21 mars 2023 | International, Aérospatial
Northrop Grumman to Produce MESA for The U.S. Air Force E-7
As part of the E-7 weapons system, the combat proven MESA sensor will provide critical long range sensing, detection and identification
16 août 2019 | International, Naval
Marines will be getting these ‘tacticool’ over-the-ear headsets
By: Shawn Snow
The iconic over-the-ear style headsets worn by the Corps' special operations Raiders will soon be in the hands of conventional Marines.
The Marine Corps is ordering 4,519 headsets produced by INVISIO to the tune of $4,800,340.89, according to Manny Pacheco, a spokesman with Marine Corps Systems Command.
INVISIO is expected to deliver those headsets between this November and March 2020, with the first order going to artillery and recon Marines, according to Pacheco.
Pacheco explained that infantry Marines will be fielded new headsets on another contract.
Marines will be getting two versions of INVISIO's T5 headset, according to Ray Clarke, a spokesman for INVISIO.
One headset will be a stand-alone to provide hearing protection, while the other will interface with Marine Corps radio systems allowing for hearing protection and communications, Clarke said.
INVISIO said in a press release that the headsets being delivered to the Corps would be compatible with the enhanced combat helmet.
“Infantry, artillery, reconnaissance and combat engineer Marines decided on INVISIO systems based on fit, form, function and comfort,” the release said.
Marines will also be getting the V50 controller that will serve as a communications hub and allow Marines to better operate their radio systems.
The Marine Corps announced in September that it was ready to order thousands of new headsets and was looking at a range of systems.
As part of that effort, the Corps also kicked off testing of various mid to high cut versions of the enhanced combat helmet to gauge the best ballistic and hearing protection fit.
For that testing, the Corps ordered nearly 200 ECH helmets from Gentex Corp., the maker of the iconic Ops-Core helmets worn by special operators.
The Corps also announced in June that it was also pursuing a new lightweight integrated helmet system for grunts that can better work with the slew of cables and electronic devices carried by infantry Marines.
“With the increased number of battery powered optics and other attachments to the helmet, the amount of exposed/unsecure wires and battery packs are increasing,” a June posting on the government's business opportunities website reads.
“The Marine Corps is looking for an optimized configuration to allow power and/or data to flow to the attachments while minimizing bulk," the posting reads.
Clarke said INVISIO also provides Marine Raiders with the Maritime Communications Accessory Suite that comes with the V60 controller and X5 in-the ear headset.
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9 octobre 2019 | International, Terrestre
U.S. Army extends contract for Bradley Fighting Vehicle upgrades
October 8, 2019 - The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a contract modification worth up to $269 million for continued production of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV). The award for an additional 168 upgraded Bradley A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicles is part of the Army's combat vehicle modernization strategy and helps ensure force readiness of the Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT). The Bradley A4 is equipped with an enhanced powertrain that maximizes mobility and increases engine horsepower, providing rapid movement in reaction to combat or other adverse situations. Wide angle Driver's Vision Enhancer, improved Force XXI Battle Command Bridge and Below (FBCB2) software integration improves friendly and enemy vehicle identification, enhancing situational awareness. The addition of a High Speed Slip Ring, greater network connectivity and Smart Displays that simultaneously display classified and unclassified information also improve situational awareness. “The Bradley is one of the most critical vehicles in the Army's ABCT today because it allows the Army to transport troops to the fight, and provide covering fire to suppress enemy vehicles and troops,” said Scott Davis, vice president of combat vehicle programs for BAE Systems. “Upgrading to the A4 configuration provides soldiers with more power to increase their speed and ability to integrate enhanced technology to ensure they maintain the advantage on the battlefield.” Previously awarded funding for initial production of 164 Bradley A4 vehicles allowed BAE Systems to begin production. The award of this option brings the total production funding to $578 million. It includes upgrades and associated spares of two Bradley variants: the M2A4 Infantry Fighting Vehicle and the M7A4 Fire Support Team Vehicle. BAE Systems is a premiere supplier of combat vehicles to the U.S. military and international customers. The company has an extensive manufacturing network across the United States and continues to invest in it. Work on the program will take place at Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, and BAE Systems' facilities in Aiken, South Carolina; Anniston, Alabama; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Jose, California; Sterling Heights, Michigan; and York, Pennsylvania. View source version on BAE Systems: https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/u-s--army-extends-contract-for-bradley-fighting-vehicle-upgrades
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29 octobre 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval
Navy Issues Sikorsky $550.4 Million Modification for 6 CH-53Ks
Mallory Shelbourne This post has been updated to include a new photo of the CH-53K from Sikorsky. The Navy has issued Lockheed Martin-owned Sikorsky a $550.4 million contract modification for the next lot of the Marine Corps' new heavy-lift helicopter. The Navy awarded Sikorsky the funds for six CH-53K King Stallions as part of lot 4 of the program's low-rate initial production phase, according to an Oct. 26 Pentagon contract announcement. “The production of this CH-53K helicopter represents a new era in capabilities, technologies, safety and mission flexibility for the U.S. Marine Corps,” Bill Falk, the CH-53K program director for Sikorsky, said in a statement. “Sikorsky is committed to supporting the Marine Corps to maximize the benefits of this all-new helicopter,” he added. “Pilots are already training on state-of-the art flight training devices to prepare in a safe, cost-effective manner for operational deployment.” The Navy anticipates Sikorsky finishing the work in July 2024, according to the announcement. USNI News previously reported that the Navy restructured the CH-53K test program to address technical deficiencies discovered on the test aircraft. Sikorsky and the Marine Corps announced the two had found a fix to one of the main problems – exhaust gas reingestion – in December 2019. The Navy decreased the number of aircraft it planned to purchase in the Fiscal Year 2021 budget request because it had not yet identified fixes to several technical problems. Lt. Gen. Steven Rudder, the former Deputy Commandant of the Marine Corps for Aviation, told the House Armed Service tactical air and land forces subcommittee earlier this year that the service was ready to increase the rate of production in hopes of bringing cost of the aircraft down. “The higher the numbers, the greater the learning curve from production,” Rudder told the panel of lawmakers at the time. “As we saw with F-35, as we ramp production, the cost curve comes down.” https://news.usni.org/2020/10/27/navy-issues-sikorsky-550-4-million-modification-for-6-ch-53ks