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AeroVironment Selected by U.S. Special Operations Command for $22 Million Beyond Line of Sight ISR Services Award Under Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems IV Program

Tuesday, July 13th, 2021

• First award for satellite communications-enabled beyond line of sight (BLOS) on competitive Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (MEUAS) IV program

• AeroVironment receives task order to provide ISR services at additional customer location

• AeroVironment JUMP 20 is a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL), fixed-wing unmanned aircraft that AeroVironment uses to provide advanced multi-sensor intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) services

JUMP 20 is a VTOL, fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system that can be deployed quickly and requires no launch equipment or runway. (Photo: AeroVironment, Inc.)

ARLINGTON, Va., July 13, 2021 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in intelligent, multi-domain robotic systems, today announced it was awarded a competitive task order valued at approximately $22 million on May 21, 2021 from the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) for ISR services using JUMP® 20 medium unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) at an undisclosed customer location. The ISR services include the first SATCOM-enabled unmanned aircraft system for beyond line of sight operations as part of the existing Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) MEUAS IV contract. The task order specifies a 12-month period of performance and multiple follow-on option years for ISR services.

“The JUMP 20 delivers an unmatched level of versatility, with runway and infrastructure independence, multiple payload configurations, class-leading endurance and a track record of reliability and ruggedness,” said Gorik Hossepian, AeroVironment vice president and product line general manager for medium UAS. “The inclusion of a SATCOM payload adds beyond line of sight operation to the JUMP 20, providing our customer with expanded reach and situational awareness, and representing another game-changing, market-leading capability.”

The AeroVironment JUMP 20 is the first fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system capable of vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) to be deployed extensively in support of U.S. military forces. Ideal for multi-mission operations, JUMP 20 delivers 14+ hours of endurance, a standard operational range of 185 km (115 mi) and is runway independent. The system can be set up and operational in less than 60 minutes without the need for launch or recovery equipment and has a useable payload capacity of up to 30 pounds. The JUMP 20 also features a common autopilot and ground control system architecture providing a highly customizable, modular platform which can be custom-configured to meet operational or customer requirements.

Posted in Aviation, Contracts, ISR, Press Release, SOF, UAS | Comments Off on AeroVironment Selected by U.S. Special Operations Command for $22 Million Beyond Line of Sight ISR Services Award Under Mid-Endurance Unmanned Aircraft Systems IV Program

USAF First to Order on Army’s Direct View Optic Contract

Wednesday, July 7th, 2021

According to a source close to the program, the US Air Force has placed the first order on the US Army’s Direct View Optic program, obligating $49 million. This fulfills an Air Force requirement for a variable power optic that has been on the books since at least 2018, although at the time, the service stated that it desired a 1-8 optic rather than the 1-6 capability of DVO. DVO will replace the M68 Close Combat Optic and other systems within the service’s ground combat forces which number nearly 50,000 including the Special Warfare enterprise and around 40,000 Security Forces Airmen.

The Army’s requirement is reportedly still in draft status.

The DVO contract was awarded at the close of Fiscal Year 2020 to SIG Sauer Electro Optics for the 1-6×24 TANGO6T. There are currently three different versions of the TANGO6T adopted by the US military. The initial buy was for the Squad Designated Marksmanship Rifle, next was USSOCOM’s Squad-Variable Power Scope and finally, DVO.

The SDMR and S-VPS variants feature a standard tube length, but the DVO version is slightly shorter based on the Army’s OAL requirement. Some of this length is made up via a narrower diopter.

Each one of the optics features a different reticle. Here’s the breakdown:

DWLR-6 First Focal Plane: Dual Wind, Long Range 6 is currently fielded on the SDMR. Calibrated for the M118LR fired from the SDMR, the DWLR6 provides users with range estimation capability, holdovers for various distances and 5mph and 10mph wind holds out to 1000m.

DWLR-556 First Focal Plane: Dual Wind, Long Range 556 will be the DVO reticle. Similar in design to the DWLR6, the DWLR-556 is calibrated for M855A1. The reticle provides users with range estimation capability, holdovers for various distances and 5mph and 10mph wind holds out to 800m.

