US Army scraps ERCA autoloader plans, heads back to the drawing board

On the same subject

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  August 7, 2018 | International, Aerospace

  The light attack aircraft competition will be down to two competitors

  By: Valerie Insinna WASHINGTON — The Air Force is preparing to begin buying light attack aircraft next year — and the winner is going to be either Textron's AT-6 Wolverine or the Sierra Nevada Corp.-Embraer A-29 Super Tucano. According to a pre-solicitation posted on FedBizOpps on Aug. 3, the service will put out a final request for proposals to the two competitors in December with the hopes of awarding a contract by the end of September 2019. However, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Defense News on Monday that service leaders have not yet made a final decision on whether to green-light a program of record. Should that happen, the pre-solicitation will ensure that the service can move as quickly as it would like to eventually procure new planes, she said. If the new weapons program moves forward, it appears the service will limit the competition to the two aircraft currently involved in the service's light attack experiment. The pre-solicitation states that SNC and Textron Aviation “are the only firms that appear to possess the capability necessary to meet the requirement within the Air Force's time frame without causing an unacceptable delay in meeting the needs of the warfighter.” The Air Force's decision to only consider the A-29 and AT-6 had been foreshadowed by officials like Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, its top uniformed acquisition officer, who repeatedly stated that the service would likely limit a competition to those two participants. Full Article: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/08/06/the-light-attack-aircraft-competition-will-be-down-to-two-competitors/

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  January 5, 2023 | International, C4ISR

  Raytheon Intelligence & Space awarded Missile Track Custody development contract

  This system was developed using model-based systems engineering significantly increasing the speed of development, while reducing cost

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  January 28, 2021 | International, Land, C4ISR

  Elbit Systems UK to supply British Armed Forces target acquisition solution

  Seth J. Frantzman Elbit Systems' UK subsidiary secured a $137 million five-year deal for future target acquisition solutions for the British Armed Forces. It is part of the Dismounted Joint Fires Integration (D-JFI) program, which will provide close air support and other capabilities to infantry and other ground forces. The acquisition solutions are included in the joint terminal attack controllers and fire support teams portions of system, intended to be in operation by 2027. “We understand the need for full operational sovereignty and freedom of action for the UK. This is why we have invested in new facilities in Kent and Bristol in the last 18 months and will continue to invest in our people as we move forward with the delivery of these vital programs,” said Martin Fausset, the CEO of Elbit Systems UK. The contract is part of series of deals for Elbit in the UK, which has shown interest in Israeli technology. Last year Elbit brought its RHINO mobile command to the Army Warfighting Experiment on Salisbury Plain in the UK to showcase how armies can use more digital technology on the modern battlefield. The company also pitched its Hermes 900 UAV last year for maritime patrols in the UK and announced Jan. 11 that it had received a $166 million contract for modernization of a shore-based naval training facility. “Our successes are not just with the Armed Forces but for the UK as a whole. Last year, using the Hermes 900, we successfully delivered a series of search and rescue demonstrations for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the National Police Air Service, helping them assess their future fleet requirements and operational concepts,” said Fausset, who also pointed to the naval training and simulation contract. The company has seen a strong start to 2021, he said. “We will continue to build on our position in the UK market over the coming months and remain committed to providing high-technology products to the UK Armed Forces through our local supply chain.” The D-JFI solution “is a networked, passive and active target acquisition solution that acquires, generates and communicates target information to effector systems for effective engagement of joint precision and nonprecision fires,” according to the company. Powered with artificial intelligence, it integrates Torch-X and HattoriX systems that are used for precision targeting. Elbit rolled out HattoriX in 2018 and has demonstrated it for eight countries in Western Europe. It consists of a lightweight system with electro-optics that can be packed and deployed in the field. “The D-JFI solution will enable fast and secured transmission of target information across the British and allied armed forces, allowing swift and accurate utilization of artillery and close air support,” the company said. https://www.c4isrnet.com/industry/2021/01/27/elbit-systems-uk-to-supply-british-armed-forces-target-acquisition-solution