Companies lobby Congress to approve $1 billion ‘hedge portfolio’

On the same subject

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  January 15, 2021 | International, Land

  BAE Systems receives $500 million contract to provide new turret for Netherlands’ CV90s

  January 14, 2021 - BAE Systems will provide the Royal Netherlands Army with a new turret for 122 CV90s as part of an extensive mid-life upgrade program. BAE Systems has signed an extensive mid-life upgrade contract worth more than $500 million with the Dutch Defence Materiel Organization (DMO) for the Royal Netherlands Army's fleet of 122 CV90s, with an option for an additional 19 vehicles. The upgrade program with a new turret will vastly improve the vehicle's capabilities while providing crews with improved protection and ergonomics for increased combat efficiency. The new CV90 turret, developed by BAE Systems Hägglunds in Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, represents a leap forward in design and functionality. The main weapon position is changed to provide even better vehicle balance and enable new ways to introduce a variety of weaponry for increased lethality. It also offers significant ergonomic improvements to benefit the vehicle's crew. The enhanced turret design is built on years of combat-proven experience, continuous vehicle improvements, and data analysis from the CV90 User Club – the seven nations currently operating CV90 fleets. The improvements are also based on a recent study conducted by the Royal Netherlands Army, and a BAE Systems' analysis of cognitive load on Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) crews to address man-machine interaction. The result gives crews increased advantages, such as the ability to choose intuitive and effective modes of operation as well as shorten the time to detection, identification, decision-making, and engagement. “This is an important step to make sure that our Infantry Fighting Vehicles and our Army are well prepared for many years to come. This mid-life upgrade will also result in a lowering of the vehicles lifetime cost, at the same time as keeping our soldiers safe in the face of new threats,” said Colonel Norbert Moerkens, the Royal Netherlands Army's head of strategy and plans. Work is already underway to equip the Dutch CV9035 vehicles with several enhanced capabilities such as an Active Protection System (APS) and Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM), as well as a new Electro-Optic Aiming System (EOPS) which gives additional situation awareness. The latest upgrade also includes future-proofing the electronics by upgrading to the fourth generation digital backbone, with embedded and more robust cybersecurity. “We are committed to delivering the most modern and adaptable IFVs to meet our customers' requirements and are extremely proud of the technological developments underway as part of this significant mid-life upgrade program,” said Tommy Gustafsson-Rask, managing director of BAE Systems Hägglunds. “We look forward to supporting our Dutch customer increase its combat efficiency on the future battlefield.” More than 20 Dutch companies are involved in the supply chain for the mid-life upgrade program to include mechanical and electrical components to BAE Systems Hägglunds and the main subsystem suppliers, which will support the Dutch defense industrial base for many years to come. There are about 1,300 CV90s of numerous variants in service with Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. The vehicle has a combat-proven track record and is designed to accommodate future growth to meet evolving missions. Contact Ola Thorén Director, Communications Platforms & Services BAE Systems Hägglunds Office: +46 660 80506 Mobile: +46 708 335000 Contact Rebecca Surtees Head of International Communications Platforms & Services Platforms & Services +44 (0) 7825 948274 View source version on BAE Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-receives-contract-to-provide-new-turret-for-netherlands-cv90s

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  October 27, 2022 | International, Other Defence

  Berlin lags on defence purchases after 100 billion euro pledge - sources

  Germany is struggling to ramp up defence procurement or even just replace arms and munitions it has supplied to Kyiv, several sources told Reuters eight months after Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged 100 billion euros to bring the military up to speed.

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  August 22, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  NASA begins test flights to study physiological events on military pilots

  BY: GARRETT REIM NASA started a several months-long series of flights on 3 August to identify the physiological impacts of flying in high-performance military aircraft on the human body. The flights are being conducted at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California and will take place over 160 flight hours. The tests are managed by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center at Langley Research Center in Virginia. During the tests researchers will measure the breathing of five NASA pilots flying in F-18A/B and F-15D aircraft, while they use different equipment types and experience different flight conditions. The flight conditions that will be tested include benign environments, typical in instrument proficiency training, to more strenuous environments, such as those found in high altitude, aerobatic manoeuvring and combat manoeuvring, according to NASA. In recent years, the US Navy and Air Force have been perplexed by an increase in the number of pilots experiencing physiological events during flight across a variety of aircraft. Symptoms from physiological events include cognitive impairment, numbness, tingling, lightheadedness, behavioral changes and fatigue. Data collected will just serve as a baseline for comparison because NASA's aircraft still use the legacy technology of a Liquid Oxygen System as opposed to newer military aircraft that utilise an Onboard Oxygen System. https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/nasa-begins-test-flights-to-study-physiological-even-451308