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The French defense procurement agency DGA awarded DCN group
and partner Areva-TA a contract for the production of six new-generation
nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN) of the Barracuda class,
which will replace the Rubis-class submarines currently in service.
The initial €1 Billion phase of the contract covers the
design and development of the new class. Six subsequent options
will fund each of the submarine's production and maintenance
over 20 years for a total of additional €7 Billion. The
first Barracuda SSN is scheduled for delivery in 2016. |
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US
Army Orders U.S.$133 Million ESBI Side Armor from Ceradyne
Ceradyne, Inc. will supply the U.S. Army with Enhanced
Side Ballistic Inserts (ESBI) under a recently awarded U.S.
$133 contract. This new delivery order is scheduled to be shipped
beginning April 2007 through November 2007. The company has
also reported an additional order from Armor Holdings, for armor
component worth U.S. 3.8 Million. These components are part
of armor kits to be provided for AM General HMMWEs.
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Gripen International has received an invitation from the Norwegian
Ministry of Defence to discuss a model for cooperation related
to a possible replacement of the Norwegian F-16 fighter aircraft.
The discussions will start early in 2007.
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RAF to Outsource
Tornado Support to BAE Systems
The British Ministry of Defence (MoD) awarded BAE Systems a
£947million contract for the support of the Royal Air
Force's (RAF) Tornado fleet. Under the new Availability Transformation:
Tornado Aircraft Contract (ATTAC) program, MoD expects to save
£510m over the next 10 years. The two-phase will base
all Tornado fleet support at RAF Marham in Norfolk, a major
operations and maintenance hub for the RAF's Tornado GR4s. Phase
I will combine current programs. Within 12 month, phase 2 will
address the remaining avionics and general systems and engineering
support.
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The first KC-767 Tanker slated for the Japan Air Self-Defense
Force (JASDF) took of on its maiden flight yesterday. According
to Maj. Kenji Nagatomo, Japan Tanker program liaison, the first
of four aircraft ordered by Japan is expected to enter service
in 2007.
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Force Protection, Inc. and General Dynamics Land Systems are
forming a joint venture to offer the Cougar
4x4 and 6x6 armored vehicles for the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected
(MRAP) vehicle program, a U.S. joint services program being
managed by the U.S. Marine Corps. The companies are already
cooperating in the fabrication of the armored capsule for
the Cougar.
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14 Belgian,
8 Dutch F-16s Will be Transferred to Jordan
The Royal Jordanian Air Force will receive 22 F-16A/B aircraft
from the Belgian and Dutch Air Force storage. According to a
letter of intent received from Jordan, the Belgian Air Force
will deliver 14 modernized (MLU) aircraft, while the Dutch AF
will deliver additional 8. According to Belgian
Aviation History website, several aircraft have been observed
in preparation for delivery to SABCA for further modernization.
Jordan pilots are expected to arrive next year in Belgium for
a complete conversion on the type before ferrying their aircraft
home in late 2007 and early 2008.
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An enhanced version of the FireScout Vertical Takeoff UAV (VTUAV)
completed an initial series of flight tests conducted by the
U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman. The Navy plans to use Fire Scouts
on board the Littoral Combat Ship, where sailors will operate
both manned and unmanned helicopters to support operational
requirements.
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The FüInfoSys Heer, a new command and control (C2) system
developed for the German Army will enter production soon in
2007. The planned procurement will equip 1,500 vehicles. Delivery
of the first batch is expected to complete by 2012, under the
current € 380 Million contract. Deliveries will begin starting
2007 to German Army units as well as the joint German-French
Brigade. The system will be produced by the FüInfoSys Heer
joint-venture established between, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and
Rheinmetall Landsysteme. |
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Comtech Mobile Datacom Corp. will supply mobile satellite data
transceivers to equip U.S. Army vehicles through the "Blue
Force Tracking" of the brigade's command and control systems
(FBCB2). This latest order will include the delivery of Comtech’s
Model 2011E, under a $2.7 million order for the Army Movement
Tracking System program, for which Comte already received orders
worth $361.4 million. The total MTS contract value is $418.2
million. |
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The Spanish army will field the ARTHUR weapon locating radars,
following today's announcement of a €59 Million (U.S. $78
million) order, by Norwegian based Saab Microwave Systems AS.
The recent acquisition is significant for Saab, as it represents
the company's first major deal in Spain. Delivery will start
at the end of 2007, and continue through June 2009.
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The Slovenian Ministry of Defence has today signed agreements
with the local company Rotis and Patria of Finland, covering
the procurement of 135 Patria AMV 8x8 vehicles as well as Patria
Nemo 120 mm single-barrel
mortars to the Slovenian Army. The total value of the program
is about € 278 million. Production will gradually be transferred
to Slovenia in 2007 and 2008. |
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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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