Rapid Fire 2011-02-02: LCM2000 Cancellation

• The Malaysia armed forces is reportedly planning to spend up to MYR 2.2 billion (about $720 million) for 3 multirole support ships, 2 of which would be built locally, according to BMI.

• Australia’s Department of Defence cancels A$ 40 million contract with Thales Australia to build 6 LCM2000 landing craft designed for use with Kanimbla Class LPAs, but which don’t seem to fit its ships.

• India is looking for up to 10 LCMs…

• Obama administration mulls switch of 95 megahertz in the 1755 to 1850 radio frequency band from military to commercial use; DoD currently uses the band for satellite, radio, surveillance, and aeronautical operations [PDF].

• US Navy thinks it has a solution to the peeling anechoic tiles on its Virginia Class submarines.

• Top Gunned: China’s J-10 fighter footage apparently made in America.

• Russian Navy to receive a new Yasen (Graney)-class nuclear-powered multipurpose attack submarine, which has been 18 years in construction, by year’s end.

• India’s Nilgiri Class frigate INS Vindhyagiri collides with the merchant ship MV Nordlake near the entrance of Mumbai harbor, catches fire, then sinks after it’s towed back to the dock. The crew was evacuated, and the Indian Navy is considering lawsuits and charges. The Nilgiri class is mostly used for training now, and is slated for decommissioning soon.

• Tier 2 Indian EMB-145 AWACS aircraft set to roll out of Embraer Feb 21/11, fly to India in August 2011 for installation of Indian designed radar & equipment, and hopefully pass testing by 2014. By which time Pakistan will have been flying its similar Saab Erieye AWACS planes for a few years.

• Canada about to begin shipborne tests of the MH-92 / CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopter.

• Goodrich gets 5-year contract worth up to $47 million to supply AN/AVR-2A(V) laser warning system components for US Army helicopters.

• Boeing and iRobot deliver first 30 model 310 small unmanned ground vehicles (SUGVs) for the USAF’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team under a 2-year, $3.84 million contract.

• “I Was a Rare Earths Day Trader.” Despite all of the alarm about this issue, it did not go well.

SPAWAR Lets 2011 Contracts for Cyber-Defense Research & Infrastructure

As cyber-security becomes a greater focus for militaries around the world, contracts are following. The US Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific in San Diego, CA recently issued a set of multiple award contracts aimed at shaping the USA’s cyber-defense and cyber-warfare infrastructure.

Note that these are multiple-award contracts, hence not cumulative. The highest figure below is the highest possible total for the entire program, under circumstances that are basically impossible. These are 2 year contracts running to Jan 30/13, plus 3 more 12-month option periods. The contracts were competitively procured via publication on the Federal Business Opportunities website and posting to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems e-Commerce Central website, with 14 offers received. The 4 winners, and their terms, were:

$36M to Toshiba for Radiology Equipment

Legs together
on those jumps!

Toshiba America Medical Systems, Inc. in Tustin, CA receives a maximum $36 million fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract for radiology systems, subsystems and components, on behalf of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.

The original proposal was Web-solicited with 43 responses, and the contract will run until Feb 3/12. The Defense Logistics Agency’s Troop Support group in Philadelphia, PA manages the contract (SPM2D1-09-D-8322).