Rapid Fire 2010-12-30: DARPA UUVs

• DID contributor DJ Elliott (ISF Order of Battle) offers his Iraqi Aviation Update December 2010.

• But if you’d rather sell equipment to Iraq’s police and Interior Ministry forces, this may be the event for you. Not quite sure how the likely presence of Belgian and Chinese firms fits into the “Victor, spoils” narrative, though.

• Batman inspires BAE Systems’ Raider unmanned military ground vehicle.

• He’s needed on the front lines. Extreme child abuse has become a Taliban tactic in Afghanistan, used to gather intelligence about allied helicopter operations.

Rapid Fire: 2010-12-29

• China’s DF-21D “carrier killer” anti-ship ballistic missile is operational, judges Admiral Willard, commander of the US Pacific Command.

• In 3-part series, Deutsche Welle examines how Germany overcame taboo against deploying military forces abroad. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

• Egypt uncovers anti-aircraft missiles and other weapons buried in Sinai, destined for West Bank.

• Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan gets $130 million Type III constant pressure refueling system for large aircraft.

• Russian President Medvedev signs into law agreement allowing France to transport weapons, military equipment from Afghanistan via Russia.

• Wall Street Journal publishes internal UN maps showing deteriorating security in Afghanistan.

Rapid Fire: 2010-12-28: State of Defense Stocks

• US government’s rush to cut defense spending ignores the lessons of history, warns author Mark Helprin.

• 2010 was mixed year for defense and aerospace industry stocks.

• Research and Markets: The French defense budget is expected to grow at an anemic 1.5% annually, dropping from 2.3% of GDP in 2009 to 2% of GDP by 2015.

India Requests Harpoon II Missiles

P-8i concept

Sometimes, an order request is just an order request. Sometimes, as seen in Singapore, it amounts to more than that. In September 2008, the US DSCA announced India’s official request to buy a package of 24 L-model Harpoon Block II ship-killing missiles, with added GPS guidance and littoral/ land attack capabilities, for up to $170 million.

India’s rival Pakistan is already arming its P-3 Orions with AGM-84Ls, so regional stability wasn’t an issue, but the exact match for India’s missiles remained a mystery for a while. The order seemed to presage a buy of P-8i Sea Control and Surveillance aircraft, and India did indeed end up choosing Boeing’s 737 derivative. In September 2010, however, reports indicated that the deal was really focused on India’s fleet of Jaguar IM strike aircraft. Now, in 2010, comes a request specifically aimed at India’s forthcoming P-8is…

Rapid Fire 2010-12-27: Japanese Defense Spending

• Research and Markets: Japan’s defense spending is expected to increase at 3.22% per year, reaching $62.3 billion in 2015.

• Portland, OR-based Vigor Industrial to pay $130 million [PDF] for Seattle, WA-based Todd Shipyards, a military and civilian shipbuilder.

• The US government, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and the city of Moses Lake have agreed to spend $58 million to clean up the former Larson Air Force Base in Moses Lake, WA.

MHSC Wins $1.4B to Support USN Seahawk Helis from 2010-2014

SH-60B fires Penguin

The Maritime Helicopter Support Co. in Woodbridge, VA recently received a $1.409 billion firm-fixed-price, performance based logistics contract to repair US Navy Seahawk helicopters, and many of their mission systems. The firm has received a number of contracts like this in the past, and is a joint venture between helicopter manufacturer Sikorsky in Connecticut, and mission systems integrator Lockheed Martin in New York.

The contract covers the full range of serving Seahawk helicopters, including older SH-60B & SH-60F Seahawk and HH-60H “Rescue Hawk” models, and new MH-60R and MH-60S Seahawk machines. It runs for 4 years, with no option periods. Work will be performed in Stratford, CT (70%), and Owego, NY (30%), and is expected to be complete by January 2015. This contract was not competitively awarded by the US Naval Inventory Control Point in Philadelphia, PA (N00383-11-D-003F).

German Bundeswehr Orders Eagle IV Patrol & Command Vehicles

Eagle IV w. RWS

The German Bundeswehr’s GFF program plans to replace the core of its wheeled and light tracked combat vehicle fleet with entries from 4 categories: the lightweight 5.3-tonne GFF 1, the 7.5-tonne GFF 2, the 12.5-tonne GFF 3 and a 25-tonne GFF 4 all-terrain utility vehicle.

In November 2008, General Dynamics’ Swiss MOWAG subsidiary announced that its Eagle IV wheeled vehicles had come out on top in one of Germany’s GFF Klasse 2 competitions for “protected Command and Function vehicles.” GFF Klasse 2 reportedly comprises over 5,000 vehicles, to go with an already-awarded contract for the Bv206S tracked all terrain vehicle from BAE and Rheinmetall. This GD MOWAG contract would be followed by additional orders.

UAE Orders $752M Worth of HIMARS Launchers & Rockets

M142 HIMARS

In September 2006, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced the United Arab Emirates official request High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) as well as associated equipment and services. The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $752 million.

The principal contractors will be Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control at Dallas, TX (rockets, system, prime contractor) and Stewart & Stevenson at Sealy, TX (truck platform). The UAE requested offsets, to be defined in negotiations. Items requested include both the weapons platform and a variety of rockets and missiles, and parts of the deal have come to fruition since that 2006 announcement.

Rapid Fire 2010-12-23: FY 2011 NDAA

• UK MoD and Home Office launch a 3-month industry consultation on defense equipment, support and technology.

• President Obama is expected to sign the FY 2011 defense authorization bill after the House passed the Senate version, which stripped WWII-related payments to Guam residents.

• Lame duck Congress kicks the can on US government spending legislation to the next Congress; Pentagon stuck on new weapons systems.

Rapid Fire 2010-12-22: Raytheon Buys Applied Signal

• Raytheon pays hefty fee of $490 million to acquire military cybersecurity firm Applied Signal after intense bidding war.

• Germany’s Wegmann Group acquires Siemens AG’s 49% stake in land vehicle leader Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG (KMW). They will become the sole shareholder, pending regulatory and anti-trust approvals.

• Israel is reportedly deploying Merkava tanks equipped with “Windbreaker”/Trophy active defense systems to the Gaza border, in view of recent ATGM attacks and intelligence reports that Hamas has upgraded its anti-tank capabilities. The lessons from the 2006 war are at work.

• On the other hand, the Iron Dome rocket protection system for Israeli towns remains in storage, even though rocket attacks are increasing again.

• Australian media say Sikorsky’s MH-60R may have an edge over the NH90-NFH in Australia’s naval helicopter competition. Time will tell.

• Colombia sought aerial defense system from US to counter Venezuela, US documents from WikiLeaks show. Given Venezuela’s recent buys, that can’t be surprising.

• Patria’s deal with Sweden for at least 113 AMV 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carriers has survived legal challenges, and become a binding contract.

• US cautious about North Korean pledge to allow IAEA nuclear inspectors.

• BAE Systems snags $14 million US Navy contract to supply 4 AN/SQQ-32(V)4 minehunting sonar systems that are replacing the Raytheon-supplied AN/SQQ-32(V)3 sonar [PDF] currently employed aboard the MCM-1 Avenger Class minesweepers.

• DARPA launches programs intended to prevent cybersecurity Pearl Harbor.

• Harris gets $5.5 million USMC order for additional vehicular amplifier adapters for the Falcon III AN/PRC-117G wideband tactical radios.