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Major Order from the Bundeswehr: Rheinmetall Wins €576 million Framework Contract to Supply 30mm Ammunition for Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Friday, December 9th, 2022

The German Bundeswehr has signed a framework agreement with Rheinmetall to supply over 600,000 rounds of medium-calibre ammunition for the Puma infantry fighting vehicle. In total, ammunition is to be procured for around EUR 576 million. The budget committee of the German Parliament approved the bill for this comprehensive procurement on 30 November 2022. A first call-off of around 25,000 rounds of DM21 30mm x 173 cal. ammunition is expected to come before the end of 2022. This automatic cannon ammunition order for the Puma will ensure an adequate operational supply for the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, the VJTF. Moreover, the cartridges are required for German Army mechanized infantry training and exercises.

The Puma infantry fighting vehicle is equipped with a Rheinmetall MK30-2/ABM automatic cannon (ABM stands for airburst munition). Combining a high rate of fire with state-of-the-art ammunition technology, the MK30-2/ABM is an uncompromising, extremely reliably weapon system. With a maximum operating radius of more than 2,000 metres, the MK30-2/ABM is highly effective against targets on land, at sea and in the air.

Rheinmetall is a key supplier of service ammunition to the Bundeswehr. The company produces two main types of 30mm x 173 cal. service ammunition for the Puma: the KE-TF DM21 and KE DM33. Both were developed and qualified in accordance with the latest standards, and are unmatched worldwide when it comes to reliability, effectiveness, penetrating performance, and precision. Extremely reliable programming of the KE-TF, which stands for Kinetic Energy Time Fuse, lets the Puma engage large infantry-type area targets.

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Textron Systems Wins $162 Million Close Terrain Shaping Obstacle Increment 1 Contract

Thursday, December 8th, 2022

Award Supports Modernization of U.S. Army’s Terrain Shaping Capabilities

WILMINGTON, MA/December 5, 2022 – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, announced today that it received a five-year contract valued at $162 million from the U.S. Army Contracting Command – New Jersey, in connection with the U.S. Army Project Manager Close Combat Systems, to develop a remote command and control capable, anti-vehicle precision munition system that supports the Army’s terrain shaping operations modernization program.

Textron Systems will design an advanced anti-vehicle, soldier-in-the-loop munition system to support the Close Terrain Shaping Obstacle (CTSO) Increment 1 Common Anti-Vehicle Munition Based Top Attack System. CTSO Increment 1 fulfills a U.S. Army directive to replace obsolete munitions with next-generation technology that enables soldiers to effectively conduct terrain-shaping operations against peer threats. CTSO Increment 1 is the first of three increments of increased capabilities in the U.S. Army’s plans to modernize terrain shaping operations.

“We are committed to supporting the soldier by giving them technology that increases their combat advantage, and by keeping the soldier in the loop we give them even more control,” said Henry Finneral, Senior Vice President, Weapon Systems. “This munition will increase tactical protection for our troops who are facing increasingly sophisticated enemies. For the adversaries and the types of conflicts we see emerging, this will represent a true next-generation anti-vehicle weapon.”

The munition developed for Increment 1 will have stand-off and top attack capabilities designed to support complex terrain shaping operations by denying enemy armored vehicles freedom to maneuver. The system will be rapidly emplaced and highly portable, and will be designed to be employed alone, in multiples or in tandem with other terrain shaping systems.

Over a five-year period of performance, Textron Systems will develop the CTSO Increment 1 design, conduct contractor qualification testing and deliver hardware in support of government qualification testing. Capabilities will include increased effectiveness over legacy systems, mission planning tools, a remote-control station that enables constant soldier-in-the-loop control, and the ability to turn the munition on-and-off on command. CTSO Increment 1 allows an operator to control multiple systems and have improved sensing and reporting capabilities. The munition may be rapidly emplaced, is recoverable, and is non-persistent.

www.textronsystems.com

Editor’s Note: These US Army images depict their operating concept for a Top Attack Munition as well as the hand emplaced XM204 munition manufactured by Textron.

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Saab Receives NLAW Order from the UK

Thursday, December 8th, 2022

Saab has reached an agreement with and received an order from the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence for the Next Generation Light Anti-Tank Weapon system (NLAW). The order value is approximately SEK 2.9 billion and deliveries will take place 2023-2026.

NLAW is a shoulder-launched, anti-tank guided missile system that attacks the tank from above.

“Demand is increasing for anti-tank systems such as NLAW. We look forward to further strengthening our close relationship with the UK and are proud to continue delivering our proven and trusted anti-tank capability,” says Saab’s President and CEO Micael Johansson.

