In order to support recent U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) policies “for the Unique Identification (UID) of Tangible Items” The Uniform Code Council, Inc. announced today that it has published the Guidelines for Application of EAN.UCC Unique Identification (UID) Markings to Items in the Supply Chain. The Uniform Code Council is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the development and implementation of standards-based global supply chain solutions, including the Universal Product Code (UPC) bar-coding system.
DID had covered the issue of Israel’s Harpy anti-radar UAV sale to China before, noting that it had stalled cooperation on the American F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program but that negotiations were ongoing. That situation now appears to be resolved. UAVs Blog links an article that reports:
To note that cross-ownership within Europe’s defense sector gives its ownership structures a Byzantine level of complexity is to utter a truism rather than a criticism. This NDIA diagram from Boeing, updated on Feb. 3, 2003, may help untangle the web (locally-stored version).
BAE acquisition United Defense LP’s Armament Systems Division in Minneapolis, MN received a not to exceed ceiling $376 million cost-plus-award-fee contract for continuation of design, development and test of the 155mm Advanced Gun System (AGS), in support of the DD (X) Destroyer program. The contract includes the fully automated gun, magazine and Long Range Land Attack Projectile (LRLAP).
The AGS is a 155mm Gun Weapon System planned for installation in the DD (X) Destroyers to provide high-volume, sustainable gunfire in support of amphibious operations and joint land battles. The DD (X), in turn, is envisioned as a land attack destroyer with strong stealth features and other enhancements that enable it to get close to shore in a war zone and still survive. As DID noted in its recent coverage, the DD (X) program had its costs capped at $1.7 billion per ship (current estimates are $3 billion) in the proposed Congressional FY 2006 budget. Note that this provision has not been finalized.
East Granby, CT firm Nufern, the largest independent manufacturer of fiber laser and amplifier modules and specialty optical fiber, is being awarded a $25 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for high power/ high energy fiber laser applications.
Johnson Outdoors in Binghamton, NY is being awarded a maximum $15.9 million firm fixed price contract for Army Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps for Modular General Purpose Tent Systems (MGPTS).
