Indian Offset Policy Leads to Israeli Contract

December 1, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Astra Microwave, Contract Awards, ELTA Systems, IT, India, Israel, Military Aviation, production program 

Israeli company ELTA Systems placed a contract with Astra Microwave worth about $11 M for components. This is due to the offset provisions in Indian law for foreign firms winning contracts. MarketWatch.com has the press release. Israeli companies won a major contract to provide airborne radar and surveillance aircraft from India recently and this award may be an offset for that contract. Read more

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

JSF Selected by Norway for New Fighter

November 23, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Contract Awards, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, Norway, Sweden, production program 

The Fort Worth Star and Telegram reports that Norway has selected the F-35 aircraft over the Swedish Gripen. The new aircraft will replace the F-16 fleet currently operated by the Scandinavian country. Norway had always been leaning towards the F-35 due to its integration in NATO; but Sweden had made an unsolicited offer for the Gripen that was considered a very good deal.

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Army fantasies on ARH

October 17, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Editorial 

The Army is hoping with the termination of the Bell contract for the ARH that a new competition can be conducted and a new aircraft and contractor can be chosen.  They are living in a fantasy land.  The way that past competitions for these types of aircraft have been going any RFP and source selection will take a few months and a protest is almost guaranteed.  Without changing the requirements for the system the Army will be seeing the same bidders, Bell and Boeing.  If they do not want a larger aircraft then before Agusta Westland, EADS and Sikorsky will have a hard time preparing a proposal.  One also hopes that the Army will also prepare a more realistic cost and schedule estimate.

See Rueters for the story.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Former Undersecretary of Acquisition criticizes Boeing

August 29, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, EADS, GAO, Military Aviation, Northrop Grumman Corp., Proposal, Protest, U.S. Air Force, commercial aviation, logistics, production program 


The former Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics was quoted in a newspaper article criticizing Boeing for wanting a delay in submitting their proposal for the KC-45 recompete. Jacques Gansler who worked in the second Clinton administration said that because of the critical need for the new aircraft if Boeing cannot support the schedule, perhaps they should just not bid. He feels that it would not be proper for the government to give the delay in this situation.

For more see The Guardian.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Congress now lobbies for KC-X to be based in their states

February 24, 2008 by Dagpotter · Comment
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, EADS, Federal Budget Process, Northrop Grumman Corp., U.S. Air Force, commercial aviation, logistics 

No matter who wins the contract state delegations are lobbying the Air Force to base the new tanker in their states. See The Hill for more on this. Not only are states choosing sides in which contractor should get the contract, see this previous post and this one as well, they are also trying to get the new aircraft based locally. Read more

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,