01 Mar 07. The Ministry of Defence announced another step forward in delivering the Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) with the signature of a Foundation Contract for a Long Term Partnering Agreement (LTPA) between MOD and BAE Systems for fixed wing aircraft. The contract is intended to help establish the key elements of the LTPA and inform the detailed negotiations ahead. It also incentivises BAE Systems to further transform its air sector business to ensure the cost-effective and efficient delivery of key through-life defence industrial capabilities the Armed Forces require. Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Procurement, said: “This contract is a significant step forward towards agreeing a Long Term Partnering Agreement with BAE Systems in the Fixed Wing sector so that it can more efficiently meet the needs of the Armed Forces in the future. We will now be working hard with the Company to negotiate a robust agreement that makes commercial sense to both sides by the end of the year. ”
08 Mar 07. Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace Corporation (KAC) of Bloomfield, CT, have teamed to market advanced manned and unmanned helicopter systems worldwide for government applications. Lockheed Martin and Kaman intend to build upon the proven performance of Kaman’s K-MAX(R) Aerial Truck, which has demonstrated its potential as an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). As an experienced systems integrator, Lockheed Martin will act as the prime contractor in pursuit of individual market opportunities. Through this partnership, Lockheed Martin and Kaman will develop an advanced technology unmanned version of the K-MAX, previously approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for operation in the National Airspace System. Using its systems integration expertise, Lockheed Martin will focus on advanced UAS flight control for truly autonomous military operations and also will provide mission-specific avionics, sensors and weapons solutions. Lockheed Martin and Kaman will also establish a long-term logistics program for worldwide support. The K-MAX helicopter, with its unique and quiet counter-rotating intermeshing rotor design that requires no tail rotor, delivers outstanding lift performance, including best-in-class, high-altitude capability. The helicopter also is highly reliable and has accumulated more than 200,000 flight hours in demanding environments. (Source: ASD Network)
27 Feb 07. Raytheon Company plans to offer the Army a world-class team in a bid for the U.S. Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS). “We plan to forge an all-star team that combines battle-proven air defense expertise with advanced technology and a revolutionary approach,” said Pete Franklin, vice president for Integrated Air and Missile Defense, Raytheon
Integrated Defense Systems. “We will offer the Army an affordable solution by 2011.” The goal of the IBCS is to provide an open architecture that enables the warfighter to take advantage of an “any sensor and any shooter” integrated fire control network. The Army’s vision is to move toward a network-centric system-of-systems capability for integrating sensors, shooters, and battle management command, control, communications and intelligence systems for Army
air and missile defense. Integrated Defense Systems is Raytheon’s leader in Joint Battlespace Integration providing affordable, integrated solutions to a broad international and domestic customer base, including the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the U.S. Armed Forces and the Department of Homeland Security.
02 Mar 07. Saab and Caran refine their consultancy operations. Saab and Caran have agreed to refine and divide the consultancy operations that they previously co-owned. This means that Saab, through the business unit Combitech, acquires and becomes the owner of Caran Saab Engineering, CSE, at the same time that Caran takes over ownership of A2 Acoustics. At the same time, Combitech will transfer its operations in Gothe