Thursday, December 22, 2011

DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated December 22, 2011

Asian Defense News: DTN News: U.S. Department of Defense Contracts Dated December 22, 2011

(NSI News Source Info) WASHINGTON - December 22, 2011: U.S. Department of Defense, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Contracts issued December 222011 are undermentioned;


CONTRACTS
U.S. TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
            Federal Express Charter Programs Team Arrangement, Memphis, Tenn., is being awarded an estimated $693,634,631 firm-fixed-price contract for international airlift services with a minimum guarantee of $268,207,111.  Team members include:  Air Transport International, L.L.C., Little Rock, Ark.; Atlas Air, Inc., Purchase, N.Y.; Delta Air Lines, Inc., Atlanta, Ga.; Federal Express Corp., Memphis, Tenn.; and Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc., Purchase, N.Y.  Work will be performed at worldwide locations, and is expected to be completed September 2012.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Electronic proposals were solicited and 32 proposals received.  U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (HTC711-12-D-CC02).

            Alliance Contractor Team, Leesburg, Va., is being awarded an estimated $631,908,135 firm-fixed-price contract for international airlift services with a minimum guarantee of $211,132,975.  Team members include:  American Airlines, Inc., Ft. Worth, Texas; Arrow Air, Inc., Miami, Fla.; ASTAR Air Cargo, Inc., Florence, Ky.; Evergreen International Airlines, Inc., McMinnville, Ore.; North American Airlines, Inc., Jamaica, N.Y.; US Airways, Inc., Phoenix, Ariz.; and World Airways, Inc., Peachtree City, Ga.  Work will be performed at worldwide locations, and is expected to be completed September 2012.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Electronic proposals were solicited and 32 proposals received.  U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (HTC711-12-D-CC01).

            Patriot Team, Tulsa, Okla., is being awarded an estimated $303,582,984 firm fixed-price contract for international airlift services with a minimum guarantee of $153,617,594.  Team members include:  ABX Air, Inc., Wilmington Ohio; Continental Airlines, Inc., Houston, Texas; Omni Air International, Inc., Tulsa, Okla.; Sky Lease I, Greensboro, N.C.; Southern Air, Inc., Norwalk, Conn; and United Airlines, Inc., Elk Grove Village, Ill. W ork will be performed at worldwide locations, and is expected to be completed September 2012.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Electronic proposals were solicited and 32 proposals received.  U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (HTC711-12-D-CC04).

            The UPS Contractor Team, Louisville, Ky., is being awarded an estimated $181,012,909 firm fixed-price contract for international airlift services with a minimum guarantee of $87,989,121.  Team members include:  Alaska Airlines, Inc., Seattle, Wash.; JetBlue Airways Corp., Forest Hills, N.Y.; Kalitta Air, L.L.C., Ypsilanti, Mich.; MN Airlines, L.L.C., doing business as Sun Country Airlines, Mendota Heights, Minn.; Northern Air Cargo, Anchorage, Alaska; Ryan International Airlines, Inc., Rockford, Ill.; and United Parcel Service Co., Louisville,  Ky.  Work will be performed at worldwide locations, and is expected to be completed September 2012.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Electronic proposals were solicited and 32 proposals received.  U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (HTC711-12-D-CC05).

            Lynden Air Cargo, L.L.C., Anchorage, Alaska, is being awarded an estimated $17,521,148 firm-fixed-price contract for international airlift services with a minimum guarantee of $15,052,677.  Work will be performed at worldwide locations, and is expected to be completed September 2012.  Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Electronic proposals were solicited and 32 proposals received.  U.S. Transportation Command Directorate of Acquisition, Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is the contracting activity (HTC711-12-D-CC10).

MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
            The Missile Defense Agency is announcing the award of a contract modification (P00009) to Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., under the HQ0276-11-C-0002 contract.  The total value of this modification including all options is $394,464,055, increasing the total contract value from $294,502,270 to $688,966,325.  Under this modification, the contractor will provide SM-3 design and engineering, in service engineering support, production engineering and obsolescence, surveillance and flight test support, and transition to production.  The work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz.  The performance period is from date of award through Sept. 30, 2015.  Fiscal 2011 and 2012 research, development, test and evaluation funds will be used to incrementally fund this initial effort.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This is not a Foreign Military Sales acquisition.  The Missle Defense Agency, Dahlgren, Va., is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE
            United Technologies Corp., Pratt and Whitney, East Hartford, Conn., is being awarded a $202,022,751 cost-plus-incentive fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract for calendar year 2012 sustainment of F119-PW-100 engines.  The location of the performance is East Hartford, Conn.  Work is expected to be completed by Dec. 31, 2012.  F-22 Program Office Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8611-08-C-2896, P00075).

