07 Apr 06. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded an $89,310,313 cost plus award fee contract modification for the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program includes the design build and test of a family of radars systems employed on the Global Hawk platform. The undefinitized contract action is for the radar integration into the Global Hawk system, which includes all air vehicles, ground stations and support segment modifications required to support full radar functionally. At this time, $23,227,500 has been obligated. This work will be complete in September 2009. Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-4600/P00147).
07 Apr 06. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $7,134,757 cost plus fixed fee contract. This effort is for the operation of the Global Hawk system in a forward theater of operations for a classified length of time, which includes personnel, equipment, logistics and communication support. At this time, total funds have been obligated. Solicitation and negotiations were complete in November 2005. This work will be complete by July 2006. Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-03-G-4306-0031).
06 Apr 06. The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a not-to-exceed
$6,899,996 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract
(N00019-05-C-0045) to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance unmanned aerial vehicle services for the USS Trenton (LPD 14) in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror. Work will
be performed in St. Louis, Mo., and is expected to be completed in October 2006. Contract funds in the amount of $3,449,998 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md.,is the contracting activity.
10 Apr 06. Raytheon Company has successfully simulated simultaneous command and control of two unmanned air vehicles (UAV) and an unmanned surface vehicle from a single common control system. Under contract from NAVAIR (Naval Air Systems Command) and U.S. Navy Program Execution Office for Strike Weapons and Unmanned Aviation (PMA-263), Raytheon used the Multiple Vehicle Control System (MVCS), a derivative of the Tactical Control System (TCS). The MVCS is a STANAG 4586-based rapid prototyping asset used for advancements and evaluation of future ground control station capabilities and functionality. STANAG 4586 is a specification that allows members of the NATO alliance to share information obtained by their unmanned air vehicles.
11 Apr 06. The Berlin robotics specialists Robowatch Technologies and Diehl BGT Defence, a leading company on the internal and external security market, present their joint innovation: the modular reconnaissance and defusing robot ASENDRO. Only ten months after the launch of the world’s first NBC reconnaissance robot OFRO+detect, this is the second product developed by Robowatch within one year.
ASENDRO does not serve the continuous protection of outdoor facilities – unlike OFRO+detect – but it supports mission forces in assessing the situation in the field in a fast and precise manner. Within fractions of a second the modular robot analyses the hazards involved. Thanks to its remote control it is also capable of gripping and defusing dangerous objects. “With ASENDRO we offer fire brigades, police, military and special task forces a solution that is tailored to their needs. Conventional devices are much bigger, heavier and more complex than our ASENDRO. It fits into a car boot, can climb stairs, drive through narrow passageways or rough terrain and therefore can be used immediately and everywhere”, says M. Eng. Ulf Stremmel, Managing Director of Robowatch.
Apr 06. The National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC), part of the Robotics Ins