Open Up and Say Ahh!

GE Inspection Technologies in Skaneateles, NY won a $22.7 million firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract from the US Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) for the procurement of up to 1,600 common video borescope sets (CVBS), including associated technical and logistics data and training.

The CVBS is a portable, commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) video system used to inspect interior engine components and airframes for cracks, foreign object damage, and corrosion. The CVBS will replace NAWCAD’s existing inventory of borescopes…

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Through a glass, darkly
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ITT Corp received 2 orders for night vision googles worth a combined $91.3 million from the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command.

Under the 1st order, an indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract worth $72 millon, ITT will supply its aviator night vision goggles (AN/AVS-6), night vision tubes and spare parts to Army rotary-wing pilots. Under the 2nd order, a $19.3 million delivery order under the OMNI VII night vision contract, ITT will supply AN/PVS-14 night vision monocular goggles to the US Air Force, US Navy, and US Army.

ITT’s night vision goggles use light-amplifying technology that takes a small amount of light and converts it into electrons…

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Egyptian Air Force F-16D
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The Egyptian government wants to buy 24 F-16C/D Block 50/52 aircraft, associated parts, weapons, and equipment to modernize its air force. The request, made Oct 9/09 through the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) to Congress, could be worth as much as $3.2 billion to Lockheed Martin and the other contractors involved.

The Egyptian Air Force is the 4th largest F-16 operator in the world, mustering about 195 aircraft of 220 ordered. Their overall fighter fleet is a mix of high-end F-16s and Mirage 2000s, low-end Chinese F-7s (MiG-21 copy) bought from the Chinese, a few F-4 Phantom II jets, and upgraded but very aged Soviet MiG-21s and French Mirage 5s.

The formal request comes a few months after the Obama administration conveyed to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak its support for Egypt’s long-standing request to buy the Block 50/52 aircraft…

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Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors – Tactical Systems in Eagan MN received a $28.1 million contract to install an air command and control (C2) system at Ali Air Base, an airbase located near Nasiriyah in southern Iraq. The Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, MA manages the contract (FA8706-09-C-0004).

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver a sector operation center (SOC), a SOC training suite, a ground-to-air transmitter and receiver (GATR) site, communication network infrastructure, and a long-range radar system…

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Small business qualifier C.F. Roark Welding & Engineering Co. in Brownsburg, IN won a maximum $17.3 million firm fixed price, total set aside contract to supply aircraft exhaust ducts to the US Air Force.

There were originally 4 proposals solicited with 2 responses. The date of performance completion is July 31/13. The Defense Supply Center Richmond (DSCR-ZBAB) at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma manages the contract (SPRTA1-09-C-0169).

Defense Supply Center Richmond is Defense Logistics Agency’s aviation demand and supply chain manager…

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Fill’er Up
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Curtiss-Wright Flow Control Corp. in Farmingdale, NY received a $47.5 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for electric valve operator (EVO) assemblies and associated technical data to replace existing EVO units and manifold bonnet assemblies used on JP-5 jet fuel storage tank manifolds.

The EVO assemblies are automated, sealed solenoid valves that operate the flow of jet fuel…

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SAIC Parts Warehouse

Scientific Applications International Corp. (SAIC) in San Diego, CA received a maximum $200 million option on a previously awarded prime vendor contract (SPM500-04-D-BP13) for management of consumable parts at U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft repair facilities.

Under the original Generation II (GEN II) Integrated Prime Vendor (IPV) contract awarded in 2004, SAIC serves as supply chain manager for parts to be used in the depot maintenance of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft, including the F/A-18, P-3, EA6B, C-130, CH-46, CH-53, AV-8, E-2, and S-3. In addition, SAIC is providing support for depot overhaul and maintenance of aircraft subassemblies, engines, ground support equipment, avionics equipment, and other major items.

DID has more on the GEN II IPV contract and the Defense Logistics Agency’s effort to privatize logistics support…

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Man, It’s Cold Out Here
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Global Ground Support in Olathe, KS received a $15.4 million contract to provide deicers and support equipment for U.S. Air Force aircraft. Under the contract, Global Ground Support will deliver 196 deicer vehicles, 49 production vehicles, and 2 preproduction units to the Air Force. 642nd CBSG/GBKBB at Robins Air Force Base manages the contract (FA8533-09-D-9002).

Global Ground Support CEO Richard Smith was quoted in the Kansas City Business Journal as saying that the 196 deicers are mid-sized models that work for most Air Force aircraft. The other vehicles are much larger models used for deicing C-5 and C-17 aircraft, he said.

The contract is for 1 base year and has 4 one-year options. It replaces a previous 10-year contract that expired in June. The company has supplied 420 deicers to the Air Force in the past 10 years, he said.

DID has more on the Global Ground Support USAF deicers…

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BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems in Greenlawn, NY received a $20 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-08-C-0061) for the production and delivery of Mode 5 common transponder system (CPX) identification friend or foe (IFF) hardware and associated platform integration and testing. IFF systems enable forces to recognize friendly aircraft and surface vessels to avoid inadvertent firing on friendly forces. The technology, in use since World War II, has two main components: interrogators, which ask the questions, and transponders, which provide the responses. The Mode 5 IFF system was developed by NATO as an enhancement to older, less capable IFF systems. BAE Systems will perform the work in Greenlawn, NY and expects to complete it in December 2011. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD manages the contract.

DID has a detailed breakdown of the IFF procurement numbers…

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Finnish F/A-18D
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On Sept 9/08, the US DSCA announced [PDF] Finland’s official request for the 3rd phase of its F-18 Mid-Life Upgrade Program to modernize its 63 F/A-18C and F/A-18D Hornet aircraft. The contract could be worth up to $406 million, and Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO will be the prime contractor. Finland has already begun working to enhance its air force with LITENING targeting pods, modern AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder air-air missiles, and other enhancements. Items requested in this notice include:

• 1 AGM-154C Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW) Captive Air Training Missile
• 15 AGM-154C JSOW precision glide bombs
• 79 Multifunctional Information Display Systems/Low Volume Terminals (MIDS/LVT) to provide Link 16 shared displays
• 72 MIDS Electronic Interference Blanking Units
• 70 AN/ARC-210 (RT-1851A-c) Radios, including Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS)
• 75 AN/AYQ-9 (V) Stores Management System Upgrades. The current state of the art is the AN/AYQ-22.
• 72 Color Cockpit Displays
• 70 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS) Laser Helmet Shields – presumably a protective addition, as Finland is already a JHMCS customer.
• 1 Lot of JHMCS Spares
• Plus recorders, receivers, devices, Joint Mission Planning system upgrades, software test and integration center upgrades, engineering change proposals, component improvement program, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and equipment, and other support.

Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of U.S. Government or contractor representatives to travel to Finland for approximately 4 months, to provide technical support for equipment preparation, installation and testing, and checkout.