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December 19, 2018 | International, Security

TechFlow Gets $968M DHS Contract for Explosive Detection Tech Maintenance Support

TechFlow has received a potential five-year, $967.9M contract from the Department of Homeland Security to maintain and provide logistics support for explosive detection systems.

A FedBizOpps notice posted Thursday says the contract covers preventive maintenance; calibration and test equipment; radiation surveys; tools; parts obsolescence; and supply support for detection platforms deployed at airports and other facilities.

Contract work began on Dec. 1 and will continue through Nov. 30, 2023.

The contract seeks to support TSA's mission to reinforce security at airports across the country through maintenance of EDS used to screen checked baggage for explosives.

https://www.govconwire.com/2018/12/techflow-gets-968m-dhs-contract-for-explosive-detection-tech-maintenance-support/

On the same subject

  • Marines award contract for lighter, better fitting plate carrier

    September 28, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land

    Marines award contract for lighter, better fitting plate carrier

    By: Shawn Snow Marines will soon be getting their hands on a new lighter and better fitting plate carrier. On Wednesday, the Defense Department announced that a five-year contract of $62,612,464 was awarded to Vertical Protective Apparel LLC, a New Jersey-based company, to produce the Corps' Plate Carrier Generation III. The contract calls for a maximum of 225,886 new plate carriers over a five-year period. The Corps has been in collaboration with the Army for new lighter and better fitting plate carrier and ballistic armor since a policy update in 2016 from the Capabilities Development Directorate called for a fit update. “The legacy carrier fit the span of the Marine Corps, but this new system is more tailorable to fit Marines of various sizes with three new smaller-stature options,” Flora “Mackie” Jordan, body armor engineer for the Infantry Combat Equipment Team at Marine Corps Systems Command, said in a command release. “We wanted to give as much mobility back to Marines as possible by reducing the weight and bulk of the vest without decreasing ballistic protection. We were able to reduce the weight of the vest by 25 percent.” The Corps managed to shave an inch-and-a-half from the bottom and removed some material from the shoulders.The new fit will help lighten the load and reduce fatigue on the battlefield. The new plate carrier is "less bulky, lighter in weight, and provides a smaller overall footprint than the current plate carrier while maintaining the same soft armor coverage and protection level," Barbara Hamby, a spokeswoman for Marine Corps Systems Command, told Marine Corps Times last July, while describing a prototype of the new plate carrier. The new carrier also comes with a quick release, which will help Marines take the carrier off faster than the legacy system Marines are also amid plans to procure lighter ballistic armor. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/09/27/marines-award-contract-for-new-plate-carrier

