Industry: AeroVironment Participates in Contract Signing Ceremony for Australian Defence Force Wasp AE Package

Wasp AE being tested by Australian Army Soldier

AeroVironment Participates in Contract Signing Ceremony for Australian Defence Force Wasp AE Package

• Three-year contract includes AeroVironment Wasp® AE systems, plus multi-year training and support
• Australian-based companies XTEK Limited, Sentient Vision Systems and General Dynamics Mediaware to provide added capabilities for Wasp AE and local support
• AeroVironment now supports more than 40 allied countries with its family of small unmanned aircraft systems

Canberra, Australia, July 25, 2017– AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military and commercial applications, today participated in a signing ceremony here for the formal execution of contracts (first announced June 1, 2017) to deliver Wasp® AE unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to the Australian Defence Force (ADF) over a three-year period commencing July 1, 2018.

Industry: Australian Defence Force Selects AeroVironment Wasp® AE for AUD $101 Million Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program

A Wasp AE being tested by a soldier in the Australian Army

Australian Defence Force Selects AeroVironment Wasp® AE for AUD $101 Million Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program

• AeroVironment to provide Wasp® AE systems over three years with multi-year training and support
• Total contract value to AeroVironment of up to USD $36.5 million for hardware and services over program lifespan
• Australian partners XTEK, General Dynamics Mediaware and Sentient to provide added capabilities for WASP AE and local support for the Australian Defence Force

MONROVIA, Calif.,June 1, 2017 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for both military and commercial applications, today announced the selection of the company’s Wasp AE small unmanned aircraft system by the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The ADF Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract calls for the delivery of Wasp AE systems over a three-year period, as well as training and logistics support for up to ten years, for a total AeroVironment contract value of up to USD $36.5 million.

News Story: SASC Will ‘Help’ Trump On Navy’s 355-Ship Fleet - Sen. Wicker

Image: Flickr User - Greg Bishop

By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR.

CAPITOL HILL: Presidents propose; Congress disposes. President Trump’s shipbuilding budget for 2018 is a placeholder that legislators can increase, the chairman of the Senate seapower subcommittee told me this morning.

After Sen. Roger Wicker chaired a hearing with shipbuilding executives, following a classified hearing with Navy leaders, I asked him about Trump’s budget. Despite Trump’s campaign pledge for a 350-ship fleet, his budget adds no ships to the Obama plan for FY18 and actually cuts the shipbuilding account. Is this a disappointment, a placeholder, or — given that it takes time for the shipyards to ramp up — a reasonable delay?

“Option B,” Wicker told me with a slight smile. “It’s a placeholder.

“We’re going to work with the administration,” Wicker said. “We’re going to try to help the president get to his goal of more than 350 ships.”

“We take the leadership of the Navy’s recommendations seriously, as a matter of national security,” Wicker continued. The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, released a new Force Structure Assessment last fall calling for a 355-ship fleet.

“The president has endorsed that concept in broad terms,” Wicker said, “and we aim to work with him to make the budget” — a thoughtful pause — “consistent.”

In other (less politic) words, if Trump won’t put his money where his mouth is, Congress can do it for him.

“I’m going to take it one year at a time,” Wicker told me. “I think what we heard today is an eminently doable lift for this year, this next fiscal year (2018).”

So what did Wicker hear?

Read the full story at Breaking Defense

News Report: Indian Navy Looks to Buy Subsurface Vessels to Detect Undersea Threat

In the absence of the required number of minesweepers, the Indian Navy has started the process to procure remote-controlled portable underwater vessels to conduct explosive ordnance disposal operations in harbors and sea water up to 75 meters depth.

New Delhi (Sputnik) – Indian Navy wants three variants of the underwater vessel namely for detection/inspection, combat and training role. In fact, the Navy will purchase five underwater vehicles which may go up later. The purchase order is expected to be approximately $95 million: half of the total deal amount has to be invested in India under an offset clause of India’s Defense Procurement Policy 2016.

The GPS and inertial navigation system-enabled, 360-degrees maneuverable portable automatic underwater vehicles (PAUV) would be self-propelled using horizontal and vertical thrusters and onboard chargeable battery pack. The Navy wants PAUV to be deployable in rigid-hulled inflatable boats, inflatable crafts, and helicopters. An Indian Navy document demands two hours endurance capacity of the PAUV which can be controllable at a speed of five knots.