NLAW combines the simplicity of light anti-armour weapons with the advantages of heavy, crew-operated guided missile systems. With NLAW, a single soldier can take out a heavily-protected modern main battle tank at ranges between 20 and 800 metres.

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USMC Selects Silvus MANET Radios and MN-MIMO Waveform for Networking On-the-Move Mobile Communications System

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

$5 Million Award Enables USMC’s Joint Light Tactical Vehicles with Spectrum Dominance Capabilities

Los Angeles, California (December 6, 2022) – Silvus Technologies, Inc. (“Silvus”) today announced that the United States Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC) has selected Silvus StreamCaster 4400 MANET radios for use in the Networking On-the-Move (NOTM) communications system for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) and Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV). After a competitive selection process, StreamCaster MANET radios were selected to be a critical piece of the NOTM mobile communications architecture due to their ability to create a self-organizing mesh network across multiple spectrum bands at high data rates. The StreamCaster 4400 is the first MANET radio added into the NOTM mobile communication system, with the USMC awarding Silvus a $5 million contract for StreamCaster radio procurement.

The StreamCaster 4400 MANET radio will enable the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to access satellite communications, connect and network dispersed vehicles, airborne assets and dismounted units and enable the warfighter to employ NOTM to transmit critical information to commanders and increase situational awareness in hostile environments.

In addition, all StreamCaster radios acquired by MCSC include Silvus’ proprietary Mobile Networked MIMO (MN-MIMO) waveform with Spectrum Dominance features to enable operations in congested and contested spectrum environments.

“As the Department of Defense increases integration of MANET radios into the Joint All-Domain Command & Control Communications architecture, enabling USMC’s NOTM communications system is a significant milestone for Silvus,” said Chris Nigon, Senior Director of Navy, Marine, and Air Force Programs at Silvus. “With this contract award, we are proud that our StreamCaster MANET radios and MN-MIMO waveform with advanced Spectrum Dominance capabilities will become an essential piece of the NOTM mobile communications system, putting high-performance wireless networking capabilities in the hands of our Marines.”

Learn more about the StreamCaster family of radios and MN-MIMO waveform on the Silvus website and follow Silvus on LinkedIn.

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US Army Selects Textron’s Bell V-280 Valor as Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft

Tuesday, December 6th, 2022

Textron’s Bell V-280 Valor tilt-rotor has been selected by the US Army as its Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft to eventually replace the Blackhawk fleet of helicopters.

Due to the tilt-rotor design the V-280 can fly at up to 280 knots with a combat range of up to 800 nm. It also carries more troops and cargo, with up to 14 troops and a max takeoff weight of over 30,000 lbs compared to 9 passengers and 22,000 lbs for the UH-60M.

The initial contract award is for $232 million but could be worth as much as $70 billion.

There will be an initial 19 month period of additional development and testing with a goal of fielding beginning in 2030.

The Army plans to initially buy 750 to 1,000 FLRAA examples and operate a mix of Blackhawks and Valors for decades. For those shocked by the decision to continue to use the Blackhawk, please remember that the Air Force has just begun to phase out it’s UH-1 Hueys that began service in the 1960s and the Marines have just completed an upgrade with their UH-1Y Venom.

Posted in Army, Aviation, Contracts | 10 Comments »

Milrem Robotics to Deliver 14 THeMIS UGVs to Ukraine in Cooperation with KMW

Saturday, December 3rd, 2022

The leading European robotics and autonomous systems developer, Milrem Robotics, and the German defence company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) have signed a contract to deliver 14 THeMIS unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) to Ukraine.

Of the 14 vehicles, seven will be configured for casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and are scheduled to be delivered by the end of this year. The other seven, to be delivered in the second quarter of 2023, will be configured for route clearance with payloads from the French defence manufacturer CNIM Systèmes Industriels.

The effort is being funded by the German Ministry of Defence.

“Casualty evacuation and route clearance are two labour-intensive activities that require the engagement of several people who remain in constant threat of enemy fire. Automating these tasks with unmanned vehicles alleviates that danger and allows more soldiers to stay in a safe area or be tasked for more important activities,” explained Captain (res) Jüri Pajuste, Defence R&D Director at Milrem Robotics.

Milrem Robotics delivered one CASEVAC THeMIS to a Ukrainian charitable organization earlier this year that has proven to be a valuable asset.

“The deployment of the THEMIS UGV to Ukraine means that the Ukrainian forces can increase the safety of their soldiers and let the UGVs handle tasks that are an immediate threat to humans. That is the ultimate purpose of robotic systems. Milrem Robotics is proud to be able to contribute to Ukraine’s fight against the aggressor,” said Kuldar Väärsi, CEO of Milrem Robotics.

