First In, Last In: Denmark is Final Signatory to F-35 Production MoU

That’s everyone…

Denmark became the 9th and final partner nation to join the production and support phase of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter program. Minister of Defense Soren Gade signed the F-35 Production and Sustainment and Follow-on Development Memorandum of Understanding, in Copenhagen, Denmark. See Lockheed Martin release.

Denmark joined the JSF program in 1997 as a tier 3 partner, and in 2002 was the first European nation to enter the program’s system design & development (SDD) phase. Danish firms have received SDD contracts for advanced composites, communications software, control-surface components, and weapons pylons. By signing the production MoU, Denmark gives the F-35 program a 100% retention rate as the aircraft heads into full testing and pre-production. Participating countries will be on the spot for purchasing decisions in 2008-2009, and withdrawal may be complicated by contract clauses defining their participation in the current phase. Production of the first delivery aircraft is expected to begin around 2011-2013.

Smart Operations 21 Goes Mainstream for $90M

Mainstream GS, LLC in Loveland, CO received a $90 million, 7-year firm-fixed-price contract for a Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) Program. They will provide contractor support in the achievement of USAF Smart Operations 21 (AFSO 21) initiatives at Ogden Air Logistics Center and throughout the Air Force. The associated contract line items include: CPI Master, Training and Certification, Facilitation of Events and Projects, Courseware Development, Training Course Materials, and Data. Mainstream is already employed by the USAF to teach lean operations principles.

Solicitations began May 2006, negotiations were complete January 2007, and work will be complete February 2013. Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, UT issued the contract. (FA8224-07-D-0001).

Tavor-21 Rifle Headed Into Service With Indian Special Forces

Tavor C21 demo

In late 2002, India signed a Rs. 880 million (about $20 million) deal with Israel Military Industries for 3,070 TAR-21 Tavor assault rifles, a new bullpup design developed for use by the Israeli Defense Forces. The Israelis had just selected the compact Tavor over the Colt M4/M16 as its next-generation assault rifle, and the compact new weapons would be issued to India’s special forces personnel, where its ergonomics, reliability in heat and sand, and and fast-point/ fast-shoot design might give them an edge in close-quarters shootouts and employment from inside vehicles.

Then problems began, in India and in Israel. By 2005, IMI had supplied 350-400 TRA-21s without grenade launchers to India’s northern Special Frontier Force (SFF). These were declared to be ‘operationally unsatisfactory,’ however, due to problems with their foldable butt; meanwhile, Israeli units like the Galatz were voicing complaints of their own. The required changes appear to have been made, however, and the Tavor now looks set to enter operational service within a couple of months – even as India gears up for a larger competition that could feature a 9mm Tavor version…

Qantas to Service Australia’s KC-30B Tankers

RAAF KC-30B concept

Australian Minister of Defence Dr. Brendan Nelson announced that Australia’s DoD has signed a 5-year contract with Qantas airlines for the ongoing engineering, maintenance, supply and training support of Australia’s 5 Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft. The A330 MRTT aircraft, also called the KC-30B, will replace the RAAF’s fleet of KC-135 (Boeing 707) tankers. In addition to dispensing fuel, it can also function in a secondary cargo role and carry up to 270 people, and/or combinations of people and up to 32 463L cargo pallets. It is scheduled to enter RAAF service in 2009, was recently chosen by the UAE, and is currently facing off against Boeing’s smaller KC-767 for the USA’s $20-30 billion, 100-plane KC-X aerial tanker competition.

Roger, Wellco: $7.3M for Flight Deck Boots

Wellco Enterprises in Waynesville, NC won a maximum $7.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for safety flight deck boots on behalf of the US Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Proposals were solicited using a Bidders List and 8 responded. The contract will end on June 22, 2008, and was issued by the Defense Supply Center Philadelphia (DSCP) in Philadelphia, PA (SPM1C107D0039).

