Pandemic not slowing Army plans to field enduring indirect fires protection capability

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  October 2, 2019 | International, C4ISR

  INVISIO Awarded Five-Year Framework Agreement for up to SEK 290 Million From the U.S. Department of Defense

  STOCKHOLM, October 1, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - INVISIO has been awarded a five-year IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity) contract from the U.S. Department of Defense for communication and hearing protection systems. The framework agreement is for up to SEK 290 million over the time period, but no volumes are guaranteed. The Department of Defense has awarded INVISIO a five-year framework agreement for the supply of advanced communications and hearing protection systems to American troops. The maximum order value of the agreement over the five-year time period is USD 30 million, equivalent to approximately SEK 290 million. This is the second time the Department of Defense has awarded INVISIO a long-term contract. The new contract replaces the first one received in 2017 which expired earlier this year. The INVISIO systems provide enhanced communication capabilities in noisy environments while protecting the users hearing, which gives operational benefits and increased tactical advantages including improved situational awareness for the users. "We are very proud of receiving a new long-term contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. This contract and the size of it, together with our other U.S.-engagements confirms our market leading position", says Lars Højgard Hansen, CEO, INVISIO Communications. For more information, please contact: Lars Højgard Hansen CEO INVISIO Communications Mobile: +45-53-72-7722 | E-mail: lhh@invisio.com Michael Peterson Director IR & Corporate Communication INVISIO Communications Mobile: +45-53-72-7733 | E-mail: mpn@invisio.com This information is information that INVISIO Communications AB (publ) is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation. The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the CEO, on October 1, 2019, at 08:30 CEST. About INVISIO Communications AB (publ) INVISIO develops and sells advanced communication systems with hearing protection that enable professionals in noisy and mission critical environments to communicate and operate effectively. The company combines insights in acoustics and human hearing with broad engineering know-how in software, materials technology and integration. Sales are primarily via a global network of partners and resellers, as well as from the headquarters in Copenhagen and the sales offices in the USA, France and Italy. INVISIO's registered office is in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company's share is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (IVSO). Read more on the company's website, www.invisio.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/invisio-communications-ab/r/invisio-awarded-five-year-framework-agreement-for-up-to-sek-290-million-from-the-u-s--department-of-,c2921729

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  October 21, 2020 | International, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence

  Japan to export defense tech to Vietnam under new agreement

  HANOI, Vietnam — Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, in his first overseas summit since taking office last month, agreed with his Vietnamese counterpart to step up defense and security cooperation in the face of China's expanding influence in the region. In talks in Hanoi on Monday, Suga and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc set a basic agreement allowing Japan to export defense equipment and technology to Vietnam. Japan has been pursuing such pacts in recent years to bolster ties with Southeast Asian countries and sustain its own defense industry. Suga said his four-day trip to Vietnam and later Indonesia was key to pursuing multilateral economic and security cooperation to counter China's growing power and protect sea lanes in disputed areas of the South China Sea. “Vietnam is crucial to achieving our vision of ‘the Free and Open Indo-Pacific,' and our valuable partner,' ” Suga told a news conference after his meeting with Phuc. “Japan, as an Indo-Pacific nation, will continue to contribute to the peace and stability in this region.” Suga said Vietnam, at the center of the region, was the most suitable destination for his first trip abroad as Japan's leader. Neither of the two leaders mentioned China by name in their news conference. Phuc said the peace and stability of the South China Sea should be protected by the rule of law, not unilaterally by force or threats. “Vietnam appreciates that Japan, one of the world's leading powers, is actively contributing its efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region and in the world,” Phuc said. In a speech later Monday at Vietnam-Japan University, Suga said that Japan's “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” concept and “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific,” formulated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2019, share values such as rule of law, openness, transparency and freedom. Suga expressed strong support for their vision, and said together Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations can achieve a peaceful and prosperous future. “Unfortunately in this region, there is a move in the South China Sea that goes against the rule of law and openness stated in this ASEAN Outlook, and Japan strongly opposes any attempt that escalates tensions in the South China Sea,” Suga said in his speech, hinting at China's growing assertiveness in the area. Japan already has defense equipment transfer deals with the U.S., Britain and Malaysia, among other countries. Vietnam is a 12th partner, while Japan is still negotiating deals with Indonesia and Thailand. In its first actual delivery of such exports, Japan in August exported a radar surveillance system to the Philippines. Details of possible equipment sales were not mentioned, but Suga called the agreement “a major step” for a bilateral defense cooperation, saying he expects further developments. Japan partially lifted its ban on military equipment and technology transfer in 2014 as part of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's efforts to build Japan's defense capabilities. Suga and Phuc signed other agreements to cooperate in a range of economic fields and on anti-terrorism measures. The two sides also agreed to ease entry bans and allow short-term business visits and reopen flights between Vietnam and Japan. Such travel has been very tightly restricted due to the pandemic, but both countries have managed to somewhat stabilize COVID-19 outbreaks. Suga also promised to provide support for Vietnamese workers in Japan affected by the pandemic's hit to the economy. Vietnamese accounts for more than half of the foreign workers Japan has accepted in recent years to make up for its declining and aging population. Japan is one of Vietnam's top trading partners with two-way trade of $28.6 billion so far this year. Japan is also Vietnam's largest overseas aid donor, providing $23 billion as of 2019 and accounting for more than a quarter of Vietnam's foreign loans. The government has been trying to entice Japanese companies to invest in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries to lessen Japan's dependence on manufacturing and other businesses in China. On Monday, Japan and Vietnam agreed on the need to cooperate on diversifying supply chains — a lesson Japan learned from its dire shortages of surgical masks and protective gowns earlier this year due to heavy dependence on Chinese imports. In August, Vietnam agreed to buy six coast guard patrol boats worth $345 million from Japan. The country is seeking to improve its maritime defenses amid China's continuing development and militarization of artificial islands in contested waters of the South China Sea. Progress in talks between ASEAN and China over the disputes appears to be at a standstill. Suga's predecessor Abe also chose Vietnam as the first country he visited after taking office. Suga is the first foreign head of a state to visit Vietnam since the country closed its borders to contain COVID-19. https://www.defensenews.com/global/asia-pacific/2020/10/19/japan-to-export-defense-tech-to-vietnam-under-new-agreement/

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  October 25, 2019 | International, Aerospace

  US Air Force officially buying light-attack planes

  By: Aaron Mehta WASHINGTON — The U.S. Air Force is officially putting down its money to buy two different models of light-attack aircraft. The service will purchase two to three aircraft each of the Textron Aviation AT-6 and Sierra Nevada Corporation/Embraer Defense & Security A-29 aircraft. The handful of planes will be used to support “allies and partner capacity, capability and interoperability via training and experimentation,” according to an Air Force announcement. The A-29 Super Tucano contract should be awarded before the end of the year, with the AT-6 Wolverine contract coming in early 2020. The plan to buy a handful of planes was previewed earlier this year by Air Force officials, but the companies will likely breathe a sigh of relief now that the deal is done. The purchase provides a much-needed show of confidence in the project. The two companies have invested internal funds on the Air Force's light-attack experiment over the past two years and remain hopeful the service moves forward with a bigger buy of light-attack aircraft in the future. The missions and basing for the planes will be different. The AT-6s will go to Air Combat Command at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for “continued testing and development of operational tactics and standards for exportable, tactical networks that improve interoperability with international partners,” according to the Air Force announcement. The A-29s will go to Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., and will be used to “develop an instructor pilot program for the Combat Aviation Advisory mission, to meet increased partner nation requests for light attack assistance,” per the release. “Our focus is on how a light attack aircraft can help our allies and partners as they confront violent extremism and conduct operations within their borders,” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said in the statement. “Continuing this experiment, using the authorities Congress has provided, gives us the opportunity to put a small number of aircraft through the paces and work with partner nations on ways in which smaller, affordable aircraft like these can support their air forces.” Experiments will continue with a focus on creating a joint architecture and information sharing. The Air Force has said that funding for the initial AT-6 and A-29 buys will come out of the estimated $160 million in unspent funds that Congress appropriated for the effort in previous budgets. Congress has appropriated $200 million in total for the effort since it was announced in late 2016. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2019/10/25/air-force-officially-buying-light-attack-planes/