Combat Troops’ Equipment May Dominate Land & Sea EO Market

AN/PAS-13 Thermal Sight

A new study by Forecast International of Newtown, CT, USA estimates that $6.4 billion will be spent over the next 10 years on land and sea-based electro-optical (EO) systems. This category includes thermal weapon sights, night vision goggles, combat vehicle surveillance systems, and naval fire control systems. “The Market for Land & Sea-Based EO Systems” estimates that some 363,779 systems will be produced through 2014, with Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, ITT, Thales and Kollmorgen playing a large role. The report’s author, Andrew Dardine, notes that “in some cases these devices are being fielded to troops as fast as they can be produced.”

BAE Systems Contract For FCS Armed Robotic Vehicle Rises to $311.3M

ARV-Assault Concept

In an Aug. 15/05 release, BAE Systems notes that it received an April/05 contract modification worth a minimum of $122.3 million for the Armed Robotic Vehicle (ARV) program within the U.S. Army’s $120+ billion Future Combat Systems program. This contract modification, awarded April 6/05, increased the total authorized value of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) contract from $189 million to $311.3 million. This could increase further to $320.5 million if $9.2 million in additional task orders are authorized.

The semi-autonomous ARV is the largest unmanned ground vehicle in the Army’s FCS program, and will be an integral platform within platoons and companies in the FCS-equipped Units of Action.

Britain Buys $55M in Guided MLRS Rockets

GMLRS Rocket
(click to enlarge)

Lockheed Martin has received a $55 million contract for its GPS/INS guided M30 Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) rockets from the United Kingdom. This contract represents the first international sale of GMLRS, which DID covered and explained in a June 28/05 article.

The initial UK contract calls for the production of GMLRS rockets with the Dual Purpose Improved Conventional Munitions (DPICM) warhead, with an option to migrate to other GMLRS variants in the future.

Funding Cuts in SBIRS-Low Require Additional $25.2M Contract

STSS Concept

Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. in Redondo Beach, CA received a $25.2 million cost-plus award-fee contract modification. The firm will use the funds to rebaseline the Space Surveillance and Tracking System (STSS, formerly SBIRS-Low) program for FY 2005 through FY 2008 due to funding reductions, and take the necessary measures to keep the project on schedule. To be more specific…

ITT Wins $25M for High Powered Microwave Antenna Research

ITT Industries in Alexandria, VA received a $25 million indefinite-delivery /indefinite-quantity contract to provide for research & development under a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) entitled “wideband antennas and sources research.” The basic contract covers high power microwave (HPM) wideband antennas and sources, analysis of new materials, development of impulse radar technology for target detection and identification, and theoretic analysis on advanced HPM concepts. A task order will be awarded at the same time as the basic contract and it will provide more specific R&D requirements.

Work will be performed at ITT Industries, Albuquerque, NM, and will be complete by August 2011. Solicitation began December 2004 and negotiations were completed August 2005. Detachment 8 Air Force Research Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM issued the contract (FA9451-05-D-0233).

South Africa Facing Transition Problems in Air Transport Budget

Airbus A400M concept

South Africa’s purchase of Airbus A400M aircraft is becoming a source of political controversy – and so are its recent expenditures to keep its existing C-130B Hercules transports flying until A400M deliveries begin in 2010-2014.

The controversy is a good illustration of some of the issues future systems and platform transitions are presenting to many militaries around the world.

Up to $47.6M to Support US Navy Readiness Reporting Systems

Small business qualifier InnovaSystems International of El Cajon, CA is being awarded an $8.8 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract with a cost-plus-fixed-fee pricing arrangement contract for the setup, installation, testing, training, software engineering, software integration, and maintenance of the Navy’s Readiness Reporting Systems. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to an estimated $47.6 million.

Work will be performed in San Diego, CA and is expected to be completed by August 2006 (August 2010 with options). This contract was competitively procured via the SPAWAR E-commerce web site with proposals solicited on a small business set-aside basis. Three offers were received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center in San Diego, CA issued the contract (N66001-05-D-5012).