Defence`s Feeds

Patriot system

The USA’s MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking Radar Intercept On Target (PATRIOT) anti-air missile system offers an advanced backbone for medium-range air defense, and short-range ballistic missile defense, to America and its allies. This article covers domestic and foreign purchase requests and contracts for Patriot systems. It also compiles information about the engineering service contracts that upgrade these systems, ensure that they continue to work, and integrate them with wider command and defense systems.

The Patriot missile franchise’s future appears assured. At present, 12 nations have chosen it as a key component of their air and missile defense systems: the USA, Germany, Greece, Japan, Israel, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UAE. Poland, Qatar, and Turkey have all indicated varying levels of interest, and some existing customers are looking to upgrade their systems.

The Patriot Missile Family PATRIOT Ground Systems BBC: 2013 report
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A Patriot firing battery includes several components: an antenna mast group, radar, electric power station, launchers, ECC command center, and maintenance center. They are carried on a mix of heavy and medium trucks.

The OE-349 antenna mast group is usually carried on a M927 5-Ton truck.

The radar set is either an AN/MPQ-53 radar for PAC-2 systems, or an AN/MPQ-65 for PAC-3 systems, and is carried by a 10-ton M983 HEMTT truck pulling a M860 semitrailer. That equipment needs a lot of power, hence the truck mounted electric power plant, with 2 150kW generators on a modified HEMTT.

An AN/MSQ-104 engagement control station acts as the command center, pulled by a 5-ton FMTV or similar truck, and a semi-trailer maintenance center rounds out the battery. A battalion is usually made up of 4-6 batteries, with a command center and maintenance center of its own. It can include up to 600 soldiers including command, maintenance, and other roles.

With the other ground elements deployed, the battery’s 8 x M901 launching stations can be effective, deploying over a wide area on fully self-contained M983 HEMTT trucks pulling M860 semitrailers. In a PAC-2 battery, each launching station has 4 missiles, for a total of 32. In a PAC-3 battery, each launching station has 16 missiles, for a total of 128.

Raytheon is the prime contractor for the Patriot system as a whole. The most current standard for the Patriot’s ground systems is known as “Configuration 3″, and is compatible with both PAC-2 and PAC-3 launchers.

Raytheon recently completed a major upgrade to the ECS’ interface and computing, is currently testing Gallium Nitride radar semiconductor components that would improve performance at all power levels, and has proposed a rotating radar with 360-degree field-of-view, instead of the current 120 degree regard and 90 degree fire control cone.

PATRIOT Missile Variants PAC-3 test launch
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PAC-2 GEM. In 2002, Raytheon completed a separate upgrade of their PAC-2 missiles, which became known as Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (GEM+). GEM missiles, including next-step upgrades like GEM-C/T, are essentially PAC-2 systems that still use the larger PAC-2 fragmentation missiles, but have a range of improvements to their guidance systems, fuzes, etc. GEM-T is optimized against tactical ballistic missiles, while GEM-C is optimized against cruise missiles. They’re fielded by the USA and by foreign militaries, such as Israel and South Korea. In 2003, the U.S. military launched approximately 20 PAC-2 missiles during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the majority of which were GEM interceptors.

PAC-3.The current US standard for new-build Patriot Missiles is the Patriot Advanced Capability 3. While Lockheed Martin’s missile is as long as previous Raytheon versions, it’s thinner and weighs only 30% as much (688 vs. 2,000 pounds). PAC-3 uses a “hit-to-kill” approach, instead of the PAC-2’s large fragmentation warhead, which allows it to packs more missiles per launcher (16 instead of 4). Its enhanced capabilities also allow it to be used for point defense against ballistic missiles, and its Config-3 ground systems also feature a range of improvements to the battery’s radar, communications, electronics, and software.

Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3 missile, including the hit-to-kill interceptor, the missile canister 4-packs, a fire solution computer, and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES). It has been exported to Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Taiwan, and the UAE. The latest PAC-3 variant is the PAC-3 CRI (Cost Reduction Initiative).

Beyond the USA, America is working with Japan on missile defense. Japan’s system will use the long-range naval SM-3 missiles as the outer layer, and Patriot PAC-3s as the point defense component. Japan has been licensed to produce its own Patriot PAC-3s.

A subsequent variant called the PAC-3 MSE was originally part of a canceled system called MEADS, but has been incorporated into the USA’s future plans. It’s covered as part of the USA’s ongoing PATRIOT programs.

The USA’s Patriot Programs Pure Fleet, etc. Patriot operation
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Budgets for PATRIOT systems as a whole are difficult to quantify, as recent years have seen them fully conflated with the separate MEADS program. Beyond MEADS, however, the U.S. Army has 2 important Patriot programs underway: “Pure Fleet” and “Grow the Army.”

Pure Fleet involves upgrading all its ground systems to Configuration-3. It will not necessarily replace all missiles in these batteries, which are often a mixed PAC-3/PAC-2 fleet, and are expected to remain so. What it will do, is make all batteries capable of firing the latest missiles, and ensure that the system’s technologies are kept up to date. This involves upgrades of multiple ground systems, and will be coupled with PAC-2 GEM-T missile upgrades under “continuous technology refreshment” programs.

Grow the Army was set to add 2 PAC-3 battalions to the Patriot force structure.

Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Patriot-based air-launched hit-to-kill (ALHTK) concept was a much more radical concept. It would be launched from fighter jets, and used to target ballistic missiles during their vulnerable but hard-to-reach launch phase. Initial studies were conducted, but neither this variant, nor Raytheon’s internally-mountable NCADE, managed to gain much traction.

Beyond Patriot, the USA has also been involved in the tri-national American/ German/ Italian MEADS project. Pentagon documents started to lump the Patriot and its successor MEADS together after 2006, making it difficult to track each system. The 2 air defense systems use very different technologies, but the Pentagon’s treatment of MEADS in its documents may have been prescient. MEADS became an R&D-only effort in 2011, and looks set to feed in some of its technologies as future PATRIOT upgrades. Patriot system production appears to be secure for the near future.

Even so, American production has tailed off, and the production line has been weighted in favor of foreign orders:

After 2013’s orders are delivered, foreign orders will be the only thing sustaining PAC-3 missile production. The reason for that is a new missile. The multinational MEADS R&D program looks set to end, but it produced a PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) design that will become part of existing PATRIOT batteries.

Over the Horizon: PAC-3 MSE PAC-3 MSE drawing
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One element that will survive from MEADS is the improved PAC-3 MSE missile, which is becoming its own program. PAC-3 MSE is designed to be a longer range missile that is more agile, and able to counter both tactical ballistic missiles and more conventional threats. Improvements begin with a higher performance, dual-pulse, 11″ diameter Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) design, a thermally hardened front end for longer fly out, enlarged fixed fins, more responsive control surfaces, upgraded guidance software, an improved Hit-To-Kill system, and upgraded batteries. They’re also pushing toward Insensitive Munitions (IM) compliance in order to lower safety risks, and a more compliant SRM propellant is being developed. The missile’s “single canister” design concept is similar to the Navy’s approach with its “all-up-rounds” for delivery, transport storage, and firing.

The MSE takes the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) missile design as its base, and the Army hopes this will lower its overall cost per missile. By 2015, the Army expects the more capable PAC-3 MSE to cost less per missile (around $7.5 million) than the current PAC-3 (about $7.6 million), with costs continuing to drop toward an average of about $5.5 million over the life of the program. The USA plans to order 1,680 of them in the coming years.

Patriot Engineering Services Contracts ECS command vehicle
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PATRIOT Engineering support is a sole source contract initiated on Aug 26/03 by the Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-04-C-0020). A follow-on contract was issued in FY 2009 (W31P4Q-09-C-0057).

Raytheon releases note that “engineering support” includes system and software engineering, hardware engineering, system testing, quality assurance, configuration management, logistic support and program management. The contract also funds specific tasks, including the implementation of the architecture for the first phase of the Combined Aggregate Program (CAP), CAP phase 2 studies, system of system architecture studies, Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) missile integration and missile segment enhancement, and conducting annual service practice missile firings. The CAP program aligns the Patriot system to incorporate and field Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Major End Items (MEIs) as they become available.

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The overall program is an international cooperative effort, in which foreign partners both fund and benefit from common support. The FY 2004 – 2009 umbrella contract called for engineering services tasks to be performed specifically for Germany, Greece, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Spain, and Taiwan. Beginning in 2009, South Korea and the UAE added themselves to that list.

What follows are all of the publicly-announced disbursements since the FY 2004 base award:

Work on PATRIOT Engineering Services is generally performed at Raytheon IDS HQ in Tewksbury, MA; its Integrated Air Defense Center in next-door Andover, MA; its Missile Defense Center in Woburn, MA; its Integrated Force Protection and Security Center in Huntsville, AL; its Mission Capability Verification Center at White Sands Missile Range, NM; and additional Raytheon facilities that include Burlington, MA and El Paso, TX. The vast majority of work is done in Tewksbury and Andover, MA. These facilities also process Patriot Advanced Configuration-2 (PAC-2) and Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) missiles for stockpile reliability testing, recertification and repair in support of the Patriot Field Surveillance program.

Other PATRIOT-Related Contracts & Events

Unless otherwise specified, contracts are awarded by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL.

FY 2015

Purchases: Kuwait, Taiwan, Qatar, UAE; Requests: Saudi Arabia. PAC-3 MSE
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May 19/15: Raytheon was awarded a $7 million contract modification in support of the UAE’s Patriot systems, with this totaling 138 man-months of work. The GCC member state first procured the systems in 2008, with the country operating the PAC-3 variant.

April 24/15: The undisclosed customer in Raytheon’s $2 billion contract announced earlier this week for Patriot air defense systems is now thought to be Saudi Arabia. The company secured a multi-billion dollar contract with Poland this week, with the Patriot system also a contender for Germany’s air defense modernization requirement.

April 20/15: On Friday, Raytheon announced the award of a $2 billion contract to an undisclosed international customer for the supply of new-production Patriot systems, training and support. The precise variant of the system was not revealed, however the new systems will include the “latest technology for improved threat detection, identification and engagement,” which sounds like the PAC-3 variant.

Nov 5/14: Korea. The US DSCA announces South Korea’s official export request for PAC-3 missiles to upgrade its Korea Air Missile Defense (KAMD) system from its existing PAC-2 GEM-Ts. This will create better interoperability with American forces in theater, while enhancing the country’s ballistic missile defenses (q.v. March 12/14). The estimated cost is up to $1.405 billion, and includes:

• 136 PAC-3 Missiles with containers
  
• 2 Patriot-As-A-Target (PAAT) Flight Test Targets with 2 PAC-3 Telemetry Kits
  
• 10 Fire Solution Computers
  
• 18 Launcher Station Modification Kits
  
• 8 Guided Missile Transporters
  
• 8 Missile Round Trainers
  
• 8 PAC-3 Slings
  
• 13 Installation Kits for TPX-58 Identification Friend or Foe with KIV-77 crypto
  
• PAC-3 Ground Support Equipment (GSE)
  
• 10 Shorting Plugs
  
• 77 Defense Advanced Global Positioning Receivers (DAGR GPS) and Installation Kits
  
• Patriot Fiber Optic Modem
  
• 4 AN/VRC-90E Radios with Installation Kits
  
• 10 Patriot Automated Logistics System Kits
  
• Plus the usual spare and repair parts, support equipment, communication equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and US Government and contractor support.

The principal contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA (config-3 ground systems); and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX (PAC-3 missiles). Implementation of this proposed sale won’t require the assignment of any additional US Government or contractor personnel to Korea, beyond temporary in-country visits to meet program technical and management oversight and support requirements. Sources: US DSCA #14-52, “Republic of Korea – Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missiles”.

DSCA request: South Korea (136 PAC-3 & Config-3 upgrades)

Oct 14/14: PATRIOT. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $595.5 million foreign military sales contract modification, covering FY 2014 production for Kuwait, Taiwan, Qatar, and the UAE. They’re selling 152 PAC-3 cost reduction initiative missiles, 15 PAC-3 launcher modification kits, and the associated ground equipment, tooling, and initial spares. $543 million is committed immediately.

The PAC-3 CRI missile was used as the base for the PAC-3 MSE missile, but the MSE also adds a number of new technologies, and changes the missile’s structure. In contrast, PAC-3 CRI missiles offer PAC-3 performance at a slightly lower cost.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Lufkin, and El Paso, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; Huntsville, AL; and Anaheim, CA; and will continue until May 31/16. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-14-C-0034, PO 0008).

PAC-3 missiles: Kuwait, Qatar, Taiwan, UAE

Oct 1/14: Saudi Arabia. The US DSCA announces a Saudi Arabian export request for more PATRIOT PAC-3 missiles, with Lockheed Martin in Dallas, TX and Raytheon in Tewksbury, MA as the designated contractors to negotiate with. the contract could be worth up to $1.75 billion, on top of previous request and sales involving a $1.7 billion upgrade of PATRIOT systems to Config-3 status for PAC-3 missile use (q.v. Nov 30/11), high-end maintenance and re-certification contracts (q.v. Dec 23/11, Nov 28/12), and a national C4I system (q.v. Nov 26/12).

This time, they want to buy up to 202 PATRIOT PAC-3 Missiles with containers, and 1 Patriot as a Target (PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missile GEM Flight Test Target). They also want up to 36 Launcher Station Modification Kits, 6 Fire Solution Computers, 6 Patriot Automated Logistics Systems Kits, 2 PAC-3 Telemetry Kits, 2 Missile Round Trainers, 2 PAC-3 Slings, 6 Shorting Plugs, spare and repair parts, lot validation and range support, ground support equipment, repair and return, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, a Quality Assurance Team, and other US Government and contractor support.

“The proposed sale will help replenish Saudi’s current [PAC-2] Patriot missiles which are becoming obsolete and difficult to sustain due to age and the limited availability of repair parts. The purchase of PAC-3 missiles will support current and future defense missions…. Although [industrial] offsets are requested, they are unknown at this time and will be determined during negotiations between the KSA and contractor.”

Implementation of this proposed program will require 1 additional US contractor to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for a period of 3 years for equipment fielding and system checkout. Sources: US DSCA #14-43, “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) – Patriot Air Defense System with PAC-3 Enhancement”.

DSCA request: Saudis (202 PAC-3s)

FY 2014

Purchases: USA, Kuwait, Qatar; Requests: Saudi Arabia, South Korea; 2 batteries deployed to Turkey; DOT&E highlight reliability issues with radar, Raytheon crafts significant system upgrades for Polish competition, becomes a finalist; South Korea buys PAC-2 GEM-Ts, will upgrade to PAC-3/Config-3. Greek PAC-2
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July 16/14: Upgrades. Raytheon announces a $235.5 million full rate production contract for Radar Digital Processor (RDP) kits, to upgrade PATRIOT systems for the USA and 2 partner nations. The changes will also allow support for the new PAC-3 MSE missile. As DID discussed when covering industrial process and component increases (q.v. May 10/14):

“The introduction of the new Radar Digital Processor in the Configuration-3 radar eliminates older components, provides a 12x improvement in mean time between failure, and increases radar processing efficiency. Innovations include radar system chips that have shrunk by 87.5%, and would almost fit into the grooves on a dime’s side. Meanwhile, Radar Digital Processor has dropped from 435 circuit cards to 5 in one of its assemblies, 16 power supplies have been combined into 1, and wiring that used to require 31 cables now takes 10. The space this opened up could house some refrigerator models, and is available for future upgrades.”

Raytheon also expects 40% improvement in Mea Time Between Failure, and notes that reducing the number of battery replaceable units from 759 to 56 should provide some maintenance savings. US Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract. Sources: Raytheon, “US Army awards Raytheon $235.5 million contract for Patriot”.

July 15/14: R&D. Raytheon touts successful prototyping of Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) technologies into the PATRIOT system’s radar. It’s part of a wider, privately-developed upgrade that will also include 360 degree coverage (q.v. June 12/14), and goes beyond extensive manufacturing and design improvements within the existing technology framework (q.v. May 10/13):

“…these technologies will significantly increase the defended area and decrease the time to detect, discriminate and engage threats. The introduction of GaN-based AESA technologies will also further improve reliability and lower the life cycle costs for the Patriot radar, beyond what has already been achieved with other recent Patriot radar improvements.”

Raytheon has made significant investments in GaN as a better base for semiconductors, and is also working with materials like synthetic diamond’s improved heat dissipation for denser circuits. GaN is more expensive than standard Gallium Arsenide, so for the moment it’s restricted to high-value applications like radars that appreciate its performance boost. Sources: Raytheon, “Raytheon demonstrates successful prototyping of AESA/GaN technologies into Patriot radar”.

July 14/14: Qatar. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel hosts Qatar’s Minister of State for Defense Affairs Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah at the Pentagon, where they sign letters of offer and acceptance worth around $11 billion for AH-64E Apache helicopters, Patriot PAC-3 air and missile defense systems (q.v. March 27/14, July 8/14), and FGM-148 Javelin Block 1 anti-tank missiles.

Details remain scarce, but their Nov 7/12 DSCA request covered up to 11 fire units, using Config-3 ground equipment and a combination of PAC-2 GEM-T (246) and PAC-3 (768) interceptor missiles. Lockheed Martin’s Oct 15/14 release only says that the initial contract “…is for missile and command launch system production.” Sources: Pentagon, “U.S., Qatar Sign Letters on $11 Billion in Helicopters, Defense Systems” | Lockheed Martin, “Qatar Becomes 8th International Customer for Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile”.

Qatar PATRIOT systems

July 14/14: Kuwait. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $28.5 million modification for PATRIOT PAC-3 Launcher Modification Kit Phase II Redesigns, on behalf of Kuwait. All funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed at Grand Prairie, TX; Clearwater, FL; Minneapolis, MN; and Aguadilla, PR; and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/17. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-12-G-0001, PO 0007).

July 8/14: Sub-contractors. Japan’s new relaxation of its self-imposed arms export ban may be about to benefit Qatar, via a sub-component of Qatar’s PAC-2 GEM-T missiles. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries already manufactures the PAC-2 GEM missile and related ground equipment for Japan, under a license agreement with Raytheon. They also assemble PAC-3 missiles under an agreement with Lockheed Martin.

The report said that MHI would produce a “key component of the infrared seeker set into the tip of the missile to identify and track incoming targets,” but Raytheon has confirmed that the PAC-2 GEM-T has no such infrared component. They’ve also confirmed that this is still just a discussion about incorporating components manufactured by MHI, rather than a hard agreement. Sources: Raytheon | Channel NewsAsia, “Japan reportedly set for first arms export under new rules”.

June 30/14: Poland. Poland’s MON announces the Wisla air and missile defense program’s finalists: Raytheon (q.v. June 12/14), and EuroSAM. Poland won’t become part of the MEADS program, nor will it buy Israel’s David’s Sling. The 2-stage technical dialogue led Poland to conclude that they required an operational system that “znajdowac sie na uzbrojeniu panstw NATO.” Once those requirements were set, MEADS and David’s Sling failed to qualify. Sources: Poland MON, “Kolejny etap realizacji programu Wisla zakonczony”.

June 12/14: Poland, Upgrades. Raytheon Company and Bumar Elektronika announce a partnership to design and develop a modernized Patriot Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) antenna that can upgrade previous ground systems. Meanwhile, Raytheon has begun laying out its broader vision for WISLA.

The IFF system will be used as part of an “advanced Patriot 360 degree radar.” Raytheon says that it would be based on the current AN/APG-65 with the new Radar Digital Processor, but it would carry an all-new antenna, and rotate for full hemispheric coverage. The result would also be an attractive upgrade for customers whose emplaced PATRIOTs are currently limited to a 120 degree field of regard. It would also bring Raytheon closer to parity with Lockheed’s MEADS, which substitutes three 360-degree radars (2 X-band MFCR, 1 UHF-band VSR) in place of the PATRIOT system’s single G-band MPQ-53 (PAC-2) or MPQ-65 (PAC-3).

A new open-architecture, NATO-compatible Common Command and Control (CC2) system would be a joint Raytheon-Polish development, incorporating PATRIOT fire control software, but allowing the integration of options like NASAMS and other systems. CC2’s design, development, and testing would be done in partnership with Polish industry, with the final product produced in Poland.

Missile choice would be up to Poland. Raytheon makes PAC-2 GEM missiles, while Lockheed Martin makes PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE missiles. To flank their rival at the high end, Raytheon is offering a “new advanced Low Cost Interceptor (LCI)” option. This refers to Raytheon’s PAAC-4 offering, which can add RAFAEL’s Stunner missiles from the competing David’s Sling air defense/ ABM system. If previous reports are true (q.v. May 14/14), Raytheon has effectively recruited their Israeli competitor into their team. The final LCI missile solution would be based on Polish requirements, and it’s worth noting that Raytheon is also RAFAEL’s partner for the famous Iron Dome counter-rocket system. Sources: Direct discussions | Raytheon, “Poland’s Bumar Elektronika and Raytheon Partner to Develop New Patriot IFF Antenna”.

May 19/14: Support. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $212.3 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity foreign military sales contract, for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missile Support Center’s services to PAC-3 customers.

Funding and work location will be determined with each order, from customers including Japan, Taiwan, Germany, Netherlands, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Estimated completion date is Dec 31/17. This contract is for 3.5 years instead of 1, but it’s a full order of magnitude larger than similar contracts since 2006. The US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL acts as their agent (W31P4Q-13-D-0030, PO 0006). See also Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin Receives $212 Million Contract for PAC-3 Missile Support”.

April 28/14: South Korea. South Korea’s defense establishment formally confirms their intent to upgrade existing PATRIOT systems to PAC-3/Config-3 status (q.v. March 12/14). The budget is WON 1.3 – 1.4 trillion (about $1.25 billion), and they aim to deploy the system between 2016 – 2020. Sources: The Korea Herald, “Seoul to upgrade missile defense”.

March 31/14: Support. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives an $8.3 million contract modification for the repair and return of PATRIOT Missile parts pertaining to Israel, Kuwait, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Holland and the United Arab Emirates.

All funds are committed, using FY 2013 – 2014 budgets. Estimated completion date is June 30/15. Work will be performed in Andover, MA. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract on behalf of its FMS clients (W31P4Q-13-C-0111, PO 0008).

March 28/14: PAC-3 MSE Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $610.9 million “modification to a foreign military sales contract” for the PATRIOT system advanced capability production to include 92 one pack Missiles, 50 launcher modification kits and associated ground equipment, tooling, and initial spares.

Only the PAC-3 MSE is a “one pack” missile, and an April 29/14 release from Lockheed describes this as “…the first production order of the PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) following the Army’s successful Milestone C decision earlier this year.” It would appear that the Pentagon’s wording to imply exports was misleading – the contract number, which is associated with Kuwait, may be as well.

The effect of the contract is to commit a total of $873.8 million in FY 2013 – 2014 budgets. The estimated completion date is May 31/16. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Lufkin, and El Paso, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; Huntsville, AL; and Anaheim, CA. US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract as an agent of their FMS customer (W31P4Q-14-C-0034, PO 0003). See also Lockheed Martin, “Lockheed Martin Receives $611 Million Contract for Production of First PAC-3 MSE Missiles”.

1st PAC-3 MSE order

March 27/14: Qatar. At DIMDEX 2014 in Doha, the Emirate announces $23 billion worth of military contracts, including a PATRIOT missile system contract related to its Nov 7/12 DSCA request. Sources: Al Defaiya, “Qatar Announces Big Defense Deals at DIMDEX 2014″ | Arabian Aerospace, “Qatar in $23bn arms order including Apache and NH90 helicopters” | Reuters, “Qatar buys helicopters, missiles in $23 billion arms deals”.

March 12/14: Korea. DAPA spokesman Baek Youn-hyeong announces that South Korea has decided to shift its missile defense into higher gear. They’ll push for a full upgrade of their ex-German PATRIOT PAC-2/ Config-2 batteries to Config-3 ground systems, then buy PAC-3 missiles to switch in for existing PAC-2s. An anonymous official said that their goal is to sign a contract by December 2014, and begin to take deliveries in 2016.

Costs haven’t been negotiated yet, and another export request will be necessary, but the ministry reportedly set aside around KRW 1.5 trillion ($1.34 billion) in an earlier arms procurement plan. It isn’t clear whether DAPA would still seek to add another 112 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles (q.v. Dec 23/13), but PAC-3/ Config-3 naturally positions itself as a replacement rather than a supplement.

The ROK will also be pursuing related offensive and defensive systems, in the wake of recent North Korean rocket launches. DAPA intends to develop its MLRS rockets for ranges beyond 70-80km, in order to match the North’s 300mm systems, and one can expect precision guidance for lethal counterfire capabilities. On the defensive front, DAPA intends to spend KRW 200 billion ($186 million) in the next 5 years to field a tracked short-range gun/missile system based on the Bi-Ho, with twin-30mm guns and the SA-18 derived Chiron/ Shin-Gung missile. That won’t kill rockets, but it will add air defense resources. Alongside the ROKAF’s modern qualitative edge in the air, their SAM system seems to be evolving toward Biho Hybrid LLAD, plus short range Chun Ma/ Crotale NG missiles, plus remaining MIM-23 Hawk batteries which will be replaced by the K-SAM/ Cheongung cooperative effort with Russia. That’s an effective layered system, reducing reliance on PATRIOT batteries for conventional air defense. Sources: IMINT & Analysis, “The South Korean SAM Network ” | Arirang, “South Korea seeking Patriot missile upgrade by end of year” | Chosun Ilbo, “S.Korea to Upgrade Patriot Missile Defense” | Korea Herald, “Korea to buy PAC-3 missiles next year” | Reuters, “South Korea says seeks Patriot missiles upgrade deal by December”.

March 4-11/14: Budgets. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. For the PAC-3 MSE missile, there have been several notable changes.

The first is a sharply increased initial FY14 buy of 86 missiles, instead of 56. After that, the amounts are slightly below previously projections. The 2nd change is that the projected cost per missile drops sharply from $8 million in FY15 to around $5.5 million in FY16, and every year thereafter. $5.5M had been the program’s goal, but FY14 documents didn’t expect to get there until after FY18. The 3rd noticeable change may be related, and involves R&D spending dropping off a cliff beginning in FY15.

Feb 28/14: Kuwait. Raytheon in Andover, MA was awarded a $655.4 million firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract from Kuwait for 2 new-build Patriot fire units and associated initial spares. The new systems include recent upgrades to the PATRIOT’s ground systems, including increased computing power and radar processing efficiency, and a better interface for the operators. These new systems are part of Kuwait’s PAC-3 missile orders, and seem especially linked to their July 25/12 DSCA request, but note that the PAC-3 missiles themselves are a separate Lockheed Martin product (q.v. Dec 31/13).

All funds are committed immediately, and the contract runs until April 30/18. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, Chatsworth, CA, and in Greece. One bid was solicited with 1 received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, A. They’re acting as Kuwait’s FMS agent (W31P4Q-14-C-0052). Sources: Pentagon DefenseLINK | Raytheon, “Raytheon Awarded $655 Million Contract for Patriot”.

Kuwait: PATRIOT Fire Units

Jan 29/14: R&D. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $107.9 million in FY 2014 RDT&E funds for work on the Patriot missile system.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed at Andover, Billerica, Burlington, and Tewksbury, MA; El Segundo CA; El Paso TX; Huntsville AL; Norfolk VA; Pelham NH; and White Sands, NM until July 31/14 (W31P4Q-09-C-0057, PO 0108).

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E), which features the PAC-3 & MSE. It was a good year for PATRIOT testing, with 5 PAC-3 & MSE tests that killed 4 ballistic missiles and 3 cruise missiles. The Army also addressed 14/21 recommendations from last year’s report, but there are still a few areas of concern.

The latest overall system version is Post Deployment Build-7 (PDB-7), which offered improvements against some threats compared to PDB-6.5 (q.v. Jan 17/12), and a step back against others. Those details are classified, but Army engagement procedures are said to be part of the problem. At the same time, DOT&E publicly spotlights reliability issues with the PATRIOT’s radar, which doesn’t collect key reliability data from the field, and training that isn’t adequate for complex engagements.

On the other hand, PATRIOT testing against radar-killing ARM missiles is only models and simulations. Those are the most common air defense killers, so a real test or 2 seems like a good idea. DOT&E also wants the Army to conduct PATRIOT testing during joint and coalition exercises that include large numbers of different aircraft types, sensors, battle management elements, and weapons systems, while conducting cyber-penetration testing of the system. Having PATRIOT act as a live interceptor backup while testing other systems like THAAD could be helpful, especially in cases like the FTI-01’s SM-3 test failure.

Nov 14/13: R&D. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $16.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for “the design, development, production, and fielding of a mobile capability outside the continental United States for reconstitution of 4-pack PAC-3 launcher assemblies.”

$4.2 million in FY 2014 funds is committed immediately. Estimated completion date is Nov 30/15. Work location is Grand Prairie, TX. One bid was solicited and one received (W31P4Q-14-C-0022).

Dec 31/13: Kuwait. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $263.4 million firm-fixed-price contract from the Emirate of Kuwait for 14 Patriot missile 4-packs and 7 launcher modification kits. Kuwait operates PATRIOT PAC-2 batteries, and is in the process of converting some of them to the PAC-3/Config-3 standard (q.v. July 25/12, July 2/13), while enhancing others with PAC-2 GEM-T missiles.

$23.8 million is committed immediately. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Lufkin, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; El Paso, TX; Huntsville, AL; and Anaheim, CA; and will run until June 30/16. One bid was solicited with one received by US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL, who acts as Kuwait’s agent (W31P4Q-14-C-0034).

Oct 25/13: South Korea. The US DSCA announces South Korea’s official request to buy 112 Patriot Anti-Tactical Missiles (basically PAC-2), which will be upgraded to the GEM-T configuration via a follow-on Direct Commercial Sale. They’ll also buy test equipment, spare and repair parts, personnel training, publications and technical data, and other forms of Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $404 million.

Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA will be the prime contractor, and would also be the contractor for any DCS GEM-T upgrade. No additional US Government or contractor representatives will be deployed long-term, though teams will travel to the country on a temporary basis for logistics support. Sources: US DSCA #13-55 | NTI, “S. Korea Seeks More Patriot Missiles as N. Korea Eyes Rocket Launches”.

DSCA: South Korea PAC-2/GEM-Ts

Oct 17/13: Support. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $17.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, multi-year foreign military sales contract modification for PATRIOT repair and return services. This FMS contract is in support of Israel, Kuwait, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL will act as their FMS agent (W31P4Q-13-C-0111, PO 0004).

FY 2013

Annual order; Kuwait begins PAC-3 orders; Raytheon discusses major upgrades to ground systems; New PAC-3 MSE aces twin-kill; South Korea pushed to PAC-3 by PAC-2’s BMD performance; Deployment to Turkey; Corruption investigation in Greece; Good PAC-3 performance in varied FIT-01 BMD test. New MMS Interface
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Sept 23/13: MMS upgrades. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $44.9 million firm-fixed-price contract to buy PATRIOT MMS (modern manstation) upgrade kits for the USA and Kuwait.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA as a non-competitive acquisition, with 1 bid received by US Army Contracting Command (Missile) at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-13-C-0017).

Sept 9/13: Support. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA, was awarded a $9.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee multi-year contract modification of contract for foreign military sales for repair and return of Patriot missile parts. This contract was a foreign military sale to: Israel, Kuwait, Taiwan, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Republic of the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA as a non-competitive contract, with the US Army Contracting Command – Missile at Redstone Arsenal, AL acting as the program agent for these countries (W31P4Q-13-C-0111, PO 0003).

Aug 31/13: PAAC-4? Raytheon’s partnership with Israel’s RAFAEL is about to result in a challenge to Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3/MSE missiles. Raytheon is RAFAEL’s US marketing partner for the well-known Iron Dome, and RAFAEL’s development partner for a different, longer-range system called David’s Sling. It will replace Israeli MIM-23 Hawk and PATRIOT PAC-2 batteries, and the US military has expressed cautious interest. The firms’ American proposal would integrate the 2-stage, EO and radar-guided, hit-to-kill Stunner/ Magic Wand missile into PATRIOT Config-3 ground systems.

What’s the attraction of a “Patriot Advanced Affordable Configuration 4″? Cost. The new PAC-3 MSE missile is just starting production, and budget figures show a production cost of about $6.3 million each in 2018. That’s expected to drop, but even a standard PAC-3 missile at full-rate production costs around $3.3 million. Raytheon and RAFAEL are touting Stunner cost figures that amount to less than $500,000 per missile, assuming 60% production in the USA, and the savings would be noticeable even if they doubled that cost. For $20 million, they’re prepared to prove their claims and build a prototype.

There are 2 catches here. The first is operational. David’s Sling won’t be fielded in Israel until 2014, and its initial block won’t have key capabilities like cruise missile/ UAV interception, or the ability to hit maneuvering ballistic targets. The 2nd catch is that the PAC-3 is well tested by the Army, and the MSE variant that begins production in FY 2014 is a derivative successor with full-spectrum capabilities. Unless further cuts really bite the Army hard, they’re going to be reluctant to embrace a less proven missile with fewer capabilities, even if the cost savings are significant. Sources: Defense News, “Raytheon-Rafael Pitch 4th-Gen Patriot System” | RAFAEL: Stunner (David’s Sling).

Aug 30/13: R&D. Lockheed Martin in Grand Praire, TX receives a $44.1 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to redesign the PAC-3’s tactical telemetry.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie and Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL, and Camden, AR, with funding from FY 2013 other authorization funds. One bid was received (W31P4Q-12-G-0001, PO 006).

Aug 26/13: Support. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a maximum $7.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for PAC-3 and MSE engineering services, support for launchers’ ELES and fire solution computer software, and hardware post deployment.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX using FY 2012 “other procurement” funding. This contract was a competitive acquisition via the web with one bid received – though realistically, it’s unlikely that any other firm could have won. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Missile at Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W31P4Q-12-G-0001).

Aug 23/13: Support. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a maximum $20.5 million cost-plus-incentive fee contract to redesign the PAC-3 and MSE’s Simplified Inertial Measurement Units (SIMU) and remove obsolete/ out-of-production parts. Inertial measurement uses very accurate accelerometers to help the missile know where it is in space, relative to its launch point.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Clearwater, FL, Minneapolis, MN, and Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, using FY 2013 Other Procurement funds. This contract was a non-competitive acquisition, with 1 bid solicited and 1 received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command ? Redstone Arsenal (Missile), Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-12-G-0001, Order 0004).

Aug 15/13: Testing. Another PAC-3 test against a ballistic missile target. Two missiles ripple-fired at White Sands, NM, and the target is destroyed by the 1st missile. Sources: Lockheed Martin Aug 15/13 release.

July 2/13: FY 2013. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $308.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification from the USA and Kuwait. The Gulf Emirate becomes the PAC-3 missile’s 6th export customer, alongside Germany, Japan, Netherlands, Taiwan, and the UAE. Discussions with Lockheed Martin confirm that the total for the Jan 3/13 order and this one amount to 244 PAC-3 tactical missiles and 72 PAC-2 to PAC-3 launcher modification kits. The cumulative total face value of this contract is now $1.063 billion.

PAC-3 launchers mount 16 missiles instead of just 4 PAC-2s per launcher, and use some different systems. The modification kits include 4 PAC-3 Missile quad-pack canisters, a fire solution computer, an ELES (Enhanced Launcher Electronics System), and launcher support hardware.

The implication is that Kuwait is ordering 48 modification kits, but the missile buys don’t add. US Army budget FY 2014 justification documents show just 84 PAC-3 missiles, as the USA’s final order for the type. FY 2013 documents show 40 missiles for Taiwan, completing their multi-year order for 386, and FY 2014 documents show 60 missiles for Kuwait, beginning in that fiscal year. Lockheed Martin’s Jan 10/13 release left 44 missiles unaccounted for (168 – 40 = 128), and this release raises that number to 60, even if we presume that Kuwait has moved its entire FY 2014 buy into FY 2013 (244 – 84 – 40 – 60 = 60). DID is seeking to clarify.

$151.1 million is committed immediately, and the US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL both manages American buys, and acts as Kuwait’s agent for those sales. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Lufkin and El Paso, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; Huntsville, AL; and Anaheim, CA (W31P4Q-13-C-0068, PO 0002). Deliveries will begin in 2014. See also: Lockheed Martin Aug 12/13 release.

FY 2013 PAC-3, Part 2: USA & Kuwait

Aug 1/13: Testing. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $25.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for the new PAC-3 MSE missile’s follow on test program. $6.1 million is committed immediately, and the cumulative total face value of this contract is now $51 million (W31P4Q-07-G-0001, #001213).

Aug 1/13: Support. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $9.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for unscheduled maintenance at the PAC-3 Missile Support Center. This brings the contract’s total value so far to $29.5 million (W31P4Q-13-D-0030, #0005).

July 25/13: Support. Raytheon in Huntsville, AL receives a modification to their $16.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, option-filled, multi-year contract, paying for PATRIOT depot-level diagnostics and repair. The cumulative total face value of this contract is now $31.1 million. Work will be performed in Fort Sill, OK; El Paso, TX; Fort Bragg, NC; and Fort Hood, TX (W91P4Q-12-C-0238, PO 0004).

June 27/13: Training. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a maximum $19.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for PATRIOT Mobile Flight Simulators. $9.6 million in FY 2013 RDT&E funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in White Sands Missile Range, NM, and Andover, MA. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-13-C-0018).

June 18/13: Upgrades. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $10.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification, for PATRIOT Radar Digital Processor Upgrade Kits (q.v. May 10/13 entry), bringing the contract’s cumulative total value to $21.2 million. FY 2013 Procurement funds are being committed (W31P4Q-13-C-0016).

June 16/13: Kuwait, Germany. Raytheon’s VP of Integrated Air and Missile Defense, Sanjay Kapoor, tells Bloomberg that negotiations to sell Kuwait its next set of PATRIOT equipment and missiles (q.v. July 25/12 entry) are almost done.

Germany is discussing an upgrade of its own PATRIOT systems, and wants to incorporate elements of MEADS after spending all that R&D money. Bloomberg.

June 7/13: MSE Splash 2. The improved PAC-3 MSE aces its 1st major test at White Sands Missile Range, NM, killing both a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) target and a cruise missile.

The TBM got 2 ripple-fired missiles, but the 1st hit so #2 self-destructed. Missile #3 took out the BQM-74 jet-powered target drone. Preliminary data indicates that all test objectives were achieved. Lockheed Martin | Raytheon.

June 3/13: Support. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a maximum $12 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for PAC-3 field support services.

Fiscal 2013 Procurement funds this award, and work will be performed in Dallas, TX; Kuwait; El Paso, TX; Killeen, TX; Lawton, OK; Fayetteville, NC; Bahrain; Germany; Japan; Korea; Qatar; Turkey; and the United Arab Emirates. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-13-C-0100).

May 10/13: Support. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $32.1 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification, extending recertification and repair services in support of the PAC-3 Missile Support Center program. The cumulative total face value of this contract is now $91 million. FY 2013 Operation and Maintenance funds are being used to find this award (W31P4Q-12-C-0100, PO 0014).

Upgrades
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May 10/13: Raytheon’s Upgrades. Raytheon discusses major design and manufacturing changes to the PATRIOT Config 3 ground systems, and PAC-2 GEM missiles, over the last few years. The firm says that designers have invested more than $400 million over the last 4 years to change manufacturing, improve performance, and make the system more reliable. That’s a big deal, after a DOT&E report (q.v. Jan 17/12 entry) that slammed the system’s “poor radar reliability and system availability”.

First, the components themselves have changed. The introduction of the new Radar Digital Processor in the Configuration-3 radar eliminates older components, provides a 12x improvement in mean time between failure, and increases radar processing efficiency. Innovations include radar system chips that have shrunk by 87.5%, and would almost fit into the grooves on a dime’s side. Meanwhile, Radar Digital Processor has dropped from 435 circuit cards to 5 in one of its assemblies, 16 power supplies have been combined into 1, and wiring that used to require 31 cables now takes 10. The space this opened up could house some refrigerator models, and is available for future upgrades. Similar changes have taken place within the PAC-2 GEM-T missile, even as the Config-3 control room got a big makeover with color touch screens, faster computers, etc.

In tandem with that, the manufacturing processes have changed, as work crews ripped out whole sections of the factory to installed brand-new machinery. New ceramics are used in the missile’s radome. Computer-controlled tools that can compensate for room temperature and other factors cut beams to support the radar’s antenna. “Chip shooter” machines install 30,000 components an hour, making cleaner connections.

The first new GEM-T missile was fired at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico in August 2011, followed by a test firing of the first complete, new-production Patriot system in 2012 (q.v. March 29/12 entry). Raytheon: Release | Feature | Infographic [PDF, view at 200+%]

Raytheon’s Config-3 & PAC-2 upgrades

April 12/13: PAC-3 Testing. Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 Missile successfully detects, tracks and intercepts a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) in a Lower Tier Project Office flight test at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The 1st missile kills it, and so the 2nd one self-destructs.

It’s one of the steps along the path to the PAC-3 MSE’s big test at White Sands, later this year. Lockheed Martin.

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. See ongoing DID coverage. FY 2014 is a big transition for PATRIOT, as PAC-3 missiles are no longer being ordered, and PAC-3 MSE missile production begins in earnest. Relevant figures can be found in the article’s charts.

April 1/13: PAC-2 GEM-T Recert. Raytheon announces that its PAC-2/ GEM-T missiles have received US Army approval for a 2nd recertification, extending the world-wide fleet’s operational life from 30 – 45 years. Recertification and upgrades can be done at a fraction of replacement cost, and since replacements are likely to be Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3s, that’s a very good selling point for Raytheon.

The decision comes on the heels of a recent $46.7 million U.S. Army contract awarded to Raytheon to recertify and upgrade Patriot missiles to the latest GEM-T configuration, as part of the continuous Patriot modernization effort. Raytheon.

Feb 11/13: Sweden. Sweden’s deputy prime minister and Liberal Party leader Jan Bjorklund thinks Sweden’s military capabilities have hit a dangerous level, and believe the country needs to place national defense priorities before international missions as Russia begins to re-arm.

What’s unusual is that he openly suggested buying PATRIOT missiles from the USA during an interview with Svenska Dagbladet, and proposed to base them on the Baltic island of Gotland as forward air defense. MBDA probably feels slighted that their longer-range Aster-30 SAMP/T wasn’t mentioned.

The comments come about a month after Swedish Armed Forces commander-in-chief Sverker Göransson said that the country could only defend itself for about a week under sustained attack. It probably didn’t make things any more comfortable when Danish NATO head Anders Fogh Rasmussen told the same annual security conference that Sweden couldn’t count on NATO coming to their defense, despite Swedish membership in NATO’s Partnership for Peace. The Local.

Jan 7/13: Testing. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $12.5 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to establish a PAC-3 MSE Missile Field Test Program.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, with an estimated completion date of March 31/14. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-13-C-0094).

Jan 3/13: PAC-3. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $755.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for PAC-3 missiles and related services, which includes support for Foreign Military Sales to Taiwan.

The contract covers 168 hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missiles, 27 launcher modification kits and associated tooling, and program management and services. This is the US government’s 14th production buy of the PAC-3 Missile. US Army budget documents place Taiwan’s FY 2013 order at 40 missiles, completing their multi-year order for 386.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie & Lufkin, TX; Camden, AR; Chelmsford, MA; and Ocala, FL; with an estimated completion date of July 31/15. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W31P4Q-13-C-0068). See also Lockheed Martin 2013-01-10 release.

FY 2013 PAC-3

Jan 3/13: Taiwan. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $72.6 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for PATRIOT Config-3 spares in support of Foreign Military Sales. Raytheon confirms to DID that these are spares for Taiwan.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and El Paso, TX, with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/15. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

Jan 3/13: Taiwan. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $22.7 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for PATRIOT Technical Refresh Spares. Raytheon confirms to DID that these are for Taiwan.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

Jan 3/13: Kuwait. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $22.2 million firm-fixed-price contract modification buying PATRIOT Spare Parts. Raytheon confirms to DID that these are are for Kuwait.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/14. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

Dec 20/12: CTR. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $46.7 million firm-fixed-price contract. The award will provide for the modernization of the PATRIOT Advanced Capability missiles through the continuous technology refreshment program.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Dec 17/16. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract (W31P4Q-13-C-0088).

Nov 28/12: Saudi Arabia. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Saudi Arabia’s official request to buy technical services and re-certify up to 300 PATRIOT PAC-2 GEMs (MIM-104D Guidance Enhanced Missiles). They also want to perform some modernization of existing equipment, and receive spare and repair parts, support equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $130 million.

The DSCA says that proposed re-certification program will allow the Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces to extend the shelf life of the PAC-2 missiles for another 12 years. Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA will be the prime contractor, but the US Army’s Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA will perform the re-certification. Implementation of this proposed sale will require 1 Raytheon representative to travel to the Missile Assembly Disassembly Facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on an extended basis for missile assembly/disassembly support, system checkout, training and technical and logistics support.

DSCA: Saudis request PATRIOT PAC-2 re-cert

Dec 14/12: To Turkey. The USA will send 2 batteries of Patriot missiles and 400 troops to Turkey, as part of a NATO force meant to protect Turkish territory from potential Syrian missile attack. Germany and the Netherlands had already agreed to provide 2 PATRIOT batteries each, along with 400 German and 360 Dutch troops, bringing the total number of Patriot batteries slated for Turkey to 6. Yahoo! News.

Nov 7/12: Qatar. The US DSCA announces that Qatar is looking to buy up to 11 PATRIOT Configuration 3 fire units, at a cost of up to $9.9 billion. The PAC-2 GEM-T and PAC-3 missiles would serve as the country’s lower BMD tier, beneath the requested (q.v. Nov 5/12) THAAD exo-atmospheric interceptors. The request includes up to:

• 11 AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Systems
  
• 11 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 11 Electrical Power Plants (EPPII)
  
• 30 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 44 M902 Launching Stations
  
• 246 PATRIOT MIM-104E Guidance Enhanced Missile-TBM (GEM-T) with canisters
  
• 2 PATRIOT MIM-104E GEM-T Test Missiles
  
• 768 PATRIOT Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missiles with canisters
  
• 10 PAC-3 Test Missiles with canisters
  
• 8 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems/Low Volume Terminals (MIDS/LVTs)
  
• Plus communications equipment, tools and test equipment, support equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, facility design, and other Government and contractor support.

The prime contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MD (Config-3 ground systems and GEM-T missiles), and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX (PAC-3 missiles). If a sale is concluded, the Qataris will need about 30 U.S. Government and 40 contractor representatives in Qatar for an extended period for equipment de-processing/ fielding, system checkout, training ,and technical and logistics support. Sources: US DSCA #12-58.

DSCA: Qatar request

Oct 29/12: Greece. Up to 8 Greek arms deals signed since the late 1990s are the subjects of investigations into illegal bribes and kickbacks, and Greece’s purchase of US-made Patriot missiles has advanced to the docket of an investigating magistrate. Investigators are probing bank accounts and offshore companies, and some cases involve more than 1 defense minister.

There is a precedent in former PASOK (socialist) Defense Minister Akis Tsochatzopoulos, who sits in Korydallos Prison awaiting charges for money laundering during his 1996 – 2001 term. ekathimerini.

Oct 28/12: South Korea. A joint study by the Korea Institute for Defense Analyses and the US Missile Defense Agency concludes that the PATRIOT PAC-2 system has an interception success rate of below 40% against ballistic missiles. South Korea’s government looked at that, then concluded that they need to buy PAC-3 batteries, in order to push their odds above 70% for covered areas.

The PAC-3 systems appear to be a priority, with deliveries to begin in 2014. To achieve that, a DSCA export request will need to be issued in the very near future. As PAC-3 systems arrive, South Korea reportedly plans to divert their billion-dollar buy of German PAC-2 batteries to defend against aircraft and cruise missiles. ROK’s Yonhap News Agency | Chosun Ilbo.

Oct 25/12: FIT-01 Test. Pacific Chimera (aka. Flight Test Integrated-01) features a combination of land and sea missile defense systems, who go 4/5 against a combination of ballistic missile and cruise missile targets. The USA’s Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) system acted as FIT-01’s command and control backbone.

The Medium Range Ballistic Missile E-LRALT (Extended Long Range Air Launch Target) was launched out of a C-17, tracked by a US Army AN/TPY-2 radar on Meck Island, and destroyed by its companion THAAD missile.

A pair of Short Range Ballistic Missile targets were launched from a platform in the ocean. One was destroyed by a US Army PATRIOT PAC-3 system, but the USS Fitzgerald’s [DDG 62] attempt to intercept the 2nd SRBM target with a long-range SM-3 Block 1A missile failed. They’re still trying to figure out why, because there were no obvious malfunctions.

The USS Fitzgerald had better luck with an SM-2 missile against a low flying cruise missile target, and the Army’s PATRIOT PAC-3 battery racked up a cruise missile kill of its own. Final tally: 80%. US MDA | Lockheed Martin | Raytheon.

Oct 5/12: Infrastructure. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $7.9 million firm-fixed-price contract to upgrade PATRIOT depot maintenance plant equipment.

Work will be performed in Tewksbury, MA, and White Sands, NM, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/16. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-12-C-0287).

FY 2012

Annual order; Big Taiwan order for PATRIOT/PAC-3 systems; Export request from Kuwait; Successful test using JLENS aerostat for cueing; BMD test for new PAC-3 CRI missile variant; New PAC-3 MSE missile kills “over the shoulder”; Testing milestones for new-build Config-3 ground systems; PATRIOT shipment to Korea gets much more exciting than intended; Pentagon testers highlight poor system reliability. Patriot Radar
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July 25/12: Kuwait. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Kuwait’s official request to add to its PATRIOT assets. The request begins by asking for 60 more PAC-3 missiles, a request that has been made before (q.v. Dec 4/07 – 80 PAC-3 missiles). Kuwait has also added a stock of PAC-2 GEM-T missiles (vid. Dec 11/10 and Jan 24/11 entries).

Beyond the missiles themselves, this request requests ground equipment for 2 more fully modern (Config-3) batteries, plus additional equipment to extend existing infrastructure: 4 PATRIOT radars, 4 PATRIOT Engagement Control Stations, 20 PATRIOT Launching Stations, 2 Information Coordination Centrals, 10 Electric Power Plants, communication and power equipment. The Dec 4/07 request has already ordered Config-3 upgrades to 6 radars and associated equipment. Personnel training and training equipment, spare and repair parts, facility design and construction, and other forms of U.S. Government and contractor support round out the possible order. The estimated cost is up to $4.2 billion

The principal contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Tewksbury, MA and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX. Implementation of this proposed sale will require the assignment of 3 contractor representatives to Kuwait on a temporary basis for program, technical support, and management oversight.

DSCA: Kuwait PAC-3/Config-3 request

Sept 13/12: Testing. A pair of PAC-3 missiles are successfully ripple-fired at a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) target at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The first interceptor destroyed the target and the second PAC-3 Missile self destructed as planned. Lockheed Martin.

July 16/12: CTR. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA received a $7.5 million firm-fixed-price export contract for new modern adjunct processor upgrade kits. The recipients were not discussed.

Work will be performed in Phoenix, AZ; El Segundo, CA; Anaheim, CA; Fremont, CA; Charlottesville, VA; and Andover, MA; and will run until Nov 30/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-10-C-0301).

July 13/12: Getting MSE ready. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $69 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract to support of PAC-3 MSE Initial Production Facilities. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie and Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; and Ocala, FL; with an estimated completion date of July 2/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-12-C-0001).

The contract is pretty explicit about getting the new PAC-3 MSE missile ready for production, which is set to begin in FY 2014 with orders for 56. The US Army plans to order a total 1m680 PAC-3 MSE missiles over the lifetime of that program, which will be worth $9.114 billion. By 2015, the Army expects the more capable PAC-3 MSE to cost less per missile (around $7.5 million) than the current PAC-3 (about $7.6 million), with costs continuing to drop for the MSE after that. Time will tell if beginning MSE’s design from the PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) blueprint will deliver on its promise, or not. See also Lockheed Martin release.

May 6/12: Support. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX wins a $34.7 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract, to fund the PAC-3 Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX until Dec 31/13. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received by the US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-12-C-0100).

April 30/12: JLENS/ PATRIOT test. The promised firing test takes place during an exercise at the Utah Training and Test Range. The JELNS high-altitude aerostat picked up the target on radar, and provided tracking data to the PATRIOT system. Raytheon says that:

“In addition to destroying the target drone, initial indications are that the JLENS-Patriot systems integration met test objectives.”

That will help make the case for JLENS as a very low operating cost option for cruise missile defense, but is it too late? The Pentagon has decided to remove the program’s production phase, leaving just the 2 testing “orbits”. Raytheon | Lockheed Martin.

April 13/12: Support. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $7.6 million cost-plus-incentive-fee contract, to support the PAC-3 Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Dallas, TX, with an estimated completion date of March 30/13. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received by the US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-12-C-0100).

April 9/12: Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $45.4 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for PAC launcher modification kits. Lockheed makes the PAC-3 missile, which demands a different launcher system than Raytheon’s larger PAC-2.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 31/14. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

April 2/12: UAE. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $67.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for UAE Patriot spares. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

March 30/12: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs” for 2012. It places the current total PAC-3 sub-program cost at $11.581 billion in FY 2012 dollars. That number has risen just 14.1% over the past 5 years, though the change from the initial program estimate is a bit more radical: 122.2%.

March 30/12: SAR. The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 31/11. The overall program cost for the PAC-3 sub-program stands at $10.205 billion in base-year dollars.

March 29/12: New-production tests. Raytheon announces a series of testing milestones involving new-production PATRIOT Config. 3 systems, as opposed to upgraded systems. One is the successful firing of 2 PAC-3 missiles to engage a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Surprisingly, this is the 1st firing of PAC-3s from a new-build system.

This test comes on the heels of a successful March 21/12 system-level guided flight test of the new-production Patriot system, and the successful test of the first ground-up production PAC-2 GEM-T missile in October 2011. Raytheon.

Feb 15/12: New BMD target. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command and Army Forces Strategic Command successfully complete a test flight of the new Economical Target-1 at Eglin AFB, FL. ET-1 is a threat representative tactical ballistic missile that could be used to test PATRIOT missiles going forward. It’s a combination of excess body and motor assemblies from the government, and a nose and tail assembly made at Holloman AFB, NM.

The ET-1 was launched using SMDC’s new 25K Transportable Target Launcher, a mission-configurable rail launcher with 25,000 pounds-capacity that complies with applicable treaties, and lets the Army simulate a number of incoming missile flight geometries. It can be carried inside C-17 and C-5 aerial transports for fast shipping, and expands the number of available launch sites for Short Range Ballistic Missile Defense testing. US Army.

Feb 13/12: The USA’s FY 2013 budget documents include $646.6 million to buy 84 PAC-3 missiles and 38 Enhanced Launcher Electronic Systems (ELES). It adds $12.85 million to finish preparations for PAC-3 MSE missile manufacturing; production orders will begin in FY 2014.

Feb 13/12: Support. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA receives a $15.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, to support of the Patriot Missile Support Center.

Work will be performed in Chambersburg, PA; Andover, MA; Burlington, MA; and Germany; and the contract runs until Jan 31/14. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0156).

Jan 17/12: Testing report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2011 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). All PATRIOT missile variants are included, even the MEADS’ PAC-3 MSE, which gets a good review:

“The first MSE intercepted the [ballistic missile] target and the second intercepted debris from the first intercept… performance was consistent with preflight predictions and body-to-body impact was achieved… The system met the mission objectives.”

The report also notes a series of GEM-T tests, which have generally been successful, though firings of 2 missiles generally have just 1 successful intercept by the 1st missile. Proximity fuzes can be like that, if the 1st hit doesn’t leave much of a proximity target to trigger. Unfortunately, this next excerpt is much more disturbing, given PATRIOT’s status as the main modern air defense weapon for the USA and several of its key allies:

“Based on the PDB-6.5 LUT conducted during FY10, DOT&E assesses the current Patriot system as effective against some threats and partially suitable due to poor radar reliability and system availability. There has been substantial variance in Patriot’s reliability and resulting availability as observed during testing. The causes of this variance are unknown.”

The Army has updated the PATRIOT’s Test and Evaluation Master Plan, which DOT&E approved on Sept 1/11.

Jan 17/12: An $11.3 million firm-fixed-price contract “for the procurement of Patriot missiles and spares.” DID is given to understand that this Pentagon description of the items bought is in fact a mistake, but official clarification has yet to arrive.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-12-D-0009).

Jan 5/12: CTR. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $51.3 million firm-fixed-price contract, to modernize Patriot PAC-2 missiles to the GEM-T configuration. Raytheon says that this is a follow on to AMCOM’s PATRIOT missile continuous technology refreshment program, initiated in 2000.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Feb 28/15. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-12-C-0079).

Dec 30/11: US FY 2012 & Taiwan. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $606 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for FY 2012 PATRIOT requirements – which includes missiles, launchers, and ground support for Taiwan. Within the PATRIOT system, Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3 missile, the missile canister 4-packs, a fire solution computer, and the Enhanced Launcher Electronics System (ELES).

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 30/15. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by US Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract for the USA, and as Taiwan’s FMS agent (W31P4Q-12-C-0002).

FY 2012 PAC-3

Dec 30/11: Taiwan. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA receives a $34.3 million firm-fixed-price contract, providing initial funding for 3 Taiwanese Patriot fire units and training equipment. DID is investigating possible connections to the Dec 16/11 announcement.

Work will be performed in several locations within Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Washington, Italy, Greece, and Canada, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2016. One bid was solicited, with one bid received. US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages the contract, incl. services as Taiwan’s agent (W31P4Q-12-C-0069.

Dec 23/11: Saudi request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Saudi Arabia’s official request to buy continuing services for the PATRIOT Systems Engineering Services Program (ESP). Also included: modification kits, engineering changes, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, and other forms of US Government and contractor support. The estimated cost is up to $120 million, but no duration is specified.

Saudi Arabia has had a Shared Engineering Services Program (SESP) with the USA for the past 20 years; this just extends it. The prime contractor will be Raytheon Integrated Defense in Andover, MA, and implementation won’t require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Saudi Arabia, beyond those already there.

DSCA: Saudi support request

Dec 23/11: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $13.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for PATRIOT training services. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Dec 15/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received. The U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-12-C-0102).

Dec 21/11: Thor & bothered. Finnish Detective Superintendent Timo Virtanen says that they have detained 2 crew members of the M/S Thor Liberty, an Isle of Man-flagged vessel that left Emden, Germany en route to China but had 69 Patriot surface-to-air missiles and 160 tons of explosives on board. Virtanen said that “the missiles did not have the appropriate transit papers.”

Which sounds alarming, but a spokesman for Germany’s Defense Ministry said the missiles were an official shipment to South Korea that was fully declared, and had all necessary clearings from German authorities. The ship is eventually allowed to sail, and the German story proved to be true, but some members of the crew were kept for questioning. BBC | Sacramento Bee | Voice of Russia | Washington Post World.

Dec 16/11: Taiwan order. Raytheon announces a $685.7 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) contract from Taiwan for additional PATRIOT fire units, featuring current electronics, an improved man-machine interface, and claims of lower life-cycle costs. The firm adds that this award is in addition to the 2009 contract for new systems, and the 2008 contracts to upgrade Taiwan’s existing systems. Work under this contract will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; El Paso, TX; and Huntsville, AL.

When queried, the firm clarified that this order will be built from the ground up as PATRIOT PAC-3, and that “fire unit” means the complete system, including radars, generators, antenna, ECS command module, and missile launchers. Taiwan is already beginning to build experience with the equipment, as Raytheon recently delivered the first upgraded Configuration-3 radar system, 10 months ahead of the original requested program plan.

Dec 7/11: Taiwan order. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Sudbury, MA receives a $42.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for the Surveillance Radar Program. Specifically, this system includes a UHF phased array radar integrated with Taiwan-furnished Identification Friend-or-Foe beacons; 2 Missile Warning Centers; and communications and interface architecture and protocols to specific nodes within Taiwan’s military communications infrastructure, consistent with US restrictions

The SRP is a Foreign Military Sales Program managed by the USAF Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, MA, to provide Taiwan with the elements of a missile and air defense capability. Work will be performed in Sudbury, MA, and is expected to be complete by Nov 9/12 (FA8722-05-C-0001, PO 0062).

Taiwan – adjunct radar & PAC-3 units

Dec 7/11: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $12.7 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-reimbursable contract. The award will modify an existing contract for technical services in support of Taiwan’s PATRIOT air defense missile system.

Work will be performed in El Paso, TX, and Taipei, Taiwan, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. by the U.S. Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL, who is acting as Taiwan’s agent (W31P4Q-11-C-0317).

Nov 30/11: Saudi Arabia OK. Raytheon announces U.S. Congressional and State Department approvals for Saudi Arabia’s $1.7 billion Direct Commercial Sales contract to upgrade to PATRIOT Config. 3 (vid. June 21/11 entry).

Nov 21/11: Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $25.5 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to support the “PAC-3 production requirement for 11 launcher mod kits.”

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

Nov 17/11: MEADS test. The 1st full MEADS firing test successfully engages a simulated “over the shoulder” target (approaching from behind) at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The test used the PAC-3 MSE missile, lightweight launcher and BMC4I battle manager, and the nature of the test required a unique sideways maneuver from the missile.

This matters to the larger Patriot program, because it’s very probable that PAC-3 MSE missiles will be incorporated into existing Patriot systems. That makes the “unique sideways maneuver” an item of interest. Lockheed Martin.

Nov 1/11: BMD test. Lockheed Martin announces a successful intercept against an aerodynamic tactical ballistic missile target at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The test included a ripple fire engagement, using a PAC-3 Cost Reduction Initiative (CRI) Missile as the 1st interceptor and a standard PAC-3 as the 2nd interceptor.

The CRI Missile includes block upgrades to the PAC-3 for performance improvement, as well as reduced costs.

Oct 24/11: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $33.3 million firm-fixed-priced and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, for 12 PAC-3 launcher modification kits.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

Oct 11/11: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $37.8 million firm-fixed-priced and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification, for 11 PAC-3 launcher modification kits.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 31/13. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

Oct 5/11: CTR. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $7.1 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for PATRIOT Modern Adjunct Processor Upgrade Kits. Work will be performed in Andover, MA and El Segundo, CA, with an estimated completion date of May 3/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-10-C-0301).

Oct 5/11: Taiwan. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $20.4 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, to provide PATRIOT technical assistance services to Taiwan. Work will be performed in El Paso, TX; Taipei, Taiwan, and Andover, MA; with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/15. One bid was solicited, with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0317).

Oct 5/11: Support. Raytheon IDS in Andover, MA receives a $6.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for “various PATRIOT Secondary Items.” Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of July 31/13. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0349).

FY 2011

Annual buy; Big Saudi upgrade to ground systems; Kuwait orders GEM-T missiles; Shining as light on UAE industrial offsets; Korean experience shows importance of spares; PAC-3 motor redesign. PAC-2, Japan
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Sept 19/11: ROKy start. South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo reports that 3 of the key tracking radars that equip its 8 Patriot missile batteries have broken down, rendering their corresponding missile batteries useless for “a few months.” The information comes from Grand National Party lawmaker Kim Jang-soo.

One radar was reportedly failed by a power supply breakdown in March; a 2nd by an IFF system breakdown in March, followed by a frequency generator breakdown in June; and a 3rd by a broken compressor in April. Part of the problem is that the “SAM-X” project is still in early deployment stages, with just under 10% of the required 32,149 Patriot system parts in stock from Germany, and no proper maintenance float program in place yet. South Korea hopes to import replacement parts for the broken down systems by the end of 2011, allowing them to put the Patriot PAC-2 system into operation by early 2012 as planned.

Why spares matter

Sept 19/11: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives an $8.4 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to fix and replace Patriot missile systems assemblies and sub-assemblies.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Oct 14/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the Directorate of Contracting at Letterkenny Army Depot, Chambersburg, PA (W911N2-09-D-0001).

Aug 30/11: Patriot spares umbrella. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives an initial $37.6 million delivery order for 15 additional NSNs (National Stock Numbers, individual items identified by a a 13-digit numeric code), that are being added to the basic firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract to support the Patriot Missile System.

Raytheon confirms that this is the new Patriot spares contract. The overall contract will run to May 1/14, and is managed by the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation at Redstone Arsenal, AL (SPRRA2-11-D-0012, PO 0001).

New Raytheon spares umbrella deal

Aug 3/11: Japan support. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives an $8.4 million firm-fixed-price cost-plus-fixed-fee contract from Japan for M818E3A fuzes, and upgrades of their existing Patriot missile M818E2 fuzes to M818E3A configuration. Though Japan does deploy PAC-3 systems among its air defenses, these fuzes are used in the larger PAC-2 missile.

Work will be performed in Lowell, MA, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31/14. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0224).

June 21/11: Saudi order. Raytheon announces a $1.7 billion contract to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s MIM-104 PAC-2 Patriot batteries to Config 3 status. The Direct Commercial Sale (DCS) includes ground-system hardware, a full training package and support equipment upgrades. As noted above, PAC-3 hit-to-kill missiles are made by Lockheed Martin, and improved Raytheon PAC-2 GEM-T missiles can also be part of a Config 3 system. Reports thus far have been silent on the Saudis’ chosen missile path.

Because the Saudis chose a DCS contract, instead of a Foreign Military Sale contract process, they will manage it themselves. Subject to customary U.S. DCS regulatory approvals, work under this contract will be performed by Raytheon at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA and in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia’s air defense network relies on MIM-23 I-Hawk and MIM-104 Patriot PAC-2 batteries, concentrated around key sites within the kingdom. Since their initial 1990, Patriot order, they are believed to have received 21 Patriot batteries, and to field 11 operational batteries at 15 prepared, hardened sites. They are joined by 10 operational I-Hawk batteries; advanced MIM-23K/J Hawk variants have some ballistic missile defense capability, but all Hawk missiles have shorter ranges than Patriot, and the exact variant fielded by Saudi Arabia is not certain. Raytheon | Saudi Arabia’s Arab News | US-Saudi Arabian Business Council | IMINT on the Saudi SAM Network.

Major Saudi upgrade

June 20/11: Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives an $18 million firm-fixed-price contract, with some cost-plus-fixed-fee contract line item numbers. It covers FY 2011 U.S. Patriot capability production: 5 launcher mod kits, ground support equipment, and a parts library.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Lufkin, TX; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 30/14 (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

June 7/11: Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA receives a $6.8 million contract, for 10,500 antenna elements used in the Patriot missile system. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of May 25/14. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the U.S. Army Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA (W911N2-11-C-0021).

June 3/11: UAE support. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $17.6 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the integration support of Post Deployment Build-7 software in the UAE’s PAC-3 Ground System Engagement Control System.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, and White Sands Missile Range, NM, with an estimated completion date of May 31/14. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

May 27/11: Sub-contractors. Boeing announces a $274 million firm fixed price sub-contract from Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, to produce more than 300 seekers for PAC-3 missiles.

This is Boeing’s 9th consecutive PAC-3 seeker production award, and the largest PAC-3 contract received by Boeing to date.

May 4/11: PAC-3 MSE test. Raytheon’s Patriot system successfully test fires Lockheed Martin’s enhanced PAC-3 MSE missile at White Sands Missile Range, NM. This is another step forward for the MEADS development program. It also shows that the missile can be incorporated into existing Patriot systems, as an upgrade that stops short of full MEADS capabilities. Raytheon.

