Wednesday, April 06, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 6, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated April 6, 2011
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 6, 2011: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued April 6, 2011 are undermentioned;

CONTRACTS

AIR FORCE

Boeing Co., Huntington Beach, Calif., is being awarded a $271,216,410 cost-plus-award-fee contract modification for the new estimated cost completion of the family of beyond the line of sight terminals and provides increment funding aligned with Continuing Resolution authority. Work will be performed at Huntington Beach, Calif., and Salt Lake City, Utah. The Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity (F19628-02-C-0048-P00219)

Boeing Co.. Seattle, Wash., is being awarded a $35,687,404 fixed-price contract modification for modification of four Japan AWACS aircraft on behalf of the Japan Air Defense Force. Work will be performed at Kent, Wash. The Aerial Air Surveillance Systems Division, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity (F19628-01-D-0016)

Accenture Federal Services, LLC, Reston, Va., is being awarded a $17,206,074 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for research and development activities on advanced decision support services, information exchange, and system inoperability, while facilitating agile command and control via internet based technology. Work will be performed at King of Prussia, Pa. The Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., is the contracting activity (FA8721-11-C-0010).

NAVY

Tutor Perini Corp., Sylmar, Calif., is being awarded $73,177,000 for firm-fixed-price task order #JQ01 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62742-10-D-1312) for construction of an aircraft parking apron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The work to be performed provides for the construction of an MV-22 aircraft portland cement concrete parking apron, hot mix asphalt apron replacement pavement, aircraft rinse facility, aircraft wash-rack facility, three direct fueling stations and a towway with retaining wall. Work will be performed in Yigo, Guam, and is expected to be completed by July 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Seven proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity.

Research and Engineering Development, LLC*, Lexington Park, Md., is being awarded a $14,913,292 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00421-10-D-0001) for the procurement of acquisition, engineering, analysis, development and integration services in support of irregular warfare efforts sponsored by the Naval Air Systems Command’s Human Systems Department. Work will be performed in Patuxent River, Md. (90 percent), and various locations outside the United States (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

Ocean Systems Engineering Corp., Oceanside, Calif., is being awarded $12,179,394 for task order #0087 under previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (M67854-02-A-9020) for engineering and scientific support for networking and satellite communications. The scope of this statement of work is to provide engineering and technical support, on-going acquisition support, financial support, logistics support, website development and management, manpower, personnel, and training analysis report development and assessment, manpower, personnel, and training plan, development and support, administrative support and managerial support. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Communications, Intelligence and Networking Systems (CINS) Product Group (PG)’s mission is to act as the central agent for the research, development, acquisition, and life cycle management of communications, intelligence, surveillance, and networking systems throughout the Marine Corps. The PG’s assigned mission includes the responsibility of CINS for the operating forces and the supporting establishment. Work will be performed in Quantico, Va., and is expected to be completed in April 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $130,729 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps System Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Land & Armaments, LP, Ground Systems Division, York, Pa., is being awarded an $11,363,623 firm-fixed-priced modification to previously awarded delivery order #0011 under existing contract (M67854-07-D-5025) for the purchase of outside United States field service representative support (FSR) for the installation of the independent suspension kits and engineering change proposal kits on the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) RG-33 vehicles, vehicle emergency egress windows, U.S. Special Operations Command A1 vehicle physical configuration audit, and FSR support for Kuwait. Work will be performed at the MRAP sustainment facilities in Iraq and Kuwait (69 percent), and in York, Pa. (31 percent). All work is expected to be completed by December 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $3,500,820 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Va., is the contracting activity.

