The Army's Space and Missile Defense Command's Advanced Technology Directorate has initiated a program to try to better understand radio frequency (RF) weapons and how to protect U.S. systems in an electronic warfare environment, an SMDC official told lawmakers last month.
The U.S. Air Force has completed the first airborne demonstration of the Precision Location And Identification (PLAID) system, and plans to take a more detailed look at the technology in a follow-on demonstration in April. The initial demonstration took place at a West Coast classified electronic warfare range in late February using a C-130H aircraft. The PLAID system was tied into the C-130's AN/ALR-69 radar warning antennas and used an F-15 inertial navigation system. Two flights were conducted and each lasted about one hour.
Boeing North American Aircraft Division, Seal Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $32,200,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide for production and delivery of 10-carry Additional Conventional Bomb Modules (ACBM) for the B-1 bomber. Contract is expected to be completed October 2000. There was one proposal received. Solicitation began July 1997; negotiations were completed January 1998. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-97/C-0024).
Piquniq Management Corp., Anchorage, Alaska, was awarded on February 27, a $7,422,789 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract to provide for base operation, maintenance and support services for Eareckson Air Station, Alaska, from March 1998 through February 1999. Contract is expected to be completed February 1999. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The 3rd Contracting Squadron, Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, is the contracting activity (F65501-95/C-0015, P00088).
ITT AEROSPACE/COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION won $48.3 million in orders from eight countries for various models of the Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS). Orders for the Advanced Tactical Communications System (ATCS) were received from Bahrain and Ireland. A Middle Eastern country ordered more than 1,600 Tactical Communication Systems (TCS) and support equipment worth $30 million. A Pacific Rim customer placed a $5.9 million order for 167 TCS radios, logistics support and training.
Lockheed Martin Federal Systems, Inc., Owego, N.Y., was awarded on February 27, a $5,396,764 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract to provide for design, development, production, and installation of an upgrade to the power distribution system on twelve MC-130H aircraft. Contract is expected to be completed May 2001. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright- Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-83/C-0264, P00319).
TADIRAN LTD., Holon, Israel, will acquire California Microwave Inc.'s Microwave Network division for $35 million in cash. MN reported sales of more than $80 million in the past 12 months.
Tri-Industries, Terre Haute, Ind., is being awarded a $22,094,328 firm- fixed-price contract to provide for 156 Turbine Mid Frame Liners for the TF39 engine, applicable to the C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft. Contract is expected to be completed March 2001. There were six firms solicited and one proposal received. Solicitation began October 1997; negotiations were completed February 1998. At this time, $6,708,936 of the contract funds have been obligated. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
BVR Technologies, Tel Aviv, has signed an agreement with Flight Visions Incorporated (FVI), Sugar Grove, Ill., to develop, produce and market embedded training systems and their operational versions for various fighter aircraft. Under the agreement, the companies said, selected mutually developed systems would be sold jointly. In addition FVI would develop, manufacture and exclusively supply airborne components to BVR.
Litton Systems, Inc., Woodland Hills, Calif., was awarded on February 27, a $5,814,000 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract to provide for 76 Embedded Global Positioning System (GPS)/Inertial Navigation System (INS) units, associated chassis modifications, and mounts applicable to the F/A-18 aircraft. Contract is expected to be completed January 2000. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F34601-98/D-0067).
Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded an $11,229,035 modification to previously awarded contract N00019-96-C-0128 to develop a cockpit for the UH-1N helicopter as part of the upgrade program. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be completed by September 2003. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Opposition by the Depts. of Justice and Defense to Lockheed Martin's proposed acquisition of Northrop Grumman stunned the companies and was characterized yesterday by aerospace industry analysts as "unusual" and "out of left field." Yesterday, the companies said they were told over the weekend by Justice that it is "fundamentally opposed to the proposed combination...."
Northrop Grumman Corp., Melbourne, Fla., is being awarded an $11,900,000 face value increase to a fixed-price-incentive contract to provide for Lot VI Advance Procurement for the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS). Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Electronic Systems Command, Hanscom AFB, Mass., is the contracting activity (F19628-97/C-0001, P00002).
The U.S. Navy is looking to fund research that will support the development of hypersonic weapons through a series of basic and advanced technology development programs.
The Senate Budget Committee starts marking up its fiscal 1999 federal budget resolution tomorrow without even taking time to hear from Defense Secretary William S. Cohen. The House Budget Committee, seeking to slow down the budget process, may hear from Cohen before it begins its markup, for which no date has been set. "It's not certain how many Cabinet people" will be called to testify, a House Budget Committee source said. "If time permits, we'd like to" hear Cohen before marking up.
MAERSK AIR, Birmingham, England, placed a follow-on order for two Canadair Regional Jet Series 200LRs and retained options for 10 more. Deliveries are scheduled for January and March 1999.
ATLANTIC COAST AIRLINES, Dulles, Va., confirmed five of the conditional orders exercised in November 1997 for Canadair Regional Jets. ACA now has 23 CRJs on firm order, six in operation and 25 remaining options.
Mercury Computer Systems Inc., Chelmsford, Mass., received a $1.5 million order from Array Systems Computing Inc., Toronto, for 58 Mercury RACE computer systems. The order is part of an Array contract with Lockheed Martin Canada to equip the Canadian Forces' CP-140 Aurora Maritime Patrol Aircraft with advanced signal processing systems. The system will augment the existing AN/APS-506 radar on the aircraft.
Raytheon E-Systems, Greenville, Texas, is being awarded an $11,230,002 face value increase to a cost-plus-award-fee contract to provide for a 22-month, long-lead delivery of lower surface wing panels, lower surface stringers and related hardware as part of the Wing Structural Enhancement Program (WSEP) for the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS), USAF-only aircraft fleet. The fleet needs the WSEP to correct widespread wing fatigue damage in the aging Boeing 707 fleet, the airframe for the JSTARS electronics.
BRUNSWICK TECHNOLOGIES INC., Brunswick, Maine, acquired the business and assets of Tech Textiles International Ltd., Andover, U.K. from T&N Plc for about $5.9 million in cash. TTI, which makes composite reinforcement materials, will be BTI's base of operations for continued expansion into Europe. TTI's current management team will continue to oversee day-to-day operations.
Ingalls Shipbuilding Div., of Litton Industries is been awarded a contract with a potential value of more than $2.8 billion to build eight DDG-51 Class Aegis guided missile destroyers. The contract calls for construction of six ships, with options for two more. Advance procurement on the contract started last year with an award of $164.5 million. Delivery dates for the eight new ships extend into 2006. A total of 52 of the Aegis destroyers has now been ordered, and awards for five more of the destroyers are expected in 2002 and 2003.
NASA's inspector general has faulted the speed with which NASA- sponsored scientists have disseminated the results of experiments conducted on Russia's Mir orbital station, and made recommendations to speed the process once the International Space Station is operational.
Boeing Co., Long Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $38,977,876 face value increase to a firm-fixed-price contract to increase the FY 98 through FY 03 swing clause thresholds for future aircraft changes and aircraft software block upgrades on the multiyear contract. Additionally, this action includes prices for 16 future aircraft changes and six aircraft software block upgrades under this expanded clause. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
ELECTRIC FUEL CORP., New York, won a contract from Israel's Ministry of Defense to develop an advanced zinc-air battery for a propulsion system. FORTIS AVIATION GROUP, Newport Beach, Calif., created a division to market products related to the defense industry, initially concentrating on promoting the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft and its variants. The expansion follows an agreement with the Tashkent Aircraft Production Corp. in Uzbekistan. David Robinson will head the new division.