            
        Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems, Aurora, Colo., is being awarded a $29,999,998 cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-award-fee contract for the Launch and Checkout System.  This is an additional element added to the Global Positioning System (GPS) Next Generation Operational Control System.  The Launch and Checkout System is necessary to support the launch of the GPS III Space Vehicle I, which includes support exercises, rehearsals, launch, early orbit and checkout.  The location of the performance is Aurora, Colo.  Work is expected to be completed by March 31, 2016.  Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity (FA8807-10-C-0001, P00054).

NAVY
            Raytheon Co., Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, R.I. is being awarded an $80,830,000 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-11-C-0077) to provide for the procurement of 25 MH-60R AN/AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar (ALFS) systems for the Royal Australian Navy under the Foreign Military Sales Program.  Work will be performed in Neuilly-sur-Seine Cedex, France (68 percent), and Portsmouth, R.I. (32 percent), and is expected to be completed in October 2016.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

            AT&T Mobility, L.L.C., Hanover, Md. (N00244-11-D-0002); Sprint-Nextel, Reston, Va. (N00244-11-D-0003); T-Mobile USA, Inc., Bellevue, Wash. (N00244-11-D-0004); and Verizon Wireless, Laurel, Md. (N00244-11-D-0005), are each being awarded modifications to previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award task order contracts supporting the Department of Navy (DoN) Wireless Services Program.  This modification will increase the ceiling amount of the option period by $77,600,000 and will extend the option period by four months for each of the four contracts.  This effort is necessary to enable DoN to meet its wireless service requirements due to an increased usage and influx of former Navy/Marine Corps Intranet contract users.  These four contractors may compete for task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contract.  Work will be performed in various United States locations, depending on the information provided in task orders, and work is expected to be complete July 31, 2012.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.

            Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $49,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for between 50 and 200 Tomahawk Depot Missile re-certifications, unscheduled maintenance, flight anomaly analysis, and engineering support services.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (59.6 percent); Camden, Ark. (15.5 percent); Commerce Township, Mich. (18.9 percent); Indianapolis, Ind. (2.0 percent); Lynnwood Wash. (1.3 percent); and various other locales (2.7 percent).  Work is expected to be completed in January 2013.  Contract funds in the amount of $41,000,000 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was not competitively procured.  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity (N00019-12-D-0004).

            UBC, Inc.*, Tampa, Fla., is being awarded a $28,699,366 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for up to 325 steerable antenna systems and AST-9 coupler units, including engineering, technical, and repair support services for the production units in support of the Airborne Threat Simulation Organization on multiple weapon system platforms.  Work will be performed in Tampa, Fla., and is expected to be completed in December 2016.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via request for procurement, with one offer received.  The Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-12-D-0011).

            Tetra Tech Tesoro, Inc., Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded at $28,006,855 for firm-fixed-price task order 0004 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N40085-09-D-5027) for the construction of additions to the Supreme Allied Command Transformation headquarters building at Naval Support Activity Norfolk.  The work to be performed provides for an addition to building NH-31; demolition of the existing building NH-31B; new construction for building NH-31B; and construction of the National Liaison Representatives building.  Also, work includes the removal and replacement of a portion of existing Blandy Road, increased parking, and increased and improved supporting infrastructure, and incidental related work.  The task order also contains one unexercised option, which, if exercised, would increase cumulative task order value to $28,129,547.  Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by January 2015.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  Seven proposals were received for this task order.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Mid-Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.

            The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded a $26,843,822 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price delivery order contract (N00383-06-D-001J) for integrated logistics support, in-service engineering, information systems, technical data updates, support equipment engineering, training/software integration support, and sustaining engineering services in support of the F/A-18 A-D, F/A-18 E/F, and EA-18 G aircraft.  Work will be performed in St. Louis, Mo. (70 percent); El Segundo, Calif. (15 percent); Oklahoma City, Okla. (6 percent); Bethpage, N.Y. (5 percent); and San Diego, Calif. (4 percent).  Work is expected to be completed in December 2012.  Contract funds in the amount of $682,452 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This modification combines purchases for the Navy ($14,307,530; 53 percent); and under the Foreign Military Sales Program, the governments of Australia ($9,362,316; 35 percent), Canada ($528,996; 2 percent), Finland ($528,996; 2 percent), Kuwait ($528,996; 2 percent), Malaysia ($528,996; 2 percent), Spain ($528,996; 2 percent), and Switzerland ($528,996; 2 percent).  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

