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Archive for the ‘Contracts’ Category

Elbit America Wins $500 Million Contract to Continue Supplying Night Vision to USMC

Thursday, December 7th, 2023

The Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle is lightweight, provides critical advantages on the modern battlefield

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – DEC. 7, 2023 – Elbit America received a five-year Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) to continue producing the Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggle (SBNVG). The competitive contract is worth up to $500 million, with an initial delivery order for nearly $127 million. The goggles will be produced in Roanoke, Virginia. The company has delivered more than 15,000 SBNVG systems to the USMC since 2019.

The SBNVG has proven to be a game-changer in modern warfare, as it is lightweight without compromising capability. The goggles currently provide image intensification, with an enhanced clip-on thermal imager. The set-up allows Marines to operate at night, or in dark buildings and tunnels where one’s situational awareness is challenged.

The SBNVG is a helmet-mounted system that provides Marines with increased depth perception, enhanced clarity through high-performance white phosphor image intensifier tubes, a thermal-imaging capability, and more. These features, along with extra-long run times, provide Marines an added edge on the battlefield.

“No matter the light conditions or environment, Marines are tapped for challenging missions. Equipped with Elbit America’s Squad Binocular Night Vision Goggles, Marines can quickly understand their surroundings and act,” said Erik Fox, Vice President of Warfighter Systems at Elbit America.

“Elbit America is proud of our long history supplying Marines with night vision and electro-optic innovations,” said Raanan Horowitz, the company’s president and CEO. “We continue to refine our portfolio, offering solutions that enable the networked Warfighter of the future with sophisticated decision aids and display systems that work in all operational environments.”

More details about Elbit America Night Vision are available at  www.elbitamerica.com/night-vision.

Rheinmetall Wins Major Artillery Ammunition Order for Ukraine Worth Over €140 Million

Tuesday, December 5th, 2023

Rheinmetall has won a large-volume order for supporting Ukraine with artillery ammunition. The Düsseldorf-based tech enterprise has been tasked with supplying Kyiv with artillery rounds worth around €142 million. The order encompasses tens of thousands of complete 155mm artillery shells, including the projectile, fuse (for the explosive charge), propellant and primer (for igniting the propellant). The customer is a NATO partner nation whose declared intention is to support Ukraine in its defensive struggle with effective long-term military aid.

The shells will be produced by Rheinmetall Expal Munitions, the Group’s newly acquired Spanish subsidiary. The current contract highlights Rheinmetall’s role as the world’s largest producer of ammunition, especially in the large calibre domain. The ammunition will be delivered in 2025. Production and delivery of around 40,000 rounds for Ukraine from an earlier order is already due to take place in 2024.

As recently as mid-October 2023, the German government placed an order with Rheinmetall for over 100,000 rounds of 155mm ammunition earmarked for Ukraine – once again from Rheinmetall Expal Munitions – as well as additional DM 121 high explosive shells. The order is worth a figure in the mid-three-digit million-euro range.

Demand for artillery ammunition is currently very high, due not just to Ukraine’s requirements but also the need to replenish the largely empty ammunition depots of Germany and other NATO and EU countries. Rheinmetall plans a massive increase in ammunition production capacity in 2024 at its plants in Germany, Spain, South Africa and Australia, bringing annual output capacity to around 700,000 artillery rounds.

Rheinmetall currently has multiyear framework contracts for supplying the German Bundeswehr with several hundred rounds of artillery ammunition worth over €1 billion.

LAPD Selects Geissele Super Duty AR for SWAT and TST

Wednesday, November 29th, 2023

The Los Angeles Police Department has selected Geissele Automatics to provide rifles for their Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) and the Tactical Surveillance Team. This selection was determined after a lengthy and thorough process by the Department Staff and will replace legacy weapons systems currently in use.

They chose the Super Duty AR Pattern Rifle for its durability and reliability characteristics. It features a 11.5” Cold Hammer Forged Barrel and Reliability Enhanced Bolt Carrier Group with NANO Weapon Coating.

