Raytheon-FlexRadio team to develop airborne high-frequency radio

Sur le même sujet

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  18 août 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Sécurité

  Belgian SkyGuardian UAS contract awarded

  by Gareth Jennings General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) has been awarded USD188.9 million related to the production and delivery of its MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to Belgium. The Foreign Military Sales (FMS) award, announced by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 14 August, provides for four of the medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), two fixed ground control stations (GCSs), as well as spares and support. Work is expected to be complete by 31 March 2024. News of the contract comes 17 months after the US State Department approved in March 2019 the sale of the SkyGuardian, previously known as Certifiable Predator B, to Belgium. As noted in that approval, Belgium plans to use the SkyGuardian for intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) in support of national, NATO, United Nations-mandated, and other coalition operations. https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/belgian-skyguardian-uas-contract-awarded

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  10 juillet 2018 | International, Aérospatial

  Another win for Boeing: New Zealand commits to the P-8 with $1.6 billion deal

  By: Nick Lee-Frampton New Zealand has become the fifth export customer (after Australia, India, Norway and the U.K.) for Boeing's P-8 Poseidon, with a $1.6 billion order for four aircraft. Announced July 9 by Minister of Defence Ron Mark, the order includes the cost of infrastructure and training equipment. The aircraft are expected to enter Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) from 2023 and will replace six Lockheed P-3K2 Orions that have served the RNZAF for more than 50 years. New Zealand purchased five P-3B Orions in 1966 and acquired a sixth aircraft in 1985. New avionics led to new designation of P-3K in the late 1980s; they were then given new wings as part of a life extension program in 2000. New radar and digital avionics from 2011 led to the designation P-3K2. A new title for the Orion fleet was introduced too, the Airborne Surveillance and Response Force. Always operated by 5 Squadron RNZAF from Whenuapai air base, Auckland, the squadron will operate its P-8As from Ohakea. Mark says options for a complementary maritime surveillance capability will be included in the forthcoming Defence Capability Plan review, due to be completed by the end of the year. Smaller manned aircraft, as well as remotely piloted aircraft and satellite surveillance will be considered to complement the P-8s. The Annual Report of the New Zealand Defence Force shows that last year the existing P-3K2 Orions flew around 120 hours on search and rescue missions and more than 500 hours conducting humanitarian aid and disaster relief work. https://www.defensenews.com/air/2018/07/09/another-win-for-boeing-new-zealand-commits-to-the-p-8-with-16-billion-deal/

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  17 décembre 2020 | International, Terrestre

  Oshkosh agrees to buy Pratt Miller for $115M

  By: Jen Judson WASHINGTON — Joint Light Tactical Vehicle-maker Oshkosh Defense announced it has agreed to buy engineering company Pratt Miller, which brings with it artificial intelligence, autonomy and robotics expertise. Oshkosh said in a Dec. 15 news release that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pratt Miller in a cash-free, debt-free purchase price of $115 million. The New Hudson, Michigan-based Pratt Miller will keep its name, team, facilities and branding, according to the statement. The engineering company was founded in 1989 and is becoming known for its robotics capabilities. The firm recently won a U.S. Army contract in a partnership with QinetiQ to provide prototypes of the light variant of its Robotic Combat Vehicle for evaluation. Pratt Miller also won a contract to develop a design to integrate a new weapon system onto a Stryker combat vehicle under the Stryker Medium Caliber Weapons System lethality program. It is partnered with Rafael in the competition in which government testing of offerings is ongoing. The Israeli government recently expressed enthusiastic interest in mating Oshkosh vehicles with Rafael's Iron Dome missile defense system. In addition, Pratt Miller was one of six companies chosen by Army Futures Command to work on ways to improve the currently cumbersome, taxing and sometimes risky munitions resupply system for field artillery units operating M109 Paladin howitzers. “Pratt Miller has made significant advances in dynamic growth areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous and connected systems and electrification,” which puts Oshkosh more into the robotics game than ever before. “We believe combining Pratt Miller's engineering expertise with Oshkosh's innovation and operational strengths will enable us to better serve customers and position our Company for growth,” John Pfeifer, Oshkosh Corporation president and chief operating officer, said in the statement. “Pratt Miller's motorsports heritage has created a culture of speed and agility that has defined our success,” added Matt Carroll, the company's CEO. “Oshkosh is an ideal partner for us to apply that mindset to some of the most significant challenges facing customers today. Together, we expect to grow our decade-long partnership and expand our pipeline of new business opportunities. We look forward to learning from one another and continuing to innovate to bring market-leading products to our customers.” The buy, which is subject to customary closing conditions, should be complete in the first quarter of calendar year 2021, the statement noted. The acquisition also could give Oshkosh more leverage in competitions like JLTV re-compete effort which has recently kicked off and the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle program to replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle. A request for proposals for the OMFV program is expected to drop by the end of the week. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2020/12/15/oshkosh-buys-pratt-miller-for-115m/