May 2/11: Support. Raytheon announces a $15.7 million contract to provide material and technical services in support of the Patriot Missile Field Surveillance Program. This is a follow-on to the 3-year contract awarded in January 2008, and this one runs through 2013. Raytheon IDS VP for Patriot programs, Sanjay Kapoor:

“This work supports all Patriot customers, U.S. and our 11 international partners, who have selected the combat-proven Patriot… The Field Surveillance Program is a key part of Raytheon’s commitment to ensuring system performance…”

Work will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; at Raytheon IDS Headquarters in Tewksbury, MA; at Raytheon Technical Services Company in Burlington, MA, and at Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA.

April 26/11: CTR. Raytheon announces a $58.3 million contract to upgrade 131 PAC-2 missiles to the PAC-2 GEM-T configuration.

This is a follow-on contract as part of AMCOM’s Patriot missile continuous technology refreshment program, which was initiated in 2000.

April 21/11: FY 2011 order. Lockheed Martin announces a set of contracts totaling $1.06 billion from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command. It covers the USA’s FY 2011 PAC-3 missile production, as well as follow-on sales to international partners. The contracts include PAC-3 missile production, launcher modification kits, spares and other equipment, as well as program management and engineering services. Production of all equipment will take place at Lockheed Martin manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; and the PAC-3 All-Up Round facility in Camden, AR.

Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor on the PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade, which consists of the PAC-3 Missile, a highly agile hit-to-kill interceptor, the launcher’s 4 PAC-3 Missile canisters (which each hold four PAC-3 Missiles, instead of 1 PAC-2), a fire solution computer and an enhanced launcher electronics system.

FY 2011 PAC-3

March 3/11: Motor redesign. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $7 million incremental-funding, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to eliminate obsolete materials in the PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE solid rocket motor, in support of the United States and Taiwan.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, with an estimated completion date of June 30/14. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

March 2/11: Support. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, for Patriot PAC-3 Missile Support Center work that includes technical and consumable material support, planning, management, failure analysis, quality reliability assessment, maintenance of the Certified Round Data Management system, and maintenance support.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AZ; and Lufkin, AR, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0180).

Feb 21/11: UAE Industrial. UAE’s The National reports on Raytheon’s industrial offset commitments, which are attached to the UAE’s 2008 Patriot missile buy (vid. Dec 17/08 entry). The firm is waiting for the UAE’s Offset Program Bureau to approve 2 new facilities:

• A joint venture with Abu Dhabi Ship Building to build an intermediate level maintenance facility for missiles used by the UAE Navy, incl. Raytheon’s RIM-116 RAM and RIM-162 ESSM ship defense missiles

• A 3 way joint-partnership with Lockheed Martin and Emirates Advanced Investment’s Global Aerospace Logistics, to build a consolidated maintenance facility for Patriot missiles. Since The UAE ordered both PAC-2 GEM and PAC-3 missiles, both Lockheed and Raytheon need to participate.

The latter facility could quickly become a regional asset, speeding maintenance turnaround for Patriot missiles bought by nearby Arab states.

Feb 1/11: UAE. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives an $18.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for PAC-3 software modernization development on behalf of the United Arab Emirates.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/13 (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

Jan 24/11: Kuwait order. Raytheon announces a $145 million production contract from Kuwait, for Patriot GEM-T missiles. The new missiles will work with Kuwait’s upgraded Configuration-3 radar systems, and that upgrade work is already underway at Raytheon. See also Aug 11/10 entry.

Kuwait – GEM-T missiles

Dec 28/10: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $209.1 million firm-fixed-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for 58 tactical Patriot (PAC-3) missiles; 5 launcher mod kits; ground support equipment; and contractor field support.

Work will be completed in Grand Prairie, TX; Camden, AR; Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; and Ocala, FL, with an estimated completion date of July 30/14. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0001).

PAC-3s

Dec 28/10: CTR. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a $58.3 million firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, to upgrade 131 PAC-2 missile forebodies to GEM+ status.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of March 31/14. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0072).

Dec 20/10: Support. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA receives a $20.1 million firm-fixed-price/cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for support of Foreign Military Sales. Raytheon will provide advice and assistance in all areas of the Patriot air defense system, associated equipment, and logistics support.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and will run until Dec 31/15. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-11-C-0112).

Dec 10/10: Japan. Kyodo News reports that Japan’s 5-year National Defense Program Guideline (NDPG) may involve deploying PAC-3 interceptor missiles at air bases nationwide.

Kyodo cited government and defense officials as saying the missiles will be deployed on ships as well as air bases, but that’s almost certainly a mistake. At sea, Japan is an active participant in the Standard Missile 3 program, and has already conducted successful SM-3 test firings from its Kongo class AEGIS destroyers. Reuters.

Oct 22/10: Support. A $7.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to repair and recapitalize Patriot missile system assemblies and sub-assemblies. Work is to be performed at Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Oct 14/12. One bid was solicited and one received by the Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA (W911N2-09-D-0001).

Oct 19/10: Sub-contractors. Raytheon announces an agreement with Aselsan of Ankara, Turkey to co-develop of the antenna mast group for the UAE’s PATRIOT Configuration-3 systems. Raytheon.

FY 2010

Major order from Taiwan; Annual buy; Export requests from Kuwait, Taiwan; Control station improvements unveiled; JLENS aerostat integration; PAC-2 GEM missile #1,000 produced; MEADS cancellation likely to extend PATRIOT. Launcher w. PAC-3s
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Sept 21/10: ECS MAP. Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $16.3 million firm-fixed-price contract for Patriot MAP upgrade kits, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/13. In response to questions, Raytheon said that the Modern Adjunct Processor used in the engagement control stations of new-build Patriot systems offers improved memory and speed, and will be required in order to host future revisions to the Patriot tactical software. Hence the importance of a command station upgrade track as well.

Work is to be performed at El Segundo, CA, and Andover, MA. One bid was solicited, with one received (W31P4Q-10-C-0301, Serial #1932).

Sept 20/10: GEM-T #1,000. Raytheon celebrates its 1,000th Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) upgrade for the U.S. Army, a modernized PAC-2 missile with better capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles, and refreshed electronics. GEM-T missile upgrades are still ongoing, and are performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA.

The firm also celebrates its progress as a result of 6 Sigma and Lean manufacturing principles, including cutting manufacturing cycle time in half, resulting in 77 consecutive months of on or ahead-of-schedule deliveries.

PAC-2 GEM-T #1,000

Sept 15/10: JLENS. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $7.1 million firm-fixed-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for “PAC-3 Integrated Fire Control.” Lockheed Martin representative confirmed that this contract is “for integration of the PAC-3 Missile Segment with the Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS), which is scheduled to run a live-fire test involving a PATRIOT missile in 2012.

Work is to be performed at Grand Prairie, TX; White Sands Missile Range, NM; and Chelmsford, MA, with an estimated completion date of Aug 30/12. One bid was solicited with one received (W31P4Q-10-C-0304; Serial #1936). See also FBO solicitation.

Sept 13/10: US & Taiwan. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas & Grand Prairie, TX received a $7.8 million firm-fixed-fee and cost-plus-fixed fee contract for PAC-3 FY 2010 subset efforts to include the following: United States enhanced launcher electronics system kit cables; Taiwan control interface circuit card assembly redesign; Taiwan power and control circuit card assembly redesign; Taiwan missile test set; Taiwan portable four-pack test set; Taiwan seeker digital processor parts; United Arab Emirates (UAE) portable 4-pack test set; UAE guidance processor unit redesign – tooling and test equipment.

The estimated completion date is Oct 31/12, with work to be performed at Dallas, TX (95.74%), Camden, AZ (0.25%), and Ocala, FL (4.01%). One bid was solicited and one bid received (W31P4Q-10-C-0002).

Aug 11/10: Kuwait request. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Kuwait’s formal request to buy 209 MIM-104E PATRIOT GEM-T Missiles, for an estimated cost of up to $900 million.

The GEM-T missiles use the PAC-2 missile body and configuration, but have warhead and guidance upgrades that make them more effective against ballistic missiles. The prime contractor will be Raytheon Corporation in Tewksbury, MA. See also Arabian Aerospace.

DSCA: Kuwait GEM-T missile request

July 20/10: New MMS. At the 2010 Farnborough International Airshow, Raytheon shows visitors its new state-of-the-art Patriot modern man station (MMS) control station, with its touch-screen display, color graphical user interface, and improved ergonomics. Raytheon.

June 1/10: Kuwait & Taiwan. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA receives a $21.3 million firm-fixed-price contract, covering spares for Taiwan’s PAC-3 configuration upgrade, and for Kuwait’s Patriot radar upgrade.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of June 30/13. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

April 30/10: Taiwan. BAE Systems in Sealy, TX received a $5.6 million firm-fixed-price contract for 8 of its M1086A1P2 and 9 of its M1A096A1P2 Patriot vehicles with Patriot kits installed for the country of Taiwan, as well as 7 M1088A1P2 FMTV tractor-trucks, for a total of 24 vehicles purchased with this modification. Work is to be performed in Sealy, TX, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, MI (W56HZV-08-C-0460).

Taiwan appears to have chosen FMTV medium trucks, as opposed to the Oshkosh HEMTT heavy trucks used by the US Army. While Oshkosh will own the next FMTV medium truck contract as well, BAE Systems retains the rights to key variants, and are the only production source for FMTV vehicles at this point.

Taiwan – trucks

April 30/10: Support. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a $13.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Patriot on-site depot level diagnostic, fault isolation, clean and repair capability beyond the capabilities of battalion and intermediate support units. This includes depot level clean-up, repair, and maintenance of PATRIOT major items, including services required to return and maintain PATRIOT major items deployed in Southwest Asia, Germany, Korea, and locations inside the contiguous United States to maximize operational readiness.

Work is to be performed in Korea (39.1%); Qatar (5.7%); Germany (14.0%); El Paso, TX (18.6%); Killeen, TX (2.5%); Fayetteville, NC (1.8%); Lawton, OK (1.8%); Andover, MA (7.0%); Japan (4.5%); and Kuwait (4.9%), with an estimated completion date of June 16/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-06-C-0352).

April 9/10: Kuwait. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a $16.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for Kuwait Patriot Radar upgrade spares, including fabrication, production, testing, and delivery. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Aug 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-G-0002).

March 9/10: MEADS endangered. The Washington Post reports that the US Army wants to cancel MEADS, the intended follow-on system to Patriot that uses a modified PAC-3 missile:

“After several failed attempts, the Army is trying again to cancel a $19 billion missile defense system that the United States is developing in partnership with Italy and Germany… the Army says MEADS has become too expensive, is taking too long to produce and is difficult to manage because any changes in the program require German and Italian approval. “The system will not meet U.S. requirements or address the current and emerging threat without extensive and costly modifications,” an internal Army staff memo concluded last month in recommending the cancellation of MEADS… Officials said a primary reason for sticking with the project is that it would be too expensive to stop. If the Defense Department were to cancel the system now, it would be required to pay $550 million to $1 billion in penalties… [and could] undercut the Pentagon’s relations with Germany and Italy, which need to replace their own aging missile defense systems… The Army is scheduled to decide this week whether it will continue to oversee the development of MEADS or hand over responsibility to the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency.”

Defense News reports that the meeting, involving senior Army officers and the US Missile Defense Agency, produced no resolution concerning the potential transfer of MEADS to the US MDA. Instead, senior officials from both organizations reportedly agreed that follow-up questions needed to be answered, and additional analysis was needed first.

March 17/10: Support. Raytheon Company announces an $11.9 million award to provide material and technical services in support of the Patriot Missile Field Surveillance program. It modifies a 3-year award, under which Raytheon offers routine services to support the manufacture, assembly and testing of Patriot missiles through 2010. See also Apr 13/07 entry. Raytheon release.

Feb 24/10: To Poland. In the wake of a December 2009 agreement between the USA and Poland, the PAP news agency reports that an American Patriot battery will be headed into Poland:

“The Defense Ministry expects the first stage of the stationing of a Patriot air-defense battery and a 100-man service team to get under way in the [northern] town of Morag at the turn of April [2010].”

Jan 29/10: Taiwan request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s official request to complete its Patriot upgrade plans, adding PAC-3 missiles and additional command equipment.

• 114 PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles
  
• 26 M902 Launching Stations
  
• 3 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 1 AN/MSQ-133 Information and Coordination Center
  
• 1 Tactical Command Station
  
• 3 AN/MSQ-132 Engagement Control Stations
  
• 3 Communication Relay Groups
  
• 5 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 1 Electronic Power Plant III (EPP)
  
• Plus battery and battalion maintenance equipment, prime movers, generators, electrical power units, trailers, communication equipment
  
• Also personnel training and equipment, tool and test sets, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, Quality Assurance Team support services, and U.S. Government and contractor support.

The estimated cost is $2.81 billion, and the principal contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA, and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX. “The recipient, which already has PAC-3 missiles in its inventory, will have no difficulty absorbing these missiles… Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government and contractor representatives.” See also Dec 23/09, Oct 16/09, Jan 26/09, and Oct 3/08 entries.

DSCA: Taiwan PAC-3 request

Jan 26/10: UAE order. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX a $44.9 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for 16 PAC-3 launcher modification kits, and 16 PAC-3 motor control units, from the UAE.

Work is to be performed in Dallas, TX (82.8%), Camden, AR (0.2%), Lufkin, TX (10.9%), Ocala, FL (6.1%). One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0002).

UAE PAC-3

Jan 6/10: PAC-3. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $968.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for the FY 2010 PAC-3 missile buy. It includes 253 tactical missiles, 5 test missiles, 20 launcher modification kits, 15 motor control units, 13 fire solution computers, 13 programmable array logic systems, 13 shorting plugs, 6 telemetry kits, and 1 lot each of the following: United States storage and aging, replenishment spares, obsolescence; United States/United Arab Emirates/Taiwan basic missile tooling upgrades, command and launch control tooling; United Arab Emirates unique cost; Taiwan unique cost; Taiwan spares, ground support equipment; German concurrent spares; and United States contractor field support and data items.

Work is to be performed in Dallas, TX (88.7%); Camden, AR (4.0%); Lufkin, TX (2.4%); Chelmsford, MA (3.5%); and Ocala, FL (1.4%), with an estimated completion date of Oct 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-10-C-0002).

FY 2010 PAC-3

Dec 29/09: CTR. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $58.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee, firm-fixed-price contract to upgrade 124 PAC-2 missile forebodies to the PAC-2 GEM-T/GEM+ standard. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of March 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command’s Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-10-C-0132). Raytheon release.

Dec 23/09: Taiwan order. Raytheon announces Foreign Military Sales contract awards totaling $1.1 billion to fund new production of Patriot Air and Missile Defense System for Taiwan. The awards include ground-system hardware through an initial contract valued at $965.6 million, and an initial spares contract valued at $134.4 million.

See the Oct 3/08 DSCA release; this is the contract for the radars, ground stations, and other ancillary equipment besides the missiles themselves. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL manages this contract for new-production Patriot fire units, which will include new advances in technology, improved man-machine interfaces, and (hopefully) reduced life-cycle costs over earlier generations.

Major Taiwan order

Nov 16/09: Kuwait support. The USA’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Kuwait’s official request to purchase 4 years of Patriot sustainment, including repair/return programs, associated spare parts, modification kits, equipment, Liaison Office Support Services, and US government and contractor support worth approximately $410 million.

The principal contractor will be Raytheon Corporation in Tewksbury, MA. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.

DSCA: Kuwait support request

Oct 16/09: Raytheon in Andover, MA receives a $77.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for Taiwan’s Patriot hardware upgrade program. Work is to be performed in Andover, MA (8%), and Burlington, MA (15%), with an estimated completion date of June 30/15. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-09-G-0001).

See also the Jan 26/09 and April 23/08 entries, below, and the Feb 22/08 engineering services contact, above.

Taiwan

Oct 6/09: Support. Raytheon announces a $64 million performance-based contract to establish and maintain inventory levels for select Patriot parts. Work under this contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA, with support from Raytheon Technical Services Company locations in El Paso, TX and Norfolk, VA.

This sole-source, firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM) at Redstone Arsenal, AL is a follow-on. Under the previous contract, Raytheon says that it increased parts availability by up to 40%, decreased response time for soldier requests, and reduced the overall inventory of parts required. Raytheon intends to drive further improvements in all 3 categories.

FY 2009

Annual order makes UAE a new customer; Kuwait begins ground system upgrades; Export requests from Taiwan, Turkey, UAE; South Korea starts receiving German PAC-2s. PAC-2 launch
(click to view full)

Sept 9/09: Turkey request. The US DSCA announces [PDF] Turkey’s official request for up to $7.8 billion worth of Patriot-related equipment. Note that this comes in the midst of its international competitions for medium (T-MALADMIS) and long-range (T-LORAMIDS) air defense systems (see April 29/09 entry); as such, this request is about assuring access to all elements of the offer, rather than indicating Turkey’s choice.

If Patriot does win, the principal contractors would be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA, and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale. The order could include up to:

• 13 Patriot Fire Units
  
• 72 Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles
  
• 4 PAC-3 Lot Validation Missiles
  
• 197 MIM-104E Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missiles-T (PAC-2 GEM-T)
  
• 4 MIM-104E GEM-T Lot Validation Missiles
  
• 5 Patriot Digital Missiles
  
• 5 Anti-Tactical Missiles
  
• 13 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 13 Battery Command Posts
  
• 13 Engagement Control Stations
  
• 4 Tactical Command Systems
  
• 6 Communication Relay Groups
  
• 8 AN/USQ-140V2c (RT-1785) or AN/USQ-140V11c MIDS/LVT-2 Link-16 terminals for a shared battlespace picture
  
• 48 M902 Launching Stations
  
• 52 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 13 Electronic Power Plant III (EPP)
  
• 100 THALES 9310C Very High Frequency (VHF) Voice Radios
  
• 150 THALES 9310C VHF Data Radios
  
• Plus containers, battery and battalion maintenance equipment, prime movers, generators, electrical power units, personnel training and training equipment, trailers, communication equipment, tool and test sets, spare and repair parts, publications and technical documentation, and U.S. Government and contractor support services.

The DSCA notes that Turkey has not previously purchased PAC-3 missiles, but believes it will be able to absorb and effectively utilize these missiles. Support would include 26 contractor representatives in Turkey for training for a period of 24 months, major item repair for approximately 12 months, and several U.S. Government representatives who will participate in program management and technical reviews in Turkey for 2-week intervals twice annually.

DSCA: Turkey PAC-3 request

June 29/09: Kuwait order. Raytheon announces a $36.1 million Foreign Military Sales award to provide Kuwait with PAC-3 radar upgrade depot test equipment, training, and related technical services.

This depot test equipment contract complements a June 27/08 order placed with Raytheon to upgrade Kuwait’s Patriot system to Configuration-3. The June 2008 order covers the upgrades, while this order adds the equipment and services needed to maintain the upgraded equipment. Work under this contract will be done at 3 Raytheon centers in Massachusetts – Raytheon IDS headquarters in Tewksbury, the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, and the Surveillance and Sensors Center in Sudbury; as well as at the Seapower Capability Center in Portsmouth, RI.

Kuwait – Config-3 support

May 20/09: Support. An $8.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 3 Patriot missile depot test equipment upgrades, and new depot test equipment, including installation and training.

Raytheon is performing the work at the following MA facilities: Andover (50%), Tewksbury (20%), Sudbury (20%), and Burlington (10%), with an estimated completion date of June 08/15. Only one bid was solicited and received by U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-09-C-0321).

May 6/09: Pure Fleet. Raytheon announces a $115 million contract to upgrade 4 additional U.S. Army Patriot batteries to Configuration-3 status, via enhancements to its ground components and radar. The contract option supports the USA’s “Grow the Army” initiative, and will equip an additional Patriot battalion with the PAC-3 system.

May 1/09: Support. Raytheon announces an additional $9 million modification, under a 3-year contract previously awarded to Raytheon in January 2008. This brings the total value of the contract to $45 million, with the potential for additional funding through 2010. Work involves technical services like missile testing, data analysis, and spares. Work will be performed by Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, MA; at Raytheon Technical Services Company in Burlington, MA; and at various overseas locations.

The contract also provides funding for Raytheon to move Patriot maintenance operations and test equipment from Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, TX to Letterkenny Army Depot in Chambersburg, PA. That move was prompted by the 2005 BRAC(Base Relignment and Closure) process and plans.

April 29/09: UAE & Turkey. Raytheon names Roket Sanayii ve Ticaret A.S (Roketsan) of Ankara, Turkey as the sub-contractor who will integrate and test the control actuation system for the UAE’s Patriot GEM-T missiles. Roketsan will work with subcontractors throughout Turkey and the United States, coordinating and perform the major assembly work at its Ankara facility. The Raytheon release adds that:

“Roketsan is Raytheon’s first major trans-Atlantic supplier strategically located to support the 11 countries in Europe and Asia, including several in the Middle East, that have chosen Patriot as a key component of their air and missile defense programs.”

What it doesn’t add is that Turkey is preparing several competitions for surface to air missiles, which will include a number of Patriot competitors. A March 21/09 RFI from the Turkish SSM will by 3 medium-altitude air defense missile systems (T-MALADMIS) for the Land Forces, with responses due by June 29/09. Meanwhile, announced competitors for the SSM’s long-range air and missile defense systems (T-LORAMIDS) RFI for missile capable of ballistic missile defense include Boeing/IAI (Arrow), Lockheed Martin/ Raytheon (PAC-3), China’s CPMIEC (HQ-9, derivative of S-300), and local companies including Aselsan, FNSS and Roketsan.

April 27/09: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $14.8 million cost plus fixed-fee and cost reimbursable contract for an on-site depot level diagnostic, fault isolation, clean up, repair, and maintenance of Patriot-related items that are beyond the capability of the battery, battalion, and intermediate support units. It includes services required to return, and maintain, these items on deployment in Southwest Asia (SWA), Germany, Korea, and the USA, to maximum operations readiness.

Work is to be performed in Korea; Qatar; Germany; Japan; Kuwait; El Paso, TX; Killeen, TX; Fayetteville, NC; Lawton, OK; and Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of June 16/10. One bid was solicited and one bid received by the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W32P4Q-06-C-0352).

April 7/09: PATRIOT AAM? Flight International reports that Lockheed is proposing a $137 million program to adapt its Patriot PAC-3 surface-to-air missiles for use on the USAF’s F-15C Eagle air superiority fighters. The missiles would reportedly be used to help the fighters kill ballistic missiles during the boost phase or mid-course phase, instead of hoping for a Patriot’s usual final phase intercept.

March 5/09: Support. Raytheon announces an $11 million option under a 3-year January 2008 contract to support Patriot missile facilities. A total of $35.5 million have now been awarded under this contract, with the potential for additional options through 2010.

Discussions with Raytheon reveal that the contract number is (W31P4Q-08-C-0025), which corresponds to the Feb 1/08 entry below.

March 2/09: Kuwait order. A $71.6 firm-fixed-price Letter Contract Modification contract to buy, install, and test 6 Radar Enhancement Phase 3 and Classification, Discrimination, and Identification Phase 3 modification kits for Kuwait’s Patriot radars.

Work is to be performed at Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Oct 30/12. One bid was solicited and one bid received by the Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center at Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-07-C-0151). This is part of Kuwait’s effort to upgrade its own systems to PAC-3 capability; see Dec 4/07 entry.

Kuwait – Radar upgrades

Feb 24/09: Pure Fleet. A $9.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for Patriot Pure Fleet Lot XII Add on Items. “Pure fleet” is the American program to bring all of its batteries up to PAC-3/ Config-3 capability.

Work is to be performed at Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of Feb 28/10. One bid was solicited and one bid received by the U.S. Army Contracting Command’s Aviation & Missile Command Contracting Center in Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).

Feb 9/09: UAE request. Raytheon announces a $246 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for Patriot system spares. The firm fixed price contract that is initially funded at $123 million, which represents the first delivery order awarded under a 5-year agreement for Patriot system spares. See Dec 17/08 for the main contract.

Work will be performed by Raytheon’s Integrated Defense Systems at its headquarters in Tewksbury, MA; its Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; the Surveillance and Sensors Center in Sudbury, MA; and the Seapower Capability Center in Portsmouth, RI. The contract will be managed by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL.

UAE – PAC-3 Spares

Jan 26/09: Taiwan order. Raytheon announces a $154 million Foreign Military Sales contract to upgrade Taiwan’s Patriot Air and Missile Defense Systems from Configuration-2 to Config-3 standard, enhancing its ability to deal with targets like China’s growing array of ballistic missiles pointed at the island. See also the April 23/08 entry, below, and the Feb 22/08 engineering services contact, above.

Work under this contract will be performed by Raytheon IDS at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; the Warfighter Protection Center in Huntsville, AL; the Mission Capability and Verification Center at White Sands, NM, and by Raytheon Technical Services Company in El Paso, TX.

Taiwan – Config-3 Upgrades

PAC-3 in flight
(click to view full)

Dec 24/08: FY 2009 order. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $774.8 million firm-fixed-price (FFP) and cost plus fixed fee (CPFF) contract for the FY 2009 production buy of PAC-3 missiles. These orders include missile production for the U.S. Army as well as the first sale of the PAC-3 Missile Segment to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who joins the Netherlands, Germany and Japan as PAC-3 version customers. Lockheed Martin expects in excess of $1.8 billion in PAC-3 Missile-related business over the life of the initial UAE program.

The DefenseLINK announcement says that the order is for 188 Missiles, plus associated work like tooling, maintenance of the parts library, storage and aging services, interim contractor depot support, and spares. Lockheed Martin’s release states 172 hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missiles, 42 launcher modification kits, plus other services as mentioned.

FY 2009 PAC-3

Work is to be performed at Lockheed Martin manufacturing facilities in Grand Prairie and Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; Orlando and Ocala, FL; and the PAC-3 All-Up Round facility in Camden, AR. Deliveries on the contracts will be completed by July 2011. One bid was solicited and one bid received (W31P4Q-09-C-0002). Lockheed Martin release.

Dec 19/08: Support. An $8.3 million cost plus fixed fee contract for U.S. PATRIOT new equipment training within and beyond the continental USA. Work is expected to be complete by Dec 14/11. One bid was solicited from the OEM on July 2/08 (W31P4Q-09-D-0001).

Dec 17/08: Big UAE order. Raytheon receives a not-to-exceed $3.3 billion order for Patriot Config-3 systems, including Patriot GEM-T and Lockheed PAC-3 missiles, whole life support, and training.

Raytheon and teammate Lockheed Martin have worked with the U.S. and UAE governments during the past year to develop this agreement. The initial request was for up to 9 full fire units, with a stated maximum value of $9 billion. See “Gulf States Requesting ABM-Capable Systems,” and the Sept 9/08 order, for more background.

Raytheon established its first office in the UAE in 1983, and began delivery and support of the medium range Hawk Air Defense System to the UAE in 1987. The Hawk has also been upgraded to have limited ABM capabilities, but the addition of Patriot 3 systems represents a major advance in capability for the UAE. Raytheon multimedia release.

UAE – PAC-3

Oct 3/08: Taiwan. Taiwan issues a series of DSCA-cleared official requests to buy $6.363 billion of equipment, thanks to Congress’ extended session. All export requests are listed in DSCA releases as being “…consistent with United States law and policy as expressed in Public Law 96-8. The U.S. is committed to providing military assistance under the terms of the Taiwan Relations Act.” Purchase requests include Patriot PAC-3 systems [PDF]:

• 330 PATRIOT Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles
  
• 24 Launching Stations
  
• 4 AN/MPQ-65 Radar Sets
  
• 2 Tactical Command Stations
  
• 2 Information and Coordination Centrals
  
• 12 Antenna Mast Groups
  
• 6 Communication Replay Groups
  
• 4 Engagement Control Stations
  
• 282 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) (115 AN/VRC-88E, 96 AN/VRC-90E, 13 AN/VRC-91E, and 58 AN/VRC-92E) radios
  
• 9 Electronic Power Plant III (EPP)
  
• 50 Multifunctional Information Distribution Systems (MIDS, provides Link 16 data sharing)
  
• Plus battery and battalion maintenance equipment, vehicles, generators, electrical power units, personnel training and equipment, trailers, communication equipment, tool and test sets, spare and repair parts, publications, supply support Quality Assurance Team support services, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics services, technical documentation, and other related elements of logistics support.

See also their Nov 9/07 request re: upgrading its Patriot PAC-2 batteries to be PAC-3 compatible. The estimated cost of this request is $3.1 billion, and the prime contractors will be Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX. Taiwan has not previously purchased PAC-3 missiles, but they do use PAC-2s. They will require several U.S. Government representatives for 2-week intervals twice annually, to participate in program management and technical reviews.

DSCA: Taiwan PAC-3 request

Nov 28/08: South Korea. The South Korean Air Force formally receives the first shipment of Patriot missiles from Germany, after a series of performance tests since their delivery in August 2008.

The shipment is reportedly part of a EUR 551 million (about $710 million) second-hand deal signed in September 2007. The Patriot missiles will replace the country’s outdated Nike air defense missiles. They will be deployed by 2012, after 2 years of trial operation. Deutsche Welle.

Nov 21/08: CTR. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA receives a $77.4 million firm-fixed fee price contract. It exercises an option for the ongoing “technology refreshment” of 166 Patriot PAC-2 missile forebodies to Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (GEM+) standard.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, with an estimated completion date of Aug 30/11. One bid was solicited and one bid was received by US Army Contracting Command in Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-00-D-004).

Oct 10/08: PAC-3 re-cert. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $5.4 million firm-fixed-price contract to support re-certification of 72 baseline PAC-3 missiles during each of the fiscal years of 2009 and 2010 (144 tl.), and 1 Lot of consumable material to support re-certification of 24 baseline PAC-3 missile during FY 2009.

A weapon’s certification for use does not last forever. Recertification is important to assure the Army that stored missiles remain fully operational, and will perform to standard if needed. Work will be performed in Huntsville, AL and will end on Sept 30/10 (W31P4Q-06-C-0180).

Oct 2/08: Pure Fleet. Lockheed Martin Corp. of Grand Prairie, TX received a $9 million firm fixed price contract on Sept 26/08, for add-on items to the Patriot Pure Fleet. Since Lockheed makes the PAC-3 missiles, the items are likely to be related. The work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and will be complete by Feb 28/10 (DAAH01-03-C-0164).

FY 2008

South Korea buys German missiles, and new ground systems for “SAM-X”; Export requests from Israel, Kuwait, South Korea, Taiwan, UAE; Saudi support contract; Japanese PAC-3 test; Israel evaluates “Sniper” EO addition; Deployment in Poland. PAC-3, labeled
(click to view full)

Sept 30/08: Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a $11.3 million firm fixed price contract for 1,201 Patriot thread rings, part number 10272350. Work will be performed in Killeen, TX with an estimated completion date of May 31/11. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (W31P4Q-07-C-0159).

Sept 26/08: Pure Fleet. A $77.5 million firm-fixed-fee price contract for Patriot “Pure Fleet” conversion equipment. Work will be performed in Andover, MA with an estimated completion date of April 30/11. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).

Sept 17/08: Japan test. Members of the Japanese Self Defense Force conduct a successful interception of a tactical ballistic missile target (usually a Lance rocket) at White Sands Missile Range, NM, USA. They used the Patriot PAC-3 system, whose missiles are license-produced in Japan for the JASDF.

The PAC-3 system will provide the point defense component of Japan’s missile defense shield, while the jointly-developed SM-3 Standard Block IA naval missile provides wider theater-level coverage. Lockheed Martin release.

Sept 9/08: Israel Config-3. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] Israel’s official request to enhance 3 of its existing Patriot fire units to Config-3 status, while using the PAC-2 GEM+ missile. The request includes 3 Patriot System Configuration 3 Modification kits, which will upgrade 3 PATRIOT fire units to Radar Enhancement Phase 3 (REP-3) and Classification, Discrimination and Identification Phase 3 (CDI-3). The sale will also include communication support equipment, tools and test equipment, integration and checkout, spares and repair parts, installation and training, publications and technical documents, and other forms of support.

The estimated cost is $164 million, the contractor is Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA, and Israel won’t need any US government or contractor representatives to help with the upgrades.

DSCA: Israel Config-3 request

Sept 9/08: UAE. The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announces [PDF] the United Arab Emirates’s official request for 4 Patriot PAC-3 missiles with containers, 19 MIM-104D Patriot Guided Enhanced Missiles-T (GEM-T) missiles with containers, 5 Anti-Tactical Missiles, and 5 Patriot Digital Missiles. These missiles are for lot validation and testing of the PAC-3 missiles notified for sale in the $9 billion Dec 4/07 request noted below, which would equip 9 full fire units.

The estimated cost of this sale is $121 million, as it also includes AN/GRC-245 Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio Systems (SINCGARS Export), Power generation equipment, an Electric power plant, Trailers, Communication and support equipment, plus other related elements of support.

The principal contractors are the Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA; and Lockheed-Martin in Dallas, TX (PAC-3 missiles). The purchaser intends to request industrial offsets, but these will be negotiated with each contractor. An in-country field office will likely be manned by 1-4 U.S. Government personnel who will remain in country for an undetermined length of time, and 65 contractor personnel are expected to be in country for an extended period for training purposes.

UAE – Test equipment

Aug 25/08: Poland. The US State Department announces a missile defense agreement with Poland, which includes the deployment of an American Patriot PAC-3 battery in country:

“We also talk about the desire of the United States and Poland to pursue cooperation involving air and missile defense cooperation. The United States is prepared, and we commit in this document to deployment of a U.S. Army Patriot battery in Poland. We’ll begin those deployments once, of course, we reach the necessary agreements with the Poles, and that could begin next year. And then we set the goal of establishing a garrison for the U.S. Army Patriot battery in Poland by the year of 2012.”

The battery will be redeployed from another location, and many analysts believe it will be removed from Germany. See: US Department of State briefing | Stars and Stripes | RIA Novosti, Russia | UPI.

Aug 6/08: Israel’s PATRIOT + Sniper. David Eshel reports that Israel is evaluating an electro-optical add-on system called “Sniper” that can scan for, find, and magnify targets out to the Patriot missile’s full range.

