August 27, 2008 @ 2:15 pm
· Filed under Arizona, Contract Awards, Nammo, Norway, Talley Inc., U.S. Marine Corps, production program
Talley Inc, owned now by the Norwegian company Nammo, won a contract from the USMC to develop a launcher for 83mm rockets. The current system has been in use since 1984. The ammunition, currently produced by Talley, will remain the same, but a new system for firing the rockets from a Marine’s shoulder will be developed. The contract is for an initial buy of 146 launchers and 900 rounds of ammunition. Talley has produced over 40,000 rounds of this type. Nammo purchased the company last year as a way in to the US defense market.
See The Arizona Republic business site, here, for more on this contract.
Tagged with: ammunition, arizona republic, business site, current system, defense market, launcher, norwegian company, republic business, rockets, talley, usmc
July 25, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
· Filed under Arizona, Boeing, DARPA, Department of Defense, Restructuring, SBIR, SMDC, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, development program
This article describes the economic effect of the Army decision to begin pushing components of the multi-system Future Combat System (FCS) out-the-door faster. Due to this decision several hundred million dollars are flowing to Arizona companies earlier then originally planned by the Army. The two systems with the most effect are the non-line of sight missile system that uses a box launcher with integrated fire control and several unmanned systems. The Army benefits two ways by this type of decision; first, they get needed technology upgrades into the field earlier; and secondly they get testing under real world conditions.
Picture by Derek Farr
Tagged with: arizona companies, army benefits, army decision, economic effect, fcs, fire control, future combat system, hundred million, launcher, line of sight, million dollars, missile system, real world, technology upgrades, two ways, unmanned systems
June 27, 2008 @ 2:43 am
· Filed under Acquisitions, Arizona, BAE Systems, Contract Additions, Contract Awards, Federal Budget Process, Military Aviation, development program, logistics, production program
This article discusses the effect BAE has had on Phoenix, AZ. It also illustrates how the non-US company has grown through the acquisitions of US companies and has gained more and more US defene business. In Phoenix alone the number of BAE employees has tripled in the last five years or so, and the company has been buying facilities and companies. The article also shows how some in Congress feel a British company is better than a joint German and French, making it easier for BAE to continue to gain work in the US.
Tagged with: acquisitions, BAE, british company, Congress, phoenix
January 11, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
· Filed under Alabama, Arizona, Boeing, U.S. Air Force, production program
Several of the Democratic members of the Arizona State House sent a letter to DoD and the Air Force in support of Boeing being awarded the KC-X new tanker contract arguing that it would protect jobs in the state.. See The Daily Dispatch here for more. The Air Force is considering proposals from Boeing and Northrop Grumman, although the Northrop deal would see Airbus build the tankers in Mobile, AL. For more on the KC-X program see this.
January 6, 2008 @ 6:58 am
· Filed under Arizona, Federal Budget Process
The Arizona Republic writes here about the defense industry in the state. It highlights that the steady growth in Federal dollars flowing to the state has leveled off a little. See the article here. Arizona was 6th overall in value of defense contracts received, while California came in first. The classic quote from the article is this: “Defense powerhouse Raytheon Co. in Tucson, a missilemaker, is looking beyond the current wars. Louise Francesconi, president of Raytheon’s Missile Systems, is working to move the company into new businesses such as space and lasers to absorb a reduction in wartime spending.” It is always good to be looking forward to future wars.
