India Building A Military Satellite Reconnaissance System

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India is building up a satellite-based Military Surveillance and Reconnaissance System that will become operational by 2007, allowing it to keep watch on developments in its area. “The program is in the advanced stages of development and is planned to be operational by 2007,” Indian Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in Parliament recently.

The system was to be operational by 2005, but the defense minister said validation of technologies had taken more time than anticipated. While India’s procurement system has a reputation for being very risk-averse and missing deadlines most of the time, this sort of issue is not uncommon in American satellite programs either.

India has not launched any explicitly military satellites to date and the government remains tight-lipped, but experts believe the country has several options…

350 more M1114 Up-Armored Hummers On The Way

On Patrol in Iraq

Armor Holdings subsidiary O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co. in Fairfield, OH received a $21 million firm-fixed-price contract to purchase 350 of the M1114 up-armored High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV). Work will be performed at the company’s Fairfield facilities and is to be completed by Dec. 31, 2005. The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Rock Island at Warren, MI issued the contract (DAAE07-00-C-S019).

$125M to Support 70th Reservce Center at Ft. Lewis, WA

Centennial Contractors Enterprise in Vienna, VA won a $125 million firm-fixed-price task order to support the 70th Reserve Service Center at Fort Lewis, WA. Work will be performed at Fort Lewis, Wa, and at the 70th Reserve Service Center’s facilities in Idaho, Oregon and Montana. The work is to be complete by July 22, 2010. Worldwide Web and open-competition announcements of April 13, 2005, resulted in four bids received, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Seattle District issued the contract (W912DW-05-D-1027).

Recon Provides $24.8M in Cameras for SHARP Recon Pods

CA-270 family camera

Recon/Optical Inc. in Barrington, IL is being awarded a $24.8 million modification to definitize a previously awarded firm fixed price contract (N00019-04-C-0120) for the procurement of 12 SHAred Reconnaissance Pod (SHARP) Sensors. Recon/Optical is currently supplying CA-279/M and CA-279/H digital reconnaissance cameras to the U.S. Navy for the F/A 18E/F Super Hornet SHARP pod program.

ITT Wins $19.7M to Support Forces in Iraq

ITT Federal Services International Inc. in Colorado Springs, CO received a $19.7 million requirements-type contract with time and material-priced task orders to provide logistics-support services for the Multi National Forces – Iraq. Solicitations via the Worldwide Web on March 8, 2005 resulted in 10 bids received. Work will be performed in Iraq and is to be completed by Aug. 5, 2009. The U.S. Army Contracting Command Europe in Weisbaden, Germany, issued the contract (W912CM-05-D-0019).

$8M for Future Improvements to JSF STOVL Lift Fans

F-35B: lift fan open

United Technologies Corp. subsidiary Pratt & Whitney Military Engines in East Hartford, CT is being awarded an $8 million modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-04-D-0077) for the Lift Fan Thrust Improvement Program. This program will help improve the Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) engine – see lift-fan in photo – that can deliver additional thrust to support potential future weight growth of the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. The F-35B STOVL will be used by the US Marine Corps and Royal Navy, and may be purchased by the navies of Spain and Italy as well. The F-35 comes in three variants, including a conventional land-based (F-35A) and carrier-based (F-35C) version.

Work on this contract will be performed in Indianapolis, IN (80%); Middletown, CT (15%); and Bristol, United Kingdom (5%), and is expected to be completed in December 2006. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD issued the contract.

$6.8M Buys 93 Police Trucks for Iraq

Kjaer Group subsidiary AES Kjaer of Reston, VA received a $6.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 93 police trucks, spare parts, and English/Arabic operating manuals for the Iraqi Supplemental Acquisition Military Program. AES Kjaer is an officially appointed global distributor of Ford Vehicles, with a focus on pickups and SUVs for the Aid and Development sector.

Two bids were received after being solicited on the Worldwide Web on July 7, 2005. Work will be performed by AES Kjaer at their Louisville, KY location and will be complete by Aug. 31, 2007. The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Rock at Warren, MI issued the contract (W56HZV-05-D-B139).