DID has covered the coming expansion of the USA’s Predator UAV fleet, planned targeting and surveillance upgrades, the drone’s evolving uses in the War on Terror and kills on senior al-Qaeda figures, even General Atomics’ unconventional business model of producing its wares in advance of Pentagon orders.
Now General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in San Diego, CA has received a pair of contract modifications from The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH, which appear to be sustainment-related:
A $72.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification exercises an option of Predator requirements including acceleration of the delivery of 17 aircraft, 15 more MQ-1L Block 10 aircraft, Support Equipment, aircraft initial spares, readiness spares package kits, and multi-aircraft ground control station initial spares. Work will be complete by September 2008 (FA8620-04-C-4005, P00010).
A $30,829,202 cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification will provide Predator Ground Control Stations including two fixed facility GCSs; one Dual Control; 19 Enhancement Mod Kits; two Multi-Aircraft Controls; six MD-1C Containerized Digital Control Segments; Ku Support for Containerized Digital Control Set; and Ground Data Terminal for Containerized Digital Control Segments. This work will be complete by April 2008 (F33657-02-G-4035-003901).