As Eshel explains, many surface-air missiles cannot take advantage of their range right now, because rules of engagement will not allow them to be fired without positive identification. IFF (Identification, Friend or Foe) technology is supposed to provide that, but it is not 100% reliable. This has led to “blue on blue” kills in the past, which have helped create the current restrictions.

July 15/08: South Korea. The second part of South Korea’s Patriot missile buy has now come through. Germany will be selling 64 Patriot PAC-2 missiles to Korea. Then, a joint venture between Raytheon and German MBDA subsidiary LFK called COMLOG will manage upgrades to PAC-2 GEM-T configuration, to give the missiles some anti-ballistic missile capabilities, and greater effectiveness against UAVs.

COMLOG has now issued a $38.5 million contract to Raytheon for this work, and Raytheon’s same-day release re: Kuwait places the total value of South Korea’s Patriot-related orders at $269 million so far. Raytheon release.

ROK buys missiles from Germany

June 27/08: Raytheon Integrated Defense in Andover, MA receives a $76.5 million firm fixed price / cost-plus-fixed-fee, level of effort contract to upgrade 6 Patriot Radar Sets to PAC-3-Kuwait configuration. Work will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; its Warfighter Protection Center in Huntsville, AL; and their Mission Capability and Verification Center in White Sands, NM; with an expected completion date of July 31/13. One bid was solicited with 1 bid received (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).

This contract is related to the Dec 4/07 DSCA request; Raytheon’s July 15/08 release refers to it as a $156 million contract, which indicates that the DefenseLINK announcement covered the 50% initial payment, with the rest to follow. It also notes that the Kuwaiti upgrades are very similar to the upgrades the US Army is implementing under its “Pure Fleet” initiative.

A 2009 release later reports the value of this contract as $148 million.

Kuwait – Config-3

May 5/08: Raytheon – Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA received a $68.6 million firm-fixed price and cost-plus-fixed fee contract for “PATRIOT tactical assets.” Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by Apr. 30, 2010. One bid was solicited on Dec 20/06 (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).

April 23/08: Raytheon announces a $79 million Foreign Military Sales award from the U.S. Army to provide Taiwan with Patriot Configuration-3 radar upgrade kits and related engineering and technical services. This is part of a much larger order; see Nov 9/07 entry for more.

Work will be performed by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems at the Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA; the Warfighter Protection Center in Huntsville, AL; and the Mission Capability and Verification Center in White Sands, NM.

Taiwan – Config-3

March 31/08: ROK. A $118.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for the design, development, fabrication, production, training, integration, testing and delivery of PATRIOT hardware for the Republic of Korea Air Force. The firm will provide command and control, communications, maintenance support, and training equipment for Patriot systems. See Feb 4/08 entry.

Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited on Feb 26/08 (W31P4Q-08-C-0288). See also Raytheon’s April 22/08 release, which places the total value of the effort at $241 million.

South Korea

Feb 4/08: SAM-X. Raytheon has announced an initial contract (amount undisclosed) for preliminary planning efforts aimed at integrating Patriot Fire Units into South Korea’s national command and control structure. This work is in preparation for a Foreign Military Sale of the Patriot air and missile defense system to South Korea under its $1.2-1.6 billion SAM-X program. Raytheon says that it expects significant follow-on awards to complete the system integration and to provide command and control, communications and maintenance support equipment, as well as the training of Korean operators and maintainers and technical assistance to the deployed systems.

Under SAM-X, up to 48 fire systems of Patriot PAC-3 missiles would replace South Korea’s aged Nike missiles; Raytheon has been the only contender since Russia’s Rosvoorouzhenie (S-300/SA-20) dropped out of the race in 2000. While the S-300 has longer range, that isn’t South Korea’s priority. The capital city of Seoul contains 25% of the country’s population, and is within range of at least 11,000 short-range missiles and artillery tubes on the other side of the Demilitarized Zone. South Korea’s Defense Ministry had originally planned to award the SAM-X contract to Raytheon by the end of 2001, but the negotiation broke up over funding approval, and price and the payments timetable issues. An attempt was made in 2007 to buy second-hand Patriot PAC-2 systems from Germany, and there are reports that this is still the plan – missiles and launchers from Germany, electronics and integration from Raytheon.

South Korea: Work on SAM-X begins

Jan 31/08: Support. An $11.4 million cost-plus-fixed fee contract for services in support of the Patriot Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and is expected to be complete by Jan 31/11. One bid was solicited on Dec 20/06, and 1 bid was received (W31P4Q-08-C-0025).

The contract was issued on Jan 31/08, so Raytheon’s March 5/09 release is correct in its timing. Subsequent discussions with Raytheon also place this contract’s value at $24.1 million, rather than $11.4 million.

Dec 19/07: Pure Fleet. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $71.4 million firm-fixed-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a PAC-3 Fiscal Year FY 2008 production buy for pure fleet requirements. This involves supplying PAC-3 missiles, 4-box launchers, et. al. for retrofit onto Patriot PAC-2 systems, which are having their other components upgraded to PAC-3 status.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and is expected to be complete by May 31/10. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. There was 1 bid solicited on Nov 24/06, and 1 bid was received (W31P4Q-06-C-0180).

Lockheed Martin’s Jan 8/08 release says that the Dec 18-19/07 contracts include production of 148 hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missiles, 17 launcher modification kits, spares and other equipment, as well as program management and engineering services. Production of all equipment will take place at Lockheed Martin manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Lufkin, TX; Chelmsford, MA; Ocala, FL; and the PAC-3 All-Up Round facility in Camden, AR. Deliveries on the contracts will be completed by July 2010.

Dec 18/07: Lockheed Martin Corp Missiles and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $485.1 million firm-fixed price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) missiles and associated systems. Note that this would be a FY 2008 order, and is likely to be an order for the full year’s planned procurement of 108 missiles and associated systems.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and is expected to be completed by July 31/10. There was 1 bid solicited on Nov 24/06, and 1 bid was received (W31P4Q-06-C-0180).

FY 2008 PAC-3

Dec 14/07: Pure Fleet. Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover, MA received a $155 million firm-fixed-price contract for Patriot “Pure Fleet” tactical assets. In English, they will upgrade additional tactical Patriot fire units from PAC-2 to PAC-3 standard, in order to meet current and emerging threats. Exact numbers were not mentioned by DefenseLINK, but a Feb 13/08 Raytheon release put the number at 8 Patriot fire units (includes radars, control stations, and launcher sets).

Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and is expected to be complete by Apr. 30, 2010. There was one bid solicited on Dec. 20, 2006, and one bid was received (W31P4Q-07-C-0151).

Dec 11/07: GEM-T. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a $66.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for “Patriot PAC-2 frequency generator upgrades.” A Feb 13/08 Raytheon release described the work as “152 Patriot Guidance Enhanced Missile-Tactical (GEM-T) upgrades, the second of two large orders received in 2007 for GEM-T. The award increases the total number of GEM-T missiles ordered to 952 since program inception for a total contract value of $430 million.”

Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by July 31/10. There was one bid solicited on June 30/99, and one bid was received by the US Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-00-D-0004).

Dec 4/07: UAE. The United Arab Emirates moves to become a Patriot missile customer, officially requesting 9 full fire units with all equipment, plus 288 PAC-3 missiles, 216 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles, and support. The bill? Up to $9 billion.

See “Gulf States Requesting ABM-Capable Systems” for full details.

DSCA: UAE PAC-3/GEM-T request

Dec 4/07: The US DSCA announces Kuwait’s formal request to upgrade its Patriot systems to PAC-3 capability, upgrading 6 radar sets, bringing 60 PAC-2 missiles to GEM-T standard, adding 80 PAC-3 missiles, and more. The entire contract would be worth up to $1.363 billion. See “Gulf States Requesting ABM-Capable Systems” for full details.

DSCA: Kuwait PAC-3 upgrade request

Nov 9/07: The US DSCA announces [PDF] Taiwan’s formal request to upgrade and refurbish their 3 existing PATRIOT fire units’ ground support equipment to the latest Army Configuration 3 under a $939 million contract. Raytheon Corporation in Andover, MA will be the prime contractor, and the effect of the sale will be to add Patriot PAC-3 radar and communications enhancements to Taiwan’s existing Patriot batteries, turning them into a PAC-2 GEM-T type configuration in use by other US allies.

• 2 PATRIOT, MIM-104 (Patriot-As-A-Target)
  
• Radar Enhancement Phase 3 (REP-3)
  
• Classification, Discrimination and Identification Phase 3 (CDI-3)
  
• Remote Launch Communication Enhancement Upgrade (RLCEU)
  
• An Electric Power Plant.
  
• 36 AN/VRC-88E SINCGARS EXP Vehicle Short Range Radio Systems
  
• 32 AN/VRC-90E SINCGARS EXP Vehicle Long Range Radio Systems
  
• 4 AN/VRC-91E SINCGARS EXP Long Range Radio Systems
  
• 11 AN/VRC-92E SINCGARS EXP Dual Range Radio Systems

It also includes non-MDE (Military Designated Equipment under US Arms transfer laws) items such as all necessary modification kits, communication support equipment, tools and test equipment, integration and checkout, spares and repair parts, installation and training, publications and technical documents, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance, other related elements of logistics and program support, and 4 telemetry kits for its live fire training.

DSCA: Taiwan Config-3 request

Oct 9/07: Dutch delivery. Lockheed Martin announces that it has delivered the first PAC-3 Missiles to government and military representatives of The Netherlands, during a ceremony held at its manufacturing facility in Camden, AR.

The Netherlands became the first international customer to buy the PAC-3 Missile in 2005, when it purchased missiles through a Foreign Military Sales contract with the U.S. government.

Oct 8/07: Pure Fleet Raytheon announces a $150 million U.S. Army contract to begin the Patriot “Pure Fleet” modernization program bringing all Army Patriot equipment to state-of-the-art PAC-3 status. “Pure Fleet” is the result of the Army’s decision in February 2006 to upgrade additional tactical Patriot fire units to the Config-3 standard, in order to meet current and emerging threats.

The new contract calls for Raytheon to provide hardware upgrades to 4 Patriot radars, engagement control stations and launchers as well as enhanced logistics capability through support to a common configuration. The initial contract provides for the upgrade of 1 battalion, consisting of 4 fire units, and work will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center, Andover, MA.

Oct 3/07: Saudi Arabia. Raytheon announces 2 contracts from The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia totaling more than $100 million. The awarded contracts include a multi-year contract to Raytheon to continue to provide technical, training and logistics support from 2007-2009 inclusive for the Kingdom’s Patriot and Hawk surface-air missile systems. The other is a contract extension to provide local support services for 2007. Raytheon release.

FY 2007

US Buys; Kuwait’s 4-year support contract; 500th PAC-3 missile delivered. Patriot PAC-2
(click to view full)

Aug 16/07: #500. A Lockheed Martin release celebrates their recent delivery of the 500th PAC-3 missile to the US military.

PAC-3 #500 to USA

April 24/07: Support. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received an $11.5 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable contract for an on-site depot level diagnostic, fault isolation, clean-up, and repair capability for the PATRIOT weapon system major items.

Work will be performed in Korea (39.1%), El Paso, TX (18.6%), Germany (14%), Killeen, TX (2.5%), Fayetteville, NC (1.8%), Lawton, OK (1.8%), Andover, MA (7%), Japan (4.6%), and Kuwait (4.9%), and is expected to be complete by June 16, 2010. This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec. 15, 2005 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-C-0352).

April 13/07: Support. Raytheon announces contract modifications totaling $13 million from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command to continue to provide technical and material support of the Patriot Missile Field Surveillance program in the United States and at overseas locations. The facilities under contract process Patriot PAC-2 and Guidance Enhanced Missile-T (GEM-T) missiles for stockpile reliability testing, recertification and repair in support of the Patriot Field Surveillance program. The program is an international cooperative effort, in which foreign partners fund and benefit from common support. International partners include Germany, the Netherlands, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Japan, Israel, Kuwait, Taiwan, Greece, and Spain.

The contract modifications, which include options for up to $12 million, call for Raytheon to provide technical personnel and material to support the processing of Patriot missile rounds and the operation of the Patriot missile facilities, missile assembly/disassembly facilities and the Patriot missile transmitter facility. The modifications exercise $13 million in options for 2007 against the basic 2005-2006 contract award, that now totals $43 million. Raytheon release.

April 4/07: Support. Walton Construction Co. LLC in Kansas City, MO received a $13.5 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for FY07 PATRIOT engineering services. See this corporate list of projects for a better idea of their usual expertise.

Work will be performed in Burlington, MA (3.95%), Huntsville, AL (8.09%), Andover, MA (9.82%), Tewksbury, MA (76.44%), El Paso, TX (1.67%), and Norfolk, VA (0.03%), and is expected to be complete by Jan. 9, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on Aug. 26, 2003 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-04-C-0020).

This exact amount, contract number, and workshare is identical to the April 3, 2007 Raytheon award in all respects, so this may be a mistake. DID is treating it as one for the purposes of our FY 2007 calculations.

March 19/07: Lockheed Martin received a $376 million contract for hardware and services associated with the Patriot Advanced Capability 3 (PAC-3) Missile program. The contract includes production of 112 hit-to-kill PAC-3 Missiles per the FY 2007 budget, launcher modification kits, spares and other equipment, as well as program management and engineering services.

Production of all equipment will take place at Lockheed Martin manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Lufkin, TX, and the PAC-3 All-Up Round facility in Camden, AR. See Lockheed Martin release.

FY 2007 PAC-3

March 12/07: Pure Fleet. Raytheon announces a $38.6 million US Army contract for test equipment upgrades and engineering as the first step in the upgrade of three Patriot battalions (12 fire units) from PAC-2 to the PAC-3 configuration. The intent of the so-called “Pure Fleet” effort is to upgrade Patriot fire units for the Army’s worldwide requirements, providing all fielded units with Patriot configuration-3 capability.

The initial work includes software and hardware upgrades to Patriot test stations, and engineering to address obsolescence in the factory and key suppliers (i.e. components that are no longer manufactured). The work will be performed at Raytheon’s Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, MA. Raytheon release.

March 1/07: Raytheon received an $18 million operation and maintenance support contract from the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command to provide Kuwait with Patriot system technical assistance. The firm will provide support to Kuwaiti operational and maintenance personnel at fire unit locations, and also at the depot in Kuwait. This program is a 4-year follow-on Foreign Military Sale award to continue a program that has been in place under various awards since 1996. Raytheon release.

Kuwait is also upgrading its Spada anti-aircraft missile systems to Spada 2000 configuration, a move that will offers these less advanced weapons similar range to Kuwait’s Patriots.

Kuwait – 4-year support

Feb 2/07: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $10.5 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Patriot (PAC-2) Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov 9/04 (W31P4Q-05-C-0033).

Feb 2/07: Support. Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control in Grand Prairie, TX received a $5.8 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Patriot PAC-3 Missile support services, Field Surveillance Program. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and is expected to be complete by Jan 31/10. This was a sole source contract initiated on July 3/06 (W31P4Q-07-C-0135).

Feb 1/07: CTR. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a delivery order amount of $59.6 million as part of a $257.4 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for continuous technology refreshment of Patriot PAC-2 Forebodies to Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (GEM+) Frequency Generator upgrade. Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by April 30/09. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 30/99 (DAAH01-00-D-0004).

See our April 3/06 contract coverage. This would be the 12th delivery order for GEM+ upgrades. Raytheon release.

Jan 18/07: Upgrades abroad? As the 3rd Battalion, 43rd Air Defense Regiment deploys to Kuwait to accompany the USS John C. Stennis carrier strike group, the Boston Globe reports that Raytheon has been talking to 9 foreign customers about upgrading their existing Patriot systems. They would be upgrading from various versions of the larger, fragmentation warhead PAC-2, to the “hit to kill” Patriot PAC-3 system with more anti-missile capability.

Countries named by Raytheon executives included Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Israel, Japan, and Taiwan. Raytheon also revealed that they are in discussions with several potential new customers, including Turkey and South Korea. See also Raytheon’s pointer, and the full Boston Globe article.

Dec 27/06: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX received a $376.9 million modification to a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Patriot PAC-3 FY 2007 production effort.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX (53.6%), Lufkin, TX (2.6%), Camden, AR (4.4%), Huntsville, AL (28%), Chelmsford, MA (4.5%), Clearwater, FL (1%), and Atlanta, GA (5.9%), and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2009. This was a sole source contract initiated on March 24, 2006 (W31P4Q-06-C-0180).

FY 2007 PAC-3

Dec 27/06: Kuwait. Raytheon Southeast Asia Systems Co. in Andover, MA received an $18.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for technical assistance for the Kuwaiti Patriot missile system. Work will be performed in Kuwait, and is expected to be completed by Jan. 2, 2011. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 30, 2006 (W31P4Q-06-C-0232).

FY 2006

US orders; Export requests from Germany Japan, South Korea; Deployment to Japan; GEM+ missile BMD test. PAC-3 development
(click for video)

Sept 29/06: Support. Raytheon Co. in West Andover, MA received a delivery order amount of $223.6 million as part of a $600.3 million firm-fixed-price contract to buy new spares for the Patriot Missile System. Work will be performed in West Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/09. This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept. 3/03 (W31P4Q-05-D-0029).

Sept 29/06: The US DSCA (Defense Security Cooperation Agency) notifies Congress of Japan’s request for 16 PAC-3 sets (each cannister contains 4 missiles, so 64 total missiles) plus support equipment, modification kits, publications, spare and repair parts, U.S. Government and contractor technical assistance and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $144 million.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX is the prime contractor, and implementation will involve up to 2 U.S. Government representatives and up to 8 contractor representatives in Japan for two weeks following delivery. See full DSCA release [PDF].

DSCA: Japan PAC-3 request

Sept 28/06: The US DSCA notifies Congress of South Korea’s request for up to $1.5 billion worth of SINCGARS and Patriot missile system support equipment as well as associated equipment and services.

In addition to a request for 58 AN/VRC-90E ITT Long-Range Radio System SINCGARS(Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System) vehicular systems, Korea is requesting two (2) 30 KW Electric Power Unit II, Patriot missile system support equipment including spare and repair parts, Information Coordination Centrals, maintenance equipment, transporters, calibration support, tools and test equipment, modification kits, system integration and check out, devices, documentation, personnel training and training equipment, technical support, and other related elements of logistics support.

Korea needs this surface-to-air equipment to continue the upgrade of its air defense capabilities, and implementation of this proposed sale will involve up to 24 U.S. Government and contractor representatives for up to 2 years to participate in training, maintenance, program management and technical reviews in Korea. See full DSCA release [PDF].

DSCA: South Korea request

Sept 6/06: Germany has requested a possible sale of 72 PAC-3 CRI (cost reduction initiative) missiles, and 12 each of Missile Round Trainers, support equipment sets, modification kits, publications, spare and repair parts, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost if all options are exercised is $298 million.

Germany already operates Patriot missiles, and requires no technical or contractor assistance. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX is the contractor for the missiles et. al. See DSCA release [PDF format].

DSCA: DSCA: Germany PAC-3 request

Sept 6/06: Support. A delivery order amount of $135.1 million as part of a $376.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for new spares to support and maintain the Patriot Missile System. Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be complete by Sept 30/09. This was a sole source contract initiated on Sept 3/03 (W31P4Q-05-D-0029).

August 24/06: Japan. Associated Press reports that the USA has offered Japan up to 80 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to boost its defenses following North Korea’s missile tests last month. Note that the report was very unclear re: the distinction between missiles and Patriot systems. Quoting NHK, AP noted that instead of deploying an unspecified number of locally produced missiles in 2008 or 2009, the missiles would be US-made and delivered to a Japanese military base in March 2007.

Japan’s Defense Agency will reportedly ask for an extra $100 million in the 2007 budget (219 billion yen or $1.87 billion for missile defense, up from 140 billion yen this year) to buy the missiles while local production gears up, in addition to the anticipated $1.88 billion Kyodo reported as the likely request for development and deployment of missile defenses. Kyodo adds that a supplementary budget will also be requested to speed up the deployment of the Patriot PAC-3 missiles.

June 30/06: Support. A $7.7 million cost-plus-fixed-fee and cost-reimbursable contract for on-site depot level diagnostic, fault isolation, clean-up, and repair capability for the Patriot weapon system.

Work will be performed in Korea (19.14%), Germany (8.76%), Tacoma, WA (10.39%), Qatar (9.79%), Killeen, TX (15.14%), Lawton, OK (7.05%), El Paso, TX (17.88%), Fayetteville, NC (8.68%), and Andover, MA (3.17%), and is expected to be complete by June 16/10. Contract This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec 15/05 (W31P4Q-06-C-0352).

June 26/06: To Japan. AP reports that the U.S. military will deploy 3-4 Patriot PAC-3 batteries on the southern island of Okinawa by the end of 2006, and sending 500-600 additional U.S. troops. In related news, testing of the USA’s X-Band ABM radar at its new location in JASDF Shariki at Tsugaru, 360 miles northeast of Tokyo, has been moved ahead by several weeks. In addition, a previously negotiated agreement to expand cooperation on a joint ballistic missile defense shield and joint production of interceptor missiles was formally signed.

The moves come as North Korea prepares to test-fire a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile at a launch site on its northeastern coast. See Military.com for more details.

June 5/06: Testing. Raytheon’s Patriot PAC-2 Guidance Enhanced Missiles (GEM+) destroys 2 surrogate ballistic missile targets, highlighting a successful test flight at White Sands Missile Range, NM. This was the first of four development flight tests to be conducted by the Army’s Patriot Lower Tier Project Office using Raytheon’s newly developed Patriot system post deployment build-6 (PDB-6) software.

Many foreign militaries use the PAC-2 version, so these upgrades offer the potential for an immediate capability boost. See details in corporate release.

April 19/06: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX received a $379.8 million firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for 112 PAC-3 missiles, launcher mod kits, parts library, storage and aging, missile and midsection audits, interim contractor depot support, PALS FSC, shorting plugs, test set cables, concurrent spares, and replenishment spares for the PATIROT PAC-3. The PAC-3 Missile Segment upgrade consists of the PAC-3 Missile, the PAC-3 Missile canister (which holds four PAC-3 missiles), a Fire Solution Computer and an Enhanced Launcher Electronics System.

Work on this contract will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX (53.6%), Lufkin, TX (2.6%), Camden, AR (4.4%), Huntsville, AL (28%), Chelmsford, MA (4.5%), Clearwater, FL (1%), and Atlanta, GA (5.9%), and is expected to be complete by July 31, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on March 31, 2005 by the Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-06-C-0180). See also: Lockheed Martin May 4/06 release. /p>

FY 2006 PAC-3

April 3/06: CTR. Raytheon Co. in Andover, MA received a delivery order amount of $46.9 million as part of a firm-fixed-price and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the “Continuous Technology Refreshment of Patriot PAC-2 Forebodies to GEM+ Frequency Generator Upgrade.” Raytheon reports that this is the eleventh delivery order awarded for GEM+ upgrades, for a total contract value of $256 million. This was a sole source contract initiated on June 30/99 (DAAH01-00-D-0004).

GEM+ missiles are essentially PAC-2 interceptors that have been refurbished, modernized, and integrated with the PAC-3 system of radars, et. al. Since the program’s inception in 2000, Raytheon has received awards for 770 GEM+ upgrades and has delivered 515 consistently on or ahead of schedule, with the remainder on track for delivery in 2006 and 2007. Work will be performed in Andover, MA, and is expected to be complete by Aug 31/08. See also Raytheon press release.

April 3/06: Support. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX received a $6.1 million increment as part of a $36.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for Development and Maintenance of a PAC-3 Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2007. This was a sole source contract initiated on Dec. 13, 2005 by the Army Aviation and Missile Command, Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-04-C-0125).

March 21/06: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX received a $250.1 million modification to a firm-fixed-price contract for production of PATRIOT PAC-3 missiles.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX (87%), Chelmsford, MA (7%), Camden, AR (4%), and Lufkin, TX (2%), and is expected to be complete by Dec. 31, 2010. This was a sole source contract initiated on May 27, 2004 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (W31P4Q-05-C-0051).

FY 2006 PAC-3

Feb 2/06: Support. Raytheon in Andover, MA received a $13.5 million modification to a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Patriot (PAC-2) Missile Support Center. Work will be performed in Andover, MA and is expected to be completed by Jan. 31, 2008. This was a sole source contract initiated on Nov 9/04 (W31P4Q-05-C-0033). This 2-year award follows exactly one year after the original $7.1 million contract was issued for CY (calendar year) 2005.

Dec 1/05: Industrial. Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems in Redondo Beach, CA received a $6.9 million cost-plus-fixed-fee R&D contract to develop and demonstrate a wafer-scale assembly (WSA) process for a batch fabricated SMART three-dimensional cell that will enable affordable, scalable, high performance architectures for millimeter-wave arrays.

Solicitation began March 2005, and 7 proposals were received. Negotiations were complete November 2005, and work will be complete by October 2007. The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH manages contract. (FA8650-06-C-7600). The Patriot system uses this technology.

Additional Readings Background: Missiles

• Designation Systems – Raytheon MIM-104 Patriot.

• Raytheon, via WayBack – Patriot Data Sheet. Excellent resource for identifying the exact improvements made for each new version of the Patriot PAC-2 and ground systems. GEM-Ts are PAC-2s improved for use against ballistic missiles, for instance, while GEM-Cs are improved for use against cruise missiles.

• Designation Systems – Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3.

• Lockheed Martin – PAC-3 Missile.

• Lockheed Martin – PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE).

• GlobalSecurity.org – Patriot TMD.

Other PATRIOT Modifications

• DID – Getting More Value from Patriots: Israel’s Sniper EO Add-on. In practice, air defense units often require positive identification before they can fire. This Israeli system helps provide that, and can also lower the firing battery’s emissions signature.

• DID – Patriots for Eagles? Covers the ALHTK concept, which would mount PAC-3 derivative missiles on fighter jets for use as launch-phase missile interceptors.

News & Views

• DID – Alone, If Necessary: The Shield of Poland. Raytheon will offer PATRIOT Config-3 ground systems with PAC-3 MSE missiles, while MBDA & Lockheed will offer the successor MEADS system that developed the PAC-3 MSE.

• DID – Beyond Patriot? The Multinational MEADS Air Defense Program. PATRIOT’s intended successor. The US backed out, but Germany, Italy and Poland may carry it forward anyway.

• US DoD, via WayBack (Sept 17/09) – DoD News Briefing with Secretary Gates and Gen. Cartwright from the Pentagon. Cartwright cites a PAC-3 cost per-missile of $3.3 million, and compares it with other missile defense weapons like THAAD, SM-3, and GBI.

GBU-53/B, aka. SDB-II
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The 250 pound GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb gives American fighters the ability to carry more high-precision GPS-guided glide bombs, without sacrificing punching power against fortified targets. The initial award to Boeing was controversial, and the Darlene Druyun corruption scandal ultimately forced a re-compete of the Increment II development program. Whereas the initial GBU-39 SDB-I offered GPS-guided accuracy in a small and streamlined package, the goal of the GBU-53 SDB-II competition was a bomb that could hit moving targets in any weather, using a combination of guidance modes.

For the SDB-II competition, Boeing found itself allied with Lockheed Martin, its key opponent for the initial SDB-I contract. Its main competitor this time was Raytheon, whose SDB-II bid team found itself sharing its tri-mode seeker technology with a separate Boeing team, as they compete together for the tri-service JAGM missile award against… Lockheed Martin. So, is Raytheon’s win of the SDB-II competition also good news for its main competitor? It’s certainly good news for Raytheon, who wins a program that could be worth over $5 billion.

Raytheon’s GBU-53 Small Diameter Bomb SDB-II: cutaway
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Raytheon’s GBU-53/B SDB-II is 7″ in diameter around the tri-mode (laser, IIR, radar) seeker, with a clamshell protective door that comes off when the bomb is dropped. A GPS receiver adds a 4th targeting mode. The bomb tapers to about 6″ diameter beyond the pop-out wings, and is about 69.5″ long. The wings remain swept back when deployed, and are about 66″ across with a 5 degree anhedral slope. The bomb weighs about 200 pounds, and all of these dimensions are important when trying to ensure that the US Marines’ F-35B, with its cut-down internal weapon bays, can still carry 4 of them per bay.

The US Navy is developing a Joint Miniature Munitions BRU to address internal F-35 carriage, and SDB-II also fits on BRU-61 external bomb racks. No word yet on whether the JMM BRU will also fit in the USAF’s F-22A, which is also slated to deploy this weapon.

Range is expected to be up to 40 nautical miles when launched at altitude, thanks to a high lift-to-drag ratio in the design. Since SDB-II is an unpowered glide bomb, its actual range will always depend on launching altitude and circumstances. An F-22A would be able to extend that range significantly by launching at supercruise speeds of Mach 1.5, for instance, as long as the bomb proves safe and stable at those launch speeds.

SDB-II’s Attack Modes: Seekers & Sequences SDB-Is on F-15E
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Once a target is picked by the pilot, initial communication and GPS coordinates are transmitted between the aircraft and the SDB-II bomb using the Universal Armament Interface (UAI) messaging protocol, which was designed to make integration of new weapons easier. The post-launch datalink will be Rockwell Collins’ TacNet, a 2-way, dual band link that enters the network quickly using encrypted UHF radio frequencies from the ground or secure Link-16 from the launching aircraft, and provides both weapon and target status to the shooter. TacNet’s datalink software is programmable if other frequencies/waveforms need to added in future, and Raytheon cites a message speed of 38 messages per minute as further evidence of the system’s ability to keep pace with future needs. Link-16 makes the weapon part of a much larger system, and gives SDB-II the ability to be dropped by one platform and then targeted or re-targeted by another. The bomb can also be sent an abort command, if necessary. If the link is lost, the bomb will continue with its mission, using its own on-board seekers.

Raytheon’s SDB-II contender uses a close precursor of the tri-mode seeker technology featured in the joint Raytheon/Boeing bid for the JAGM missile, which adds some refinements. The SDB-II uses jam-resistant GPS/INS targeting like Boeing’s GBU-39 SDB-I, but its added seeker features 3 modes of operation: semi-active laser, millimeter-wave radar, and uncooled imaging infrared. By combining these 3 modes, the GBU-53 can have excellent performance against a variety of target types, under any weather conditions, while making it much more difficult to use countermeasures or decoys successfully:

GBU-53 uses IIR/MMW
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Semi-active laser guidance. This is standard for a wide range of missiles and rockets, and offers the best on-target accuracy and assurance, especially in urban environments. Its flip side is problematic performance through heavy fog, sandstorms, etc. That’s where GPS/INS guidance to a specified coordinate, and the next 2 fire-and-forget modes, come in.

Millimeter wave radar will operate through any weather. It’s especially good at distinguishing metal targets and noting movement, and is used in weapons like AGM-114 Hellfire Longbow missiles to give them “fire and forget” capability. These days, most people probably hear the term and think of airport scanners.

Imaging infrared (IIR) This was adapted from the much larger AGM-154 JSOW glide bomb, and uses high-resolution thermal scans to create a target picture. It also helps with target identification, and offers better performance against some kinds of targets like humans. By using an uncooled IIR seeker, the bomb lowers both its cost and its maintenance requirements. The uncooled seeker also allows snap-attacks against targets that present themselves quickly, since the it doesn’t need any time to cool down before it begins to work.

GBU-53 uses laser
click for video

Once launched, the SDB-II relies on a sophisticated package of internal computing and algorithms that are designed to get the most out of its tri-mode sensors, and make the process of launch and targeting as simple and flexible as possible for the pilot. The GPS/INS system or datalink messages guide the bomb toward the target during the initial search phase, while the tri-mode seeker gathers initial data. A revisit phase combines information from all of its sensor modes to classify targets. That’s especially useful because the SDB-II can be told to prioritize certain types of targets, for example by distinguishing between tracked and wheeled vehicles, or by giving laser “painted” targets priority.

SDB-II warhead test
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Different targets require different warhead types, which is why the GBU-53 contains a warhead from General Dynamics Ordnance & Tactical Systems that delivers shaped charge, blast and fragmentation effects all at once. A scored blast and fragmentation warhead makes it deadly against buildings and people as well.

This warhead was actually redesigned mid-way through the development phase, as the USAF added a requirement to destroy main battle tanks. That initial hardship became a positive experience, as the redesign actually ended up shrinking Team Raytheon’s bomb’s size, and improving its manufacturing costs.

SDB-II: The Program

As of 2013, the Boeing SDB-I/ GBU-39 Small Diameter Bob program was finished production at 12,300 weapons, and 2,000 BRU-61 bomb racks. Another 350 specialized Focused Lethality Munitions use carbon fiber bodies to deliver more near-field blast and less collateral damage; their last order was in FY 2012. Going forward, SDB-II is expected to be the default buy.

The overall program target for SDB-II is about 17,000 weapons over about 11 years: 12,000 bombs for the USAF, and 5,000 for the US Navy. Initial fielding will take place on USAF F-15E Strike Eagles, and F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets, even though the USMC and US Navy’s F-35B/C Block 4s are technically the program’s 2nd “threshold aircraft. Software development issues are likely to push F-35 fielding to 2022 or later in practice. Planned candidates for future fielding include F-16, F-22A, and F-35A multi-role fighters; B-52, B-1B, and stealth B-2A bombers; and MQ-9 Reaper drones.

Special Operations Command is even considering it for their AC-130 gunships, though they aren’t an official “objective” platform just yet. SDB-II was also supposed to equip the USAF’s A-10C close support planes, but the Pentagon is battling Congress to cancel the program.

The GBU-53 may also feature integration with other fighters, if the bombs are sold abroad. Raytheon isn’t in discussions with any foreign buyers yet, and doesn’t foresee the US government releasing the weapon for export discussions and sales before Low-Rate Initial Production begins in late 2014.

SDB-II schedule, 2010
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The SDB II Program is currently a $450.8 million Fixed Price Incentive Firm-type Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract. F-15E integration is being accomplished by Boeing in St. Louis, MO through the F-15 Development Systems Program Office using Air Force SDB II funding. The F-35B and F-35C aircraft integration contract will be awarded to Lockheed Martin in Fort Worth, TX by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter JPO using Department of the Navy SDB II funding.

