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Wed, 19 May 10
Comfut System From EADS DS Completes Test Phase
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Comfut_System_From_EADS_DS_Completes_Test_Phase_999.html
Madrid, Spain (SPX) May 19, 2010 - The Spanish Future Soldier System ComFut (Combatiente del Futuro) is nearing the finishing line. In March, EADS Defence and Security (DS) in Spain delivered 36 equipment sets to the Spanish Army as specified in the Design and Development (D+D) contract signed with the Ministry of Defence.

These sets have been used to train the first 25 soldiers from the Academia de Infanteria (Infantry Academy) on the ComFut system. The soldiers carried out user tests in flat and mountainous terrain from 12 to 14 April. The system evaluation trials will continue in Toledo until its final validation at the end of June.

Enrique Barrientos, the CEO of DS in Spain, commented: "The tests being carried out are of fundamental importance, as they will enable us to make final adjustments to the system so that it meets the Spanish Army's requirements. Our objective is to equip future soldiers with technological innovations that will enhance their safety, efficiency and mobility as well as enabling them to perform their missions in a modern environment of networked operations."

ComFut is divided into seven subsystems: weaponry, power supply, firing efficiency, information and communication, survivability, sustainability and preparation.

The system was designed and developed using lighter and more resistant state-of-the-art materials for ballistic protection in the helmet and the bullet-proof vest. Likewise, new textile materials help to reduce infrared (IR) and thermal signatures, improve camouflage and provide better protection against Nuclear, Biological, Chemical and Radiological (NBCR) attacks.

The information and communication subsystem comprises a radio terminal and a ruggedised PDA-type wireless laptop computer. The radio incorporates a GPS tracking function and is designed to handle voice and data transmission. This facilitates communication between members of the squad and connects them with the higher command levels.

The cordless PDA provides soldiers with information on the positions of any allied and enemy troops that have been located and the direction in which they are moving. It permits the transmission and reception of messages, alerts, mission data and so on. All these elements significantly improve the soldiers' protection.

The firing efficiency subsystem is an optronic weapon system that improves the soldier's capacity to detect the enemy thanks to equipment such as a thermal camera, laser pointers and image intensifiers. The weapon sensors are integrated via a wireless connection with a visor mounted on the helmet. This is essential in ensuring the soldier's safety, as it enables him to aim and fire from behind cover without having to show himself.

ComFut transforms soldiers into intelligence sensors and target acquisition organisms who are fully integrated in the military command and control structure.

Wed, 19 May 10
Russian Company Unveils Plans For Fifth-Gen 'Invisible' Helicopters
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Russian_Company_Unveils_Plans_For_Fifth_Gen_Invisible_Helicopters_999.html
Moscow, Russia (RIA Novosti) May 18, 2010 - Russian Helicopters is planning to create the world's first fifth-generation combat helicopter which experts say would be able to attack fighter jets and be invisible for radars, Russian daily Gazeta said on Thursday.

"We are working on the concept of the fifth-generation combat helicopter," the paper quoted the company's CEO, Andrei Shibitov, as saying at a news conference in Moscow.

Shibitov did not specify the characteristics of the helicopter, but said the company was going to spend some $1 billion on the project, with more investment expected to be allocated from the state budget.

First deputy head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Problems, Konstantin Sivkov, told the paper fifth-generation combat helicopters have never been created before, although the U.S. recently began working on a similar project.

He said criteria for a fifth-generation combat helicopter say it must be radar invisible, have an extended flying range, be equipped with an intellectual arms control system, be able to combat fighter jets (existing helicopters are generally only intended to hit ground-based targets) and reach a speed of up to 500-600 km/h (310-370 mph).

The project cannot proceed, however, unless it is backed by the government.

"If the government does not sign a contract, the idea will die on the vine," head of the Russian Academy of Geopolitical Problems Leonid Ivashov told Gazeta.

Ivashov said that with sufficient investment and good organization the new helicopter could be built within five years. Otherwise, the project may drag on for 20-30 years.

But he sounded skepticism about chances to carry out the project.

"We have been snatching at everything - fifth-generation planes, fifth-generation helicopters, but nothing of this have so far been supplied to the army - today the army uses helicopters produced in 1970s," Ivashov said.

Source: RIA Novosti

Wed, 19 May 10
US Army recalls helmets amid probe into contractor
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_Army_recalls_helmets_amid_probe_into_contractor_999.html
Washington (AFP) May 17, 2010 - The US Army has recalled 44,000 helmets that failed ballistic tests and federal authorities are investigating the firm that manufactured them, officers said on Monday.

The helmets, made by ArmorSource in Hebron, Ohio, were issued to American troops since 2007, including an unknown number of soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, Brigadier General Pete Fuller told reporters.

"We don't where they (helmets) are. So they could be on some soldier's head in either Iraq or Afghanistan. They could also be anywhere else in the world," Fuller said.

The move came amid a probe by the Justice Department, which launched an investigation in January into ArmorSource's helmet contract, and after a recent round of tests raised concerns, Fuller said.

The helmets were subjected to "worst case scenarios" at a Maryland shooting range and while they failed to meet the army's standards, the test results gave no indication soldiers would be at risk of lethal injury, officers said.

"In ballistic tests, the helmets fell short of the Army standards, not by much, but the standards are absolute. And if you don't meet them, you don't meet them," said Colonel William Cole.

The test results on the helmet came a day after the Justice Department officials provided "critical additional details" about their investigation, prompting the Pentagon to launch the recall, Fuller said.

Officials declined to offer details of the Justice Department investigation.