This adds to a trend within Southern California Law Enforcement Agencies adopting the Geissele Rifles to include Arcadia PD, Pomona PD, Huntington Beach PD and Azusa PD.

Rheinmetall Electronics UK’s Contract Award to Supply Trailblazer Camera System to UK Warrior IFVs

Sunday, November 26th, 2023

Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to supply the Trailblazer driver’s view system for the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle fleet. Rheinmetall Electronics UK Ltd won the contract in an open competition and will now supply Trailblazers for a total of 359 Warrior infantry fighting vehicles. The order value is in the low double-digit million euro range.


The Trailblazer cameras will be used as a Rear Safety Camera System (RSCS) for the Warrior vehicle, providing a key safety feature for the driver to recognise terrain and personnel at the rear of the vehicle.  

The camera proposed by Rheinmetall Electronics UK is also used as the PAX camera on the Boxer Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) – part of the vehicles complete local situational awareness system. The PAX model comprises an infrared camera with a 90° field of view giving coverage down to 0 Lux, allowing the driver a wide field of view across the width of the vehicle. 

On the Boxer MIV programme, it has recently been independently confirmed that the Trailblazer system will be compliant to an internationally recognised functional safety standard (IEC 61508, within a SIL2 application).

Alongside delivery into the Warrior and Boxer MIV programmes, Rheinmetall Electronics UK are also providing the Driver Vision System on the Challenger 3 main battle tank programme.  Boxer MIV and Challenger 3 represent two of the most important modernisation programs for the British Army. Selection of a common Trailblazer solution provides excellent coherence across the fleet.

As part of this programme, Rheinmetall Electronics UK will be delivering the latest, Third Generation Trailblazer solutions, which are fully software defined, Generic Vehicle Architecture (GVA) compatible and have already been qualified to safety and EMC standards, reducing risks around integration. The cameras support continuous, incremental updates, ensuring the capability remains evergreen. 

Wayne Cranwell, Rheinmetall Electronics UK Head of Sales said: “Our solution to the Warrior RSCS requirement was founded on the mature design we provide into the Boxer MIV programme ensuring effective and safe rearward operations. Great to see that DE&S identified our proposal as the best value offer in this competition – this will keep this important British Army capability current for the remainder of its in-service lifetime.”

Richard Streeter, Rheinmetall Electronics UK Managing Director said: “It is heartening to see coherence developing across the UK fleet vehicle vision. This approach drives down integration and delivery risk and timelines as well as the total cost of ownership for the UK MoD. The Trailblazer Gen 3 solution was specifically developed to meet the demanding requirements of the UK Army and it will be great to see this system now also supporting the safety needs of the Warrior platform.”

Brigadier Matt Wilkinson, Vehicle Support Team Leader, Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), said: “This safety critical upgrade to Warrior is being delivered at pace and with the principals of quality, supportability, and value for money at its heart. The DE&S Vehicle Support Team look forward to working with Rheinmetall Electronics UK in integrating this leading-edge technology to our in-service fleet of Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicles over the next 12 months.”

Rheinmetall to Supply Ukraine with Over 30 Leopard 1 Systems on Behalf of German Government

Friday, November 24th, 2023

The Ukrainian government has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for Leopard 1 systems, including 25 main battle tanks Leopard 1A5, five armoured recovery vehicles (Bergepanzer 2) and two driver training tanks. The order, financed by Germany and worth a figure in the upper-two-digit million-euro range, also includes training, logistics, spare parts, maintenance and other support services. 

Delivery is due to take place in 2024. The Leopard 1 systems are currently being overhauled and readied for use at Rheinmetall’s plants in Unterlüß and Kassel. 

Rheinmetall thus continues to support Ukraine with a steady flow of tactical vehicles. The Group has previously been tasked with supplying Ukraine with a total of eighty Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Most of these are already in-country, where they have proved their mettle in ongoing operations. 

Rheinmetall is ready to supply a further twenty Marder IFVs as soon as it receives an order to this effect. In late 2023 and early 2024, Ukraine will also be taking delivery of five Caracal airmobile-capable vehicles. On behalf of the Dutch and Danish governments, moreover, next year the Group will be supplying Ukraine with fourteen Leopard 2A4 tanks. In addition to vehicles, Rheinmetall is aiding the Ukrainian armed forces with ammunition, drones, medical facilities, etc. 

NFM Group Awarded Pioneering R&D Contract with CANSOFCOM for Advanced Ballistic Plates

Wednesday, November 8th, 2023

NFM Group is proud to announce its partnership with the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM) and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) for an R&D program focused on the design and development of innovative hard ballistic plates.

Ski, Norway, November 8th 2023: The contract, awarded in September 2023, initiates a two-year development phase, with the first delivery anticipated for 2025. In a forward-thinking move, this contract also includes a provision for a seamless transition to immediate pre-approved procurement upon successful completion of the development phase. This eliminates potential gaps in delivery timelines and ensures that CANSOFCOM members are equipped with the latest protective gear without delay.

“We’re incredibly honored to collaborate with CANSOFCOM and DRDC in redefining the future of hard ballistic plates. This contract is a testament to NFM Group’s commitment to innovation and our relentless pursuit of safeguarding those on the frontlines”, says Cyril Veillat, Director Body Armor Systems, at NFM’s Product Integration Unit.
 
 

Reinventing Hard Ballistic Plates for Modern Warfare

NFM Group aligns with CANSOFCOM’s core belief that its most valuable resource is its personnel. As the diversity within the Canadian Armed Forces continues to grow, there is an increasing need for ballistic plates designed to accommodate a wide range of body types.

“Our upcoming hard ballistic plates will leverage cutting-edge materials and feature a revolutionary multi-curve design to fit various body shape, especially female ones. This enhances both fit and protection, safeguarding vital organs and points more effectively. Furthermore, the new plates will be lighter than their predecessors, fostering increased comfort, mobility, and functionality across varying roles, missions, and threat levels”, says Veillat.

The design process will be data-driven, incorporating anthropometric data from diverse body types benefitting from DRDC’s extensive expertise in personal protection and laboratory testing infrastructure. Rigorous testing before and after acquisition will validate that the new plates meet or exceed all ballistic limit requirements.

NFM’s Advanced Capabilities in Ballistic Protection

NFM Group’s vision is to protect individuals against both man-made and natural threats, regardless of the environment. Our Ballistic Department has specialized in end-to-end design and development of a wide array of ballistic protections since 2006, ranging from soft panels to hard plates and trauma protections.

“Our in-house ballistic test laboratory allows for immediate performance verification, accelerating the R&D process in a controlled environment. Utilizing unique, state-or-the-art technology such as FREC II, we’ve optimized our offerings to provide lightweight protection that supports mobility and enhances the survivability of frontline soldiers”, says Veillat.

This contract marks a significant expansion of NFM Group’s footprint within North America’s Special Operations Forces community and serves as a pivotal moment in our growth strategy.

By fusing our innovative technologies and deep industry experience with CANSOFCOM and DRDC’s insights, we aim to set new standards in ballistic protection and fortify our commitment to the safety and effectiveness of military and law enforcement personnel.

www.nfm.no

No, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant Isn’t Cancelling Commercial Contracts

Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

There have been some bad actors spreading rumors that LCAAP is cancelling commercial production contracts for ammunition.

Yesterday, they posted a very simple and to the point clarification to Facebook; the rumors are false.

US Customs and Border Protection Selects Accuracy International for Modular Precision Weapon Platform

Tuesday, October 31st, 2023

Accuracy International has announced that they were selected to provide the Modular Precision Weapon Platform to US Customs and Border Protection with the award of an IDIQ contract.

The firearm selected is based on their AT-X rifle and is a multi-caliber solution.