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$326M to GE for 80 F414 Engines, Equipment and Spares

March 14, 2010

F414-GE-400 engine (click to see in sections) General Electric Aircraft Engines business group in Lynn, MA received a $326 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-06-C-0088), exercising an option for 80 F-414-GE-400 engines and modules and 2 spare engines for the US Navy. They will be installed in the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft . DID has provided coverage of previous modifications to this contract… (more…)

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$326M to GE for 80 F414 Engines, Equipment and Spares

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Aging Aircraft: Cracks in USA’s F/A-18 fleet

March 14, 2010

F/A-18C to Afghanistan (click to view full) Earlier in October 2008, a fleet-wide inspection program and limited grounding became necessary after aileron hinge cracks are discovered in some of the US Navy’s 630 or so F/A-18 A-D Hornet fighters. In March 2010, discovery of new cracks led to a much wider grounding. The USA’s is watching the average age of its fighter fleet rise , and will continue to do so even if all F-22s and F-35s envisioned in current Pentagon plans are purchased. “ Aging Aircraft: USAF F-15 Fleet Grounded ” covered the long saga of the USA’s F-15A-D fleet, which culminated in early retirement for a number of its aircraft. The A-10C re-winging program acquired added urgency with the revelation that wing cracks had been found in active aircraft. Now the US Navy’s long-serving F/A-18A-D Hornet fleet can be added to the list… (more…)

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Aging Aircraft: Cracks in USA’s F/A-18 fleet

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LPI Gets $84.1M US Navy Contract for Yellow Gear, HM&E Support

March 14, 2010

Yellow gear on aircraft carrier Small business qualifier LPI Technical Services in Chesapeake, VA received an $84.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to furnish repair, maintenance, modernization, logistical, and technical support services for material handling equipment (yellow gear) and hull, mechanical, and electric (HM&E) machinery and systems for ship operation and performance. HM&E equipment includes a broad range of shipboard equipment, ranging from appliances to transformers. Material handling equipment known as “ yellow gear ” is used for aircraft handling, servicing, maintenance and fire fighting on aircraft carriers… (more…)

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LPI Gets $84.1M US Navy Contract for Yellow Gear, HM&E Support

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Rapid Fire: 2010-03-15

March 12, 2010

Australia still onboard to buy up to 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters despite cost overrun warnings from the Pentagon procurement chief. Carter testimony | Hearing Webcast | Reuters | Associated Press | New York Times | Washington Post | AOL News UK’s SSN Trafalgar-class fast attack submarine HMS Triumph sets sail for sea trials after 6-year, GBP 300 million refit program that included installation of new sonar and C2 systems and an upgrade of the Tomahawk missile system. UK MOD inks GBP 400 million deal to buy capacity on EADS Astrium’s Skynet 5D satellite, which is expected to be launched in 2013; the satellite capacity will be used for military communication, including Bowman radios. Germany’s KMW delivers 1st Fennek JFST armored reconnaissance vehicles to Bundeswehr for deployment to Afghanistan in April. KMW release [in German] USCG acquisition chief warns about declining readiness of cutter fleet , expects price tag for Deepwater program to reach $27.4 billion . ATK reorganizes into 4 business units; Karen Davis to head armament systems group. ATK release | Associated Press

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Rapid Fire: 2010-03-12

March 11, 2010

Are trans-Atlantic defense partnerships viable? Wall Street Journal weighs in . India’s air force to pay Euro 560 million for 12 AW101 helicopters made by AgustaWestland. US and South Korea exercises prelude to that country taking over wartime operational control of its forces in 2012. Defense against WMD a focus. DoD article | CCTV.com report | AFP | Korea Herald | JoongAng Daily Navistar expects orders for US military trucks to raise profits in 2010 . L-3’s STRATIS division wins $230.9 million contract recompete to provide intelligence support services to US and multinational forces in Iraq ; division also snags $24.8 million US Special Ops imagery contract. Lockheed Martin gets $36.8 million contract to support night vision systems and components for AH-64 Apache helicopter at the US Army’s Arizona Support Center.

