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F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program: UK Update
Related stories: Alliances, Americas - USA, BAE, Britain/U.K., Engines - Aircraft, Europe - France, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, Issues - International, Issues - Political, Lobbying, Lockheed Martin, New Systems Tech, Official Reports, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Procurement, Rolls Royce, United Technologies  Rafale-M carrier launch
(click to view full) DID has been watching Britain's participation in the F-35 JSF program rather closely for the past few months. The UK is the only Tier 1 partner aside from the USA, and with other participants wobbling and EU-related political pressures trying to pry members away, Britain's ongoing participation matters a great deal to the program. As such, the escalating kerfuffle around technology transfer restrictions, F136 engine program cancellations and side steps, and escalating rumbles of discontent in Parliament have wider significance. At present, Britain is slated to buy 150 F-35B STOVL (Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing) fighters for use by the Royal Navy on its carriers et. al., complementing the RAF's Eurofighters and possibly an upgraded set of Tornado GR4 strike fighters to form its fighter fleet from 2015-2030.
DID has noted the formal cooperation between Britain and France on their next-generation CVF/PA2 carriers, and quietly added the recent formal signing of that accord to our main CVF anchor post as we keep track of developments. While negotiating that agreement in late January on Britain's desired terms, however, Britain had another agreement offered - and promised to give it due consideration.
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Australian Firm Wins $80M Order for F-35 JSF Engine Parts
 F135 assembly
(click to view full) Recent DID articles have discussed the F-35 JSF program, including the possibility of defection by Norway over the issue of industrial workshare. Fellow JSF Tier 3 Partner Australia has had some success in this area, and also points to some of the program and contracting methods in use.
Melbourne-based family company Production Parts won what is potentially Australia's biggest-ever military aircraft engine parts deal: an agreement to supply high-pressure turbine supports for the JSF's Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. Production Parts was also chosen in 2004 to produce a titanium bearing housing for the fighter, and the two deals bring the potential value of the overall work to more than $60million (A$ 80 million) over the life of the JSF project. The company expects to double its output over the next five years and add 50 staff to meet demand.
Production Parts managing director Peter Nicholls also noted that the Australian approach to the JSF project changed the way contracts were negotiated...
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$49.9M for Wharf Improvements at Guam
 Guam
(click to view full) Black Construction Corporation in Barrigada, Guam received a $49.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for the FY06 MCON P-431, Alpha & Bravo wharf improvements at Naval Station Marianas, Polaris Point, Guam. Work includes sheet pile bulkhead improvements to existing wharves Alpha and Bravo, a concrete wharf extension to wharf Bravo, wharf fendering, mooring fittings, utility connections, security and area lighting distribution system, upgrade to potable water distribution system, dredging and incidental related work.
This contract will be incrementally funded. FY06 funds allotted at the time of contract award is $22.7 million. FY07 funds of $27.2 million will be provided no later than February 2007. Work will be performed at Polaris Point, Guam, and is expected to be completed June 2008. This contract was competitively procured with 22 solicitation packages distributed and 3 offers received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Construction Contracts Branch in Hawaii issued the contract (N62742-06-C-1305).
$16.5M to Support F-18 Weapons Management Systems
 Screenshot: stores mgmt.
(click to view full) Smiths Aerospace LCC, Customer Services Americas in Clearwater, FL received a $16.5 million requirements contract to provide performance-based logistics in support of the AN/AYK-22 stores management system upgrade used on the F/A-18 C-F variants, plus the EA-18G "Growler" electronic warfare aircraft. The AN/AYK-22 is standard equipment in the last lot of Hornet C-D versions, plus all Super Hornets and the Growler electronic warfare variant. It's also added as an update to older F/A-18 Hornets from Smiths' AN/AYQ-9 or AYQ-9 P3I (which added MIL-STD-1760 interface for more advanced weapons). This interesting January 2002 Crosstalk Magazine article described the processes used to implement the major software update that included the AYK-22.
Work on this contract will be performed in Clearwater, FL (95%) and Grand Rapids, MI (5%), and is expected to be complete by March 2016. This contract was not awarded competitively by the Naval Inventory Control Point (N00383-06-D-034D).
India's Navy Holding Maritime Patrol Aircraft Competition
Related stories: Americas - USA, Asia - India, BAE, Boeing, Britain/U.K., Coastal & Littoral, EADS, Europe - Other, Finmeccanica, Helicopters & Rotary, Lockheed Martin, Middle East - Israel, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, Radars, RFPs, Russia, Sensors - Aquatic, Specialty Aircraft, United Technologies  TU-142: on the way out?
(click to view full) In an earlier article, DID noted India's $133 million deal for two P-3C Orion maritime-optimized patrol and surveillance planes. As it happens, that deal fell through on grounds of expense, support costs, and timing. Apparently, it would have taken 18-24 months for the US Navy to retrofit the two aircraft to the Indian Navy specifications once the lease had been finalized. DID noted that in an article update, but there has been a subsequent development.
India's navy has now floated an RFP for 8 new maritime aircraft. Lockheed is invited to bid again, and so are several other firms. Under the Navy's RFP, the bids have to be made by end of April 2006, with price negotiations to be completed by 2007 and first deliveries to commence within 48 months. India's Ministry of Defence has extreme problems with announced schedules, but their existing fleet is wearing out, international requests for India's maritime patrol help are rising, and some action is necessary. DID reviews the situation, the current fleet, and the competitors....
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Mirage 2000s Withdrawn As India's MRCA Fighter Competition Changes
Related stories: Americas - USA, Asia - India, BAE, Boeing, Britain/U.K., EADS, Europe - France, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, Lockheed Martin, Other Corporation, Pre-RFP, Russia, Transport & Utility  Mirage 2000v5: Au Revoir
(click to view full) "It's the biggest fighter aircraft deal since the early 1990s," said Boeing's Mark Kronenberg, who runs the company's Asia/Pacific business. DID has offered ongoing coverage of India's planned multi-billion dollar jet fighter buy, from its early days as a contest between Dassault, Saab, and MiG for a 126 plane order to the possible entry of American competitors and even EADS' Eurofighter. What began as a lightweight fighter competition to replace India's shrinking MiG-21 interceptor fleet appears to have bifurcated into two categories now, and two expense tiers.
That trend got a sharp boost recently, when Press Trust of India (PTI) reported a surprise pullout by the CEO of Dassault on the eve of the RFP. The Mirage 2000v5 will no longer be fielded for the India deal, despite the fact that India already flies 40 Mirage 2000Ds and its senior officials have touted standardization as a plus factor. So, what's going on?
In a word, lots. The participants are changing, India's view of its own needs is changing, and the size and nature of the order may be changing as well....
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A$ 1.0 Bn Coastwatch Contract Finalized, New Aircraft Ordered
Related stories: Americas - Other, Australia & S. Pacific, C4ISR, Coastal & Littoral, Contracts - Awards, Domestic Security, Electronics - General, Force Structure, IT - Networks & Bandwidth, New Systems Tech, Other Corporation, Procurement Innovations, Project Successes, Radars, Satellites & Sensors, Sensors & Guidance  Coastwatch Dash-8 Q200
(click to view full) In DID's January 2006 "Cobham Catches $A 1B Australian Coastwatch Contract," we described Australia's innovative approach to maritime border patrol, explained the program's assets and structure, and noted that Cobham had been named the preferred bidder (vs. Raytheon Australia) for the next phase of the twelve-year, A$ 1 billion CMS04 program. That status was finalized in a contract as of March 3, 2006.
This announcement has in turn triggered a pair of contracts from Cobham subsidiaries for additional aircraft and accompanying modifications. As noted in DID's earlier Coastwatch post, the current Surveillance Australia fixed-wing aircraft roster currently includes:
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Hentzen Delivering Vehicle Coatings that Resist Chemical Weapons
Hentzen Coatings in Milwaukee, WI received a delivery order amount of $9.2 million as part of a $14.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for chemical agent resistant coatings for vehicles. Work will be performed in Milwaukee, WI, and is expected to be complete by April 12, 2007. There were two bids solicited on Nov. 30, 2004, and three bids were received by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Texarkana, TX (W911RQ-05-D-0013).
USAF Detachment 8 Continues US Research Into EMP-Microwave Weapons
Related stories: Americas - USA, C4ISR, Contracts - Awards, Contracts - Modifications, Laser & EM Weapons, Lockheed Martin, New Systems Tech, Non-Lethal Weapons, Northrop-Grumman, Other Corporation, R&D; - Contracted, Science - Basic Research, T&C; - SAIC, Testing & Evaluation 
HPM E-Bomb concept
(click to view full) Detachment 8 Air Force Research Laboratory/PKDP at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM is researching new opportunities in all aspects of high-power electromagnetic weaponry. Their research supports missions such as survivability of U.S. Department of Defense equipment against high-power microwave emissions, the development of high-power microwave (HPM) weapons, and the refinement of high-power microwave-predictive modeling for inclusion into engagement and campaign-level models.
HPM actually encompasses a variety of devices. HERF (High Energy Radio Frequency) and EMP (Electro-Magnetic Pulse) "electronics killer e-bombs" effects are HPM weapons, and this field has received the bulk for research dollars. So too, however, is "Project Sheriff," also known as the "pain ray" that does no significant damage to its human target other than causing pain. Other nations believed to be conducting research in the area of HPM weapons generally include China, Great Britain and France.
The Air Force is awarding a $24 million to be split among these eight companies. DID lists the companies involved in the current contract, and also notes previous contracts along similar lines that extend back to 1994:
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USA Spending $7.1M to Upgrade SEAL Delivery Vehicles
 SEAL Delivery Vehicle
(click to view full) DID has covered the problems with the USA's ASDS special forces mini-sub program, and the corresponding need to extend and upgrade existing "wet delivery" SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV). Now Sonatech Inc in Santa Barbara, CA has received a $7.1 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract to provide for life-cycle maintenance, spare parts and new obstacle avoidance sonar fabrication support of SDV. Sonatech will furnish five Obstacle Avoidance Sonar (OAS) systems, along with diagnostic evaluation, repair and upgrade, OAS spares, field support, and obsolescence studies.
Work will be performed in Santa Barbara, CA (98%) and various government sites (2%), and is expected to be complete by March 2011. This contract was a sole source effort issued by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division in Panama City, FL.
Up to $9.8M for Maintenance of T-AFS 9 USNS Spica
 T-AFS 9 USNS Spica
(click to view full) Detyens Shipyard, Inc. in Charleston, SC received a $7.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for ship repair, overhaul and drydock of US Military Sealift Command's Mars Class combat stores ship USNS Spica (T-AFS 9). This contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $9.8 million. Work will be performed in Charleston, SC and is expected to be complete by July 2006. This contract was competitively procured with eight proposals solicited and three offers received by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Fleet Support Command in Virginia Beach, VA (N62381-06-C-2002).
The USNS Spica's primary mission is to provide underway replenishment and/or vertical replenishment to Navy ships at sea, and the role of T-AFS ships within the US Navy's concept of operations was covered in more depth in DID's in-depth T-AKE ships anchor article.
More Small Caliber Ammo Deliveries for US Military
DID has written articles covering the US military's small caliber ammunition shortages, and the steps they've taken to both solve the problem in the short term and implement longer-term capacity improvements. A pair of delivery orders worth about $159.2 million from the U.S. Army Field Support Command, Rock Island, IL are a good reminder that efforts continue.
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US Spends Another $27.3M for Contractor Support of Deployed Stryker Vehicles
GM GDLS Defense Group L.L.C. in Sterling Heights, MI was awarded on Feb. 28, 2006, a $27.4 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Contractor Logistics Support of deployed Stryker armored vehicles. Vehicles serving in Iraq have almost invariably been M1126 ICVs. Work will be performed in Ontario, Canada (61.9%), Iraq (23.4%), Fort Lewis, WA (5.7%), Fort Wainwright, AL (4.7%), Sterling Heights, MI (2.2%), Kuwait (1.6%), and Vilsek, Germany (0.5%), and is expected to be complete by Feb. 28, 2007. This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec. 9, 2003 by the U.S. Army Field Support Command in Rock Island, IL is the contracting activity (DAAE07-02-C-B001).
$25.0M for Security Operation Facility at 101st Airborne's Home Base
B.L. Harbert International in Birmingham, AL received a $25 million firm-fixed-price contract for Design and Construction of a Security Operation Facility at Fort Campbell, KY. Fort Campbell is the home of the 101st Airborne Division, aka. "Screaming Eagles."
Work is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2008. There were 67 bids solicited on Oct. 7, 2005, and 3 bids were received by the Army Corps of Engineers in Louisville, KY (W912QR-06-C-0013).
Norway to Back out of F-35 JSF Over Industrial Share?
Related stories: Avionics, Europe - Other, Fighters & Attack, Issues - Political, L3 Communications, Lobbying, Other Corporation, Partnerships & Consortia, Policy - Procurement, Procurement Innovations, Rumours, Specialty Aircraft  F-35 JSF Variants
(click to view full) DID reader Endre Lunde drew our attention to an article that was published March 1, 2006 on the official web-site of the Norwegian military. The article is in Norwegian, but Mr. Lunde helps by explaining:
"It is reporting from a recent visit by representatives of the Norwegian MoD and key figures of the RNoAF to the Lockheed Martin JSF research plant. In this article, as it reads, the secretary of state of the ministry of defense (equals deputy minister) states that if there are no signs of improved industrial relations between Lockheed Martin and the Norwegian defense industry by the time the next partnership-payment is due, Norway will resign its JSF partnership. This payment, due in June, amounts to roughly 18 million US dollars. It is said, however, that a notice of intention to withdraw must be posted by April. This means, that if there are no new contracts or general improvement of relations within two months, Norway might just be withdrawing from the JSF development project."
