Friday, June 04, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated June 4, 2010

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated June 4, 2010 Source: U.S. DoD issued June 4, 2010 (NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - June 4, 2010: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued June 4, 2010 are undermentioned; CONTRACTS NAVY ~Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., is being awarded a $99,557,548 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-2217) for long lead time material (LLTM) for ships four and five of the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) program. This contract provides LLTM for main propulsion engines, aluminum, waterjets, reduction gears, generators and other components to support construction of JHSV ships four and five, commencing in fall 2010. Work will be performed in Detroit, Mich. (38 percent); Chesapeake, Va. (18 percent); Henderson, Australia (13 percent); Gulfport, Miss. (10 percent); Ravenswood, W.Va. (9 percent); Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (4 percent); Mobile, Ala. (3 percent); Auburn, Ind. (2.6 percent); Winter Haven, Fla. (1 percent); Gardena, Calif. (1 percent); and Davenport, Iowa (0.4 percent), and is expected to be completed by December 2011. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity. ~Force Protection Industries, Inc., Ladson, S.C., is being awarded a $46,102,093 firm-fixed-priced modification under contract (M67854-07-D-5031) delivery order #0018 for the purchase of 2,451 automatic fire extinguisher system kits to be installed on the Cougar Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles. Work will be performed Sterling Heights, Mich., and is expected to be completed February 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $46,102,093 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE ~Northrop Grumman Corp., Integrated Systems Sector, San Jose, Calif., was awarded a $23,706,450 contract which will manage the day-to-day engineering, manufacturing and design contract operations for the Global Hawk. At this time, $6,851,097 has been obligated. 303 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (F33657-01-C-4600). ~L3 Communications Corp., Arlington, Texas, was awarded a $21,031,116.50 contract which acquires a fully immersive Block 40/50 F-16 mission training center and spares that will be delivered to Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 677 AESG/SYK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8621-09-C-6292). ~Sabreliner Corp., St. Louis, Mo., was awarded a $7,460,790.28 contract which will provide engineering and analysis tasks supporting an assessment of the C/KC-135 fleet. At this time, the entire amount has been obligated. 10th Contracting Squadron, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., is the contracting activity (FA7000-10-D-0014). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY ~CFI International, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, is being awarded a maximum $7,557,400 firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for aircraft turbine cases. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. There was originally one proposal solicited with one response. The date of performance completion is January 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency (DSCR-ZBAB), Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is the contracting activity (FA8104-08-G-0002-UNY7). ~McRae Industries, Inc.*, Mt Gilead, N.C., is being awarded a maximum $6,543,446 fixed-price with economic price adjustment, total set-aside, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for men’s and women’s combat boots. There are no other locations of performance. Using service is Air Force. The original proposal was Web-solicited with six responses. The date of performance completion is June 3, 2011. The Defense Supply Center Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM1C1-10-D-1080). *Small business

DTN News: US Congress Approves C17 Globemaster III Transport Aircraft Sale To India

DTN News: US Congress Approves C17 Globemaster III Transport Aircraft Sale To India
Source: DTN News By Roger Smith
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 4, 2010: The US Congress has cleared the sale of C-17 Globemaster III strategic aircraft for India, ahead of the crucial Cabinet-level Strategic Dialogue between the two countries according to DTN News.
The Obama Administration had in April notified the US Congress of the potential sale of 10 C-17 aircraft to India and sought approval in this regard. "We are pleased that India's intent to buy 10 C-17 Globemaster III has received U.S. congressional approval," Dr Vivek Lall, Vice President and Country Head, Boeing Defence, Space and Security, India, told the media in New Delhi.
With this, the Indian government is one step closer to acquiring the C-17 which we believe is ideally suited to meet India's airlift needs for military and humanitarian purposes, he said. "The submittal of the Letter of Acceptance to the Government of India will be the next step towards finalizing the Foreign Military Sale," Lall said. "The aircraft are being sold to India under the US Government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme, with the maximum package value of USD 5.8 billion.
That includes the 3. 8 per cent administrative fee that the government charges to ensure timely delivery and guarantee the supplies," reported India Strategic in its latest issue. A senior Obama Administration official William Burns had yesterday defended arms sale to India by arguing that this commensurate with New Delhi's expanding role as well as America's own interest.
In June 2009, the Indian Air Force (IAF) selected the C-17 to fulfill its Very Heavy Lift Transport Aircraft requirement. If the deal is approved by the Indian Defense Ministry, the C-17 would replace the Ilyushin Il-76 as the largest heavy lift transport aircraft in-service with the IAF. According to the Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal P. V. Naik, the IAF plans to order ten C-17 aircraft. As of June 2009, the selection was being reviewed by the Indian Defense Ministry, but an order has not been placed. According to DTN News, the Indian media reports in October 2009, the Defense Acquisition Council of India has "almost finalized" the deal with the United States for 10 C-17s. US Ambassador to India, Timothy J. Roemer, expressed optimism over the deal and said that the United States was committed to expanding the "strategic lift capability" of the Indian Air Force. In January 2010, the US Government received a request from India for 10 C-17s through a Foreign Military Sale. In June 2010, the US Congress approved the sale of 10 C-17s to India under the US's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com