Guam Pacific International, LLC*, Barrigada, Guam, is being awarded $9,121,560 for firm-fixed-price task order #0002 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40192-10-D-2800) for construction of water and wastewater utility services to the North Ramp Area of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The work to be performed provides for the potable water distribution system, gravity sewer collection, and sewer force main that extends service to the North Ramp Area and connects to the existing gravity sewer system. The system includes fire hydrants, valves, sewer manholes, air/vacuum valves, wastewater metering, lift stations, and standby power generation. Work will be performed in Yigo, Guam, and is expected to be completed by January 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Marianas, Guam, is the contracting activity.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stratford, Conn., is being awarded a $7,073,193 firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-07-D-0004) to exercise an option for the fiscal 2011 VH-60N executive helicopter special progressive aircraft rework, including vendor repairables and component overhaul. Work will be performed in Stratford, Conn., and is expected to be completed in February 2012. Contract funds in the amount of $7,073,193 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Tennier Industries*, Boca Raton, Fla., was awarded a firm-fixed-price, exigency procurement contract made in accordance with 10 USC 2304(c)(2) with a maximum $42,989,800 for delivery of modular sleep systems. Other location of performance is Tennessee. Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. The date of performance completion is Jan. 3, 2012. The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM1C1-11-C-0016).

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY

The Missile Defense Agency is awarding Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., a cost-plus-incentive-fee/cost-plus-award-fee modification with technical/schedule performance incentives for a total value of $34,417,462 under Missile Defense Agency contract HQ0276-10-C-0001. The modification accounts for schedule and within scope adjustments to Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Baseline 4.0.1 development and multi-mission signal processor (MMSP) development under two separate contract line items. For 4.0.1, the change accounts for an initial delay in the certification schedule and an adjustment in the test plan originally contained in the 4.0.1 completion contract line item. For MMSP, the increase is associated with an extension to the development schedule to account for alignment with changes to the ACB-12 overall combat system development and integration program plan, and attributable to a delay in delivery of government furnished equipment. The work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J. The performance period for this contract is through December 2014. Fiscal 2011 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be used to fund this effort. The Missile Defense Agency is the contracting activity.

ARMY

Northrop Grumman Systems, Azuza, Calif., was awarded on April 4 $24, 363, 513 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for additional direct productive person hours of engineering services support in support of the Joint Tactical Ground Station Program. Work will be performed in Azuza, Calif., Colorado Springs, Colo., and Boulder, Colo., with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2013. One bid was solicited with one bid received. The U.S. Army Space & Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting activity (DASG60-94-C-0073).

Correction to Army contract (W56HZV-09-D-0111), release number 106-11, issued Feb. 7, 2011. Oshkosh Corporation, Oshkosh, Wis., was awarded a $101,920,000 firm-fixed-price indefinite delivery / indefinite quantity contract Feb. 7, 2011. The award will provide for 2,080 underbody improvement kits to support the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected All-Terrain Vehicle. Work will be performed in Oshkosh, Wis., with an estimated completion date of May 31, 2012. One bid were solicited with one bid received. The U.S. Army TACOM LCMC, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity (W56HZV-09-D-0111).

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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: SpaceX Announces Launch Date For The World's Most Powerful Rocket

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: SpaceX Announces Launch Date For The World's Most Powerful Rocket
(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - April 6, 2011: Today, Elon Musk, CEO and chief rocket designer of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) unveiled the dramatic final specifications and launch date for the Falcon Heavy, the world's largest rocket.

“Falcon Heavy will carry more payload to orbit or escape velocity than any vehicle in history, apart from the Saturn V moon rocket, which was decommissioned after the Apollo program. This opens a new world of capability for both government and commercial space missions,” Musk told a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC.

“Falcon Heavy will arrive at our Vandenberg, California, launch complex by the end of next year, with liftoff to follow soon thereafter. First launch from our Cape Canaveral launch complex is planned for late 2013 or 2014.”

Musk added that with the ability to carry satellites or interplanetary spacecraft weighing over 53 metric tons or 117,000 pounds to orbit, Falcon Heavy will have more than twice the performance of the Delta IV Heavy, the next most powerful vehicle, which is operated by United Launch Alliance, a Boeing-Lockheed Martin joint venture.

53 metric tons is more than the maximum take-off weight of a fully-loaded Boeing 737-200 with 136 passengers. In other words, Falcon Heavy can deliver the equivalent of an entire commercial airplane full of passengers, crew, luggage and fuel all the way to orbit.

