The US Navy has ordered seven additional Raytheon T-6ATexan II turboprop trainers, valued at $30 million, as a result of Congressional additions to the 2002 defence budget. The USN has ordered 43 T-6s to date, with deliveries to begin late this year. Cubic is to upgrade Taiwan's air-combat manoeuvring instrumentation system, delivered in 2000, to increase coverage and improve training capability. Hardware and software upgrades under the $6 million contract include two additional remote sites. Seos is to supply two 60°-wide cross-cockpit collimated visual displays to Lockheed Martin for transportable Boeing CH-46E and Sikorsky CH-53E helicopter simulators being produced for the US Marine Corps. Simgraph is to supply two simulation- based training aids to the Canadian Forces for classroom instruction of maintenance technicians on the hydraulics and autopilot of the Lockheed CP-140 Aurora. Rockwell Scientific is to develop laser protective eyewear for aircrew under a 12-month, $2.8 million US Air Force contract. The Aircrew Laser Eye Protection system protects against visible and invisible wavelength weapons. Multiple visible-wavelength devices will be required for regional and evolving threats. Raytheon is to provide two TPN-31 vehicle-mounted approach control systems and six FPN-67 fixed-site precision approach radars under a $20.8 million US Army contract. The TPN-31 mounts primary, secondary and approach radars on two vehicles. TRW is to develop a new liquid target booster under a $29 million contract from the US Missile Defense Agency. The booster will simulate a liquid-fuelled ballistic missile. Raytheon is to supply 75 improved target acquisition systems for the TOW anti-tank missile under a $26.2 million contract from Canada - the first export of the second-generation infrared sight, which will be installed on LAV III armoured vehicles. DRS Technologies is to prototype a low-cost upgrade kit for first-generation TOW sights under a $1.5 million US Army contract.
Source: Flight International