Industry News

An Elbit Systems subsidiary has secured a $49.9 million contract to supply helmet display tracker systems and related line items for the U.S. Navy’s MH-60 helicopters. Elbit Systems of America will deliver 126 HDTS units that will work to help the Navy’s MH-60 aircrews gain situational awareness and recognize targets through pilot/copilot line-of-sight function, the Defense Department said Wednesday. HDTS is also […] More

Harris‘ public safety and professional communications business has agreed to resell Avtec’s dispatch console system in the North American market as part of a strategic partnership agreement. Avtec said Wednesday the agreement gives Harris an opportunity to offer Scout consoles to public safety, energy, government and industry customers throughout the continent. Michael Ridge, Avtec director of strategic partnerships, […] More

NASA and Rockwell Collins have conducted a usability test and a pilot working group meeting that showcased a sonic boom display at the space agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Rockwell Collins said Wednesday the two-year Sonic Boom Display project resulted in the creation of an impact visualization system designed to help pilots reduce or mitigate the risk of sonic boom impacts during […] More

A team composed of Kongsberg, Milrem and QinetiQ North America will introduce a jointly developed remotely operated robotic fire support and force protection system at the 2017 Ground Robotics Capabilities Conference and Exhibition in Springfield, Virginia. The system comprises Milrem’s THeMIS modular unmanned ground vehicle equipped with a hybrid diesel-electric drive, Kongsberg’s PROTECTOR remote weapon station and QinetiQ NA’s UGV control system, Milrem […] More

Leonardo and Hensoldt, formerly Airbus’ electronics and border security business, have agreed to partner to market the former’s Mode 5 identification friend-or-foe system to potential customers worldwide. The U.K. defense ministry has selected the Leonardo-Hensoldt team, also known as Team Skytale, to update IFF systems on at least 400 aerial, maritime and ground vehicles, Leonardo said […] More

Belgium has kicked off a search for new multirole fighter aircraft that will replace the Belgian air force’s fleet of Lockheed Martin-built F-16 planes, IHS Jane’s 360 reported Monday. Gareth Jennings writes Belgium requested proposals from multiple international defense organizations for the Eurofighter Typhoon, Lockheed’s F-35A, Boeing‘s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Dassault Aviation‘s Rafale and Saab‘s Gripen E. Belgium aims to select a platform in […] More

The U.S. Navy has awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a five-year, $59 million contract to provide professional support services to the military branch’s battlespace awareness and information operations program office, or PMW 120. Booz Allen said Wednesday the contract covers acquisition, program, installation and operations management support for 21 Defense Department programs led by PMW 120. The company will also help manage the […] More

Charles Chase, a program lead at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works unit, has said Lockheed and NASA expect to wrap up the evaluation phase on the preliminary design of a supersonic aircraft by June before the company and the agency begin the critical design review, FlightGlobal reported Wednesday. Chase told the publication that NASA and Lockheed […] More

Lockheed Martin CEO Marillyn Hewson has said the company aims to reduce the price of the F-35A fighter jet to $85 million or lower per aircraft by 2019 as part of its goal to save over $5 billion on the F-35 program. Hewson said in a speech delivered Tuesday at Lockheed’s media day event in Arlington, Virginia, […] More

InquisIT has secured a five-year, $17.1 million contract to provide information technology management support for a U.S. Agriculture Department organization that works to protect the health of plant and animal resources. The company said Wednesday it will support hardware, software and systems at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service under the firm-fixed-price contract. Mike McDermott, president of InquisIT, […] More

The U.S. Air Force has asked industry to participate in an experiment that seeks to assess light-attack aircraft platforms in support of the service branch’s future force structure. The live-fly experiment is set to occur at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico in the summer of 2017 as part of the Light Attack Capabilities […] More

Alion Science and Technology and Ireland-based unmanned ground robotic systems developer Reamda have launched a joint venture to offer robotic platforms intended for explosive ordnance disposal and surveillance operations. Realion Robotics said Tuesday it aims to help military, law enforcement and government agencies gain access to unmanned ground robots that can function in harsh environments. Doug King, program manager of Realion […] More