The military had an ample supply of the same helmets made by three other contractors that would allow troops to exchange the recalled helmets manufactured by ArmorSource, officers said.

Some soldiers in Afghanistan had already exchanged their helmets after commanders were notified last Thursday.

"We're doing due diligence... (because) a vendor under investigation might not have done all they should have done, we wanted to ensure there's no risk ever put to our soldiers," Fuller said.

"So we're recalling all the helmets associated with that vendor."

The army first had concerns about the contractor's work last year as paint on the helmet was peeling off, said Fuller, who oversees equipping army troops.

The Advanced Combat Helmet is standard issue for all Army troops and is also used by the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The Marine Corps use a slightly lighter version that has also been recalled, but those helmets had not been distributed yet, officers said.

The 44,000 recalled helmets -- which cost 250 dollars each -- represent about four percent of the total number of Advanced Combat Helmets in the military's inventory, Fuller said.

Under an August 2006 contract, ArmorSource manufactured 102,000 helmets. Of that number, 44,000 were distributed to troops and have been recalled, while 55,000 are still in storage and the military refused to accept the remaining 3,000, Fuller said.

As a result of the tests and ongoing investigation, all the helmets made by ArmorSource in the military's inventory will be destroyed, he said.

Wed, 19 May 10
Bats' Echolocation Recorded For Human Exploit
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Bats_Echolocation_Recorded_For_Human_Exploit_999.html
London, UK (SPX) May 17, 2010 - Bats' remarkable ability to 'see' in the dark uses the echoes from their own calls to decipher the shape of their dark surroundings. This process, known as echolocation, allows bats to perceive their surroundings in great detail, detecting insect prey or identifying threatening predators, and is a skill that engineers are hoping to replicate.

A team of British researchers has worked with six adult Egyptian fruit bats from Tropical World in Leeds to record and recreate their calls. These calls are pairs of 'clicks' from the bats' tongues that they use to fill their surroundings with acoustic energy; the echoes that return allow the bats to form an image of their environment.

New research published in IOP Publishing's Bioinspiration and Biomimetics, describes how engineers and biologists from the Universities of Strathclyde and Leeds worked with the bats to record their double-click echolocation call, and its returning echoes, using a miniature wireless microphone sensor mounted on the bat whilst in flight.

During echolocation, some bats are known to use a natural acoustic gain control. This allows them to emit high-intensity calls without deafening themselves, and then to hear the weak echoes returning from surrounding objects. The researchers replicated this system in electronics to allow the sensor to record both the emitted and reflected echolocation signals, providing an insight into the full echolocation process.

The six bats performed up to sixteen flights each along a flight corridor. Each flight was short - lasting only about three seconds - but, with the bats' clicks only lasting a quarter of a millisecond, a large number of calls were recorded for the scientists to analyse.

Once back into the laboratory, the researchers were able to accurately recreate the echolocation calls using a custom-built ultrasonic loudspeaker. This technique will allow the signals and processes bats use to be applied to human engineering systems such as sonar. Specifically, the researchers are looking to apply these techniques in the positioning of robotic vehicles, used in structural testing applications.

Lead author Simon Whiteley from the Centre for Ultrasonic Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, said, "We aim to understand the echolocation process that bats have evolved over millennia, and employ similar signals and techniques in engineering systems. We are currently looking to apply these methods to positioning of robotic vehicles, which are used for structural testing. This will provide enhanced information on the robots' locations, and hence the location of any structural flaws they may detect."

Wed, 19 May 10
First Torpedo Launched From C295
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/First_Torpedo_Launched_From_C295_999.html
Paris, France (SPX) May 12, 2010 - This represents an important milestone in the development of the antisubmarine version of the C295 MPA. It is also a significant entry for Airbus Military into the market of Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft, currently dominated by veteran aircraft such as the P-3 Orion and the Atlantique.

The C295 MPA/ASW includes two under-wing pylons for the installation of torpedoes and other external loads. It also incorporates a Store Management System (SMS), integrated with the Airbus Military Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS), to control the deployment of sonobuoys for submarine detection and torpedoes.

The C295 MPA has a flight endurance of over 11 hours, and it is used for a wide variety of missions: Search and Rescue (SAR), control of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), law enforcement, marine pollution detection, as well as defence missions.

The C295 platform, a multi-mission short / medium range tactical transport aircraft, offers high manoeuvrability and excellent qualities for low-altitude flying. In addition, it has been widely tested in all kinds of aerial deployments: launch of chains of SAR rafts, emergency equipment and parachutists.

With this new version, Airbus Military increases the capabilities offered by its surveillance aircraft family.

Wed, 19 May 10
XM25 Lets Soldiers Eliminate Targets They Can't See
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/XM25_Lets_Soldiers_Eliminate_Targets_They_Cant_See_999.html
Aberdeen Proving Grounds MD (SPX) May 12, 2010 - The Army's Program Executive Office Soldier showcased some of its products May 5 at the Aberdeen Test Center here. Among those products were the XM153 Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, the M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun with M2E2 Quick Change Barrel Kit, the lighter weight M240L Medium Range Machine Gun, and the XM25 Counter Defilade Target Engagement System.

Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, program manager for individual Soldier weapons at PEO Soldier, demonstrated the XM25 airburst weapon. The system launches 25mm programmable rounds which can explode over a target.

If the Soldier "wants to get that round in the window ... what's he's able to do with the high explosive round is he's able to laser designate the building and the round will then fly through the window and explode inside the room," Lehner said.

