Bittersweet Symphony: Lockheed & A-V Deliver Anti-IED Devices

Symphony on Iraqi vehicle
(click to view larger)

Vehicle mounted systems are one element of the USA’s Joint Counter Radio-Controlled Improvised Explosive Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (JCREW 2) program. Lockheed Martin’s Symphony IED Jammer System is a programmable, vehicle mounted radio-frequency IED jammer with a role that’s similar to other fielded systems including Elisra’s EJAB, as well as ICE and ITT’s Warlock/ JCREW.

Neither Lockheed nor the Army are releasing details concerning the Symphony system, but it is known to come from the Canadian/UK firm Allen-Vanguard, who also acts in this capacity for General Dynamics ATP via their Med-Eng subsidiary. Outside the USA, Allen-Vanguard supplies jamming devices directly to Canada, Australia, and various European militaries. Symphony orders are continuing, and the latest addition is a major new 5-year contract…

$114.6M to Boeing for Small Diameter Bomb Production Support

GBU-39 SDB, Deployed

Boeing Co. subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a $114.6 million contract to provide support for small diameter bomb (SDB) Increment 1 [pdf] production for munitions, carriages and technical support.

The GBU-39 SDB dramatically increases the strike capability of every combat aircraft in the US inventory. This 250 pound guided weapon has the same penetration capabilities as a 2000lb BLU-109 because of its length to diameter ratio, smart fuse and nose shape, demonstrating penetration of more than 6 feet of reinforced concrete with only 50 pounds of explosive…

US Army Orders 27 More Armored Knights

M1200 Armored Knight

Dec 10/09: Textron Systems Corp. in Slidell, LA, receives a $10 million firm-fixed-price letter-contract for 27 M1200 Armored Knights. Work is to be performed in Slidell, LA, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S Army Contracting Command, AMSCC-TAC-ATBD in Warren, MI (W56HZV-09-C-0532).

The M1200 Armored Knight is used by Field Artillery Combat Observation and Lasing Team (COLT) targeters, and derives its name from the Knight sensor system it mounts. That system includes a laser designator/ rangefinder, a thermal imager, blended inertial/ GPS navigation and targeting, digital command and control, and a machine gun. Its mission is to provide precision far target location and targeting for both artillery and air-delivered weapons. Data received is automatically formatted within the fire support tactical data system for immediate digital transmission, which allows receiving units to take immediate action.

Textron representatives confirmed to DID that this contract is just for the basic ASV vehicles. The vehicles’ “Knight” turret and LRAS 3 system, which give the vehicle many of its capabilities, is the subject of a separate contract with DRS (now a subsidiary of Finmeccanica). The M707 Knight system can also be mounted on M1025A2 HMMWV jeeps and M1131 Stryker 8×8 armored Fire Support Vehicle, as the system was designed from the outset to be both platform and sensor independent.

BAE Systems to Provide Software for US Navy Sonar Systems

Naval Undersea Warfare Ctr
in Newport, RI
(click to view larger)

BAE Systems received a $21 million contract from the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) to develop, maintain, and test software for sonar and other operational systems on ships and submarines and provide IT support for Web-based documentation and data storage.

The 5-year contract, which runs through 2014, was awarded competitively under the US Navy’s Seaport-e contract (N00178-04-D-4018) vehicle. Seaport-e is a $5.3 billion multiple-award umbrella contract that enables the US Navy to use an integrated approach to contracting for support services.

The NUWC is a shore command of the US Navy within the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Warfare Center Enterprise…

EMCOR to Provide Naval Base Operating Support Services in Washington, DC

EMCOR Facilities Services, an Arlington, VA-based EMCOR Group subsidiary, received a $23 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for regional base operating support services at various locations within Naval District Washington in Washington, DC.

EMCOR will provide regional base operating support services, including repair and maintenance of property, facilities and assets. The total contract amount after exercise of this option (Option 3) will be $80.6 million.

Work will be performed at the following Navy facilities in the National Capital Region:

The US Marines’ M1 Abrams AEV/ABVs

USMC M1-ABV

Most main battle tanks have derivative Armored Engineering Vehicle variants. They sacrifice the main gun in order to provide powerful support for combat engineering tasks under fire, while keeping up with a mechanized brigade in any terrain. The Leopard 2, for instance, has its AEV-3 Kodiak, which has recently been developed and sold to Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The US Army’s Grizzly variant of America’s M1 Abrams tank was specifically designed to breach complex obstacles including mines, berms, wire, rubble, and tank-ditches, in order to keep a mechanized force moving through prepared opposition. Unfortunately, the Grizzly assault breacher was canceled in 2001, as part of a larger restructuring of the US Army’s program portfolio. The US Marines still believed they had a need for the Grizzly’s capability, however, given their core mission of forcible entry from the sea. Marine Corps Systems Command granted Milestone B approval for their similar “Assault Breacher Vehicles” in July 2003, and these AEVs were expected to achieve full operational capability in FY 2007. It took a while, but the machines have now performed their first major combat mission…