USA: General Dynamics awarded a $13,144,278 foreign military sales contract (Kuwait, Australia, and Saudi Arabia) for systems technical support and sustainment system technical support for the Abrams family of vehicles and derivative systems

General Dynamics Land Systems Inc., Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $13,144,278 cost-plus-fixed-fee, foreign military sales contract (Kuwait, Australia, and Saudi Arabia) for systems technical support and sustainment system technical support for the Abrams family of vehicles and derivative systems.

Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received.

Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan; Germany; Killeen, Texas; Korea; Kuwait; and Poland, with an estimated completion date of Feb. 28, 2018. 

Fiscal 2010, 2011, and 2017 operations and maintenance (Army); research, development, test and evaluation; and other funds in the combined amount of $13,144,278 were obligated at the time of the award. 

Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-17-C-0067).

US DoD

News Story: Proposed 355-Ship Navy Could Open Door to Increased Destroyer Production

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen
(Image: Flickr User - Naval Surface Warriors)

By: Valerie Insinna

WASHINGTON — The head of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer program is anticipating increased demand for the ship as a result of the Navy’s new 355-vessel shipbuilding goal, and growing production from two to three ships a year is within the realm of possibility, he said Wednesday. 

“As a program, we used to routinely build three ships a year. Right now, we’re budgeted at two ships per year,” said Capt. Casey Moton during a briefing at the Surface Navy Association conference in Arlington, Virginia. “So if you ask Capt. Moton if the DDG-51 community is capable of increasing the program to three ships a year, it’s pretty hard for me to stand here with that chart and then tell you no. I’m confident that we could do it.” 

The Navy in December released a new fleet assessment plan that boosted its shipbuilding goal from 308 to a whopping 355 vessels—even more than had been proposed by President-elect Donald Trump during his campaign. The service recommended growing its fleet of large surface combatants, consisting of cruisers and destroyers, from 88 to 104 ships. 

With the Zumwalt-class destroyer program cancelled after three ships and cruiser production already finished, it’s quite likely that Arleigh Burke-class destroyers could make up that 16-ship increase. 

Moton acknowledged that much still needs to be done before he, as the program manager, would need to take action. For instance, the Navy would need to submit a budget that proposes additional ships, and any proposed increase would need to go through the congressional appropriations process. 

But when all is said and done, “there may be an increased demand signal for DDG-51s, so we are honestly doing our due diligence looking at that. I would not be doing my job if I wasn’t,” he said.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

USA: Possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia for AEA-18G Electronic Warfare Range System

WASHINGTON, Dec. 5, 2016 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia for AEA-18G Electronic Warfare Range System and related support, equipment, and training. The estimated cost is $115 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on December 2, 2016.

The Government of Australia has requested additional funding to a previously implemented case for two Electronic Warfare Range Systems to conduct Electronic Warfare and Electronic Surveillance training within the borders of Australia. The original FMS case, valued at $79.07 million, includes non-MDE costs for all support elements required to provide for system integration testing, tools and test equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications, operations manuals, technical documents, personnel training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The addition of $35.93 million in non-MDE funding to the basic case will provide for unfunded requirements to meet the scope of the basic case and provide for the sale of additional classified technical data and software, system integration and testing, tools and test equipment, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications, operations manuals, and technical documents, personnel training, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, and other related elements of engineering, logistics, and program management. This amendment will push the original case value above notification threshold and thus requires notification of the entire case. The total overall estimated value is $115 million.

News Story: Multi-Domain Battle Drives Army Toward New Missile

High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HiMARS)

By: Jen Judson

WASHINGTON — Unlike the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the Army's capability dominated the enemy's, the service will be fighting in domains that are hotly contested from the start, which means it will have to refocus on capabilities that previously were on the back-burner. 

Long-Range Precision Fires (LRPF) is high on the Army’s list. 

The Army is emphasizing a new multi-domain battle concept, which assumes all domains are contested in a way the service hasn’t seen in a long time, the Army’s Capabilities Integration Center director, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, said in a teleconference with reporters ahead of the Association of the US Army’s annual conference. 

“If all domains are contested, what that means is the Army can no longer rely on other service capabilities to do things that we assumed that they would be able to do,” he said. During the peace dividend following the Cold War, the Army cut way back on certain capabilities like electronic warfare and long-range fires, assuming it could rely on another service to fill the gap, according to McMaster. 

That thinking greatly reduce the Army’s capability in long-range fires capacity, he noted. 

“What we are endeavoring to do is to build capabilities into the Army to allow the Army what it used to do, and always has been able to do, which is defeat enemy forces on land, secure terrain to deny its use to the enemy, protect populations, consolidate military gains, but, increasingly, to project power outward from land into ... aerospace, maritime or cyber space and across the electromagnetic spectrum,” McMaster said. 

This means the Army needs cross-domain fires and artillery batteries to deliver surface-to-surface, surface-to-air and shore-to-ship capabilities, according to McMaster. 

Read the full story at DefenseNews

AUS: Combat System Integrator for Future Submarines

The Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne and the Minister for Defence Industry, The Hon Christopher Pyne MP today announced that Lockheed Martin Australia has been selected as the preferred Combat System Integrator for Australia’s Future Submarine Program, subject to further discussion on commercial matters.

Minister Payne said this is an important step in the development of Australia’s regionally superior future submarines.

“Lockheed Martin Australia will be our Combat System Integrator to partner with Defence and DCNS to design and integrate the combat system of our Future Submarine, which meets our unique capability requirements.”

“By partnering with an Australian-based company with strong links to the United States we will ensure that we get the best Australian and US technology, while ensuring that our sensitive technology is protected.”

News Story: Lockheed Martin selected as combat system integrator for Australia's future submarines

CANBERRA, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- Lockheed Martin Australia has been selected as the preferred Combat System Integrator for Australia's Future Submarine Program, Australian Minister for Defence Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne announced on Thursday in a joint media release.

"Lockheed Martin Australia will be our Combat System Integrator to partner with Defence and DCNS (of France) to design and integrate the combat system of our Future Submarine, which meets our unique capability requirements," Payne said.

She called it an important step in developing Australia's regionally superior future submarines.

"By partnering with an Australian-based company with strong links to the United States we will ensure that we get the best Australian and US technology, while ensuring that our sensitive technology is protected."

Read the full story at Xinhua

Industry: AeroVironment Teams with Australia-based XTEK, Sentient Vision and General Dynamics Mediaware to Offer Small UAS to the Australian Army and Special Forces

• The AeroVironment Australia team provides complete, end-to-end system capabilities to support Australian customers
• The Wasp AE Micro Air Vehicle is the first of AeroVironment’s Family of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to be adopted by the Australian Armed Forces
• Wasp AE Micro Air Vehicle systems operate virtually undetected to deliver superior intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in both ground and maritime operations

ADELAIDE, Australia, At Land Forces 2016, Sept. 6, 2016 – AeroVironment, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVAV), a global leader in small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), today announced it is teaming with Australia-based XTEK, Sentient Vision and General Dynamics (GD) Mediaware to deliver AeroVironment’s Family of Unmanned Aircraft Systems to the Australian market. The team will offer the AeroVironment Wasp AE Micro Air Vehicle, designated as the RQ-12A by the U.S. Department of Defense, to the Australian Armed Forces.

Editorial: Pentagon Approves Request for Proposals for US Navy’s Next-Generation Ballistic Missile Submarine

Image: Wiki Commons

By Franz-Stefan Gady

A contract for one of the U.S. Navy’s most expensive shipbuilding programs could be awarded by the end of 2016.

The U.S. Department of Defense approved the request for proposals (RFP) for the design of the U.S. Navy’s Ohio-class Replacement Program, USNI News reports. The U.S. Navy has initiated an Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) replacement program in 2007 to guarantee the existence of an adequate sea-based strategic nuclear force in the future, given that its 14 Ohio-class SSBNs will be decommissioned at a rate of one per year starting in 2027.

“On Dec 21, the Navy sought Defense Acquisition Executive authorization to proceed with release of the Integrated Product and Process Development Request for Proposal for the Ohio Replacement program,” Pentagon spokeswoman Maureen Schumann toldUSNI News this week.

