Contracts for June 29, 2021

On the same subject

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  January 13, 2024 | International, Land

  France buys 42 Rafale jets for more than $5.5 billion

  The purchase comes as French lawmakers express concerns about the Franco-German project to develop a successor to the fighter.

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  September 18, 2020 | International, Aerospace

  Air Force needs more data before making a decision on enhanced KC-46 vision system

  Kent Miller and Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — Within a few weeks, the Air Force will have the data it needs to make a decision on whether to install an interim version of the KC-46′s troubled remote vision system, the head of Air Mobility Command said in a Sept. 10 interview. In April, the Air Force and KC-46 manufacturer Boeing signed off on an agreement to replace the tanker's Remote Vision System — the series of cameras that provide imagery to the boom operator during refueling operations — with a newly designed system, called Remote Vision System 2.0. Boeing has agreed to develop and install RVS 2.0 on its own dime, but it has also proposed installing an enhanced version of the original system, eRVS, before then. But AMC commander Gen. Jacqueline Van Ovost, who viewed a demonstration of the eRVS system during a Sept. 4 visit to Boeing Field in Washington state, isn't sold on the upgrade just yet. “The most important thing is, we cannot slow down getting RVS 2.0 into the airplane. So eRVS can't slow us down if we were to accept parts of that,” she told Air Force Times. “And then we want to make sure if we're going to put it on the airplane, that it actually gives us some tangible capabilities with respect to boom operator workload and capability with respect to opening up the envelope for actually doing operational air refueling, or it gives us a great enhancement getting ready for 2.0.” The Air Force and Boeing began flight testing the eRVS this summer. The demonstration shown to Van Ovost, which compared the original RVS to the enhanced version, revealed “some sharpening of the picture with respect to how the boom operator saw the airplane” in day and nighttime conditions, she said. But those improvements in image quality need to be weighed against the time it will take to retrofit the existing KC-46 planes in service with the new eRVS components. “Do we have to ground airplanes for a while to put the put the modifications in?” Van Ovost said. “What's the worth of the modifications compared to the operational envelope it's going to open up for our boom operators?” The Air Force is set to receive the full set of test data within the next few weeks. Once it has the answers to those questions, the service will be ready to decide whether to field eRVS. If the Air Force decides to incorporate the enhanced system, Boeing can start making those upgrades in the second half of 2021, said Mike Hafer, Boeing's global sales and marketing lead for KC-46. Boeing also remains on track to incorporate RVS 2.0 on KC-46s coming off the production line in late 2023 or early 2024, he said. The Air Force intends to purchase 179 KC-46s during the program of record. The first tanker was delivered to the service in January 2019. Boeing is locked into paying any costs associated with the KC-46 that exceed the $4.9 billion firm fixed-price ceiling on its 2011 contract with the U.S. Air Force. So far, Boeing will have spent more than $4.7 billion in company funds on the KC-46 program — almost equivalent to the Air Force's own investment in the program. The deal on RVS 2.0 capped a yearslong dispute over the original system, which the Air Force argued did not provide enough fidelity to boom operators in certain lighting conditions, resulting in incidents of operators accidentally scraping the boom against the receiver aircraft. Van Ovost said the main goal of the trip to Boeing Field was to better understand the progress on RVS 2.0 and whether the final design specifications agreed to in April would meet the needs of tanker operators in the field. Van Ovost described the performance of the original RVS as something the Air Force “couldn't live with” but said she “was pretty encouraged about the collaboration of the team, and how far they've gotten with the requirements of RVS 2.0.” “I'm encouraged that we are on a path to get a fully qualified tanker,” she added. https://www.defensenews.com/digital-show-dailies/afa-air-space/2020/09/16/air-force-needs-more-data-before-making-a-decision-on-enhanced-kc-46-vision-system/

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  September 28, 2018 | International, Land

  U.S. ARMY MODERNIZATION CONTRACT ENABLES SOLDIER READINESS

  Lockheed Martin to upgrade nearly 500 simulators at dozens of locations worldwide ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 27, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Army selected Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) to upgrade nearly 500 simulators for the service's tactical vehicle fleet at dozens of locations worldwide. The Close Combat Tactical Training (CCTT) Manned Module Modernization (M3) contract, worth up to $356 million, modernizes training while increasing sustainability in support of emerging Army training requirements and systems. The CCTT M3 system integrates all facets of combat vehicle operations, immersing soldiers in real-world battle scenarios through computer-based simulations. Through CCTT M3, Abrams, Bradley and Reconfigurable Vehicle Simulator (RVS) upgrades ensure simulators remain concurrent with the vehicles in the field, with modernization and support in place for the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle and other emerging Army ground vehicle platforms. Modernizing these systems improves sustainability and cybersecurity, preparing the system for future Army simulation architectures. "Lockheed Martin is honored to continue providing the U.S. Army with an affordable complement to live training through the CCTT M3 program," said Tom Gordon, vice president of Training and Simulation Solutions at Lockheed Martin. "We look forward to enabling soldier readiness through the program's design, production and fielding of concurrency and modernization upgrades." Lockheed Martin partners with two small businesses on this work – AVT Simulation and Dignitas Technologies, both in Orlando, Florida. Together, the integrated team brings the most experienced system architecture and visual system experts together to accomplish the CCTT M3 development, production and fielding requirements for the U.S. Army. Since 1992, Lockheed Martin has developed and delivered nearly 500 CCTT systems. Earlier this year, Lockheed Martin was awarded a seven-year, $3.53 billion contract to globally sustain more than 300,000 fielded Training Aids, Devices, Simulators and Simulations (TADSS), which includes the CCTT M3 system. For additional information, visit www.lockheedmartin.com/training. About Lockheed Martin Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy. About AVT Simulation Orlando-based Applied Visual Technology (AVT) Simulation is a Small Minority Owned Disadvantaged modeling and simulation company that provides end-to-end systems integration and engineering services for the DoD. As a recognized top 100 simulation and training company, they are the Prime contractor for multiple US Army programs and develop reconfigurable rotary wing collective trainers and Apache Gunnery Trainers for US and international customers. About Dignitas Technologies Dignitas Technologies, LLC, a Certified Woman-Owned Small Business, founded in 2004, is providing system and software engineering services for the modeling and simulation community with a mission to shape the future of simulation with innovative technology. Dignitas leads several Small Business Innovation Research projects and supports a wide range of large and small programs spanning the Live, Virtual, and Constructive domains across a diverse customer set. Dignitas has extensive experience and successful past performance in the development of key simulation systems and provides expertise in management, research, engineering, and programming. SOURCE Lockheed Martin https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2018-09-27-U-S-Army-Modernization-Contract-Enables-Soldier-Readiness