The UK buys refit on their C-130s

August 19, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, England, L-3, Military Aviation, logistics, production program 

L3 was awarded a contract by the UK’s Ministry of Defence to perform replacement of the outer wings of three C-130 aircraft. The contract is worth over $18 M. The actual work will be done in Canada. Like many European companies expanding in the US market; it also behooves US ones to work there. Especially with so much originally American equipment being used by the UK, Germany and other NATO countries.

For the actual press release see MarketWatch at the Wall Street Journal Digital Network.

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Poland buys modern radios

June 18, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Harris Corporation, IT, production program 

Poland which has actively supported US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as moving to more NATO standard equipment obviously needs to upgrade from its Soviet era equipment. According to this press release they bought $15 M worth of Harris Equipment tactical radios to support overseas operations. As Poland and the other former Warsaw Pact countries continue their integration further orders like this will take place.

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FN moves to compete with Colt

June 8, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Proposal, U.S. Army, production program 

Slowly over the last several years, FN, the Belgian small arms manufacturer has been expanding its US operations. They have developed several NATO standard weapons that have been adopted by the US military - such as the M249 SAW and the M240 LMG. Now, according to this article, they plan to bid on the next M4 contract. The M4, and Colt, have had issues since 9/11. There are many complaints about the weapon and its jamming in dusty environments. The US Special Forces have adopted a separate weapon, the SCAR, and have also looked at 6.8 mm rifles. There have also been issues with how the US Army has managed the contracts for the M4. It will make for an interesting contract process next year.

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Romania to buy F-16’s

May 19, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, FMS, Lockheed Martin, production program 

According to this article the US DoD has proposed selling 48 F-16 fighters to Romania. This would be one of the biggest FMS sales to a former Warsaw Pact nation. The addition of the F-16 would be a major upgrade to the capability of the country. The Czech Republic has looked at buying some Western equipment and there has been some purchases of companies like Poland’s PZL by Western countries. The movement into NATO of some of these countries will also accelerate these kind of purchases as there will need to be movement towards standardization.

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