Sponsored by American Panel Corporation
http:// http://american-panel.com/
———————————————————————–
UNITED KINGDOM AND NATO
17 Jun 20. United Kingdom-Bristol: Telescopic sights
2020/S 114-278043
Prior information notice for contracts in the field of defence and security
Supplies
Directive 2009/81/EC
Section I: Contracting authority/entity
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Official name: Ministry of Defence, Land Equipment, Dismounted Close Combat (DCC)
Postal address: Neighbourhood 3 Cedar 2A #3260, Abbeywood Filton
Town: Bristol
Postal code: BS34 8JH
Country: United Kingdom
E-mail:
Telephone: +44 3067987202
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority/entity: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence
Further information can be obtained from:
The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their regional or local sub-divisions
I.3)Main activity
Defence
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities
The contracting authority/entity is purchasing on behalf of other contracting authorities/entities: no
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority/entity:
Fused Target Locator — Handheld Dismounted Optical System
II.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
Supplies
Main site or location of works, place of delivery or of performance:
UKK1 Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area
II.3)Information on framework agreement
II.4)Short description of nature and scope of works or nature and quantity or value of supplies or services:
The Light Cavalry (Lt Cav) Regiments provide persistent, all weather, mounted tactical reconnaissance in the land environment across the whole mosaic of conflict and are predominantly a find, understand and influence capability.
The user requires a light weight, low signature, multi-sensor Surveillance and Target Acquisition (STA) system that is man portable, vehicle mountable and will detect, recognise and identify the likely adversary at a range which enables timely and effective decision making.
The project will provide a solution that is both hand-held and mast mounted, giving the user increased capability to operate in the mounted and dismounted roles.
The anticipated in-service life of the capability is 10 years.
Any system must have DRI ranges that exceed current capabilities with the expectation that the system can provide the user the ability to operate in all weather and all light conditions without the requirement for artificial illumination.
Estimated value excluding VAT:
Range: between 10 000 000 and 20 000 000 GBP
Lots
This contract is divided into lots: no
II.5)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
38633000 Telescopic sights
II.6)Scheduled date for start of award procedures and duration of the contract
Scheduled date for start of award procedures: 2.11.2020
II.7)Additional information:
The indicative timelines for the FTL project are based on the funding profile and are detailed as follows:
1) Concept and assessment phase: June 20 – May 21;
2) Anticipated ITT issue date is Nov 20;
3) Contract award date: anticipated June 21;
4) Demonstration and manufacture: June 21 – Mar 24;
5) In-service phase: Feb 22 – Jan 32;
6) Disposal: Mar 32.
Companies interested in this PIN are not currently required to take any action.
However, DE&S would like to have visibility of interested parties and ask they inform the following contact point of their details, equipment they currently have available and any developments they have that will meet the stated timelines.
Please register your interest with Robin Griffiths at telephone number 07576831601
The authority is intending to hold Industry Days at Army Trials Development Unit (ATDU) located at Bovington in Dorset from the 6 to 8 July to engage the market to understand the technical readiness of the market to deliver against the requirement.
Social Distancing shall be in effect at all times during the event.
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1)Conditions relating to the contract
III.1.1)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.2)Conditions for participationIII.2.1)Information about reserved contracts
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about European Union funds
The contract is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: no
VI.2)Additional information:
The authority reserves the right to amend any condition related to security of information to reflect any changes in national law or government policy. If any contract documents are accompanied by instructions on safeguarding classified information (e.g. a Security Aspects Letter), the authority reserves the right to amend the terms of these instructions to reflect any changes in national law or government policy, whether in respect of the applicable protective marking scheme, specific protective markings given, the aspects to which any protective marking applies, or otherwise. The link below to the Gov.uk website provides information on the Government Security Classification.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/government-security-classifications
Advertising Regime OJEU: this contract opportunity is published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), the MoD Defence Contracts Bulletin and www.contracts.mod.uk GO Reference: GO-2020612-DCB-16730380
VI.3)Information on general regulatory framework
VI.4)Date of dispatch of this notice:
12.6.2020 (Source: Europa TED)
EUROPE
08 Jun 20. Wanted: Industry input on Countering Unmanned Airborne systems. EDA issued recently a call for industry ideas and contributions in advance of the second ‘Countering Unmanned Airborne systems (C-UAS) Workshop’ scheduled to take place on 15 September 2020.
