CACI International received a $75 million task order to support the US Army’s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center (CERDEC) Intelligence and Information Warfare Directorate (I2WD) under the Technical Engineering Support Services (TESS) contract.

CACI was awarded the 5-year, $900 million TESS contract on Aug 19/09. York Telecom Corp. and DSCI also were awarded TESS contracts.

Under this task order, CACI will provide engineering and technical support to assist I2WD in developing and deploying US Army intelligence and information warfare systems…

Continue Reading… »

Computer Science Corp. in Falls Church, VA received a $11.3 million order under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (M67854-02-A-9004) for C4ISR support to the Marine Corps Systems Command’s Marine Corps Tactical Systems Support Activity (MCTSSA). The order has pre-priced options of $1.2 million, which if exercised, would bring the total order value to $12.6 million.

MCTSSA is the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) Systems Engineering Interoperability, Architecture, and Technology (SIAT) center for the US Marine Corps…

Continue Reading… »

Aria’s airship
(click to view larger)

In early 209, Aria International, Inc. announced a contract from the Royal Thai Army to provide in-country surveillance and communications solutions and services, for an aggregate purchase price of $9.7 million. The RTA surveillance system consists of a manned airship with military-grade imaging and communications systems, a state-of-the-art Mobile Command and Control Vehicle, and upgrades to existing communications and facilities to receive real-time surveillance data.

Thailand has the questionable distinction of being saddled with the bloodiest Islamist insurgency most people have never heard of. The American export system hindering their order, however, is well known around the world…

Continue Reading… »

(click to view full)

Right now, in many American ships beyond the top-tier AEGIS destroyers and cruisers, the detect-to-engage sequence against anti-ship missiles requires a lot of manual steps, involving different ship systems that use different displays. When a Mach 3 missile gives you 45 seconds from appearance on ship’s radar to impact, however, seconds of delay can be fatal. Seconds of unnecessary delay are unacceptable.

Hence Raytheon’s Ship Self Defense System (SSDS), which uses software and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) electronics to turn incoming data from several systems (radar, radar warning receivers, combat identification, electro-optics) into a single picture of prioritized threats. SSDS will then recommend an engagement sequence for the ship’s crew, or (in automatic mode) fire some combination of jamming transmissions, chaff or decoys, and/or weapons against the oncoming threat. The entire ship’s combat system concept, including the sensors and weapons, is known as Quick Reaction Combat Capability (QRCC) – and SSDS is the key element that ties it all together.

Recent developments involve ongoing PEA contracts…

• SSDS: Current Versions
• Contracts & Key Events, 2008 – Present [updated]
  
  Continue Reading… »

AN/PRC-117G concept
(click to view full)

Harris Corp recently received a basic purchasing agreement contract worth up to $419 million to supply the US Army with Falcon III AN/PRC-117G [data sheet, PDF] multiband tactical manpack radios, and vehicular power-amplifier adapter systems. The initial delivery order under the contract is valued at $165 million. Radio systems from this order will be deployed by the Army for missions worldwide to provide next-generation, high-speed tactical satellite and voice-and-data communications.

The AN/PRC-117G manpack radio is about half the size of currently fielded multiband systems, and has a frequency range of 30 MHz – 2 GHz. The radio supports streaming video, imagery, biometrics, logistics and other data-intensive applications. The Falcon III-R AN/PRC-117G-C is a JTRS-approved manpack radio that incorporates the Harris Advanced Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2) for mobile ad-hoc networking, which provides secure IP data to the tactical Internet at on-air rates up to 10 Megabits per second (Mbps). This high data rate is joined with mobile ad-hoc networking, automated network establishment and maintenance, and integrated security. In addition, the AN/PRC-117G-C and its software-defined architecture offers interoperability with currently fielded radios, incorporating SINCGARS, Havequick II, and the High Performance Waveform (HPW), as well as MIL-STD-181B Tactical Satellite (TACSAT) capability. For encryption, the AN/PRC-117G-C uses the Harris Sierra II software-programmable encryption module. In January 2008, Harris announced its NSA certification, and the PRC-117G was part of a 10-day Army exercise in December 2007 that focused on integrating new networking technologies with the Patriot Missile System.

French Mirage F1s
(click to view full)

Morocco’s combat air force currently flies 2 squadrons of old F-5s, and 2 squadrons of only slightly newer Mirage F1s; T-37 light jets serve as key transitional trainers. Their neighbor and rival Algeria flies MiG-23s of similar vintage, but the Force Aerienne Algerienne also flies SU-24 Fencer and SU-25 Frogfoot strike aircraft, even more modern and capable MiG-29s, and is set to receive multi-role SU-30MKs as part of a multi-billion dollar weapons deal with Russia.

