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LOCATIONS
MARITIME
06 Feb 20. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Fincantieri Marinette Marine delivered the future USS St. Louis, Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) 19, to the U.S. Navy.
“With LCS 19’s delivery, the U.S. Navy has 10 Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ships in the fleet. LCS 7 recently deployed, and it is gratifying to know that our team has delivered a ship that is relevant for today’s fight and that is needed around the world,” said Joe DePietro, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager, Small Combatants and Ship Systems. “Our team is encouraged by the positive feedback we’ve received about LCS 7 on deployment, and we continuously look to incorporate fleet input into capabilities on LCS hulls.”
Today, the Freedom-variant LCS delivers advanced capability in anti-submarine, surface and mine countermeasure missions. LCS was designed to evolve with the changing security environment. Today, as we see an increase in near-peer competition from large nation states, Lockheed Martin is partnering with the Navy to evolve LCS to meet these threats. Upgrades are already underway – the LCS computing infrastructures are receiving cyber upgrades and naval strike missiles are being installed in support of upcoming deployments.
LCS 19 is the tenth Freedom-variant LCS designed, built and delivered by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team and will be commissioned in Pensacola, Florida, this summer.
“Fincantieri Marinette Marine’s shipbuilders are proud to deliver these proven warships, and we are honored to continue working with our partner Lockheed Martin and our customer, the U.S. Navy, to give them the capabilities to keep our nation and her interests safe,” said Jan Allman, Fincantieri Marinette Marine CEO.
04 Feb 20. Keel of Germany’s K130 corvette Emden laid. The keel of the German Navy’s future K130 corvette Emden was laid at Lürssen’s Peene shipyard in Wolgast on 30 January, the Bundesamt für Ausrüstung, Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), Germany’s Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-service Support, announced on its website on 31 January. Emden will be the seventh ship of the Braunschweig class. Work on the sixth K130 corvette, Köln, began in February 2019. The other three are Karlsruhe, Augsburg, and Lübeck. All five ships of the second batch of K130 corvettes are scheduled to be delivered to the German Navy by a consortium between Lürssen, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), and German Naval Yards Kiel starting in 2022. Two of the five bow sections are being built by Lürssen in Bremen and three by German Naval Yards in Kiel, which will also install initial equipment. The five stern sections will be built by the Peene shipyard, and Lürssen’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg will connect them with the bow sections and install final equipment. Testing and acceptance will also take place in Hamburg, together with experts from the Bundeswehr and German Navy. (Source: Jane’s)
04 Feb 20. NZ confirms redelivery schedule for updated ANZAC frigates. The first Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) ANZAC frigate to be modernised in Canada under the Frigate System Upgrade (FSU) programme is now planned to complete its upgrade at the end of 2020, the New Zealand Ministry of Defence (MoD) has told Jane’s. HMNZS Te Kaha is currently completing setting-to-work and commissioning activities at Seaspan Shipyards’ facility in Victoria, British Columbia. Sister ship HMNZS Te Mana is also at the Seaspan yard, having arrived in Victoria in March last year to begin its FSU refit. Lockheed Martin Canada is taking the role of prime contractor and combat system integrator for the FSU programme, which is designed to restore the ANZAC frigates’ ability to fulfil credible combat roles and provide high-quality surveillance products. (Source: Jane’s)
03 Feb 20. USS Fitzgerald begins sea testing. The guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) departed Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, on 3 February to conduct comprehensive at-sea testing of the ship’s systems. The systems were restored or updated in the wake of the vessel’s 2017 collision with a commercial ship in the Western Pacific. Fitzgerald will conduct a series of demonstrations to evaluate those onboard systems. The ship will test its navigation, damage control, mechanical and electrical systems, combat systems, as well as communications and propulsion equipment. The US Navy (USN) has been restoring and modernising Fitzgerald for more than two years following the 17 June 2017 collision between the US destroyer and the Philippine-flagged merchant cargo ship MV ACX Crystal off the Japanese coast. The USN later confirmed that seven missing sailors were found dead in flooded berthing compartments inside the ship. The ship received hull mechanical and electrical (HM&E), combat system, command, control, communications, computers, collaboration, and intelligence upgrades that were originally planned for installation during a fiscal year 2019 (FY 2019) availability, USN officials said. (Source: Jane’s)
