eDefense Online reports that India has set new guidelines regarding military acquisitions from other countries. The most controversial clause of the new guidelines, which came into force on July 1, 2005, includes a key offset clause for any foreign vendor who wins a defense contract worth over $70 million. Under the offset clause, any qualifying defense contract with a foreign vendor will not become effective until after that vendor has concluded the offset contracts for the required 30% of the total cost. This means that the foreign vendor will have to buy defense or other specified equipment from Indian industry.
In addition, the government has also incorporated a new clause stating that the lowest bidder for a program may not necessarily be the winner of a contract, as considerations of strategy and politics may also be taken into account. These clauses could particularly affect the planned purchase of 126 light multirole fighter planes. Due to existing arangements, the requirements tilt the playing field somewhat toward the MiG-29, and raise the bar for U.S. aircraft like the recently-presented F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified the U.S. Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of 200 overhauled/ refurbished M109A5 155mm self-propelled howitzers considered surplus to U.S. needs, as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $181 million.
ThalesRaytheonSystems (TRS) Company in Fullerton, CA received a $130 million contract modification to provide spare parts to support the AN/TPQ-36 and AN/TPQ-37 Firefinder weapon-locating radars fielded by the U.S. Army. The modification adds part numbers and increases quantities of critical spare parts to ensure radar readiness for the Army’s weapon locating radars worldwide, including those deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Michael Yon, embedded with 1-24 (“Deuce Four”) in Mosul, offers a recent first hand description of counter-battery radars’ effect on enemy tactics. Indeed, due to the increased operational usage of the Firefinder radars, ThalesRaytheonSystems and CECOM (U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command) worked closely on an urgent basis to bring this contract to fruition in a very short period of time…
GenCorp Inc. subsidiary Aerojet won a contract from the U.S. Air Force to develop new solid rocket motor technologies for application on future Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Systems. In the first six-month phase, Aerojet will conduct analyses to evaluate solid rocket motor (SRM) technologies balancing cost and performance for a future strategic strike system.
If selected by the Air Force for the second phase, Aerojet will develop advanced manufacturing processes that optimize low life cycle costs, and will produce a full-scale demonstrator motor for testing. The firm has a 50-year heritage as a solid rocket motor supplier for Minuteman, MX Peacekeeper and Small ICBM missile systems.
Meanwhile, Defense Aerospace has translated an announcement from the French DGA defense procurement agency, which is launching a demonstrator program for the third stage of a submarine-based strategic ballistic missile. This demonstrator is designed to expand future choices in system design and technologies for the submarine component of its nuclear deterrent, and maintain the country’s techno-industrial base.
Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems’ Electronic Warfare Systems in Goleta, CA received a $10 million contract for an advanced concept technology demonstration of Advanced Tactical Targeting Technology (AT3). This Phase one effort calls for the demonstration of rapid and accurate location of RF (radio frequency, incl. radar) emitters associated with enemy air defenses.
Three F-16 Block 30 aircraft will be networked to share precise signal measurements in a timely manner, providing 360-degree coverage to rapidly and accurately locate RF emitters from any angle of arrival without use of external hardware. Raytheon’s digital radar warning receiver, the ALR-69A(V), will be demonstrated in 2007…
General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Suffolk, VA received a $47.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee task order contract for services in support of the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Joint Experimentation Program and Joint Futures Lab (N00140-04-D-0195-0028), and a $10.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee task order contract for services in support of the U.S. Joint Forces Command’s Standing Joint Forces Headquarters (N00140-04-D-0195-0029).
Work will be performed in Suffolk, VA and is expected to be complete by July 2006. Contract funds will not expire by the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured, with 30 proposals solicited and one offer received. The Fleet and Industrial Center Norfolk Philadelphia Division issued the contract.
Radian Inc. in Alexandria, VA received a $5.6 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for Add-on Armor Crew Protection Kits with Air Conditioning for the M915A0/A1 Series of Heavy Tactical Vehicles. Work will be performed in Alexandria, VA and is expected to be complete by Sept. 30, 2005. This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec. 7, 2004 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-05-C-0172).
