Defence`s Feeds

Raytheon Company has received a contract from the US Navy to produce National Security Agency (NSA) certified next-generation encryption devices to help protect tactical data transmissions.

Orbit International’s Electronics Group has secured a contract to provide MK 119 gun computer system cabinet (GCSC) for the US Navy.

The US Navy's USS Independence (LCS 2) has successfully completed the first selected restricted availability works at Southwest Regional Maintenance Centre (SWRMC) in San Diego, California.

Americas

• The Boeing-Saab T-X trainer offering has made its first successful flight. During the 55 minute flight, the team validated key aspects of the aircraft and demonstrated the performance of the low-risk design. Initial operating capability is planned for 2024 and could potentially replace the USAF’s fleet of T-38 trainers.

• Staff at Northrop Grumman have been getting into the Holiday spirit, with employees volunteering to help the United Service Organizations (USO) assemble more than 1,000 care packages destined for American service members stationed overseas. The drive took place on a November 9 “Salute to the Troops” event at Baltimore Washington International (BWI) airport.

Middle East & North Africa

• Raytheon has been awarded a $53 million foreign military sales contract to provide TOW missiles to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The heavy assault weapon has been integrated on several land platforms by the US Army such as the Stryker, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and ITAS High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. Work on the deal is expected to be completed by October 2017.

• Raytheon will also supply APG-82(V)1 AESA radars to the Israeli Air Force, to be integrated on their F-15I fleet. The sale marks the first export deal for this variant of radar, designed specifically for the Strike Eagle. Israel has been keen to keep its F-15s in top operational order while it waits for the deliveries of its new F-35Is, and are even considering further procurements of the Strike Eagle. Such a move would be good news for Boeing, as they already have the fighter’s production line increased until at least 2020 due to a recent order from Qatar.

Europe

• Ukrainian manufacturer Antonov has rolled out its first AN-132D military transport plane at its plant in Kiev. The aircraft is an evolution of the classic An-32, featuring Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150 engines and avionics supplied by Honeywell. Saudi Arabia has been a big backer in the project and are looking to procure six of the planes, and aim to eventually manufacture units in a new facility in Riyadh.

• The US State Department has cleared the potential sale of P-8A surveillance aircraft to Norway. Five aircraft and associated systems and support, valued at $1.75 billion, will be provided in a deal aimed at upgrading Norway’s maritime surveillance capabilities. The P-8 will replace Oslo’s current fleet of P-3 Orions.

• Serbia’s plans to purchase Russian air defense systems are believed to be moving ahead, according to their Prime Minister. Aleksandar Vucic announced that a favorable deal to procure Buk-M1 or Buk-M2 systems would be discussed during an official visit to Moscow next week. A plan to buy six MiG-29 fighter jets was also announced.

Asia Pacific

• India is looking overseas to procure some 5,000 sniper rifles with plans to have them manufactured at home. A request for information (RFI) was issued to Blaser Jagdwaffen GmbH of Germany; Steyr Mannlicher of Austria; SIG Sauer of Switzerland; Israel Weapon Industries of Israel; Kalashnikov Concern (Izhevsk Machinebuilding Plant) and KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Russia; Armalite and Barrett Firearms Manufacturing of the United States; and Nexter and PGM Précision of France. However New Delhi may have problems getting such a deal, with an industry official commenting that such numbers are too small an order to receive offsets such as a technology transfer.

Today’s Video

First flight of Boeing-Saab T-X trainer:

TOW family
(click to view full)

Despite modernization that has led to advanced anti-armor weapons like the Javelin and Hellfire fire and forget guided missiles, the wire-guided, operator-controlled BGM-71 TOW missile family remains a mainstay thanks to modernization, specialization, improved sighting systems, and pre-existing compatibility with a wide range of ground vehicles. TOW remains the US Army and Marine Corps’ primary heavy anti-tank/ precision assault weapon deployed on more than 4,000 TOW launch platforms including HMMWV jeeps, the Army’s M1134 Stryker ATGM variant and M2/M3 Bradley IFVs; the Marines’ LAV-AT wheeled APC and SuperCobra attack helicopters; and numerous foreign vehicles. Designation Systems notes that more than 620,000 BGM-71 missiles of all versions had been built for all customers by 2001.

Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ was recently awarded a pair of contracts that illustrate its continued production and maintenance work on these missiles.

TOW 2B missile
(click for cutaway)

The first contract involves engineering services for the TOW (Tube-launched, Optically tracked, Wire-Guided) weapon system family of missiles and TOW fire control systems including: ITAS (Improved Target Acquisition System), IBAS (Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem), T2SS (TOW 2 Subsystem), and M220 Ground TOW. This is a one-year contract with five one-year options, and a total potential value of $122 million. See release.

The other contract is a $45 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for TOW 2A bunker-buster and TOW 2B top-attack missiles. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by Nov. 30, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 15, 2002 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-04-C-0061).

Update

December 22/16: Raytheon has been awarded a $53 million foreign military sales contract to provide TOW missiles to Saudi Arabia and Jordan. The heavy assault weapon has been integrated on several land platforms by the US Army such as the Stryker, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, and ITAS High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle. Work on the deal is expected to be completed by October 2017.

December 12/16: Morocco has been cleared to purchase Raytheon-made TOW 2A Radio Frequency Missiles. Valued at $108 million, the sale includes 1,200 TOW 2A RF missiles and 14 TOW 2A fly-to-buy acceptance missiles. Morocco is regarded as a key US ally in maintaining stability in North Africa, following the increase in jihadist activity across the region.

Romanian AIMS-74 Assault Rifle

The Ivar Huitfeldt Class frigates were built by Odense Steel Shipyard for the Royal Danish Navy. Three frigates entered into service between 2012 and 2013.

HII's Ingalls Shipbuilding has secured a $1.46bn, fixed-price-incentive contract to provide detailed design and development of an amphibious transport dock for USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28).

Umkhonto surface-to-air missiles (SAM) have been made operational by the navies of South Africa and Finland.

The governments of Australia and France have signed an agreement to establish the framework required to build the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) new fleet of submarines.

The Finnish Defence Forces' Logistics Command is seeking proposals for delivery of a battle system for the navy's future Squadron 2020 vessels.