Raytheon is to produce Paveway IIlaser-guided bomb kits for the US Air Force and US Navy under a fiscal year 2004 allocation worth $81.2 million. Lockheed Martin receives an additional $34.8 million under the award. Raytheon also received a further contract to supply the USAFwith Paveway IIfront-end guidance units. General Atomics is to develop the specifications for a production weaponised MQ-9A Predator B unmanned air vehicle under a $17 million US Air Force contract. Boeing and Ball Aerospace will develop and initially operate the Space-based Space Surveillance (SBSS)system, to detect and track space objects, under a $189 million US Air Force contract. Scheduled for launch by late 2007, the SBSS satellite will also calculate space-debris collision avoidance measures for the International Space Station. Rockwell Collins is to adapt its Common Avionics Architecture System, developed for US Army special-operations helicopters, for the Sikorsky VH-60N presidential helicopter cockpit upgrade under a $8.1 million US Navy contract. EADS Defence Electronics is to produce 400 power amplifiers for the Multifunction Information Distribution System datalink under a €20 million ($24 million)deal. Honeywell is to provide enhanced traffic collision avoidance systems (ETAS) for 129 US Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130Hs. ETAS extends surveillance range and co-ordinates formation flying. Under a $7.2 million contract from Northrop Grumman, FLIR Systems is to supply ThermoVision Sentry infrared cameras for perimeter security around US air bases world-wide under the US Air Force Tactical Automated Security System programme. Boeing is to provide Block II upgrade kits for AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles for the Australian Defence Force under a $20 million contract. Northrop Grumman is to supply 13 additional Litening targeting pods to the US Air National Guard under a $15 million contract.
Source: Flight International
