L-3 Integrated Systems has received US Special Operations Command contracts totalling $63.2 million to repair and refurbish 33 A/MH-6M Little Bird helicopters and provide bare base sets to support special-operations missions. CAE USA is to provide reconfigurable MH-47G/MH-60K desktop and part-task trainers to US Army Special Operations Forces under a $5 million contract, and is negotiating to build MH-47G and MH-60K combat mission simulators worth $85 million. Boeing has received $7 million to cover restructuring the USAir Force's Common Low Observable Verification System programme to measure stealth aircraft radar cross-section on the flightline, after funding cuts forced extension of development. Quantum3D is to supply Independence image generators, visual databases, moving models and a database generation system for Lockheed Martin's F/A-22 air combat simulators. Boeing is to provide 15 additional ballistic-missile interceptors, four modified launch silos at Vandenberg AFB, California, and an upgraded early-warning radar under a $823 million US Missile Defence Agency contract for the Ground-based Midcourse Defence Block 2004 capability enhancement programme. Rockwell Collins is to supply dual head-up displays for 60 USAir Force and Marine Corps C-130Js under a $20 million contract from Lockheed Martin. International Launch Services is to launch the USAir Force's WGS-3 wideband gapfiller satellite in early 2006 on a Lockheed Martin Atlas V.
Source: Flight International