After a first workshop jointly organised by EDA and the EU Military Staff last February (with participation from Member States, the European Commission and other institutional stakeholders), the aim is now to invite industry to the second workshop in autumn.
Companies active in the C-UAS domain are therefore invited to respond to this CUAS Questionnaire by 3 July.
Participation is open to companies of any size as well as academic, research institutes and associations or groupings of industrial suppliers. Speakers will be selected based on their replies to the call for papers, which will be evaluated by EDA.
Whereas the first workshop in February was mainly devoted to identifying already available solutions that could be used in support of on-going CSDP operations and missions, the upcoming second event on 15 September will be focused on future capability development efforts related to C-UAS based on the Air Superiority priority agreed by Member States in 2018 as part of the 11 European Capability Development Priorities, as well as the corresponding Strategic Context Case (SCCs).
During this second workshop, selected industry representatives will be invited to present their views to Member States focusing on the topics included in the call for papers and to make comments and suggestions on further perspectives which could inform capability development and R&T in the selected area. This should also include the long-term industrial and technological prospects (beyond 20 years) of potential relevance also to EDA’s work on Key Strategic Activities (KSA) in this critical domain.
Contributions must be submitted to EDA at with a copy to by 3 July 2020. (Source: EDA)
17 Jun 20. Important decision for Germany as a technology base. Sensor supplier HENSOLDT welcomes the German Bundestag’s release of a budget for Eurofighter AESA radar and multi-purpose warship MKS 180.
Taufkirchen/Germany, 17 June 2020 – Sensor systems supplier HENSOLDT has welcomed today’s decision by the German Bundestag to develop the new AESA (= Active Electronic Scanning Array) radar for the entire German Eurofighter fleet as a positive signal for Germany as a technology base and for successful European cooperation in the defence sector.
“With this decision, Germany is taking on a pioneering role in the field of key technology for the Eurofighter for the first time,” said HENSOLDT CEO Thomas Müller. “This will create high-tech jobs in Germany and give the Bundeswehr the equipment it needs to respond to new threats. In addition, it is a signal for Europe that Germany is investing in a technology that is of crucial importance for European defence cooperation”.
With the release of the budget for the development, production and integration of a new radar for the Eurofighter combat aircraft – HENSOLDT’s share is over 1.5bn euros – the Bundestag’s Budget Committee has cleared the way for the modernization of the Eurofighter in one crucial area, sensor technology. In contrast to the development of the radar to date in a consortium under British leadership, radar system responsibility will now pass into the hands of the German radar house HENSOLDT.
The company, based in Taufkirchen, Bavaria, was already involved in the development and production of the Eurofighter sensor technology currently in use. HENSOLDT employs 2,000 people at its radar centre in Ulm. In the Eurofighter radar departments alone an increase of 400 highly qualified jobs is expected over the duration of the programme. In radar development, the company works closely with the main contractor Airbus and the Spanish defence electronics group Indra.
At the same time, the Bundestag also approved the budget for the procurement of four MKS 180 multi-purpose combat ships for the German Navy. As a result of the product specification, HENSOLDT is supplying four TRS-4D naval radars, also based on AESA technology for this project. Radars of this type are already deployed on several German Navy ships.
16 Jun 20. Germany looks at buying new maritime patrol aircraft – document. Germany’s Defence Ministry has stopped refurbishing the military’s maritime patrol aircraft in favour of conducting a market study of possible replacements, a confidential ministry document reviewed by Reuters showed.
Prepared for the parliamentary defence committee, the document showed the ministry had decided to stop the upgrading of existing Bundeswehr (armed forces) patrol aircraft after an economic feasibility study.
But the Bundeswehr needed the ability to hunt submarines and conduct long-distance maritime reconnaissance, prompting the market review of alternative aircraft including the C-295 MPA from Airbus, the RAS 72 from Rheinland Air Service and the P-8A Poseidon from Boeing, the document indicated. (Source: Reuters)
USA
17 Jun 20. US Army delays final RFP of encryption device. The Army program executive office responsible for network modernization is delaying the release of the final request for proposals for an advanced encryption device, in the meantime considering if it should award the contract to two vendors.
