Boeing on KC-X: “Methinks We Doth Protest to You”

KC-767: In the dark?

Our FOCUS Article “The USAF’s KC-X Aerial Tanker RFP” has covered the lead-up to Boeing’s protest, in the wake of the Airbus/NGC win. Today, Boeing issued a release that discussed its claims in the coming GAO protest. Boeing claims that the USAF:

Arbitrarily discounted the KC-767’s strengths, compromising on the ability to refuel a wider range of aircraft such as the V-22 and on “the survivability of the tanker during the most dangerous missions.”

DID has asked Boeing for clarification re: which aircraft were left out, and what factors would allow the KC-767 to refuel them where the A330 MRTT could not. We have also requested elaboration on what would make the KC-767 more survivable, given that both aircraft would be equipped with the same defensive systems. The release continues…

Poland’s Bumar: A Major Sale to India?

PZA LOARA

In the wake of the Soviet Union’s collapse, the Warsaw Pact defense industries that had supported its mailitary machine were faced with painful restructuring. Poverty and poor national infrastructure left governments with other priorities, even as Russia’s own implosion removed any sense of threat from that quarter. The state-controlled arms company Bumar s.o.o. began in 2002 with the fusion of 8 defense plants, and within a year 3 more plants joined the group; a 2004 interview with Chairman Roman Baczynski predicted a total of 16 plants, with a common logistics and supply system underneath and further restructuring and streamlining to follow. The firm’s specialties include vehicles, guns, and air defense systems. The Polish PT-91, an upgraded T-72M1 tank, is their premier platform.

In late February 2008, Bumar announced it was poised to sign a EUR 809 million (about $1.2 billion) multi-contract deal to supply military equipment to India. Proposed contracts to India need to be greeted with skepticism, because they are often held up for long periods of time, or disappear altogether. Nevertheless, it’s clear that some discussions are in progress regarding…

Luxembourg Orders Mine-Restsant Dingo-2 Surveillance Vehicles

Dingo 2 PRV
(click for alternate D2)

The Luxembourg Army’s Protected Reconnaissance Vehicle (PRV) contract called for a tactical reconnaissance vehicle “that is particularly well suited to allied operations” such as NATO’s ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The winner would have to balance interoperability, mobility, protection, and observation needs. With mine-resistant vehicles emerging as a basic requirement for all international deployments, and neighbors Belgium and Germany already committed to KMW’s Dingo 2, it’s hardly surprising that competition manager NAMSA (NATO’s Maintenance & Supply Agency) selected the Dingo 2 as the platform, and European defense electronics giant Thales Group as the prime contractor. Thales and KMW will deliver 48 vehicles and their electronics by the end of 2010.

The vehicles will carry an array of Thales communication equipment (PR4G, TRC 3700 HF), a tactical situation awareness system (T-BMS) “blue force tracker” type system, an extensible mast with a small reconnaissance turret, a dismounted surveillance system with Sophie MF handheld thermal cameras, and Kongsberg’s Protector remotely-operated machine-gun turret. Thales’ Open Information Communication System will serve as the underlying tie that connects these systems together.

Tiny Luxembourg is now the Dingo-2’s 5th customer, after Germany, Austria, Belgium, and the Czech Republic. Thales release | KMW release [Deutsch].

$5M for MRAP-Related Actuators

Getting blast-resistant MRAP vehicles to the front lines involves more than just vehicle orders and a DX rating for materials priority. Deliveries will be delayed if critical parts or accessories aren’t also bought in time,, and final integration of government-furnished equipment like communications systems has also been a bottleneck at times.

DCX-CHOL Enterprise Inc. in Pekin, IL received $5 million in firm-fixed price purchase orders, covering 4,100 actuators and 4,010 actuator controllers for the Mine Resistance Ambush Protection Vehicle program. Work will be performed in Pekin, IL and is expected to be complete by Oct 21/08. Bids were solicited via the World Wide Web on Feb 15/08, and 1 bid was received by the Joint Manufacturing and Technology Center at Rock Island, IL (W9098S-08-P-0430).