View the launch simulation video at: www.spacex.com

Falcon Heavy’s first stage will be made up of three nine-engine cores, which are used as the first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle. It will be powered by SpaceX’s upgraded Merlin engines currently being tested at the SpaceX rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas. Falcon Heavy will generate 3.8 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. This is the equivalent to the thrust of fifteen Boeing 747s taking off at the same time.

Above all, Falcon Heavy has been designed for extreme reliability. Unique safety features of the Falcon 9 are preserved, such as the ability to complete its mission even if multiple engines fail. Like a commercial airliner, each engine is surrounded by a protective shell that contains a worst case situation like fire or a chamber rupture, preventing it from affecting other engines or the vehicle itself.

Anticipating potential astronaut transport needs, Falcon Heavy is also designed to meet NASA human rating standards, unlike other satellite launch vehicles. For example, this means designing to higher structural safety margins of 40% above flight loads, rather than the 25% level of other rockets, and triple redundant avionics.

Falcon Heavy will be the first rocket in history to do propellant cross-feed from the side boosters to the center core, thus leaving the center core with most of its propellant after the side boosters separate. The net effect is that Falcon Heavy achieves performance comparable to a three stage rocket, even though only the upper stage is airlit, further improving both payload performance and reliability. Crossfeed is not required for missions below 100,000 lbs, and can be turned off if desired.

Despite being designed to higher structural margins than other rockets, the side booster stages will have a mass ratio (full of propellant vs empty) above 30, better than any vehicle of any kind in history.

Falcon Heavy, with more than twice the payload, but less than one third the cost of a Delta IV Heavy, will provide much needed relief to government and commercial budgets. In fact, Falcon Heavy at approximately $1,000 per pound to orbit, sets a new world record in affordable spaceflight.

This year, even as the Department of Defense budget was cut, the EELV launch program, which includes the Delta IV, still saw a thirty percent increase.

The 2012 budget for four Air Force launches is $1.74B, which is an average of $435M per launch. Falcon 9 is offered on the commercial market for $50-60M and Falcon Heavy is offered for $80-$125M. Unlike our competitors, this price includes all non-recurring development costs and on-orbit delivery of an agreed upon mission. For government missions, NASA has added mission assurance and additional services to the Falcon 9 for less than $20M.

Vehicle Overview
Mass to Orbit (200 km, 28.5 deg):53 metric tons (117,000 lb)
Length:69.2 m (227 ft)
Max Stage Width:5.2 m (17 ft)
Total Width:11.6 meters (38 ft)
Weight at Liftoff:1,400 metric tons or 3.1 million lbs
Thrust on Liftoff:1,700 metric tons or 3.8 million lbs

Please note that Falcon Heavy should not be confused with the super heavy lift rocket program being debated by the U.S. Congress. That vehicle is authorized to carry between 70-130 metric tons to orbit. SpaceX agrees with the need to develop a vehicle of that class as the best way to conduct a large number of human missions to Mars.

The Falcon Heavy Rocket will be the most capable rocket in the world. Credit: SpaceX

About SpaceX

SpaceX develops, manufactures and launches family of launch vehicles and spacecraft that are increasing the reliability and performance of space transportation, while ultimately reducing costs by a factor of ten. With the Falcon rockets, SpaceX has a diverse manifest of launches to deliver commercial and government satellites to orbit. After the Space Shuttle retires, the Falcon 9 and SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will start carrying cargo, including live plants and animals, to and from the International Space Station for NASA. Falcon 9 and Dragon were developed to one day carry astronauts.

Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX is a private company owned by management and employees, with minority investments from Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Valor Equity Partners. The company has over 1,250 employees in California, Texas and Florida. For more information, and to watch the video of the Falcon 9 and Dragon launches, visit the SpaceX website at SpaceX.com.

Contact: Kirstin Brost SpaceX (202) 649-2716 media@spacex.com
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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Systems Awarded A Contract To Supply Soltam's Artillery Systems

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: Elbit Systems Awarded A Contract To Supply Soltam's Artillery Systems
(NSI News Source Info) HAIFA, Israel, - April 6, 2011: Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) ("Elbit Systems") announced today that it was awarded a contract to supply self-propelled artillery and accompanying systems to an African country. The contract, valued at approximately $24 million, will be performed over the next two years. This is the first contract announcement regarding Soltam Systems Ltd. ("Soltam") since its recent acquisition by Elbit Systems.