In a June 16 post on beta.sam.gov, the Army Program Executive Office Command Control Communications-Tactical announced that the RFP for its Next Generation Load Device-Medium would be delayed to “no later than November.” The RFP was originally scheduled for release this month and was to be a single-award contract.
“Under consideration are plans to award contracts for up to two vendors, enable rapid software integration options, leverage potential mature Non-Developmental Item (NDI) solutions, and accelerate NSA certification,” said Paul Mehney, communications director for Army PEO C3T.
The release of the final RFP has been delayed as the program office works to incorporate industry feedback after the release of the second draft RFP in April. The delay is “due to solicitation modifications to help increase competition,” Mehney said.
The NGLD-Medium indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract is expected to be worth $700-800m with a performance period of 10 years (a three-year base and seven one-year options), according to a presentation from PEO C3T at a virtual industry day in early June.
Contract management is also shifting from the Defense Information Technology Contracting Organization at the Defense Information Systems Agency to Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground, where PEO C3T is located. That move was made to create “long-term efficiency,” Mehney said. (Source: C4ISR & Networks)
13 Jun 20. US Army releases $1bn cyber training request. The Army released its highly anticipated request for proposals June 11 for a contract that could be worth as much as $1bn to provide cyber training for the Department of Defense.
The Cyber Training, Readiness, Integration, Delivery and Enterprise Technology (TRIDENT) is a contract vehicle to offer a more streamlined approach for procuring the military’s cyber training capabilities. The Army is running the contract on behalf of the joint force.
The largest part of that contact will be the Persistent Cyber Training Environment (PCTE). PCTE is an online client in which members of U.S. Cyber Command’s cyber mission force can log on from anywhere in the world for training and to rehearse missions. Cyber Command leaders have said this element is one of the organization’s most critical needs. Currently, no integrated or robust cyber training environment exists.
To date, two companies have announced their teams that will be pursuing the contract.
ManTech and General Dynamics announced late last year they are joining forces to compete for the opportunity. (Source: Fifth Domain)
REST OF THE WORLD
18 Jun 20. Australia released a Request For Information (RFI) to industry on June 2 with a view to replacing its Lead In Fighter Training System (LIFTS), currently provided by the BAE Systems Hawk Mk.127 platform.
The Hawk has recently completed a significant mid-life upgrade under Project Air 5438 and has a current planned withdrawal date of 2026.
The RFI for a replacement capability is part of Air 6002 Phase 1 (Future Lead-In Fighter Training System) which, according to the 2016 Defence White Paper and associated Industry Investment Program, is a $4-5bn project scheduled to run between 2022 and 2033.
Air 6002 has two major requirements, the primary role being the means of providing training for RAAF pilots and Weapons Systems operators streamed for fast jet operations, between the undergraduate PC-21 and the F/A-18F, F-35A or EA-18G. The secondary requirement will be to support other ADF capabilities in both the friendly (Blue Air) or opposing (Red Air) forces.
Defence anticipates that a mix of Live and Virtual means will be required for the training role, which includes air vehicles and full mission simulators as currently employed by the Hawk LIFTS capability. For the support role the new capability platform must be able to employ both kinetic and non-kinetic effects.
The RFI stresses that industry responses address the high-level performance of their solution against requirements, as well as providing details of estimated delivery timeframe and indicative cost.
“The Hawk Mk.127 planned withdrawal date of 2026 means that it is now appropriate for Defence to seek initial industry engagement via an RFI, as part of the early steps leading into Air 6002 Phase 1. The responses will help inform Defence on industry’s views and considerations for the Future Lead-In Fighter Training System,” Air Vice Marshal Cath Roberts, head of Air Force Capability, explained.
“In parallel, Air Force will continue enhancing its understanding of what it needs from LIFTS as the output from the Pilot Training System (PC-21) and the input requirements into the Australian F-35A operational conversion mature, Both of these activities will aid in the development of the Air 6002 Phase 1 requirement.”
AVM Roberts said that, while Defence is yet to fully define its requirements for the program, it is likely that a Hawk option will be considered, but the scope of any further upgrade of the existing LIFTS capability cannot be decided until the requirements are fully understood.
