Aug 11, 2005 11:23 UTC
MD-900 Explorer
DID’s coverage of the USA’s recent $2.2 billion contract for 368 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters (ARH) noted that MD Helicopters, Inc. (MDHI) had submitted a losing bid in conjunction with Boeing, but intended to bid on the upcoming Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) contract. Boeing’s multi-million February 2005 investment had helped keep MDHI solvent prior to its recent acquisition by Patriarch Partners LLC, and the MD-900 Explorer variant the company wished to offer used to be a McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) machine.
Nevertheless, MDHI has now announced that its partner for the LUH bid will be Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY. Lockheed will in fact lead the team as prime contractor, overseeing aircraft assembly at MDHI’s production facility in Mesa, AZ, and providing training, simulation devices and contractor logistics support.
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Aug 11, 2005 11:05 UTC
M6 Linebacker, Iraq
The U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI has issued a pair of contracts for the RESET (restoration of used vehicles to like-new condition) of Bradley Armored Fighting Vehicles. One contract will reset 101 Bradleys of the 1st Cav division, while the other resets a total of 125 Bradleys, including a number of machines now in the second and final stage of conversion from M6 Bradley Linebacker air defense vehicles to M2A2 ODS Infantry Fighting Vehicles.
The Bradley Combat System fulfills critical infantry, cavalry, fire support, battle command and engineer roles for the Army’s heavy brigades. Its firepower, mobility, and protection against RPGs have made it a valuable asset in Operation Iraqi Freedom, both during the daring push to Baghdad and “Thunder Run” and in subsequent stabilization operations. The M2 carries a crew (commander, gunner and driver), plus 6 fully equipped infantry. The M3 performs scout missions and carries a crew plus 2 scouts.
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Aug 11, 2005 10:24 UTC
Rusting out all over
Raytheon Technical Services Company LLC (RTSC) received a task order with a potential value of $82.1 million from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency, a.k.a. Nunn-Lugar. The task order is for assistance under the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program.
The U.S. Department of Defense provides equipment, services, and technical advice under CTR to Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine. The aims are to assist them in eliminating (or in the case of Russia, reducing) the weapons of mass destruction remaining from the Soviet era, prevent proliferation, foster military cooperation, and dismantle the associated infrastructure or transforming portions of it to engage in peaceful civilian activities. The CTR program is implemented by means of a number of subsidiary programs that are focused on meeting these four objectives.
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Aug 11, 2005 08:49 UTC
General Electric Co. in Niskayuna, NY wo an $11.1 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-reimbursement no-fee contract for R&D into active screening and imaging of shielded special nuclear materials, plus ultra-large field of view x-ray imagers for cargo radiography.
Work will be performed in Niskayuna, NY, and is expected to be complete by February 2009. This contract was competitively procured with an unrestricted Broad Agency Announcement solicitation via the Federal Business Opportunities web site, with 79 proposals solicited and 40 offers evaluated as selectable. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center, San Diego, CA issued the contract (N66001-05-D-6033).
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Aug 11, 2005 07:32 UTC
Death from above
(click to view larger)
The Viper Strike bagan life as the BAT – a canceled munition option for ground-fired ATACMS missiles. After the success of USAF Predator UAVs armed with Hellfire missiles became a new feature of the Global War on Terror, howeverm US Army planners began to examine options for placing a similar capability in the hands of Army ground commanders. In July 2002, these examinations led to the award of a 90-day demonstration contract to demonstrate the possibility of BAT deployment on a modified U.S. Army Hunter UAV.
Those tests went well, and Viper Strikes are currently carried by MQ-5A/B Hunter UAVs in Iraq – See this video of a Viper Strike in testing [MPG, 13.2 MB]. The weapon’s small size (3 feet long, 44 pounds) and special advantages in urban fights, mountainous terrain, etc. mean they’re likely to spread to other platforms as well. Which is exactly what’s happening…
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Aug 11, 2005 07:01 UTC
EDO RSS in Morgan Hill, CA received a $11.6 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide six CS-3000 Shelters as well as their spare parts and training for Egypt under this foreign-military sale. EDO RSS generally manufactures a variety of equipment for the ELINT (Electronic Intelligence), and ESM (Electronic Support Measures) marketplace. In essence, these systems provide the operator with data that gives an electronic overview of the battlefield.
The work will be performed at EDO RSS’ facilities in Morgan Hill, CA and is to be completed by Dec. 31, 2007. The U.S Army Communications-Electronics Command Acquisition Center at Fort Monmouth, NJ issued the contract (W15P7T-O5-C-D602)
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