EMALS Components
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As the US Navy continues to build its new CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class carriers, few technologies are as important to their success as the next-generation EMALS catapult. The question is whether that technology will be ready in time, in order to avoid either costly delays to the program – or an even more costly redesign of the first ship of class.

Current steam catapult technology is very entertaining when it launches cars more than 100 feet off of a ship, or gives naval fighters the extra boost they need to achieve flight speed within a launch footprint of a few hundred feet. It’s also stressful for the aircraft involved, very maintenance intensive, and not really compatible with modern gas turbine propulsion systems. At present, however, steam is the only option for launching supersonic jet fighters from carrier decks. EMALS aims to leap beyond steam’s limitations, delivering significant efficiency savings, a more survivable system, and improved effectiveness. This free-to-view spotlight article covers the technology, the program, and its progress to date.

The latest developments include a major contract for the first ship set…

• From Steam to Magnets: EMALS vs. Current Approaches
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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SSN Barracuda cutaway
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In December 2006, France’s Defence Ministry awarded a contract for nuclear-propelled fast attack submarines to state-owned warship builder DCN and nuclear energy group Areva-TA. The contract’s total value could be as high as EUR 7.9 billion, and it is set up as an initial EUR 1.0-1.4 billion contract (reports vary), followed by 6 options (tranches conditionnelles) to cover development, production and through-life support during their first years of operational service.

The companies will supply 6 SSN Barracuda submarines between 2016-2027. The latest development is an order for the 2nd boat…

• Replacing the Rubis: The Barracuda Class SSN
• The Barracuda SSN Program
• Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific awarded 3 indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts with a potential value of $172.4 million to provide Net-Enabled Command Capability (NECC) systems engineering support for the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The companies that won the contracts are Booz Allen Hamilton in McLean, VA (N66001-09-D-0113); FGM in Reston, VA (N66001-09-D-0114); and Science Applications International Corporation in San Diego, CA (N66001-09-D-0115).

The firms will compete for task orders during the ordering period, which expires June 30/11. The contracts were competitively procured via publication on the FedBizOpps website and posting to the SPAWAR e-Commerce Central website, with 3 viable offers received. Work will be performed at DISA locations in the Washington, DC area.

DID has more information on NECC and each contract…

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F100 visits Sydney
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DID’s FOCUS articles offer in-depth, updated looks at significant military programs of record. The Royal Australian Navy took a pair of giant steps in June 2007, when it selected winning designs for its keystone naval programs: Canberra Class LHD amphibious operations vessels, and Hobart Class “air warfare destroyers.” This DID’s FOCUS article offers in-depth research and coverage of the Hobart Class competition and program organization, along with the new “air warfare destroyer’s” capabilities, and associated contracts, and related developments.

Under the SEA 4000 Air Warfare Destroyer program, Australia plans to replace its retired air defense destroyers with a modern system that can provide significantly better protection from air attack, integrate with the US Navy and other Coalition partners, offer long-range air warfare defense for Royal Australian Navy task groups, and help provide a coordinated air picture for fighter and surveillance aircraft. Despite their name and focus, the ships are multi-role designs with a “sea control” mission that also includes advanced anti-submarine and surface warfare capabilities.

Spain’s Navantia made an A$ 11 billion clean sweep, winning both the A$ 3 billion Canberra Class LHD and the A$ 8 billion Hobart Class Air Warfare “Destroyer” contracts. The new AWD ships were scheduled to begin entering service with the Royal Australian Navy in 2013, but that date has now slipped to 2014-2015. Recent events include Australia’s Defence White Paper, decisions about the ship’s missiles, turbine orders, and system tests and support for the F100 derivative’s AEGIS radar and combat systems…

• SEA 4000: The Design Competition
• SEA 4000: The Program
• SEA 4000: Contracts & Key Events [updated]
• Appendix A: SEA 4000 Program Phase Organization
• Appendix B: Additional Readings & Sources
  
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RAID tower top
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The need for affordable 24/7 surveillance of key areas like bases and geographic chokepoints is a key feature of both modern counterinsurgency, and domestic/ border security. In the USA, this has resulted in programs like Raytheon’s RAID/ GBOSS towers and aerostats, Lockheed Martin’s TARS aerostats along the southern border, and Lockheed Martin PTDS aerostats on the front lines. The same trend can be observed in places like Thailand and in Israel, whose experience has led to export orders in Mexico and India.

In mid-June 2009, the Government of Canada decided to take a similar approach, and order aerostats and surveillance towers for use on the front lines. Instead of awarding contracts to Raytheon or Lockheed Martin, however, the 1st phase of Canada’s Enhanced Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices Project awarded a pair of contracts to Thales Systems Canada Inc. (C$ 12.5/ $10.8 million) and Rheinmetall Canada (C$ 13.6/ $11.75 million). The contracts will include supply and delivery of equipment and associated accessories, training, spares, and contractor integrated logistics support.

