Procurement briefs

SOUTH CAROLINA

Force Protection to provide Buffalo A2s

LADSON | The U.S. military contracted Force Protection Inc. for additional Buffalo A2 route-clearance vehicles used in clearing explosive-ordnance threats on roadways.

South Carolina-based Force Protection announced it has received a $26.2 million order for 27 additional Buffalo A2 mine-resistant ambush-protected route-clearance vehicles.

Officials say the announced order, from a previously awarded contract, is part of an effort to fulfill urgent route-clearance operational needs in combat zones.

“We are very pleased to be in a position to respond to incremental needs for the vitally important Buffalo route-clearance vehicle,” said Michael Moody, Force Protection chairman and chief executive officer. “We believe that the unique nature of the vehicle and the importance of the missions it performs will enable us to continue at current rates of production well into the future.”

VIRGINIA

Navy awards SAIC data-link deal

MCLEAN | The Navy has contracted Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) to provide technical and engineering support for tactical data link systems.

SAIC was awarded the support contract from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center-Pacific. Under the two-year, $46 million deal, SAIC will provide life-cycle and systems engineering support, among other applications, for the Navy’s tactical data link systems.

Officials say the tactical data link system enables the Navy to transfer data between ships.

“SAIC is pleased to continue supporting this important customer and proud to provide vital command, control and communications support to our naval war fighters,” said Tom Baybrook, SAIC senior vice president and business unit general manager. “The services we deliver will help Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center enhance readiness, productivity and operational capabilities.”

MASSACHUSETTS

Navy contracts LPD-17 support

TEWKSBURY | The Navy has exercised a contract option with Raytheon Co. for continued engineering support for amphibious-warfare ships.

The U.S. company says the Navy exercised a $23 million option for life-cycle support of the LPD-17 class of ships. Officials say the contract extension is the third of three one-year options.

As part of the life-cycle support deal, Raytheon will continue to provide electronics system design, ship integration and other engineering services for the Navy’s LPD-17 ships.

“Raytheon continues to build on its history of solid performance on the LPD-17 program,” said Robert Martin, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems vice president and deputy of sea-power capability systems. “As program milestones continue and more ships enter the fleet, our experience and expertise will help to maximize the capabilities, reliability and readiness of the ships of the LPD-17 class.”

CONNECTICUT

Pratt & Whitney gets F135 engine deal

EAST HARTFORD | Connecticut-based Pratt & Whitney has been contracted to produce its F135 turbofan engines in support of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II aircraft program.

Pratt & Whitney announced it has been awarded a $78 million deal to continue production of the F135 engines. Under the deal, Pratt & Whitney will produce the engines to support the F-35 Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and short-takeoff/vertical-landing (STOVL) variants.

Lockheed Martin recently announced the successful testing of the F-35 Lightning II, evaluating the F135’s ability to shut down while in flight and then restart, similar to an engine flame-out scenario. Pratt & Whitney officials say more than 75 flight test hours have been conducted on the F135-powered CTOL and STOVL F-35 aircraft.

“This contract allows Pratt & Whitney to acquire and produce F135 engine parts to support our customers and meet the F-35 production and delivery schedule,” said Chris Flynn, Pratt & Whitney F135 engine program director.

VIRGINIA

Navy contracts SAIC for ONE-NET support

MCLEAN | The Navy has contracted Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) to provide information technology support for operations in Europe and the Middle East.

The Navy awarded the U.S. company a contract worth more than $27 million to support the Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station-Atlantic.

Under the deal, SAIC will support the Navy’s outside continental U.S. (OCONUS) Naval Enterprise Network, or ONE-NET, in Europe at facilities in Naples, Italy, and in the Middle East at facilities in Manama, Bahrain.

Officials say ONE-NET is a single integrated network used by the Navy to centralize information assurance, intrusion detection and monitoring.

“SAIC is committed to assisting the Navy by providing on-site technical leadership, insightful project management and domain knowledge — ingredients that are critical to the success of this contract,” said Tom Baybrook, SAIC senior vice president and business unit general manager.

NEW YORK

Vertex, Boeing team for trainer deal

NEW YORK | The Navy has contracted an L-3 Communications Corp. subsidiary to provide logistics support for its trainer aircraft.

New York-based L-3 Communications says its L-3 Vertex Aerospace subsidiary has been selected to team with the Boeing Co. on a contract to support logistics and maintenance for the Navy’s T-45A and T-45C trainer aircraft.

Vertex, which has been providing logistics support for the Navy aircraft trainer program since 2003, will continue its support at Navy installations in Mississippi, Texas and Florida under the $569 million deal.

“We are proud our team has been selected to continue this mission-critical work, and we remain committed to delivering the highest level of quality and performance excellence,” Vertex President Ed Boyington said.

VIRGINIA

Alion to support naval ship design

MCLEAN | The U.S. Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division has contracted Alion Science and Technology Corp. to support the Navy’s ship design programs.

Under a five-year, $31 million contract, Virginia-based Alion will provide the Navy with information technology and software support for the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division’s Advanced Ship and Submarine Evaluation Tool, used in Navy ship design.

Officials say Alion also will provide technology support for the Navy’s Leading Edge Architecture for Prototyping Systems software application.

“We will develop standardized tools and processes for ship design, which can help the Navy realize a reduction in time and cost to transition these designs into their next stages,” said Kenneth Siegman, Alion JJMA maritime and industrial engineering group senior vice president and manager.

“Our work includes providing integrated design environments technical support, early state design tools software and engineering support and product data acquisition and integration methods support,” he said.

NEW JERSEY

ITT contracted for IED jammers

CLIFTON | The Defense Department has exercised a contract option with ITT Corp. for the company to supply additional improvised explosive device (IED) jamming systems.

New Jersey-based ITT announced that the Defense Department exercised a $206 million contract option for an additional 2,866 of the company’s Crew 2.1 Vehicle Receiver Jammer (CVRJ) vehicle-mounted systems.

ITT’s CVRJ system, mounted on the U.S. military’s armored vehicles and transport equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan, is designed to prevent an IED from detonating through use of a radio-frequency jamming system.

“We greatly value the importance of this program and remain committed to producing the highest-quality products that can be trusted by the men and women serving our nation,” said Chris Bernhardt, ITT Electronic Systems president.

• Compiled by Steven Davy of United Press International