Rapid Fire 2011-01-06: Spike Anti-tank Missiles

• Former Reagan defense official Lawrence Korb offers a plan to cut $1 trillion from Pentagon budget.

• How videogames are changing the economy – and reversing a traditional role for military technologies.

• South Korea plans to deploy Israeli-made Spike anti-tank missiles on Yeonpyeong Island, the Korea Times reports.

• US Army Corps of Engineers kicks off construction this week on a $1.2 billion NSA cybersecurity center at the Utah Army National Guard’s Camp Williams in Salt Lake City, UT.

• Up to $343 million to SAIC for modeling, simulation, analysis, and integration support to the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command.

• General Dynamics snags $122 million task order to provide IT support to US Army Europe under the GSA’s $50 billion Alliant contract vehicle.

• Eurocopter subsidiary Helibras will modernize 36 Brazilian AS350 light scout helicopters, including 3 full rebuilds.

• France’s Espadon program underway to test the 25t “Sterenn Du” (Dark Star) USV, which would also serve as a carrier for additional mine-hunting UUVs.

• Harris gets $24.5 million US Army order to provide Falcon III AN/PRC-152-C handheld radios and ancillary equipment and Falcon III AN/VRC-110 vehicular tactical radio systems for MRAP vehicles.

France Orders 200 Meteor Long Range Air-Air Missiles

Rafale w. Meteors
(click to view larger)

As 2011 begins, the French DGA made France the 4th customer nation to place production orders for MBDA’s ramjet-powered Meteor missile, after Britain, Spain, and Sweden. The 200 missile order was placed through the multinational program lead, Britain’s MoD Defence Equipment & Services (DE&S), to MBDA-UK. Price was not mentioned. The first French Meteor missile deliveries are expected in 2018.

MBDA’s Meteor missile was conceived as a longer-range competitor to popular weapons like the Russian R77/AA-12, and American AIM-120 AMRAAM. Its ramjet propulsion is intended to offer the missile a head-on closing range of 120 km, with a 2-way datalink and full powered performance at Mach 4+ throughout its flight, instead of the standard “burn and coast” approach use by rocket-powered counterparts. The intent is to give the Meteor both longer reach, and a wider “no escape” profile.

$95M to Boeing to Support US CH-47, AH-64 Heli Fleets

CH-47D Chinooks

Boeing’s Mesa, AZ operations recently won about $95 million in contracts to support the overhaul, repair, and recapitalization of the US Army’s AH-64 Apache attack helicopter and CH-47 Chinook heavy transport helicopter fleets. Note that these contracts extend beyond just the new AH-64D Block III and CH-47F models, to include the full range of types in service. Since Boeing is the manufacturer for both helicopter models, one bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL.

A $50.1 million firm-fixed-price contract will provide services and supplies to assist the overhaul, repair and recapitalization of the USA’s AH-64D Apache attack helicopter fleet. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, TX, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/11 (W58RGZ-10-D-0027).

A $44.9 million firm-fixed-price contract will provide services and supplies to assist the overhaul, repair and recapitalization of the USA’s CH-47 Chinook fleet. Work will be performed in Corpus Christi, TX, with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/11 (W58RGZ-10-D-0027).