03 Feb 20. Japan launches third Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship. Mitsui Engineering & Shipbuilding (E&S) has launched the third Hibiki-class ocean surveillance ship on order for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). Named Aki (with pennant number AOS 5203), the small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) vessel entered the water on 15 January in a ceremony held at the company’s facilities in the Japanese city of Tamano, Okayama Prefecture. In May 2018 the Ministry of Defense (MoD) in Tokyo told Jane’s that the 67m-long ship was being built for JPY18.3bn (USD164m) under a contract awarded to Mitsui E&S that same year. The ship, which has a full-load displacement of 3,048 tonnes, is expected to be commissioned in March 2021. It will feature a more advanced Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) than that fitted onto the first two ships of the class – JS Hibiki (AOS 5201) and JS Harima (AOS 5202) – which entered service in 1991 and 1992, respectively. An MoD spokesperson told Jane’s in May 2018 that the new ship is intended to “further enhance Japan’s capability to gather acoustic information in the seas amid increasing and expanding submarine activities by neighbouring countries”. The Hibiki class has an overall beam of 30 m, a top speed of 11 kt, and a standard range of 3,800 n miles, according to Jane’s Fighting Ships. The vessels, each of which has a crew of 40, also feature a flight deck for helicopter operations. (Source: Jane’s)
03 Feb 20. Indian Coast Guard commissions coastal interception craft. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has commissioned another 28m coastal interception craft. The unnamed vessel, which bears the pennant number C-448, was commissioned on 29 January at New Mangalore in the western Indian state of Karnataka. The vessel is equipped with water jet propulsion driven by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines, and can attain a maximum speed of 45kt with a standard range of 500n miles at 25kt. It can accommodate a crew of 15 including two officers, and has been equipped with a machine gun mount in the forward section. (Source: Jane’s)
AIR
06 Feb 20. Airbus Helicopters and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) are pursuing a new set of studies to further the militarisation of the H160 and to define its associated support ecosystem in the frame of the Joint Light Helicopter program (Hélicoptère Interarmées Léger: HIL). This contract launches pre-development activities for the military version of the H160, also called the Guépard by the French armed forces, in order to meet the delivery schedule that was brought forward in May 2019 by the French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly.
The new set of studies will also focus on defining the optimal set-up for supporting the tri-service H160M fleet. Airbus Helicopters, Safran Helicopter Engines, and the DGA will work closely together in order to maximize the availability rate of the helicopters, as well as optimizing the cost of supporting the fleet.
“Launching this collaborative work between Industry and the Ministry of the Armed Forces in order to define the support framework for the Guépard and the associated processes, as early as the pre-development phase, is essential. The output will provide us with all the levers necessary to ensure a high level of availability at the H160M’s entry into service in the French armed forces,” said Alexandra Cros, Vice President and Head of Governmental Affairs France at Airbus Helicopters. “The studies build upon the work and commitments taken recently in the global support contracts for the Cougar, Caracal, and Tiger fleets of the French armed forces”.
The H160 was designed to be a modular helicopter, enabling its military version, with a single platform, to perform missions ranging from commando infiltration to air intercept, fire support, and anti-ship warfare in order to meet the needs of the army, the navy and the air force through the HIL programme. Bringing the launch of the HIL programme forward to 2021 will enable first deliveries to the French armed forces in 2026.
06 Feb 20. Boeing [NYSE: BA] has given an F/A-18 a new lease on life after delivering the first Super Hornet under the Service Life Modification program to the U.S. Navy. The second SLM jet will deliver by the end of the month, and Boeing will deliver the third F/A-18 in April. The initial Super Hornets delivered from the program will extend the service life from 6,000 to 7,500 flight hours. Future modification plans in the early 2020s will enable the jets to fly 10,000 hours and incorporate the new Block III capabilities.
“SLM is going to provide a critical resource for the Navy to re-capitalize on long-serving aircraft to return them to the fleet in a near new condition,” said Capt. Stephen May, PMA-265 co-lead for E/F/G Air Vehicles. “It will reduce burden on our maintainers, our supply system and our depot level assets within the enterprise.”
There are now 15 Super Hornets in the SLM program on production lines in St. Louis and San Antonio. It takes 18 months to complete modifications on an F/A-18, although that time will be driven down to one year as the program progresses. Boeing will deliver five more Super Hornets this year.
The Block III conversion will include enhanced network capability, conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system, signature improvements and an enhanced communication system. The updates are expected to keep the F/A-18 in active service for decades to come.
06 Feb 20. Nigerian Air Force inducts Mi-171E helicopter. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) inducted a single Mi-171E and two AW109M helicopters on 6 February in a high-profile ceremony in Abuja that was attended by President Buhari. The NAF announced in January that two new AW109Ms and been delivered but its procurement of the Mi-171E was previously unreported. This is an export version of the Russian military’s Mi-8AMT with VK-2500-03 engines, making it appropriate for hot-and-high conditions.
A NAF officer said during the induction event that the NAF was expecting a second Mi-171E to be delivered, as well as three JF-17 jet fighters and 12 EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops.
Russia’s Rosoboronexport defence export agency announced in September 2014 that Nigeria had ordered six Mi-171Sh (the export version of the Mi-8AMTSh) and six Mi-35M helicopters.
However, the deputy head of Russia’s Federal Service for Military-Technical Co-operation said in September 2016 that Nigeria had signed a contract in October 2015 covering 12 Mi-35M attack helicopters, without mentioning any transport types.
Meanwhile, NAF officers have stated that six Mi-35Ms had been ordered without mentioning any Mi-17s. The first two Mi-35Ms were inducted in April 2017, with a second pair following a year later.
One of the new helicopters subsequently crashed on 2 January 2019. That followed the crash of a Mi-17 on 8 January 2018. The NAF denied the aircraft was shot down as claimed by the militant group known as Boko Haram. The group released a video showing the wreckage of helicopter NAF 558, which appeared to leave NAF 270 as the air force’s only operational Mi-17. (Source: Jane’s)
02 Feb 20. Facing today’s simultaneous challenges of connecting more and emitting less, Hybrid Air Vehicles remains committed to our vision: to be the future of zero-carbon aviation. The technology at the heart of the Airlander 10 creates significant efficiency in flight. In the base configuration of the aircraft, which has four combustion engines, Airlander 10 will deliver up to 75% reduction in emissions over comparable aircraft in a wide range of roles. No other aircraft is able to deliver Airlander 10’s capability while simultaneously reducing emissions by this degree. We remain, however, committed to delivering the most efficient aircraft for all of our customers’ needs.
To that end, we are currently developing electric engines with the goal to deliver a hybrid-electric Airlander 10 within five years. This will provide a 90% reduction on emissions over other aircraft in mobility and logistics applications while offering operational flexibility in service. For example, this aircraft will be able to transport up to 90 passengers over a maximum all-electric range of 350km. The hybrid-electric mode significantly extends this range.
During all-electric operation, Airlander 10 will cruise at 50 knots, with the ability to cruise at up to 70 knots in hybrid-electric mode. On an example route such as Liverpool to Newcastle (approximately 200km), 90 passengers could travel point to point in two hours with 90% lower emissions than other aircraft, while also enjoying a quiet, comfortable cabin.
“Having flown a prototype Airlander that had emissions up to 75% lower than other large aircraft, we set out our vision for Airlander to be the future of zero-carbon aviation,” comments HAV’s CEO Tom Grundy. “Today, it is no longer necessary to explain to people why decarbonising aviation is important. We believe that our ability to offer our customers ultra-low emissions aircraft in standard and hybrid-electric configurations by 2025 is a very strong statement of our commitment and a major step to achieving this goal.”
