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International Military and Government LLC, of Warrenville,
Illinois received a fourth production order for 755 Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) Category I vehicles. The
current $414 million contract brings the total orders awarded
to IMG to over $1.045 billion, placing it the first place
among all MRAP suppliers. The Pentagon expects to receive
all vehicles produced by IMG, including 1,971 Category I
and 16 heavier (Category II), before February 2008. As the
largest commercial truck and mid-range diesel engine manufacturer
in North America has the capacity and experience to produce
vehicles at a high rate. assures Daniel C. Ustian, chairman,
president and CEO of Navistar International Corporation.
He said the company is working with the U.S. military and
its supply base to increase our production capacity at our
facilities to meet the aggressive demand and expedite MRAPs
to the troops as quickly as possible.
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The Pentagon has awarded Boeing with a framework for UAV
reconnaissance and surveillance services in support of the
US Marine Corps' I and II Marine Expeditionary Forces (MEFs)
deployed in Iraq . The framework order is worth $10 million
for services provided till the year's end. This contract
includes options for continued services until 2010, which,
if exercised, would bring the cumulative orders value up
to $381.5million. Boeing is providing these services with
the ScanEagle tactical UAV system.
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Boeing [NYSE: BA] and partner Science Applications International
Corporation (SAIC), Lead Systems Integrator for the U.S.
Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) program, today announced
that the US Army has authorized planning for FCS low-rate
initial production, including long-lead items for the first
FCS capability Spin Out and Manned Ground Vehicle (MGV)
early production units which will carry the Non-Line-of-Sight
Cannon (NLOS-C) planned for fielding in 2010, according
to a Congressional mandate.
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Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) cause 70 percent of
the casualties in Iraqi and use of the weapon is spreading
in Afghanistan. Explosively Formed Penetrators (EFP) are
among the most lethal types of IEDs and historically the
most difficult to stop. PVI’s MRAP vehicle, the Golan,
already stops many EFP threats and the new types of armor
will soon offer additional capabilities to protect other
military vehicles stand up to EFPs - a new armor type developed
by RAFAEL, which is already operational, and the new ShieldAll,
developed by PVI.
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The Air Force is seeking the acceleration in fielding of
Combat Air Patrols (CAP) maintained by MQ-1
armed Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, from 12 orbits
currently operating in Iraq and Southwest Asia to 21 Predator
combat air patrols by December 2009. Three additional CAPs
will be deployed soon to Iraq, boosting full motion video
and rapid strike capability to the Joint Force Commander.
Two of these CAPs are expected to be active this summer
or by early fall.
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Alliant Techsystems (NYSE:ATK) and German defense contractor
MBDA LFK-Lenkflugkorpersysteme GmbH will jointly pursue
potential international sales of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation
Guided Missile (AARGM). The cooperation focuses particularly
on the interest of the German Ministry of Defense in product
improvement of the AARGM and additional derivatives of the
AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). Italy has
already partnered with ATK on the AARGM two years ago. The
AARGM program plans a series of additional launches during
the SD&D phase and expects to begin Low Rate Initial
Production in FY08.
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 Industry
Team Introduce an All-Composite HMMWV
An all-composite HMMWV vehicle was unveiled today by TPI
Composites and Armor Holdings. The vehicle prototype was
developed under the US Army’s All Composite Military
Vehicle program demonstrating the weight saving and durability
that can be achieved with tactical trucks built of composites.
TPI's all-composite HMMWV saves approximately 900 pounds
when compared to a current steel and aluminum up-armored
HMMWV that is required to carry the same heavy armor.
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Raytheon has delivered to the US Navy a Standard Missile
2 Block IV weapon modified to provide 'near term' sea-based
terminal protection against short-range ballistic missile
threats. The missile will be deployed on the Navy's Aegis-class
warships.
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Initial Combat Experience Yields Positive Feedback for
Land Warrior
Soldiers of the 2nd Infantry Division's 4th Battalion, 9th
Infantry Regiment, were the first to take Land
Warrior and Mounted
Warrior systems into combat. During the training and
evaluation at their home base, soldiers were critical about
some of the system's performance but after using them in
combat they indicated the system is working better in actual
combat situations than it did in testing.
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The U.S. Marine Corps will soon get the first shipments
of RQ-7A Shadow tactical
UAV systems (TUAS), replacing the Israeli Pioneer unmanned
aircraft systems, which will be retired after serving the
corps for more than 20 years. The Shadow produced by AAI
is operating with the U.S. Army units in Iraq for more than
four years. More recently in Shadows were also deployed
to Afghanistan.
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The AN/APG-79 Active
Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar is moving
into full rate production following U.S. Navy approval.
