Defense`s Feeds

Americas In a display of military efficiency, aircraft maintainers showcased their mastery of Agile Combat Employment (ACE) during a recent operation, performing Integrated Combat Turns (ICT) that involved transferring inert munitions from an A-10 Thunderbolt II to rearm an MQ-9 Reaper. This seamless process took place while the engines of both aircraft were running on […]

Americas The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has finished the first flight of an artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) piloted XQ-58A Valkyrie jet drone at the Eglin Test and Training Complex in Florida. The three-hour sortie supports the air force’s ongoing Skyborg Vanguard and Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation programs seeking next-generation autonomous aircraft for operations in contested […]

Americas Amentum has won an $818-million contract to manage the modernization and sustainment of US Navy F-16 Viper adversary fighter jets at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada. The Viper is the aggressor version of the Fighting Falcon fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft. It plays the enemy role or “red team” to train naval airmen in simulated […]

Americas The US Navy awarded Bath Iron Works a multiyear contract for construction of three DDG 51 class ships – one each in fiscal 2023, 2024, and 2026. This contract includes options for engineering change proposals, design budgeting requirements, and post-delivery availabilities on the awarded firm multiyear ships. This contract also includes options for construction […]

Americas RENK America won a $54.6 million modification by the US Army for for Bradley Fighting Vehicle System and Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle System transmission and hardware production support. Work will be performed in Muskegon, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2025. The Bradley Fighting Vehicle’s role is to transport infantry on the […]

Americas Raytheon won a $50 million deal for right-sized hardware and software integration of the Small Diameter Bomb II onto the F-35B and C platforms. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by October 31, 2024. No funds are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force […]

Americas Triumph Engine Control Systems won a $49.2 million deal by the US Army for CH-47 Chinook main fuel control overhauls and upgrades. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 31, 2028. Raytheon won a $175 […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won an $8.3 million modification by the US Navy to exercise options for shipboard integration and test of the AEGIS Weapon System. Work will be performed in Moorestown, New Jersey; Norfolk, Virginia; San Diego, California; Washington, DC; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Mayport, Florida; Bath, Maine; and various places each below one percent, and is […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $22.1 million modification by the US Navy, which adds scope to provide diminishing manufacturing sources (DMS) management to include the ongoing review and identification of actual and potential DMS issues and DMS of components, parts, materials, assemblies, subassemblies, and software items; as well as recommend solutions to mitigate the issues […]

Several EU Member States have signed the European Defence Agency (EDA) project arrangements for the collaborative procurement of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) equipment, and for soldier equipment. 

The signing of the two project arrangements in late July – by eight EU states in each case – allows them to come into effect. They lay the basis for Member States to buy together such CBRN equipment such as masks, filters and suits, and also to jointly purchase soldier equipment such as helmets and ballistic vests.  

EDA’s project arrangements, and Member States’ interest, send an important signal to industry about the European Union’s commitment to meeting critical military needs. Following competitive tendering, companies or consortia will be able to bid for contracts.  

The two new project arrangements follow the signing in March of EDA’s arrangement for joint procurement of 155mm ammunition, which was based on the work of the Defence Joint Procurement Task Force – composed of EDA, the European External Action Service, the EU Military Staff, and the European Commission – along with Member States, to identify critical shortfalls.  

The procurement process, where EDA will act as the contracting authority, management body and ordering entity in the context of collaborative procurement procedures, should culminate with the first framework contracts with industry, allowing Member States to place orders from then on. 

Collaborative procurement is the best option to achieve cost reduction from economies of scale, while allowing Member States to purchase ammunition and military equipment according to their national needs and supporting Ukraine. The arrangements, which are flexible and inclusive in nature, allow all Member States to join the initiatives at a later stage. 

EDA’S wider role 

EDA supports all EU Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative capability projects, the Agency has become the hub for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks  spanning the whole spectrum of defence capabilities. 

Member States use EDA as an intergovernmental expert platform where their collaborative projects are supported, facilitated, and implemented. For more details, please see here. 

Americas Alabama Shipyard won a $19.7 million deal for 120-calendar day shipyard availability for the mid-term availability of Military Sealift Command’s hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20). This contract includes a base period and options, which if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $19,927,348. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama, beginning September15, 2023, […]

Americas AeroVironment won a $12 million deal by the US Army for RQ-20B Puma AE3 UAS systems. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Simi Valley, California, with an estimated completion date of September 30, 2024. According to Defense News, the US Navy leveraged air and surface drones […]

Americas Pacific Propeller International won a $22.8 million modification by the US Air Force for the overhaul support for the C-130 54H60 series propeller. This contract provides for the overhaul and repair of the C-130 54H60 series propeller for the Air Force and multiple countries. All work will be performed in Kent, Washington, and individual […]