Mike Durham, HAV’s Technical Director, added: “With work in progress to develop electric motors through our E-HAV1 programme and assessment underway for control systems and power storage solutions, our technology and engineering team is ready to deliver a hybrid-electric configuration for Airlander 10 within the next five years.”
PLANT CLOSURES, JOB LOSSES AND STRIKES
04 Feb 20. Chief executive to leave British defence contractor. Babcock Archie Bethel to stand down after three and a half years in the job. British defence contractor Babcock International has said its chief executive Archie Bethel is to stand down after three and a half years in the job. There is no date for Mr Bethell’s departure, but the company said on Wednesday that a search process would now start and both internal and external candidates would be considered. A spokesperson said the search would take “as long as it takes”. The departure comes as a surprise despite Mr Bethell’s age of 67. Babcock is one of the UK’s biggest defence contractors, providing maintenance and support for the UK’s nuclear submarines at Faslane, and was a member of the consortium that built the new carriers. It owns Rosyth dockyard, one of the UK’s biggest naval yards. Mr Bethel’s departure comes alongside non-executive board changes including the departure of former prominent business journalist Jeff Randall, and comes just over six months after engineering veteran Ruth Cairnie took over as Babcock’s chair. Under the Scottish-born chief executive, Babcock achieved the company’s long-held ambition to break into the monopoly on naval shipbuilding that had long been held by BAE Systems. Last year the group led the consortium that won the £1.25bn contract to build the Type 31 frigate. Last summer he also set new targets for 3-4 per cent compound annual growth based on a greater focus on internationalisation, and won praise from analysts long frustrated with the company’s variable outlook for sticking to previous guidance. The group also moved out of the support services index and into the aerospace and defence category, helping to boost its rating. Mr Bethell showed no signs of wanting to retire. Babcock has been selling businesses as it focuses on its core markets of defence, aerial emergency services and civil nuclear, and last year saw a sharp fall in profits as a slowdown in government spending weighed on its business. Shares have more than halved since early 2014, and were largely flat in early trading on Wednesday. Ms Carnie said the outgoing Mr Bethel had been instrumental in helping to build Babcock “from a small-cap to a leading defence business.” “Archie has been a proven and respected leader, whose knowledge and understanding of the sector is second to none,” she added. (Source: FT.com)
03 Feb 20. ON Semiconductor to Explore Sale of Manufacturing Facility in Belgium. Company to explore mutually beneficial arrangement that promotes orderly transition. ON Semiconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: ON), driving energy efficient innovations, today announced it is exploring a sale of its manufacturing facility in Oudenaarde, Belgium. The company will begin searching for strategic partners that are willing to enter into a mutually beneficial arrangement that the company expects will facilitate an orderly transition of products from its Oudenaarde facility to other facilities within the ON Semiconductor network.
The Oudenaarde facility is an automotive qualified facility which meets the IATF 16949: 2016 global industry standard for quality management. The company believes that the facility is an attractive semiconductor manufacturing asset for a number of reasons, including its highly skilled workforce with extensive experience managing a diverse array of technologies and its close proximity to the world’s leading automotive innovation and manufacturing hub. Currently, the 44.000 m2 facility supports the company’s low, medium and high voltage analog CMOS and BCD technologies.
As part of its effort to promote an orderly transition for all parties involved, the company also plans to enter into a supply agreement under mutually agreeable terms. (Source: BUSINESS WIRE)
MILITARY AND GOVERNMENT
PERSONNEL
05 Feb 20. Singapore to restructure Maritime Security Task Force amid piracy surge. Key Points:
- Singapore is restructuring a multi-agency construct known as the Maritime Security Task Force
- The restructuring could see the acquisition of additional naval assets or systems
Amid a surge of piracy-related incidents, the Singapore government has announced plans to restructure its Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) to better deal with the menace.