“Aircraft performance and aircraft mission systems that bridge between the Pilot Training System and fast jet conversion courses will be critical requirements,” AVM Roberts added.
“The Future LIFTS will be expected to remain relevant to its role in training fast jet aircrew and supporting Joint Force training, to be adaptable to those needs as they evolve, to be affordable, and to be safe out to an indicative timeframe of 2050.”
The RFI closing date is 4 pm on July 31.
(Source: defense-aerospace.com/ADM)
17 Jun 20. Canadian CF-18 upgrade package OK’d by US. Check out the CF-188 from the Royal Canadian Air Force as it shows off its capabilities at RIAT 2018. The U.S. State Department has cleared Canada to purchase a package of upgrades for its fleet of CF-18 Hornets, including upgraded radars and weapons, intended to serve as a bridge between the legacy fleet and Canada’s future fighter.
The package, which comes with an estimated price tag of $862.3m, would fulfill the requirements for Canada’s “Hornet Extension Project Phase 2,” which was announced last year. The program seeks to upgrade the “sensors, weapons, survivability, security and mission support to maintain parity with evolving threats” for 36 of Canada’s Hornets, with initial delivery in 2023, according to a statement on the Canadian military’s website.
Canada has 80 CF-18s in inventory and is in the midst of a long attempt to replace the aging fighters with 88 newer designs — one of which has been marred with restarts and political challenges. The Phase 2 extension is designed to help bridge the capability gap until new jets come online.
Among the upgrades included in this potential package: 50 Sidewinder AIM-9X Block II tactical missiles; 38 APG-79(V)4 active electronically scanned array radars; 38 APG-79(V)4 AESA radar A1 kits; 46 F/A-18A wide-band RADOMEs; upgrades to the Advanced Distributed Combat Training System; and technical assistance to support the upgraded jets.
“This sale will provide Canada a 2-squadron bridge of enhanced F/A-18A aircraft to continue meeting NORAD and NATO commitments while it gradually introduces new advanced aircraft via the Future Fighter Capability Program between 2025 and 2035,” said a statement from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, using an acronym for the U.S.-Canadian North American Aerospace Defense Command.
“The proposed sale of the capabilities, as listed, will improve Canada’s capability to meet current and future warfare threats and provide greater security for its critical infrastructure,” it added.
Work would be performed by Raytheon in its El Segundo, California, location; General Dynamics Mission Systems in Marion, Virginia; Boeing’s St. Louis, Missouri, facility; and Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Any industrial offset agreements will be sorted out in the future.
Announcements of potential Foreign Military Sales deals are not final, and dollar amounts or quantities of items may change during final negotiation. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense News)
17 Jun 20. Australian Defence Innovation Hub funding to boost Australian defence industry innovation. Defence Industry Minister Melissa Price has announced the latest round of Defence Innovation Hub contracts worth more than $21m to boost Australia’s defence industry, helping businesses create new jobs and develop their pioneering ideas.
This latest round of contracts worth more than $21 m is part of the Commonwealth government’s flagship $640 m defence innovation program, first announced in 2016 as part of the Defence Industry Policy Statement.
Minister Price explained, “This latest funding boost will see the development of cutting-edge space, cyber and maritime technologies. The contracts were awarded to small businesses from across Australia, and two contracts with leading Australian universities.”
The successful programs and projects announced as part of the latest round of funding include:
Organisation
State
Contract value
(GST incl.)
Description of innovation
University of Sydney
NSW
$6.5m
To continue the development of a new imaging system that uses light technology to enhance real time situational awareness. If successful, this technology could improve the quality of the data and information to enhance decision making.
Solar Sailor Engineering (Trading as Ocius)
NSW
$5.5m
To continue the development of Bluebottle, an innovative unmanned surface vessel. If successful, this technology could provide the Royal Australian Navy with a unique capability to help protect Australian maritime borders.
Penten
ACT
$5.4m
To continue the development of data protection products. If successful, this technology could provide protection of information that is processed, stored and transmitted from portable electronic devices.
UAV Vision
(trading as AVT Australia)
VIC
$1.9m
To develop a compact lightweight, high-definition video system that can be fitted to unmanned aerial vehicles. If successful, this technology could enhance reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities.