Initial design and prototyping phases have been completed by the prime contractor General Dynamics Electric Boat. Schumann added:

At the DAB, [Pentagon acquisition chief Frank] Kendall reviewed the status of technology development, program schedule, the execution of the current contract and the Ohio Replacement acquisition strategy, and approved the release of the Development RFP. (…) The contract will produce the diagrams, drawings and information necessary to design, build, test and operate a submarine, enabling the shipbuilder(s) to start construction in 2021.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

News Story: Indian Army Buys More BMP-2s as Infantry Combat Vehicle Upgrades Delayed

Indian BMP-2 (Image: Wiki Commons)

By Vivek Raghuvanshi

NEW DELHI — Faced with the continued delay of efforts to select a domestic company to upgrade its BMP-2 infantry combat vehicle fleet, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 of the same outdated Russian-designed ICVs from the Indian government-owned Ordnance Factory Board, an Army official said.

"As the Ministry of Defence has not been able to [finalize] the procurement process of upgrading the outdated BMP-2 ICVs, the Indian Army had no choice but to buy 149 BMP-2 ICVs to replenish the inventory of around 1,200 BMP-2 ICVs," said  the official, who like other Army sources quoted here asked not to be  named.

"Upgrading the BMP-2 ICVs in inventory will take time, and in the interim this order will replace the ones which have lived their life and are to be condemned beyond repair," a second  Army official said.

However,  the need to upgrade the Army's BMP-2 ICVs is urgent, the second official said, noting the demand  was raised a decade ago.

No MoD official would comment on the status of the BMP-2 upgrade. But an MoD source said the 149 additional  BMP-2s  purchased last month were to meet  "urgent requirements of the Indian Army."

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: General Dynamics Land Systems-Australia Awarded Support Contract Extension - Looks Ahead to LAND400

Australian Army ASLAV's on parade (File Photo)

Adelaide, Australia- General Dynamics Land Systems-Australia has been awarded an extension to its long-term Through Life Support contact for the sustainment of the Australian Army’s M1A1 Main Battle Tank and the ASLAV wheeled reconnaissance vehicles. The contract is planned to provide support to these fleets to 2032, with this extension providing full funding until 2020.

According to General Dynamics Land Systems- Australia’s Managing Director Ian Cook, “General Dynamics is proud to have supported the Australian Army since the first deliveries of ASLAV armoured vehicles more than 20 years ago.”

The company also plans to apply its experience and capabilities to the Army’s Land Combat Vehicle System program, LAND400.  Development of focused local capability is fundamental to both General Dynamics and its program partner, Thales Australia. General Dynamics will meet the LAND400 requirements with a LAV(CRV) capability, which has been proven in combat and engineered to meet the Australian Army’s operational requirement. 

Industry: General Dynamics European Land Systems to Supply Improved Ribbon Bridge to Australian Department of Defence

Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB)
[Info - Image: General Dynamics]

KAISERSLAUTERN / MELBOURNE – General Dynamics European Land Systems has signed a USD$28 million contract from the Australian Department of Defence for the production and delivery of the Improved Ribbon Bridge (IRB) under the Land 155 program for enhanced gap crossing equipment.

The contract covers the delivery of bridge bays, logistics package, as well as operator and maintainer training. The IRB will replace the legacy Floating Support Bridge which was delivered by General Dynamics European Land Systems-Germany’s predecessor company EWK in the 1980s.

Think Tank: Sea, air and land updates (20-10-2015)

Alice Slevison and Mercedes Page

Sea State

On Saturday, naval warships, aircraft carriers and submarines from the US, India and Japan streamed into the Bay of Bengal as part of the Malabar exercises. A joint press release from the three countries claimed that Malabar-15 would be ‘another significant step in strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US navies.’ This year is the first year that Japan will participate as a permanent member of the Malabar exercises, having partaken as a foreign invitee in previous years.

Canada’s navy is in talks with its Spanish counterpart to deploy a Spanish replenishment ship with the Canadian fleet in the North Atlantic. Spain’s Cantabria AOR (which previously saw service in support of the RAN) has been identified by the Ottawa Post as the ship that the Royal Canadian Navy is interested in leasing. The ship is set to be deployed in 2016, and according to the Spanish Navy, it would ‘cover the Canadian navy’s temporary need of logistic support vessels’.