“This important project gives evidence of our common ability to provide advanced technology to Ukraine. We are determined to support Ukraine with protective and lifesaving equipment. The fast delivery of 14 THeMIS UGVs proves that KMW and Milrem are partners you can rely on,” said Ralf Ketzel, CEO of KMW.

THeMIS is a multi-mission unmanned ground vehicle with an open architecture that enables it to be rapidly configured from having a transport function to being weaponized, performing ordnance disposal or supporting intelligence operations according to the nature of the mission.

The THeMIS UGV is already part of different programs in 16 countries, including eight NATO members: Estonia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the UK, and the US.

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Galvion to Supply US Marine Corps with Squad Power Manager (SPM)

Friday, December 2nd, 2022

Galvion, a world leader in the design and manufacture of military power and data management solutions is pleased to announce that it has received a major order from the United States Marine Corps (USMC) for its Squad Power ManagerTM (SPM). The order, valued at USD $11 million, placed by the Power Team within Marine Corps System Command’s Logistics Combat Element Systems will supply SPMTM systems to each Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) within the Marine Corps, including Reserve Forces. The Squad Power Manager (SPM) is a core element of Galvion’s Nerv Centr® Active Systems range, which provides scalable power and data solutions to the dismounted operator. Deliveries will start in January 2023.

Named P2S2 (Portable Power Scavenger System) by the Marine Corps, the Galvion SPM kit provides a lightweight and compact multifunctional system to enable the harvesting of energy from multiple sources. Using a selection of cables, connectors and accessories, the system provides the ability to scavenge, distribute, and manage power from multiple power sources to include solar, Alternating Current (AC), Direct Current (DC), military batteries, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) plugs, and vehicle cigarette lighter/alternator attachments. The SPM kit contains adapters to power USB-powered equipment; radios, including the AN/PRC-148, AN/PRC-152 and AN/PRC-117; the Defense Advanced GPS Receiver (DAGR); and portable computing devices and peripheral equipment. The SPM kit can scavenge power from partially discharged batteries, vehicles, and standard electrical outlets and convert that power into a usable format for powering devices and recharging batteries.

The SPM system requires no special configuration or programming, converting and managing power as efficiently as possible depending on power sources and equipment needs. This allows teams to minimize weight and logistic burden by carrying fewer batteries, while increasing operational efficiency through active monitoring and management of power usage.

Kristen Lomastro, President of Active Systems, said: “We are proud to see our SPM kits being adopted by the Marine Corps. With customized SPM kits already in use across all U.S. DoD branches, including the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and SOCOM, this compact, intelligent power manager continues to deliver meaningful capability improvements that reduce the physical, cognitive and logistical burden on our warfighters. By providing the very best technical and engineering solutions possible, we help to increase their agility, lethality and survivability, and continue in our mission to protect and support those who protect us.”

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Backfill Activity: Rheinmetall Supplies Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Greece

Friday, November 25th, 2022

As part of another backfill activity commissioned by the German government, Rheinmetall is supplying Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles to Greece. The first units of these Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicles were presented as part of the parade of the Hellenic Armed Forces on the occasion of the national holiday on October 28th in Thessaloniki.

The Hellenic Armed Forces, for their part, are giving Infantry Fighting Vehicles of Soviet design and other military equipment for support to Ukraine and are receiving Marder 1A3 Infantry Fighting Vehicles in exchange. In addition to the delivery of the Infantry Fighting Vehicles, an ammunition package, an integrated service package including training services and a spare parts package will also be provided by the Bundeswehr and Rheinmetall. Deliveries should be completed by the end of 2023.

The vehicles provided are overhauled Marder 1A3 from former Bundeswehr stocks. These Marder 1A3s have been repaired at Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH at their own expense since spring 2022 at the Unterlüß site so that they are ready for immediate use. The first vehicles were loaded on October 11 at the Rheinmetall site in Unterlüß and transported to Greece.

The Marder Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which was developed for the German Armed Forces and is still in use, is one of the most proven weapon systems of its kind in the world. The vehicle was modernized several times in the course of its use and its combat value increased.

The backfill activity is a procedure developed by the German government to support Ukraine in its efforts against the Russian invasion in cooperation with its European neighbours and NATO partners. NATO partners hand over equipment from former Soviet production to the Ukraine and receive available systems from Western production in return. Rheinmetall is already involved in ring exchanges with the Czech Armed Forces as well as with the Slovak Armed Forces, here with Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks.

Posted in Advertiser, Contracts, International, Press Release | 2 Comments »