Aboard the XM25 is a laser rangefinder that can measure the distance to the target and place an adjusted aim point on a targeting screen. The system then allows Soldiers to choose to over-shoot the measured distance so the round will explode inside the building. The targeting computer programs the round to explode at the designated distance. The system allows Soldiers to hit targets they cannot see, because they are hiding behind walls, inside buildings or behind natural obstructions.

Special operations forces will be the first units to use the XM25.

Maj. Sean Murray, assistant product manager for individual weapons, discussed the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun, which can be held individually or mounted under an M4. It allows for the firing of lethal, less-than-lethal or door-breaching rounds.

The rifle's door-breaching capability was demonstrated on a free-standing framed door set up on the test range. With one shot, the lock mechanism was destroyed and the door was easily kicked open.

Murray said the optimal distance for performing a door-breech operation is about three inches. The shotgun has a slider tip at the end that pulls out to the correct distance, so Soldiers don't have to guess.

It's expected the first units will be equipped with the M26 this summer.

The M320 Grenade Launcher attaches to the bottom of an M4 or M16, and can also be configured as a stand-alone weapon. It attaches or detaches from a weapon with no special tools required and includes a side-loading breach for longer 40mm low-velocity projectiles. The system also includes a day/night sight and a handheld laser rangefinder for the grenadier. The system is designed as a replacement for the M203.

"The 203 has been a great workhorse for us, but in the M320, we've got a more reliable, more accurate and safer weapon system," Murray said. The M320 was fielded to units in 2009.

On the M240L 7.62 Medium Range Machine Gun, Murray said the system is one of the best in the world.

It's "the most reliable machine gun on the battlefield - bar none - nobody else in the world has a machine gun just like this," he said.

The weapon is about five pounds less than the 240B, which the Army has fielded for 20 years now. But the M240L has "no decrease in reliability or maintainability," Murray said.

The M240L has a titanium receiver, instead of steel, and also sits on the M192 Lightweight Ground Mount - a new tripod that weighs seven pounds less than the previous tripod for the weapon.

"As part of our initiative we're trying to get the Soldier's load lightened up and in this case we've shaved off 12 or 13 pounds from the original configuration," he said.

Aboard the CROWS - a remotely controlled weapons system that mounts above a vehicle - is the addition of a "green laser" that can temporarily blind targets, said Maj. Michael Pottratz, assistant product manager for crew-served weapons.

"It's a non-lethal hailing device, that crosses cultural and language barriers on the battle field, enabling Soldiers to stop or halt or warn civilian on the battlefield," he said. The system can be used at checkpoints to warn civilians to stop, for instance. "It temporarily disrupts the individual's vision and safely warns them."

Having the light shined into your eyes is "like looking at the sun for just a couple of seconds," said Pottratz, who has been exposed to the light before.

Pottratz also explained improvements to the M2 Machine Gun - the original design has been used by the Army since 1933. Additions to the weapon include the M2E2 Quick Change Barrel Kit which allows Soldiers to remove a hot barrel quickly and not have to readjust and set headspace and timing. A demonstration showed that when fitted with the kit, the barrel on the M2 could be changed in a little over 18 seconds.

"During the heat of battle, the difference between these weapons systems is night and day," Pottratz said.

Thermal weapons sights, including the AN/PAS-13(V)1 Light Weapon Thermal Sight, the AN/PAS-13(V)2 Medium Weapon Thermal Sight, and the AN/PAS-13(V)3 Heavy Weapon Thermal Sight were also displayed. The sights serve weapons from the M-16 rifle to the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the M2 machine gun.

Matthew Hunter, an operation specialist with PEO Soldier Sensors and Lasers, talked about the capabilities of the sights, saying they provide targeting indicators for Soldiers and visual aids to help identify the distance of objects through the sight - for instance, lines indicate how tall a five-foot man would appear or how large a ten-foot tank would be though the sight.

The sights also display information about the weapon they are attached to, and indicate remaining battery life. Hunter said the sights fit a variety of Army weapons and employ interchangeable reticules so users can move between weapons systems.

While Soldiers can see targeting lasers and aiming lights with the naked eye, the thermal sights cannot. However, those targeting aids are visible with the ENVG Enhanced Night Vision Goggle, which fuses both infrared and thermal images.

Sgt. 1st Class Lang Gureckis, who has served 26 months in Iraq and 9 months in Afghanistan, said devices like the ENVG add greatly to mission capability.

"In Afghanistan it made a big difference," he said. "You can sit there on a mountain top ... and actually, if you can see a heat source a kilometer or a kilometer and a half away ... you can scan, as opposed to looking with night vision where you are only going to see somebody when they are like 200-300 meters away from you. It makes life a whole lot easier. We use the lightweight thermal weapons sights to the same effect. You can see far distances with them and actually tell what you're looking at, whether it is a guy with an AK47 or a guy with a blanket around his shoulders."

There are plans to enhance the ENVG with improved image processing capability and also to include the ability to import and export digital information, such as data files and maps.

The ENVGs are currently fielded to units in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Wed, 19 May 10
US Navy's Dual Band Radar Achieves X- And S-Band Milestone
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_Navy_Dual_Band_Radar_Achieves_X_And_S_Band_Milestone_999.html
Tewksbury MA (SPX) May 10, 2010 - For the first time, the U.S. Navy has successfully tracked targets with a multiband radar featuring a common radar suite controller.

This milestone, which took place at the Navy's Engineering Test Center, Wallops Island, Va., was accomplished through the use of an engineering development model of the Dual Band Radar (DBR) developed by the Navy's prime contractor, Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN), and its subcontractor Lockheed Martin Corporation.

The DBR tracked a target simultaneously at both X- and S-band frequencies. This is the most advanced naval radar in the world and will provide advanced surveillance and ship missile-defense capabilities for the Zumwalt-class destroyer (DDG 1000) and Ford-class aircraft carrier (CVN 78) in both deep water and littoral environments.

This 21st century system combines the benefits of the X-band AN/SPY-3 Multi-Function Radar and the S-band Volume Search Radar (VSR), providing superior performance in a broad range of environments against a variety of threats. It is the first naval radar system in the world capable of simultaneous, coordinated operation across two frequency ranges.

This milestone event simultaneously used AN/SPY-3's and VSR's search capabilities to acquire and track the target. Additionally, the test demonstrated the system's ability to perform automatic handover from S-band to X-band in precision tracking mode, a key feature of the radar and its single track manager.

The DBR is the result of more than a decade of collaboration between Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and the Navy. The radar is now in production for both the Zumwalt and Ford class, where it will replace six legacy radar systems.

Wed, 19 May 10
Northrop Grumman Cobham Team Integrates VIS-X Vehicle Intercom System Into US Army Stryker Systems Integration Lab
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Northrop_Grumman_Cobham_Team_Integrates_VIS_X_Vehicle_Intercom_System_Into_US_Army_Stryker_Systems_Integration_Lab_999.html
Baltimore MD (SPX) May 10, 2010 - Northrop Grumman Cobham Intercoms (NGCI) has announced the successful integration of the Vehicle Intercom System - Expanded (VIS-X) into the U.S. Army's Stryker systems integration lab (SIL) environment at the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command in Warren, Mich.

Working with the Program Manager Stryker Brigade Combat Team, VIS-X hardware was seamlessly integrated into the Stryker SIL, replacing the AN/VIC-3 intercom system.

The integration demonstrated the form, fit and function compatibility of VIS-X with AN/VIC-3 and the ability to add new communications features without increasing the system footprint or re-wiring the Stryker vehicle. VIS-X is NGCI's next-generation capability, replacing Northrop Grumman and Cobham's highly successful AN/VIC-3, of which more than 85,000 systems have been fielded.

"During our Stryker SIL integration, we demonstrated that VIS-X reduces the total electronic box count by 30 percent and increases the number of available users, radios and alarms," said John Jadik, vice president of Communications, Intelligence and Networking Solutions for Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division.

"Existing VIC-3 highway cables, headsets and brackets were re-used, allowing for an easy upgrade to vehicles already utilizing the AN/VIC-3 and reducing the risk associated with new vehicle implementations."

With the integration of VIS-X into future upgrades of the Stryker and other wheeled and tracked vehicles, advanced features including 10/100/1Gbit Ethernet, VoIP, SIP calls, point-to-point calling, multiple intercom groups, remote radio control, radio re-transmission, and alphanumeric displays and menus become available to the systems integrator and the warfighter.

VIS-X can be used in both new production and legacy vehicle platforms, allowing the warfighter to utilize the same state-of-the-art equipment regardless of vehicle type or age.

VIS-X is being supplied under a 10-year indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract with a not-to-exceed ceiling of $2.4 billion awarded to NGCI in 2009 by the U.S. Army Communications and Electronics Command.

The VIS-X program is managed by the Vehicular Intercom Systems project office, which is part of the Defense Communications and Army Transmission Systems (DCATS) project office of the Army's Program Executive Office, Enterprise Information Systems (PEO EIS).

Under the terms of the contract, the NGCI team is required to deliver up to 500 VIS-X systems per month during the first year following completion of First Article Testing and up to 2,000 systems per month in subsequent years.

Cobham's products and services have been at the heart of sophisticated military and civil systems for more than 75 years, keeping people safe, improving communications and enhancing the capability of land, sea, air and space platforms. The Company has four divisions employing 12,000 people on five continents, with customers and partners in over 100 countries and annual revenue of some 1.9 billion pounds sterling / U.S. $3 billion.

Wed, 19 May 10
USAF Awards Raytheon Contract For Stand-In Jammer
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/USAF_Awards_Raytheon_Contract_For_Stand_In_Jammer_999.html
Tucson AZ (SPX) May 10, 2010 - The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon a $48.9 million contract to begin engineering, manufacturing and design (EMD) of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy stand-in jammer variant.

MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost, decoy flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles). The MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform without altering the decoy's outer mold line.

"During EMD, Raytheon will put MALD-J through an aggressive series of free-flight and captive-carry tests," said Scott Muse, Raytheon's MALD program director.

"This is a critical capability for the warfighter, and we intend to meet the required asset available date of 2012."

Prior to entering EMD, the MALD-J successfully completed all 27 test events, culminating in a free-flight test in December 2009. Raytheon recently completed a second free-flight test of the MALD-J April 27.

"In executing the MALD-J program, Raytheon has been ahead of schedule and under budget for 39 months in a row, and we have every reason to expect the same performance during EMD," said Ken Watson, the U.S. Air Force's MALD program manager. "The success of this program is crucial because it will reduce or eliminate the need for manned stand-in jamming aircraft."

Wed, 19 May 10
Boeing Wedgetail Aircraft Accepted Into RAAF Fleet
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Boeing_Wedgetail_Aircraft_Accepted_Into_RAAF_Fleet_999.html
RAAF Base Williamtown, Australia (SPX) May 06, 2010 - Boeing has announced that the Commonwealth of Australia has accepted the first two Project Wedgetail 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW and C) aircraft into the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fleet.

The aircraft were accepted during a ceremony at RAAF Base Williamtown, the main operating base for the Wedgetail fleet.

