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Daily Rapid Fire

New CLU for Army’s Javelin | USS Harry S. Truman finishes refit, begins sea trials | Manilla gets Hermes 900 demo

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Americas * Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been contracted by the US DoD to modernize the Command Launch Unit for their jointly-developed Javelin anti-tank missile. Valued at $10.1 million, the contract modification will apply toward weight reduction, engineering design requirements and analysis for updating the CLU infrared targeting system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is scheduled to be completed by September 30, 2019. The CLU provides thermal target detection and lock-on to the missile before launch, and it can be used independently as a thermal scanning device for dismounted troops. * The United States Air Force has awarded a $75 million contract to Raytheon to conduct technical work on the GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb (SBD) II guided air-dropped weapon system. Work will be conducted at Tuscon, Ariz., and covers engineering, manufacturing development and production work for the SDB II. Completion time is expected by July 25, 2024. The all-weather munition is carried on USAF-operated F-15E, F/A-18E/F, and F-35B/C aircraft. * Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS Harry S. Truman has returned to the sea after completing some 10 months of deep maintenance and upgrades as part of its Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). Work carried out during the refit […]
Americas

* Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been contracted by the US DoD to modernize the Command Launch Unit for their jointly-developed Javelin anti-tank missile. Valued at $10.1 million, the contract modification will apply toward weight reduction, engineering design requirements and analysis for updating the CLU infrared targeting system. Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is scheduled to be completed by September 30, 2019. The CLU provides thermal target detection and lock-on to the missile before launch, and it can be used independently as a thermal scanning device for dismounted troops.

* The United States Air Force has awarded a $75 million contract to Raytheon to conduct technical work on the GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb (SBD) II guided air-dropped weapon system. Work will be conducted at Tuscon, Ariz., and covers engineering, manufacturing development and production work for the SDB II. Completion time is expected by July 25, 2024. The all-weather munition is carried on USAF-operated F-15E, F/A-18E/F, and F-35B/C aircraft.

* Nimitz-class aircraft carrier the USS Harry S. Truman has returned to the sea after completing some 10 months of deep maintenance and upgrades as part of its Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). Work carried out during the refit included an overhaul of the ship’s internal and external communication network, receiving and installing more than 3,000 Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services assets and the Navy’s next-generation tactical afloat network, as well as repair work to 4,500 reactor material items, which accounted for approximately 25 percent of the ship’s overall work package. Other work involved a refurbishment of the vessel’s hanger bay and flight deck. It will now go on sea trials before returning to its home port at Naval Station Norfolk. Next up for PIA at the shipyard will be the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in August.

Middle East & North Africa

* State-owned oil concern Saudi Aramco has received bids from several defense firms to increase security systems at its offshore oil facilities. Raytheon, Germany’s Rheinmetall AG, Leonardo’s Selex ES Saudi Arabia and General Dynamics are all believed to have tenders submitted for the work, which will include providing long range integrated security systems on nine of its offshore sites, with the potential for further security contracts as Aramco considers expanding its offshore oilfields and upgrading their security. A contract is expected to be awarded in either late 2017 or early next year.

Europe

* BAE Systems has teamed with Italian firm Goriziane Group SpA to offer joint support of the BvS10 Beowulf armored all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Gorizioni Group, who have already worked with BAE on the older BV206 ATV, are specialists in the engineering and maintenance of vehicles and other heavy equipment, and this extended agreement is part of BAE’s dedication to “work closely with industries in the countries we do business in to support government programs and local economies,” according to Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, general manager of BAE Systems Hagglund. The Italian military is one of the largest users of the BV206 and BV206S vehicles, and the vehicle is also in use with the militaries of Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

* Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) have announced a collaboration to market aviation products and platforms to Poland’s military. Signed last week, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covers tactical loitering unmanned aircraft systems, aerial reconnaissance systems, electronic warfare systems multi-mission transformer tankers, and also includes the transfer of innovative aerial technologies to PGZ companies. The companies will also cooperate in promoting and marketing products and engage in the licensed production of equipment for various modernization projects in Poland, and both will also review Poland’s modernization programs for supply of IAI solutions.

* France placed its new Griffon multirole troop carrier on public display during this year’s Bastille Day celebrations on July 14. The Griffon featured in the parade was one of two prototype vehicles undergoing certification tests by the French Army and Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA)—its procurement office—with four more currently on order with manufacturers Nexter, Renault Trucks Defense and Thales. The same group is also developing the Jaguar, a combat vehicle designed to share common equipment with the Griffon. Both vehicles are being developed under France’s Project Scorpion—a $6.8 billion multi-company modernization effort that aims to replace all of France’s frontline fighting vehicles with improved platforms linked with a new and unified communications and battlefield management system (BMS).

Asia Pacific

* Elbit Systems announced that it has flown a number of demonstration flights of its Hermes 900 UAV for an interested Philippine Air Force (PAF). Manila is in the market for new intelligence reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities for both patrolling its territorial waters and tackling an insurgency on the archipelago by jihadists affiliated with the Islamic State. Earlier this month, neighboring Singapore offered to send UAVs and urban warfare assets to help the Philippine military tackle the insurgency, platforms which contains fellow Israel firm IAI’s Heron 1—which has a range of 200km and can stay in the air for 24 hours—and the Hermes 900’s predecessor, the Hermes 450—which has half the range and a shorter flying time of 14 hours. The Hermes 900 meanwhile, boasts an endurance of 36 hours and a flight range of 1,850km.

Today’s Video

* Now in production. Iran’s Sayyad-3:

https://youtu.be/oeURhEvApwU>

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