■ Bell Helicopter has received a $137.4 million contract for the first seven new-build UH-1Y utility helicopters for the US Marine Corps. Ten UH-1Ys and six AH-1Z attack helicopters - all remanufactured - are already on contract under the H-1 upgrade programme.
■ Saab Aerotech has been awarded a SKr105 million ($14.4 million) contract to upgrade two Saab S100B Argus airborne early-warning and control aircraft for the Swedish air force. The work will run until early 2008.
■ L-3 Link Training & Simulation has won a potential $95 million US Navy contract to continue operating the Boeing E-6B aircrew training system for up to nine years. The contract includes a new Level D-equivalent E-6B operational flight trainer and visual, computer and other upgrades to two existing E-6B simulators.
■ US Congress has been notified of a proposed $350 million sale of 24 Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters to continue the modernisation and expansion of the Royal Saudi Land Forces' rotary-wing fleet.
■ Embraer has awarded Elbit Systems an approximately $17 million contract to provide cockpit avionics and logistics support for the Colombian air force's future fleet of 22 EMB-314 Super Tucanos.
■ GKN Aerospace is to supply the completed airframes for 70 Future Lynx helicopters for the UK Ministry of Defence under a £50 million ($93 million) contract from AgustaWestland.
■ The US Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $13 million contract to develop two helicopter self-protection systems capable of detecting and locating hostile fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades for flight test during 2008.
■ Thales UK has provided a rear crew synthetic trainer for the UK Royal Air Force's Westland Sea King HAR3/3A training service operated at RAF St Mawgan.
Source: Flight International