These awards are small, but there is a definite possibility that Canada’s decision will increase competition in the international military aerostat/surveillance tower market. In both cases, one can expect the awards to feed back into their parent company’s capabilities matrix, with the Canadian subsidiaries positioned as potential global centers of excellence.

HMCS Montreal & sub:
HMCS Windsor
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Launched between 1988-1995, and commissioned between 1992-1996, Canada’s 12 City Class (now Halifax Class) frigates currently form the high end of its naval capabilities. The Canadian Navy has declined drastically from its post-WWII status as the world’s 4th largest navy, and the Halifax Class itself is finding that its open-ocean design is not suited to cope with modern littoral threats and improving anti-ship missiles. Replacement vessels are still many years away, which means that the 4,750t frigates will need to be modernized within the limits of their design if they are to remain effective.

Canada’s government has decided to fund that modernization, much as Australia and New Zealand are modernizing the Halifax Class’ ANZAC Frigate contemporaries. Refits are scheduled to begin with HMCS Halifax in 2010, and that ship is scheduled to re-enter service about 18 months later in 2012. By 2017, all 12 frigates are scheduled to be upgraded as part of a C$ 3.1 billion (about $2.9 billion) program.

This DID article explains the scope of the upgrades, notes the current systems, and covers the contracts and developments involved. The latest addition this Canada Day is a contract to maintain and upgrade their Phalanx gatling guns…

• Upgrading The Halifax Class
• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings
  
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C-17 Simulator
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Alion Science and Technology received a $5 million task order to support the U.S. Air Force 711th Human Performance Wing’s Human Performance Integration Directorate for the evaluation of human performance factors on Air Force weapon systems.

The work, which falls under the Alion-operated Modeling and Simulation Information Analysis Center (MSIAC) contract (N61339-03-D-0300), includes analyzing human performance on weapon system ability and readiness through the USAF’s Human Systems Integration (HSI) program. HSI takes a human-centric approach to system design and acquisition to reduce lifecycle costs and optimize system performance. Alion’s work will help the Air Force measure performance and improve weapon systems.

DID has more on the Alion task order and the benefits of HSI in weapons design…

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Naval Submarine Base
New London
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American Bridge Co. in Richmond, VA won a $35.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of Pier 31 at U.S. Naval Submarine Base New London. American Bridge will demolish the existing pier and build a new facility, which will include a pile-supported pier with concrete deck, electrical shore power, pier lighting, communications, cable, telephone, lightning protection, water, sewer, compressed air, pure water and oily waste/waste oil piping connections off-pier, bitts, jib cranes, retractable craneless brows, rubber-faced steel fendering system and specialized equipment.

DID has more on the New London submarine base…

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USS Monterey docked at
Naval Station Norfolk
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Archer Western Contractors (dba Archer Western) in Chicago, IL won a $7.7 million firm-fixed-price task order under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-08-D-9739) for the construction of a child development center at Naval Station Norfolk. The Archer Western task order contains 1 unexercised option, which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative task order value to $7.8 million.

Naval Station Norfolk, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s largest concentration of naval forces, supports the operational readiness of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

Archer Western expects to complete the center by September 2010. 5 proposals were received by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic in Norfolk, VA.

Up-armored M3A3s in Iraq
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The USA’s M2/M3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles have played a central role in armed operations in Iraq. Many of them are now doing it with special reactive applique armor tiles that significantly improve their protection against anti-tank rockets. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products Inc. in Burlington, VT is the main supplier, in conjunction with Israel’s RAFAEL who pioneered the design.

The add-on armor kit for the M2/M3 Bradleys, for instance, includes 105 tiles that look like small boxes and attach to the sides, the turret and the front of each vehicle. The armor is some of the most advanced in the world, and includes both passive protection of strong material that diverts the rocket, plus reactive protection. That reactive protection uses a very special, insensitive explosive that is detonated only when hit by a missile or rocket; it will not react to other heat sources, or lesser impacts from small arms or shell fragments. The resulting explosion disrupts the incoming armor-penetrating blast jet produced by an RPG-7’s shaped-charge warhead, for example.

That’s the theory, anyway. What have the results been like? Have improvements been made? What purchases have taken place, and when? DID has answers, including a recent order, more complete order tables, and program history…

• The Birth and Refinement of Reactive Armor
• Reactive Armor and Future Threats
• US Contract Awards: Bradley Reactive Armor [updated]
• Other Contract Awards & Key Events [updated]
• Additional Readings & Sources
  
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