GENERAL DYNAMICS Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Mich., was awarded a $3.7 million increment as part of an $82.4 million modification to a $115.2 million contract for development of the Systems Enhancement Package (SEP) for the Abrams M1A2 Tank. The contract was awarded Aug. 21 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive&Armaments Command.
BRITISH AEROSPACE'S Systems and Equipment unit (BASE) has won a 10 million pound ($16 million) contract from Northrop Grumman Corp. for a range of systems and components for the Nemesis Directed Energy Infrared Countermeasures system (DIRCM). The U.K. Ministry of Defence earlier this year chose Northrop Grumman to develop and supply Nemesis to protect fixed and rotary wing aircraft (DAILY, April 6, page 28).
Northrop Grumman has completed design verification testing for its AN/ALQ-135 band 1.5 jammer, allowing the missing part of the F-15E jammer suite to move into flight testing. Testing on the low-band jammer, slated to complement the band 3 jammer already flying on the F-15E, included a maintainability demonstration, software function qualification tests, and a system demo running bands 1.5 and 3 together, according to Michael Lennon, Northrop Grumman's director of F-15 programs.
Developing and procuring standoff precision guided weapons at "affordable prices" could lead to lower than projected buys of tactical aircraft now being developed, a Congressional Research Service study concludes. It said that one or more of the several interim solutions to requirements for air-launched standoff munitions could be funded in the short term while the military services are developing more advanced precision guided standoff missiles that may be needed after 2000.
SVERDRUP TECHNOLOGY INC., Beavercreek, Ohio, received a $30 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for validation support for various electronic warfare simulators, including test planning and execution, procedures evaluation, and data and analysis verification. The Dept. of Defense said Aug. 21 that the contract was awarded by the USAF's Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Work under the contract is expected to be completed August 2000.
Two Russian firms which once were one are now marketing various versions of a light space launch vehicle based on a missile that they developed together. NPO Mashinostroyenia, based in Reutov in the Moscow region, is offering the Strela launcher based on the SS-19 ICBM. The SS-19 also serves as the basis for the better-known Rokot launcher marketed by Khrunichev.
August 25, 1995 Bell-Boeing Joint Program Office, Arlington, Va., is being awarded an $8,758,105 modification to previously awarded contract N00019-93-C-0006 for the initial Phase I development of the CV-22 variant of the MV-22 aircraft. Work will be performed in Ft. Worth, Texas (45%) and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (55%), and is expected to be completed by December 2001. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
August 25, 1995 Science and Applied Technology, Inc., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $6,998,572 modification to previously awarded contract BN00019- 94-C-0078 to exercise an option to develop the expansion test program and conduct testing of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). Work will be performed in Woodland Hills, California, and is expected to be completed by July 1997. Contract funds in the amount of $5,566,172 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
ALLOY SURFACES INC., Wilmington, Del., will design and manufacture 200 BOL/IR prototype counter-measure units for the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., according to an Aug. 22 Commerce Business Daily notice.
August 21, 1995 McDonnell Douglas Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri, is being awarded a $15,952,500 face value increase to a Firm Fixed Price contract for CY1995/1996 flight test support for the F-15 aircraft. Contract is expected to be completed December 1996. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio is the contracting activity (F33657-93/C-0037, P00003).
Russia's space program is alive and should be feeling better soon, the general director of the Russian Space Agency insisted in an air show appearance here last week. Speaking at Moscow Aerospace Salon on Aug. 24, Yuri Koptiev said the most acute problem for the Russian space program is getting the actual appropriation of research and development funds already allocated by the federal budget and through other government actions.
GTE GOVERNMENT SYSTEMS CORP., Taunton, Mass., received an $11,553,732 contract from the U.S. Army for Mobile Subscriber Equipment (MSE) program support at Depot and Regional Support Centers. The Dept. of Defense announced the contract on Aug. 22, and said it was awarded by the Communications and Electronics Command, Fort Monmouth, N.J.
The U.S. Navy is seeking industry input for development of new technology to launch aircraft from carrier decks that wouldn't rely on steam. Naval Air Systems Command, in an Aug. 25 Commerce Business Daily notice, expressed interest in non-steam technologies that could benefit an advanced catapult development program. The Navy is already developing electromagnetic launch technologies as potential alternative launch/launch assist systems.
Rockwell International plans to award a contract for B-1B bomber data transfer equipment to Orbital Sciences' recently acquired Fairchild Defense unit, with first delivery of the hardware slated for next April. Rockwell's North American Aircraft Div. will award the contract, still being finalized, under the B-1's Conventional Mission Upgrade program. Fairchild is providing the Upgraded Data Transfer Unit, or UDTU, and the Mega Data Transfer Cartridge with a processor.
ORBITAL COMMUNICATIONS CORP., Dulles, Va., has signed a reseller agreement that allows Advanced Research Corp. of Colorado Springs to provide services from Orbital's Orbcomm satellites as part of its StarWatch asset location. Starwatch is a computer-based product that allows customers to track the location of vehicles, trailers, containers and assets.
The owner of the satellite currently scheduled to ride on the return to flight of China's Long March rocket is expressing confidence it will be able to get launch insurance despite some remaining questions about a launch mishap in January. Asia Satellite Telecommunications Co. Ltd. (AsiaSat) of Hong Kong, in response to a query, said it anticipates "no difficulties in getting insurance before launch" of its AsiaSat 2 satellite. The launch is expected no earlier than November (DAILY, Aug. 28, page 310).
McDonnell Douglas and Rockwell Australia will jointly bid the T-45A Goshawk for Australia's Lead-in-Fighter program, expected to be awarded next year. MDC will be the prime contractor and Rockwell Australia will be the principal subcontractor for integrated logistics support and contractor logistics support. Final assembly and flight check-out will be done at Rockwell Australia's Avalon, Victoria, facility recently acquired from AeroSpace Technologies of Australia, MDC said.
NASA's Langley Research Center has completed tests aimed at demonstrating that the safety of aircraft ground operations can be significantly improved through the use of advanced communications, navigation and surveillance technologies. The tests involved airport automation concepts that NASA sees providing flight crews with the status of ground and air traffic control information while providing ground controllers with a clear picture of airport surface traffic at all times and in all weather conditions.
The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization has announced a list of topical areas for its fiscal year 1996 scientific research program. In addition to standard criteria, such as relevance to BMDO work, contractor qualification, and realism of cost estimates, BMDO said in an Aug. 25 Commerce Business Daily notice that it would also consider potential commercialization of products. Proposals can be submitted through FY '96, the notice said. The research areas include: - Diamond technology and wide bandgap materials and devices.
ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY wants papers from industry describing enabling technologies for a Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD). ARPA also said in an Aug. 29 Commerce Business Daily notice that it and the U.S. Air Force will sponsor a MALD industry day at Eglin AFB, Fla., on Sept. 21. ARPA plans a competition for an Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration of a MALD.
