New venture capital fund focused on high-need, dual-use technology

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  January 29, 2021 | International, Naval

  General Dynamics Receives $43.2M Contract for Columbia/Dreadnought-Class SSBN Fire Control Systems

  Posted on January 28, 2021 by Seapower Staff PITTSFIELD, Mass. – The U.S. Navy recently awarded a contract modification to General Dynamics Mission Systems that includes a broad scope of work for the Columbia and Dreadnought ballistic-missile submarine class to support development, production, and installation requirements. This $43.2 million award is comprised of development, production, installation, and deployed-systems support exclusively for the Columbia/Dreadnaught (CLB/UKD) class of U.S. and U.K. submarine strategic weapons systems and subsystems and coincides with one of the largest manufacturing floor expansions at the Pittsfield, Massachusetts facility. General Dynamics Mission Systems' Maritime and Strategic Systems line of business will deliver fire control systems for the U.S. Navy's first Columbia class submarine (US01) and the first U.S. Columbia class training facility (Kings Bay Trident Training Facility, KB-TTF) as well as installation support and pre-deployment planning for both U.S. and U.K. sites. This contract also includes CLB/UKD design completion scope and continuation of design activities for the first planned refresh of the CLB/UKD fire control system, as well as design support for CLB/UKD planning at the KB-TTF and procurement of the infrastructure material to support the new Trident Training Facility labs. The majority of the work in support of this contract will take place in Pittsfield. “In November, we celebrated with our Navy partner, 65 years of outstanding support to our nation's strategic deterrent mission,” said Laura Hooks, vice president of General Dynamics Mission Systems' Strategic Systems business. “We are entering the next era of development and production for the Navy's fire control system on the newest fleet of submarines that will extend this deterrent capability for another 65 years.” https://seapowermagazine.org/general-dynamics-receives-43-2m-contract-for-columbia-dreadnought-class-ssbn-fire-control-systems

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  December 7, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  Spanish vendors pitch new hypoxia-response training for military pilots

  By: Christina Mackenzie PARIS – Spanish companies have unveiled a new system for simulating low-oxygen conditions that air force pilots may experience during flight. The technology, made by Indra, one of Spain's leading high-technology companies, and iAltitude, a Spanish company specializing in high-altitude sports training, is the latest proposal to cope with the symptoms of hypoxia, which can cause pilots to fall unconscious mid-flight. Air force pilots have a backup oxygen mask in case the oxygen levels drops too low but if the mask were to fail, pilots “must be able to identify the symptoms that precede hypoxia, a dangerous state that can cause loss of consciousness in a few seconds,” Indra said. The system, which the company claims is “the first of its kind in the world,” consists of normobaric hypoxia equipment made by iAltitude that Indra has integrated into the simulator for the C101 Spanish Air Force training jet at the Madrid-based CIMA (Aerospace Medicine Training Center). Whilst the pilots are training on the simulator, the system regulates the oxygen pilots get through their mask, reducing it progressively. Their responses are recorded and the data will be used by CIMA to design training programs tol alert pilots to pre-hypoxia symptoms. Until now, training in hypoxia was mainly performed in hypobaric and normobaric sealed chambers in which trainees could undertake exercises to help them detect loss of oxygen, but these could not be undertaken simultaneously with flight tasks. The new system means hypoxia tests are now integrated with flight training, as the capabilities of each pilot to complete flight procedures in low-oxygen conditions are being evaluated continuously. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2018/12/04/spanish-vendors-pitch-new-hypoxia-response-training-for-military-pilots

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  December 24, 2018 | International, Land

  MPF Light Tank Profits Estimated ~$495M: Byron Callan

  By SYDNEY J. FREEDBERG JR. The Army's said it wants 504 of the MPF light tanks. But analyst Byron Callan is betting that either the Marine Corps or foreign buyers (or both) add another 106, bringing the total to 610 machines. WASHINGTON: Tis the season to buy... tanks? When you Google any kind of military hardware, odds are the autocomplete algorithm will suggest “....for sale.” Of course, pricing weapons systems isn't actually so straightforward. Whatever autocomplete may think, you can't actually buy a fighter jet or tank online, and trying to buy one anywhere as a private individual is a good path to prison. The Pentagon announces budget figures and contract values, but how do you figure out what a program will cost before that data's public? One of our favorite defense industry analysts, Capital Alpha's poetically named Byron Callan, just came up with an estimate for the Mobile Protected Firepowerprogram. The Army just announced Monday that established armsmakers BAE Systems and General Dynamics will build competing prototypes of the new armored vehicle, with a final winner picked in 2022. Now, MPF is effectively a light tank to accompany airborne troops and other infantry where the massive M1 Abrams cannot go. The Army's said it wants 504 of the vehicles, 14 per infantry brigade (both active-duty and National Guard) plus spares and training vehicles. But Callan is betting that either the Marine Corps or foreign buyers (or both) add another 106 tanks, bringing the total to 610 machines. Full article: https://breakingdefense.com/2018/12/mpf-light-tank-profits-estimated-495m-byron-callan