FL-6 Second focal plane: This is the SVP-S reticle. The FL-6 is calibrated for M855A1 fired from a customer specific rifle. The reticle provides similar range estimating capability as the others by using horizontal bars equivalent to 20” targets at various distances. When zeroed at 300m these holdovers represent 400, 500, 600 and 700m drops. The horizontal stadia provides directional indictors and holds for engaging moving targets of various speeds.

Posted in Advertiser, Air Force, Contracts, Optics | 3 Comments »

Tulmar Awarded Canadian Forces Life Preserver Contract

Monday, July 5th, 2021

[Hawkesbury, ON – July 5th, 2021] Tulmar Safety Systems is pleased to announce contract award W8482-218815/001/DMARP4 from the Canadian Department of National Defence to supply the Royal Canadian Navy with Hazardous Duty and Maritime Pouch Life Preservers. Under this contract, Tulmar will provide a firm quantity of 4,000 units with an option to supply up to an additional 14,400 units.

This multi-year contract is familiar work for Tulmar, having delivered more than 32,000 of these life preservers to the Royal Canadian Navy over the past five (5) years under a similar contract for the Department of National Defence.

“We are proud to work as a partner with the Canadian Armed Forces with this opportunity to provide world class, lifesaving equipment to the men and women of the Royal Canadian Navy.” Matt Fisher, Defence Solutions Manager for Tulmar and responsible for the relationship with the Canadian Department of National Defence went on to say, “The quality of the product we supply is a testament to the processes of our company and the skill of our staff.”

www.tulmar.com

Posted in Contracts, Industry, International, Maritime, Press Release | 1 Comment »

OCCAR Awards Consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS with the Delivery of Binocular Night Vision Goggles for Belgian Defence and German Army

Friday, July 2nd, 2021

Wetzlar and Athens, 01 July 2021 – The multinational procurement organisation Organisation Conjointe de Cooperation en matière d’Armement (OCCAR) has contracted a consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS for the production and delivery of Binocular Night Vision Goggles (BNVG) under the Night Vision Capability Programme. The first phase alone will amount to a high two-digit million euro value.

The contract includes 4,550 for Belgian Defence and 5,000 for the German Bundeswehr, as well as an option for another 20,000 BNVG for Germany. A full maintenance and repair service for up to 15 years is also included, as well as a series of accessories that will be delivered to the users. Deliveries will start in 2021.

Offering THEON SENSORS’ Mikron 16 mm BNVG, the consortium prevailed in an international open tender process.

Mikron is a spin-off from the well-known NYX family of THEON SENSORS. Using 16 mm tubes, the size and most importantly the weight of this binocular are reduced by up to 20 per cent without any major reduction in performance. Mikron is already in operation with various European end users. This is the first major contract that THEON SENSORS receives, through the consortium with HENSOLDT, for this new state-of-the-art system.

The consortium of HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS is an ideal solution for the two states currently participating in the Night Vision Capability Programme, as both companies have proven track records in the field of image intensifier technology. With the combined production capacities in Wetzlar, Germany, and Athens, Greece, very large lot sizes can be produced in short time and on short notice. A transfer of technology from Athens to Wetzlar will enable HENSOLDT to not only assemble the BNVG locally but also to fulfil the contractual ILS obligations from a local site to Belgian Defence and the Bundeswehr, ensuring short ways and quick reaction times.

Andreas Hülle, Managing Director HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH, stated “The successful cooperation between HENSOLDT and THEON SENSORS is a win-win situation for Belgium, Germany and our two companies. This is undoubtedly a great success in an extremely important and great competition. This also opens the doors for synergies and co-operation in other areas within Europe. As a proud supplier to the German Bundeswehr with our sights and scopes for the Future Soldier Programme IdZ, we are happy to extend our portfolio with Binocular Night Vision Goggles and to continue to supply the Belgian Defence.”

Christian Hadjminas, CEO of THEON SENSORS and President of EFA GROUP, added: “THEON SENSORS’ consortium with HENSOLDT is in line with the vision of a strong and joint European defence industry and we will continue to work towards its development and implementation. This large contract is the culmination of THEON SENSORS’ hard work and effort in the field of Night Vision. Given that it is the largest contract ever signed for night vision equipment in the European market and, in general, the largest direct order to a Greek defence industry, we believe that this contract is a turning point for the Greek defence industry and its potential, but also for the country itself. At the same time, this contract is not only an important turning point for us in our history, but also a starting point for evolving THEON SENSORS from being a leading company in man portable night vision systems and thermal products, to a company also for integrated systems and platforms that enable interoperability and real-time information exchange with speed and security. Systems that drastically improve flexibility in decision-making in conducting military operations. This will be achieved through THEON SENSORS’ consistent policy of building strategic alliances especially in Europe.”