"This major milestone demonstrates that the 737 AEW and C system is ready for operational training and use. It also represents the culmination of years of design, development, modification and testing by the Boeing-led team to bring this complex system - the first of its type - to our first AEW and C customer," said Maureen Dougherty, Boeing vice president, AEW and C Program.

Acceptance of the two Wedgetail aircraft means ground and flight operations and maintenance of the aircraft are now fully under RAAF control. Boeing delivered the two aircraft last year and has been supporting RAAF familiarization training on the AEW and C system, which includes

the aircraft as well as the Operational Flight Trainer, Operational Mission Simulator and Mission Support System.

Boeing will deliver three more Wedgetail aircraft to the RAAF by the end of this year, including one upgraded in the final AEW and C configuration with Electronic Support Measures. All aircraft in the Wedgetail fleet will be upgraded to the final configuration in early 2011.

Project Wedgetail includes six 737 AEW and C aircraft, plus ground support segments for mission crew training, mission support and system maintenance.

Based on the Boeing Next-Generation 737-700 commercial airplane, the 737 AEW and C aircraft is designed to provide airborne battle-management capability with an advanced multirole electronically scanned radar and 10 state-of-the-art mission crew consoles that are able to track airborne and maritime targets simultaneously.

The mission crew can direct offensive and defensive forces while maintaining continuous surveillance of the operational area.

Boeing also has AEW and C systems in production for Turkey and the Republic of Korea.

Tue, 4 May 10
Raytheon Awarded Digital Radar Warning Receiver Contract
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Raytheon_Awarded_Digital_Radar_Warning_Receiver_Contract_999.html
Goleta CA (SPX) May 03, 2010 - Raytheon has received an $89.5 million contract award from the U.S. Navy for the continued production of its ALR-67(V)3 digital radar warning receiver.

The contract includes systems and spares for the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command as well as international customers.

"This award reflects our continuing commitment to providing highly reliable, advanced electronic warfare products and technologies to our customers," said Scott Jackson, general manager for Raytheon's Electronic Warfare Systems business.

The ALR-67(V)3 is the U.S. Navy standard for digital radar warning receiver technology, installed on all its frontline, carrier-based F/A-18E/F tactical aircraft. It is an integral part of modernization programs for U.S. and international F/A-18 customers.

This contract represents the 12th full rate production lot awarded to Raytheon as part of an original contract that began in the late 1980s with the initial development of the radar warning receiver. Deliveries for this lot will begin in January 2012 and are expected to be completed by December 2012.

A total of 681 ALR-67(V)3 systems plus spares have now been ordered. Later this year, the team will deliver its 500th system. The international procurements are foreign military sales with potential additional contracts for software, engineering, and performance-based logistics support.

The ALR-67(V)3 is being produced by Raytheon's Space and Airborne Systems business at its Tactical Airborne Systems facility in Goleta with support from facilities in El Segundo, Calif.; Forest, Miss.; and McKinney, Texas. Key suppliers are located in the U.S. and Australia.

Tue, 4 May 10
Oshkosh To Supply MATV Protection And Remote Weapon System Kits
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Oshkosh_To_Supply_MATV_Protection_And_Remote_Weapon_System_Kits_999.html
Oshkosh WI (SPX) Apr 30, 2010 - Oshkosh Defense has received two awards valued at more than $79 million from the TACOM Life Cycle Management Command (LCMC) to supply more than 1,750 add-on rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) protection kits and more than 1,000 kits to support remote weapon systems for the MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Work for both orders is expected to be completed in September 2010.

The award for RPG protection kits is valued at more than $68 million and installation will be completed in-theater.

The award for remote weapon system kits is valued at more than $11 million. Oshkosh will install these kits on the production lines and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) will install the kits on previously delivered vehicles.

Remote weapon systems allow fighting crews to operate from within the vehicle, even when on the move.

"The M-ATV is designed to accept these kits and other add-on packages and still deliver exceptional survivability and performance capabilities for operations in Afghanistan," said Ken Juergens, Oshkosh Defense vice president and general manager, Joint Programs.

"We are committed to working with our Armed Forces to ensure they have the most advanced, well-protected and mobile vehicles needed to carry out missions in challenging environments."

Tue, 4 May 10
BAE integrates its Australian research
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/BAE_integrates_its_Australian_research_999.html
Melbourne (UPI) Apr 29, 2010 - BAE Systems has opened an engineering hub in Melbourne that will place the company's aerospace, autonomous systems and guided weapons research under one roof.

Australian Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research Kim Carr and Victoria state's Minister of Industry and Trade Jacinta Allan officially opened the Richmond engineering center, which will accommodate more than 300 BAE Systems employees.

The building will give teams from the Aerospace and Autonomous Systems Development division and the Weapon Systems business access to modern laboratories to support a range of advanced design and test activities, a BAE Systems statement said.

"Our AASD group in Melbourne leads our global company's engineering development and design capability across BAE Systems Australia's aerospace business unit," Jim McDowell, managing director of BAE Systems Australia, said.

This includes design and development of autonomous enabling technologies, P-3, F/A -18 and Hawk mission systems support and aircraft integration activities for Blackhawk, Chinook and Seahawk.

"Our weapon systems group is also involved in the cutting edge design, integration and support of ship air defense systems and guided weapons, including the highly successful Nulka active missile decoys and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles," said McDowell.

BAE Systems will initially lease around 32,300 square feet and three floors of the new complex with capacity available to expand if needed.

BAE Systems has around 107,000 employees worldwide and reported global sales of $36.2 billion in 2009.

The opening of the research center comes after BAE Systems said the Australian production of parts of the Joint Strike Fighter could be worth a "conservative" $500 million to the Australian division.