  • Israel touts upgraded Iron Dome capabilities against land, maritime threats

    February 3, 2021 | International, Aerospace

    Israel touts upgraded Iron Dome capabilities against land, maritime threats

    By: Seth J. Frantzman JERUSALEM — An upgraded version of the Iron Dome air defense system has reached a “significant milestone” after contending with advanced threats in a test, Israel's Ministry of Defense announced Feb. 1. The Iron Dome is part of Israel's multilayered air defense and has been in service for a decade with more than 2,400 interceptions, mostly of projectiles launched from the Gaza Strip by militants. Two Iron Dome batteries were delivered to the U.S. Army in the last six months. “The Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), in the Directorate for Defense R&D of the Israel Ministry of Defense, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems have completed a successful series of flight tests of the Iron Dome weapon system,” Israel's Ministry of Defense said. “The Israeli Air Force (IAF) and Navy also participated in the test, which was conducted in a base in central Israel. The test campaign was held in a number of scenarios simulating advanced threats with which the Iron Dome is expected to contend during times of conflict — whether on land or in the sea.” The new system is expected to be delivered to the Israel Air Force for operational use — though it's unclear when — and then later installed on Israel's new Sa'ar 6 corvette, which arrived last year from Germany. It is expected to equip this new class of warships, which will be equipped with a variety of advanced Israeli systems in the coming years. The new ships are supposed to defend Israel's exclusive economic zone off the country's coast. Israel has expanded its infrastructure off the coast in the last several years due to natural gas discoveries in its exclusive economic zone, and the country signed a deal to build an Eastern Mediterranean pipeline to Greece via Cyprus last year. In the 2006 Lebanon war, the militant group Hezbollah fired a C-802 missile at a Sa'ar 5 ship. Egyptian and Saudi Arabian ships have also contended with anti-ship missile threats in recent years from Sinai and Yemen, respectively. Israel's Rafael would not elaborate on specifics of the test or the new capabilities. The ministry also would not provide further details beyond its statement. Video released by the ministry showed the logos of the companies involved, including the prime contractor Rafael; IAI, whose subsidiary Elta Systems is the maker of the multimission radar; and mPrest, which produces the BMC command-and-control system. The video also showed target drones launched over the water before Iron Dome intercepted them. It also showed several other quadcopter-style drones prior to takeoff, but it's unclear if they were targets in the drill. In mid-December, Israel launched an unprecedented integration test of its air defense systems, including Iron Dome, David's Sling and Arrow. During the test, Iron Dome was used to intercept cruise missiles — a new capability for the system. Drones and cruise missiles were used by Iran in September 2019 in an attack on Saudi Arabia, which led to concerns at the time over whether air defense systems were ready to confront drone swarm attacks or contend with slow and low-flying, maneuverable missiles. Iron Dome has received U.S. funding that tops about $500 million annually for joint air defense projects with Israel. In August 2020, Rafael and American firm Raytheon Technologies agreed to a joint venture to build Iron Dome in the United States. The facility builds the system and its Tamir interceptor, which is called SkyHunter, in the U.S. At the time, the system was said to be capable of intercepting cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft, rockets, artillery and mortars. When Israel completed the delivery of its second battery to the U.S. on Jan. 3, 2021, Israeli Defense Ministry Benny Gantz said he was “confident the system would assist the US Army in protecting American troops from ballistic and airborne threats as well as from developing threats in the areas where US troops are deployed on various missions.” Subsequent reports in Israeli media hinted that the U.S. might deploy the system to the Gulf where it has bases. Israel's MoD did not comment on the reports. The U.S. previously sent Patriot batteries as well as counter-rocket, artillery and mortar systems to defend against threats in the Gulf region. https://www.defensenews.com/training-sim/2021/02/02/israel-touts-upgraded-iron-dome-capabilities-against-land-maritime-threats

  • GA-ASI signs FMS to deliver MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS to Belgium

    August 25, 2020 | International, Aerospace

    GA-ASI signs FMS to deliver MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS to Belgium

    General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) is set to deliver the MQ-9B SkyGuardian Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) to Belgium. The company has signed a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract with the US Air Force (USAF) to deliver the RPAS system. The contract includes the design, development, integration and production of the RPAS with its EO/IR video and SAR/GMTI surveillance payloads. Furthermore, GA-ASI will be responsible for the delivery of Portable Pre-Flight/Post-Flight Equipment (P3E), ground support equipment, Certifiable Ground Control Stations (CGCS) and spare parts. GA-ASI CEO Linden Blue said: “We look forward to providing our RPAS to meet Belgium's mission requirements, while also supporting the Nato Alliance. “Through our Belgian R&D seed-funding initiative, we are connected with many Belgian companies interested in further improving the capabilities of the SkyGuardian system.” The first delivery is scheduled for 2023. The MQ-9B model is the most advanced RPAS developed by GA-ASI. The company started the development of the aircraft system in 2014 to deliver an RPAS that will meet Nato's STANAG 4671 standard. The model is also available in another variant called SeaGuardian for maritime surveillance. According to the company, SkyGuardian has generated significant interest from customers across the world with the UK and Australia selecting the RPAS for their MQ-9B Protector programme and Project Air 7003 respectively. Last month, GA‑ASI renamed the industry team, including Australian partner businesses, to Team SkyGuardian Australia (TSGA). The team will develop and deliver MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPAS to the Australian Defence Force (ADF). https://www.airforce-technology.com/news/ga-asi-fms-mq-9b-skyguardian-rpas-belgium/

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