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Northrop Grumman (NOC) Space Technology and Lockheed Martin
(LMT) were awarded two contracts amounting about U.S. $49 million
each, for the development of candidate architectures for a future
space-based, Synthetic Aperture Radar / Surface Moving Target
Indication (SAR/GMTI) imaging system. The Space Radar (SR) will
provide global, persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
(ISR) capability.
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Pentagon awarded a U.S. $2 billion contract to Boeing Co. (BA),
for 10 additional C-17s. According to Boeing, the recent international
C-17 orders and commitments, and the 10 new Air Force order
would keep Boeing's C-17 production line in Long Beach, California
running until late 2009.
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The Indian Navy has put forward a requirement of U.S. $25 Billion
to equip the Indian Navy's five year force buildup plans. According
to Indian Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta, "The navy currently
has 136 ships and building of 33 more ships is underway in our
shipyards".
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Spatial Integrated Systems Inc. (SIS) will develop a Multi-Purpose
Sensor System (MPSS) for the Autonomous Maritime Navigation
(AMN) Program designed for future naval surface autonomous vehicles
(USVs). The system will integrate electro-optical, electro-magnetic,
and acoustic sensors processed on a geographic 3D 'world' to
represent the vehicle's situation awareness and control.
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Merger
of BAE Systems, VT Group's Naval Activities Considered
Last week the UK based BAE Systems plc and VT Group plc announced
that they are discussing the combination of their surface ship
building and naval support businesses into a joint venture.
BAE Systems’ submarines business will continue to operate
independent of the JV. The announcement will better position
the British shipbuilding capabilities which face tough competition
in the European market. BAE System's current shipbuilding activities
involve the Type 45 anti-aircraft destroyers and Astute class
submarines, produced for the Royal Navy. BAE Systems is seeking
to strengthen its submarine activities with parallel strategic
ventures.
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On December 1, France’s defense procurement agency (DGA)
successfully completed the first operational test firing of
the AASM modular air-to-ground weapon. The weapon, developed
by Sagem Defense Group, a member of the Safran Group (SAF) is
destined to equip the French Army’s and Navy’s Rafale
planes by 2007.
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U.S. Navy Orders
50 Additional ATFLIRs
The U.S. Navy awarded additional U.S. $156 million contract
modification to Raytheon (RTN), for the procurement of 50 Advanced
Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pods to equip F/A-18C/D
and F/A-18E/F fighter aircraft.
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In Early December 2006 EADS Astrium conducted a first demonstration
utilizing high capacity electro-optical (laser) datalinks connecting
geostationary communications satellites and airborne platforms.
The laser data rate between aircraft and satellite achieved
so far is 50 Mbps.
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DRS Technologies (DRS) will supply the U.S. Army with Driver
Vision Enhancer (DVE) systems, which will be mounted on Army
combat vehicles. The system comprises an installation kits and
uncooled thermal viewers, which will increase the drivers’
vision in hazardous, low-visibility conditions during the day
or night. Two divisions of DRS will provide the hardware for
the program. Training & Control Systems will provide the
installation kits (A-Kits) under an initial U.S. $10 million
funding. DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems will provide the
EO hardware (B-Kit) for the vehicles. Over the next four years
the total order could mount to U.S. $145 million. |
