Harris Corp recently received a basic purchasing agreement contract worth up to $419 million to supply the US Army with Falcon III AN/PRC-117G [data sheet, PDF] multiband tactical manpack radios, and vehicular power-amplifier adapter systems. The initial delivery order under the contract is valued at $165 million. Radio systems from this order will be deployed by the Army for missions worldwide to provide next-generation, high-speed tactical satellite and voice-and-data communications.
The AN/PRC-117G manpack radio is about half the size of currently fielded multiband systems, and has a frequency range of 30 MHz – 2 GHz. The radio supports streaming video, imagery, biometrics, logistics and other data-intensive applications. The Falcon III-R AN/PRC-117G-C is a JTRS-approved manpack radio that incorporates the Harris Advanced Networking Wideband Waveform (ANW2) for mobile ad-hoc networking, which provides secure IP data to the tactical Internet at on-air rates up to 10 Megabits per second (Mbps). This high data rate is joined with mobile ad-hoc networking, automated network establishment and maintenance, and integrated security. In addition, the AN/PRC-117G-C and its software-defined architecture offers interoperability with currently fielded radios, incorporating SINCGARS, Havequick II, and the High Performance Waveform (HPW), as well as MIL-STD-181B Tactical Satellite (TACSAT) capability. For encryption, the AN/PRC-117G-C uses the Harris Sierra II software-programmable encryption module. In January 2008, Harris announced its NSA certification, and the PRC-117G was part of a 10-day Army exercise in December 2007 that focused on integrating new networking technologies with the Patriot Missile System.
Harris Corp.’s RF Communications Division in Rochester, NY received a 5-year, $90 million ceiling firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for up to 3,385 AN/PRC-117F multiband radio vehicular installation kits from the US Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM) in Quantico, VA. In addition, Harris will provide associated documentation, technical and training support, training manuals, spares, and other ancillary items.
Harris also recently received a contract worth up to $419 million to supply the next-generation Falcon III AN/PRC-117G multiband tactical manpack radios and vehicular power-amplifier adapter systems. “US Contracts for Next-Gen Tactical Radio Upgrades” has more on next-generation tactical radios.
The Falcon III AN/PRC-117F [pdf] is a multiband manpack software-defined radio covering the 30 MHz to 512 MHz frequency spectrum…
On Sept 3/06, an RAF Nimrod MR2 sea control aircraft was flying near Kandahar, Afghanistan, using its advanced sensors and long endurance in support of NATO ISAF forces on land. The aircraft moved to take on additional fuel from an aerial tanker, in order to remain on station longer. That’s when the trouble began. Alerts soon began to sound, and the crew remained professional and businesslike as they steered their ailing plane toward Kandahar for an emergency landing. They never arrived. RAF Nimrod #XV230 exploded in mid-air over Afghanistan, killing all 14 crew members.
Britain’s Nimrod sea control aircraft fleet first entered service in 1969. In the aftermath of the inquests and inquiries that have followed the September 2006 explosion, however, serious questions have been raised concerning the Nimrod’s fleet’s ongoing fitness, and the measures taken to maintain these aging aircraft.
The problems have continued to pile up for the RAF. Beyond a scathing coroner’s report, a set of High Court filings by the UK MoD admit to failures in the RAF’s duty of care. Those are weighty legal words, and now an official independent review has delivered its verdict…
The US Air Force has exercised a second option year on a $90 million 5-year contract (FA8224-07-D-0001) for Mainstream GS in Bethesda, MD, to provide continuous process improvement (CPI) services. CPI is intended to improve the efficiency of how the USAF works as an organization.
A main portion of Mainstream’s work involves support for the Air Force Smart Operations 21 (AFSO21) program, which is based on both Lean and Six Sigma business process improvement tools.
In an interview, Mainstream President Alan Horowitz told DID that his company is supplying the USAF a number of CPI services, include Lean and Six Sigma consulting, training, facilitation, and planning…
MWH Americas in Broomfield, CO and ARGO/LRS JV in Glen Burnie, MD have joined 42 other companies in being eligible to compete for $3 billion in US Air Force environmental work.