Following the completion of low rate initial production
phase which included 84 radars, Raytheon is ramping up production
in anticipation of delivering a total of 437 systems for
the Navy in coming years. (Read
more about AESA updates at the Paris AIrshow 2007 Coverage)
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The Pentagon plans to deploy about 3,500 Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicles to
Iraq by the year's end, to help protecting US troops battling
improvised explosive devices. The armoured trucks, designed
with raised chassis and a V-shaped undercarriage are built
to withstand the devastating effects of buried IEDs, mines
and roadside IEDs. Initially, MRAPs completed in the USA
will be air transported to Iraq. |
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BAE Systems developed a lightweight, modular bar-armor
system designed to protect armored vehicles from attack
by RPGs. The US Army has already tested the armor and expressed
interest in procuring armor kits for the entire RG31 and
RG31A1 vehicle fleet. It also is a candidate for use on
the DoD's mine-resistant,
ambush-protected family of vehicles. |
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BAE Systems Land & Armaments received US$22 million
in addition to their recently
awarded MRAP to change
vehicle type from the basic Category I (4x4) originally
ordered into larger and heavier Category II (6x6 versions).
The order refers to 239 MRAP armored vehicles scheduled
for delivery within 12 months (July 2008). The MRAP version
produced by BAE Systems is designated RG-33.
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US Navy Exercises Options for more CREW Counter IED Jammers
The US Navy is exercising options to buy 3,000 additional
vehicle-mounted, Counter- Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive
Device (RCIED) Electronic Warfare (CREW) systems worth about
US$210 million, to be produced by EDO Communications &
Countermeasures Systems. Systems delivery is expected to
complete by August 2008. In
April this year EDO received the initial $88 million
order for 1,100 Crew 2.1 systems. these Spiral 2.1 CREW
systems are vehicle mounted electronic jammers designed
to prevent the initiation of RCIED. The Vehicle Mounted
CREW system us one element of the DoD's Joint Counter RCIED
Electronic Warfare program.
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IMI is introducing a modernized M-113 called "Urban
Fighter" designed specifically for low-intensity operations
such as stability and sustainment in urban areas. The prototype
vehicle designated "Urban Fighter" was delivered
to the Israel Defense Forces where it will be tested to
evaluate its suitability to support operations in the west
bank area. IMI expects the IDF to decide on potential procurements
after the tests completion. The modification transforms
the M-113 (Gavin) from a troop carrier to more versatile
patrol vehicle, far better equipped to meet modern threats
including roadside improvised
explosive devices (RSIED) of the latest types, including
Explosively
Formed Projectiles (EFP) and Explosively Formed Fragments
(EFF) as well as from RPGs. Large, transparent armor windows
enable effective observation, driving and situational awareness
as well as counterfire from within the vehicle. According
to IMI, an "Urban Fighter" could be rolled out
of the upgrading line within few weeks and at tenth of the
price currently paid for less protected MRAP.
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Last week the Russian Air Force successfully tested the
new S-400 Triumpf air defense missile system. The long range
anti-aircraft / anti-missile system is capable of intercepting
targets considered 'difficult' for contemporary air defense
systems, including 'stealth' aircraft and long-range, high
flying targets such as the early warning and control (AWACS)
platforms. Unlike its predecessor (the S-300), the Triumf
is equipped with a homing warheads and therefore, can be
employed beyond the range of its guidance radar (up to 400
km). The Triumf missile is capable of intercepting medium
range (3,500km) ballistic missiles and is expected to be
fielded by 2015 defending strategic locations in Russia,
including Moscow.
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India and Israel agreed to jointly develop a new long range,
land-based air defense system to replace the aging Pechora
(SA-3 GOA) missiles currently in service with the Indian
Air Force. Covering a range of 70 km, the new missile will
almost double the range of the 60km vertically launched
Barak 8 shipborne missile
(also known as Barak NG) currently being developed for the
Indian and Israeli Navies under a US$480 million five year
program launched in early 2006. The new system is expected
to streamline with the original Barak 8 schedule, adding
about $300 million to the program development cost. In its
decision last week the Indian Government earmarked a total
funding of about Rs10,000 crore (about US$2.5 billion) for
the medium range surface-to-air missiles (MR-SAM) project.
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By the year 2025 Russia plans to increase its ocean going
fleet size to a total of 300 battleships, exceeding the
level it maintained during the 'cold war'. The Russian Navy
plans to maintain six battlegroups, each consisting of an
aircraft carrier and various combat support and auxiliary
ships. Three attack groups are to be based in the Northern
Fleet with three others in the Pacific Fleet. This expansion
will address Russia's strategic aspirations especially its
territorial demands in the melting arctic zone.
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Stewart & Stevenson Tactical Vehicle Systems, a subsidiary
of BAE Systems' Armor Holdings Inc. will supply the US Marine
Corps 1,170 'Caiman' FMTV based Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles under a second
order worth over half a billion US$ ($518 million) firm-fixed-priced
delivery order including 1,154 4x4 Category I vehicles and
16 Category II (6x6) vehicles to be delivered by February
2008. The Caiman vehicle is based on Stewart Stevenson's
FMTV truck chasis, applied with bullet proof armor and IED
protection to fulfil the MRAP mission.
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