$300M to Widen Airborne Laser Program’s Scope

Airborne Laser System
(Click for expanded view)

The Boeing Co. of Seattle, WA received a cost-plus-award-fee, indefinite delivery/ indefinite quantity contract to develop and test additional mission capabilities for the Boeing/ Lockheed/ TRW Airborne Laser program beyond missile defense. The basic contract ceiling is $300 million, with an initial delivery order value of $38.1 million. The Airborne Laser System Program Office issued the contract (FA8632-05-D-2451).

France & Italy Launch First Horizon Class Frigate

Horizon class frigate

France launched the Forbin, its first of the Horizon class 7,000-metric-tonne air defense frigates from DCN’s shipyard in Lorient on March 10. The Horizon program budget totals EUR $3 billion (USD $4 billion), of which approximately one-third was spent on development costs. A total of four Horizon warships are being developed and built by Horizon SAS, a joint venture between France’s DCN and Thales (Armaris) and Italy’s Fincanteri and Finmeccania, Rome (Orizzonte Sistemi Navale).

$23M Modification for NextGen Missile Warning Sub-systems

AC-130 Spectre:
Warning Received

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Rolling Meadows, IL received a $23.7 million undefinitized contract modification to develop and test countermeasures that could protect airliners, transport aircraft, and other airplanes from anti-aircraft missiles. The Next Generation (NexGen) Missile Warning Subsystem will be integrated into the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system and installation on the C-130H3 Hercules aircraft, and live fire testing and flight-testing of NexGen Systems is included in this contract. There will also be two options associated with this contract: [1] to integrate and test the NexGen Contractor Systems with the LAIRCM lamp; and [2] a production AC-130U Spectre aircraft design for both NexGen LAIRCM configured Contractor Systems. Solicitation began in February 2005, negotiations were completed the same month, and work will be complete by January 2007. The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (F33657-01-C-2093, P00067).

$19.4M Option Exercised to Maximize Carrier Readiness

CVN 74:
USS John C. Stennis

The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard’s Intermediate Maintenance Facility exercised a $19.4 million modification under previously awarded contract N00024-04-C-4152 for maintenance efforts on the carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). The aim of the contract is to provide year round maintenance so as to maximize ship readiness under its Docked Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) schedule, and it will target ship systems, shipboard equipment, and ship hull preservation. Work will be performed by Todd Pacific Shipyard Corp.’s Seattle Division in Bremerton, WA, and it is expected to be complete by December 2005.

Some DID Context: Under the new Fleet Response Plan (FRP) doctrine, naval readiness and “surge capability” are higher priorities than they have been in the past. The 2004 “Summer Pulse” exercise was an initial test of this doctrine, which fits into a larger picture regarding the US Navy’s deep strike operations capability.

$27.8M USN Software Contract for Track Management & Sensor Nets

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems (formerly DSR Solutions division) of Fairfax, VA won a $27.8 million cost-plus-award-fee contract for system integration that will address track management and collate data from sensor nets. The software will be part of the Open Architecture Track Manager (OATM) program. Work will be performed primarily in Fairfax, VA (65%); Bethpage, NY (29%); and St. Petersburg, FL (6%); and is expected to be completed by December 2006. The contract was competitively procured via the Internet, with two offers received. The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC issued the contract (N00024-05-C-5100).

$90M Food Service Contracts for US Navy (Update)

Come and get it

The Defense Supply Center in Philadelphia, PA recently issued a pair of food service contracts for the U.S. Navy with a combined value of $90 million.

TriQuint Wins DARPA Gallium Nitride Research Contract

TriQuint Semiconductor Inc. of Hillsboro, OR received a two-phase, multi-year contract worth up to $31.7 million, in order to develop high power wide band amplifiers in gallium nitride. Gallium nitride devices provide the higher power density and efficiency required for high power phased array radar, electronic warfare, and missile seeker and communications systems. The first phase, lasting three years and valued at $15.8 million, covers the development of gallium nitride material and devices to improve performance and reliability. The second, optional phase covers years four and five and aims to develop gallium nitride high power, wide band amplifiers and package technology. It would be valued at $15.9 million.

TriQuint has worked with gallium nitride since 1999, and is teaming with BAE Systems, Emcore Corporation, II-VI Incorporated, Lockheed Martin and Nitronex, as well as university partners Dr. Michael Shur of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Dr. Jesus del Alamo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) issued the contract. EE Times: TriQuint wins DARPA contract to develop gallium nitride power amp. See also DARPA’s recent contract award to Lockheed Martin.

$6.6M to Support Taiwanese F-16s During Training

Taiwanese F-16B

Northwest Florida Management of Walton, FL received a $6.6 million fixed-price, incentive-fee-with-award-fee contract modification to provide flight line maintenance for 14 Taiwanese F-16s. This work will be complete by March 2006. The Air Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base, TX issued the contract (FA3002-04-C-0008, P00009).

$6.9M for Laser Event Recorder

Small business qualifier OPTRA Inc. of Topsfield, MA won a $6.9M ceiling-priced, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to design a prototype Laser Event Recorder to capture, alert and record potentially harmful laser exposures. Work will be performed at Patuxent River, MD (90%) and Annapolis, Md. (10%), and is expected to be completed in March 2009. The contract (N00421-05-D-0039) was competitively procured by The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, MD through a full and open competition.