It’s been a busy weekend for the Chinese government as they’ve sought to use the Xiangshan Regional Defense Forum hosted in Beijing as an opportunity to downplay US fears regarding its building of artificial island in its surrounding seas. Speaking at the Forum, Fan Changolong, vice-chair of China’s Central Military Commission, said that China would ‘never recklessly resort to the use of force, even on issues bearing on sovereignty’. The Xiangshan Forum is a security dialogue China has recently upgraded as part of its efforts to increase China’s global defence influence.

Think Tank: ANZACs under armour - the future Australian IFV

Mitchell Yates

There’s been a lengthy and lively debate on The Strategist lately regarding the future of Australia’s surface combatants, specifically the SEA 5000 future frigate. Attracting little attention on the other hand was last months’ closure of the RFT deadline for LAND 400 Phase 2—the LAND 400 phase that will provide the Army with its future Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV) capability. Given that this programme will completely redefine and reshape the Army’s ground combat capabilities, it needs greater attention.

The nature of the LAND 400 project is well known; about six months back The Strategist played host to a debate on this particular topic. But now that the Phase 2 process is well underway, it’s time to re-examine the possibilities for Phase 3. Army’s legacy fleet of M113 APCs, by the time of their complete replacement in 2030, will be almost 70 years old. The M113, which Tom Clancy once called an ‘old aluminium box’, isn’t survivable on a modern battlefield. Army’s ASLAVs wouldn’t fare much better—although acquired from the mid-1990s onwards, their original design (based on the Swiss MOWAG Piranha) dates from the 1970s.

USA: Possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for Aegis Combat Systems and associated equipment

South Korean Sejong class Aegis Destroyer (File Photo)

WASHINGTON, Jun 9, 2015 - The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Republic of Korea for Aegis Combat Systems and associated equipment, parts and logistical support for an estimated cost of $1.91 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today.

The Republic of Korea (ROK) has requested a possible sale of 3 Aegis Shipboard Combat Systems, 3 MK-41 Vertical Launching Systems, 3 Common Data Link Management Systems, 3 AN/UPX-29(V) Identification Friend or Foe Interrogators, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, tool and test equipment, U.S. Government and contractor technical, engineering, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The total estimated cost is $1.91 billion.

News Story: Asia's Biggest Maritime Expo To Kick Off

By Wendell Minnick

TAIPEI — Singapore's quest for a new maritime patrol aircraft, a mid-life upgrade for F-16s and possible purchase of the F-35 are among the expected areas of interest at this year's Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX), experts say.

The 10th biennial IMDEX will be held at Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre from May 19-20.

Show officials have said this year will have many new attractions, including the first India pavilion. The India pavilion will join seven other country pavilions: France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Singapore, United Kingdom and the United States.

The US presence will include three naval vessels: the littoral combat ship Fort Worth, the destroyer Mustin and an unidentified fast-attack submarine.

Read the full story at DefenseNews

Industry: General Dynamics and Thales Australia Announce Agreement to Team for LAND 400

Adelaide, Australia – General Dynamics Land Systems and Thales Australia have signed a teaming memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the intention to submit a bid in response to the Land 400 Phase 2 - Mounted Combat Reconnaissance Capability Request For Tender.

General Dynamics and Thales have a proven track record of working together across a broad range of vehicle programs. These include Canada's LAV III Upgrade, the UK Foxhound and Scout SV Programs, Switzerland's Piranha CBRN Program, and in Australia the ASLAV Program for Crew Procedural Trainer and electro-optics.

General Dynamics Land Systems is the manufacturer of combat-proven 8x8 and tracked Military Off The Shelf (MOTS) Combat Reconnaissance Vehicle (CRV), Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) and Manoeuvre Support Vehicle (MSV) products, and has proven performance in delivering international programs in a timely and cost-effective manner. Thales Australia has an established in-country industrial base of vehicle design, manufacture and through-life support and expertise in electronics, electro-optics, simulation and platform systems integration. The General Dynamics Land Systems / Thales team will offer Australia a compelling value-for-money solution comprising the complete suite of LAND 400 capabilities as required by the Australian Army.