Morocco can’t beat that array. Instead, they’re looking for replacement aircraft that will prevent complete overmatch, and provide a measure of security. Initially, they looked to France. France’s Rafale is part of a set of European 4+ generation fighters that were developed and fielded during the 1990s-early 21st century, with the aim of surpassing existing offerings among America’s “teen series” fighters, as well as Russia’s Mig-29 Fulcrum and SU-27/30 Flanker family. “Dogfight at the Casbah: Rafale vs. F-16” discussed the French sales slip-ups that cost Dassault its first export order for the 4+ generation fighter. That outcome is now official.

Just to make things worse, the final multi-billion dollar deal involves new-build F-16s, at a price comparable to the rumored figures for the Rafale. Not to mention an accompanying American deal to replace Morocco’s T-37 trainer fleet with T-6Cs, and contracts for air-launched weapons, targeting pods, and C-27J short-haul transports. The latest development includes a DSCA request for CH-47D helicopters…

• Contracts and Key Events [updated]
• Why The F-16? DID Analysis – Dec. 2007
• Additional Readings
  
  Continue Reading… »

Falcon II Multiband Radio
(click to view larger)

Harris Corp.’s RF Communications Division in Rochester, NY received a 5-year, $90 million ceiling firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for up to 3,385 AN/PRC-117F multiband radio vehicular installation kits from the US Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) in Quantico, VA. In addition, Harris will provide associated documentation, technical and training support, training manuals, spares, and other ancillary items.

Harris also recently received a contract worth up to $419 million to supply the next-generation Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband tactical manpack radios and vehicular power-amplifier adapter systems. “US Contracts for Next-Gen Tactical Radio Upgrades” has more on next-generation tactical radios.

The Falcon III AN/PRC-117F [pdf] is a multiband manpack software-defined radio covering the 30 MHz to 512 MHz frequency spectrum…

Continue Reading… »

Oshkosh M-ATV
(click to view full)

US government FedBizOpps, November 2008:

“The Government plans to acquire an MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). The M-ATV is a lighter, off-road, and more maneuverable vehicle that incorporates current MRAP level protection. The M-ATV will require effectiveness in an off-road mission profile. The vehicle will include EFP and RPG protection (integral or removable kit). The M-ATV will maximize both protection levels and off-road mobility & maneuverability attributes, and must balance the effects of size and weight while attempting to achieve the stated requirements.”

The current plan expects to spend up to $3.3 billion to order 5,244 M-ATVs for the US Army (2,598), Marine Corps (1,565), Special Operations Command (643), US Air Force (280) and the Navy (65), plus 93 test vehicles. Monthly delivery rates of up to 1,000 vehicles were part of the solicitation. Those requirements, and American requirements around classified data and regulatory compliance, ensured that the only reasonable contenders were firms that already produced MRAPs, trucks, or tactical vehicles for American forces: BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Force Protection, Navistar, and Oshkosh. Oshkosh Defense secured a long-denied MRAP win, and continues to remain ahead of production targets.

The first vehicles have begun arriving on the ground in Afghanistan, support contracts are being signed, and Oshkosh has begun fighting for export orders in Australia…

Continue Reading… »

ManTech International received a $76 million contract to provide IT operations and mission support for the National Media Exploitation Center (NMEC).

ManTech will provide NMEC with data center operations, network operations, software engineering, systems engineering, information assurance, requirements management, configuration management, and project/program management support.

NMEC was set up in the aftermath of 9/11…

Continue Reading… »

Slimmer and Trimmer
(click to view larger)

General Dynamics C4 Systems received a contract, worth up to $50 million, to supply the US Army with engineering and logistics-support services for the Land Warrior [pdf] integrated modular fighting systems.

A couple of years ago, it looked like the Land Warrior program was dead due to soldiers’ concerns that the equipment was too heavy and complex. However, after trimming down the system from 17 pounds to 7.2 pounds, the Army is moving ahead with the program. “Infantry-21: Land Warrior’s Reviews – And Resurrection?” has more on the controversy.

The new contract enables General Dynamics’ field service engineers to deploy with all Land Warrior-equipped units and provide support for housing, repairing and shipping spare and replacement Land Warrior gear worldwide…

Continue Reading… »