Quintessence Labs
ACT
$1.7m
To develop a system that can rationalise multiple IT systems into one online environment. If successful, this technology could be used when both physical space and power options are limited.
High Earth Orbit Robotics
NSW
$270,000
To conduct research into de-centralised network technology that can be used to improve Defence’s situational awareness of the space domain.
RUAG Australia VIC
$270,000
Together with RMIT and Monash University, RUAG is seeking to develop a new technique for repairing hulls, armour and mechanical systems. If successful, this technology could offer significant sustainment benefits to the ADF by reducing costs and improving operational agility.
Deakin University
VIC
$260,000
To research the development of an Australian-based pilot training system for the Royal Australian Air Force. This would be Australia’s first high G-force training simulator offering the Air Force access to world-class training locally.
The Commonwealth government has supported more than $200 m worth of innovative projects through the Defence Innovation Hub – and more than 80 per cent of this investment has been with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
The University of Sydney has been awarded a $6.5 m contract to develop a new electronic receiver system.
Minister Price added, “University of Sydney researchers will continue the development of a new imaging system that uses light manipulation technology to enhance real-time situational awareness for military operations.
“If successful, this technology could help to make decisions that will keep Australian troops safer in the battle space.”
The 2016 Defence Industry Policy Statement outlined a new approach to Defence innovation. Defence has transformed the way it approaches innovation, streamlining its engagement with industry and academia, simplifying access to Defence research funding, and creating a seamless link between capability needs, smart ideas and innovation in Australian industry.
“Importantly, these investments have created hundreds of new Australian jobs, so we know we’re investing in the growth and capability of our defence industry,” Minister Price explained.
Defence now has a single innovation development pipeline, with two-signature innovation programs: the Next Generation Technologies Fund and the Defence Innovation Hub.
The Next Generation Technologies Fund is managed by Defence Science and Technology Group.
With an investment of $730 m over the decade to 2025-26, the Next Generation Technologies Fund is a forward-looking program focusing on research in emerging and future technologies for the “future Defence Force after next”.
Innovative technologies and concepts researched under the Next Generation Technologies Fund could be further developed and realised into capability through the Defence Innovation Hub.
Funded at around $640 m over the decade to 2025-26, the Defence Innovation Hub accepts proposals that are ready to enter the engineering and development stages of the innovation process from concept exploration and technology demonstration, through to prototyping and integrated capability demonstration and evaluation. (Source: Defence Connect)
15 Jun 20. US Senate calls for a Pacific F-35 hub, regional weapons caches. The US Senate Armed Services Committee has responded to growing concerns regarding Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, calling for increased expenditure and forward deployment of key munitions and, critically for Australia, the potential to host a regional F-35 hub.
For the first time in nearly a century, two great powers stare across the vast expanse of the Pacific, the incumbent heavyweight champion – the US, tired and battle-weary from decades of conflict in the Middle East – is being circled by the upstart – China, seeking to shake off the last vestiges of the “century of humiliation” and ascend to its position as a world leader.
US President Donald Trump has sought to counter the rise of China by providing an unprecedented level of funding to the US Armed Forces, with a focus on expanding the modernisation and replacement schedule of Cold War-era legacy platforms in favor of fifth-generation air, land, sea and multidomain capabilities supported by an expected budget of US$738bn for FY2020, with US$740.5bn expected for FY2021.
As the challenges continue to mount, the US Senate Armed Services Committee has officially launched a Pacific Defense Initiative (PDI) to allocate funding and resourcing to better support tactical and strategic posture.
As part of the proposed PDI, the US Senate is asking for US$7n ($10.2bn) to help support America’s largest combatant command, INDOPACOM counter the rise of China and Russia.
The Senate Armed Services Committee has requested US$1.4bn ($2bn) for next year, with an additional US$5.5bn ($8bn) for the fiscal year 2022 to augment missile defence in support of regional partners, and critically, forward deploy more troops in the Indo-Pacific.
This comes in addition to a US$20bn ($33.35bn) request made earlier in the year, which aims to expand the qualitative and quantitative edge enjoyed by the US and support the regional alliance frameworks, which head of INDOPACOM, Admiral Phil Davidson describes as “Regain the Advantage”.
“Regain the Advantage is designed to persuade potential adversaries that any pre-emptive military action will be extremely costly and likely fail by projecting credible combat power at the time of crisis, and provides the President and Secretary of Defense with several flexible deterrent options to include full OPLAN [operation plan] execution, if it becomes necessary,” ADM Davidson is quoted by DefenseNews.
The 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), released by the Senate Armed Services Committee, states, “The best way to protect US security and prosperity in Asia is to maintain a credible balance of military power but, after years of underfunding, America’s ability to do so is at risk.”
A critical component of the approved NDAA includes plans for the US Air Force to establish a new F-35A Joint Strike Fighter operating facility in the Indo-Pacific “quickly to posture ready forces in our priority arena”, the committee states.
This was expanded upon by committee chairman, senator Jim Inhofe, who articulated the growing need for more F-35s in the Indo-Pacific, stating, “It doesn’t matter how many F-35s the military buys if very few are stationed in the region, their primary bases have little defence against Chinese missiles, they don’t have secondary airfields to operate from, they can’t access prepositioned stocks of fuel and munitions, or they can’t be repaired in theatre and get back in the fight when it counts.
“The Pacific Deterrence Initiative will incentivise increased focus on posture and logistics, and help measure whether these requirements are being matched with resources.”
The PDI follows on from the original ‘European Deterrence Initiative’, which was established in the aftermath of Russia’s pseudo-invasion of the Crimea in 2014, something that has drawn the attention of Randall Schriver, the Pentagon’s former top-Pacific policy official, seeing similarities between Crimea and the rising challenge of China in the Indo-Pacific.
This renewed posturing, tied to funding provides an opportunity for Australia to position the nation as a potential integrated hub for all US and allied F-35s operating in the Indo-Pacific with the added security and industry advantages associated with the Australia-US alliance. (Source: Defence Connect)
15 Jun 20. Australian Taxpayers Sunk By A$3.5bn Collins-Class Submarine Refit. Australia’s Collins-class submarines will need a multibillion-dollar refit to keep them active for another decade due to the delayed rollout of the next-generation French submarines, which won’t be ready for operational service until the mid-2030s.
The refits, worth “greater than $3.5bn” — at least $583m per submarine — will replace the boats’ motors and diesel generators, and upgrade key systems.
The works will keep the six Collins-class submarines in the water for an additional 10 years beyond their scheduled retirement, guarding against a capability gap as French company Naval Group builds a $90bn fleet of new Attack-class submarines.
The life of the first of the 1980s-designed Collins subs will be extended until 2038, while the last of the refurbished boats will now retire as late as 2048.
The first of the nation’s 12 next-generation submarines — acquired under the deal with the French company — won’t be ready for operational service until at least 2034.
Defence revealed to a parliamentary committee that the minimum cost of the Collins-class “life-of-type extension” program was $3.5bn, but wouldn’t provide the exact budget for the program. (Source: defense-aerospace.com/The Australian)
12 Jun 20. Industry partners sought for frigate program. ASC Shipbuilding has engaged with hundreds of suppliers across the country, despite the unprecedented circumstances brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. Over 350 industry partners have been brought into the fold, as the Adelaide-based company looks to orchestrate the project remotely.
As military and civilian organisations have battled to get to grips with the challenges of remote working in recent months, ASC Shipbuilding has faced the unique challenge of co-ordinating a national-level supply chain by distance.
Over the course of the Hunter Class frigate project, the build is expected to generate 5,000 jobs across BAE Systems and the wider Australian defence supply chain, including 1,000 apprentice and graduate roles.
In a live webinar held on 22 May by company leaders and the supply chain team, ASC provided an update on opportunities available within the Hunter Class Program. The program hopes to contract local operators to supply material and services for the prototyping phase, which is slated to begin in December this year.
Over the course of this phase, the processes, systems, tools, facilities and workforce competencies will be extensively tested and refined before construction begins on the first frigate in 2022.
ASC Shipbuilding managing director Craig Lockhart said the virtual engagement was productive.
“We were able to answer dozens of questions and the feedback has been tremendous,” he said.
“It was beneficial involving the Commonwealth in this webinar to further demonstrate the genuine collaboration between the Australian government and ASC Shipbuilding to deliver this program.”
The Commonwealth was represented by commercial director for the program Chen Xu.
