BAE Systems will deliver five Mk 45 naval gun systems to the U.S. Navy under a recently issued $70.6 million contract to upgrade existing guns to the Mod 4 configuration, increasing their firepower and extending their range.
Defense
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Piracy, illegal fishing, and armed robberies are some of the major issues threatening the Gulf of Guinea region are among the topics to be discussed at the International Maritime Defence Exhibition & Conference (IMDEC), taking place on 24-25 July 2019 in Accra, Ghana.
On July 12 2019, during a ceremony presided over by the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron, Naval Group launched the Suffren, the first of six nuclear submarines of the latest generation in Cherbourg. This event is a key step for the Barracuda program for the benefit of the French Navy.
As the key supplier of an autonomously controlled winch system for the Unmanned Influence Sweep System (UISS) platform on the Common Unmanned Surface Vessel (CUSVTM), MacArtney is once again supplying technology and innovation leader, Raytheon. Specializing in defenze and civil government solutions, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics and systems integration.
On 11th July, Damen Shipyards Den Helder signed a midlife upkeep (MLU) contract with the Netherlands Ministry of Defense. With this contract, support ship HNLMS Pelikaan, along with hydrographic survey vessels HNLMS Snellius and HNLMS Luymes, all of the Royal Netherlands Navy, are heading to Damen Shipyards Den Helder for an extensive maintenance and modernization program.
MacGregor, part of Cargotec, has been selected to supply repeat packages of deck machinery equipment for two new US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) T-ATS class vessel under construction at Gulf Island Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, US.
Underwater intruder detection technology from maritime security specialist Sonardyne International Ltd. has been chosen to secure the coastal perimeter of a critical national energy infrastructure (CNI) facility in Eastern Europe.
Naval Dome has adapted its award-winning maritime cyber protection technology for compatibility with port-based systems and naval vessels and rebranded its direct-installation security software to differentiate between the different types of application.
Kraken Robotics Inc. announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems Inc., has been selected by the US Office of the Secretary of Defense, Comparative Test Office, to participate in a Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program in support of a US Navy Program of Record managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command, EOD Program Office. The FCT is designed to test selected foreign technologies as evaluated by US military operators, with a view to future procurement. The contract value is $0.9 million.
AquaPix® MINSAS sensor
Under this contract, Kraken will integrate its AquaPix® MINSAS sensor on a man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) owned by the U.S. Navy. Man-portable AUVs make up the largest deployment of all AUV classes world-wide. The U.S. Navy and its allies continue to invest in man-portable AUVs, which today utilize a range of sonar technologies. Kraken’s AquaPix® MINSAS synthetic aperture sonar sensor is currently offered in the MINSAS 60, 120, 180, and 240 configurations and has been traditionally integrated to medium- and large-size AUVs and towfish. As part of this FCT contract, Kraken will optimize the MINSAS 60 sensor making it better suited for small, man-portable AUVs while offering a significant increase in capability and performance for man-portable platforms.
CEO Comments
Karl Kenny, Kraken’s President and CEO said, “We are very pleased to be awarded this FCT contract as this represents a truly significant opportunity for Kraken. The competition for FCT awards is fierce and only a few projects each year that meet the strict criteria are selected. An acceptable FCT project must have a high technology readiness level, which means that research and testing must have already been completed, and the capability has already been proven in a setting similar to what will be encountered in real-world operations. We believe this initial contract will further prove our MINSAS 60 is a reasonably priced, high-performance sonar upgrade path for existing man-portable AUVs as well as new builds.”
About Foreign Comparative Test Program
The Foreign Comparative Testing (FCT) program is to test items and technologies of United States foreign allies that have a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) in order to satisfy valid defense requirements quickly and economically. FCT continues to be a uniquely successful acquisition tool from a U.S. government-to-foreign industry standpoint. Since 1980, the FCT program has helped to foster the two-way street in defense spending between the U.S. and its allies with more than 500 FCT projects from over 25 countries having been completed resulting in procurement of more than $5 billion in foreign items. The program has reaped substantial savings by avoiding research and development costs, lowering procurement costs, reducing risk for major acquisition programs and accelerating the fielding of equipment critical to the readiness and safety of U.S. operating forces. Since the FCT program focuses on mature technologies, each project has accelerated acquisition. The FCT program enables deployment of the world's best technology into the field quickly, normally in less than 18 months.
The FCT program has served as a catalyst for industry teaming arrangements, which have been productive for both U.S. and foreign industries in an increasingly competitive global market, helping to build a robust U.S. defense industrial base. Foreign items are nominated by a sponsoring organization within the Department of Defense for testing in order to determine whether the items satisfy U.S. military requirements or address mission area shortcomings.
The FCT program's objectives are to improve the U.S. warfighter's capabilities and reduce expenditures through:
- Rapidly fielding of quality military equipment
- Eliminating unnecessary duplication of research, development, test and evaluation
- Reducing life cycle or procurement costs
- Enhancing standardization and interoperability
- Promoting competition by qualifying alternative sources
- Improving the U.S. military industrial base
JFD, a world leading underwater capability provider serving the commercial and defense diving markets, and part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has successfully completed a comprehensive submarine rescue exercise to mobilize the entire NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS).