in 2016, Belgium has approved an investment of 48m € (Euro) to acquire new artillery systems. On 7 November 2018, the defense ministers of Belgium and France signed the Capacités Motorisée (Motorized Capacities) (CaMo) partnership which will allow the Belgian land forces to completely reequip the combat fleet of its motorized brigade. This included the acquisition of 382 GRIFFON multi-role armored vehicles and 60 armored JAGUAR reconnaissance and combat vehicles. One of the main goals of the CaMo program is to reach a level of interoperability between the land forces of the two countries where a Belgian army unit can be seamlessly integrated into a French military operation, and vice versa. Currently, the Belgian army has only 32 RT-61 120mm mortar and 14 LG1 Mk II 105mm towed howitzer. With the new CAESAR, Belgian armed forces will have new artillery long-range capabilities. The CAESAR is a 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer available in 6×6 and 8×8 configurations. In 2008, the CAESAR 6×6 equipped massively the French Army. The CAESAR 155mm howitzer on 6×6 chassis benefits from exceptional strategic and tactical mobility with unrivaled firepower. Both variants of the CAESAR are armed with one with a 155 mm/52 caliber cannon mounted at the rear of the truck chassis. (Source: https://www.armyrecognition.com/)
28 Oct 21. The French Ministry of the Interior has selected the Soframe VBMO to renew its fleet of armoured vehicles for the Gendarmerie Nationale. Today, the Ministry of the Interior has announced that the Véhicule Blindé de Maintien de l’Ordre (Armoured Law Enforcement Vehicle) or VBMO of Soframe has been selected as the result of the competition launched last spring for the replacement of the armoured vehicles of the Gendarmerie Nationale. This vehicle, qualified and approved, is directly derived from the ARIVE family of vehicles, produced in nearly 1,800 units, boosting Soframe as the leading French manufacturer of armoured vehicles between 2017 and 2019. With this order of 90 vehicles, we are glad that the Ministry of the Interior has thus recognised Soframe’s abilities in its choice, and beyond that, those of the ETIs, industrial companies of intermediate size, recognised and innovative, particularly dynamic and successful on export market. Soframe a subsidiary of the LOHR group, participates in the richness, sometimes unsuspected and unrecognised, of the French Defence Industrial and Technological Base. (Source: Joint Forces)
TECHNOLOGY
04 Nov 21. AI research project on cybersecurity and training receives 12 MNOK from The Research Council of Norway. Due to a growing number of cyberattacks the demand for qualified cybersecurity professionals is greater than the available pool. The skill shortage is a significant concern for economic development and national security in the digital age.
USA
LAND
06 Oct 21. Comtech Telecommunications Corp. (NASDAQ: CMTL), a leading global provider of next-generation 911 emergency systems and secure wireless communications technologies, announced today, that during its first quarter of fiscal 2022, it was awarded a five-year single award Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (“IDIQ”) contract renewal with Firm Fixed Price (“FFP”) and Time and Materials (“T&M”) delivery orders valued at approximately $125m from the Federal Government for the Joint Cyber Analysis Course (“JCAC”) Training solutions. The first delivery order on the IDIQ contract has been received and funded $1.4m to date. (Source: ASD Network)
02 Nov 21. Echodyne, the radar platform company, announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Innovation Team has awarded the company a $20m indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract. The five-year agreement enables CBP to expand deployments of Echodyne’s industry-leading radars and explore new applications for the radars along the country’s land and marine borders and ports of entry.
AIR
04 Nov 21. AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, today announced it was awarded a firm-fixed-price contract on Sept. 28, 2021 by the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for $20,321,973 for the procurement of Switchblade® 600 tactical missile systems (TMS). Delivery is scheduled to be completed by January 2023. AeroVironment’s Switchblade 600 is an all-in-one, man portable solution equipped with a high-performance EO/IR gimbaled sensor suite, precision flight control and more than 40 minutes of flight time to deliver unprecedented tactical reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition (RSTA). Its anti-armor warhead enables engagement and prosecution of hardened static and moving light armored vehicles from multiple angles without external ISR or fires assets. Switchblade 600’s patented wave-off and recommit capability allows operators to abort the mission at any time and then re-engage either the same or other targets multiple times based on operator command, resulting in minimal to no collateral damage.
01 Nov 21. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) received a $17.8m award from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to design and develop an unmanned Off-Board Sensing Station (OBSS) aircraft. AFRL is developing an open architecture concept Autonomous Collaborative Platform (ACP) to achieve its goals of rapid time-to-market and low acquisition cost, while extending and enhancing the sensing volume of manned platforms. The award covers the next 12 months as the base effort, and if the option is exercised, GA-ASI will spend the following 15 months manufacturing and flight demonstrating the aircraft with the award potentially growing to a total of $49 m.
29 Oct 21. General Electric Co., GE Edison Works, Cincinnati, Ohio, has been awarded a $1,579,662,187 firm-fixed-price contract including all options for the F-15EX Lots 2+ propulsion system procurement. This contract provides for 29 F110-GE-129 engines (installs and spares) for the F-15EX fleet. The contract also provides seven option lots for a most probable quantity of 329 total engines if all options are exercised. Work will be performed in Cincinnati, Ohio; and San Antonio, Texas, and is expected to be completed by June 30, 2031. This award is the result of a competitive source selection in which two offers were received. Fiscal 2021 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $136,564,318 will be obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8626-22-C-0002). There is known congressional interest pertaining to this acquisition.
29 Oct 21. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Sierra Vista, Arizona, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $108,843,273 bilateral modification (P00009) to previously awarded undefinitized contract action FA8690-21-C-1001 for RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft sustainment. The modification provides for a second year of contractor logistics support services. Work will be performed in the Republic of Korea, and Sierra Vista, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 29, 2024. Foreign military sale funds in the amount of $22,888,481 are being obligated at the time of award, and the total cumulative face value of the contract is $267,233,297. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
TECHNOLOGY
12 Oct 21. CAE USA has been awarded a contract by the Army Contracting Command-Orlando to lead the Beyond 3D prototype development and integration efforts for the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA). The Beyond 3D project, led by the Training and Readiness Accelerator (TReX), aims to accelerate NGA’s ability to process, exploit, disseminate and generate 3D geospatial data to support real-time analysis, mission planning and tactical operations. TReX is a unique public/private partnership between industry and the United States Department of Defense focused on how modeling, simulation and training can be used to increase Warfighter readiness. The total value of the NGA Beyond 3D prototype project, if all options are exercised, is more than US$37m. (Source: ASD Network)
01 Nov 21. Lockheed Martin Aerospace, Marietta, Georgia, was awarded a $250,000,000 single-award indefinite-quantity/indefinite-delivery contract (H92408-22-D-0001) for Integrated Tactical Mission Systems engineering and integration support. This requirement aims to bring Special Forces a system-of-system aircraft computer interface allowing multiple, contrasting systems to better communicate for more synchronized system feedback. The period of performance is five years with three one-year options. Fiscal 2022 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $2,120,229 are being obligated at the time of award. This contract was a sole source award and is in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302.1. U.S. Special Operations Command, Tampa, Florida, is the contracting activity.
20 Oct 21. Viasat Inc. (NASDAQ: VSAT), a global communications company, today announced it was awarded a Department of Defense (DoD) contract to provide vulnerability assessment testing and response support under a new pilot program focused on improving the cybersecurity and resilience of DoD weapon systems. Viasat will be the first external cybersecurity team to perform these assessments through the pilot, which aims to drive efficiencies to automate mission and threat-based security assessments at-scale using analytics and a proven methodology for intelligence gathering, threat modeling, vulnerability analysis and exploitation. As part of the pilot, Viasat will analyze key components within a highly complex, interconnected DoD weapon system architecture that could be vulnerable to an attack. The analysis will also include cyber and software defined radio threat assessments to address networking, Internet of Things and radio frequency interfaces to the weapon system. (Source: ASD Network)
REST OF THE WORLD
LAND
03 Nov 21. Telstra wins $1bn Defence contract. The telecommunications giant has been selected to deliver critical network and telecommunications services to the Australian DoD. The Department of Defence has extended Telstra’s Terrestrial Communications Services contract, valued at over $1 bn. Over the next five years, Telstra is expected to support the delivery of defence capabilities under Joint Project 2047 — a program to improve Defence networked communications infrastructure. The project, which recently achieved final operating capability (FOC), is touted to have enhanced network performance and resilience, while also supporting voice, video and other collaborative tools and services. Capabilities offered via JP 2047 were leveraged during Operation Bushfire Assist and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. (Source: Defence Connect)
31 Oct 21. Indian small arms firm SSS Defence has defeated Israeli firm Fab Defense, also known as Zahal, to bag a contract to upgrade a limited number of Kalashnikov rifles with a unit of the Indian Special Forces, ThePrint has learnt. Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the Bengaluru-based SSS emerged as the lowest bidder for the tender for upgrading 24 AK-47 rifles in service with a particular unit. Till now, Fab Defense had a monopoly in the Indian market over the upgrade of AK-47s in service with the Army. Different units of the Army have been upgrading their Kalashnikovs to suit modern warfare and Fab Defense has managed to upgrade a few thousand rifles over the last decade. Sources also pointed out that until now, all the materials needed for upgrades were imported, and the SSS contract could actually open up room for more such deals with a focus on indigenous products. (Source: Google/https://theprint.in/)
SEA
29 Oct 21. Egypt buys second-hand fleet support ships from UK. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has concluded an agreement with Egypt for the sale of two ex-Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) solid stores ships. Ex-RFA Fort Rosalie and ex-RFA Fort Austin , both more than 40 years old, were formally retired from service earlier this year. Egypt has entered negotiations with Birkenhead-based shipbuilding and shiprepair group Cammell Laird for the regeneration and refit of the two ships – both laid up in Bidston docks, Birkenhead – prior to delivery. Built by Scott Lithgow, and entering service in 1978 and 1979 respectively, Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin are afloat support ships designed to deliver bulk ammunition, dry stores, and food to maritime task groups. Displacing 23,400 tonnes, the vessels have a capacity for up to 3,500 tons of ammunition, stores, and victuals across four holds with a volume of 12,800m 3. Six replenishment at sea stations are fitted for the transfer of cargo while under way. The ships also have extensive aviation facilities, with a twin hangar sized for up to three Sea King-size helicopters, a primary single-spot flight deck, and an emergency landing platform atop the hangar. Fort Rosalie and Fort Austin were retired at the end of March following the release of the UK’s Defence Command Paper earlier that month. Both vessels had in fact already been laid up in Birkenhead for some time under the care and maintenance of Cammell Laird. (Source: Janes)
04 Nov 21. The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday signed a contract with Turkey’s Dearsan Shipyard for the purchase of two new offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), which will be completed within the next three years. The new vessels will be used for maritime interdiction operations, surveillance and special forces operations as well as providing naval fire support to land forces. (Source: https://www.defenceweb.co.za/)
29 Oct 21. LIG Nex1 selected for RoKN’s CIWS-II programme. South Korean company LIG Nex1 has won a bid to locally develop and produce a new close-in weapon system (CIWS) to be deployed with Republic of Korea Navy (RoKN) warships. Officials from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in Seoul told Janes on 29 October that LIG Nex1’s proposal was selected over that of rival Hanwha Systems, adding that a contract is expected to be awarded in November as part of the navy’s ‘CIWS-II’ programme. In a statement issued the same day, DAPA confirmed that the project will be formally launched in November, noting that the new system will be used for point defence against various threats such as anti-ship guided missiles, aircraft, and fast manoeuvring surface vessels. (Source: Janes)
03 Nov 21. Rohde & Schwarz Emirates has recently received a contract to deliver external and internal communications systems for new corvettes of a Gulf navy. Rohde & Schwarz Emirates will provide the ships with NAVICS, the innovative, high-quality and reliable naval integrated communications system, in addition to the external line-of-sight (VHF/UHF) and beyond-line-of-sight (HF) communications solutions it has already provided. In addition to external communications, NAVICS provides onboard communications and ensures a multilevel security architecture that allows secure, trusted and tamper-proof communications, i.e. third parties will not be able to interfere with information exchange.
AIR
02 Nov 21. Collins Aerospace has been selected to upgrade the Indonesian Air Force’s (IDAF) C-130H Hercules military transport aircraft. Under this modernisation effort, Collins Aerospace will serve as a contractor to Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) AeroAsia. The company will provide its Flight2 avionics solution to replace the dated analogue controls of the aircraft. The new advanced digital glass cockpit will feature seven multifunction displays, three control display units, as well as a new digital autopilot. Furthermore, the aircraft will be fitted with the Required Navigation Performance (RNP) / Area Navigation flight management system. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
04 Nov 21. The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale to Saudi Arabia of 280 AIM-120C air-to-air missiles in a deal valued at up to $650 m, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Riyadh requested to buy 280 AIM-120C-7/C-8 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and 596 LAU-128 Missile Rail Launchers. The package would also include spare parts, support and logistical services. The principal contractor will be Raytheon Technologies, of Waltham, Mass. The sale is the Biden administration’s first since it announced in February it had paused indefinitely two precision guided munition sales to Saudi Arabia, worth as much as $760m, as part of a new policy aimed at curtailing violence in Yemen. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Thursday the proposed sales were being advanced as Saudi Arabia has seen an increase in cross-border attacks from Iranian-backed Houthi fighters over the past year. The weapons would support Saudi Arabia’s Eurofighter Typhoon, F-15C/D, F-15S and F-I5SA. (Source: Defense News)