Defense Systems

Air Force awards contract for additional wideband satellite

The Air Force has awarded a $182 million follow-on contract to Boeing as part of the continuing Wideband Global Satcom program.

Defense Systems

Inmarsat addresses expanding military broadband needs

Inmarsat plans to construct a substantially faster broadband service in response to the needs of government and other customers, reports Michael A. Taverna at Aviation Week.

Defense Systems

New sensors hunt for fertilizer bombs in Afghanistan

A new military program under way in Afghanistan seeks to track fertilizer-based improvised explosive devices by sniffing them out from the air, reports Spencer Ackerman at Wired's Danger Room blog.

Defense Systems

Army accepts first air defense battery operations center

The Army has accepted delivery of the first mobile battery engagement operations center for integrated air and missile defense from Northrop Grumman Corp., company officials said Aug. 17.

Defense Systems

The making of a stealth UAV

The next-generation of unmanned aerial vehicles will have stealth attributes and other capabilities that would give them a higher chance of survivability against ground and air threats on long-range strike missions, reports Colin Clark at DOD Buzz.

Defense Systems

Navy readies RQ-4 Global Hawk for maritime demo

Northrop Grumman Corp. will continue testing a maritime version of the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system under a $29.7 million Navy contract.

Defense Systems

Navy picks provider for software and program support

Stanley Inc. will provide support for Navy programs under two contracts totaling $11 million.

Defense Systems

Cobham delivers digital intercoms for Army vehicles

Cobham Defense Communications has gotten $26 million in contracts from Northrop Grumman Corp. to provide digital vehicular intercom systems that will be used on wheeled and tracked Army vehicles.

Defense Systems

Navy adds 556 contractors to SeaPort-e program

The Navy has qualified 556 additional contractors to compete for task orders under the SeaPort Enhanced acquisition program.

Defense Systems

Army picks contractor for key communications upgrades

The Army has awarded General Dynamics Information Technology $21.4 million in task orders to upgrade voice telecommunications switching capabilities at two key facilities as part of the ongoing convergence of voice and data network capabilities.

Defense Systems

DOD moves to shift $3.9B to pressing wartime needs

Defense Department planners want to shift a significant chunk of funding away from programs that are struggling or of low priority to more pressing needs to support the war effort in Afghanistan, reports Kate Brannan at Defense News.

Defense Systems

Navy plans seamless transition to NGEN

HP Enterprise Services LLC will support the transition from the Navy/Marine Corps Intranet to a next-generation program under a contract potentially worth $3.4 billion over five years.

Defense Systems

Terms for $5B satcom contract finalized by GSA

The General Services Administration released on July 6 a final request for proposals that will enable civilian and defense agencies to purchase much-needed commercial satellite communications, reports Emily Long at NextGov.

Defense Systems

Sensors warn of soldier brain injuries

BAE Systems will furnish sensors for helmets worn by soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan that can help warn of possible brain trauma resulting from close proximity to bomb explosions, reports UPI.com.

Defense Systems

Missile Defense Agency picks three for support work

Three contractors will vie for $565 million in advisory and assistance support services to the nation’s ballistic missile defense program under a newly awarded indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract.

Defense Systems

Global Hawk veers off course, official says

The official responsible for overseeing Air Force acquisition programs has singled out the Global Hawk program as one that has proved particularly troublesome from a number of angles, reports Colin Clark at DOD Buzz.

Defense Systems

DOD awards business transformation support contract

Science Applications International Corp. will furnish technical support to the Defense Department for its integrated business management functions under a new contract.

Defense Systems

Special Ops orders imaging systems for vehicles

The U.S. Special Operations Command has awarded a contract to FLIR Systems Inc. to furnish thermal imaging systems for its ground vehicles.

Defense Systems

Space sensor will help uncover insurgent activity

The Air Force is getting ready to deploy a hyperspectral imaging sensor in space that will boost the amount of real-time tactical surveillance data available to battlefield commanders.

Defense Systems

Air Force advances airborne control of drones

The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded Boeing Co. a new contract that involves the development and demonstration of technologies for the airborne launch and recovery of unmanned aerial vehicles.