According to Xu, industry events such as these helped to convey the government’s commitment to developing a level of capability within the Australian supply chain to support local warship design and construction, with an increasing level of Australian industry content.
ASC Shipbuilding supply chain director Ross Hillman said he and his team were committed to supporting Australian businesses – particularly over the course of the pandemic – and were excited to be in the position to start awarding contracts for the prototyping phase.
“We are planning to hold another webinar in the next six to eight weeks and we look forward to engaging again,” said Hillman. (Source: Defence Connect)
10 Jun 20. Rohde & Schwarz teams with Babcock Australasia down under. Rohde & Schwarz was selected by Babcock Australasia to provide high frequency (HF) radios and high power amplifiers with HF wideband capability for the New Zealand Defence Force.
Rohde & Schwarz today announced a collaboration with Babcock Australasia to support the Fixed High Frequency Radio Refresh (FHFRR) project recently awarded to Babcock by the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD). As a subcontractor, Rohde & Schwarz will provide R&S M3SR Series4100 high frequency (HF) radios, high power amplifiers (5 kW and 10 kW) and spares for the program.
Babcock Australasia will be replacing the New Zealand Defence Force’s fixed HF radio capability, which is expected to be fully operational by August 2023. The company is additionally tendering for the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) Enhanced Defence High Frequency Communications System (EDHFCS) program, again partnering with Rohde & Schwarz.
“We are pleased to collaborate with Rohde & Schwarz and leverage their organizational and technological capabilities to help meet our customer’s very unique requirements,” stated David Ruff, CEO of Babcock Australasia. “We look forward to bringing this critical communications solution to New Zealand and beyond.”
“Rohde & Schwarz welcomes this contract in New Zealand, having a longstanding history in HF communications,” comments Hansjörg Herrbold, Vice President Market Segment Navy Rohde & Schwarz. “Since HF wideband technology drives the need for high power systems, the company is now offering 5 kW and 10 kW amplifiers backed by decades of experience in the transmitter business. We will fully support Babcock Australasia in implementing and operating this modern communications solution.”
R&S M3SR Series4100 HF radios belong to the SOVERON radio family. They are innovative, versatile software defined radios (SDR) that include HF wideband functionality. This powerful radio platform can be extended at any time and is a safe, future-ready investment. Rohde & Schwarz amplifier systems are extremely well engineered, are manufactured in an award-winning factory and feature field-proven reliability that is unique.
Currently, Rohde & Schwarz is investing considerably in HF wideband technology, supporting its worldwide customers in the transition to next generation beyond line of sight (BLOS) communications systems.
Rohde & Schwarz has been operating successfully in the Australian and New Zealand region for nearly 40 years. The Australian subsidiary has a comprehensive integration and through-life support capability in Sydney that currently services defense communications contracts and airtraffic control communications contracts in both New Zealand and Australia.
————————————————————————-
American Panel Corporation
American Panel Corporation (APC) since 1998, specializes in display products installed in defence land systems, as well as military and commercial aerospace platforms, having delivered well over 100,000 displays worldwide. Military aviators worldwide operate their aircraft and perform their missions using APC displays, including F-22, F-18, F-16, F-15, Euro-fighter Typhoon, Mirage 2000, C-130, C-17, P-3, S-3, U-2, AH-64 Apache Helicopter, V-22 tilt-rotor, as well as numerous other military and commercial aviation aircraft including Boeing 717 – 787 aircraft and several Airbus aircraft. APC panels are found in nearly every tactical aircraft in the US and around the world.
APC manufactures the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Large Area Display (LAD) display (20 inch by 8 inch) with dual pixel fields, power and video interfaces to provide complete display redundancy. At DSEI 2017 we are exhibiting the LAD with a more advanced design, dual display on single substrate with redundant characteristics and a bespoke purpose 8 inch by 6 inch armoured vehicle display.
In order to fully meet the demanding environmental and optical requirements without sacrificing critical tradeoffs in performance, APC designs, develops and manufactures these highly specialized displays in multiple sizes and configurations, controlling all AMLCD optical panel, mechanical and electrical design aspects. APC provides both ITAR and non-ITAR displays across the globe to OEM Prime and tiered vetronics and avionics integrators.
————————————————————————-