This restructuring will include the bolstering of assets, Singapore’s Minister for Defence, Ng Eng Hen, said in a written reply on 3 February. He was responding to a parliamentary question on the rise of piracy-related incidents in the Singapore Strait.
The MSTF is a multi-agency construct that was established in 2009 to tackle maritime security threats facing Singapore. (Source: Jane’s)
30 Jan 20. The Pentagon plans to announce Jan. 31 that Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan, the Department of Defense’s top artificial intelligence official, will retire from the Air Force this summer, C4ISRNET has learned. Shanahan has served as the first director of the Pentagon’s Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, an effort to accelerate the Pentagon’s adoption and integration of AI at scale, since December 2018. Lt. Cmdr. Arlo Abrahamson, a spokesman for the center, confirmed the retirement in a Jan. 30 email and said a search for the next director is underway. Shanahan previously oversaw the Pentagon’s algorithmic warfare cross functional team, better known as Project Maven, a pathfinder effort to apply AI and machine learning in analyzing full-motion video. Pentagon leaders created the JAIC after noting nearly 600 projects and programs across the department had come to touch on artificial intelligence in some way. Officials wanted a central hub to help facilitate progress. In late 2018, Dana Deasy, the Defense Department’s chief information officer, appointed Shanahan to lead the new center. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/C4ISR & Networks)
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
30 Jan 20. The General Services Administration announced Jan. 30 that its Federal Acquisition Service will formally be led by its current acting leader, Julie Dunne. Dunne’s selection as acting FAS commissioner occurred in early October of last year, after then-commissioner Alan Thomas announced that he would be leaving for the private sector, just one day after the agency released news of a major step forward in one of its core acquisition reforms: consolidating the Multiple Award Schedule Contract. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Federal Times)
06 Feb 20. MG Christopher E. Craige, director, plans and programs, Headquarters U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart-Mohringen, Germany, to commander, Air Force Personnel Center, Deputy Chief of Staff, Manpower, Personnel and Services, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
06 Feb 20. MG Kyle J. Kremer, director, Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to director, strategic plans, requirements and programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
06 Feb 20. BG Charles D. Bolton, vice commander, Eighteenth Air Force, Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, to deputy director, operations, strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
06 Feb 20. BG Derek C. France, deputy director, operations, J-3, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, to director, operations, strategic deterrence, and nuclear integration, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
06 Feb 20. BG Michelle L. Hayworth, vice commander, Sixteenth Air Force, Air Combat Command, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to director, command, control, communication and cyber systems (C4), Headquarters U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force base, Illinois.
06 Feb 20. BG John M. Klein Jr., vice commander, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center, Air Mobility Command, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, to director, U.S. Central Command Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, U.S. Central Command, Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
06 Feb 20. BG Benjamin R. Maitre, director, legislative affairs, Headquarters U.S. Special Operations Command, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to assistant commanding general, Air Force, Joint Special Operations Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
06 Feb 20. BG (select) Jason E. Bailey, director, Checkmate Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon, Washington, District of Columbia, to commander, 31st Fighter Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Aviano Air Base, Italy.
INDUSTRY
INDUSTRY TEAMINGS
06 Feb 20. IAI, BEL sign MoU for Indian air defence system support. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understating (MoU) with India’s Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to support air-defence systems in India.
The MoU will see a new center established to provide product life cycle support including repair & maintenance services for air-defence systems operated by the Indian Air Force, the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.
Boaz Levi, EVP and general manager of systems, IAI, said: ‘The MoU is another step in our growing collaboration with BEL.
