Contracts

Thales Contracts for Dutch Mission in Afghanistan

On 28 July, the Netherlands Ministry of Defence and ADI limited of Australia signed a contract for the delivery of 25 Bushmaster infantry vehicles that will be deployed by the Netherlands Armed Forces for their mission in Afghanistan. The Bushmaster will be equipped with the Thales SOTAS M2 multi-media communication system, to be supplied by Thales Land & Joint Systems, Huizen, Netherlands. Thales will also supply 12 SWARM remote control weapon systems and a full logistics package for these systems. This is the first export order for Bushmaster. The Bushmasters will leave for Afghanistan end of August.

Contracts

BAE Systems Awarded $223.5M Contract to Re-manufacture and Upgrade Bradley Armoured Vehicles

BAE Systems received a $223.5 million contract modification from the U.S. Army TACOM Life Cycle Management Command to re-manufacture and upgrade 96 Bradley Armoured Vehicles.

Defence Industry

Oshkosh Truck Finalizes Acquisition of AK Specialty Vehicles, Inc.

Oshkosh Truck Corporation, a leader in manufacturing specialty trucks and truck bodies, announced that it had completed the acquisition of AK Specialty Vehicles, a leader in mobile medical, homeland security command and communications, and broadcast vehicles, from Healthtronics, Inc. The transaction was completed on an all-cash basis for $140 million.

Term of the day

Armour Piercing Fin-Stabilised Discarding Sabot Round

A type of kinetic energy ammunition where a sub-calibre penetrator of heavy material is surrounded by a light weight 'pot' or sabot which supports the penetrator in the barrel. The use of the sabot ensures that the largest possible base area is presented to the propellant gases over which pressure can be exerted. The sabot falls to the ground a few hundred metres from the barrel, leaving the sub-calibre penetrator to continue to the target.

Contracts

General Dynamics Awarded $129 Million for Production of Reactive Armour for Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle

General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products, a sub-division of General Dynamics, was awarded a $129 million contract from the U.S. Army TACOM-Picatinny for the production of enhanced-capability reactive armour tile sets for the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. The total contract value could total up to $245 million.

Term of the day

Stadiametric Ranging

A method of ranging in which markings in the field of view of the operator's sighting system are compared with an assumed standard dimension of the target - for example, the vehicle's height.

Contracts

Armor Holdings Announces $74M in Body Armor Component Awards

Armor Holdings, Inc., a leader in the manufacturing and distributing of safety and survivability systems, tactical wheeled vehicles, and vehicle armour systems serving military and homeland security, announced the award of two contracts by the Defense Logistics Agency's Defense Supply Center-Philadelphia for Outer Tactical Vests and components for use in the Interceptor Body Armor ensemble.

Contracts

O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co. Awarded a Modification to Contract for M1114, M1116, and M1145 vehicles

O’Gara-Hess & Eisenhardt Armoring Co., Fairfield, Ohio, was awarded on July 19, 2006, a $5,831,385 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for M1114, M1116, and M1145 vehicles, emergency rescue wrenches, traversing units, and integration of engineering change proposal 653R1.

Contracts

Lockheed Martin Corp. Awarded a Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System Contract Modification

Lockheed Martin Corp., Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded on the 24th of July, 2006, a $16,574,025 modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for guided multiple launch rocket system full rate production I – conversion of dual-purpose improved conventional munition to urgent material release unitary rockets.

Army

New Equipment to Help Protect UK Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan

Defence Secretary, Des Browne, unveiled a package of new equipment to help protect UK Forces in Iraq and Afghanistan following an armoured vehicles review.

Future Technologies

BAE Systems Develops Human-in-the-loop Simulation Capabilities for Hybrid Electric Drive Vehicles

BAE Systems engineers in Santa Clara have developed a human-in-the-loop simulation capability to support the design of Hybrid Electric Drive systems for future vehicles.

Contracts

Armor Holdings Gets $27M Award for Pinzgauer Protected Patrol Vehicle

Armor Holdings, Inc., a leader in the manufacturing and distributing of safety and survivability systems, tactical wheeled vehicles, and vehicle armour systems serving military and homeland security, announced the receipt of an order valued at approximately $27 million from the UK's Ministry of Defence. The contract was recently issued to Armor Holdings Aerospace & Defense Group's U.K. based Pinzgauer division, which was acquired as part of Armor's May 2006 acquisition of Stewart & Stevenson. Production is expected to be completed in early 2007 at the Company's U.K. facilities.

Term of the day

Fixed Gun Tank

This is a turretless tank that features a gun fixed to its chassis rather than installed in a turret. This design offers a simple method of automatic loading and would permit a longer barrel to be used than would be possible in a turreted tank of similar size and weight.

Contracts

Bombproof Vehicles for Troops in Iraq

MORE than 100 new heavily armoured patrol vehicles have been ordered by the government to protect British troops in Iraq against roadside bombs.

Term of the day

Autoloader

Autoloader (also called automatic loader) is a mechanical system to load the main armament and so eliminate one member (human loader) from the fighting vehicle's crew.