Elements of the SDB-II design have been tested, but putting the entire weapon together with its carrying aircraft and declaring the combination ready for fielding is still a development effort. Although many military development efforts are “cost-plus” (contractor’s costs plus an agreed percentage), the US military issued the SDB-II EMD Phase development contract as a fixed-price contract with incentives. The targeted flyaway cost per unit during Full Rate Production was $FY05 62-81k, but that doesn’t include amortized development costs; just the bomb, container, and shipping. Current Pentagon documents indicate that $FY19 100-125k per unit is likely.

Right now, the key challenge is making it through the development process successfully. The program is progressing well, but in FY 2011 it hit a funding shortfall from Congress that has crimped its progress. Past and projected budgets include:

Raytheon’s Industrial Approach

Before it won the SDB-II development contract in 2010, Raytheon had secured firm-fixed price quotes in for 90% of required materials from its suppliers, and conducted detailed planning for whole program that includes reservations for setbacks and project margins. These are necessary steps for any fixed-price development program, but this is a good illustration of the fact that it’s often the work done before contracts are signed that determines a program’s fate.

In terms of the industrial team, Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ will be the final assembly center, with key items and assemblies coming in from several supply-chain partners:

• General Dynamics OTS: Fuze and dual-mode shaped charge blast/fragmentation warhead.
  
• Klune Industries: Overbody.
  
• Rockwell Collins: TacNet dual-band (Link-16, UHF), 2-way datalink.
  
• Raytheon Dene at NAPI, NM: Aft section.
  
• Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ: Tri-mode seeker.
  
• The program also uses Goodrich and Cobham to make the bomb’s deployment mechanisms, and Celestica will be manufacturing circuit cards.

Raytheon executives said that they took a somewhat different supply-chain approach to the SDB-II, picking suppliers early and then working directly with them to improve productivity at every step. While Raytheon prototyped their final assembly line, and began using lean production techniques to reduce the amount of “touch labor” and improve productivity, they brought in suppliers to do the same thing. For instance, Celestica engineers were embedded with the team, in order to run their own producibility tools on circuit card designs and refine them to improve yield and costs. Rockwell Collins, who makes the datalink, did the same thing. This is not uncommon in general manufacturing, but defense manufacturing has traditionally been more stovepiped.

Within Raytheon itself, another key industrial choice involved the uncooled infrared seeker. As noted above, uncooled infrared has lower performance than cooled infrared designs, in exchange for snap-attack capability, better reliability, and lower production and maintenance costs. If Raytheon wanted to use this aproach, they would have to begin early, and take a risk. Their engineers worked to adapt the IIR seeker in their 2,000 pound AGM-154 JSOW as a starting point, and they did eventually produce a version that fit SDB-II, was cheaper to manufacture, and more than met government requirements.

Raytheon’s initial team during development will be about 300, but this is expected to drop below 50 for production phase – in part because Raytheon has already used lean techniques, and focused from the beginning on creating a design that was simpler to manufacture.

Minimum Sustaining Rate for production is just 30 weapons/ month, with normal production at 117 and maximum surge production rising to 250/ month. Projected American buys through FY 2019 never top 140/month, which should leave plenty of room for export orders.

Contracts and Key Events FY 2012 – 2014

Cheaper than expected – but F-35 lateness could endanger that; F-35 is biggest risk; Phase 1 testing done; GAO Report. The biggest risk
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Oct 28/14: JMM. Raytheon Technical Services LLC in Indianapolis, IN a sole-source $35 million indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for F-35 integration of the Joint Miniature Munitions Bomb Rack Unit (JMM BRU), including integration and life cycle technical support throughout the technology development and engineering, manufacturing and development (EMD); and EMD F-15 flight test and production phases.

Work will be performed at Indianapolis, IN and is expected to be complete by Aug 31/21. USAF Life Cycle Management Center at Eglin AFB, FL manages the contract (FA8672-15-D-0054).

June 26/14: Testing. Raytheon and the USAF have concluded a series of SDB-II GTV flight tests using the IIR/MMW seeker, culminating in direct hits on stationary land targets. Those can be harder to hit than moving targets, which naturally stand out more against fixed object ground clutter.

The GTVs are full GBU-53 rounds, but with telemetery in place of the warhead. Raytheon says that there have been other Guided Test Vehicle shots between October 2013 and this announcement, including moving target shots, as part of the testing program. Live-fire shots with full warheads are expected in August or September 2014. Sources: Raytheon, “Small Diameter Bomb II nears end of development phase”.

April 16/14: Exports. The Pentagon releases is next set of Selected Acquisition Reports, which includes a reference to exports:

“SDB II is a Defense Exportability Features (DEF) pilot program and meetings were held on January 15, 2014 with the DEF Program Office, the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics), Office of the Director, International Cooperation and Raytheon Missile Systems (RMS). The Program Office is working with RMS to incorporate a Phase II approach for implementing design changes to support exportability requirements. The Program Office briefed the Tri-Service Committee on January 16, 2014 and a favorable decision memorandum was received on February 4, 2014.”

March 31/14: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2013, plus time to compile and publish. Our program dashboard has been updated accordingly. SDB-II still has good looking cost figures and a stable design, with 11/12 sub-system (all but the seeker) passing qualification testing. Bad news? There are a couple of flaws that need to be fixed, and its schedule is out of margin.

The System Verification Review has slipped 7 months to August 2014, due in part to 2 test failures (cover stuck on seeker, navigation error). They’ve also found a leak in the warhead case, and seeker encoders that died under vibration testing. The seeker encoders have a fix ready by the time the GAO report closed, but not the case leak. Meanwhile, the program resumed testing again in October 2013, and the 3 tests since went well. They need 11 total successful flight tests to pass Milestone C into low-rate production, including 2 live fire events. It amounts to 7 successful flight tests remaining over 5 months.

March 4-11/14: FY15 Budget/ R&D. The US military slowly files its budget documents, detailing planned spending from FY 2014 – 2019. The “flyaway” cost per SDB-II is expected to hover around $242,000 in FY 2014, but costs are expected to drop to around $125,000 by FY 2018. Totals are reflected in the chart above. The reports also call attention to the development of an new internal bomb rack for the Navy, which is considered to be part of the program’s overall R&D:

“The Joint Miniature Munitions Bomb Rack Unit (JMM BRU) is an Air Force (AF) led ACAT III program. It is required for the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) carriage of the SDB II weapon in the internal bay of the F-35B and F-35C…. The BRU-61/A, currently in production in the AF, does not meet the needs to operate with SDB II within the F-35 internal bay in the DoN environment. The JMM BRU, designated BRU-61A/A, fills the capability gap….”

No US Navy buy totals are given in the detailed budget justifications, but the Budget Briefing contains the expected figures for FY 2017 – 2019; which indicates that the USN will be buying SDB-II at the USAF’s flyaway cost. This USAF budget justification excerpt is also relevant:

“As a result of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) (F-35) programs restructure, SDB II integration was moved from the JSF Operational Flight Plan (OFP) Block 3 to Block 4. IOC is FY2020.”

The program office hasn’t officially changed the date, in other words. F-35 OFP Block 3F operating software might be ready by 2020, but the Norwegians have been told to plan for 2022 – 2024 as the window for actual fielding of F-35s with operational Block 4 software, and hence Kongsberg’s new JSM anti-ship missile.

Jan 28/14: DOT&E Testing Report. The Pentagon releases the FY 2013 Annual Report from its Office of the Director, Operational Test & Evaluation (DOT&E). The SDB-II is included in passing:

“This project addresses the inaccuracies in engineering models to predict sympathetic detonation of solid rocket propellant when subjected to non?reactive fragments and shaped charge threats. The Air Force 780th Test Squadron tested the ability of the small diameter bomb [DID: SDB-II in the labeled picture] warhead to detonate 122 mm rocket motors. The test results were compared with predictions from Sandia National Laboratories’ Combined Hydro and Radiation Transport Diffusion Hydrocode by Applied Research Associates. Analysis is ongoing, and is expected to enable further development of concepts and methodologies for enhanced vulnerability, lethality, and survivability in the area of insensitive munitions and non-reactive materials.”

Oct 29/13: Testing resumes. Raytheon announces that the USAF has concluded its series of test flights with the SDB-II GTV, using the bomb’s Imaging Infrared and Milimeter-Wave Radar guidance and culminating in “direct hits on targets moving at operationally representative speeds.” Next? System Verification Review and a Milestone C decision, which is behind schedule.

This is actually the 1st set of tests following a 6-month testing moratorium, which was prompted by seeker cover and navigation failures in previous tests. The firm says that the USAF has invested over $700 million in the program so far. Sources: Raytheon, Oct 29/13 release.

March 28/13: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs“. Which is actually a review for 2012, plus time to compile and publish. Overall, SDB-II is a stable design with maturing technologies. It successfully completed a test in its most difficult Immediate Attack sub-mode, but another test failed when the front sensor’s protective dome cover refused to come off.

They’re working on that urgently, as more delays to the Milestone C/ LRIP (Low-Rate Initial Production) decision risk re-negotiation of the Pentagon’s LRIP-1 through LRIP-5 production contract years. If so, it would raise costs that had come in substantially under budget. Meanwhile, Raytheon will build 50 GTV bombs for testing and live fire before beginning Low-Rate Initial Production, which is expected to involve a whopping 40% of planned GBU-53 lifetime orders (math says about 6,800 bombs).

Unfortunately, SDB-II/ GBU-53 has been affected by the F-35’s lateness, which has forced postponement of SDB-II’s Full Rate Production decision by another 2 years, to 2020. The GPS-only SDB-I will now integrated with the F-35 2 years ahead of the SDB-II, and so will other weapons with more sensitive thermal and vibration requirements. That will help the Pentagon discover whether the F-35s conform to their design documents, or whether weapon changes will be required in several weapon types including the GBU-53. Meanwhile, SDB-II will deploy aboard the F-15E.

Jan 22/13: Testing. Raytheon touts a successful fit check of the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II in the F-35A, with 4 GBU-53s loaded alongside an AIM-120 AMRAAM missile. Essentially, the 4 SDB-IIs replace one 2,000 pound JDAM.

The weapons seemed to have adequate space, though flight testing will be needed to be sure. The F-35B will be a more challenging test, because its internal bay is smaller.

July 17/12: Testing. An F-15E Strike Eagle flying over White Sands Missile Range, NM launches a GBU-53/B, which successfully engages and hits a moving target using its tri-mode seeker’s IIR and radar sensors. Raytheon.

March 30/12: GAO Report. The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs” for 2012, which include the GBU-53. Overall, the GAO sees good progress, with 97% of design drawings releasable by the 2011 Critical Design Review, and serious efforts to achieve manufacturing maturity before production. As with any early stage EMD program, however, risks remain. The biggest may be Congressional management of weapons procurement:

“A postdesign review identified several risks related to weapon effectiveness verification, target classification, seeker reliability, and JSF [F-35B/C Block 4] integration. The program office is working to address each of these risks… However, the program’s biggest risk – integration with the JSF – will not be resolved until after [low-rate initial] production begins… The SDB II program office is managing a $53 million funding shortfall in fiscal year 2011, which could have programmatic and contractual implications. The SDB II contract is an incrementally funded, fixed-price incentive contract, and program officials stated that the funding shortfall could mean that the next part of the work will have to be deferred or the contract will need to be renegotiated or terminated.”

March 30/12: SAR shows success. The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 31/11 includes the SDB-II, and validates many of Raytheon’s releases:

“Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) – Program costs decreased $994.1 million (-19.1%) from $5,206.6 million to $4,212.5 million, due primarily to a decrease in the estimate to reflect actual contract pricing (-$994.3 million).”

That’s 23.6% less than the baseline estimate, a very impressive achievement for any weapons program.

Good contract

Nov 16/11: Testing. Raytheon says that things are going very well for the SDB-II’s warhead, and the entire program is on cost and ahead of schedule:

“After building the test warheads on the production line, engineers put the warheads through an accelerated conditioning regime equivalent to 500 flight hours and 20 years of aging in a bunker, followed by live detonation testing… [It] performed at twice what was required…”

Nov 8/11: Industrial. Raytheon announces that its engineers have used design changes and other improvement approaches to cut the time for building SDB-II uncooled tri-mode seekers almost in half, from more than 75 hours to 40 hours. This is part of Raytheon’s efforts to meet their promised prices.

FY 2010 – 2011

Raytheon wins; Program baseline set; Early industrial work & tests. SDB-II test pod
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Aug 16/11: Industrial. Raytheon announces that they’ve built their 5th GBU-53 tri-mode seeker in its new automated factory, which is dedicated to tri-mode seekers. That specialization may be helpful to other programs as well. Tom White, Raytheon’s SDB II program director, says that:

“Building integrated tri-mode seekers is much more complicated than just putting together three unrelated sensors, and our fifth build proves Raytheon is the only company with the technical expertise to manufacture [them]… We’re meeting predicted component build times, and as we continue to mature the program, we will find other efficiencies and cost savings we will pass on to the customer.”

Aug 8/11: Testing. Raytheon says that a series of laboratory tests on the SDB-II’s tri-mode seeker “demonstrated that it exceeds anticipated performance parameters.” Good job.

July 28/11: Support. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a maximum $70 million firm-fixed-price contract to provide Small Diameter Bomb II technical support. The AAC/EBMK at Eglin Air Force Base, FL manages the contracts (FA8672-11-D-0107).

April 4/11: CDR. Raytheon announces that the SDB II program completed a USAF critical design review (CDR), clearing the way for the weapon to begin captive flight testing later in 2011.

CDR

Nov 15/10: SAR Baseline. The Pentagon releases its Selected Acquisition Report for the September 2010 reporting period. With respect to SDB-II, the total expected program cost is listed as $5.21 billion, if it continues through planned production:

“This was the initial SAR following Milestone B approval authorizing the program to enter the engineering manufacturing and development (EMD) phase in August 2010. The EMD phase contract was awarded to Raytheon Missile Systems for $450.8 million. [The gating decision for] Low Rate Initial Production (Milestone C) is planned for August 2013.”

Program baseline

Nov 2/10: Sub-contractors. Rockwell Collins announces what Raytheon had already confirmed: its TacNet datalink will be part of the GBU-53.

Rockwell Collins’ TacNet data link system is a small form factor, dual-channel, 2 waveform terminal that enables in-flight target updates, retargeting, weapon handover coordination, bomb hit assessments and better cooperation with other networked platforms.

Aug 9/10: Contract. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ receives a $450.8 million contract to cover the GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb Increment II program’s engineering and manufacturing development phase. Delivery is expected to begin in 2013, with a required availability date in late 2014.

At first, the SDB-II will be integrated on the USAF’s F-15E Strike Eagles, the US Marines’ F-35B, and the US Navy’s F-35C aircraft. The F-35Bs should just be entering service by 2013, but the F-35Cs aren’t expected to enter service until after SDB-II deliveries begin. Raytheon Missile Systems president says that their design “fully meets the load-out requirements for all versions of the fifth generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s internal weapon bays.” SDB-II integration is also expected to extend to other USAF and US Navy aircraft and UAVs over time. At this time, $23.5 million has been committed by the Miniature Munitions AAC/EBMK at Eglin AFB, FL (FA8672-10-C-0002).

During the fly-off’s technical demonstration program, Raytheon had to prove that its compact tri-mode seeker could seamlessly transition between guidance modes, and demonstrate claimed performance and reliability. Raytheon says that their GBU/53-B seeker flew 26 missions in 21 days, without a single hardware failure. Raytheon.

Raytheon wins EMD Phase

FY 2009 and Earlier

Protest derails; New early-phase awards; Big design changes. SDB-I: separated.
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2008: Design shifts. Mid way through the 38-month risk reduction program, Team Raytheon is faced with challenges on 2 fronts. One challenge was the need to carry 8 SDB-II bombs in the cut-down internal bomb bay of the F-35B STOVL (Short Take-Off, Vertical Landing) fighter. That meant the weapon had to become shorter, always a challenge when space is at a premium. The second challenge came from the USAF, which wanted a weapon that could disable main battle tanks. That meant the blast & fragmentation warhead the team had begun with wasn’t going to work.

In response, GD OTS started work on an innovative ‘multi-effects’ warhead. It would use a shaped charge plasma jet to kill tanks, and a scored case design improved fragmentation effects to the point that USAF engineers reportedly dubbed it “the shredder.” Meanwhile, seeker electronics had to be repackaged in a way that provided a clear path for the plasma jet. As it happens, the warhead and seeker changes allowed the bomb to become shorter, and the seeker changes made it easier and cheaper to manufacture. Raytheon would go on to win the competition. Aviation Week.

April 17/06: Contracts. The Headquarters Air-To-Ground Munitions Systems Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, FL awards 2 cost-plus fixed-fee R&D contracts under the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) Increment II, 42-month Risk Reduction Phase. The purpose of the Risk Reduction phase is to define and validate a system concept that meets the performance requirements outlined in the SDB II System Performance Specification. Successful tests with modified JDAM recently, and weapons like Israel’s Spice GPS/INS/EO “scene-matching” bombs, strongly indicate that success is possible. Solicitations began December 2005, negotiations were complete in March 2006, and work will be complete in October 2009. The 2 winners will be competing for selection in 42 months as the prime contractor for the SDB II program, which has a potential value of $1.3-1.7 billion.

Boeing subsidiary McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, MO receives a $145.8 million contract (FA8681-06-C-0151). This is actually a Boeing/Lockheed venture as of October 2005; prime contractor Boeing will supply the weapon and data link system, while principal supplier Lockheed Martin provides the multi-mode seeker that lets it hit moving targets. That leaves Boeing’s original Small Diameter Bomb partner, Northrop-Grumman, out in the cold.

Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received its own $145.8 million contract (FA8681-06-C-0152), and is competing on its own.

Risk Reduction Phase

Feb 18/05: GAO protest. The Congressional Government Accountability Office (GAO) sustains Lockheed Martin’s protest. It finds that Darlene Druyun had played a role in the bid process that led to changes in the bomb’s technical requirements, and the deletion of related evaluation criteria. The GAO recommends a re-opened competitive procurement for the program’s $1.7 billion second phase, which had previously been awarded to Boeing and Northrop-Grumman along with SDB-I.

In September 2005, the USAF decided to re-open the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II competition. Increment II was originally awarded to Boeing and Northrop-Grumman as part of the overall SDB award.

Protest sustained

Additional Readings

DID thanks Raytheon Missile Systems, including SDB-II Deputy Program Director Murali Krishnan and Jeff White of Air Warfare Systems, for their assistance. Any errors are our own damn fault.

• Raytheon – Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II). Mini-site, including CONOPS videos.

• Stars and Stripes, via WayBack (Dec 6/11) – Some weapons too important to lose in DOD cuts.

• Raytheon (Aug 24/10) – Raytheon presentation and press conference [dead link, see event release]. Contained extensive discussion of their SDB-II design.

• Aviation Week, via WayBack (Aug 24/10) – Winning SDB II: Innovation in Action. By Raytheon’s Harry Schulte.

Nato has successfully completed its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise, Dynamic Mongoose, off the west coast of Norway, with the support of ten allied nations alongside partner nation Sweden.

Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HHI), has achieved a milestone in the construction of the US Navy's Virginia-class submarine Indiana (SSN 789), with the keel laying ceremony.

The European Union has reportedly approved plans to conduct a military operation to tackle the human trafficking networks that smuggle migrants through the Mediterranean Sea.

The US Navy's P-8A Poseidon integrated test team (ITT) has successfully carried out air-to-air refuelling (AAR) ground testing.

Defence Ministers today formalised their contribution in view of the European Council at the Steering Board of the European Defence Agency (EDA). It complements the contributions from the High Representative /Head of Agency Federica Mogherini and Commissioner Bieńkowska. Among others, Ministers agreed on analysing the implications of hybrid warfare for European defence capability development, on further incentivising defence cooperation including the Preparatory Action on CSDP-related research, on a SME Action Plan, on potential basic principles, objectives and actions for a Security of Supply regime as well as future priorities of the Agency. 

Capability development

During today’s meeting, Defence Ministers welcomed the progress achieved in the implementation of the 2013 European Council Conclusions. The four capability programmes on Air-to-Air Refuelling, Cyber Defence, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems and Governmental Satellite Communications endorsed by the European Council in 2013 are making good progress in line with their roadmaps. 

Cooperative programmes are important for enhancing capabilities in Europe, but also for clarifying priorities for industry. Defence Ministers agreed that potential additional priority capability areas could be investigated using the Agency’s Capability Development Plan, an assessment of cooperative opportunities derived from the Collaborative Database (CODABA) and EU wider policies. 

The Agency was also tasked to conduct an analysis of the implications of hybrid warfare for European defence capability development in light of the changed security environment to the East and South. The analysis might form part of wider efforts, co-ordinated by the External Action Service and also including the Commission, to analyse the impact of hybrid warfare on the European security environment and to identify, and recommend improvements to existing EU tools and instruments that are best suited to counter this threat.

 

Incentives for defence cooperation

While Member States spent 26% of their defence equipment budget in collaborative procurement in 2011, this ratio was 16% in 2013. There is a need to spend better on defence, and to do more together. 

Defence Ministers today confirmed the need for  EDA to work on  non-market distorting fiscal and financial measures to further incentivise defence cooperation. Tangible progress has been achieved on VAT exemption for ad hoc projects in EDA, with the support of the Commission and the Belgian authorities. Three pilot cases currently benefit from VAT exemption. Formalisation of this VAT exemption is pending the currently ongoing review of the EDA Council Decision.

EDA is investigating with Member States financial engineering mechanisms in support of defence cooperation, including a potential European investment fund for defence, for example to improve the availability of funds and the synchronisation of budgets allocated to cooperative programmes. This fund could be part of the pooled procurement mechanism. In addition, EDA has initiated contacts with the European Investment Bank to investigate potential financial support to the industrial sector and cooperative programmes of a dual-use nature.

In November 2014 the EDA proposed and Member States approved a Policy Framework for long-term and systematic cooperation. Its objective is to provide a coherent basis for defence cooperation in Europe, from priority-setting through in-service support to disposal/decommissioning.

 

Preparatory Action on CSDP-related research

There is a need to halt the continuing decline in investment of defence R&T and maintain competence in areas of critical technologies. The Preparatory Action on CSDP-related research, and its potential follow-on action in the next Multiannual Financial Framework, could provide fresh impetus. Ministers of Defence supported the progress achieved towards the development of the Preparatory Action by the European Defence Agency and the European Commission in close cooperation with the Member States.  They endorsed consolidated views pushing for a defence-oriented and CSDP-related Preparatory Action. The European Council in June 2015 is expected to provide further guidance. 

SME Action Plan

Defence Ministers furthermore agreed on revised guidelines for facilitating access to the defence market for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), supporting the implementation of the  Agency’s SME Action Plan. SMEs are considered to be the backbone of the EU economy in terms of jobs creation, growth and innovation. The role of SMEs in the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) has gradually increased over time, partly as a result of greater outsourcing. The non-binding guidelines were prepared in close cooperation with the Member States and the European Commission. They contain recommendations dedicated to access to supply chain, access to finance, support to innovation, competitiveness and industrial performance, and security of supply aspects. 

Security of Supply

Security of Supply arrangements are indispensable for the sustainment of operations, the development of long-term planning and cooperation, and the functioning of the internal market for defence. The December 2013 European Council called on the Commission to develop with Member States and in cooperation with the High Representative and the EDA a roadmap for a comprehensive EU-wide Security of Supply regime, which takes account of the globalised nature of critical supply chains. Due to the significance and multi-dimensional nature of the Security of Supply and taking into account experience gained from its work and activities, the EDA has together with its Member States identified potential basic principles and objectives of such a  regime as well as actions that could be taken at the intergovernmental level. Proposed actions include establishing specific measures to ensure access  to critical capabilities and technologies, e.g. through an early-warning or prioritisation mechanism, developing a mechanism to address concrete short term shortfalls, promoting cross-border cooperation, and bringing the supply and demand side closer together, for example through user-clubs.

 

Future priorities of EDA 

Ministers of Defence today endorsed the future priorities of the EDA including three core activities to further strengthen defence cooperation: support the development of capabilities and military cooperation; stimulate defence R&T to prepare the capabilities of tomorrow and support the EDTIB; and ensure that the interests and specificities of defence are taken into account in wider EU policies.

Under the authority of Federica Mogherini, the Head of the Agency, EDA is a key instrument for supporting and facilitating defence cooperation in Europe. EDA’s strength is that it is Member State-owned and -driven. To date, EDA has managed around 150 R&T projects with a total aggregate budget of almost €500m. 

Our Colonel returns this week to inspire the conversation. In this installment he considers the decline and fall of the foot inspection. Once a regular part of British Army leadership practice, he views its demise against the backdrop of the changes it represents for service and officership. As well as any soldier, the military historian is familiar with the practice, as well as the foot’s larger influence in war. The Romans built their empire upon the Legion’s march. And even in this age of high speed travel, the foot manages to retain its influence upon events. However, as a metaphor for the creeping technocracy within the armed forces, the changing terms of its care as a matter of military concern is illuminating. Read the post, consider the questions, join the discussion on Twitter at #CCLKOW. — JSR 

 

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst issued us many things in our year long sojourn there. Some would prove invaluable (our copy of Sidney Jary’s book “18 Platoon”), some would prove tragic (our unfeasibly bulky purple polyester track suits) and some just muddled in between. In this latter category there sits a slim blue pamphlet that still haunts a box in my attic, “The Army Foot: Its Conditions and Cures”.

I do not think that I have ever had recourse to use said pamphlet although the subject is one of acute interest to most infantry officers, for the infantry foot in particular is both an ugly and indispensable object. I have however carried out an inordinate number of foot inspections. Sandhurst was very good at foot inspections, and feet were inspected after exercises and after road marches and this habit carried through to when I was a platoon commander. Feet inspections were the norm and the platoon commander carried them out. When I left my last command some seven years ago however, foot inspections were not the norm. Indeed when, after our first road march, we warmed down and I briefed my command team “Right – foot inspection! I’ll do the HQ you do your teams, let me know when you’re done!” I was met with incredulous looks by the assembled officers. Foot inspections it seems are no longer the norm in the British Army.

This passing of an era seems to me a great shame on a number of fronts. It also seems to me to reflect something of a gradual change in command ethos within the British Army. The reasons for this change are complex but ultimately boil down to two primary factors.  Primarily changes in the character of the society we are drawn from and whom we serve, exacerbated by the steady erosion of the British regimental system in successive defence reforms since 1990.

When I joined it seems to me that the leadership ethos was somewhat paternalistic in nature. As junior officers we were expected to care for our men and it was made clear to us that their problems were very much our problems. I advised on finances and relationships as well as courses and careers, the approach seemed almost Edwardian in character. Despite being a mere slip of a lad myself, my soldiers were referred to affectionately as “my boys”. Not only was I expected to know what was happening in their lives I was expected to be actively involved. I would attend court if they were up on charges (officers still do), write to the bank manager on their behalf if needed and consult (or console) on their marriage plans as required. If the leadership ethos was strongly paternalistic, the character of the unit and sub-unit was equally familial.

This familial character was reinforced by the nature of my battalion, a close knit county regiment with strong local and family links amongst both officers and men.  In my first platoon I found myself commanding one distant cousin, one school friend and two men from my village. People had grown up together and families had served together over generations. Not only did the regiment have a history and character, but it shared regimental families in both the Officers’ and Sergeants’ Messes; families who had grown up and then served alongside each other over the generations.

It is the case today that not only have the geographical and familial links been strained by successive eroding of the British regimental structure (which has been most acutely felt in the line infantry units), but also that the ethos of command has moved away from its former paternalistic nature. Partly this is as a result of legislative change (I am not qualified to give financial or relationship advice and therefore would be liable if I did so) and partly because society has changed; the Baby Boomers generation has given way to Generation X and now we in turn are ceding to the Millennials. Perhaps today’s soldiers see a clearer delineation of responsibilities than they did 20 years ago and what was appropriate then is no longer appropriate now? I sense that today junior officers still care for their men, but that perhaps their willingness and definitely their latitude to get actively involved in providing care is more limited than in my time.

Now barring National Guard and Reserve units US Army units have no geographical affiliations for recruiting, and so while there are a great many ‘Army families’ where generations have served in turn this is not necessarily expressed in unit character for Active Component units. Bearing this in mind there is not a direct read across from my experiences of the familial nature of the command care relationship to the US Army.  However US officers will have seen the changes over the years over what they used to do and what they do now, between what was appropriate and what is no longer appropriate.

So my questions for this week are:

What are the parameters of care to which a leader should adhere?

How has the practical application of leadership care changed since you joined and what does this say about your organisation and people?

When did you last do a foot inspection?

Despite the changing times, I remain a firm fan of foot inspections, not only on a pragmatic basis but as a tangible demonstration of care to those under command.  You can learn a lot about a man by how he cares for his feet and what state they are in, you can also learn a lot about a leader through the care and attention that he gives your feet.

 

 

SA Electrónica Submarina (SAES), specialist in underwater electronics, is participating in the Spanish Pavilion (INKA Pavilion 174-176), which brings together other Spanish companies belonging to TEDAE, the Spanish Association of Defence, Aeronautics…

The European Defence Agency (EDA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) agreed to kick-off on 9 April 2015 a new project in accordance with their demonstration roadmap to support the development of governmental, institutional and commercial services provided by Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) flying in non-segregated airspace.

The DeSIRE II demonstration is expected to run for 18 months with a total budget of €2,6 million. An industrial consortium led by Telespazio, one of the world’s leading company in space applications and end-to-end satellite communications services, will act as prime contractor and system integrator. The main results and recommendations coming out of the project will be disseminated to support European standardisation and regulatory activities, especially for the definition of future satellite-based command & control datalinks.

During DeSIRE II, a Piaggio Aero P.1HH HammerHead will be used as a flying testbed for the development, integration and testing of a set of capabilities designed to allow safe RPAS operation in civilian airspace in support of missions such as environment monitoring, maritime surveillance or crisis management. The joint EDA-ESA project will also aim at characterising Satcom command and control datalinks in different frequency bands through simulation, emulation and flight demonstration campaigns. Meanwhile, DeSIRE II will be also be supported by end users (Italian Coast Guard, Italian Civil Protection Department, Guardia di Finanza, European Fisheries Control Agency, Ceren and Armasuisse) who will consolidate their operational and regulatory requirements to operate RPAS in non-segregated airspace. 

This new project is a follow-on to the first DeSIRE demonstration, an EDA-ESA project led by Spanish company Indra which ran from 2011 to 2013. It culminated with a series of successful test flights demonstrating the ability of a RPAS using a satellite link to safely share the sky with other airspace users. 

Out of the €2,6 million project budget, €1,2 million will be invested by ESA, €600.000 by the EDA on its operational budget and €800.000 by the industrial consortium composed of Telespazio, e-GEOS, Selex ES, Piaggio Aero, ViaSat, Skyguide and Ædel Aerospace GmbH. 

More information

• EDA and ESA sign DeSIRE II project arrangement
• DeSIRE project page on ESA website

 

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Americas

• The Air Force is reportedly set to award a contract for the next-generation Long Range Strike Bomber “within one to two months”. The competition between Northrop Grumman and a Lockheed Martin/Boeing team will lead to a program valued at between $44 and $55 billion, with this equating to between 80 and 100 bombers. The LRS-B program will realign from from Air Combat Command to Air Force Global Strike Command from October.

• General Electric and Pratt & Whitney were both awarded $105 million modifications on Friday to cover a potential contract award for the Adaptive Engine Technology Development order, with the Air Force also reportedly looking to open future competition for F-35 upgrades.

• The Navy announced Friday that it has achieved Initial Operating Capability with the Block II Rolling Airframe Missile aboard the USS Arlington (LPD 24). The joint program with Germany was recently included as part of a $1.6 billion overhaul package by the US Navy intended to provide improved protection to carriers and amphibious ships.

• In other Navy news, the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) has been successfully “no-load” tested on CVN-78. The system – manufactured by General Atomics – uses electricity as a propulsion system, as opposed to current steam-based catapults. The new system will offer improved performance, reduced stress on aircraft and other benefits. EMALS will be complemented by the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) – also manufactured by General Atomics – with this system seeing schedule delays and reportedly likely to miss its March 31st deadline next year.

• On Friday, 21 firms were awarded a $7.9 billion IDIQ contract for Network-Centric Solutions-2 (NETCENTS-2) network operations and infrastructure solutions, with an initial period of 3 years.

• Peru and Russia are reportedly in talks regarding potential modernization of the South American state’s approximately 200 T-55 main battle tanks. With previous reports suggesting that the Russians would be willing to sell the more advanced T-90S to the Peruvians, the reports regarding the T-55s also stated that Peru is not considering any new procurement contracts.

Europe

• The German Defense Ministry has reportedly selected the MEADS system as a replacement for its existing Patriots. The Defense Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the reports circulating in German media, with an official decision expected to be announced in June. MEADS – Medium Extended Air Defense System – has been jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and MBDA, with funding received from three partner nations; the US, Germany and Italy. If the system has been selected over competitor Raytheon – who are offering upgrades to the in-service Patriots – then this would be a much-needed boost to the MEADS consortium, which urgently needs a buyer having failed to impress the US Army owing to cost and schedule overruns.

• Latvia has installed a NATO air defense system to improve air surveillance over the Baltic states. The TPS-77, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is a mobile Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA), with the new system set to complement two existing systems currently in operation in order to monitor the entirety of Latvia’s eastern border. Those were ordered in 2007.

• Turkey is reportedly looking to equip its domestically-produced UAVs with indigenous Bozok missiles, set for serial production by Tubitak SAGE. The Turkish Aerospace Industries Anka UAV is the most likely candidate for the new missiles.

