The first low rate initial production APG-79 AESA radar designed for the F/A-18E/F was delivered to Boeing IDS (Integrated Defense Systems) in January 2005. Following successful installation and testing Boeing plans to deliver the first AESA-equipped F/A-18F to the U.S. Navy in April 2006. The radar will also equip the initial production of EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft, currently on the drawing board to replace the aging EA-6B Prowler.
On 27 June 2005, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of 25 Avenger Fire Units as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $126 million. This will provide Egypt with two additional short-range air defense brigades of 12 Avenger fire units per brigade (6 fire units per battalion). One of the 25 fire units will be used as an operational float and/or for training at the Air Defense Institute.
Boeing’s Avenger system mounts eight Raytheon Stinger short range air defense missiles on a Humvee jeep, along with an FN M3P .50 cal machine gun and automated systems that use optical sights, infrared, a laser rangefinder, and an IFF (Identification Friend-Or-Foe) system. The DSCA release did not mention if the Avengers were of the upgraded “slew-to-cue” variety, which automatically slews the turret to place the sights on targets received from FAAD (Forward Area Air Defense) Command and Control systems.
BAE Systems in York, PA received a $143 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the production and system technical support for M88A2 Hercules armored recovery vehicles.
The M88A2 HERCULES [Heavy Equipment Recovery Combat Utility Lift and Evacuation System], formerly the M88A1E1 Improved Recovery Vehicle, addresses a long-standing US Army need to upgrade its recovery vehicles to safely tow and recover battle-damaged, mired or inoperative 70-ton M1 Abrams tanks.
Raytheon Co. in McKinney, TX received, a $15.4 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for the Improved Target Acquisition System. ITAS was originally designed to provide an advanced fire control system for the TOW anti-armor missile, significantly increasing target detection, acquisition, recognition and engagement ranges. It also offers upgraded hardware for a 30-year old system, some of whose parts are no longer produced.
ITAS uses a thermal imager based on a Standard Advanced Dewar Assembly (SADA II) focal plane array, eyesafe laser rangefinder, and a gunner-aided target tracker. This improves the target recognition range, performance and the hit probability. The advanced digital fire control computer provides missile tracking, target tracking, embedded training and even growth capability as demonstrated by the 2002 firing of a Javelin missile using this system.
Raytheon’s Phalanx Close-In Weapons System naval gatling gun functions as a last-ditch defense against anti-ship missiles and has recently been upgraded to attack small surface craft as well.
Yesterday, DID covered the IED threat, with links to a lessons learned report and the vehicle mix issue. The next biggest threat is mortars – many of them miss, but lucky shots are causing casualties. DefenseTech.org looks at the tactical issues around countering insurgent mortar tactics, and notes a new solution in trials by the U.S. Army: create a land-based version of Phalanx CIWS with appropriate ammunition for use over land.
EDO Communications and Countermeasures, Thousand Oaks, CA received a $34 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for Warlock Green and Red Electronic Countermeasure Devices. As DefenseTech.org reports:
“The Warlock radio frequency jammers are made by the New York and Simi Valley firm EDO. And they’re based on an earlier EDO product called the Shortstop Electronic Protection System, which is designed to protect troops against proximity-fused weapons like mortar rounds and artillery shells [by detonating them early]. The Warlock doesn’t do anything quite so dramatic. Instead, “it basically works by intercepting the signal sent from a remote location to the IED instructing it to detonate,” an Army official told Inside Defense (which has a wrap-up of all its recent IED stories here.) “The signal ‘cannot make contact, therefore when it can’t make contact it doesn’t detonate,’ much like a cellular phone call that does not connect, he added. “The cell phone never gets through, but [enemy forces] think it go through.”
XM Radio and Raytheon Co. have jointly built a communications system that would use XM’s satellites to relay information to soldiers and emergency responders during a crisis. The Mobile Enhanced Situational Awareness Network, known as MESA, would get a dedicated channel on XM’s satellites that would be accessible only on devices given to emergency personnel. The receivers would be the same as the portable ones available to consumers, with slight modifications to make them more rugged. Livescience.com has further details.
Small business NAVMAR Applied Sciences Corp. in Chester, PA is being awarded a $14.6 million indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract for a Phase III Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program under Topic N92-170 entitled “Laser Radar Identification Demonstration” and Topic N94-178 entitled “Air Deployable Expendable Multi-Parameter Environmental Probe.” DID covered some of the uses of LADAR recently, including its ability to see through cover and create 3-D pictures.
The objective for Phase III is to address a totally integrated system approach, including the modification of Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance aircraft with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and enhanced communications packages employing technologies developed under Phase I and Phase II.
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, U.S. Navy in Portsmouth, VA has issued firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity multiple-award contracts to AEPCO Marine (N40025-05-D-5012); Lyon Shipyard, Inc. (N40025-05-D-5011); Tecnico Corp. (N40025-05-D-5010); and Norfolk Shiprepair and Drydock Co., Inc. (N40025-05-D-5013). In return, they will furnish non-personal management, administrative and production services and required support to accomplish a full range of depot level requirements of Navy living barges and their auxiliary systems.
All of these contracts have options. Base amounts and total cumulative value ceilings are:
