How Big is That Tank? $19.6M for TLIs, to Know

TLI concept

Defense contracts can be important without being glamorous, and it takes a lot of “boring” ancillary equipment to keep the flashy big-ticket items working. The best militaries invest in the “boring” stuff, alongside their weapons. The paper tigers don’t.

Small business qualifier Naval Automation Group in Norfolk, VA (delightfully named NAG Marine) recently picked up a $19.6 million indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for radar tank level indicators (TLI) and time domain reflectometry TLIs, which are used on board naval ships to measure tank volumes for diesel fuel marine tanks; JP-5 aviation fuel tanks; potable and feed water tanks; ballast tanks; collection, holding and transfer tanks; and waste tanks.

Work will be performed in Norfolk, VA, and is expected to be completed by May 2016. $674,858 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11. This contract was competitively procured via the FBO.gov website, with 1 offer received by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in Philadelphia, PA contracting activity (N65540-11-D-0007).

Rapid Fire Evening 2011-06-08: Telemos UAV

• BAE Systems and Dassault Aviation name the program that will deliver their joint response for a next generation Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) as Telemos. Dassault’s international director is confident that if a contract is signed in 2011 the UAS could be delivered in 2016. While acknowledging that EADS could bring ‘equipment and competencies’ to the project, he also emphasized that the program would remain jointly-led by BAE Systems and Dassault.

• BAE Systems sells its remaining 10% stake in Saab for $249 million. The sale ends BAE’s involvement in the Swedish defense company over more than a decade.

• DCS Corp awarded the Ground Vehicle Simulation Lab (GVSL) contract, providing systems engineering and technical support to the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command.

Rapid Fire Morning 2011-06-08: US SOCOM Spending

• Bloomberg analysts report that US SOCOM spending has quadrupled from 2001-2010, led by L-3, Harris, Raytheon and Boeing.  On the other hand, small businesses have seen seen a sixfold increase in SOCOM contracts during that time.

• A new report by AlixPartners predicts that the aerospace and defense sector will face tough and contradictory burdens in the next few years, as the need to meet an anticipated 25% jump in commercial-aircraft deliveries by 2014 contrasts with further belt-tightening of nations’ defense budgets.

• In advance of Leon Panetta’s Senate confirmation hearing on Thursday, analysts speculate how the next Defense Secretary will adjust U.S. defense strategy to ensure the impending budget cuts make sense.

• Otokar’s privately-developed Arma 6×6 wheeled APC picks up its 2nd export contract, for $63.2M, but the Turkish firm won’t say to whom. The wheeled APC market is crowded. Their Turkish competitor FNSS’ Pars serves in Turkey, and recently picked up a larger win in Malaysia.

• Northrop Grumman awarded a $19 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to enhance and maintain the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) Framework. The delivery order was awarded under the Mission Planning Enterprise Contract (MPEC) II from the Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass.

• Harris and Cubic Corporation conduct technology demonstrations aimed at enhancing situational awareness by distributing Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) video and targeting data across wideband ground tactical communications networks. The demonstrations integrated Cubic’s Common Data Link (CDL) transceiver technology for receiving video’s from UAS platforms with the Harris Falcon III AN/PRC-117G open-standard widebrand tactical radio.

• Airbus Military completes the first flight of a C295 aircraft fitted with an Airbone Early Warning and Command (AEW&C) rotodome.

• UAS Vision reports that Rheinmetall has responded to the German Army’s request for a follow-on solution for the Heron 1 reconnaissance system by offering the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Heron TP. Rheinmetall and IAI already cooperate with the German Army under its Systems for Imagery Reconnaissance Deep in the Area of Operations (SAATEG) program.

• PRV Aerospace acquires Quality Forming, LLC , a manufacturer of large and complex, high-value precision sheet metal components and assemblies for the aerospace industry.

• Israeli UAS manufacturer Innocon signs a contract to supply 50 MicroFalcon systems to an unnamed Asian country.