Terma of Denmark will equip six Royal Netherlands Air Force Boeing AH-64DN Apache attack helicopters with electronic warfare controllers, missile warners and flare dispensers. The aircraft will be deployed to Afghanistan for six months to support the International Security Assistance Force. Thales has received a €100 million ($127 million) contract to develop the F3 software standard for Dassault Aviation's Rafale multirole fighter. The first F3-standard aircraft will enter service in 2008. Lockheed Martin is to integrate its Sniper XR targeting pod with the Fairchild A-OA-10 ground-attack aircraft under a US Air Force contract. BAE Systems is to upgrade the identification friend or foe system for the US Navy's Northrop Grumman E-2 Advanced Hawkeye under a $30.4 million contract that includes systems for the first two of a planned 75 production aircraft. Rafael is to develop a new communications system for use in the Israeli air force's command and control centres. A contract signature is expected next month, with a prototype to be delivered in 2006. AeroVironment is to deliver 59 of a planned 185 Raven unmanned air vehicle systems - each with three hand-launched UAVs - to the US Army under a $9.9 million contract. Lockheed Martin is to provide F-16 maintenance training for the Israeli air force under a $7.2 million contract. Under a $6.8 million contract, Northwest Florida Management is to provide flight-line maintenance for 14 Taiwanese air force F-16s based at Luke AFB, Arizona for training. Goodrich will supply its SmartProbe air data system for the BAE Systems Hawk 128 advanced jet trainer. The UK will acquire up to 44 of the aircraft. CAE has received contracts worth a combined C$17 million ($13 million) to produce magnetic anomaly detection systems for the Canadian armed forces'CP-140 Aurora and Japan's P-X future maritime patrol aircraft. Germany's Nord-Micro is to develop the de-icing timer for the propeller under development by France's Ratier-Figeac for the Airbus Military A400M transport.

Source: Flight International