The contract calls for the supply of a complete solution, including Soltam's ATMOS self-propelled artillery, command stations, observation and target acquisition systems, as well as fire control and command and control systems. In addition, Elbit Systems will manage the training and maintenance during the project's duration.

Bezalel Machlis, Elbit Systems' Executive Vice President and General Manager - Land and C4I Division, commented: "This new contract highlights the high synergetic value within our various land activities, allowing us to provide our customers with complete unique solutions, from artillery platforms, to target acquisition systems, through to advanced command and control solutions that connect all of the systems." Machlis added: "Our integrative solution, combining Soltam's artillery systems and our range of advanced electronic capabilities, provides a cutting-edge operational solution suitable for the growing trend of a transition to wheeled mobile platforms for artillery."

About Elbit Systems

Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international defense electronics company engaged in a wide range of programs throughout the world. The Company, which includes Elbit Systems and its subsidiaries, operates in the areas of aerospace, land and naval systems, command, control, communications, computers, intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance ("C4ISR"), unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), advanced electro-optics, electro-optic space systems, EW suites, airborne warning systems, ELINT systems, data links and military communications systems and radios. The Company also focuses on the upgrading of existing military platforms, developing new technologies for defense, homeland security and commercial aviation applications and providing a range of support services.

For additional information, visit: http://www.elbitsystems.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward Looking Statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

    Contacts:

Company Contact:
Joseph Gaspar, Executive VP & CFO
Tel: +972-4-8316663
 j.gaspar@elbitsystems.com

Dalia Rosen, VP, Head of Corporate
Communications
Tel: +972-4-8316784
dalia.rosen@elbitsystems.com
Elbit Systems Ltd.

IR Contact:

Ehud Helft
Kenny Green
CCG Investor Relations
Tel: +1-646-201-9246
 e-mail: elbitsystems@ccgisrael.com

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DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: KinetX Extends Its Reach To Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems

DTN News - DEFENSE NEWS: KinetX Extends Its Reach To Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems
(NSI News Source Info) PHOENIX, - April 6, 2011: KinetX, Inc., a small aerospace technologies company based in Tempe, AZ, has expanded its offerings with subsystems for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs. Currently working in this arena for the Department of Defense, KinetX drew on its engineers' considerable background in communications systems for satellites and for Motorola's ground based cellular systems.
The KinetX Hardware Engineering group is formed from the core team that designed and built the processors for the Iridium® global satellite communications system, and became part of the KinetX team several years ago.

KinetX, Inc. has about 70 employees and provides high-end aerospace services and products in the areas of software, systems, and hardware engineering, and has a special focus in the area of orbital and space flight dynamics for deep space as well as earth-oriented spacecraft. KinetX for many years has worked in the areas of commercial, scientific, and Department of Defense endeavors.

The company provided critical support for Motorola's efforts in building the Iridium system, in various areas, such as orbital dynamics software, mission planning, and earth station calibration. KinetX recently achieved the distinction playing a key role in navigating the MESSENGER spacecraft into orbit around Mercury, a first for space exploration. KinetX has worked numerous contracts for Department of Defense systems, including communications systems, satellite systems for missile defense, and space situational awareness.

KinetX also recently achieved a CMMI Level 3 assessment from the Software Engineering Institute and is the first small or medium sized company in the greater Phoenix, AZ area to do so.

KinetX prides itself on the individual talents of its workforce, whose people come from organizations such as Lockheed, Motorola, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, MIT, and other distinguished institutions. Many have marked notable achievements prior to joining KinetX, including designing and building systems for NASA shuttle missions and NASA scientific spacecraft, designing and building base stations for cellular networks, planning the early growth of Federal Express, and many more. KinetX takes a comprehensive, forward-looking systems view in its work, and is often called upon by large aerospace organizations to not only help get systems designed, but also develop, test, and validate them operationally.

Contact: Kjell Stakkestad, President and CEO, kjell@kinetx.com , www.kinetx.com, 480-829-6600

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