Agusta Westland in Yeovil, U.K. has had its Super Lynx helicopter named as the preferred option for a U.K. Ministry of Defence (MoD) order worth approximately GBP 1 billion (USD $1.9 billion). The MoD says the Future Lynx meets its requirements for helicopters which could be used for land reconnaissance missions and attacks on small boats, and it was hoped contracts would be signed within six months. The MoD also announced that it intends to develop a long-term partnering arrangement with Agusta Westland, which is also strongly placed to pick up a contract to support and maintain the armed forces’ Sea King helicopters.
The M777 ultra-lightweight towed 155mm howitzer is a joint program between the Army and Marine Corps to replace the 155mm M198. Britain is also a partner, but Canada became the first country to field them in combat via an emergency buy before their “Operation Archer” Afghanistan deployment.
The weapon has an integrated digital fire control systems, and can fire all existing 155mm projectiles. This 8,250 pound howitzer, which saves 7,000 pounds of weight by making extensive use of titanium and titanium castings, is designed to be transportable by Marine Corps MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft and/or airdropped by C-130 aircraft. It will perform fire support for U.S. Marine Air Ground Task Forces and U.S. Army Stryker Brigade Combat Teams…
As part of the F-22 Raptor‘s transformation to a more multi-role F/A-22, McDonnell Douglas Corp. of Saint Louis, MO is being awarded a $6.8 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification. This contract is for F/A-22 Spiral 3A Phase A+ design, testing, integration and support for the 250 lb. Small Diameter Bomb, which can be carried in the F/A-22’s missile bays. This work will be complete by March 2006. The Air Armament Center at Eglin Air Force Base, FL issued the contract (FA8682-04-C-0019, P00050).
Small business qualifier G.P. Resources Inc. of Rancho Dominguez, CA won a $5.3 million contract for biodiesel for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. Work will be performed in various locations throughout California, with performance completed by March 31, 2007. G.P. Resources Inc. was already supplying biodiesel fuel to the Port of Long Beach, CA. There were 228 proposals solicited with 33 responses. The Defense Energy Support Center (DESC) at Fort Belvoir, VA issues the contract (SP0600-05-D-4513).
Peckham Vocational Industries in Lansing, MI received a $15.7 million ceiling-priced modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-04-D-0092) for up to 100,000 Multi-Climate Protective Clothing Systems. The MCPS is a multi-layer set of clothing that resembles the modern outdoor gear many of us have in our closets, but incorporates new flame-retardant fabrics so burning clothes don’t melt onto one’s skin.
Work will be performed in Lansing, MI (80%) and Mayaguez, Puerto Rico (20%), and is expected to be completed in September 2009. The Naval Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Patuxent River, Md., issued the sole source award off of a Javitts-Wagner O’Day list. See also Popular Science: Military Tech vs. Street Tech; NAVAIR: New duds keeping flyers warm, dry, stylish
“The metric is what the person has to contribute, not the person’s rank, age, or level of experience. If they have the answer, I want the answer. When I post a question on my blog, I expect the person with the answer to post back. I do not expect the person with the answer to run it through you, your OIC, the branch chief, the exec, the Division Chief and then get the garbled answer back before he or she posts it for me. The Napoleonic Code and Netcentric Collaboration cannot exist in the same space and time. It’s YOUR job to make sure I get my answers and then if they get it wrong or they could have got it righter, then you guide them toward a better way… but do not get in their way.”
==
JAMES E. CARTWRIGHT
General, USMC
Commander, USSTRATCOM
==
p. DID Note: As the post’s author noted, if you have to ask where Gen. Cartwright’s blog is, you don’t have access. See also the comments at Stryker’s for some veterans’ eye views. Emails from the field, blogs, et. al. are flattening military communications, and this is is sure to have an impact on procurement and sales approaches in the industry. Winds of Change.NET has more in-depth opinion and analysis… and in January 2006, DefenseTech has an addendum.