OCCAR’s Night Vision Capability Programme offers the possibility for other EU and non-EU countries to join via an established process.

Posted in Contracts, International, Optics, Press Release | 1 Comment »

Billion-Euro Contract for Rheinmetall – Bundeswehr Upgrading Puma Infantry Fighting Vehicle to New Design Status

Tuesday, June 29th, 2021

Rheinmetall has won a major order from the German Bundeswehr in the armoured vehicle domain, representing sales volume of well over half a billion euros. Issued through the joint venture company PSM GmbH, the contract encompasses the upgrade of the first lot of the Bundeswehr’s Puma infantry fighting vehicle, bringing them up to a uniform enhanced design status. PSM GmbH is co-owned by Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, each of which holds a 50 percent share in the company.

The contract for modernizing Germany’s fleet of Puma IFVs was signed on 28 June 2021 at the Federal Office for Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) in Koblenz. In awarding this contract, the Bundeswehr remains on track toward an operationally ready, fully digitized fleet of infantry fighting vehicles. Work is slated to begin immediately in July 2021 and is expected to be complete in 2029.

Now official, the initial phase of the order encompasses 154 vehicles, generating sales for the consortium of €1.04 billion. Rheinmetall’s share here comes to €501 million (with value added tax), which will be booked as an incoming order at the start of the third quarter of 2021.

For Rheinmetall, anticipated consortium-internal subcontracting, e.g., in the electronic vision systems domain, is expected to mean additional orders in the three-digit million-euro range.

The contract also contains an option for modernization of a further 143 Puma infantry fighting vehicles, which for the PSM consortium would mean additional sales volume totalling €820 million, once again including VAT. Well over half this amount would be allotted to Rheinmetall.

The major refit now being embarked on is intended to bring the majority of the first lot of the Bundeswehr’s existing fleet of 350 Puma vehicles up to S1 enhanced design status. In preparation for the NATO High Readiness Joint Task Force VJTF 2023, which will be furnished by the Bundeswehr, forty Puma IFVs have already been upgraded to S1 status. Of Germany’s 350 Pumas, the only ones not included in the modernization programme are the 13 driver training vehicles.

Among other things, the new S1 version of the Puma is characterized by standoff-capable effectors like the MELLS multirole lightweight guided missile system; additional sensors such as the new driver’s vision system; and an improved command-and-control architecture. The parabolic and driver vision system heralds the end of the periscope era. For the first time, the entire crew will be able to “see through” the armour, day and night.

The fusion mode combines daylight vision with a high-quality thermal image, enabling early detection of camouflage targets around the clock. The S1 version of the Puma version is the first western combat vehicle that includes a system of this type as a standard feature.

Teamed with the VJTF 2023 version of Rheinmetall’s Future Soldier – Expanded System infantry (IdZ-ES) system, the S1 version of the Puma forms the System Panzergrenadier. For the first time in Germany, the System Panzergrenadier links a digitized platform – the advanced S1 version of the Puma IFV – to a soldier system featuring digital radio technology. On 18 March 2021, speaking on behalf of the Bundeswehr, Lieutenant General Alfons Mais, the German Army chief, declared the system “ready for action”.

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Delivery of the GTK Boxer Vehicles Ordered by the Bundeswehr Now Completed

Monday, June 28th, 2021

ARTEC GmbH, on behalf of its parent companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, has officially handed over the last of the Boxer armoured transport vehicles (GTK) ordered to date by the Bundeswehr to representatives of the Federal procurement agency (BAAINBw) and the Ministry of Defence.

The contract for the 2nd batch, which was concluded in December 2015, comprised 131 GTK Boxers and was worth EUR 478 million. All the experience gained with modifications from the successful Afghanistan mission have been incorporated into this A2 version.

Despite the pandemic, which in some cases had a significant impact on delivery dates, the contractual deadlines were met thanks to the constructive, pragmatic and trusting cooperation between the industry and the customer.

