Land Mines: Assessing the Threat, Extending a Hand

As the New Year approaches, DID thought we’d end on a different kind of note.

A recent report from the United States Department of State notes that the USA has spent more than $1 billion over the past dozen years on humanitarian land mine removal efforts around the world. That money has removed land mines, paid for educational messages on the risks posed by mines, helped victims of mine injuries, and funded R&D to improve existing humanitarian mine removal programs. It has also helped establish mine action programs in a number of nations.

Drawing on data collected by the US departments of State and Defense, the US Agency for International Development, the Leahy War Victims Fund and the Mine Action Information Center at James Madison University in Virginia, the accompanying fact sheet traces key actions related to mines and unexploded ordnance beginning in the US Civil War in 1862 and extending through the end of 2005, with a strong focus on the 1998-2005 period and a solid chronology of successes throughout the year.

Meanwhile, the Landmine Monitor Report 2005 is the seventh annual report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL), as it seeks to monitor and report on implementation of and compliance with the 1997 Mine Ban Treaty. It also seeks to assess international responses to mine-related humanitarian issues. (Hat Tip: ReliefWeb)

DID entered “full rate publication” in 2005, and we appreciate each and every one of our readers for entrusting us with their time and attention this year. See you all again in the New Year!

NAVAIR Issues V-22 Osprey Contracts Worth $1.17B

V-22 Osprey

The USA’s Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, MD has issued a series of contracts over the last week or so related to the twin-engine V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor transport aircraft. The V-22 Osprey remains controversial given its $100 million per plane cost, and performance questions over the course of the program. Cuts may also be forthcoming in 2007.

These contracts cover both the US Marines’ planned MV-22 machines which are approved for full-rate production, and Special Operations Command’s CV-22 which is still being modified and has yet to enter Operational Evaluation (OpEval). The total value of these six contracts, options, and delivery orders is approximately $1.17 billion.

$112.3M for 38 ATFLIR Pods, Plus Spares

ATFLIR on USMC F/A-18C

DID has covered the ATFLIR’s success in theater over Iraq, and how it has changed the roles of the F/A-18 aircraft fitted with it. Advanced Targeting Forward Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) combines three pods into one: a targeting FLIR, a laser spot tracker, and a navigation FLIR. It also sharply improves performance and reliability over existing pods.

The US Navy has recently issued a pair of ATFLIR-related orders for its F/A-18 fleet. Both pertain to contract N00019-06-C-0310, and together they total $112.3 million…

France Delivers EUR 7.1B of Arms in 2004, Says Report

Not counted.

France booked arms export orders worth EUR 3.4 billion (about $4 billion) in 2004, and delivered EUR 7.1 billion (about $8.4 billion under current conversion rates) of military equipment to foreign buyers, according to the official report to the French Parliament.

This annual report to Parliament analyzes arms export agreements concluded by France in 2004, as well as military equipment actually exported during the same year. The information is broken down by region, by country and by type of equipment, and numerous appendices are provided to allow detailed analysis. Most of the information covers the last ten years. As defense-aerospace.com notes, however: “This report’s greatest failing is that it is available only in French.” Naturellement.

Lockheed Receives $308M more for ABM Work

Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions of Gaithersburg, MD received a cost-plus-award fee modification for the development, integration, and installation of the command, control, battle management and communications capability for the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). This modification extends the period of performance, and increases the agreement value by $308 million. Lockheed’s work is believed to be central to the integration of formerly stand-alone system elements into an effective, layered BMDS, and the interoperability of missile defense command and control operations at the various combatant commanders’ sites.

The current effort is expected to be complete on December 31, 2005. The Missile Defense Agency issued the change, and work under this modification will be funded using Fiscal Years 2006, 2007 and 2008 funds (HQ0006-02-9-0002).

International Order for Mini-DAMA Submarine Transceivers

AN/USC-42 Mini-DAMA

L-3 Titan Systems Corp. in San Diego, CA received a not-to-exceed $5.9 million firm-fixed-price letter contract to procure 13 AN/USC-42A(V)2 Mini-DAMA terminals, 39 DSP II cards, 40 E-HUB COMSEC assemblies plus other ancillary Mini-DAMA hardware. This contract contains requirements for the Governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Korea, and United Kingdom under the Foreign Military Sales program.

What’s a DAMA? For that matter, what’s a mini-DAMA? Glad you asked…

$12.2M to EDS for Defense Finance Data Management

The USA’s Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) has picked up a fourth year option with Electronic Data Systems Corp. in Herndon, VA. This indefinite delivery contract (MDA210-02-D-0001) has a maximum face value of $12.2 million, and covers production support, hardware/software support and system improvements for electronic data management. This brings the aggregate value of the contract to a maximum of $59.6 million.

Work will be performed at DFAS Columbus, OH; DFAS Indianapolis, IN; DFAS Omaha, NB; and DFAS Charleston, SC. Under this option, work will be performed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2006. Funding includes nine months of fiscal 2006 dollars and three months of fiscal 2007 dollars, to be issued by task orders. The DFAS Contract Services Directorate in Columbus OH issued the contract (MDA210-02-D-0001).

Up to $2.9B to Boeing to Support F/A-18 Super Hornets Over Next Decade

F/A-18F Launch

Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas Corp. in St. Louis, MO received a base five-year, $995 million, firm-fixed-price requirements, performance-based logistics support contract for the US Navy’s new 3rd-4th generation F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet fighters. This contract includes one five-year base period, with an additional five-year option period that would bring the total estimated value of the contract to $2.9 billion if exercised.

Work will be performed in St. Louis, MO and the five-year base period will end in September 2010. This contract was not competitively procured; McDonnell Douglas is the Super Hornet’s original manufacturer. The US Naval Inventory Control Point issued the contract (N00383-06-D-0001J). See all DID articles related to the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

Thailand to Buy 12 Sukhoi Fighters?

SU-30, Export Star

The Moscow Times newspaper reports that Russia has signed a preliminary agreement to sell 12 two-seat, multirole Sukhoi SU-30MK fighter jets to Thailand in a deal worth $500 million in cash and in kind. The source for the report was an unnamed Irkut official who claims the memorandum of understanding was signed at the Asian summit in Malaysia, and added that the deal also includes some helicopters. Irkut spokesmen declined to comment when asked by Agence France Presse. Interfax news agency reported that a definitive contract on the sale would be signed toward the middle of 2006, and that Bangkok would pay part of the bill in kind by delivering various products to Russia for resale on international markets. Read the full article at SpaceWar.com.

The Royal Thai Air Force generally flies American machines, and allegations of corruption are part of the domestic controversy that now swirls around this reported buy…

$156.4M Delivery Order to ATK for Small-Cal Ammo

Alliant Lake City Small Caliber Ammunition Co. LLC in Independence, MO received a delivery order amount of $156.4 million as part of a $166.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for “small caliber ammunition.” In the USA, this designation usually refers to ammunition of .50 caliber (12.7mm) or lower. DID has featured ongoing coverage of the USA’s small-caliber ammunition shortages, some of the steps being taken to address them, and recent expansions of the supplier base. ATK’s protest of the recent second-source award to General Dynamics was recently withdrawn.

Work on this delivery order will be performed in Independence, MO and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2006. This was a sole source contract initiated on Oct. 5, 2005 by the Army Field Support Command in Rock Island, IL (DAAA09-99-D-0016). DID has covered developments related to this contract before.