Fire Control Systems News

The Dutch Ministry of Defence, Damen, and Thales have signed the contract for the design, construction, and delivery of four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Frigates; two for the Netherlands and two for Belgium, focused on anti-submarine warfare.The agreement was signed on HNLMS Karel Doorman, the Royal Netherlands Navy's largest ship, by the Dutch Defence State Secretary Christophe van der Maat, Damen Shipyards Group CEO Arnout Damen, Damen Naval Managing Director Roland Briene…

It is no secret that the Spanish shipbuilding sector has hit on hard times, particularly in the big ship sector where much of the commercial business has evolved to lower cost manufacturers in the Far East. But considering that Navantia has a 300-year history, the current downturn is put in perspective. While Navantia is not without challenges, it has the aforementioned experience and a military backlog to lean on. Navantia is engaged in the design and manufacture of Integrated Platform Management Systems…

Elmer A. Sperry casts a long shadow over the history of modern naval, nautical and aeronautical technology, one few people know much about, but should, for a man crowned both the “father of modern navigational technology” and “the father of automatic feedback and control systems,” as well as a pioneer of rocket and missile technology. “It is safe to say that no one American has contributed so much to our naval technical progress,” eulogized Charles Francis Adams III, Secretary of the Navy from 1929-1933, on the death of engineering genius Elmer Ambrose Sperry, June 16, 1930, at 69.

Zamakona Yards say they have successfully launched the 'Ocean Marilin' for owners Atlantic Offshore A.S. at their shipyard in Pasajes in Northern Spain. The shipbuilder explains that the principal mission of the vessel will be to provide immediate attention in emergency situations to offshore oil rigs and installations. Being especially adapted to the severe climatic conditions of the North Sea, it will commence operations for the Oil Company TOTAL in the second semester of 2014.

The Zamakona Yards Group said it has successfully launched the vessel Ocean Marilin in its installations in Pasajes in Northern Spain on January 31. The vessel is the second which Zamakona Yards has launched of the three vessels contracted with the Norwegian shipping company, Atlantic Offshore A.S. The principal mission of the vessel will be to provide immediate attention in emergency situations to Offshore Oil Rigs and Installations. Being especially adapted to the severe climatic conditions of the North Sea…

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to supply three AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for amphibious and Arleigh Burke class ships. Under the $20.4 million contract award, Northrop Grumman will supply three AN/SPQ-9B radar systems for delivery in the second quarter of 2015. This contract adds to the 53 radar systems the company has already delivered, or is under contract to deliver. Northrop Grumman began low-rate initial production of the AN/SPQ-9B in 2000 and full-rate production in 2004.

Contract announcements by U.S. Department of Defense (DofD) updated to 26, November 2012. BAE Systems Mayport, Jacksonville, Fla., is being awarded a $6,880,388 contract to perform maintenance and repair work including hull, machinery, electrical, electronics and piping repairs as required during selected restricted availability onboard the USS Taylor (FFG 50). Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Fla., and is expected to be completed by April 2013. Raytheon Co., Sudbury, Mass., is being awarded a five-year $75,700,000 firm-fixed-price performance based logistics requirements contract to support the AEGIS MK 99 fire control systems and the SPY-1 transmitter items. Contract funds in the amount of $16,143,340 will be obligated at the time of award. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has been selected by Canada's Department of National Defence (DND) to provide in-service support for the MK-49 inertial navigation systems and navigation data distribution systems fielded aboard surface ships and submarines of the Royal Canadian Navy. The $12.1 million contract, awarded by Public Works Government Services Canada, includes material spares and software maintenance for the next five years. This is the fourth in-service support contract that Northrop Grumman has received from the DND since 2001.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) received a follow-on order from the U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command for additional AN/SPQ-9B shipboard radar systems. Under the fixed-price $41.4m contract option, Northrop Grumman's Maritime Systems facility in Melville, N.Y., will supply six radar shipsets, including the third radar of a three-system procurement for the Royal Australian Navy's Air Warfare Destroyer, and three antenna groups. The follow-on order is part of a five-year $281.5m contract awarded last October to Northrop Grumman with options that encompass a number of ship classes including U.S. Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carriers, Ticonderoga-class cruisers and amphibious assault ships, the U.S.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, Pittsfield, Mass., is being awarded an $11,309,500 Undefinitized Contract Action (UCA) modification under previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract (N00030-08-C-0041) for strategic systems programs alternations for the SSP shipboard integration program, specifically the development of the SSI Increment 2 shipboard data system and the SSI Increment 4 US Mod 8 and UK Mod 9 fire control systems. The contractor shall also perform the additional formal qualification testing required for the U.S. 944 fire control Software revision. This UCA is being processed in order to meet the lead boat installation schedule, which requires development of said requirements to begin immediately.

Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:LMT) said it has been awarded a $20.6m contract to upgrade fire control systems on Australian naval ships. Lockheed said it will upgrade the MK92 Fire Control System to support the introduction of Standard Missile 2 capability on the Adelaide-class guided missile frigates. [Source: Thomson Financial]

The nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Tucson (SSN 770) departed on a Western Pacific deployment from its homeport of Pearl Harbor March 21. According to Cmdr. James Pitts, Tucson’s commanding officer, the crew prepared by conducting standard pre-deployment upkeep and maintenance. “In the last few months we went through a fairly sizable maintenance period. We needed to make sure the equipment is up to standards for deployment,” said Pitts. He said overall, the crew handled the maintenance and training superbly. Pitts added that Tucson is one of the more advanced 688 improved-class submarines on the waterfront. They have one of the most advanced fire control systems…

Northrop Grumman Corporation's Sperry Marine business unit has been selected to supply new-generation ring laser gyro inertial navigation systems for four Egyptian Navy Romeo-class submarines. and precise attitude, velocity and heading inputs for the submarines' navigation and fire-control systems. The $2.4 million contract was awarded by Lockheed Marine, Akron, Ohio, primary integrator for the electronic upgrades on the Romeo-class submarines. Sperry Marine will supply MK39 Mod 3A ring laser gyro systems for each of the four diesel-electric coastal submarines. Deliveries are scheduled to be completed by next fall. The scope of work includes equipment supply, engineering support, installation, commissioning and training.

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) won a contract from the Brazilian Navy to upgrade the primary navigation systems on its combat ships with new-generation state-of-the-art inertial navigation systems. The inertial-navigation-system equipment will be supplied by Northrop Grumman’s Sperry Marine business unit. The system, based on Sperry Marine’s ring-laser gyro technology, is designed to provide high-accuracy position data and precise attitude, velocity and heading inputs for the ship’s navigation and fire-control systems. The initial $2.1 million firm fixed price contract is the first phase of a multi-annual acquisition program to replace the installed Sperry Marine MK29 military gyrocompass systems.