Lockheed Martin to provide 17 radar systems to Romania
Lockheed Martin Overseas Corp. and the Romania Ministry of Defense (MOD) have signed a contract for the co-production of 17 TPS-79 Multi-Mission Surveillance Radar systems for Romania’s Phase II Gap Filler program. Lockheed Martin provided two prototype systems to the Romanian MOD under a Phase I contract awarded in 2002. Romania is using the medium-range systems, together with five existing Lockheed Martin AN/FPS-117 long-range air surveillance radars, to monitor airspace around the country. Under Phase II, Lockheed Martin will build the radar components and subassemblies for 17 additional Multi-Mission Surveillance Radar systems in its Syracuse, N.Y., facility. A Romanian company, UTI Systems S.A., will provide additional components, and its employees will participate in radar integration and testing in Syracuse and Romania. “Not only is this program necessary for the Ministry of Defense in helping us fulfill our mission, it’s equally important for the Romanian economy because it helps local industry participate in high-tech equipment production and markets,” says Maj. General Ioan Eftimie Sandu, deputy chief, Department for Armaments, in the Romanian MOD. The medium-range TPS-79 radar can be transported by air, sea, truck, or rail and can be deployed in less than 60 minutes.
Boeing awarded second contract for F-15 radar upgrade work
Boeing in St. Louis won a $130 million U.S. Air Force contract to upgrade 16 U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard F-15C jet fighters with the APG-63(v)3 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. The contract, which follows a similar agreement signed in September 2007 for seven aircraft, also includes initial spares and aircraft support. Raytheon’s APG-63(v)3 AESA radar builds on APG 63(v)2 technology and the hardware advances of the F/A 18E/F Super Hornet’s APG-79 AESA radar. The APG-63(v)3 radar is the latest addition to the F-15C. Previous upgrades include a fighter-to-fighter data link, GPS navigation, and the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System, enabling network centric operations while employing air-to-air weapons.
Northrop Grumman to build U.S. Army missile interceptor system prototype
Northrop Grumman Corp. in San Bernardino, Calif., is one of two companies awarded a contract by the U.S. Army last month to design and demonstrate a prototype missile interceptor weapon system that will defend warfighters against rocket, artillery, and mortar (RAM) threats. As part of the first phase of a multi-phased program spanning five years, Northrop Grumman will develop hardware and software for a battle element (BE) that is part of the Extended Area Protection and Survivability Integrated Demonstration (EAPS ID) program. The purpose of the EAPS ID is to create a mobile missile system (or BE) that can engage several RAM threats, and protect forward-deployed forces over a large area. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command/Research, Development, and Engineering Center at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., is managing this contract. During the next five years, the Northrop Grumman team will demonstrate the technology for a kinetic energy weapon system battle element. The BE includes a low-cost missile, a launcher, fire control radar, and fire control computer to defeat a wide range of RAM threats. Northrop Grumman is leading a team that includes Miltec Corp. and Torch Systems, both located in Huntsville. The initial award, option one, is for $6 million and extends through November. Options two through five will be executed annually for a total contract value of up to $40 million.
General Dynamics to continue work on Navy Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program
The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command awarded General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems an $8.89 million contract modification to continue system integration efforts for the Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP). General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems is a business unit of General Dynamics. SEWIP is a spiral-development block upgrade program for the U.S. Navy’s primary surface ship electronic warfare and anti-ship missile defense system, AN/SLQ-32, which has been installed on naval combatants and auxiliaries since the early 1980s. Work includes program management, system engineering, integration, and testing in preparation for SEWIP’s Block 1B upgrades. Block 1A, currently in fielding, includes an improved human machine interface, an electronic surveillance enhancement processor, and the AN/UYQ-70 display console. Future SEWIP Block 1B upgrades will continue with the addition of integrated Specific Emitter Identification (SEI), High Gain High Sensitivity (HGHS) capabilities, and network centric and mission planning capabilities. These upgrades will improve warfighter capabilities in anti-ship missile defense and ship survivability. Work will be performed in Fairfax, Va., and should be completed by October 2008.
DRS Technologies to provide vehicle vision enhancement systems to the U.S. Marine Corps
DRS Technologies in Parsippany, N.J., won a $19 million, five-year contract from the U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, in Crane, Ind., to provide the U.S. Marine Corps with vehicle Vision Enhancement Systems (VES). The Marine Corps will incorporate the systems onto their Joint Assault Bridge (JAB) vehicles. The work will be at the company’s DRS Sensors & Targeting Systems - California Division in Cypress, Calif. The VES is a non-developmental item DRS is providing to the U.S. Marine Corps JAB vehicle program by using existing DRS-manufactured products currently in use by U.S. and international military forces. The VES uses combat-proven DRS infrared sensors and displays currently in widespread use on tactical vehicles deployed with the Marine Corps and U.S. Army in Iraq and Afghanistan. The VES consists of four uncooled infrared thermal imaging sensors, one display, one wide field-of-view monochrome CCD, and one control interface box. It is designed to provide 165-degree situational awareness, enhancing the forward vision of the driver and commander during movement, bridge launch and recovery operations, and under conditions of limited visibility such as night, dust, smoke, or fog. The JAB vehicle consists of an M1A1 Abrams main battle tank chassis modified to accommodate and deploy an 18.3-meter MLC-70 bridge. The program is being managed by the Tank-Automotive and Armaments Life Cycle Management Command and manufactured by the Anniston Army Depot in Anniston, Ala.