‘This partnership will enhance IAI’s capability to provide immediate, optimised maintenance solutions to the users of our advanced air-defence systems, together with our Indian partners and customers. IAI regards the collaboration with BEL as a strategic stepping up of our relationship in India, which we hope to expand further in the near future.’ (Source: Shephard)
07 Feb 20. Naval Group enhances Indian industrial partnerships at DEFEXPO 2020. On 6th February 2020, at DEFEXPO 2020 Naval Group announced signatures of important industrial alliances with Indian partners, thereby re-instating our commitment to indigenous content. At DEFEXPO 2020, Naval Group reiterates its commitment to deepen sustainable cooperation with the Indian industry. Naval Group, with its robust track-record in terms of large and rich technology transfers worldwide, has been a pioneer in policy of Make in India and now gearing up for “make from India”. With a presence of more than a decade in India, Naval Group has firmly supported the selfreliance of the Indian Navy for its naval programs. Naval Group’s international strategy is to build long-term strategic partnerships with the most qualified and innovative industrial actors of the countries for our clients in order to ensure their sovereignty.
Naval Group is proposing a robust offset package in our competitive and technically advanced offer for the Indian tender for modern heavy weight torpedoes. “This is the natural extension of
our industrial presence in India achieved through the ongoing project for Kalvari-class submarine” declared Patrice Pyra, Commercial Director of Naval Group Underwater Weapons.
“Our partners share essential features with us such as high-level of quality standards and the search for ever increasing innovation and we are eager to take them on-board our global projects” said Massi Begous, Naval Group Senior Vice-President for International Industrial
Development, while welcoming and signing MoUs with qualified Indian companies:
1) VEM Technologies Pvt Ltd
2) H And H Precision Pvt Ltd
3) HBL Power Systems Ltd
4) CFF Fluid Control Pvt Ltd
5) Flash Forge Pvt Ltd
6) Omega Renk Bearings Pvt Ltd
7) Walchandnagar Industries Ltd
8) Elcome Integrated Systems Pvt Ltd
9) Marine Electricals (India) Ltd
10) Axon Interconnectors and Wires Pvt Ltd
11) Engie Axima India Pvt Ltd
12) Linia Engineering Services
13) Souriau India Pvt Ltd
05 Feb 20. HAL, Newspace sign unmanned systems agreement. India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed an agreement with Newspace Research and Technologies, a private company established in 2017, to collaborate on advanced aerospace and defence technologies, it was announced on 5 February. HAL said that under non-disclosure agreement (NDA) – signed at the DefExpo 2020 show in Lucknow, northern India – the two firms will explore co-operation in the joint development and manufacturing of products and systems related to unmanned systems, swarm technologies, and space systems. While HAL is India’s primary aerospace group, Newspace Research and Technologies has outlined an intention to invest in developing a range of modern technologies in aerospace and defence. (Source: Google/Jane’s)
05 Feb 20. IAI secures new partnership deals in India. Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has signed agreements with defence companies in India in support of proposed projects to develop and build unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and provide maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for air defence systems operated by the Indian armed forces.
IAI said in press releases that it signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Dynamatic Technologies Limited (DTL) to jointly produce UAVs. Another MOU was signed with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) to establish a new facility to provide MRO support for air-defence systems. The two accords were signed on 5 February at the opening day of the Indian DefExpo show in Lucknow. (Source: Jane’s)
04 Feb 20. Northrop Grumman Corporation’s (NYSE: NOC) subsidiary Remotec Inc. and Kinova Inc. have entered into a distribution agreement for the Kinova® Remote Robotic Manipulation System. This partnership delivers enhanced capability to Remotec customers, providing access to a best-in-class small manipulator for use as a tool/accessory on the Remotec Andros line of mobile robotic systems.
Under the agreement, Remotec will sell the Kinova product as a remote option on the Andros platform to the first responder and law enforcement market in the United States. Remotec will also provide customer service, training and technical support for this new capability.
“The improved dexterity afforded by this robotic arm was identified as a critical need by the first responder community, particularly for bomb and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD),” said Dan Verwiel, vice president and general manager, combat systems and mission readiness, Northrop Grumman. “This is a great opportunity and we are looking forward to offering an additional and innovative capability to the Andros line of robots.”
