DynCorp International LLC in Fort Worth, TX received a $30.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the Upgrade of 29 C-12R1 aircraft to the C-12V configuration.
The twin-propeller C-12R1 Beechcraft King Air VIP transports have been limited by their lack of protection against shoulder fired ground-air missiles, but that was not the focus of this upgrade.
Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a $6.9 million firm-fixed-priced order against a previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-03-G-0009) for the procurement of 43 Combined Interrogator Transponders and 43 KIV-6 Cryptographic Computers for the Kuwaiti Air Force for F/A-18 aircraft under the Foreign Military Sales Program.
Work will be performed in Greenlawn, NY (95%) and St. Louis, MO (5%), and is expected to be complete in April 2008. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.
Military-specific I/O – and most particularly military avionics – is evolving in two different directions at the same time. COTS Journal’s July 2005 article “Military-Specific I/O Evolves in Two Directions” notes that this is the result of two opposing pressures: [1] a continuing and accelerating need for data accuracy and reliability and, separately, [2] a significant increase in data rates flowing to the platforms.
The first direction is centered around the continuing and even growing use of the slow but reliable 1960s-era MIL-STD-1553 for communications. The other direction is toward the adoption of newer, faster data communications methods as the demands of net-centric warfare pass more data to a platform. This and other factors have led to serious consideration and some use of Fibre Channel, 1394b (FireWire), Ethernet and AFDX (Avionics Full Duplex Switched Ethernet), other switched fabrics and MMSI-the Miniature Munitions/ Store Interface data bus. Read the full article for a more in-depth briefing.
Rockwell Collins Inc. in Cedar Rapids, IA received the full delivery order amount of $5.7 million as part of a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Common Avionics Architecture System. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, IA and is expected to be complete by April 26, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on March 14, 2004 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH23-03-D-0015).
On August 22/05, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified the public of a possible Foreign Military Sale [PDF] to Singapore of advanced ordnance, plus logistics, training support, and associated equipment and services for F-15 aircraft. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $741 million.
This is interesting, because Singapore does not currently fly F-15 aircraft (it flies F-16s, F/RF-5s, and A-4SUs). The F-15E Strike Eagle was named to an April 2005 shortlist with Dassault’s Rafale for Singapore’s $1 billion A-4SU fighter replacement contract, and closer U.S. military ties in recent years are expected to give the F-15E a slight edge. Indeed, the recently-retired head of U.S. Pacific Command was honored at almost the same time with Singapore’s Meritorious Service Medal – Military.
The natural question is whether the Government of Singapore has made, or is very close to making, a decision regarding its future fighter purchase.
The 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base has been working with the USA’s B-1B Lancer heavy bomber to upgrade their weapons carrying abilities. The results will increase the non-stealth bomber’s ability to deliver weapons into heavily defended areas, and enhance its value as a maritime strike aircraft as well.
Textron Systems Corp., Wilmington, MA is being awarded an $8,296,838 firm fixed price, time and material and cost contract to provide for the annual service agreement to perform depot level logistics support for 37 AN/TRN-45 Mobile Microwave Landing Systems (MMLS) and MMLS users. The system has seen heavy use in the global war on terror, including Iraq and the even less clement climes of Afghanistan…
Aeronautics Corp. of America in Milwaukee, WI received a $25 million firm-fixed price contract for 1,000 units of the Horizontal Situation Indicator and the Vertical Situation Indicator used in airplanes. Work will be performed by Aeronautics in Milwaukee, WI and will be completed by July 29, 2010. The U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command at Fort Monmouth, N.J issued the contract (W15P7T-05-D-C027)
Rockwell Collins Inc. in Cedar Rapids, IA received a pair of cost-plus-fixed fee contracts for the modification, maintenance and enhancement for the avionics architecture, avionics equipment, and communications systems for the following helicopters: CH-47 & MH-47 Chinook, MH-6 “Little Bird”, MH/UH-60 Black Hawk and other variants. Note that helicopters with an “MH” designation are generally Special Forces helicopters. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL issued the contracts, and work will be performed at Rockwell Collins’ Cedar Rapids facilities.
Both the $5.6 million contract, which will be completed by Feb. 6, 2008; and the $477.1 million contract, which will be completed by Sept. 30, 2009, were issued under (DAAH23-03-D-0015).
Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO has been awarded almost $550 million in non-competitive contracts related to its F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Electronic Warfare Aircraft. The EA-18G is still on the drawing board, and is slated to replace the USA’s aging EA-6B Prowler. Work on both contracts will be performed in St. Louis, MO. The contracts cover training and weapons systems.