Americas Bath Iron Works was tapped for shipbuilder engineering and design analysis in order to produce design products in support of the Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG(X)) preliminary design and contract design. The modification to the contracts will be awarded without full and open competition pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(3), Industrial mobilization; engineering, development, or […]

Americas Raytheon won a $10 million spares delivery order for the procurement of one APY-10 radar system weapon repairable assemblies (WRAs), for a total quantity on 11 WRAs, in support of the P-8A aircraft. The delivery order does not include an option period. All work will be performed in McKinney, Texas, and work is expected […]

Americas General Atomics won a $30 million modification, which exercises options to provide maintenance, supply chain and spares management, logistics, and sustainment support for the MQ-9 Reaper aircraft, and dual control mobile ground control stations to ensure they are mission capable for the Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Oahu, Hawaii (35%); Yuma, Arizona […]

Americas The US Navy has taken delivery of the second John Lewis-class fleet replenishment oiler, the USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO 206), from General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. The handover follows the completion of acceptance trials to assess the vessel’s readiness and overall capability. The Brazilian Air Force 1st Air Defense Group (1st GDA) […]

Americas Lockheed Martin won a $99.5 million modification, which procures long lead time materials, parts, components, and efforts in support of maintaining on-time production and delivery of 147 Lot 18 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, and non-US Department of Defense (DOD) participants. Work […]

Americas Raytheon won a $28 million deal for design agent and engineering support services for the Rolling Airframe Missile upgraded MK 31 Guided Missile Weapon System Improvement Program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $282,551,290. This contract combines purchases for the Navy (74%); and the […]

The OPTIMISE project has proposed a combination of technologies to provide alternative positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) systems for military navigation when Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are disrupted. 

With funding from the European Commission’s Preparatory Action for Defence Research (PADR), the OPTIMISE project - innOvative PosiTIoning systeMfor defence In gnSs-denied arEas – is part of broader initiatives to explore alternatives to GPS and Galileo for military navigation. OPTIMISE focused principally on aircraft navigation scenarios in GNSS-denied environments.  

GNSS refers to a constellation of satellites providing signals from space that transmit positioning and timing data to GNSS receivers. The receivers then use this data to determine location. However, if such systems, which include Europe’s Galileo, were jammed by an adversary, the need for flexible and reliable alternatives would be crucial. 

OPTIMISE, which had a budget of approximately €1.5 million, trialed reliable and secure ways to allow data from different sensors and signals to work together and achieve the integration of different positioning, navigation and timing technologies. Those included relying on star sensors, radars, ground antennae such as telephone masts, atomic clocks and data fusion software.   

 

Real-time Demonstration

At the final session of the 28-month project at the European Defence Agency (EDA) in Brussels, OPTIMISE detailed the scenarios and requirements, and the developed technologies and validation activities including ground and flight tests. The technology integration, testing and operation of the different types of OPTIMISE sensors were showcased together with a detailed analysis of the data, via a multi-sensor/multi-platform software architecture for navigation.   

The OPTIMISE demonstration showcased the systems integration and data collection during ground and flight tests hosted by the University of Žilina; such tests were complemented with simulations using the information from a reference flight trajectory. 

OPTIMISE also elaborated, within its exploitation plan, a roadmap for the further development of the individual technologies and the overall project integrated system. The follow-up of part of the work within OPTIMISE will be continued in a EDA Category B (Cat. B) project. The project is also related to the work conducted under the Capability Technology Groups of EDA (namely CapTech Guidance, Navigation and Control and CapTech Space). 

OPTIMISE brought together nine beneficiaries from four countries. Led by Skylife Engineering SL of Spain, it also includes MBDA ITALIA SPA of Italy, SENER Aeroespacial Sociedad Anonima, also of Spain, France’s Office National D’Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales, Syrlinks SAS, STAR NAV and SYSNAV SAS, Zilinska Univerzita v Ziline of Slovakia, and Spain’s La Asociación de Investigación y Cooperación Industrial de Andalucía "F. de Paula Rojas". 

OPTIMISE was selected under the 2019 call for proposals for the EU Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) managed by the European Defence Agency.  

OPTIMISE was selected following an EU-wide PADR call for proposals on the topic of ‘Future Disruptive Defence Technologies - Emerging Game-changers’, in the sub-topic related to autonomous positioning, navigation and timing.  

OPTIMISE and the PADR 

The OPTIMISE project is part of the Preparatory Action on Defence Research (PADR) launched by the European Commission in 2017 to assess and demonstrate the added-value of EU supported defence research and technology (R&T). It paved the way for a proper European Defence Programme to come as part of the European Defence Fund (EDF), under the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework (2021-2027). 

The PADR implementation is run by EDA following the mandate via a Delegation Agreement between the European Commission and EDA signed on 31 May 2017. By this agreement the Commission entrusts EDA with the management and implementation of the research projects launched within the PADR.