When deployed as a secondary, highly dexterous small arm, the Kinova Remote Robotic Manipulation System will enable more precise video-guided manipulation of potentially hazardous materials using the Remotec Andros platform. It will allow customers such as state and local EOD units to more safely and effectively perform delicate tasks, from unzipping a suspicious backpack to disabling a bomb.
“We are proud to partner with Remotec, the largest provider of robots to the first responder market,” said Francois Boucher, Kinova executive vice president. “These are complementary products that are better when paired together as an integrated system for significantly increased capability.”
Kinova is a global leader in professional robotic solutions. Kinova’s mission when founded in 2006 was to empower individuals with upper-body limitations through assistive technologies. Over a decade later, the company has evolved its solutions and product suite to service new markets — helping researchers, medical professionals, governments, businesses and educational institutions achieve their innovation goals through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts.
04 Feb 20. Cobham and GA-ASI extend partnership for five more years. Cobham Aviation Services Australia and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems have announced a five-year extension to their teaming agreement to introduce medium-altitude, long-endurance RPAS into Australia and to create an affiliation covering whole-of-life support arrangements for GA-ASI products.
The arrangement focuses on the provision of support for the MQ-9B SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS).
This new teaming agreement was signed by Cobham Aviation Services Australia CEO Ryan Both and GA-ASI president David R. Alexander in Canberra on 30 January to mark the strong and enduring partnership between the two companies.
The MQ-9B SkyGuardian was selected by the Australian Defence Force in November 2019 as the Armed RPAS for Project Air 7003, while the MQ-9B SeaGuardian is a candidate for the Australian Border Force Future Maritime Surveillance Capability program.
“Cobham and GA-ASI have been working in partnership for more than 15 years to promote the introduction of a MALE RPAS capability into Australia. This teaming agreement enables us to apply our specialist capabilities in supporting sophisticated, fit-for-purpose aerial platforms that perform critical national security missions,” Both, the Cobham CEO, said. (Source: Defence Connect)
27 Jan 20. GDCA Inc. and Radisys Strike Partnership to Indefinitely Extend the Life of Legacy Products. GDCA Inc., a California-based company that specializes in legacy equipment manufacturing of obsolete embedded computer equipment, announced this week that it has reached a partnership deal with Radisys, a leader in providing open telecom solutions to service providers worldwide.
Together, the companies have completed the transfer of over 300 COM Express and ATCA product lines from Radisys to GDCA. This means customers of the transferred product families now have a path to product availability for as long as needed. As a result, customers who have particularly long life cycles or who need greater budget stability can now take advantage of GDCA’s life cycle assurance services.
“The leadership at Radisys recognized that even though they were strategically focused, they didn’t have to leave behind customers who still rely on their older product designs. This is a bold move, providing customers with access to parts indefinitely — it’s unheard of in the industry today,” said Ethan Plotkin, CEO of GDCA, “Our two companies have a long history of transferring products, and this agreement takes our partnership to a higher level. We’re honored in the trust Radisys has placed in us to continue supporting their ongoing commitment to their customers.”
“As we begin to understand how obsolescence affects manufacturers and customers alike, the partnership with GDCA allows us to stand by our commitment to drive new business models and meet the demands of new and long-time customers alike,” said Jason Hawely, VP of Hardware Solutions for Radisys.
“GDCA’s 30 years of experience has made the transfer of over 300 products relatively effortless,” Hawely said, “Our desire to find a solution for long-time customers, effectively not leaving them behind, shows how Radisys remains committed to supporting our customers’ needs. We view this transfer/partnership with GDCA as just another way that we continue to live up to our commitment to Radisys customers no matter how old their equipment happens to be,” Hawely said.
Following the transfer in November 2019, Radisys notified all affected customers, directing them to GDCA for any new purchase or services requests.
About GDCA Inc.
GDCA services customers of legacy products. These are products that have become a burden for embedded board and system OEMs to continue supporting. Since its founding in 1987, GDCA has served as a legacy equipment manufacturer and a second source of supply for more than 2,500 companies worldwide.
