US DLA Contracts $403M to Harris to Support Radio Systems | Safran to Dev & Mftr Smart Bombs for the French | Nirbhay Gets 18 Months to Resolve Issues

Americas

• Israel’s Elbit Systems has been contracted by the Brazilian Army to supply remote controlled weapons stations. Named REMAX, the system will be supplied over a five-year period and an initial production order worth $7.5 million. A REMAX turret is fitted on Brazilian VBTP-MR Guarani APCs, which includes a .50 machine gun, gives soldiers 360° capacity and is equipped with night vision, thermal vision, high resolution camera and zoom.

• The USAF has issued a request for proposals to develop laser protection systems for their fleet of tactical fighter aircraft. Known as the Laser Advancements for Next-generation Compact Environments (LANCE) project, researchers will investigate laser-based solutions for defending pilots from a variety of anti-aircraft threats. The product of LANCE will then be used for integration within an aerodynamic integrating structure for use during flight testing on tactical aircraft for self-defense research during Phase II of the Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHIELD) Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD).

• Harris Corp. has received a $403 million contract to provide spare parts to support various tactical radio systems for the US Defense Logistics Agency. The five-year agreement covers services for radios to be used by both the Defense Logistics Agency and the US Army. Harris has a variety of tactical radio systems in their catalogue, including systems with airborne, vehicular, and handheld applications. According to the company, the products are ideal for delivering high-speed voice, data and full-motion videos.

Middle East & North Africa

• Renewed long-range missile development has been given the go ahead by the Iranian parliament, as part of approval for an increase in wider defense spending. The extra cash, amounting to an increase of 5%, will go toward the development of long range missiles, armed drones and cyber-war capabilities, and could put Tehran on an early collision course with the incoming Trump administration in Washington. Iranian missile development has always been a thorny issue with the US and further advancements may been seen as violations against promises to curb research into nuclear warheads.

Europe

• BTR-3 APCs manufactured by Ukraine’s state-owned Ukroboronprom has been transferred to their military. 50 of the vehicles were produced as part of efforts by Kiev to boost BTR-3-related activities such as maintenance work and the production of new models. The 8×8 fully amphibious armored vehicle is equipped with hydraulically amplified power steering and armed with modernized weapon systems including 30mm guns and additional missile munitions. Since March 2014, the Ukrainian government has been fighting an insurgency against Russian-backed separatists in the country’s eastern Donbass region.

• Safran will develop and manufacture smart bombs for the French government. The new modular ASSM air-to-ground block 4 bomb kits are aimed at cutting procurement costs without scrimping on performance. While details on the contracts value or unit numbers remain unknown, first delivery is due in 2019 and could be followed with further orders at a later date. The ASSM family of kits, used by France and other countries, give precision guidance to standard bombs and come in several versions, depending on the type of guidance: inertial GPS, inertial/GPS + infrared imaging, and inertial/GPS + laser.

Asia Pacific

• The Indian government has given the team behind the Nirbhay cruise missile an 18 month extension in order to fix issues with the munition and finally deliver a successful test-firing. It was expected that the program would be wrapped up by the end of 2016, however most attempts to test-fire the missile have resulted in its veering off course and aborting mid-air. In conjunction with the extra time, New Delhi has also commissioned an inquiry by an independent technical committee in order to identify faults in the system that led to the missile’s failure during its fourth trial on December 21.

• While Indian cruise missile testing stumbles, Pakistan has announced the successful firing of their first submarine-launched cruise missile. The nuclear-capable Babur-3 missile has a range of 450 km (280 miles) and was fired from an undisclosed location in the Indian Ocean on Monday. News of the test may flare long-running tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi, as Pakistan looks to develop “credible minimum deterrence” against Indian missile development.

Today’s Video

A look at PT Sari Bahari’s munitions:

VBTP Guarani: A New APC for Brazil

VBTP concept

In December 2009, Brazil signed a EUR 2.5 billion deal with Italy’s Iveco that aims to renew its wheeled armored personnel carrier fleet, and revive Brazil’s land vehicle defense industry in the bargain. The 6×6 Guarani Viatura Blindada Transporte de Pessoal, Media de Rodas (VBTP-MR) is envisaged as a vehicle family that can replace Engesa’s wheeled vehicles. Their EE-9 and EE-11 have suffered from age-related problems, questionable protection levels, and a shortage of ready spares since Engesa’s 1993 bankruptcy.

Iveco is best known around the world for its trucks, but its Iveco Fiat Oto Melara joint venture has designed and fielded the core of Italy’s tank, wheeled APC, and tracked IFV fleets. The firm already has the new Puma wheeled 6×6/ 4×4 APC in its offering set, but the VBTP will offer them a new market, a new joint venture, and new export opportunities.

Harris Corp. Rising as Tactical Radio Market Grows

Falcon II Multiband

After the bell last Thursday, Harris Corp. raised its revenue and per-share earnings forecast for fiscal year 2006, citing higher-than-expected orders for its Falcon II tactical radios. Harris said the U.S. military was moving toward deploying more mobile and self-sufficient units that rely on radios and that demand is rising in the Middle East, Central Asia, and Africa. Pakistan, for instance, awarded a $68 million contract for Falcon-II tactical multi-band radios in February 2005.

Meanwhile, new analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s “Aerospace and Defense Group, U.S. Tactical Military Communications Markets” reveals that Department of Defense (DoD) spending for tactical communications was $4.78 billion in 2004 and predicts $5.68 billion by 2010.