In total, the two parent companies of ARTEC GmbH have delivered 405 Boxer vehicles to the Bundeswehr. Among them were 72 Boxers in the ambulance variant, 65 command vehicles and 256 infantry group vehicles.

The combat upgrade commissioned by the Bundeswehr in 2017 provides for all Boxer vehicles, including those from the 1st batch, to be adapted to the A2 design standard.

Most recently, in February 2021, the corresponding upgrade of a second batch of Boxer command vehicles to the A2 standard was contracted, so that from 2024 the entire fleet of a total of 65 German Boxer command vehicles will be available at the latest level.

ARTEC GmbH was founded in 1999 and is a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG and Rheinmetall.

The company coordinates series production and serves as the point of contact for all export issues relating to the Boxer.

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SPARTANAT – Thermal Clip-On TigIR from Andres Industries

Friday, June 25th, 2021

Currently different NATO-partners are introducing the new Thermal Clip-On TigIR from Andres Industries to their armed forces. The special feature of the TigIR (pronounced tiger) is its particularly short design. This makes it the only thermal Clip-On to date that can also fit on the short optical mounts of machine guns. With a recognition range of 3km and weighing only 500g, it is also very light.

With a length of only 6cm, the TILO-6MA is to date the smallest thermal imaging goggles in the world with a resolution of 640 pixels. It is sea water resistant and is therefore also used by naval units. It can also be used, for example, in front of the ELCAN-Specter as a Clip-On Thermal.

The NSN, also known as the „supply number“ to NATO-members, is used in trade between NATO member states to correctly identify ordered equipment – even across language barriers. Specifically, the numbers are 5855-12-416-6304 for the TigIR-6M and 5855-12-416-6303 for the TILO-6MA. Civilian variants of both devices also exist and are already available in the US.

Links:

Andres: www.andres-industries-shop.de

TigIR: www.andres-industries-shop.de

spartanat: www.spartanat.com

Posted in Contracts, Guest Post, International, Optics, Spartanat | 3 Comments »

WFEL to Supply Philippine Army with Rapidly Deployable DSB Mobile Military Bridges

Thursday, June 24th, 2021

UK Military Bridge manufacturer, WFEL, is to supply a number of its Dry Support Bridges (DSB) to the Philippine Army under the Horizon 2 phase of the revised AFP Modernisation Programme.

The DSB systems can be deployed in around 90 minutes to provide temporary infrastructure and will be supplied with pedestrian walkways, for use in Disaster Relief operational situations, as well as other military scenarios. The Philippine Army, having a choice of launch vehicle chassis for its bridges, opted for the Rheinmetall MAN Military Vehicles (RMMV) 45m 10 x 10 systems.

Intended for use by the Philippine Combat Engineers, the Dry Support Bridges will be manufactured at WFEL’s production facility in Stockport, UK; delivery will begin during 2023.

An Integrated Logistics Support package is also included in the contract for this new Combat Engineering Equipment, ensuring back-up and support from WFEL’s Technical Engineering Teams and giving confidence to the Combat Engineers of continued through-life support and spares availability.

Ian Anderton, WFEL’s Managing Director, commented, “We warmly welcome the Philippine Army into our ever-growing user base of DSB Military Bridging Systems. We are proud of the fact that the Dry Support Bridge is the world’s most technically advanced, rapidly deployable military bridge of its type and has proven its worth in both Combat and Disaster Relief situations time after time.

“By adopting the Dry Support Bridge, the Philippine Army is ensuring it has the future capability to quickly manoeuvre across wet and dry gaps in complex, physical terrain, including man-made gaps, ravines and rivers, as efficiently as possible and under the widest possible operational scenarios.”

With a 120 tonnes Military Load Classification, the Dry Support Bridge was initially designed and developed by WFEL for the US Army. Offering full interoperability with any other DSB bridging system, it has been adopted by various countries worldwide, including USA, Turkey and Australia. Switzerland has also acquired a number of Dry Support Bridges and is known to have extensively deployed the DSB as temporary infrastructure following flooding and other natural disasters.

This increasing worldwide user-base provides an off-the-shelf, low risk military bridging solution. The DSB is currently being evaluated by UK MoD as a replacement for their BR90 bridging systems.

www.wfel.com

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