Metal Storm continues to market in the US
Filed under: Australia, Industry Analysis, Metal Storm, Promotions, S&T, development program
The Army of the United States Association (AUSA) held their national convention last week. One of the key parts of this is exhibits by a large number of defense contractors, big and little. Metal Storm the Australian company that is developing rapid fire electronic gun systems attended. They have received some contracts with the US Military to work on their systems. Metal Storm uses multiple barrel system with a stack of ammunition in them. By firing electronically they can launch all of the ready rounds very quickly. Rates of fire for their larger systems are very impressive and their is a lot of potential for them. No nation yet has committed a large sum to buying these systems, which range in size from 9mm to 40mm; although it is probably scalable to larger rounds.
See the press release at MarketWatch.com.
Here is a link to the demonstration video they used at AUSA.
Missile Defense corruption
Filed under: Alabama, Alaska, Congress, MDA, S&T, SMDC, U.S. Army, crime, development program, missile defense
Last year the US Government arrested two employees of the US Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC) on charges that they were taking bribes to steer contracts to selected companies. Now the New York Times has done some further research on the issue and have found out that the main figure, the head of SMDC S&T center, had created a whole scheme to make Congress fund a large test program that would then be self-perpetuating. As part of this he broke Federal law by lobbying Congress directly.
The scheme he concocted was one that when I worked supporting the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), now Missile Defense Agency (MDA), never made much sense to me. The MDA had an issue with testing the systems against long range targets. They targets required could not be tested in the United States as there was no range big enough to hold them. The Navy invested in improving their range on the West Coast of Kuaii in Hawaii that faced a broad open area. Targets would be air launched and fired into the range. The Army looked at building a launch facility on Midway to fire that targets at their main range in Kwajalien. The gentlemen at the core of the scandal, Mr. Cantrell, worked a proposal directly with Congress and various contractors to build a facility in Alaska on Kodiak Island and then use an old Navy helicopter carrier to fire the targets at Kodiak. This never really made sense due to its cost and the creation of all new facilities and modifying the ship at some cost.
Ultimately the idea went nowhere, although a launch facility has been built at Kodiak which supports Air Force operations right now. MDA made the sensible decision to begin testing US Army systems in Hawaii using the range there. Now that it turns out the Mr. Cantrell and various Senators using the earmark system was doing this for personal gain.
See an article in the Huntsville Times here.
EDS takeover leads to UK job losses
The takeover of EDS by Hewlett Packard is having effects in the United Kingdom. EDS has several IT and computer support contracts with the British Government. These are primarily in the non-Defense sector. In a difference from standard American practice these workers are unionized. Now they have been told with the amalgamation of the companies that over 3,000 jobs will be eliminated. This is due to the decision by HP to streamline its new combined workforce (i.e. reduce). Unreported is the possibility that some of these jobs will move to Hewlett Packard.
See the story at Channel Register.
Unknown Middle Eastern country buys ammo
Filed under: Allied Defense Group, Contract Awards, logistics, production program
Allied Defense Group announced a contract with an unidentified Middle Eastern nation to provide 25 mm ammunition. This will be made by their Belgian subsidiary, MECAR. The contract is worth over $8 M and will deliver in 2009. With out any further identifying information it is hard to identify which nation bought this ammo.
See the press release at MarketWatch.com.
Contracts for October 10, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Contracts for October 09, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Contracts for October 08, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Press Release: Lockheed Martin Wins $41 Million U.S. Defense Contract To Sustain the Global Transportation Network
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Editorial, Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has won a $41-million contract from the U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) to extend sustainment of the Global Transportation Network (GTN) command and control system. The sustainment contract brings the total value of the GTN contract since its award to Lockheed Martin in 1995 to $475 million.
GTN is a web-based, automated information system that provides a family of transportation users and service providers – in both the U.S. Department of Defense and commercial sectors – with near real-time in-transit visibility and command and control capabilities. Customers anywhere in the world can access and employ the integrated system for transportation and deployment information, which enables them to identify the location and scheduling of materiel, deployed forces and support personnel. GTN ensures effective execution of operations by helping logistics commanders make better plans and decisions during peace and war.
Read more
Contracts for October 07, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Contracts for October 07, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Contracts for October 06, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
Northrop Grumman Receives Facilities Contract
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Northrop Grumman Corp.
Northrop Grumman has received a $13 million, 3 year contract from the the U.S. Central Command to provide facilities maintenance and operations support to the its headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla., and forward headquarters in Doha, Qatar. The contract requires Northrop Grumman provide CENTCOM with support in four functional areas, location transition support, maintenance and operations support, logistics services support, and project/facilities management.
The contract was awarded through the U.S. General Services Administration.
DoD awards RFID contract
Filed under: CDO, Contract Awards, DLA, Department of Defense, logistics, production program
The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for the DoD awarded an omnibus RFID contract to a team led by CDO. If all options are exercised the contract is worth over $75 M. The team of companies will provide Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) for any US service or agency that would like to buy them through DLA. RFID is used mainly to track stores and equipment as they are moved from depot to the needed unit.
