US Defense Security Cooperation Agency; issued July 8, 2004)
On 8 July 2004, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Egypt of three Fast Missile Craft as well as associated equipment and services.
The total value, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $565 million.
The Government of Egypt has requested a possible sale of three (3) Fast Missile Craft; three (3) 76mm/62 caliber MK 75 Dual Purpose guns with Super Rapid Kits; three (3) MK 31 Mod 3 Rolling Airframe Missile Guided Missile Weapons Systems; installation of Hull, Mechanical, and Electrical equipment; communications; operations equipment; spare and repair parts; support equipment; personnel training and training equipment; publications and technical documents; and U.S. Government and contractor technical and logistics personnel services and other related elements of logistics services. The estimated cost is $565 million.
This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a friendly country that has been and continues to be an important force for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East. This sale is consistent with these U.S. objectives and with the 1950 Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security.
The Egyptian Navy does not currently have a modern, high speed, ship capable of providing deep and shallow water defensive protection for the approaches to the Suez Canal. Egypt intends to purchase these ships to enhance its overall ability to defend its coastal areas and the approaches to the Suez Canal and will have no difficulty absorbing these crafts into its armed forces.
The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not affect the basic military balance in the region.
The prime contractor will be Vision Technology-Marine of Gulfport Mississippi. There are no known offset agreements proposed in connection with this potential sale.
Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Egypt.
There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale.
This notice of a potential sale is required by law; it does not mean that the sale has been concluded.
- from WAFF. Did`nt realise till I recalled that Vision Tech belongs to ST.
http://www.vt-systems.com/index.asphttp://www.vt-systems.com/marine.asphttp://www.vthaltermarine.com/----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
VT Halter Marine is also in another joint venture with North-rop Grumman
Incidentally, VT Halter Marine is in another tie-up with Northrop Grumman
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VT Halter Marine and Northrop Grumman Team to Offer Objective Theater Support Vessel Solution for U.S. Army
GULFPORT, Miss., May 18, 2004 - VT Halter Marine Inc., a subsidiary of Vision Technologies
Systems Inc., today announced it has teamed with Northrop Grumman Corporation's (NYSE:
NOC) Electronic Systems sector to bid for the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments
Command's (TACOM) Theater Support Vessel (TSV) project.
The TSV will support the Army's transformation goal of deploying a combat-ready brigade
anywhere in the world within 96 hours and will reduce support requirements for large-scale, onshore arrivals. The TSV will allow the Army to rapidly respond to crisis situations by arriving
quickly and landing at ports that are too shallow or under-equipped for conventional vessels.
With the capacity to transport more than 350 troops plus gear, and the capability to load and
unload troops and equipment in as little as 20 minutes, the TSV will cost half of the price of
airlifts and will be able to deliver crew and cargo four times faster than current systems. Onboard Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and
Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities will provide continuously updated information to the vessel
and supported commander, allowing for mission and en route planning.
Prime contractor VT Halter Marine will lead the TSV proposal development and perform hull,
electrical and mechanical design and fabrication of the ships, while Northrop Grumman will
serve as lead systems integrator.
Boyd King, VT Halter Marine's CEO said, "Our goal is to design and build a Theatre Support
Vessel specifically tailored to the U.S. Army's mission requirements by integrating commercial
and military technologies, combining our experience, and leveraging our resources in a way that
effectively supports the Army's transformation strategy."
Martin Simoni, Northrop Grumman's site director of Advanced Naval Platforms in Ocean Springs, Miss., said, "VT Halter Marine has a long-standing and successful relationship as a premier U.S. Army vessel supplier, and we are proud to team with them on this important program. Together, we aim to deliver the most capable and affordable TSV in the shortest time possible."
VT Halter Marine and Northrop Grumman Team
Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems, including radar, navigation systems, electronic warfare systems, precision weapons, airspace management systems, communications systems, space systems, marine and naval systems, government systems, and logistic services.
VT Halter Marine Inc., based in Miss., is a leader in the design and construction of small- to medium-sized ships in the United States. VT Halter Marine designs, builds and repairs a wide variety of ocean-going vessels such as patrol vessels, oil recovery vessels, oil cargo vessels, ferries, logistic support vessels and research ships. It is a subsidiary of Vision Technologies Systems Inc. (VTS), a provider of integrated engineering solutions, specializing in the fields of marine, aerospace, electronics and land systems. Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., VTS is located throughout North America. VTS offers a broad range of proven innovative services to both the commercial and government sectors.