Norway is a Tier 3 JSF consortium member who joined on June 20, 2002 with a $125 million contribution. Gripen International director of sales Bob Kemp seems to think withdrawal is a real possibility, and Mr. Lunde adds:
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Pax: Activate Laser Perimeter!
 "Bill says turn it off..." Hensel Phelps Construction Company in Chantilly, VA received a $5.4 million firm-fixed-price Modification 0002 to previously awarded contract (N40080-05-C-0161) to install a Laser Perimeter System for the hangar and air traffic control tower at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River. This contract falls under the design/build contract for Presidential Helicopter Programs Support Facility.
This contract modification is executed under the terms and conditions of the existing contract by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Washington in Washington, DC. The original contract, Phase I, was competed via the NAVFAC e-solicitation website with 12 offers received, and based on the results of the technical evaluation, three of the 12 firms who submitted Phase I proposals were invited to participate in the Phase II competitive negotiation process. The Phase I award was made on Jan. 27, 2005. Work on Phase II will be performed in Patuxent River, MD and is expected to be complete by October 2006.
ATK Wins $541 Mn to Refuel Minuteman III ICBMs
 Good as new. Alliant Techsystems subsidiary ATK Thiokol has received contract options worth $541 million from Northrop Grumman Corporation to refurbish components and replace propellant on Minuteman III nuclear ICBM Stage 1, 2 and 3 rocket motors. This award is the fifth of seven full-rate production options under the ICBM Propulsion Replacement Program. The fifth option is worth $194 million, covers 78 booster sets, and will extend the program through March 2008. Options 6 and 7 are for 84 and 50 booster sets respectively, and would extend the program through August 2009.
The Minuteman III Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP) began in 1998 as a Joint Venture between ATK and Pratt & Whitney. All work content was transitioned to ATK in the 2003-2004 timeframe following a contract restructure. Most of the work on the contract will be performed at the company's facilities in Utah. See corporate release.
With the retirement of the more modern MX "Peacekeeper" missile, the Minuteman III is the sole nuclear missile remaining in the land component of America's nuclear triad. These missiles have undergone a number of upgrades over the past few years - not to mention EPA certification; see all DID coverage of the Minuteman III for more.
$321.5 Mn for Honeywell to Improve M1 Abrams' AGT-1500 Engines
 AGT-1500 Turbine Engine
(click to view full) Honeywell International Inc. in Phoenix, AZ received a $321.5 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Revitalization of the Automotive Gas Turbine 1500 Engines Fleet under the Total InteGrated Engine Revitalization (TIGER) Program. DID has covered the AGT-1500 TIGER program before, which could be worth up to $1.4 billion. The AGT-1500 powers the USA's M1 Abrams tanks, and will continue to do so until the new LV-100-5 engines can be finalized and installed.
Work will be performed in Phoenix, AZ (66%), Greer, SC (19%), Anniston, AL (13%), and Rocky Mount, NC (2%), and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov. 4, 2005 by the Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-06-C-0173).
AESA Radar to Be Trialed on UK's GR4 Tornados By 2007
 Tornado GR4
(click to view full) In "Elec Tricks," DID covered the value of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars. They offer increased power, no moving parts which improves robustness and maintenance, and some entirely new capabilities as well. At the moment, the USA is the only country fielding AESA radars in its fighters: some F-15 Eagles with AN/APG-63 v2/v3 radars, the F-22 Raptor and its ultra-powerful AN/APG-77, the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet and its AN/APG-79, and the new F-16E Block 60 "Desert Falcon" with its AN/APG-80 (in service only with the United Arab Emirates).
The UK Ministry of Defence has now awarded a contract to a team led by the boffins at QinetiQ, in order to integrate an Active Electronically-Scanned Array (AESA) on a Tornado GR4A strike aircraft by 2007 for assessment by the RAF. It's interesting that the Tornado F3 long-range air defense fighter or Eurofighter were not picked as the upgrade platforms, but there seems to be a method to Britain's choice....
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Sewage Infrastructure at Camp Pendleton, CA Prepares for Privatization
 Sadr City, Baghdad
(click to view full) CDM Constructors Inc. in Carlsbad, CA received $21.2 million Delivery Order 0007 under a combination firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity design-build-operate-maintain contract for Water Conveyance/Reclamation at Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton.
They will install a conveyance/reclamation pipeline to connect four Sewage Treatment Plants to the new Southern Region Tertiary Treatment Plant, ensuring environmental compliance in preparation for ultimate privatization. [Ed: Perhaps they should have asked the contractor to involve active-duty Marines; it might be good preparation for Iraq.]
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