KC-X haunts CSAR-X

September 17, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Boeing, Contract Awards, Department of Defense, GAO, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, Proposal, Protest, Sikorsky, U.S. Air Force, commercial aviation, production program 

With the decision to punt on the KC-45 recompete by the current administration there are some worries that this might affect the CSAR-X contract as well. Last word was that the announcement of who won the new GAO ordered competition would come sometime this Fall. Now some of the competitors; Sikorsky, Augusta Westland and Boeing; are concerned that perhaps this decision will delay the announcement of the winner. Boeing had won a contract only to have a protest upheld by GAO for the USAF not applying their criteria correctly.

See this short AP article for more.

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India goes with AW for new VIP aircraft

August 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Agusta Westland, Contract Awards, India, Military Aviation, Sikorsky, commercial aviation, production program 

Like the US Navy, India awarded a contract to Augusta Westland for their new VIP transport helicopter. The contract is worth about $300 M. Sikorsky was one of the unsuccessful bidders with their S-92 aircraft. The EH-101 selected will offer a larger cabin, although it is a more expensive aircraft. US companies have been trying hard lately to break into the Indian market as that country has turned away from its traditional English and Russian suppliers. India has also made a great effort to begin developing a sophisticated, indigenous arm suppliers.

See The Hartford Courant article about this contract here.

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Looking to buy DRS

May 11, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Acquisitions, Finemeccanica, Italy, SETA, production program 

This article discusses the idea that Finmeccanica, the Italian defense conglomerate, is looking at DRS Technology for an American acquisition. Like EADS and BAE the Italian company has been expanding its presence in the US. Its helicopter arm, Augusta Westland, won the VH-71 Presidential helicopter teamed with Lockheed Martin and is also trying to win the CSAR-X recompete post-protest. DRS which makes advanced sensors and electronics while providing SETA services has long been an attractive take over target. It’s stock though has done very well recently and for Finmeccanica to buy it would require a substantial investment. Read more

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After debriefs protest to come

March 10, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, EADS, GAO, Northrop Grumman Corp., Protest, U.S. Air Force, commercial aviation, logistics, production program 

According to press reports Boeing will protest the KC-45 award to Northrop-Grumman and EADS. They are supposedly going to the General Accounting Office (GAO), which is the middle level. The lowest is the agency making the decision, here probably Air Force Material Command, and the highest is straight to Federal Court. They can still go to court if they disagree with the GAO decision. If you go to court you will most likely just get some money, not the contract. The GAO if it upholds the protest will most likely direct recompetition. See the CSAR-X for an example of that, which funnily Boeing won but Sikorsky and Augusta Westland won on protests. Northrop Grumman on the other hand put out a press release on why they won.

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