Sep 26, 2012 15:45 UTC
Try one on!
Sept. 25/12: Ops Core Inc. in Boston, MA, was awarded a $45.5M firm-fixed-price contract for Modular Integrated Communication Helmets (MICH). The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Natick, MA, is the contracting activity (W911QY-12-D-0033).
Sept. 24/12: The US Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) Product Manager Infantry Combat Equipment (PdM-ICE) issued a market research notification (M67854-12-I-1079) to design and procure an Improved Helmet Suspension System (IHSS) that would “incorporate the comfort and low velocity/high mass impact protection provided by a pad system, with the stability and high velocity/low mass impact protection provided by a sling system.” This system should integrate with MICH, ECH, LWH and ACH as well as night vision goggles and ballistic eyewear. An Industry Day is planned on October, 17.
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Sep 25, 2012 12:57 UTC
Weapon mount & armoring kits.
LVSR comes ashore
Why are trucks a big deal? Because they are the unglamorous but very necessary backbone of any mobile military force. The US Marines certainly fit the description of a mobile force, and Oshkosh Defense supplies their MTVR medium trucks. In 2006, the Marines took the next step, and chose a winner to replace a worn-down Oshkosh LVS heavy truck fleet that has served since 1985.
Like their predecessors, these new “Logistic Vehicle System Replacement” (LVSR) heavy trucks will usually find themselves transporting heavy equipment, or basic supplies such as ammunition, fuel, and water. The LVSR winner was also an Oshkosh design.
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Sep 25, 2012 10:00 UTC
This way to the top
Chinese authorities officially confirmed [government source, in Chinese] today that they commissioned the Liaoning (formerly the USSR’s unfinished Riga then Varyag), their first aircraft carrier.
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Sep 23, 2012 17:14 UTC
Latest updates[?]: 2012 updates: initial delivery; 3 delivered; 2 commissioned; Contract for 6 more FRCs
CGC Sanibel
The USCG wants to buy 58 Fast Response Cutters (FRC), and these Sentinel Class boats are sorely needed by an overstretched US Coast Guard. An attempt to extend the lives of their aged Island Class cutters ended as an expensive failure in 2005, and string of blunders has delayed replacements. In February 2006, the Coast Guard’s Deepwater system-of-systems program ‘temporarily’ suspended design work on the FRC-A program due to technical risk. FRC-A was eventually canceled in favor of an off-the-shelf buy (FRC-B), and on March 14/07, the ICGS contractor consortium lost responsibility for the Deepwater FRC-B program as well. By then, even an off-the-shelf buy couldn’t get the Coast Guard any delivered replacements before April 2012.
When the Island Class refurbishment program was terminated in June 2005, 41 Island Class vessels like the USCGC Sanibel, above, still plied US and international waters. FRC Sentinnel Class deliveries have begun, but the Island Class’ safe lifetime is running out fast. DID discusses the programs, their outcomes and controversies, the fate of the Island Class and FRC-A programs, and the work underway to replace them.
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Sep 23, 2012 15:18 UTC
French EC725, SAR
In September 2012, the Thai Air Force signed an undisclosed contract with EADS Eurocopter for 4 EC725 medium search and rescue (SAR) helicopters. The twin-engine EC725 Cougar features a unique digital 4-axis autopilot, which is very useful for precise positioning during retrievals. It’s also a good deal larger than the Army’s H-60 Black Hawks and UH-1 Hueys, with seating on board for 25 persons. Based on contracts elsewhere, a price of around $180-220 million seems likely. Deliveries will take place in 2015, at which point Thailand will join their neighbor Malaysia and Singapore as local military operators of the Super Puma family.
There’s also a larger competition underway for business within Thailand, as the country looks to modernize its Vietnam-era helicopter fleet. Eurocopter sold the Thai Army 8 AS550-C3 Fennec light scout and utility helicopters in 2011, and has received interest from the Royal Thai Police. Eurocopter’s line will be competing with Sikorsky’s Black Hawk/ Seahawk family. Thailand’s services have bought several H-60 variants, and the Cougar implicitly beat HH-60 Pave Hawks for the SAR mission. Eurocopter and Sikorsky will also have to deal with Russia’s Mil series – especially the multi-role Mi-17, whose low price has given it a foothold in Thailand’s armed forces. Eurocopter.