M-ATV Market Update - December 2009

Ceradyne, Inc. has received a multi-million dollar blanket purchase order from Plasan Sasa Ltd., Israel, for the production of armor components for the MRAP All Terrain Vehicle (M-ATV). Ceradyne plans to produce these parts in its expanded armor assembly plant in Irvine, California, for delivery to Oshkosh Corporation, the prime contractor. Oshkosh will assemble [...]

BAE Systems Lands U.K. Ministry of Defence Order for Helmet-Mounted Display System

The Q-Sight display is a key element of the Gunner’s Remote Sighting System (GRSS), a system that will allow the image from a machine gun-mounted thermal weapon sight to be displayed remotely on a see-through display mounted on the weapon operator’s helmet. The system is compatible with standard night-vision goggles and, unlike other technologies, enables [...]

U.S. Army Contract for Detection of Biological Weapons Awarded to Universal Detection Technology

Universal Detection Technology’s bio-warfare detection equipment is used extensively by first responders and private industry throughout the country. The equipment has been evaluated by the U.S. DoD as well as the United Kingdom military. Universal Detection Technology announced today that it had received a contract from the Aerospace Data Facility-East, a part of the Department [...]

L-3 Awarded Contract to Provide High Power Electrical Generation for Bradley Fighting Vehicles

L-3 Communications announced today that its Combat Propulsion Systems and Magnet Motors divisions have been awarded a development contract by the U.S. Army to provide high power electrical generation for the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The first phase for the Integrated Starter Generator (ISG) is underway, and L-3 will provide 10 system prototypes in the next [...]

New Breed of MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) Vehicles from BAE Systems

The U.S. Government has received two MARP vehicles from BAE Systems for field tests and evaluation. GTS MAT-V, prototyped from its Caiman predecessor, combines survivability of an MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) and the mobility of a HMMWV (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled)
vehicles.

Features:

curb weight of less than 9 tons
high power-to-weight ratio
low center of gravity
high off-road [...]

National Security Spending in Crisis

The economic slowdown will create a huge gap of a $1.2 trillion deficit in 2010. To reduce this gap, reaching 12 percent of GDP in 2009, Obama will have to cut a portion of the budget, which is called the discretionary spending. Defense spending represents more than 50% of the discretionary budget (about $700 [...]

EADS Delivers Sixth Maritime Patrol Aircraft HC-144A

U.S. Coast Guard receives sixth HC-144A Maritime Patrol Aircraft out of 36 aircrafts for the Deepwater Program. The HC-144A is the mediumrange surveillance maritime patrol aircraft platform for the U.S. Coast Guard.

U.S. Coast Guard Incorporates Thales HF-ALE radio

Thales Communications, Inc., will supply its medium-powered, High-Frequency Automated Link Establishment (HF-ALE) radio communications system to the U.S. Coast Guard cutters for the next 5 to 7 years.

Boeing Suspends Manufacturing of Chinook CH-47

The Defense Contractor Management Agency has suspended manufacturing of Chinook CH-47 at the Boeing’s Ridley Park facility. Manufacturing has been stopped after a small plastic element has been found in the fuel line.

Homeland Security/Defense Event Calendar, December 2008

The Threat of Cyber Crime/Cyber Terrorism,
12/1/08-12/2/08, Vancouver, Canada
Energy Security,
12/1/08-12/1/08, London, UK
Personal Protective Equipment Conference 2008,
12/1/08-12/2/08, Hengelo, The Netherlands
26th Army Science Conference,
12/1/08-12/4/08, Orlando, FL
Defense Logistics USA 2008,
12/1/08-12/4/08, Arlington, VA
Fissile Transport Security,
12/1/08-12/5/08, Vienna, Austria
2nd Australian Defence Capability Development Symposium,
12/2/08-12/3/08, Canberra, Australia
Environmental Sampling and Detection for Bio-Threat Agents,
12/2/08-12/4/08, Las Vegas, NV
International Security and National Resilience,
12/2/08-12/3/08, London, UK
NATO: The [...]