General Electric has received a five-year, $1.92 billion contract to supply F414 engines for US Navy Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets. The deal covers 480 engines to be delivered between March 2003 and February 2008, but provides flexibility to adjust the quantity to between 420 and 625 engines. Options for spare engines and modules are worth another $160 million. GE has delivered 230 F414s under previous contracts for 299 engines.
MTC Technologies has received a $17.9 million contract to upgrade communications equipment on US Air Force Boeing KC-135s under the Roll-On Beyond Line-of-Sight Enhancement programme.
Eurocopter Deutschland is to upgrade 38 German army Sikorsky CH-53s for flight in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), under a €20.3 million ($19.8 million) contract. The 19 CH-53G and 19 CH-53GS medium transport helicopters will be equipped with liquid-crystal multifunction displays, global positioning satellite navigation, a second VHF/AM radio and civil distance-measuring equipment replacing military TACAN. The upgrade, to be completed in 2005, will increase mission capability and enable the helicopters to meet civil IMC rules.
Marshall Aerospace is to upgrade three Lockheed Martin C-130K Hercules sold by the UK government to Austria. Work includes equipping the transports with traffic alert and collision avoidance systems, dual inertial navigation systems and engine instrumentation display systems. The first aircraft is due to be handed over in December.
Eurocopter has awarded Australia's ADI two contracts worth A$150 million ($83.6 million) to help develop communications systems and ground mission equipment.
L-3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training division will provide support for US Navy and US Marine Corps Boeing F/A-18 training devices in the USA and Japan under a one-year, $5.8 million contract.
Source: Flight International
