17 Dec 14. Northrop Grumman ‘Fire Scout’ helicopter UAV to get radar, weapons in 2016. The Navy’s MQ-8 Fire Scout has graduated to a bigger airframe that will also carry a maritime search radar and laser-guided rockets. The tentative plan is to kick off the competition for the new radar with a formal Request For Proposals in the first quarter of (calendar year) 2015. (Source: Open Source Information Report/globalaviationreport)
15 Dec 14. Argentinean Army announces mass production of UAVs from 2015. The Directorate General of Military Industries and Argentina Aircraft Factory Brigadier San Martin has agreed to collaborate in the mass production of unmanned aircraft for the Argentine Army, Infodefensa reported. The news report specifies the models to be the Lipan, and the P35, and would be unarmed and used for surveillance and patrol. The Lipan is reported to have an estimated payload of 20 kilograms (60 pounds total loaded weight) while the P35 is a light weight aircraft weighing about 5 kilograms. The Lipan is already operational with the Army but the announcement confirms that it would be mass produced in 2015. As such, Argentina has several ongoing UAV development programmes. This new announcement marks Argentina’s interest in the development of light and narrow UAVs for the armed forces.(Source: MPI – Hawk Information)
13 Dec 14. Canada – Five companies listed as sources for the FWSAR procurement. Canada’s Letter of Intent (LOI) for the Fixed-Wing Search and Rescue (FWSAR) aircraft programme has received responses from five potential contenders. The companies are Airbus, Embraer, Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Alenia Aermacchi, and Lockheed Martin.
The five companies are part of the FWSAR source list for the upcoming FWSAR programme. Vendors that are not listed on the FWSAR Source List will still be allowed to request and receive a copy of the FWSAR solicitation documentation. The final qualification will be applied against the FWSAR Request for Proposal (RFP).
Solicitation Number: W8475-130004/A
Procuring Authority: Public Works and Government Services Canada, Defence and Major Projects Sector
(Source: MPI – Hawk Information)
11 Dec 14. Tender for Military Combat Helmets. The Canadian DND has released an RFP for the procurement of 2nd generation military combat helmets and associated components. The programme covers the procurement of an estimated quantity of 8,000 helmets, 4,000 headbands, 2 suspension subsystems, 4,000 retention chin straps (standard), 400 screw and nuts, and 800 retention chin straps. The procurement includes the possibility of options to be ordered as future procurements during a period of
84 months from the date of contract award. According to the announcement, the minimum order quantity of any one option year will be 1,000 helmets. The option quantity can be for a minimum of 3,000 to a maximum of
15,000 pairs for each amendment. This procurement is divided in three phases:
Phase 1 -The written proposal will be evaluated in accordance with Annex C.
Phase 2- Compliant bidders from Phase I will be asked to supply 30 samples (medium size only) with test data.
These helmets will be inspected, measured, weighted, and tested by the DND.
Phase 3 – Financial evaluation.
Solicitation Number: W8486-148836/A
Procuring Authority: Public Works and Government Services Canada
End User Entity: Department of National Defence
Closing Date: 30 January 2015
(Source: MPI – Hawk Information)
16 Dec 14. US procuring Manpack Radios.
Solicitation Number: W15P7T15R0004
Notice Type: Special Notice
Synopsis: Added: Oct 23, 2014 4:07 pm Modified: Dec 16, 2014 5:07 pm. The Government intends to solicit and award through full and open competition, several Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts for the purpose of procuring Manpack Radios for the Full Rate Production (FRP) phase of the program. Manpack Radios will enable communications through seamless, high speed a