The estimate doesn't include revenue from maintenance contracts, McDowell told Adelaide's Advertiser newspaper.

Life support revenue could be in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The total value of Australian contracts wasn't settled but South Australia could play a big part in the first steps of the JSF project.

"There is still on big initial lump to come, which is manufacturing associated with the vertical tail and we do that in our U.K. business in the northwest of England,'' he said. "We would hope to transfer quite a lot of that to Australia as a second source. That will probably be $500 million to $600 million, conservatively.''

McDowell said maintenance work for any defense project was usually about three times the initial contract size. What BAE Systems gets depends on what the prime contractor decides.

"Lockheed will definitely be the prime but the question will be how thick or thin they want their prime position to be,'' he said.

He also said it is unlikely there will be a need to build new, replicated maintenance facilities that exist at BAE Systems centers in Williamstown, New South Wales.

Contract details are unlikely to be finalized until the final product rolls off the U.S. production line in 2014. New South Wales, though, is likely to pick up the lion's share of the platform and on-base work.

Tue, 4 May 10
BAE wins new Nordic armored vehicle deals
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/BAE_wins_new_Nordic_armored_vehicle_deals_999.html
Oslo, Norway (UPI) Apr 29, 2010 - BAE Systems has secured new contracts to supply advanced armored vehicles to Finland and Norway, taking its total sales of land-based military equipment in Nordic countries to more than $215 million in the past two months.

Finnish and Norwegian armed forces will receive advanced vehicles and the Swedish military will receive sophisticated new artillery and ammunition systems.

BAE officials attributed the sales to strong existing relationships between BAE Systems and armed forces in the Nordic region.

Climate change and warming of the Arctic have raised security concerns in northern Europe and analysts see Nordic defense expenditure continuing to rise in response to increased economic and military activity in the region.

BAE Systems will supply 16 RG32M mine-hardened patrol vehicles worth more than $8.1 million to the Finland military.

The company also won a $7.2 million amendment to an existing contract to enhance the propulsion and mobility of Norwegian M113 vehicles.

Contracts signed in March and worth more than $200 million cover production of 48 Archer 155mm self-propelled artillery gun systems and their associated ammunition handling systems for the Swedish and Norwegian armed forces.

"These recent wins reflect the strong position emphasis BAE Systems' land business is putting on exports, both of new products and to support our equipment which is already in service around the world," said Scott Leitch, a BAE vice president for business development.

"We have built strong relationships on key land programs with the armed forces in the Nordic region and we continue to explore opportunities to work with them further, to provide the best products and support activities for the men and women in their armed forces," he said.

The RG32M order from Finland follows on from a contract for six similar vehicles in November 2006. The new order will be carried out by the Land Systems business in South Africa, with delivery of all the vehicles anticipated to be completed by early 2011.

Although the order is for standard production vehicles, including a suspension upgrade, it includes an order for the new Series 3 variant, which provides for a higher payload, increased power and higher protection levels.

Sweden's armed forces, some of which are deployed in Afghanistan, have 200 RG32M vehicles in service.

The Norwegian M113 vehicles will be modified with upgrade kits from BAE Systems in the United States to convert them to the M113E3 configuration. The upgrade kits include powerpack, suspension, weld, air conditioning and hydraulic manifold.

The upgrades will supplement 72 kits supplied to Norway by BAE Systems in the USA from 2007-09.

The suspension upgrades enable the vehicle to use rubber band tracks and provide passengers with a smoother ride. Support to the Defense Logistics Organization in Norway is included in the contract. BAE Systems' work on the contract is likely to be complete by July 2011.

The company said asÂ itsÂ land and armaments unit experienced lower volumes in traditionally mature U.S. and U.K. markets it built up a strong export portfolio in Europe and a number of other markets, including India and the Middle East.

BAE Systems employs 107,000 people worldwide in a range of products for air, land and naval forces and reported sales of $34 billion last year.

Tue, 4 May 10
Harvest HAWK Completes Phase One Testing
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Harvest_HAWK_Completes_Phase_One_Testing_999.html
Patuxent River MD (SPX) Apr 29, 2010 - The Harvest HAWK equipped KC-130J Hercules completed Phase One testing here on Apr. 10 and departed for the West Coast for required maintenance and to continue testing on NAVAIR's ranges at China Lake, Calif.

Harvest HAWK is a modular roll-on, roll-off weapons system for the KC-130J consisting of a Fire Control Console in the aircraft's cargo compartment, the Target Sight Sensor (TSS) mounted in the left under wing fuel tank and a launcher for four Hellfire missiles mounted on the left hand refueling pylon.

NAVAIR is working a complimentary effort to test and deploy the Standoff Precision Guided Munition (SOPGM) as a stand alone capability for Harvest HAWK. The 30 mm cannon, which will be mounted in the left side troop door, has been deferred to a later block upgrade.

The Test Team, composed of personnel from Air Test and Evaluation Squadrons 20 (VX 20) and 23 (VX-23), Operational Test Squadron 1 (VX-1), Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352), Lockheed Martin, and engineers from the Joint Attack Munitions Systems (JAMS) project office, NAVAIR AIR-5.1 Integrated Systems Evaluation, Experimentation, and Test (ISEET) department, and NAVAIR AIR 4.6 Human Systems department, conducted the tests during this phase of Harvest HAWK testing.

The Harvest HAWK equipped KC-130J from VMGR-352, "The Raiders" from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., arrived here on Mar. 17.

The first Harvest HAWK equipped KC-130J is scheduled to deploy by summer 2010 equipped with the TSS, Hellfire and SOPGM.