Britain’s FRES Program has a Full February

GD’s AHED Cutaway

February 2007 has been an eventful month for the FRES program. Some important milestones were reached, political controversy over the MoD’s medium armored vehicle strategy erupted in the Parliamentary Defence Committee, and the MoD fired back with a response.

Battle Boxes for the Bundeswehr

TransProtec Cutaway

EADS, in cooperation with the company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) of Munich, has developed a multifunctional container for protected personal transport that can accommodate up to 18 people including equipment. TransProtec has undergone a series of blasting tests at Military Technical Centre WTD in Meppen to verify its ability to resist attacks with explosives, sniper fire, shrapnel, and mines. EADS also claims the units provide some resistance to NBC(Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) attacks. TransProtec can easily be transported on different makes of protected trucks, and a hook loading system makes it possible to load and unload the container quickly.

Containerized systems are an emerging military trend. Our own coverage includes other EADS products (vid. the TransHospital), American counterparts like MMIC, and even renewable energy power stations by SkyBuilt et. al. The best collection we’ve found re: containerized military systems in worldwide use, however, is an outside web piece called Think IN the Battle Box. It explores a number of different uses and scenarios for the containerized forces idea, from transportation, to rapid-setup dwellings/bases, to airmobile integration. It’s interspersed with notes from field use and reports of various countries using containerized systems, some highly subjective editorial commentary concerning a number of defense issues, and the systems’ potential as part of a CONOPS (Concept of Operations) in Iraq that has similarities to the new take-and-hold approach. It alternates between hostility-inducing and thought-provoking, but has quite a few interesting ideas and information nuggets buried within.

In recent developments, the German Bundeswehr is now buying ambulance versions of TransProtec, even as EADS sets up an Arkansas facility to make these “deployable shelter systems” available in the USA for disaster relief in hurricane zones, military applications, et. al.

$70.4M to Raytheon for Predator Targeting Systems

MQ-1 MTS turret

Raytheon Co. in McKinney, TX received a $70.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for production 60 Multi-spectral Targeting System-As (MTS-As) for MQ-1 Predator UAVs, and 5 upgraded MTS-Bs for use on its hunter-killer derivative the MQ-9 Reaper. At this time, $8.6 million have been obligated.

Solicitations began November 2006, negotiations were complete February 2007, and work will be complete August 2008. The Headquarters Aeronautical Systems Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contract (FA8620-06-G-4041-0002).

Indian UAV Firm Rewarded for Initiative

Speck Systems of Hyderabad, India, recently decided to build on its expertise in GIS(Geographic Information Systems) and software, and formed an alliance with Flying Robots of France to manufacture mini and micro UAV solutions. Then their Baaz man-portable, mini Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was developed even though the Indian Army had not issued any solicitations for such a product. The mini-UAV is about 0.5 m long with a 1.5 m wingspan, and a claimed maximum range/altitude of 10km, maximum speed of 60 kph/ 36 mph, and/or endurance of up to 90 minutes. It has 3-axis, gyro-stabilized day/night cameras from an unspecified manufacturer (though they are partnered with Thales), can be hand or bungee-cord launched, and reportedly requires 20 minutes to assemble.

In response, the Indian Army has stepped outside of bureaucratic norms and invited the company for field trials; the UAV is also lined up for technical demonstration in Thailand, Sri Lanka and South Africa. Speck Systems is reportedly developing a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV counterpart “with a foreign partner.” See full article in the Hindu – though DID notes that Speck appears to be rather older than 11 months. Perhaps The Hindu was referring to the UAV division’s age.

$28.4M more to Fix New Orleans M1117 Production Plant

Back in the saddle…

Textron Marine & Land Systems in New Orleans, LA received a $28.4 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for Phase II of the Hurricane Katrina Relief Effort for the Armored Security Vehicle Program. This DID article covers many of the extraordinary efforts that were made to restore the building, keep the workforce, and get the M1117 Guardian ASV mine-protected patrol vehicle back into production in order to meet rising US demand.

Work will be performed in New Orleans, LA and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on May 9, 2005 by the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-05-C-0470).