DTN News: U. S. Army Testing Green Laser Kits In Afghanistan

DTN News: U. S. Army Testing Green Laser Kits In Afghanistan
Source: Army News Service - By By Debi Dawson, June 2, 2010
(NSI News Source Info) PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J.- June 4, 2010: The Army's Program Executive Office Soldier is fielding several Green Laser Escalation of Force, or GLEF, kits to units in Afghanistan for operational assessment.
The GLEF systems are mounted as an accessory to Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations or CROWS, the turret system that provides Soldiers the ability to employ cameras, sensors and weapons from inside the protection of an armored vehicle.
The non-lethal green-light laser gives Soldiers an interim step before escalating force while conducting daily operations.
"Protecting civilian populations is critical to our success in fighting insurgencies," said Col. Douglas Tamilio, project manager for Soldier Weapons. "Green lasers have proven safe and effective as a non-lethal tool that sends a strong message without the need to employ deadly force."
The GLEF system emits a wide band of green light that temporarily disrupts a person's vision so that driving a vehicle or aiming a weapon becomes difficult if not impossible. One application would be to warn civilians away from checkpoints and other areas where their safety is at risk. At closer distances, the lasers provide an immediate, nonlethal capability to deter aggressive actions.
"The human eye is four times more sensitive to green light than to red light during the day and far more sensitive at night," explained Maj. Michael Pottratz, program manager for Crew Served Weapons.
"The effect is the same as looking at the sun for a fraction of a second. The lasers send a warning signal across language and cultural barriers to keep innocent people from entering into harm's way."
While green lasers have been commercially available for a number of years, the system configuration for use as a CROWS accessory is a new development. By employing previously tested and approved technologies, engineers were able to design, assemble and field the new configuration for use in CROWS systems in less than 12 months.
Select units will test the systems for 90 days and report back to PEO Soldier on system performance and its impact on operations. Soldier input will be incorporated into the final designs.

DTN News: Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) To Join Thai Cobra Gold Military Exercise

DTN News: Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) To Join Thai Cobra Gold Military Exercise
Source: DTN News By Roger Smith
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - June 4, 2010: Malaysia will take part in the Cobra Gold joint military exercise by Thailand and the US armed forces from next year. Defence Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia’s participation in the bi-annual military exercise was agreed upon during his meeting with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates in Pentagon last week. “Following the agreement, Malaysia will join the exercise as a participant. “We will benefit directly in terms of using the latest and most sophisticated military techniques and strategies available,” Zahid told reporters after the launch of his ministry’s transformation day here yesterday. Other participating nations in the joint multi-lateral military exercise are Japan, South Korea, Singapore and Indonesia, while more than 20 countries would take part as observers. He said Gates also agreed to work with Malaysia in the upgrading of the Royal Malaysian Air Force Nuri helicopter and the Hercules C-130 transport aircraft after 2014, as well as to intensify training for Malaysian armed forces personnel in the United States. “The MRO (maintenance, repair and overhaul) programme of the aircraft are now being carried out by Airod and ATSC (Aerospace Technologies Systems Corpo-ration). We will take over the programme by 2014. “We will also acquire the Airbus A-400M transport aircraft by 2012,” he added. Zahid said that 25 US defence industry companies had agreed in principle to invest in the Defence Industrial Park in Sungkai, Perak, following his meeting with captains of US defence industry. He said it was anticipated that an estimated US$2.5bil (RM8.1bil) in investments would flow in for the park.
Malaysia's armed forces, which encompasses three major branches, originate from the formation of local military forces in the first half of the 20th century, during British colonial rule of Malaya and Singapore prior to Malaya's independence in 1957. The branches have undergone several restructuring, but fundamentally includes the army, navy and air force. The role of the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF) is to defend the sovereignty and strategic interests of Malaysia from all forms of threat. It is responsible to assist the civilian authorities to overcome all international threats, preserve public order, assist in natural disasters and participate in national development programs. It is also sustaining and upgrading its capabilities in the international sphere in order to uphold the national foreign policy of being involved under the guidance of the United Nations (UN). *This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News, contact: dtnnews@ymail.com