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Up to $63.6M to SAIC for SPAWAR C4ISR Support

March 11, 2010

Science Applications International Corp. in McLean, VA received a $47.6 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide technical and engineering support to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific for C4ISR systems. This 5-year contract includes three 12-month option periods for a total potential period of performance of 8 years and a total potential value of $63.6 million. SAIC will provide support for the following: (more…)

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Up to $63.6M to SAIC for SPAWAR C4ISR Support

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US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services

March 11, 2010

K-707, F/A-18, EA-6B Aerial tankers are essential when moving large quantities of men and materials long distances, or stretching the range and length of fighter combat air patrols. Most are government-owned, but a segment of semi-privatized services may be set to grow alongside existing military fleets. Could DID readers find themselves flying to an Azores vacation on a chartered aerial tanker during its “spare hours”? As Britain’s proposed FSTA public-private aerial tanker partnership comes to fruition, that’s exactly what could happen. The USA’s KC-45 competition was set to buy up to 179 aircraft for the USAF’s fleet instead, and may yet do so. Even here, however, some outsourcing is going on. Enter Omega Refueling Services, Inc… (more…)

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US Military Contracts for Private Aerial Refueling Services

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German Shipbuilding Restructured: UAE’s Firm Buys Blohm+Voss

March 11, 2010

Sachsen, sending SM-2 (click to view full) Greek deal adds submarine construction capabilities. (March 1/10) ThyseenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) recently announced a “close strategic partnership” and Memorandum of Understanding with the Abu Dhabi MAR group in the United Arab Emirates, but the move is much closer to a sale of key assets. The MoU stipulates a 50/50 joint venture to build naval surface ships, with TKMS retaining a lead role and know-how in all projects with the German Navy and NATO partners. Similarly, Abu Dhabi MAR Group will be responsible for the Middle East and North Africa. At the same time, however, Abu Dhabi MAR is acquiring 80% of TKMS’ key surface ship firms: Blohm + Voss Shipyards, Blohm + Voss Repair, and Blohm + Voss Industries. The proposed sale follows other recent purchases in Germany by Abu Dhabi MAR, and other recent shipyard sales by TKMS. The net effect is a restructuring of Germany’s naval shipbuilding industry… (more…)

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German Shipbuilding Restructured: UAE’s Firm Buys Blohm+Voss

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Rapid Fire: 2010-03-11

March 10, 2010

CSC survey: US aerospace and defense execs see growth opportunities in cybersecurity, renewable energy, and physical and information infrastructure. Chilean earthquake hits Talcahuano NB hard, reportedly totaled 2 U209 submarines in ASMAR shipyard; full shipyard recovery could take up to 5 years [video, with subtitles]. Forecast International: Report predicts $28.4 billion will be spent on electronic warfare systems over the next 10 years. Taiwan defense ministry issues report that warns China has better fighter jets . Well, yes. More of them, too. South Africa’s new Gripen fighters, MEKO frgates, and U209/1400 submarines: just for show? USAF test of X-51 hypersonic cruise missile delayed , DangerRoom reports. Weather pushes A400M testing to Tolouse, France , as 2nd test plane is handed over. DARPA is looking for industry proposals for development of non-volatile logic technologies that can be used in remote sensors, small UAVs, and high-performance computers. Air Force Research Lab is asking for white papers on integrating C2 capabilities across cyber, air and space domains.

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Allies Absent in Afghanistan – Helicopters Hired

March 10, 2010

Chartered Mi-8, ISAF (click to view full) British commander foresaw own death; Major deal for US State Department; credit-worthy Czechs; drop gone wrong; contracts to Evergreen, CHC, and Presidential Airways. (March 9/10) Afghanistan is shaping up as a test of the NATO alliance. Thus far, the report is mixed. While a number of allied countries have committed troops, very few of the NATO countries’ available helicopters have been committed, despite promises made and commanders’ requests from the field. At the moment, Britain, the Netherlands, and the USA still contribute most of the combat helicopter support in theater, alongside some CH-47s from non-NATO partner Australia. They are supplemented by helicopters from some east bloc countries like Poland and the Czech Republic (Mi-8/17s), and the very recent addition of a few CH-47D Chinooks and Bell 412ERs from Canada. The sizeable helicopter fleets belonging to NATO members like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have seen some use in Afghanistan, but the bulk of their use has been in areas away from the serious fighting in the south. That is creating political tensions within the alliance, especially when set against the backdrop of European shortfalls in meeting NATO ISAF commitments. At one point, the USA was forced to extend the deployment of 20 CH-47 helicopters by 6 months, in order to try and make up the shortfall. Over the longer, term, however, a 2-track solution has emerged. Track one involves keeping up the pressure, and some members of NATO have responded. Track 2 has involved stanching the wound by chartering private helicopter support that can take care of more routine missions in theater, freeing the military helicopters for other tasks. Contracts and Key Events [updated] Additional Readings (more…)

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Allies Absent in Afghanistan – Helicopters Hired

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