Asia

• India’s fourth Komrota-class ASW corvette is set to be launched on Tuesday, with the INS Kavaratti the last of the Indian Navy’s Project 28 ships. The ships – built by Garden Reach Ship Builders and Engineers (GRSE) – have been designed to succeed the Kora-class. Russia also recently unveiled a new destroyer design – the Project 23560E Shkval destroyer.

Today’s Video

• The Anka UAV in action…

MEADS: air view
(click to view full)

The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) program aimed to replace Patriot missiles in the United States, the older Hawk system in Germany, and Italy’s even older Nike Hercules missiles. MEADS will be designed to kill enemy aircraft, cruise missiles and UAVs within its reach, while providing next-generation point defense capabilities against ballistic missiles. MBDA’s SAMP/T project would be its main competitor, but MEADS aims to offer improved mobility and wider compatibility with other air defense systems, in order to create a linchpin for its customers’ next-generation air defense arrays.

The German government finally gave their clearance in April 2005, and in June 2005 MEADS International (MI) formally signed a contract worth approximately $3.4 billion to design and develop the tri-national MEADS system. In February 2011, however, events began to signal the likely end of the program. Since then, the US Administration has been battling with Congress where there is little support for a continued American participation.

MEADS: The System MEADS concept
click for video

MEADS was intended to match up against foreseeable enemy aircraft over the next 30 years, as well as stealthier and/or supersonic cruise missiles, UAVs, and even ballistic missiles. The system will incorporate its own 3-radar set, along with networked communications for use as either a stand-alone system, or a component of larger air defense clusters that include other missiles.

The core vehicle for the US MEADS program appears to be the USA’s FMTV 6×6 trucks. These 5-ton capacity vehicles will carry the radars, containerized Tactical Operations Center (TOC), launcher, and reload packs. FMTVs can be carried in C-130 aircraft, and MEADS International has already tested some of the prototype systems for fit. Italian and German test vehicles have used their own national truck brands, and the Germans in particular appear to leaning to larger vehicles.

During the MEADS SDD phase, MEADS International was asked finalize designs for equipment and complete their integration into the system. The system’s 6 major equipment items are:

US TOC, ItAF launcher
(click to view full)

[1] Netted and distributed Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence (BMC4I) Tactical Operations Center (TOC). The 3-workstation TOC shelter is a joint project of EADS, Lockheed Martin, and MBDA. It can be carried by 3 different trucks to meet national preferences, and adapter systems could probably be built to widen the number of compatible wheeled and/or tracked vehicles.

[2] Two 360-degree, Multifunction Fire Control Radars (MFCRs). The X-band MFCR employs active phased array technology, using transmit/receive modules developed in Germany. It also incorporates advanced identification-friend-or-foe (IFF) sensors with improved capabilities. As a point of comparison, the G-band AN/MPQ-65 radar used in the PATRIOT Config-3 system has a 120 degree field for horizontal coverage, narrowing to 90 degrees for engagement. Raytheon has begun studies toward a rotating 360-degree version, but MEADS has one now.

[3] Surveillance radar. These “Low Frequency Sensor” UHF radars will have self-diagnostic capability, to ease the extra maintenance load caused by replacing 1 MPQ-53/65 Patriot radar with 3 improved MEADS radars.

[4] Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) certified missile round based on the current PAC-3 missile, augmented by Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) technologies that will give it greater range, and possibly greater performance.

[5] Light weight launcher, mounted on a truck with a built-in winch to auto-load the missile packs.

[6] Reloader truck.

MEADS components
click for video

Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 MSE is still a hit-to-kill missile, with upgraded batteries, an 11-inch dual-pulse solid fuel rocket motor, a thermally hardened front end, a enlarged fins and better control surfaces to improve maneuverability, upgraded guidance software. The desired end result is a longer range missile that is more agile, and able to counter both tactical ballistic missiles and more conventional threats. It’s also being designed to cost less than existing PAC-3 missiles, and time will tell if it succeeds.

The missile has survived MEADS’ demise, and US Army budget documents indicate that production will begin in FY 2014. It will be added to existing PATRIOT batteries, and current plans call for 1,680 missiles to be produced.

MEADS: Mobility and Employment Harpy UAV’s dive attack
(click to view full)

As attack drones like Israel’s anti-radar Harpy long-loiter UAV, loitering precision missiles, and improved anti-radar missiles like the Italo-American AGM-88E AARGM come into service, air defense assets will also find themselves needing to use “switch-on/ switch-off” and “shoot and scoot” tactics to survive. This was certainly the pattern used by one successful battery in Serbia which not only survived the NATO air campaign, but used its 1970s-era SA-3 missiles to down an American F-117 stealth fighter. The idea is to have MEADS elements or other air defense systems “plug and fight,” joining in or breaking off from a common-picture air defense network as needed, in order to protect or reposition themselves.

Existing Patriot systems have some mobility to provide this kind of self-protection, but they aren’t really designed to maneuver with attacking US forces. Indeed, during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, the Patriot system’s heavy HEMTT trucks and other large equipment found themselves hard-pressed to keep up with the US military’s rate of advance.

Early C-130 test
(click to view full)

MEADS would be better than that, but it isn’t really a forward air defense system for mobile units. It was originally envisioned to be transportable by C-130 or equivalent medium transport aircraft, able to roll off the transport and begin operations very shortly thereafter. At present, most elements are designed to be compatible with the USA’s 5-ton capacity FMTV 6×6 trucks; depending on their final weight, FMTV-mounted MEADS components may even be transportable as underslung loads on medium-heavy helicopters like the CH-47 Chinook, CH-53 Super Stallion, and the notional Franco-German Heavy-Lift Helicopter. Even the container-sized Tactical Operations Center (TOC) is being designed to be able to drive on and drive off the C-130, or serve as an underslung load on CH-47/ CH-53 class helicopters.

Cutting set-up time and adding air-transportability should help MEADS improve on the Patriot system’s deployability into theater, and mobility within it. Even so, MEADS will retain mobility limitations of its own, due to the terrain limits inherent in all trucks. German forces will have options like their short-range LeFlaSys armored vehicle system for full front-line mobility, while US forward units on the move may end up relying on equally short range Stinger-based systems like hand-held FIM-92 missiles, Avenger Hummers, LAV-II ADs, or Bradley M6 Linebackers for short-range air defense. Note that a number of Bradley M6 and Hummer Avenger systems have been converted out of the air defense role, weakening US forward-based air defense options.

MEADS is designed to operate behind those forward defense systems, and its broader goal was an open architecture system that can plug into broader defensive systems, working with shorter-range systems like the USA’s SLAMRAAM/CLAWS vehicle-mounted AMRAAMs, Italy’s Spada 2000, etc.; with wider surveillance systems like the JLENS tethered blimps; and with longer range theater-defense systems like the Lockheed/ Raytheon/ Northrop-Grumman THAAD, IAI/Boeing’s Arrow-2, or even Raytheon’s naval SM-3 missiles, connected to a common view of the battlefield via Co-operative Engagement Capability. That open architecture’s first big test, will be much simpler, however: integrating a vertical launch version of the European IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile alongside the longer-range, radar-guided PAC-3 MSE.

Plug-and-Fight
click for video

MEADS International claims that this emphasis on open architecture, plug-and-fight system capabilities in MEADS’ requirements has led to a MEADS Tactical Operations Center (TOC) that can support other MEADS stations, or even other air defense systems. Normal operations require only 2 of the 3 workstations, leaving an additional seat that lets the MEADS TOC be used as a wider task force level TOC, complete with German, Italian, U.S, and NATO command and control functionality. Germany planned to use this capability to integrate MEADS with ground-launched IRIS-T short range infrared guided missiles.

Lockheed Martin is even touting the MEADS BMC4I TOC as a key component of the US Army’s competition for an IBCS system that would integrate all anti-aircraft defenses in a sector.

MEADS: The Program MEADS fire unit
(click to see whole)

In September 2004, the NATO MEADS Management Agency (NAMEADSMA) awarded MI a Design & Development letter contract valued at approximately $2.0 billion + EUR 1.4 billion (about $3.7 billion total at the time). Because Germany hadn’t signed yet, the initial letter contract involved preliminary funding to proceed on a “limited basis,” under the authority of the American-Italian MEADS Design and Development Memorandum of Understanding. Germany’s acceptance and signature in April 2005 enabled NAMEADSMA to sign the full MEADS D&D risk-reduction contract.

The MEADS venture is being led by Lockheed Martin Corp. and includes MBDA Italia, French-German aerospace firm EADS and Germany’s MBDA-LFK (LenkFlugKorpersysteme). Together, these companies have focused an international engineering team in Orlando to develop systems and technologies for the MEADS program. Development work was allocated in accordance with national funding: USA 58%, Germany 25%, and Italy 17%.

• Lockheed Martin: Orlando, FL; Dallas, TX; Huntsville, AL; and Syracuse, NY.

• MBDA-LFK: BMC4I control suite, launcher, Surveillance Radar; and Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) elements at plants around Munich, Germany.

• MBDA’s Italian operating company MBDA Italia will perform work on the BMC4I, MFCR, and launcher/reloader elements in Rome, Italy.

MEADS MFCR radar
(click to view full)

The original 1990s plan for MEADS was for production by 2007, but the 2004 Memorandum of Understanding resulted in a late start, and envisioned System Design & Development until 2014. The US Army intended to see benefits before that 9-year period was over, revising its MEADS acquisition strategy to combine management, development, and fielding of both the MEADS and PATRIOT systems. Under this spiral development approach, the Patriot/PAC-3 system would evolve toward MEADS through the early introduction of the MEADS Major End Items (MEI).

Key milestones for MEADS included a systems requirements review, followed by subsystem and system-level preliminary design reviews from about February 2007 to August 2007. Subsystem critical design reviews (CDR) were finished in 2009, followed by a system-level CDR that finished in 2010. A series of 9 flight-tests were planned from 2011 – 2013, and deployment was scheduled for 2018.

That won’t happen in the USA. By 2009, the US Army had examined its budgets, and declared that it didn’t want the system. They also added a long string of extra requirements, involving expensive integration with back-end command and control systems. The US Missile Defense Agency might have picked MEADS up instead, but by 2011, MEADS production date with all the new requirements had slipped to 2018 at the earliest, and the Pentagon had reservations about MEADS ability to meet even that. The program’s cost estimate was around $4.2 billion, and revised estimates threatened to push it even higher. In response, the USA moved toward ending the program at the end of the Design and Development MoU. Later in 2011, Germany also announced that it would stop at the end of the MoU, as part of their ongoing budget austerity program.

Lockheed Martin has pinned some hopes on its eventual revival if tests go well, and they have. Germany and Italy are reconsidering a European Follow-On Program (EFOP), and interest from Japan may yet help to save MEADS. Russia has also provided considerable assistance, by reigniting an atmosphere of threat and crisis in Europe, and China has done the same in Asia. Their inadvertent cooperation may yet prove to be as pivotal to MEADS as the USA’s.

If Not MEADS, What? Aster-30 launch
(click to view full)

In MEADS’ absence, the US Army intends to continue relying on its existing PATRIOT batteries, with some system upgrades and the new PAC-3 MSE missile. The MEADS LFS surveillance radar, developed under a separate contract with Lockheed Martin, may be the next PATRIOT addition.

Germany and Italy would have several options, if they wish to continue air defense modernization. MEADS will finish its reconfigured development program, but it will do so with key technologies unfinished.

One option would be to finish MEADS and buy it. Drumming up export interest elsewhere is critical, and they’ve reportedly received some interest in via Poland’s WISLA national air and missile defense program, and from Japan.

Italy would like to field a single MEADS battery around Rome, as the best point defense system they can afford. Or, they could simply delete the requirement for a MEADS battery, and rely on their high-end modern SAMP/T Aster-30 systems, which are BMD-capable against short range missiles.

NASAMS launch
(click to view full)

Germany has several options of its own. One possibility would be to take the same approach as the USA, and upgrade their existing PATRIOT batteries. They’re already in talks to do so, and would like to add some MEADS technologies, just as the USA is doing. If they do, the BMC4I command system and links to IRIS-T SL/SLS missile launchers are likely to join whatever systems the USA integrates with PATRIOT.

If Germany wanted to reach for more range than MEADS, and better ballistic missile defense than PATRIOT, they could buy EuroSAM/MBDA’s SAMP/T systems of their own as a new customer. Adding Germany to create a customer core of France, Germany and Italy would improve export prospects in Europe and abroad, while offering useful industrial spinoffs as the system becomes the core of Europe’s missile defense. SAMP/T’s down side is its high cost, a potentially fatal problem given the Euro-zone’s fiscal woes and Germany’s budget austerity. On the other hand, Iran’s continued development of longer-range missiles and nuclear weapons is likely to continue ratcheting up the pressure for European missile defense. If Europe decides not to rely wholly on America’s “phased adaptive approach” of off-continent THAAD systems and land-based SM-3 missiles, SAMP/T would be the logical choice.

Another option for Germany would be to sacrifice ballistic missile defense capability, and field less expensive replacement systems like the AIM-120 AMRAAM-based NASAMS from Kongsberg and Raytheon, already employed by Dutch, Norwegian, and Spanish forces within NATO. NASAMS already employs the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile used by the Italian and German air forces. It can be supplemented with short-range, radar-independent missiles like the IRIS-T SL which Germany intended to add to MEADS, or NASDAMS can extend its overall range by adding the RIM-162 ESSM that serves on German ships. To date, however, NASMS installations have been fixed sites. Mobility is possible, but some work would be required.

Contracts & Key Events

Beyond 2011, PAC-3 MSE related contracts are covered under DID’s general PATRIOT program coverage, as the missile gears up for production beginning in FY 2014. This article will only cover new MSE contracts in the context of MEADS purchases.

FY 2014-2015

Odds improving in Polish competition; Twin-kill test; IFF Mode 5 certification. Test preview
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May 18/15: The German Defense Ministry has reportedly selected the MEADS system as a replacement for its existing Patriots. The Defense Ministry has neither confirmed nor denied the reports circulating in German media, with an official decision expected to be announced in June. MEADS – Medium Extended Air Defense System – has been jointly developed by Lockheed Martin and MBDA, with funding received from three partner nations; the US, Germany and Italy. If the system has been selected over competitor Raytheon – who are offering upgrades to the in-service Patriots – then this would be a much-needed boost to the MEADS consortium, which urgently needs a buyer having failed to impress the US Army owing to cost and schedule overruns.

June 30/14: Poland. Poland’s MON announces the Wisla program’s finalists: Raytheon, and EuroSAM. Poland won’t become part of the MEADS program, nor will it buy Israel’s David’s Sling. The 2-stage technical dialogue led Poland to conclude that they required an operational system, and valued prior integration into NATO systems. Accordingly, MEADS and David’s Sling failed to qualify. Sources: Poland MON, “Kolejny etap realizacji programu Wisla zakonczony”.

Loss in Poland

June 16/14: Germany. MBDA Deutschland spokesman Wolfram Lautner says that Germany is considering MEADS adoption, even if it means going it alone on a EUR 2.5 – 3.5 billion program. A decision is expected by the end of 2014:

“The money would be spent on aligning MEADS with German standards and adapting it to fire the Iris-T missile, and it would start to go operational by 2018-19…. There is a requirement, and an RFP could be issued either to MEADS or for an updated version of the Patriot system Germany operates…. After that, there will be a negotiated contract and parliament will decide since the cost will exceed [the legal threshold of EUR] 25 million.”

Sources: Defense News, “Germany Could Spend €3 Billion To Get MEADS Going”.

May 21/14: IFF certification. MEADS gets full Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) certification from the United States Department of Defense International AIMS (Air Traffic Control Radar Beacon System, Identification Friend or Foe, Mark XII/Mark XIIA, Systems) Program Office. The certified IFF system is used in both MEADS radar types: the UHF Surveillance Radar, and the X-band Multifunction Fire Control Radar.

Mode 5 is NATO’s most secure IFF mode, and certification is a big deal to European NATO countries who might wish to go forward with MEADS. Sources: MBDA, “MEADS System Gains Full Certification For Identifying Friend Or Foe Aircraft”.

IFF Mode 5 cert.

May 14/14: Poland. The USA has reportedly used export clearance to block Israel’s David’s Sling system from WISLA consideration, and France’s continued willingness to sell Russia amphibious assault helicopter carriers is hurting them. Which leaves a strong likelihood that WISLA will be American-made.

At the same time, Lockheed Martin’s Marty Coyne told Reuters that the US government had “supported the MEADS bid by giving Lockheed permission to offer producing its baseline PAC-3 missiles in Poland, and to help Polish industry set up production of its own long-range missile.” If the winner is MEADS, that would mean either a PAC-3 downgrade within the more advanced MEADS system, or full local production of the PAC-3 MSE, which is the USA most advanced air defense missile. Read “Alone, If Necessary: The Shield of Poland” for full coverage.

Nov 6/13: Twin-kill. MEADS testing provides an impressive swan song, as the system destroys a circling QF-4 Phantom drone to the south, while simultaneously nailing a Lance tactical ballistic missile coming in from the north at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The test used 3 PAC-3 MSE missiles, as planned, using semi-automatic mode to direct 2 missiles at the Lance and 1 at the QF-4.

The deployed system included all MEADS elements: The two 360-degree radars for Surveillance (UHF-band) and Multifunction Fire Control (X-Band), the Battle Manager, and a pair of launchers in the Italian and German configurations. Now it’s up to the USA to decide if it wants to add key MEADS technologies like the UHF VSR to PATRIOT, while Italy, Germany, and other potential buyers need to decide whether they want to buy the entire system. Sources: Lockheed Martin, Nov 6/13 release.

All tests finished

October 21/13: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces another successful test at White Sands, NM using the MFCR radar. Whereas the 1st test in April consisted of the (easy) tracking of a small aircraft, this time the result is more significant as the target was a 20 ft Lance tactical ballistic missile (TBM). Next month there is a final, more momentous test scheduled to wrap up 2013, which will combine the interception of a TBM with an air-breathing target. Source: Lockheed Martin, “MEADS Multifunction Fire Control Radar Tracks Tactical Ballistic Missile for First Time.”

FY 2013

Germany and Italy pursue EFOP follow-on, may have partners; MEADS cruise missile test is a kill; PAC-3 MSE missile aces high-low intercept test, MEADS wants its last test to be harder. Test launch #1
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June 19/13: Testing. During NATO’s Joint Project Optic Windmill (JPOW) exercises in May-June 2013, a MEADS tactical battle management command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (BMC4I) tested its ability to operate with other NATO systems. That’s important, because Germany, Italy, and others would need to use MEADS with NATO’s overarching command and control systems, in order to be most effective against ballistic missiles.

It was something of a lab test, and also somewhat limited. MEADS demonstrated the ability to transmit, receive and process Link 16 messages, as well as “other elements of threat engagement and target intercept.” It needs Link 16 and full threat engagement and target intercept data sharing. Lockheed Martin.

June 18/13: Testing & Future Plans. After the successful high-low test of PAC-3 MSE missiles mounted on a PATRIOT system (q.v. June 7/13), MEADS wants to use the same kind of challenging test for its last scheduled full-system test, with the 2 targets arriving almost simultaneously and 120 degrees apart, and 2 launchers participating together. That’s outside the PATRIOT’s capabilities, but proving MEADS this way means that the added cruise missile drone and accompanying test changes need to be funded. Which means they have to ask the USA, Germany, and Italy.

The Europeans may be interested in paying, even if the USA isn’t really sure what it wants to do with MEADS. That kind of demonstration would help their European Follow-on Program (EFOP) get traction with partners like Poland, and talks to lay out an EFOP plan are expected this fall. As things stand, it looks like the Europeans will get the BMC4I control centers to form the core of any further testing and development, a fire-control radar each, and 2 launchers. The United States really wants the surveillance radar. Aviation Week | Military.com.

June 16/13: Germany. Raytheon’s VP of Integrated Air and Missile Defense, Sanjay Kapoor, tells Bloomberg that Germany is discussing an upgrade of its own PATRIOT systems, and wants to incorporate elements of MEADS after spending all that R&D money. Bloomberg.

June 7/13: MSE Splash 2. The improved PAC-3 MSE aces a big test at White Sands Missile Range, NM, killing both a tactical ballistic missile (TBM) target and a cruise missile. The missile is fired as part of a PATRIOT system, as opposed to its more advanced MEADS counterparts.

The TBM was assigned 2 ripple-fired missiles, but the 1st hit so #2 self-destructed. Missile #3 took out the BQM-74 jet-powered target drone. Preliminary data indicates that all test objectives were achieved. Lockheed Martin | Raytheon.

May 15/13: Export interest. Aviation week quotes Italian National Armaments Director Lt. Gen. Claudio Debertolis, and Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control EVP Rick Edwards, to confirm that 2 new nations are interested in MEADS. One of them is Poland, and the other is said to be Japan.

Poland is in the process of building a national air and missile defense system, and MEADS offers them a very strong air defense system with a BMD point defense option. Beyond its performance premium over PATRIOT, MEADS can also offer workshare benefits from early involvement.

Lt. Gen. Claudio Debertolis adds that Italy would like to deploy a single MEADS battery around Rome, as the most capable BMD solution that Italy can afford, given its poor fiscal situation. When one counts MBDA’s Aster-30 missiles deployed by Italian Horizon Class ships and SAMP/T army units, Rome could have a 2 layer BMD system. Aviation Week.

April 10/13: FY 2014 Budget. The President releases a proposed budget at last, the latest in modern memory. The Senate and House were already working on budgets in his absence, but the Pentagon’s submission is actually important to proceedings going forward. MEADS gets no FY 2014 funding, as expected. The $400.9 million budgeted in FY 2013 is designed to finish development, and meet all contractual obligations.

PAC-3 MSE missile production would begin with a budget of $540.5 million, covering 56 missiles plus long-lead time items for FY 2015’s 72 missiles. DID budget coverage.

April 9/13: Testing. MEADS tests continue under the development program, and Lockheed Martin continues to highlight progress in hopes of drumming up interest. During a recent test that tracked a small test aircraft near Syracuse, NY, MEADS’ UHF Low-Frequency Sensor radar succeeded in cueing its companion MFCR X-band fire-control radar, via the MEADS Battle Manager.

It’s a very basic test. Upcoming tests in a NATO exercise, and firing test #2 at White Sands missile range, will be much more significant. Lockheed Martin.

March 28/13: The US GAO tables its “Assessments of Selected Weapon Programs” for 2013. Which is actually a review for 2012, plus time to compile and publish. With respect to the “Patriot/Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Combined Aggregate Program (CAP) Fire Unit,” the report pegs funding from all parties through FY 2013 at $3.3255 billion, including $781.9 million from the Pentagon during FY 2012 and 2013.

Development of the system support vehicle, MEADS network radio, and reloader has been cut, focusing efforts on the 360-degree MFCR fire control radar; near-vertical launcher; and battle management system. Program officials cite all 3 as having met or exceeded predicted performance. So, which technologies are likely to find their way into other programs, other than the PAC-3 MSE missile? The volume search radar is cited as the leading candidate, followed by the near-vertical launcher, and the cooling technology used for its rotating phased array radars.

The system’s final test in late 2013 will involve a ballistic missile, against a MEADS system that accompanies the MFCR with a low-cost (just 50% of T/R arrays) version of the surveillance/ volume search radar design.

March 26/13: Politics. MEADS survives another Senate vote, with $381 million included in the Continuing Resolution to finish development. It’s the usual argument: the contention that cancellation would cost as much as finishing funding, while eliminating all of the associated jobs early and preventing the Army from picking up some MEADS technologies for future use.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste adds an interesting wrinkle, leaking a confidential Pentagon report that says it might not have to pay termination costs. It cites the 2005 MoU clause that makes MEADS activities subject to “the availability of funds appropriated for such purposes.” If Congress cuts off funding, does that mean the Army can exit the program with no penalty? Sen. Kelly Ayotte [R-NH] led the charge to reapportion MEADS funding to pay for operations and maintenance. Sens. Chuck Schumer [D-NY-LMCO], Senate Appropriations Chair Barbara Mikulski [D-MD], and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid [D-NV] worked to keep Ayotte’s amendments from ever coming to the floor, believing that if they did, they’d probably pass.

In response, Sen. Ayotte has placed a hold on Alan Estevez’s nomination to be the next Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. She contends that MEADS was funded even though the NDAA prohibits such MEADS funding, via a provision that prevents the Pentagon from funding systems that won’t ever reach the battlefield. Sen. Ayotte in New Hampshire Sentinel Source | CNB News | Defense News Intercepts.

Jan 29/13: Italy & Germany letter. The German and Italian defense ministries send a formal letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, pressing the USA to continue MEADS funding through development. Excerpts:

“The results of the Design and Development (D&D) phase of the MEADS program remain vital for both Germany and Italy as they will be the basis for our future Air and Missile Defense System Architecture…. If the US does not fulfill its funding commitment for 2013, Germany and Italy would need to interpret this as a unilateral withdrawal. Under the terms of the MoU, Germany and Italy expect formal notification of the US intent to withdraw…. In a first estimate the current US position results in an economic damage to Germany and Italy of more than 400 Mio. US$…. In addition, there are wider implication of the US withdrawing or breaking the MoU and this would set a bad precedent for future transatlantic cooperation in principle.”

See: MEADS AMD [PDF].

Nov 29/12: Intercept. A partial MEADS configuration with a networked MEADS battle manager, a lightweight launcher firing the PAC-3 MSE, and a 360-degree MEADS Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) intercept and kill an MQM-107 target drone simulating a cruise missile.

This is MEADS’ 1st intercept test; a 2nd is planned for late 2013. Lockheed Martin | MEADS, incl. more photos etc.

Cruise missile intercept

FY 2012

MEADS: ground view
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Aug 21/12: US Army Brig. Gen. Ole Knudson, Program Executive Officer Missiles and Space, said during a conference that the surveillance radar is the piece of MEADS most worth salvaging. The Army has already turned the PAC-3 MSE missile into its own program, so perhaps he means “the next piece of MEADS most worth salvaging.” AviationWeek.

July 2012: Difficult funding. So far this fiscal year, reviving support in the US Congress for the program has been rocky. The Administration asked for $400M in its February budget request. In response, the House voted a bill that would prohibit obligating or expending funds for MEADS. Later the Senate Armed Services Committee concurred. In its statement of policy [PDF] issued in June in response to the House NDAA FY13 bill, the OMB wrote that it:

“strongly objects to the Committee’s decision to omit funding for MEADS. If the Congress does not appropriate the funding in the FY 2013 Budget request, there is a high likelihood that this action would be perceived by our partners, Italy and Germany, as breaking our commitment under the Memorandum of Understanding. This could harm our relationship with our Allies on a much broader basis, including future multinational cooperative projects. It also could prevent the completion of the agreed Proof of Concept activities, which would provide data archiving, analysis of testing, and software development necessary to harvest technology from U.S. and partner investments in MEADS.

SecDef Panetta wrote to SAC Chairman Inouye to ask for his support. That seemed to help as the Senate Appropriations Defense subcommittee maintained $380M for MEADS funding in its markup. However, given far from universal support in the Senate and opposition in the House, this will be hard to push through the eventual bill, whenever that happens given the likelihood of a Continuing Resolution in the fall. Scenarios to terminate MEADS were already floated in a CBO report on deficit reduction [PDF] and by the Pentagon (see Feb 14/11 entry) in early 2011.

July 9/12: MSS-M. Lockheed Martin deploys an 18-wheeler rig with its MEADS System Stimulator – Mobile (MSS-M) to White Sands Missile Range, NM. Its’s a way of reducing costs, and lowering risks, both of which are critical to a program whose funding is running down, with no buyer in sight.

Without MSS-M, they’d be limited to hardware-in-the-loop simulations in a laboratory environment. With it, they can do the same work in the field, running simulations and checking performance by the same live systems that will be used in firing tests. They will be very busy as the first MEADS target intercept test, scheduled for later in 2012, approaches. Lockheed Martin.

June 12/12: Testing. The 1st MEADS power and communications unit hass finished acceptance testing in Germany. The truck-mounted power and communications unit provides power for the MEADS fire control and surveillance radars. It includes a diesel-powered generation unit. A separate commercial power interface unit permits radar operation using commercial power (50 Hertz/60 Hertz). Lockheed Martin.

April 19/12: Testing. The 1st MEADS X-band Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) has begun system-level testing with a MEADS battle manager and launcher at Pratica di Mare AFB near Rome, Italy. Lockheed Martin.

Feb 22/12: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that they’ve begun integration testing on the 3rd completed MEADS battle manager at its facility in Huntsville, AL. This one will be used as part of the ballistic missile intercept test planned for 2013 at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The other 2 are already supporting system testing at Pratica di Mare AFB, Italy and Orlando, FL.

Nov 17/11: The 1st full MEADS firing test successfully engages an “over the shoulder” target approaching from behind at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The test used the PAC-3 MSE missile, lightweight launcher and BMC4I battle manager, and the nature of the test required a unique sideways maneuver from the missile. Since the threat was not an actual target drone, the missile’s self destruct was triggered at the end. Lockheed Martin.

1st full firing test

Nov 10/11: Testing. In a simulated test at at Pratica di Mare, Italy, the MEADS BMC4I battle manager demonstrates the “plug and fight” concept, including attaching and detaching the launcher from the MEADS plug-and-fight network; configuring and initializing the MEADS launcher and simulated sensors; performing track management functions, threat assessment and identification; and transmitting a valid launch command to the launcher.

NAMEADSMA General Manager Gregory Kee adds that “Because of its advanced capabilities, there is international interest in MEADS.” Technicaly, that’s already true, due to its program structure. The question is whether there’s interest from an outside country with the funds to integrate MEADS into an existing air defense command-and-control framework, conduct further tests, and begin manufacturing. MEADS’ current publicity campaign is partly designed to help it find that buyer – if that buyer exists. Lockheed Martin.

Nov 3/11: The National Armaments Directors of Germany, Italy and the United States approve a amendment that lays out the rest of the MEADS System Development & Demonstration contract, which ends in 2014. Lockheed Martin will say only that MEADS “remains within the funding limit authorized… in the 2004 MEADS [MoU].” Testing will include engagement using remote tracks, plug-and-fight capabilities for MEADS components, the system’s netted/distributed operation, and interoperability through Link 16. In addition:

Fall 2011 will see a launcher missile characterization test, demonstrating MEADS’ 360 degree capability with an over-the-shoulder launch of a PAC-3 MSE missile, against a target approaching from behind.

Late 2012 will see an intercept flight test against an air-breathing (as opposed to rocket powered) threat.

Late 2013 will see a sensor test, followed by the grand finale: a tactical ballistic missile intercept test. Lockheed Martin.

Revised MEADS program

Nov 1/11: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $16.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to cover PAC-3 MSE follow-on flight tests.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX; Chelmsford, MA; Camden, AR; Huntsville, AL; Pinellas, FL; Vergennes, VT; Hollister, CA; Torrance, CA; and Wichita, KS; with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

Oct 24/11: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that a MEADS launcher has arrived at White Sands Missile Range, NM, after system integration testing, to begin live fire testing. While PAC-3 MSE missiles have been fired before, it was done from existing launcher systems.

Integration and checkout tests are continuing in preparation for a November flight test, where the MEADS system will demonstrate an unprecedented over-the-shoulder launch of a PAC-3 MSE missile, against a simulated target that attacks from behind.

Oct 21/11: Deutschland raus. Germany changes its mind about termination, as it continues to cut its already weak defense sector. Under the new plan, Germany will also pull out of MEADS, and will cut its Patriot systems in half from 29 to 14.

This move virtually ensures the end of MEADS. If Italy also decides to pull the plug, as now seems likely, there will be no termination costs to fellow partners for shuttering the program. Depending on how they choose to go about closing things down, however, there may be termination costs to the contractors. Aviation Week.

Germany out

Oct 17/11: MICS. Lockheed Martin announces the early delivery of MEADS’ intra-fire unit communications kits for the MEADS Internal Communications Subsystem (MICS).

MICS provides secure communications between the MEADS sensors, launchers and battle managers across a high-speed internet protocol network. That network can have MEADS elements removed and added with no delay, and can be expanded to include other elements using a “plug-and-fight” architecture.

Oct 12/11: Battle Manager. MEADS International announces that they’ve begun integration testing on the first completed MEADS battle manager system (BMC4I TOC), which provides overall control and configuration of MEADS intended “plug and fight” system. The Battle Manager, mounted on back of an FMTV truck, completed acceptance testing in May 2011 at MBDA in Fusaro, Italy, and arrived at the MEADS Verification Facility in Orlando, FL in July 2011.

The Florida facility is putting the new system through its paces using the MEADS system stimulator, in preparation for a system live-fire in November at White Sands Missile Range, NM. In these simulated scenarios, the MEADS battle manager will configure the other major end items and receive Surveillance Radar tracks for simulated threats, cue the Multifunction Fire Control Radar, send launch commands, and complete interceptor launches and target intercepts.

FY 2011

MEADS BMC4I-TOC
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Sept 13/11: Lockheed Martin announces that MEADS’ Integrated Launcher Electronics System (ILES) has successfully executed a simulated missile launch, as they prepare for MEADS first major live-fire test in November at White Sands Missile Range, NM.

Aug 16/11: Battle manager. MEADS’ Battle Management Command, Control, Communications and Computers and Intelligence (BMC4I) “battle manager” successfully completes its software design review in Huntsville, AL. Lockheed Martin.

July 21/11: Unhappy partners. Italy and Germany are rattling cages in the USA, in response to FY 2012 budget committee votes. Germany is saying that they won’t agree to joint termination, while Italy’s undersecretary for defense, Guido Crosetto, sends a letter to the Pentagon saying:

“I expect that the U.S. DOD will put in place all the necessary actions to ensure that U.S. Congress will provide the required funds to complete the Meads development and meet our mutually agreed commitments within the limits… [otherwise] the U.S. shall then be required to bear all the resulting contract modifications and cancellation costs up to the total financial contribution established.”

Given the likely size of those contract penalties, that really does sound like an offer the USA can’t refuse. Bloomberg.