For more see the Dayton Daily News. An example as to how all defense contracts are local it is referred to as a “huge contract” by the paper.
Contracts for October 03, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
US Navy awards aircraft CLS contract
Filed under: Contract Awards, Military Aviation, Rolls-Royce, U.S. Navy, logistics, production program, training
Rolls-Royce was awarded a contract to provide support to US Navy aircraft engines. It is worth about $90 M and could last five years if all options are provided. Rolls Royce makes the engine for the T-45 trainer used by the Navy and the Air Force. The CLS is called “Power by the Hour”, meaning service is provided based on the use of the engines by the aircraft. Each flight hour will cost so much for the maintenance.
For more see the press release at MarketWatch.com.
Contracts for October 02, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
NASA awards International Space Station completion contract
Filed under: Boeing, Contract Awards, NASA, development program, space
Boeing was awarded a $650 M contract by NASA to support the completion of the International Space Station (ISS). Boeing will provide engineering and software support as well as subsystems needed to complete the station. The contract is for two years. This contract will complete the station by 2010. Not addressed is the coming gap when NASA will be dependent on Russian assets for launch as the Space Shuttle retires.
See the press release at International Business Times.
Incident Control Systems Receives Contract to Supply Add-on Armor for the Interim High Mobility Engineering Excavator - Press Release
Filed under: Contract Awards, ICS, development program, logistics, production program
New Bedford, MA, September 30, 2008: Incident Control Systems, LLC has been awarded a contract to continue the supply of Advanced Composite B-kit Armor for the Interim High Mobility Engineering Excavator (IHMEE). This latest contract awarded by Oshkosh Corporation of Oshkosh, WI will put the total armor built by ICS to over 70 kits. “This is a new partnership for us and we are very excited to be working with Oshkosh Corporation to provide these kits to the Army” said Eddie Terrenzi, VP of Business Development for Incident Control Systems, LLC.
A year ago ICS was selected as an Add-on Armor supplier for the IHMEE by US Army TARDEC after having gone through extensive testing. Over the past year ICS has provided Add-on Armor for the entire fleet of vehicles. “We are very pleased and honored that the US Government and Oshkosh has continued to place their trust in us and our advanced armor solutions” said Steve Monette, General Manager of Incident Control Systems, LLC.
Headquartered in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Incident Control Systems is a small business that specializes in the design, manufacture, and integration of advanced composite armor solutions for military combat vehicles.
Contact: Incident Control Systems, LLC
Eddie Terrenzi
508.984.8820
eterrenzi@incidentcontrolsystems.com
Contracts for October 01, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
US announces Israeli JSF buy
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, FMS, Israel, Lockheed Martin, Military Aviation, production program
The US Department of Defense announced that Israel has agreed to buy 25 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) and support. The contract is worth about $15 B. While eight partner countries will also fly the JSF, Israel becomes the first FMS customer. The JSF will be a short take-off and landing aircraft to replace F-16 and AV-8 aircraft.
See the story at Rueters.com.
Contracts for September 30, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
National Cancer Institue contracts for basic research
Filed under: Contract Awards, S&T, SAIC, development program, medicine
The National Cancer Institute contracted with SAIC to run the Federal Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) in Frederick, MD. The 3 year contract will allow SAIC to conduct basic research on cancer and HIV cures and treatments. While SAIC is known primarily for supporting the US military they have been doing this work for over 10 years.
See the press release at IT News Online.
US Navy continues production of Fire Scout
Filed under: Contract Awards, Military Aviation, Northrop Grumman Corp., U.S. Navy, development program
The MQ-8 Fire Scout UAV made by Northorp Grumman for the Navy entered LRIP last year with a successful Milestone C decision. The Navy has continued production by executing the second year of Low Rate production. The Fire Scout lands and takes off vertically and can operate from the helicopter decks of Navy ship. The system will enter Technical Evaluation this year. The contract is worth over $32 M and is the second of three years of LRIP. Once LRIP and testing is complete the Navy will conduct a Full Rate Production decision to allow the Navy to buy larger quantities with a proven system. The US military has invested heavily in USV over the last ten years with some successes in Iraq and Afghanistan.
See the press release at MarketWatch.com
Army contracts for emergancy equipment certification
Filed under: Contract Awards, SoBran, U.S. Army, logistics, medicine
The US Army signed a five year contract with SoBran to provide testing and certification of chemical protection equipment. The work will be done at the Army’s Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. SoBran is a leading expert in design and engineering to defend against chemical and biological attacks. Under this contract they will test and certify breathing apparatus used to act in contaminated environments. While the threat moving from large scale types of attack on the battlefield to potential limited terrorist attacks there is still a need for this type of equipment.
See MarketWatch.com for the press release.
Contracts for September 29, 2008
Filed under: Contract Awards, Department of Defense, Syndicated Industry News