Tue, 4 May 10
B-1 Adapts To Remain Effective After 25 Years
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/B1_Adapts_To_Remain_Effective_After_25_Years_999.html
Dyess AFB TX (SPX) Apr 29, 2010 - The non-nuclear B-1 Lancer has adapted from a strategic mission to a close-air support role, and will continue to play an effective part in today's fight in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to leaders here.

While the remaining bombers in the Air Force inventory transferred to Air Force Global Strike Command, the B-1 has become the go-to airframe when combatant commanders want a show of force or support for ground troops.

"The predominance of what we are doing right now in theater is close-air support; non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and armed overwatch" said Col. Charlie Catoe, 7th Operations Group commander. "We are supporting the troops on the ground."

"The B-1's very flexible. What makes us very useful in the current fight is that we have a large payload, we can carry a varied amount of weapons," Colonel Catoe said. "If you need to go kinetic, you have a lot of choices on what you can do."

Operating at approximately 20,000 feet, the B-1 waits or "loiters" with up to 35 tons of precision-guided weapons. When ground troops encounter the enemy, the bomber's aircrew can engage in minutes because of the B-1's readiness and speed.

"We're fast for what you might think a bomber can do," the colonel said. "The loiter time is exceptional so we don't require as much tanker time to stay and hang around over the fight. Afghanistan is a good-sized country and we can dash back and forth across it as we need to, if somebody needs help in a hurry."

When the Lancer flies low and fast over enemy combatants in a show of force, the 200,000-pound aircraft can intimidate the enemy handily.

Since the airframe continues to play an important role, Air Force and Air Combat Command officials are looking at ways to improve the venerable B-1.

"We've been in constant upgrade on numerous systems; the airplane never sits still," Colonel Catoe said. "There are structural improvements that are going on as the airframe is not getting any younger."

Colonel Catoe said that the Sniper advanced targeting pod recently was added to the B-1 at the request of combatant commanders in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. It's another sensor that has improved the utility of the aircraft.

Now with this tool, it's not a matter of the pilot sending a precision weapon to an area; the Sniper ATP can enable the pilot to put the weapon at the correct address, Colonel Catoe said.

As the B-1 nears its 25th anniversary, a new chapter could be opening up for the bomber with an even more precise weapon, the airborne laser. The Air Force's chief scientist, Dr. Werner Dahm, flew on a Lancer recently to see if the crew could operate an airborne laser platform in the tightly spaced cockpit while continuing to do their duties. The laser is capable of precision targeting and minimizes unintended damage when the enemy places hostile networks near schools and mosques. The Lancer could be looking at a prototype laser by 2014.

"All of the new things that the B-1 is improving or changing are brought here to be tested and developed. And we also have the weapons school people who work the tactical end of it," Colonel Catoe said.

The "Home of the B-1" is how Colonel Catoe refers to Dyess Air Force Base as units here train, equip and field people and weapons for the B-1.

Dyess is host to a schoolhouse and a combat unit. School instructors train new pilots from undergraduate pilot training and weapon system officers from undergraduate navigator training and qualify them in the B-1. Then they are assigned to combat units at Ellsworth AFB, S.D., or here at Dyess.

"Whether flying or maintaining, or on the ground interacting with our Army brothers, there's an awful lot of great Airmen doing a great job," Colonel Catoe said.

Tue, 4 May 10
Better light armor for fighters a priority
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Better_light_armor_for_fighters_a_priority_999.html
New York (UPI) Apr 28, 2010 - A more efficient and lightweight range of armor for U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan is one of the priority solutions sought by industry experts who will meet at the annual Military Armor Protection Summit in May.

The summit, the fifth annual event of its kind, is a key forum for experts and scientists involved with developing military armor protection devices and equipment.

Aside from being a multibillion-dollar segment of the defense industry business, armor development is critical to the effectiveness of the war effort, especially as troop buildup in Afghanistan gains momentum.

The summit, opening May 24 in McLean, Va., will bring together leading military and industry experts for a series of mission-critical issues pertaining to the military vehicle and individual body armor community, the organizer said.

"The summit couldn't happen at a more critical time," said Elliott Jones, program director at The Institute for Defense and Government Advancement, a non-partisan information-based organization dedicated to the promotion of innovative ideas in public service and defense.

The IDGA campaigns for adoption of innovative ideas in industry through live conferences and events such as the scheduled 5th Military Armor Protection Summit.

Jones said, "With the increase in U.S. soldiers sent to Afghanistan, the demand for enhanced protection of military assets has become an ever-increasing challenge and opportunity for those involved in military armor solutions."

He said, "2010 is the year to develop and fulfill a definitive set of requirements for vehicle and personal armor capabilities suited for the battlefield in Afghanistan."

The summit is the IDGA's premier forum for the military armor community to exchange ideas on new armor technologies, challenges and developments in protective equipment, and recent research on armor systems.

The event also provides an overview of the latest requirements and opportunities in the vehicle and individual body armor industry, said the organizer.

This year's event would look at innovations in the survivability of ground vehicles, holistic protection in a complex operating environment, weight reduction without compromising ballistic protection, optimizing the performance of ultra-light composite armor solutions and protecting equipment and personnel from improvised explosive devices and blast shock waves.

Among recent innovations, mainly response to advanced and deadlier ballistics, is liquid armor. The Science Central Archive at ScienceCentral.com cited research conducted at the University of Delaware and the U.S. Army Research Lab in Aberdeen, Md., that focused on light, flexible full-body armor.