July 5/11: At least we’re secure. MEADS International wins its 3rd James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award. It’s presented by the U.S. Defense Security Service (DSS), who has responsibility for more than 13,000 cleared contractor facilities, during the National Classification Management Society’s Annual Seminar in New Orleans, LA.

Less than 1% are considered for Cogswell recognition, but MEADS International also won in 2000, and in 2007. Their 2011 Cogswell Award includes recognition for 7 consecutive years of Superior security ratings. Lockheed Martin.

June 21/11: Revised objectives. The National Armaments Directors of Germany, Italy and the United States have approved a revised set of MEADS development objectives, including 2 intercept flight tests by 2014. To support final system integration and flight test activities, MI has taken ownership of facilities at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Lockheed Martin.

June 15/11: Zero-out? Bloomberg reports that some members of the US Senate Armed Services committee are looking to zero-out MEADS funding in the FY 2012 budget. That happens the day after the US House Appropriations Committee approves a 2012 defense-spending draft that cuts $149.5 million from MEADS’ FY 2012 budget, and the SASC would go on to remove the MEADS’ request entirely.

The Pentagon has proposed funding MEADS development, due in part to MEADS’ termination costs. It remains to be seen whether that becomes a factor in debate.

May 4/11: PAC-3 MSE. Raytheon’s Patriot system successfully test fires Lockheed Martin’s PAC-3 MSE at White Sands Missile Range, NM. This is another step forward for MEADS development program. It also shows that the missile can be incorporated into existing Patriot systems, as an upgrade that stops short of full MEADS capabilities. Raytheon.

March 2011: Testing. The 2nd MEADS Launcher Platform Group (LPG) completes formal acceptance testing in Dello, Italy, after demonstrating capabilities including automatic upload/offload, switch from emplacement to mobile configuration, and detachment of components from the MAN truck carrier to allow helicopter transport.

Following integration with an Integrated Launcher Electronics System, Launcher Power System and Internal Communication System (MICS), the completed launcher will begin system-level integration with other MEADS elements, then begin flight tests at White Sands Missile Range, NM later in 2011. Lockheed Martin.

March 21/11: DOD Buzz reports from AIAA’s annual missile defense conference that MEADS may have bought itself the time it needs to survive, as the participants work to complete development instead of paying termination fees:

“Lockheed Martin believes there is a good chance the US will recommit to the tri-nation MEADS missile defense program, driven by its smaller manpower requirements, ease of transport and higher [8x – 10x higher] reliability. And Germany and Italian officials told a senior Lockheed official that they remain committed to MEADS and other countries may well join the program sometime in the next two years. Mike Trotsky, Lockheed’s vice president air and missile defense systems, told reporters during that adding more countries could substantially lower the price of American participation…”

April 15/11: The Pentagon’s Selected Acquisitions Report ending Dec 30/10 includes the “Patriot/Medium Extended Air Defense System Combined Aggregate Program (MEADS CAP) Fire Unit – Program”:

“…costs decreased $18,661.8 million (-85.0 percent) from $21,965.3 million to $3,303.5 million, due primarily to the Department’s decision to remove the production funding for the fire unit from the program and modify the design and development phase to continue as a proof of concept effort ending in fiscal 2014.”

SAR – termination

March 21/11: Testing. Lockheed Martin announces that a MEADS launcher and accompanying BMC4I Tactical Operations Center (TOC) have entered system test and integration at Pratica di Mare Air Force Base in Italy. Later additions of the Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) and a MEADS System Stimulator will enable demonstration of the full MEADS system in simulated engagements of live target aircraft. After pre-integration at Pratica di Mare, the MEADS system will complete integration at White Sands Missile Range, NM, and begin flight testing in 2012.

March 3/11: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $7 million incremental-funding, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to eliminate obsolete materials in the PAC-3 and PAC-3 MSE solid rocket motor, in support of the United States and Taiwan.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, with an estimated completion date of June 30/14. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

March 2/11: BMD firing test. Lockheed Martin announces that a PAC-3 MSE missile successfully intercepted a “threat representative” tactical ballistic missile target at White Sands Missile Range, NM. Richard McDaniel, director of PAC-3 Missile Programs at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control:

“We continue to test the PAC-3 MSE Missile at higher altitudes and against more challenging targets, and it continues to meet expectations…”

Feb 16/11: Germany wobbles. Media reports confirm that Germany will not pursue MEADS beyond the development phase. A Feb 15/11 letter from the Germany defense ministry to its parliamentary budget committee was leaked to Reuters, and it reportedly states that:

“With the closing of the planned development of MEADS … between the United States, Germany and Italy,… a realisation or acquisition of MEADS will not be carried out in the foreseeable future…”

That doesn’t mean an immediate pullout. Announcements of the kind the Pentagon just made only happen after long and close consultation with partners, and agreement behind the scenes on what to do. All 3 countries will almost certainly be financing MEADS development instead of paying termination costs, before going their separate ways. Reuters.

Feb 16/11: Pentagon program suicide? DoD Buzz has a take on MEADS from Frank Cevasco. While a senior Pentagon official at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Cevasco and co. pushed a future extended air defense program, which eventually became MEADS. His thoughts on what followed:

“I was told that doesn’t make sense [to want to replace Patriot units 1:1] as a MEADS fire unit has substantially greater geographic coverage than Patriot [but the Army did]. I agree there would be additional costs associated with integrating MEADS with a separate Army command and control system, a requirement that was levied on the program unilaterally by Army about two years ago. Moreover, a portion of the cost overruns and schedule slippages can be attributed to the Army and DoD technology disclosure community who refused to allow the MEADS industry team to share key technology. The matter was resolved but only after intervention by senior OSD officials and the passage of considerable time; and, time is money with major weapons system development programs… Army has done its best from the every beginning to sabotage the program, preferring to develop a US-only solution funded by the US (with funds provided by the good fairy).”

Feb 15/11: Germany. German lawmakers are pushing to follow the US lead and drop MEADS, but so far, Germany seems to be taking the same position as the US. Which isn’t really surprising, since the American decision would have been discussed extensively before it was made public. Opposition is coming from the Free Democrats and Greens, both minor players. The cost of continuing existing MoU commitments is about EUR 250 million for Germany, while the cost of cancellation is currently unknown. Bloomberg reports that:

“Germany will continue its commitments for the development phase of the project, according to a Defense Ministry official who declined to be identified in line with government rules. The official wouldn’t comment when asked about the government’s intentions beyond the development phase.”

Feb 14/11: Pentagon comptroller Robert Hale tells a budget briefing that the USA will fund MEADS up to its $4 billion cap and into FY 2013. After that?

“Yes, our proposal would be that we would invest no more U.S. funds in MEADS after 2013, fiscal year ’13. We will – we will let the program run out under its current plan so we don’t incur any termination liability. But we wouldn’t spend money beyond there. And we would try to harvest some of the technology, and we may use that in other programs, and our partners may go forward with some MEADS. But it is not our plan to do so.”

At present, the USA is committed to spending another $804 million under the current MEADS MoU. With MEADS behind on cost and schedule targets, a recent restructuring proposal would have reportedly added another 30+ months (to the existing 110 month development period) and another $974 million – $1.16 billion of American funding to the program. The Pentagon estimates that another $800 million would be needed to certify MEADS and integrate it into existing US air defense systems. In addition, MEADS lateness meant that the USA would have to spending more money than they had planned on new Patriot missiles and system modernization. That burden, on top of existing MEADS overruns and fielding costs, is what pushed the Pentagon to the breaking point with MEADS. Hence the current proposal, which will spend the committed $804 million or so on MEADS development instead of termination costs, produce prototypes and limited integration, and look to incorporate anything promising into existing systems.

The odds that Italy or Germany would pick up the system are poor, given Germany’s ongoing disarmament and austerity program, and Italy’s slow-motion budget crisis. The FY 2013 date is significant for the USA, however, as it leaves the next Presidential administration the option of deciding to keep MEADS going. Hale briefing transcript | Pentagon’s MEADs Fact Sheet [PDF] | Bloomberg | DoD Buzz | Gannett’s Army Times | Reuters.

US backing out

Feb 14/11: US Budget. The Pentagon unveils the official FY 2012 budget request, which amounts to $570.5 million for MEADS components.

$406.6 million would be dedicated to MEADS development, down from $467.1 million requested in FY 2011, and $571.0 appropriated in FY 2010.

The FY 2012 request also includes $163.9 million in PAC-3 MSE missile work ($89M RDT&E, $75M procurement), up from FY 2011’s request for $62.5 million.

Jan 31/11: Radar. Lockheed Martin announces that the MEADS Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) subteam at LFK in Germany completed integration of the antenna array in 2010, clearing the way for assembly-level testing of the Transceiver Group. Coolant pressure testing was completed, and cooling distribution was demonstrated at the slip ring and antenna rotary joint. Final rotation tests at both 15 and 30 rpm were successfully completed.

The X-band MEADS MFCR has not yet begun full system tests at Pratica di Mare air force base in Italy. The program is now completing final build, integration and test activities, hopefully leading to flight tests involving all system elements at White Sands Missile Range in 2012. If, that is, the program survives.

Jan 4/11: Passed but frozen. The FY 2011 US defense “budget” is passed in a very odd way, but it has a provision in it that’s specific to MEADS. About 75%, or $350.2 million of the approved $467 million annual funding, is frozen until a firm decision is made to either continue or cancel the program. There were also requirements in the Senate’s S.3454 bill, Sec. 233 around decisions by Germany and Italy regarding funding and production, and a variety of certifications and cost estimates. But the final bill passed was H.R. 5136.

Through June 30/10, the USA has approved spending about $2 billion on the program. So far, MEADS program estimates have grown in cost by about $900 million (to $4.2 billion), and its overall schedule has been delayed by 18 months. Bloomberg.

Dec 13/10: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin in Grand Prairie, TX receives a $9.1 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to design obsolete materials out of the PAC-3 and MSE solid rocket motor. These sorts of moves can improve performance, but their most important function is to ensure ongoing availability of spares and new-build components.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX, with an estimated completion date of Nov 30/13. One bid was solicited and one bid was received. by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command Contracting Center in Huntsville, AL (W31P4Q-07-G-0001).

Nov 9/10: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX receives a $7.3 million cost-plus-incentive fee contract for PAC-3 MSE contract overrun funding.

Work is to be performed in Dallas, TX (95.74%); Camden, AR (0.25%); and Ocala, FL (4.01%), with an estimated completion date of Feb 29/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by the U.S. Army’s AMCOM Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-03-C-0164).

Oct 25/10: MICS. Lockheed Martin announces delivery of the first 2 MEADS Message Routing Subsystem units, as essential elements of the MEADS Internal Communications Subsystem (MICS) hardware, which will provide IP-based secure tactical communications between the launcher, surveillance radar and multifunction fire control radar across a high-speed network.

The Message Routing Subsystem supports the networked exchange of command, control and status data between the major components and the Tactical Operations Center.

FY 2010

MEADS elements
(click to see whole)

Sept 30/10: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas, TX receives an $11.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Patriot PAC-3 MSE missile program.

Work is to be performed in Dallas, TX (95.74%), Camden, AZ (0.25%), and Ocala, FL (4.01%), with an estimated completion date of Feb 29/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command’s AMCOM Contracting Center at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-03-C-0164).

Sept 22/10: O&S costs. Lockheed Martin touts the MEADS program’s estimate of its required life cycle costs, which has been submitted to the governments of the USA, Germany, and Italy as cash-strapped European governments and the US Missile Defense Agency decide whether to use their funds to put MEADS into production. The assumptions and data used in that estimate aren’t discussed in any depth, but they contend that:

“MEADS will especially reduce operation and support (O&S) costs. Ordinarily, over two-thirds of the total cost of ownership is spent in this area, but MEADS O&S costs are about half [DID: which would be a 37% reduction – unless the absolute total is 37% or more higher than previous systems]. Savings result from features of the MEADS design that include high reliability, automated fault detection, prognostics, two-level maintenance and a reduction in the number of system elements. Additionally, MEADS was shown to defend up to eight times the coverage area with far fewer system assets… [DID: vs. Hawk? Nike Hercules? Patriot? Doesn’t say.]

NAMEADSMA General Manager Gregory Kee said, “The combination of advanced 360-degree sensors, near-vertical launch capability and the improved PAC-3 MSE Missile gives MEADS a far greater defended area. MEADS active phased array, digital beamforming radars make full use of the extended range of the PAC-3 MSE Missile.”

Sept 21/10: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin in Dallas TX receives $6 million in contract overrun funding for the Missile Segment Enhancement program’s cost-plus-incentive-fee contract.

Work will be performed at Dallas, TX; Camden, AZ; and Ocala, FL, and is expected to be complete by Feb 29/12. One bid was solicited, with one received by the US Army Contracting Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-03-C-0164; Serial #1971).

Aug 26/10: CDR. MEADS completes its final Critical Design Review, leaving the United States, Germany and Italy to make decisions about moving on to low-rate production in October 2010. The government-industry team had to demonstrate 1,100 elements of design criteria during 47 separate critical design reviews, and the week of Aug 23/10 featured the final summary critical design review.

The next step will involve the NATO MEADS Management Agency, who will conduct an October 2010 program review during which decisions are expected concerning production rates and sizes during the LRIP and production and sustainment phases. The question is whether MEADS will continue beyond the development phase, and in what form. The US Army no longer wants the system, Germany’s Bundeswehr is in the midst of savage budget cuts, and Italy is finding it difficult to meet its existing budgetary commitments.

Meanwhile, the program’s initial phase continues, and MEADS International is now producing test hardware and prototypes. Current plans call for Practica di Mare AFB, Italy to begin receiving the system’s first battle management and command and control system in late 2010, followed by launcher and fire control radar hardware in early 2011. Surveillance radar integration activities will take place in Cazenovia, NY, before all of the hardware is shipped to White Sands Missile Range, NM for 3 years of flight testing, beginning early in 2012. Space News | Aviation Week | defpro | Lockheed Martin.

Critical Design Review

July 2010: Battle manager. MEADS battle management element demonstrates interoperability with the NATO Air Command and Control System (ACCS) during the Joint Project Optic Windmill (JPOW) test, which used NATO’s Active Layer Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense (ALTBMD) Integration Test Bed. During Optic Windmill, MEADS systems shared simulation and military communications data, including track reports for different tactical ballistic missile threats. The test represents the 1st time that the MEADS program has been authorized to exchange data outside of its 3 partner nations.

MEADS is designed to work with a wide range of platforms and command and control structures, and NATO interoperability is especially important to Germany and Italy. NATO ACCS is its overarching tactical command and control element for theater missile defense. NATO’s ALTBMD program is tasked with designing a theater missile defense architecture that will include MEADS as a key component.

Lockheed Martin’s Sept 27/10 release says that MEADS system elements are continuing integration and testing at system integration laboratories in the U.S. and Europe, and are on track for flight tests at White Sands Missile Range, NM, starting in 2012.

March 10/10: Army antagonism. The meeting, involving senior Army officers and the US Missile Defense Agency, produces no resolution concerning the potential transfer of MEADS to the US MDA. Instead, senior officials from both organizations reportedly agreed that follow-up questions needed to be answered, and additional analysis was needed first. Defense News.

March 9/10: Army antagonism. The Washington Post reports that the US Army wants to cancel MEADS:

“After several failed attempts, the Army is trying again to cancel a $19 billion missile defense system that the United States is developing in partnership with Italy and Germany… the Army says MEADS has become too expensive, is taking too long to produce and is difficult to manage because any changes in the program require German and Italian approval. “The system will not meet U.S. requirements or address the current and emerging threat without extensive and costly modifications,” an internal Army staff memo concluded last month in recommending the cancellation of MEADS… Officials said a primary reason for sticking with the project is that it would be too expensive to stop. If the Defense Department were to cancel the system now, it would be required to pay $550 million to $1 billion in penalties… [and could] undercut the Pentagon’s relations with Germany and Italy, which need to replace their own aging missile defense systems… The Army is scheduled to decide this week whether it will continue to oversee the development of MEADS or hand over responsibility to the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency.”

Feb 1/10: US Budget. The Pentagon releases its FY 2011 budget request, and begin to break out MEADS-related spending from its Patriot programs, instead of aggregating them.

The FY 2011 request is for $467.1 million, down from FY 2010’s $566.2 million budget, but still above FY 2009’s $454.7 million.

Oct 6/09: Foreign crypto. The MEADS program has received approval to use a European cryptographic device to implement SELEX Sistemi Integrati’s Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) in its radars, via a waiver from the U.S. National Security Agency. This makes MEADS the first American system ever to incorporate a foreign cryptographic device.

SELEX’s IFF will be packaged into MEADS’ UHF Surveillance Radar, and its X-Band Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) used for missile targeting. Selection of the SELEX unit means that the MEADS IFF subsystem is available to begin testing this fall at Pratica di Mare AFB near Rome, Italy, ahead of schedule. Lockheed Martin describes SELEX’s products as:

“…more robust than current implementations of U.S. IFF systems…SELEX leads U.S. industry in IFF development because Europe has already adopted new standards for radar operation and civilian aircraft. The U.S. is moving to adopt these standards in the future.”

FY 2009

PAC-3 MSE drawing
(click to view full)

Sept 15/09: T/R acceptance. EADS Defence & Security announces that its transmit/receive (T/R) modules for MEADS’ Multifunction Fire Control Radar (MFCR) have passed all required acceptance tests “with margin,” paving the way for integration into the 1st of 3 planned prototypes. The firm says that it has produced more than 10,000 of these modules already, which are core elements of the MFCR’s AESA radar. During the Design and Development phase, Defence Electronics will produce thousands of additional T/R modules, including the associated control electronics, under a EUR 120 million sub-contract.

These EADS DS T/R modules are the only ones in Europe which are certified in accordance with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard – as is the “Microwave Factory” clean room facility in Ulm, Germany. These modules and technologies are mature, and have already been used in other EADS SMTR family radars, including the TerraSAR space radar, the BUR vehicle-mounted ground and air surveillance radar, and the Eurofighter‘s developmental E-Captor radar. EADS release.

Aug 5/09: Component CDRs. MEADS International announces that they has successfully completed Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) for all major components, clearing the way for production of radars, launchers, tactical operation centers, and reloaders needed for the system.

Under its design and development contract, this clears the way for MEADS International to provide 6 Battle Management, Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence Tactical Operations Centers, 4 launchers, 1 reloader, 3 surveillance radars, 3 multifunction fire control radars, and 20 PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement missile rounds for system tests at White Sands Missile Range, NM.

The next stage is a set of CDRs for the system as a whole, instead of just its individual components. A total of 15 system-level CDR events will be completed in the year ahead, leading to final evaluations of MEADS’ survivability, logistics, safety, integration and test, life cycle cost, and performance. The final system-level CDR event is expected in August 2010, and initial flight tests are planned for 2012.

Feb 2/09: MEADS + IRIS-T. Lockheed Martin announces Germany’s request to add the IRIS-T SL (Surface Launched) as a secondary MEADS missile for German fire units. The request will involve software adaptation to integrate the missile and launcher Via a standardized plug-and-fight data interface, and incorporation of the second missile into existing MEADS simulations. This will be an early test of the system’s open architecture electronics. Incorporating the missiles themselves will not require any redesign of MEADS hardware.

The IRIS-T SL system is based on the concept of the short-range, infrared guided IRIS-T air-to-air missile, adding a larger solid-propellant rocket motor, a data link, and a nose cone for drag reduction. The combination of radar-guided PAC-3 MSE and infrared-guided IRI-T SL missiles would expand MEADS’ options by allowing for engagements even with the tracking radar shut down as a result of command decisions or damage. Competing launchers like Israel’s Spyder-MR (Derby radar-guided and enhanced Python-5 missiles) and France’s MICA-VL (MICA-IR and MICA-RF missiles) employ similar philosophies. Lockheed Martin.

Adding IRIS-T SL

FY 2008

BMC4I TOC
(click to view full)

March 28/08: Lockheed Martin Corp. in Grand Prairie, TX received a $6.7 million cost-plus fixed fee contract finalizing the change order for the CLIN 0002 PAC-3 missile segment enhancement, effort, and making changes to the PAC-3 MSE master test plan. See Jan 16/08 for more.

Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, TX and is expected to be complete by March 31/09. One bid was solicited on July 30/07 by the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command at Redstone Arsenal, AL (DAAH01-03-C-0164).

Feb 18/08: Nav. Northrop Grumman Corporation announces that MBDA Italia chose their navigation and localization system for NATO’s MEADS program within the design and development phase.

Feb 11/08: Lockheed Martin announces that the MEADS project has completed its System Preliminary Design Review (PDR), which tests whether the basic design of MEADS is ready to move forward into detailed design. Over the 6-month period leading to the PDR summary event on December 18, transatlantic review teams attended 27 multi-day design reviews to ensure that the needs of the three3 partner nations are being met.

The MEADS team will now focus on detailed design work for the system, with the Critical Design Review (CDR) scheduled for 2009, leading to initial MEADS flight tests in 2011. Lockheed Martin release.

Preliminary Design Review

Jan 16/08: PAC-3 MSE. Lockheed Martin announces that NATO’s MEADS Management Agency awarded them a $66 million contract to develop the Lockheed Martin PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) Missile as the baseline interceptor for the tri-national program. The baseline PAC-3 Missile was selected as the primary missile for MEADS when the design and development program began in 2004, but PAC-3 MSE adds additional range and coverage by using larger folding control surfaces, and a more powerful rocket motor designed to boost range by up to 50%, to about 30 km/ 18 miles.

The MEADS Steering Committee, composed of 1 government representative from each of the 3 participating nations, recommended the change following submittal of a study by MEADS International, Inc. that assessed the principal technical, schedule, cost, contract and program implications of integrating the PAC-3 MSE Missile instead. MEADS International Technical Director Claudio Ponzi:

“Changing the baseline interceptor during our Preliminary Design Review keeps risk to a minimum and keeps us on track to provide the three nations with the 21st century air and missile defense system they have requested.”

PAC-3 MSE development

Nov 15/07: Security. For the third consecutive year, MEADS International receives Superior ratings in an annual audit by the U.S. Defense Security Service (DSS). DSS has responsibility for approximately 12,000 cleared contractor facilities, and fewer than 5% demonstrate the top-rated “Superior” performance for an industrial security program. It’s reserved for contractors that consistently and fully implement the requirements of the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual in a documented fashion that provides a superior security posture, compared with other contractors of similar size and complexity.

In announcing the results, DSS team leader Rob Gerardi noted that although MI received a Superior rating in 2006, the inspection team found several improvements to the security program this year. Lockheed Martin release.

FY 2007 and earlier

Aug 14/07: TOC. MEADS International releases more details concerning its Tactical Operations Center (TOC). With a large US Army contract on the horizon for an IBCS system that would integrate all anti-aircraft defenses in a sector, MI President Jim Cravens adds that:

“We have invested years of architectural and conceptual work to meet these requirements via an open, modular set of software that gives MEADS great flexibility to accommodate additional requirements. This flexibility offers the U.S. Army an opportunity to leverage the MEADS Battle Manager functionality as a backbone for its IBCS (common TOC) initiative.”

Lockheed Martin joined Northrop Grumman’s IBCS bid team in April 2007, becoming the 3rd member alongside NGC & Boeing. Their team’s main competitor is Raytheon, who is partnered with General Dynamics as well as Davidson Technologies, IBM, and Teledyne Brown Engineering.

Aug 7/07: Lockheed Martin announces that MEADS recently completed its 2-day Start of System Preliminary Design Review (PDR), which allows the project to continue on to detailed design.

The Start of System PDR marks the end of 33 months of Design and Development effort. It summarized previous Major End Item-level PDRs, including allocated baseline documentation, and addressed a set of operational and performance analyses. The PDF kicks off a series of 29 reviews over the next 4 months, leading to a Summary System PDR in late October 2007. Initial flight tests are still scheduled for 2011.

June 19/07: Security Award. MEADS International announces that The US Defense Security Service (DSS) has announced that MEADS International is one of 30 companies to receive the James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Award, the most prestigious honor DSS may bestow on a cleared facility. To be a candidate for the award, a facility must receive a minimum of two consecutive Superior industrial security review ratings and show sustained excellence and innovation in their overall security program, including a security program that goes well beyond basic National Industrial Security Program requirements.

This is MEADS International’s second James S. Cogswell award, and follows implementation of a transatlantic NATO classified network that enables MI’s 7 work locations to collaborate in designing the MEADS system. MEADS International release.

Jan 16/07: Lockheed Martin announces a $3 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to continue the Air-Launched Hit-to-Kill (ALHTK) initiative, which would enable fighter aircraft to carry and launch Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Missiles to intercept hostile ballistic and cruise missiles.

Since a modified PAC-3 is slated to act as the MEADS system missile, and air-defense batteries can share information with fighters via channels like Link 16, the announcement has implications for future MEADS capabilities as well.

Feb 9/06: Management. MEADS International announces 2 changes within its management organization on the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) program, adding a finance director/ treasurer, and a planning manager.

Aug 4/05: Management. MEADS International announces the expansion of its Orlando technical management organization to lead development of the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) with a multinational set of appointments. In addition, 3 new positions have been added to the program management Team. See MEADS International release for more details.

June 17/05: MBDA buys LFK. MBDA buys a 100% stake in LFK, which used to be owned jointly by EADS and MBDA.

June 1/05: MEADS International Signs $3.4 Billion Design and Development Contract. The D&D contract extends the period of performance of a previous letter contract that was awarded to MI by the NATO MEADS Management Agency (NAMEADSMA) in September 2004. Lockheed Martin release.

Final SDD contract

April 20/05: Germany approves involvement in MEADS missile. This clears the way for the signing of the full development contract.

September 2004: NATO’s MEADS Management Agency (NAMEADSMA) awards MEADS International a letter contract valued in then-year terms at approximately $2.0 billion plus EUR 1.4 billion euros to design and develop the system, with an initial period of performance for which the overall maximum financial ceiling was approximately $54.5 million plus EUR 54.8 million.

Initial SDD contract

Additional Readings The Program

• US Office of the Secretary of Defense (Feb 11/11) – Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Fact Sheet [PDF]. Provides program background, and explains the decision to end funding in FY 2013.

• MEADS International Inc. See also MEADS Program Overview Presentation [PDF]

Background: MEADS Components

• Lockheed Martin – Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS).

• Lockheed Martin – PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement.

• Diehl BGT Defence – IRIS-T SL / IRIS-T SLS. Will serve as as the secondary missile in the German MEADS system.

• Army Technology – MEADS Medium Extended Air Defense System, Germany / Italy / USA.

• GlobalSecurity.org – Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) Corps SAM.

Background: Related Systems

• US Missile Defense Agency – Terminal Phase Defense. Includes THAAD, Arrow II, Patriot PAC-3 & MEADS.

• Designation Systems – Lockheed-Martin Patriot PAC-3.

• DID FOCUS Article – Keeping Patriots in Shape. The Patriot Engineering Support contract already included provisions for MEADS-related MEI work.

DID FOCUS Article – THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles. A ground-based complement to MEADS that offers the next step up in range.

News & Views

• DID – Alone, If Necessary: The Shield of Poland.

• SLD (Oct 28 – Nov 5/10) – Regional Missile Defense: The Challenge of Crafting Integrated Missile Defense in NATO and Other Allied Regions. Read Part One | Part Two.

• Air Defense Artillery Magazine (July-September 2005) – It’s Time to Start Thinking MEADS [PDF]

• Aviation Daily & Defense Report (Oct 27/04) – Germany Expected To Approve New MEADS Phase In December. Actually, it happened in late April, 2005.

• BASIC Publications (May 15/01) – European Missile Defense: New Emphasis, New Roles.

PW F119: Power!
(click to view full)

The Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) program aims “to develop and demonstrate inlet, engine, exhaust nozzle, and integrated thermal management technologies that enable optimized propulsion system performance over a broad range of altitude and flight velocity.” That sounds boring, but what if we put it like this:

ADVENT aims to produce a revolution in jet engine design. Imagine the jet equivalent of a car engine that could give you Formula One performance or sub-compact mileage as required. ADVENT-equipped aircraft would have extra-long range, but be able to switch quickly to high-speed power maneuvers and still be comparatively efficient. The new engine design will use adaptive fan blades and engine cores to generate high thrust when needed, and optimize fuel efficiency when cruising or loitering, in order to combine the best characteristics of high-performance and fuel-efficient jet engines.

That certainly sounds much more exciting. Now, ADVENT also sounds very real – because the program is under way, with over $600 million in contracts to 4 different vendors… and 2 big losers.

GE Aviation won up to $325 million in additional funds in January 2015 to work on an adaptive cycle engine under phase three of the Versatile affordable advanced turbine engines (VAATE) program that preceded ADVENT.

In April, the Air Force also awarded a $325 million IDIQ contract to engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney for the Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines (VAATE) engine’s Phase III stage.

ADVENT, HEETE, and VAATE

GE90: Efficient!
(click to view full)

Project ADVENT is a actually the flagship effort under the Versatile, Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines Program, or VAATE. Managed by the Propulsion Directorate, VAATE’s goal is to increase turbine engine affordability tenfold while improving performance.

The VAATE program, structured around 4 focus areas, emphasizes specific themes important to achieving the affordability goal. The Durability Focus Area aims to develop, design, and test protocols to prevent component failure, increase life, enhance reparability, and perhaps improve performance. The Versatile Core Focus Area, will develop technologies for a multi-use, 4000-hour, maintenance-friendly engine core (compressor, combustor, and turbine). The third area, the Intelligent Engine Focus Area, will develop and integrate technologies that provide durable, adaptive, damage-tolerant engine health and life management features. Finally, engine-airframe integration technologies are key in attaining the significant cost and weight reductions required in order to achieve the VAATE tenfold goal.

The smaller Highly Efficient Embedded Turbine Engine (HEETE) program is a parallel and related effort, aiming to prove that a “quantum leap” in high-pressure compressor systems is possible. If that 3-year project proves successful, the AFRL would seek to integrate HEETE’s more advanced compressor systems into VAATE, incorporating these advances into the new engine cores developed under the ADVENT project.

The DefenseLNIK contract announcements states that:

“The ADVENT program will demonstrate integration technologies to Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4-5 and engine technologies to TRL-6 in a large thrust class, with emphasis on multi-design point demonstration of significant advancements in thrust, fuel efficiency, development cost, production cost and maintenance cost characteristics over baseline engines.”

Technology Readiness Level 4-5 means lab tests where basic technological components are integrated to establish that the pieces will work together (TRL 4), with reasonably realistic supporting elements so that the technology can be tested in a simulated environment (TRL 5). Examples include ‘high fidelity’ laboratory integration of components. TRL 6 is a major step up, and involves a working prototype that can be tested in a relevant environment.

As for “significant advancements in… development cost, production cost and maintenance cost characteristics,” that will probably happen, but not in the way the USAF was thinking. Barring significant successes on ADVENT’s other fronts, variable engines are likely to be more complex to develop, may see higher production costs due to material requirements for higher temperature tolerances, and may also involve higher maintenance costs if the result is more moving parts. On the flip side, greater engine standardization might be possible, which may provide some maintenance savings.

VAATE seeks to transcend all of these limitations, but research programs rarely hit all of their goals. Even if all of the negative predictions above held true, however, an ADVENT-type engine would definitely save money on operating costs, while offering higher performance. This would still be worth the extra purchase investment for many airlines, and for some power generation applications as well. Those are considerable benefits all by themselves, and the Air Force’s need for extra power in life-or-death situations would make them the most obvious customer of all.

Contracts & Key Events

Smart Engines
(click to view full)

Unless otherwise specified, the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH issued the contracts.

May 18/15: General Electric and Pratt & Whitney were both awarded $105 million modifications on Friday to cover a potential contract award for the Adaptive Engine Technology Development order, with the Air Force also reportedly looking to open future competition for F-35 upgrades.

GE Aviation won up to $325 million in additional funds in January 2015 to work on an adaptive cycle engine under phase three of the Versatile affordable advanced turbine engines (VAATE) program that preceded ADVENT.

In April, the Air Force also awarded a $325 million IDIQ contract to engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney for the Versatile Affordable Advanced Turbine Engines (VAATE) engine’s Phase III stage.

Oct 18/09: Rolls-Royce North American Technologies, Inc. announces its selection to proceed with Phase II of ADVENT development. Next steps will include the integration of a variety of advanced technologies, component testing and development of a technology demonstrator core and engine. See also: Britain’s Times.

Oct 1/07: The AFRL rejected bids by United Technologies subsidiary Pratt & Whitney and by Honeywell to win the so-called Highly Efficient Embedded Turbine Engine (HEETE) contracts, one month after P&W was the sole losing bidder for the AFRL’s Adaptive Versatile Engine Technology (ADVENT) program. Flight International explains the implications:

“P&W’s loss of both ADVENT and HEETE means it must devote internal research and development funds to keep pace with its rivals after production of its latest generation fighter engine – the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s F135 – runs its course… The HEETE project is necessary because the commercial technology stops short of the military’s requirements for next-generation compressor systems, with the contract aiming to prove that a “quantum leap” in high-pressure compressor systems is possible. If the three-year project proves successful, the AFRL would seek to integrate HEETE’s more advanced compressor systems into the new engine cores developed under the ADVENT project.”

Sept 27/07: Northrop Grumman Integrated Systems Sector of El Segundo, CA received an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract for $40 million. The objective of the ADVENT program is to develop and demonstrate inlet, engine, exhaust nozzle, and integrated thermal management technologies that enable optimized propulsion system performance over a broad range of altitude and flight velocity.

The ADVENT program will demonstrate integration technologies to TRL 4-5 [components tested] and engine technologies to TRL-6 [prototype] in a large thrust class (25,000 lbs.) with emphasis on multi-design point demonstration of significant advancements in thrust, fuel efficiency, development cost, production cost and maintenance cost characteristics over baseline engines. At this time $1,000 has been obligated (FA8650-07-D-2800).

