The US Air Force has placed its first contract for Saab Avionics BOL countermeasures dispensers, to equip Boeing F-15s. The SEK90 million ($8.3 million) contract was awarded to BAE Systems, main contractor for the BOL system in the USA, and plans call for the entire F-15 fleet to be equipped. Thales Air Traffic Management has won a $121 million contract from the Brazilian air force for the modernisation of 79 radars. The work will be finished by 2004 and will extend the radars' life by 15 years. The USAF has awarded Raytheon a $19.7 million contract for two enhanced high band subsystems and spares to upgrade two Lockheed Martin EC-130Compass Call stand-off jamming aircraft. Northrop Grumman has received a $66 million engineering and manufacturing development contract from the USAF for the Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LIRCM). Production options are worth a further $112 million and 20 LIRCM systems will be installed on C-130s and Boeing C-17s. The UK has requested an $87 million foreign military sale of 48 Raytheon Tomahawk Block IIIC cruise missiles to replenish stocks on board the Royal Navy's submarines. Lockheed Martin is to produce nine Army Tactical Missile System (TACMS) Penetrator demonstration missiles under a $16.1 million contract which will integrate a prototype earth-penetrating warhead to improve the weapon's ability to destroy hard and deeply buried targets. The warhead is being developed for the US Navy by Sandia National Laboratories. The Army TACMS Penetrator will be fired from any upgraded Multiple Launch Rocket System. Computer Sciences has been awarded a $20 million contract from the US Navy Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center to provide engineering support for the Northrop Grumman E-2C airborne tactical data system. Orbital Sciences has received a $24 million US Army Space and Missile Defense Command contract for the Short Range Air Launch Target programme.
Source: Flight International