GDCA’s PLM+™ methodology provides long-term customer support and sustainment for end-of-life COTS and custom embedded computer boards and systems. It does this by using OEM-authorized intellectual property to offer legacy manufacturing, lifecycle planning, lifecycle assurance and legacy engineering.
For more information regarding GDCA’s services, visit https://www.gdca.com/. (Source: Armada/ BUSINESS WIRE)
PERSONNEL
U.S. APPOINTMENTS
03 Feb 20. AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading provider of aviation services to airlines and governments worldwide, announced that Jessica A. Garascia has joined as General Counsel, effective today. Garascia succeeds Robert Regan and will report to John Holmes, President and Chief Executive Officer. She will oversee AAR’s internal legal team, as well as outside counsel, and will have responsibility for all legal affairs. Garascia joins AAR from USG Corporation where she served as Deputy General Counsel responsible for overseeing all M&A activity, compliance, corporate governance, securities law and NYSE compliance. Garascia began her career as an attorney with the law firm of Jenner & Block. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and a juris doctorate from Indiana University law school.
20 Jan 20. APITechTM (API Technologies Corp.), a leading provider of high-performance RF and microwave signal conditioning, and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions, announced the appointment of three senior leaders. APITech welcomes Michael Ryan as Vice President and General Manager (VP/GM) of the RF microwave and microelectronics business unit (RF2M US). Mike will lead all operations, product line management, and program management for the Business Unit. He will also be a member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and report directly to CEO, Terrence Hahn. Terrence said, “Mike’s leadership mindset and experience fits well to the APITech culture. His customer focus will enable RF2M US to continue to be a leading RF spectrum innovator as he drives to meet our customers’ needs while continuing to align the team for on-time and on-specification delivery to customers.” Prior to joining APITech, Mike was a Senior Executive with TMD Technologies. Prior to TMD, he was the President of Teledyne Technologies’ Microwave Solutions Group. Mike has over 35 years of experience in the Aerospace & Defense Industry and has served as Vice President & General Manager of Aerodyne Controls and was the concurrent business leader of W. L. Gore & Associates’ Space Flight Products division, MRI Devices division and Microwave Fabrics division. In addition to degrees in mathematics and history, Michael received his BS in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and has an MBA from the University of Delaware. (Source: Armada/PR Newswire)
05 Feb 20. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) is pleased to announce that Glenn S. Gerstell, general counsel of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Central Security Service from 2015 to 2020, will join the Center as a non-resident senior adviser with the International Security Program. Prior to joining the NSA, Mr. Gerstell practiced law for almost 40 years at the international law firm of Milbank, LLP, where he focused on the global telecommunications industry and served as the managing partner of the firm’s Washington, D.C., Singapore, and Hong Kong offices.
05 Feb 20. GD Elects John Stratton to Board of Directors. The board of directors of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) has elected John G. Stratton to be a director of the corporation, effective February 5. He has been appointed to serve on the Finance and Benefit Plans Committee. Stratton, 58, was the executive vice president and president of global operations at Verizon Communications Inc. from 2015 to 2018. During his more than 25 years with Verizon and its predecessor Bell Atlantic Mobile, Stratton held various leadership positions including president of Global Enterprise and Consumer Wireline, president of Verizon Enterprise Solutions, chief operating officer and chief marketing officer. (Source: ASD Network)
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ExFor+ CIC is a relatively new organisation but has been established with the objective of becoming a National overarching organisation within the Veterans Support Sector. Our aim is to bring about, positive Social and Economic change for the country as well as a significant
transformation of how Service leavers, Veterans, their families and communities are supported. We will do this through effective collaboration, communication and management of a number of services and departments, ranging from engaging with Government, The Third sector and also the supporters of, those who’ve served and often sacrificed so much for their country. We are currently supporting a number of service leavers and veterans with a range of issues ranging from housing, unemployment, benefits, personal development, education, and are constantly looking for employers who see the positives in recruiting and supporting individuals in to work to create longterm and sustainable futures.
www.InvestorsInVeterans.com
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