Sept 25/07: The US Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a total of $35.6 million in cost-share contracts to Rolls Royce-North American Technologies Inc., and General Electric Co. to begin developing a game-changing class of engines, known as Highly Efficient Embedded Turbine Engines (HEETE). Rolls Royce will be receiving $19.6 million in its portion of the contracts while General Electric will receive $16 million. Rolls Royce and GE will conduct high-pressure and high-temperature rig tests on the compression systems that are critical to the HEETE concept. Development work will be conducted at Rolls Royce’s Liberty Works facilities in Indianapolis, IN; and at General Electric’s Evendale, OH, facility. Rolls Royce release.

HEETE is a technology development program that pursues high temperature, high pressure ratio compressor technologies and their related thermal management features. While HEETE is currently focused on an advanced compressor demonstration, the goal is to define the next generation engine architecture for subsonic missions. This also involves active flow control inlets and exhausts, with a focus on 20,000-35,000 pound thrust class. There were also losers. Flight International adds:

“The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) announced on 25 September awarding contracts to General Electric and Rolls-Royce… However, the AFRL rejected bids by Pratt and Honeywell to win the so-called Highly Efficient Embedded Turbine Engine (HEETE) contracts.”

Sept 21/07:Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company-Fort Worth of Fort Worth, TX received an indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity, cost-reimbursement contract for $40 million (maximum) for the ADVENT program. The emphasis will be on multi-design point demonstration of significant advancements in thrust, fuel efficiency, development cost, production cost and maintenance cost characteristics over baseline engines. It covers demonstration of integration technologies to TRL 4-5 and engine technologies to TRL-6 in a large thrust class (25,000 lbs.). At this time $1,000 has been obligated (FA8650-07-D2798).

Aug 27/07: General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, OH received a cost-sharing ADVENT contract for $231.2 million. At this time, $129,140 has been obligated. Solicitations began in March 2007, negotiations were completed in August 2007, and work will be complete in September 2012 (FA8650-07-C-2802).

The AFRL explained to DID that this award was originally announced at the same time as the Rolls Royce award, on Aug 15/07. In reality, however, it hadn’t been finalized yet. Hence the repeat announcement. We’ve revised the date accordingly.

Aug 15/07: Rolls-Royce Corp. in Indianapolis, IN received a cost-sharing ADVENT contract for $296.3 million. At this time, $98,770 has been obligated. Solicitations began in March 2007, negotiations were completed in August 2007, and work will be complete in September 2012 (FA8650-07-C-2803). Rolls Royce release.

Additional Readings & Sources

• Flight International (May 1/07) – Military engines: Power Surge

• US Air Force (March 27/07) – Air Force plans to develop revolutionary engine

• Aviation Week Ares (March 27/07) – Stop and go

• Air Force Research Laboratory, Horizons Magazine (December 2001) – Future Aircraft Jet Engines Will Think for Themselves

Mk-44 firing RAM
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The Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) MK-31 guided missile weapon system is co-developed and co-produced under a NATO cooperative program between the United States and German governments to provide a small, all-weather, low-cost self-defense system against aircraft and cruise missiles. The RIM-116 was later called RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile), because it spins during flight. To save costs, Designation Systems notes that the RAM was designed to use several existing components, including the rocket motor of the MIM-72 Chaparral, the warhead of the AIM-9 Sidewinder, and the Infrared seeker of the FIM-92 Stinger. Cueing is provided by the ship’s radar, or by its ESM signal tracing suite.

RAM is currently installed, or planned for installation, on 78 U.S. Navy and 30 German Navy ships, including American LSD, LHD, LPD and CVN ship types. This number will grow as vessels of the LPD-17 San Antonio Class and Littoral Combat Ships enter the US Navy, and the LCS will sport an upgraded SeaRAM system that will include its own integrated radar and IR sensors. Abroad, the South Korean Navy has adopted RAM for its KDX-II and KDX-III destroyers, and its LPX Dokdo Class amphibious assault ships; other navies using or buying RAM include Egypt, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, and the UAE/Dubai.

RAM Systems: Fast, Flat & Flexible From USS Kitty Hawk
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GlobalSecurity.orrg notes that The MK-31 RAM Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS) is defined as the MK-49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and the MK-44 Guided Missile Round Pack (GMRP). The launching system and missiles comprise the weapon system. The RAM weapon system consists of a 21-round missile launcher, below-deck electronics, and a guided missile round pack. The round pack consists of a 5-inch supersonic missile and a launching canister, which slides into the launcher and provides the interface with the carried missile. The term “All-Up-Round (AUR)” is often used, as the canister is also used for storage/transport.

Raytheon’s partner is the German firm RAMSYS, a joint company of Diehl/BGT and EADS GmbH. These firms extended their agreement for another 10 years in June 2004.

System improvements continue. New MK-44 Guided Missile Round Packs and ORDALT kits are designed to upgrade current systems to RAM Block 1 missile configuration (RIM-116B) or above. Block 1 systems feature an image scanning infrared seeker that allows the missile to more easily counter helicopters and advanced anti-ship threats that do not employ active radar guidance. Another new feature is called IRDM (IR Dual Mode Enable). In that mode, the RAM missile is launched with IR guidance enabled, but can switch to passive radar homing when the target’s radiation becomes adequate to guide on. It also incorporates HAS (Helicopter, Aircraft, Surface) software that lets it prosecute a wider array of targets out to about 9 km/ 4.9 nm, including targets like speedboats that move at slower speeds in radar/IR clutter.

RAM Block 1. This system is installed or planned for installation on many U.S. Navy surface ships, including CV/CVN aircraft carriers, DD-963 Spruance Class destroyers, Oliver Hazard Perry Class FFG guided missile frigates, Littoral Combat Ships, the LHA Tarawa Class and LHD Wasp Class amphibious assault ships, the future LHA-R amphibious assault ships, and LSD and LPD-17 amphibious assault ships. The US Navy expects to buy around 2,000 Block 1 missiles in total.

SeaRAM
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Follow-on modifications include an upgraded missile, and the SeaRAM system.

RAM Block 2. A new version that is beginning production, with deliveries beginning in August 2014. The RIM-116 missile’s effective range gets a boost via a larger dual-thrust rocket motor, while an independent 4-canard control actuator system improves maneuverability. Other enhancements include an upgraded passive radio frequency seeker, a digital autopilot, and engineering changes in selected infrared seeker components. The Block 2 system demonstration and development (SDD) program was scheduled to reach initial operating capability in 2011, but it’s 2013 and the missile is still in testing. IOC will wait until 2014.

While most of the RAM Block 2 work is Raytheon’s, the effort is a partnership. Operating under a cooperative Memorandum of Understanding for the Block 2 SDD program, German industry partner RAM-System GmbH also received funds. They’re working to develop an evolved missile radio frequency sensor with better sensitivity and discrimination, in order to kill targets that are using more advanced guidance radars.

SeaRAM. RIM-116 Block 2 missiles, and Block 1 upgrades to the MK31 system, will both be incorporated into the new SeaRAM variant, also known as the “MK 15 MOD 31 PHALANX SeaRAM Close-In Weapon System.” Once it’s bolted on and installed, SeaRAM becomes a complete, self-cueing system that can work with existing systems, or operate on its own. It packages the RAM Block 1 upgrade’s infrared sensors and IR dual-mode with the radar dome mounted on top of the Mk15 Phalanx 20mm CIWS. The penalty for its bolt-on versatility is that it cuts the 21-round missile launcher down to an 11-missile load, in order to remain within the same space “footprint” as the Phalanx 1B. It will equip the USA’s new Littoral Combat Ships, among others.

Program and Budgets

While the number of RAM missiles procured by the USA has been relatively stable each year, Pentagon budget documents show US program spending fluctuating. That’s because some annual budgets also include funds for system upgrades (generally from Block 0 to Block 1) and things like Block 2 development work:

These budgets do not include international orders.

Contracts & Key Events

Unless otherwise stated, all contracts are awarded by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC to Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ. It should be noted, however, that the RAM Guided Missile Weapon System is co-developed and co-produced under a NATO Cooperative Program between the United States’ and Federal Republic of Germany’s governments.

FY 2014-2015

RAM reload
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May 18/15: The Navy announced Friday that it has achieved Initial Operating Capability with the Block II Rolling Airframe Missile aboard the USS Arlington (LPD 24). The joint program with Germany was recently included as part of a $1.6 billion overhaul package by the US Navy intended to provide improved protection to carriers and amphibious ships.

May 11/15: The Navy is planning to spend $1.6 billion on carrier and amphibious ship defenses in order to protect the Service’s fleet of F-35s. The new defenses will focus on supersonic threats, with a series of overhauled technologies including new missiles and radars set to be integrated into Ship Self Defense Systems (SSDS). Key components of these future systems include the Rolling Airframe Missile and the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.

Aug 27/14: Block 2. Raytheon delivers the 1st RAM Block 2 missile to the US Navy, as part of the company’s 2012 Low Rate Initial Production contract. Sources: Raytheon, “Raytheon delivers first Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missiles to US Navy”.

1st Block 2 delivery

July 30/14: GAO Report. The US GAO releases Report #GAO-14-749, “Littoral Combat Ship: Additional Testing and Improved Weight Management Needed Prior to Further Investments.” It looks at weight issues within the 2 Littoral Combat Ship classes. Though Freedom Class LCS 5 and beyond will make enough changes to meet their required design margin:

“Another proposed change would increase commonality and combat capability by replacing the Freedom variant’s rolling airframe missile system with the heavier [SeaRAM] missile system found on the Independence variant. While the specifics of this potential change have not yet been determined or approved, Navy technical experts told us that such a modification would subsequently increase the Freedom variant’s weight and could also result in center of gravity changes.”

June 24/14: FY 2014. A $73.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for FY 2014 rolling airframe missile (RAM) guided-missile round pack requirements for the U.S. and allied navies, including 23% of the contract’s value for Japan, spares for the Federal Republic of Germany, and testing equipment upgrade and replacement requirements. All funds are committed immediately.

This contract involves foreign military sales to Japan (23%). Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket Center, West Virginia (4.5%), and Andover, Massachusetts (3.1%); it is expected to be complete by November 2016. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-14-C-5417).

FY 2014: USA, Japan

Jan 3/14: Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $52.1 million Design Agent Engineering and Technical Support Services modification for maintainence of, and improvements to, the Mk15 Phalanx, Land-based Phalanx, and SeaRAM weapon systems.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by January 2015. $12.5 million is committed immediately from a wide array of USN FY 2014 and FY 2013 R&D, weapons, and shipbuilding budget lines, plus a US Army budget. Of that, $4 million will expire on Sept 30/13 (N00024-12-C-5405).

Dec 9/13: Support. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $35 million contract modification, exercising an option for MK-31 RAM’s FY 2014 design agent engineering services. This will include improvement program support, guided-missile round pack support, and guided-missile launching system support.

$8.2 million in USN FY 2014 R&D, operations, and Deutsche Marine funding is committed immediately. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2014 (N00024-10-C-5432).

FY 2013

German multi-year order; Block 2 goes from tests to fleet firing; SeaRAM may now equip both LCS types. USN LPD 23 & 24
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Sept 10/13: SeaRAM. A $136.2 million contract to overhaul and upgrade 19 MK 15 Phalanx systems, and produce 4 new SeaRAM systems. This contract provides purchases for the U.S. Navy (80%), Japan (15%), the US Army (4%) and Pakistan (1%) under the foreign military sales (FMS) program; and all funds are committed immediately. $55 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/13.

Another $94.8 million in options exist for a FY 2014 buy of 12 more Phalanx upgrades, and another 4 SeaRAM systems, to bring the total contract to $231 million.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (26%); Anaheim, CA (16%); Melbourne, FL (11%); Dayton, OH (11%); Syracuse, NY (10%); McKinney, TX (5%); Andover, MA (5%); Bloomington, MN (5%); Radford, VA (5%); Salt Lake City, UT (3%); and Tucson, AZ (3%), and is expected to be complete by September 2017. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with FAR 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) “one responsible supplier” provisions (N00024-13-C-5406). Sources: Pentagon | Raytheon Sept 11/13 release.

Aug 6/13: Block 2. The US Navy has completed the first RAM Block 2 fleet firing with a pair of tests from USS Arlington [LPD 24] and the Navy’s Self Defense Test Ship. The missiles went 4/4 against sub-sonic and supersonic maneuvering targets. The USN intends to achieve Initial Operational Capability in 2014. Raytheon, Aug 6/13 release.

July 25/13: LCS standardization? During House Armed Service Committee hearings on the Littoral Combat Ship, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Sean J. Stackley says that the Navy is strongly considering standardizing both ship classes on the SeaRAM configuration. The Freedom Class currently uses the full RAM installation, while the Independence Class trimaran uses the SeaRAM system with an integrated radar but fewer missiles. HASC video.

F219 w. RAM
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March 28/13: Germany. The German government places a $343.6 million contract with Raytheon’s partner RAMSYS GmbH in Ottobrunn, Germany for 445 RIM-116 Block 2 All-Up-Round missiles between now and January 2019, to insert into their MK-44 Mod 4 RAM Guided Missile Round Packs. As one might expect, the Germans use RAM missiles on several of their ship classes. $1.3 million is committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket Center, WVA (4.5%); and Andover, MA (3.1%). This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-13-C-5459). See also Raytheon.

German multi-year order

Dec 20/12: USA FY 2013. A $45.6 million firm-fixed-price FY 2013 option for 61 Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2 (MK-44 Mod 4) guided-missile round pack all-up-round missiles. All contract funds are committed immediately.

Work will be performed in Tucson, ArZ (49.7%), Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%), Rocket Center, WVA (4.5%), and Andover, MA (3.1%), and is expected to be complete by February 2015 (N00024-12-C-5450).

Dec 14/12: Ship sets. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $12.3 million firm-fixed-price contract modification for 4 refurbished and upgraded Rolling Airframe Missile MK 49 Mod 3 guided-missile launch systems and associated hardware. These 21-missile launch packs will equip the San Antonio Class LPD 27 John P. Murtha (2 systems), and the Freedom Class ships LCS 9 and LCS 11 (1 each). All funds are committed on award, and there are options for 4 additional launch systems.

At the time of award, a $5.5 million option is also exercised for 2 remanufactured MK 49 launch packs, with Mod 3 updates and associated hardware. They’ll equip the Freedom Class ships LCS 13 and LCS 15.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by December 2015. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S.C. 2304c1 (N00024-11-C-5448).

Nov 27/12: Support. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $12 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification to exercise an option for FY 2013 Design Agent Engineering Services for MK-31 RAM support services, providing maintenance and resolving issues through design, software maintenance, and engineering.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and will run until September 2013. $44,800 will be obligated at the time of award (N00024-10-C-5432).

Nov 9/12: Support. An $11.3 million contract modification exercises the FY 2013 option for MK-31 design agent engineering services. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by September 2013 (N00024-10-C-5432).

Oct 22/12: Test. Raytheon announces that its RAM Block 2 has successfully completed its 3rd guided test vehicle flight, using production-representative hardware, in a 2 missile salvo. The engagement resulted in a direct hit on the target.

“Raytheon was awarded a low-rate production contract this year calling for 51 RAM Block 2 missiles. The company is scheduled to deliver 25 [RIM-116] Block 2 missiles during the integrated testing phase of this program.”

FY 2012

Business as usual. RIM-116 Block 2
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July 30/12: FY 2012. A $51.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 51 MK-44 Mod 4 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2 guided missile round pack all-up-rounds. In other words, the missiles and storage/interface tubes that fit into the launchers.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket City, WVA (4.5%); and Andover, MA (3.1%), and is expected to be complete by September 2014. This contract includes options which could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $105.8 million, and presumably about 105 missiles.

This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-12-C-5450).

May 17/12: Ship sets. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives a $57.9 million contract modification, covering FY 2012 requirements for MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS). It includes MK 15 Mod 31 CIWS SeaRAM missile upgrade kits and conversions in support of Austal’s forthcoming LCS 10 and 12; as well as Phalanx Block 1B BL2 upgrade kits and conversions, 2 Phalanx Block 1Bs for the forthcoming DDG 116 destroyer, MK 15 CIWS hardware product improvements and ancillary equipment, Block 1B Ordalt (Ordnance Alternation) kits; and MK 15 CIWS Block 1B Class A overhauls.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (39%); Germany (12%); Palm Bay, FL (12%); Tucson, AZ (9%); Pittsburgh, PA (8%); Burlington, VT (6%); Andover, MA (4%); Syracuse, NY (4%); Long Beach, CA (1%); Radford, VA (1%); Bloomington, MN (1%); Salt Lake City, UT (1%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%); and is expected to be complete by September 2015. $24.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/12 (N00024-10-C-5427).

Jan 19/12: Support. A $30 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract modification for the MK-31 RAM system’s FY 2012 design agent engineering services. they’ll work to maintain current system capability, as well as resolve issues through design, systems, software maintenance, reliability, maintainability, quality assurance and logistics engineering.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2012. $342,272 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-10-C-5432).

Dec 6/11: FY 2012. A $22.2 million contract modification for the production of 50 Block 1 MK-44 Mod 2 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) guided missile round pack all-up-rounds.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket City, WVA (4.5%); and Andover, MA (3.1%), and is expected to be complete by February 2014 (N00024-08-C-5401).

FY 2010 – 2011

US orders; Major UAE order; Block 2 initial integration & tests. UAE’s Baynunah Class
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Sept 15/11: Block 2 tests. Raytheon and Germany’s RAMSYS announce that they have finished RAM Block 2 missile upgrade and integration testing in the 5 control test vehicle flights, meeting all upgrade requirements. They’re not done yet, however. The program will begin guided flight tests at the end of 2011, and is expected to enter low rate production in late 2012.

Aug 25/11: Ship sets. A not-to-exceed $161 million contract modification to previously awarded contract for MK15 Mod 31 SeaRAM systems in support of Independence Class ships LCS 6 Jackson and LCS 8 Montgomery, and Japan’s “DDH 2405 helicopter destroyer.” It will also buy Phalanx CIWS Block 1B class “A” overhauls, and land-based Phalanx Weapon System class “A” overhauls.

Japan’s “DDH-2405″ may be the first ship of Japan’s new “22DH” project to field 800 foot, 30,000t vessels that are larger than its existing 18,000t Hyuga Class. The Hyuga Class are properly characterized as LPH helicopter carriers, and 22DHs could be classed as escort carriers, but Japan’s constitution forbids them from owning aircraft carriers. The SH-60 Seahawk helicopters on board JMSDF Hyuga and JMSDF Ise certainly proved themselves in the wake of the 2011 tsunami, which should mute any domestic criticism.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (30%); Andover, MA (19%); Tucson, AZ (9%); Germany (7%); Syracuse, NY (7%); Long Beach, CA (6%); Radford, VA (6%); Burlington, VT (6%); Palm Bay, FL (2%); Pittsburgh, PA (2%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Salt Lake City, UT (2%); Norcross, GA (1%); and New Albany, IN (1%). Work is expected to be complete by September 2015, but $90.7 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/11 (N00024-10-C-5427).

Aug 1/11: Ship sets. A $7.4 million contract modification for 3 refurbished and upgraded RAM MK 49 Mod 3 Guided Missile Launch Systems with associated hardware, for use on LHA 7 (unnamed, America Class escort carrier, 2) and LCS 5 (Detroit, Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship, 1).

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by March 2013. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-11-C-5448).

June 30/11: FY 2011. A $57.9 million contract modification for 90 Block 1 MK-44 Mod 2 RAM guided-missile round pack all-up-rounds, and 40 ordnance alteration kits. This contract modification includes options, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this modification to $113 million.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket City, WVA (4.5%); and Andover, MA (3.1%); and is expected to be complete by December 2013 (N00024-08-C-5401).

Feb 23/11: UAE. At IDEX 2011, the UAE announces an AED 800.5 million ($218 million) order for Raytheon’s RAM missile systems. The missiles equip the UAE’s new Baynunah-class corvettes, built in country by Abu Dhabi Ship Building (ADSB).

The initial ship of class UAENS Al Hesen was a significant exhibit at the show. Jane’s.

UAE order

Nov 23/10: Block 2 test. Raytheon announces that its RAM Block 2 missile has completed the 4th and final controlled test vehicle flight. This test measured kinematic performance and stability, with attention to the missile’s rocket motor, airframe, control section, and autopilot software. Raytheon will build 25 Block 2 missiles during the design and development test period, and expects a low rate initial production contract to follow.

Oct 29/10: Ship sets. A $17.7 million fixed-price contract for 2 refurbished and upgraded rolling airframe missile (RAM) MK 49 Mod 3 guided missile launch systems (GMLS) with associated hardware. They’ll be mounted on the USA’s LPD 26, a San Antonio Class large amphibious ship. The contract also involves 1 new MK 49 Mod 3 system, which will be mounted on Egypt’s new Ambassador III Class fast missile craft. Note that the MK 49 needs to add the MK 44 guided missile round pack to become a fully effective MK 31 RAM missile system.

This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy (37.1%) and the government of Egypt (62.9%) under the Foreign Military Sales program. It includes options which could bring the cumulative value of this contract to $32.8 million. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by January 2013. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-11-C-2404).

July 8/10: Sub-contractors. LaBarge, Inc. announces a $1.2 million contract from Raytheon to provide printed circuit card assemblies for the RAM missile system.

LaBarge already produces a variety of complex wiring harnesses for the system, and will perform this new work at its Tulsa, OK facility. Production is expected to begin in July 2010 and continue through June 2011.

July 2/10: Support. A $44.5 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the MK-31 rolling airframe missile (RAM) guided missile weapon system’s FY 2010 design agent engineering services. The support covers maintenance, and adds design, systems, software maintenance, reliability, maintainability, quality assurance, and logistics engineering services as necessary. The contract includes options which would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $167.3 million, if exercised.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by September 2010. $2.25 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, on Sept 30/10. This contract was not competitively procured (N00024-10-C-5432).

May 24/10: LCS. Raytheon announces that its SeaRAM system successfully completed 2 blast test missile launches aboard the USS Independence [LCS 2], designed to test the structural integrity of both the weapon system and the ship. The launches clear the way for SeaRAM’s live-fire testing on that Littoral Combat Ship class later in 2010.

SeaRAM cuts the number of available missile pack rounds from 21 to 11, but marries the RAM launcher to the 20mm Mk15 Phalanx’s base structure and engagement radar, in order to create a truly bolt-on air defense option for ships. In the Independence Class, the system is also integrated into the ship’s wider combat system.

May 21/10: Block 2. A $10.8 million contract modification to increase the ceiling amount to previously awarded contract, for the “rebaselining of the system design and development” of the RAM Block 2 upgrade. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ, and is expected to be complete by December 2011.

According to Raytheon representatives, what’s really happening is an extension of the program’s schedule, as well as about a year’s worth of added work from Navy requests. The net effect is to more or less restore the requirements that the program began with 4 years ago, with some changes in light of subsequent tests. Raytheon has now run 3 control test vehicle launches, with 1 to go. Guided test launches will be next, with Navy testing expected to begin with about 25 Design-Test/ Operational-Test missiles in Q1 2012 (N00024-07-C-5454).

RAM Block 2 rebaselined

March 23/10: Testing. A Germany Navy video shows an exercise held off the Cape of Good Hope, whose stormy seas keep the area clear enough to allow live missile tests. The video shows AS.34 Kormoran anti-ship missiles being intercepted by older RIM-7 SeaSparrow missiles… but the RAM system on F215 Brandenburg misses the target drone.

Missed

Oct 16/09: Block 2. A $7.7 million modification to previously awarded contract to increase the ceiling amount for System Design and Development of the RAM Block 2 upgrade. The funds will cover additional guidance section design verification testing, to ensure that the software interfaces properly with the missile’s hardware guidance section. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by August 2011 (N00024-07-C-5454).

FY 2008 – 2009

Orders: USA, Egypt. SeaRAM firing
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July 20/09: SeaRAM. A $16.8 million modification to a previously awarded contract for 2 more MK 15 Mod 31 CIWS SeaRAM weapon systems, ancillary equipment, spares, and support. Unlike the Mk 44 launchers, SeaRAM systems have only 11 missiles in the launcher, in order to fit within the self-contained Mk 15 Phalanx mounting.

Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (33%); Tucson, AZ (8%); Andover, MA (6%); Pittsburgh, PA (4%); Mechanicsville, MD (3%); Fort Defiance, AZ (3%); Bloomington, MN (2%); Santa Clara, CA (2%); Munich, Germany (37%); and Athens, Greece (2%), and is expected to be complete by September 2011. Contract funds in the amount of $9.2 million will expire at the end of the current fiscal year (N00024-07-C-5444).

June 8/09: FY 2009. A $56.4 million modification to previously awarded contract for the production of 90 Block 1 MK-44 Mod 2 rolling airframe missile (RAM) guided missile round pack (GMRP) all-up-rounds (AURs), and 40 ordnance alteration kits. This contract modification includes options which would bring the cumulative value of this modification to $118 million, if exercised.

GMRPs are the 21-round missile launchers used by the RAM system, and 90 GMRP AURs is the standard annual American order. The total FY 2009 RAM missile budget is $70.8 million.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%); Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%); Rocket City, WVA (4.5%); and Andover, MA (3.1%), and is expected to be complete by December 2011 (N00024-08-C-5401).

Jan 16/09: Ship sets. Raytheon in Tucson, AZ receives an $18.8 million contract modification buy 4 of their Mk 49 MOD 3 Guided Missile Launcher Systems (GMLS), which hold the full 21-missile Mk 44 packs. The Mk 49 systems will be installed on the amphibious assault ship LPD 25 Arlington, and the first-of-class CVN 78 Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier. Another 10 ORDALT (ORDnance ALTeration) Mod 1 to Mod 3 GMLS Ordalt Kits will also be provided as part of this order, and will be used to upgrade a number of Mk49 systems around the fleet.

Work will be performed in Ottobrunn, Germany (50%), Louisville, KY (45%) and Tucson, AZ (5%) and is expected to be complete by February 2012 (N00024-06-C-5402).

Oct 15/08: Sub-contractors. BAE Systems spinoff Atlantic Inertial Systems (AIS) announces a production order from Diehl BGT Defence GmbH worth about $3 million for the second batch of its SiARS Micro-Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The order follows AIS’ successful completion of design, qualification and initial production deliveries.

IMU systems offer a way to precisely measure distance and vector from a known launch point, without requiring GPS or external aids that may not be available. MEMS technology helps this IMU perform that job reliably in a violently spinning missile like RAM.

AIS has been involved in the RAM program for a number of years, and their release says they anticipate receiving annual production orders into the next decade. The firm has facilities in Cheshire CT, USA, and in Plymouth, UK, employing over 800 personnel worldwide.

June 11/08: FY 2008. A $59.5 million contract for the production of 90 Block 1 MK-44 Mod 2 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Round Pack All-Up-Rounds, and 60 ORDALT(ORDnance ALTeration, usually means upgrades) Kits.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (49.7%), Ottobrunn, Germany (42.7%), Rocket City, WVA (4.5%), and Andover, MA (3.1%) and is expected to be complete by May 2011. (N00024-08-C-5401).

Dec 31/07: Egypt. Egypt’s order comes in – see Sept 28/07, as Raytheon receives $72.5 million modification to previously awarded contract for 139 Block 1 MK-44, Mod 2 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Round Pack (GMRP) All-Up-Rounds.

Work will be performed in Ottobrunn, Germany (49%), Tucson, AZ (44%), Rocket City, WVA (6%), and Andover, MA (1%), and is expected to be complete by January 2011. This modification supports the Republic of Egypt (100%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program (N00024-04-C-5456).

Egypt

FY 2006 – 2007

Orders: USA, UAE, South Korea; Export requests: Egypt; RIM-116 Block 2 development contract; Shingo Prize for the factory; SeaRAM picked for LCS-2 trimarans. RIM-116 RAM Launch

Sept 28/07: The US DSCA announces [PDF format] Egypt’s formal request for up to 139 RIM-116B Block 1A Rolling Airframe Missiles (RAM) with MK-44 Guided Missile Round Packs, containers, support equipment, spare and repair parts, publications and technical data, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, U.S. Government, contractor engineering and logistics technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The systems will be installed on Egypt’s new Ambassador MK III Fast Missile Craft [PDF format] boats for air defense, along with the 20mm Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS. See also Feb 10/06 entry.

The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $125 million. The prime contractor will be Raytheon Systems Corporation in Tucson, AZ. There are no offset agreements associated with this potential sale, and implementation will not require the assignment of any additional U. S. Government or contractor personnel in country.

DSCA request: Egypt (139)

Aug 15/07: LCS. A $5.8 million firm-fixed-price modification under previously awarded contract for the fabrication, test, and delivery of one (1) MK 15 MOD 31 PHALANX SeaRAM Close-In weapon System (CIWS). As noted above, the SeaRAM uses the Phalanx system’s integrated radar, and will equip the USA’s Littoral Combat Ships. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY, and is expected to be complete by September 2009 (N00024-04-C-5460).

June 5/07: Raytheon announces a contract for 7 RAM Block 1A systems with Abu Dhabi Ship Building of the United Arab Emirates. The direct commercial sale, valued at $76.5 million, calls for the systems to be delivered starting in December 2007, and installed on 6
of the UAE’s new 70m Baynunah Class corvettes. The agreement also provides for an on-shore Rolling Airframe Missile test and training system, spares support and other services. Raytheon release.

The RAM system was not originally slated to equip the UAE’s new corvettes, but in 2006 the UAE decided that escalating regional tensions and anti-ship missile proliferation required improved inner layer defenses. The system will be mounted near the ship’s rear, atop the helicopter hangar. Outer defense will be handled by Raytheon’s RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles fired from Mk56 vertical launchers, while last-ditch defense will rely on the corvette’s Oto Melara 76mm naval gun and 30mm secondary guns.

RAM backfit for UAE

May 24/07: Support. Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received an $11.6 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for 70,590 engineering man-hour design agent engineering services for the MK-31 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) guided missile weapon system, and associated efforts. Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by September 2007.

Support procured under this contract is required to maintain current weapon system capability, as well as resolve issues through design, systems, software maintenance, reliability, maintainability, quality assurance and logistics engineering services. The contract was not competitively procured by The Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-5443).

May 8/07: Block 2. Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received a $105.5 million cost-plus scheduled event-based incentive-fee contract for system design and development of the Block 2 upgrade to the RAM MK31 Guided Missile Weapon System, in support of the Program Executive Office-Integrated Weapon Systems. “The Block 2 upgrade will enable the RAM missile to more effectively counter the emerging threat of more maneuverable anti-ship missiles.” Details regarding the Block 2 upgrade are given in the RAM System section.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ and is expected to be complete by December 2010. The contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC (N00024-07-C-5454).

See also Raytheon’s June 27/07 release, which announces the contract as “$145.4 million… for production and enhancement of its Rolling Airframe Missile program. Nearly $105.5 million will go to the development of Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2…”

RAM Block 2 development

March 6/07: FY 2007. Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ received a $39.9 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-04-C-5456) for production of 90 Block 1 MK 44 Mod 2 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile Round Packs, and 90 MK 20 Mod 2 RAM Active Optical Target Detectors. This represents the full FY 2007 request.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (50%) and Ottobrunn, Germany (50%), and is expected to be complete by March 2009. The Naval Sea System Command in Washington, DC issued the contract.

Feb 8/07: Shingo Prize. Raytheon Missile Systems’ (RMS) Louisville, KY facility has captured a prestigious Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing, marking the 4th consecutive year that various Raytheon facilities have won. The Louisville facility manufactures the Phalanx CIWS and RAM/SeaRAM systems. See full DID coverage.

April 11/06: South Korea. Raytheon announces a $17.4 million contract for production 30 RAM Block 1/HAS (helicopter, aircraft, surface) tactical guided missile round packs and test equipment design maintenance for the South Korean RAM program.

RAM Block 1/HAS is the ship self-defense weapon of choice for the country’s KDX II, or Chungmugong Yi Sunshin Class destroyers. Note that the KDX-IIs will also use longer range Standard SM-2 Block IIA missiles as part of their surface-air missile armament.

Raytheon reports that they also have contracts to supply launchers for South Korea’s future KDX III AEGIS destroyers and LPX Dodoko Class amphibious assault ships.

South Korea

April 4/06: RAM on LCS. Raytheon Company has announces that it will install the SeaRAM anti-ship missile defense weapon system on General Dynamics’ trimaran design for the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). SeaRAM combines upgraded MK 15 Phalanx Block 1B close in weapon system’s radar & infrared sensors and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 1A Helicopter, Aircraft, and Surface (HAS) guided missiles. Raytheon will work with General Dynamics to integrate SeaRAM with the LCS combat management system.

RAM for LCS-2 Class

April 3/06: FY 2006. Raytheon Co. in Tucson, AZ received a $77 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract for production of 90 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 1/HAS MK-44, Mod 3 all-up-round tactical guided missile round packs (GMRP). This is the USA’s full procurement amount for FY 2006, similar to the 86 GMRP requested in FY 2005 and the 90 missiles in the FY 2007 budget request. This contract also covers 120 RAM Block 1/HAS MK-44, Mod 3 ordnance alteration (ORDALT) kits.

Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (50%) and Ottobrunn, Germany (50%), and is expected to be complete by March 2009 (N00024-04-C-5456).

Feb 10/06: Egypt. Raytheon announces that the Egyptian navy will outfit its new Ambassador III Class Fast Missile Craft with Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launching systems. Raytheon’s Mk49 RAM launchers and associated RAM Block 1A missiles will provide the primary ship self-defense capability for the Fast Missile Craft, built by VT Halter Marine in Gulfport, MS.

Approximately 50% of the production work will be performed at Raytheon Missile System facilities in Louisville, KY and Tucson, AZ with the remaining half to be completed by RAM-System GmbH of Ottobrunn, Germany.

Egypt picks RAM for FACs

Additional Readings

• Raytheon – Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Guided Missile System.

• Raytheon – SeaRAM Anti-Ship Missile Defense System.

The US Navy has successfully secured initial operational capability (IOC) for the Block 2 rolling airframe missile (RAM) aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24).