A GBP 1.05 billion ($1.83 billion) package has been finalized to ensure the continuing safe maintenance of the UK’s nuclear warheads for the rest of their intended service lives. In light of the UK’s ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which means that the UK does not undertake live nuclear testing, GBP 350M will be spent in each of the next three years to upgrade facilities at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield to provide continued reliability and safety assurance.
At present, over 80% of the infrastructure at AWE pre-dates 1960 and it is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive to sustain. The package will enable AWE to take forward a program of work aimed at sustaining key skills in the AWE workforce and modernizing some of its core research and manufacturing facilities, including the provision of some extra supporting infrastructure.
Defense Minister Yoon Kwang-ung recently reaffirmed his commitment to reform South Korea’s Army-dominated military to achieve a better balance between the Army, Navy and Air Force. South Korea has 690,000 troops, the sixth largest military in the world, including 550,000 Army troops who account for 81% of the nation’s military. The Navy has 67,000 troops and the Air Force, 64,000, according to the 2004 Defense White Paper published last March.
Yoon said the ministry will implement its three-point reform measures by 2020, including streamlining the Army and reorganizing military setups. Based on public consensus, the ministry will push for military reform on a coherent basis by legalizing reform methods, modeled after France’s military reform program
Using supplemental funding for the global war on terrorism, the US Air Force (USAF) is continuing its efforts to outfit more of its transport aircraft with the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system. Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. in Meadows, IL received a $78 million firm-fixed-price and time and materials contract modification to provide AAQ-24 (V) Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) system hardware as well as the associated system support to include spares, support equipment, technical data, training, and installation support.
DID has covered a number of LAIRCM related contracts. The LAIRCM system includes detectors and crew warning systems, and automatically uses a modulated laser beam to jam incoming threats without crew intervention.
Small business qualifier Summa Technology Inc. in Huntsville, AL received the full delivery order amount on a $5.8 million firm-fixed-price sole-source contract for Container Roll-in-Out Platform (CROP) Units. Work will be performed in Cullman, AL and is expected to be complete by Dec. 30, 2008. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI issued the contract (DAAE07-03-D-S019).
The M3 containerized roll-in/out platform (CROP) is an A-frame type flatrack which fits inside a 20-ft ISO container. A container handling unit (CHU) enables self-loading PLS trucks to pick up and transport ISO containers without using a flatrack. The U.S. Army’s improved battlefield distribution concept is predicated on several key technological platform enablers, including CROP:
Back on May 6/05, DID discussed Turkey’s $1.1 billion agreement with the U.S. government to upgrade its 200+ F-16s to a common Block 40-50 configuration. Now Lockheed Martin Corp. in Fort Worth, TX has received an $83.5 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide for Peace Onyx III, the Government of Turkey F-16 Modernization Program. Solicitation began June 2005, and work will be complete by July 2006. The Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8615-05-C-6002).
Rolls-Royce has been awarded a defense contract worth nearly $19 million to produce up to 100 Infrared Exhaust Suppressors to be fitted to Special Operations Command (SOCOM) MH-47 Chinook helicopters (two per aircraft). The new engine components, are designed to reduce the heat signature of gas turbine engines, diminishing vulnerability to heat-seeking missile attacks. These measures will complement existing defense systems like aircraft flares, and Rolls Royce is looking to expand the use of these suppressors for other military aircraft.
Engineering and program management will be conducted at Rolls-Royce facilities in Indianapolis, IN and production work through subcontractors in Danville, IL and Brea, CA. The contract runs through May 31, 2007, and was issued by the U.S. Special Operations Command Technology Applications Contracting Office. Corporate release
Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO has received a pair of F/A-18 Hornet related contracts worth $86.3 million from two U.S. Navy agencies. McDonnell Douglas is the original manufacturer of the F/A-18, and neither contract was competitively procured. Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO.
Lockheed Martin Corp. in Owego, NY received a $9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification on a contract related to the A/AO-10 Thunderbolt II Precision Engagement program. The modified contract provides for 72 each A/AO-10 Precision Engagement Spiral 1 Modification Kits and Associated Test Equipment, plus three option years for Precision Engagement Spiral 1 Modification Kits.
Solicitation began July 2004 and negotiations were completed March 2005. The Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, UT issued the contract (FA8202-05-0004, PZ0001). The original contract for $37.8 million, including details re: the A-10 Precision Engagement modification program, was covered by DID on March 31/05. The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over the next five years for an estimated total contract value of $168 million.