"Flexible full-body protection that could save our troops' lives and limbs is at the top of the list for many researchers and technology companies," said the Web site. In liquid armor, the key ingredient is a liquid that turns lightweight material into full-body armor.

The "liquid armor" is meant to protect the parts of the body that aren't covered by standard-issue ballistic vests.

Tue, 4 May 10
Oshkosh Awarded Contract For In Theater MRAP Support
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Oshkosh_Awarded_Contract_For_In_Theater_MRAP_Support_999.html
Oshkosh WI (SPX) Apr 28, 2010 - Oshkosh Defense has announced that it has received a purchase order for more than $11 million from Force Protection Industries, Inc. (FPII) to extend an existing contract and retain approximately 100 Oshkosh field service representatives (FSR) in Kuwait for an additional four months.

The FSRs will continue support of FPII and the military with installation of the Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension systems on FPII Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, known as Cougars, which started in July 2009. The extension will allow Oshkosh FSRs to continue work in Kuwait through June of this year.

Oshkosh Defense is working with multiple manufacturers of legacy MRAPs and has received orders to retrofit more than 2,500 vehicles with the Oshkosh TAK-4 independent suspension systems.

Vehicles outfitted with the TAK-4 system have greater mobility with 16 inches of independent wheel travel to provide advanced off-road capabilities necessary for Afghanistan's mountainous terrain and unimproved roads.

The system also greatly reduces shock and vibration, resulting in longer component life and less wear-and-tear on soldiers and Marines so they can be better prepared for their missions.

"We've had great success in retrofitting legacy MRAPs with our TAK-4 independent suspension system, enabling the military's current fleet to deliver exceptional off-road performance and crew comfort," said Andy Hove, Oshkosh Corporation executive vice president and president, Defense.

"These improvements allow our troops to operate in Afghanistan's extreme environments, so it's important to get these upgrades in the field as fast as possible. Our FSRs allow us to move quickly by working in theater with our troops, bringing Oshkosh technology and support directly to our warfighters."

Tue, 4 May 10
US military concerned about 'over-medication' of troops
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/US_military_concerned_about_over-medication_of_troops_999.html
Washington (AFP) April 26, 2010 - The US Army's surgeon general on Monday expressed concern about "over-medication" of soldiers returning from combat, saying the military is closely tracking how drugs are prescribed to troops.

The top medical officer in the army, Lieutenant General Eric Schoomaker, said the increasing use of prescription drugs for soldiers recovering from combat duty in Iraq or Afghanistan reflected a wider trend in the country to treat pain primarily through medication.

But he told reporters: "I can tell you that we are concerned about over-medication."

The general said that "we're very concerned about the panoply of drugs that are being used and the numbers of drugs that are being used."

"We are monitoring it very, very closely," he said.

Prescription orders for psychiatric and pain medicines for troops have increased dramatically since 2001, according to a Military Times report in March, with one in six service members on some form of psychiatric drug.

About 15 percent of soldiers said they had abused prescription drugs in the past month, according to a Pentagon survey carried out in 2008 and released in December.

Lawmakers have urged the military to examine a possible link between a rise in suicides among troops and the use and abuse of prescription drugs.

Schoomaker said he had led a review looking at prescription drugs and his task force had promoted alternatives to pain killers, including "yoga, meditation, acupuncture, movement therapy, lots of other ways of approaching pain management."

The army surgeon general made his comments at a news conference in which the he and other officers took issue with a New York Times account of a center in Colorado set up to help soldiers recover from mental or physical wounds in combat.

The Times, citing interviews with soldiers and health care workers, described the "warrior transition unit" at Fort Carson and similar posts as "warehouses of despair, where damaged men and women are kept out of sight, fed a diet of prescription pills and treated harshly by noncommissioned officers."

But Schoomaker said about 81 percent of all soldiers at the transition centers expressed satisfaction with their treatment and about 90 percent of the troops at the Fort Carson center said they were satisfied with the care they received.

"And even with 90 percent satisfaction you're going to have some people with very complex problems that are not going to be in that satisfied group," he said, referring to the Times report.

About 26 percent of the soldiers at the transition center in Fort Carson were on a prescribed narcotic, with a clinical pharmacist closely monitoring the prescriptions, Colonel Jimmie Keenan of the military hospital at Fort Carson, told reporters by telephone.

Tue, 4 May 10
Boeing Expands SDB I Weapon's Capability With Block 09 Software
http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Boeing_Expands_SDB_I_Weapon_Capability_With_Block_09_Software_999.html
St. Louis MO (SPX) Apr 27, 2010 - Boeing has begun fielding Block 09 software for the Small Diameter Bomb Increment I (SDB I) that adds to the weapon system's capability and updates its concept of operations.

"In response to the changing battlefield environment, Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have worked together to expand SDB I's mission capability from a long-range standoff weapon into a weapon that also minimizes flight time to target - ideal for close air support," said Dan Jaspering, Boeing program director for Direct Attack Weapons.

The software upgrade is designed to minimize flight time so that the weapon reaches the target faster while maintaining accuracy and low collateral damage. The upgrade does not require any physical changes to the weapon or the carriage. Both fielded weapons and new productions of SDB I and its Focus Lethality Munition (FLM) variant will receive the upgrade.

SDB I is a 250-pound class, low-cost and low-collateral-damage precision strike weapon. It incorporates a steel case and penetrating blast-fragmentation warhead. The weapon's smaller size, coupled with its four-place carriage, enables more weapons to be carried on each aircraft to improve mission effectiveness and reduce the number of sorties required per mission. The FLM variant provides even lower collateral damage effects with the use of a composite case warhead.