Americas
Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems won a $500.6 million contract modification in order to perform research and development support for the Army Navy Transportable Radar Surveillance Control Model-2 and Sea-Based X-Band radar. Raytheon’s nine-story-high X-band Radar is the world’s largest X-band radar. The sea-based X-band platform that it sits on stands more than 250 feet high and displaces more than 50,000 tons. It consists of a semi-submersible oil production platform topped with the XBR. The AN/TPY-2 is a missile defense radar that can detect, classify and track ballistic missiles. It operates in the X-band of the electromagnetic spectrum, which enables it to see targets more clearly, and it has two modes – one to detect ballistic missiles as they rise, and another that can guide interceptors toward a descending warhead. The modification also includes continued product improvement, warfighter support, engineering services, Ballistic Missile Defense System test subject matter experts support, modeling and simulation SME support, and cybersecurity. Work will take place in Woburn, Massachusetts. Period of performance is from November 1, 2017 through October 31, 2022.
Northrop Grumman won a $375.8 million firm-fixed-price delivery order for Multi Function Active Sensor Radar Systems for the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System. The MQ-4C Triton is an autonomously operated system that provides a persistent maritime ISR capability using multiple maritime sensors. The MQ-4C Triton air vehicle is based upon the United States Air Force RQ-4B Global Hawk, while its sensors are based upon components of already fielded in the DoD inventory. In May, the Government Accountability Office said that Triton UAV development cost has grown by 2% from last year. Northrop Grumman will perform work in California. Estimated completion date is December 31, 2025.
Middle East & Africa
Science and Engineering Services won a $54.9 million contract modification to an Afghanistan Foreign Military Sale. The deal is for maintenance on UH-60 helicopters. The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-blade, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. The US has been transitioning Afghanistan’s Air Force from a fleet of Soviet-era Mi-17 helicopters to the US-made UH-60 Black Hawks since 2017. The Black Hawk shipments are part of the Afghan Air Force’s modernization initiative. Work will take place in Kandahar, Afghanistan with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2020.
Europe
Germany’s new Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has said that she will decide on the aircraft to replace the country’s Tornado fighter as soon as possible next year, Reuters reports. She also explained to US Defense Secretary Mark Esper why the F-35 was dropped out from the competition, which now has the Eurofighter and F/A-18 in the running. However neither the F/A-18 nor the Eurofighter is currently certified to carry US nuclear weapons, as required under Germany’s obligations to NATO. Germany is asking Washington to spell out what it will take to get those aircraft certified.
The French Armed Forces Ministry ordered 56 Nerva and Caméléon Unmanned Ground Vehicles from Nexter, associated with ECA, on August 26, 2019 for the Army’s Scorpion program, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (DGA) – the French armament procurement agency – announced. The agency said the light UGVs would contribute to the protection of dismounted soldiers in all kinds of environments, allowing them to counter potential threats at greater ranges. Equipped with different mission modules, the UGVs will allow engineers and infantry to gather intelligence regularly, the DGA added. The order is for three types of UGVs, all equipped with day/night cameras and a microphone: the 3 kg Nerva S reconnaissance, 5 kg Nerva LG extended reconnaissance, and 12 kg Nerva XX/Caméléon LG engineering UGV.
Asia-Pacific
The US Navy awarded Robertson Fuel Systems a $31.1 million contract to manufacture and deliver eight V-22 mission auxiliary tank systems for extended range of flight requirements in support of V-22 aircraft for the US Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force as well as the government of Japan. The V-22 Osprey is a joint service multirole combat aircraft utilizing tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft. Japan ordered the first five Ospreys for the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force in July 2015 for $332 million. Work will take place in Tempe, Arizona and expected completion date will be in November 2021.
Today’s Video
Watch: HIGH TENSION: U.S. ARMY ACTIVATES NEW ARTILLERY M270 MULTIPLE ROCKET (MLRS) FOR MISSION IN EUROPE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SQzSOPXOtg