The two companies received contracts from the US Air Force Center for Engineering and the Environment at Brooks City-Base, TX to compete for task orders to provide environmental requirements that include completion of conceptual design, construction, implementation, demolition, repair and operation and maintenance of installed systems prior to delivery to the government.
The work includes environmental remediation construction at US military facilities…
Finmeccanica subsidiary Oto Melara and the Italian Ministry of Defense recently signed a sole-source EUR 20 million (currently $29.7 million) contract to acquire 81 HITROLE Light turrets for Italy’s Light Multirole Vehicles (LMV, or Lince). The Linces have served well in Afghanistan, using their blast protection to save lives during land mine attacks. The first HITROLE turret will be delivered for operational testing in about 4 months, with most delivered by the second half of 2010.
Small Remote Weapon Systems (RWS) offer a package of advanced sensors, as well as a 7.62mm or 12.7mm/ .50 caliber machine gun, or a 40mm grenade launcher, all controlled from inside the vehicle, using a joystick and screen. While their field of view is narrower than an exposed human’s, and they do not transmit auditory cues, they do offer long-range day and night surveillance, and protected firepower that is not vulnerable to snipers. Some high-end systems are even stabilized to ensure accurate fire from moving vehicles, though HITROLE does not appear to have this capability. American CROWS/ CROWS-II systems on its Humvee jeeps, many MRAPs, Stryker APCs, and M1A1 TUSK tanks offer just one example of growing RWS usage by armies who are increasingly forced to fight in complex terrain and urban areas. Italy has ordered 1,286 Lince blast-resistant vehicles as of June 2009, however, so 81 RWS systems aren’t – yet – a fleet-wide contract like CROWS.
USS Hartford [SSN-768] returns to New London for repairs
General Dynamics Electric Boat Corp. (GDEB) in Groton, CT received a $25 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00024-10-C-4302) to staff and operate the Nuclear Regional Maintenance Department (NRMD) at the Naval Submarine Base New London, according to Robert Hamilton at GDEB. The company will perform project management, engineering and planning, training, inspection, and radiological control services for nuclear submarine maintenance, modernization and repairs.
The contract has a potential value of $78 million over 3 years if all options are exercised. The US Department of Defense incorrectly announced Oct 26/09 that the GDEB contract was for non-nuclear maintenance and repair support at the base’s Naval Submarine Support Facility.
GDEB had been operating the NRMD under a previously awarded contract. The company’s current NRMD staff is around 25 employees, but that number has been as high as 100, according to Hamilton. The NRMD consists of five groups…
LTM in Havelock, NC received a $25.8 million modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-01-D-0101) to support the Fleet Readiness Center (FRC) East at Cherry Point, NC.
The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) in Patuxent River, MD is exercising an option on the contract for LTM to provide approximately 431,707 hours of maintenance planning and design interface technical/management support services that include evaluating initial designs and proposed design changes, maintenance planning, and sustaining maintenance plans.
The FRC East provides maintenance, engineering and logistics support primarily for US Navy and US Marine Corps aircraft…
L-3 Link Simulation and Training received 2 US Air Force contracts to provide training and simulation support for the E-3 AWACS and F-16 fighter aircraft.
Under the 1st contract (F42630-00-C-0024), worth $14.4 million, L-3 Link will support the E-3 contractor training and simulation services (CTSS) program.
Under the 2nd contract (F33657-01-D-2007), the company will provide a helmet-mounted display to simulate “out-the-window” imagery on currently fielded F-16 trainers. The contract value was not disclosed…
Allegations and legal depositions state that the firm traded booze for weapons, and bought weapons and vehicles on the black market in Iraq between 2003-2004. At least one of those employees have expressed concern that the money used to buy these items may have ended up in the hands of Iraq’s Islamists, who were connected to criminal enterprises in Iraq at a number of different levels.
The article itself turns out to be more balanced than its headline might indicate, and the detailed accusations are linked to detailed responses; both are worth reading. Beginning with the revelation that significant responsibility for this state of affairs traces right back to the US State Department…