            Raytheon, Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded a $26,700,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5432) for calendar year 2012 Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) production support.  Production support efforts include missile improvement, support equipment improvement, software engineering and improvement, reliability monitoring, system safety monitoring, quality assurance, risk management, test equipment, parts control, obsolete materials, manufacturing qualification, logistics impacts, and other activities needed to support the engineering of an effective ESSM for the NATO Seasparrow Consortium.  The consortium, which includes the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, will fund the effort under this contract modification.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz. (45 percent); Australia (11 percent); Andover, Mass. (10 percent); Germany (8 percent); Canada (7 percent); the Netherlands (6 percent); Norway (5 percent); Spain (3 percent); Camden, Ark. (2 percent); Denmark (1 percent); Greece (1 percent); and Turkey (1 percent).  Work is expected to be completed by December 2012.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

            Progeny Systems Corp.*, Manassas, Va., is being awarded an $18,030,675 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-6297) for a follow-on Small Business Innovative Research Phase III contract on a sole source basis for AN/WLY-1 system, Active Intercept and Ranging System and Archival Media Center production and engineering services.  Work will be performed in Manassas, Va., and is expected to be completed by November 2012.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

            General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded a $17,600,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-06-C-2303) to exercise an option for DDG 1000 class services.  This modification provides additional class services associated with the detail design and construction of DDG 1000 class ships.  This work will provide technical and industrial engineering in the interpretation and application of the detail design to support construction and the maintenance of the ship design.  Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to be completed by April 2012.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity.

            Vigor Shipyards, Inc., Seattle, Wash., is being awarded a $13,412,284 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-08-C-4416) to exercise an option for repair, maintenance and modernization of non-nuclear Navy ships.  The contract will provide year-around maintenance and scheduling flexibility in the execution of the maintenance and modernization so as to maximize vessel readiness.  The option will authorize the fifth major industrial availability of the contract, and entails modification and repair of equipment, hull, and systems.  Work will be performed in Bremerton, Wash., at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, and is expected to be completed by January 2013. Contract funds in the amount of $13,412,284 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash., is the contracting activity.

            Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo Texas, is being awarded $12,416,548 for delivery order 0016 under previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00383-10-D-003N) for the repair of various components for the V-22 aircraft.  Work will be performed in Ridley Park, Pa., and is expected to be completed by Dec 30, 2013.   The Navy Working Capital Funds being used will not expire before the end of the current fiscal year.  One company was solicited for this non-competitive requirement and one offer was received in response to the solicitation.  NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity.

            Raytheon Co., Tucson, Ariz., is being awarded an $8,071,818 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-09-D-0005) to exercise an option for control and guidance section repairs for the AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile for the Navy, Air Force, and the government of South Korea under the Foreign Military Sales Program.  Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed in May 2013.  Contract funds in the amount of $7,376,144 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract combines purchase for the U.S. Air Force ($6,016,790; 74 percent); the U.S. Navy ($1,359,354; 17 percent); and the government of South Korea ($695,674; 9 percent).  The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.

            GeoEnvironmental Resources*, Virginia Beach, Va., is being awarded a maximum amount $7,500,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity architect-engineering (A-E) contract for geotechnical engineering services to support the construction and maintenance of facilities required primarily for Virginia, North Carolina, and West Virginia, but shall include other various activities within the NAVFAC Atlantic area of responsibility (AOR).  The work to be performed provides for subsurface investigations with subsequent geotechnical/foundation analysis including monitoring, sampling and analysis of soil and groundwater for geotechnical properties and environmental contamination using various field and laboratory tests and construction or materials testing and engineering inspection services.  Task order 0001 is being awarded at $67,077 for A-E services to support the fiscal 2011 Airfield Pavement Condition Assessment Program at Whiting Field North, Fla.; Whiting Field South, Fla.; Naval Outlying Field (NOLF) Evergreen, Ala.; NOLF Brewton, Ala.; and NOLF Choctaw, Fla.  Work for this task order is expected to be completed by March 2012.  Work will be performed in Virginia (30 percent), North Carolina (30 percent), West Virginia (5 percent); and other activities within the NAVFAC Atlantic AOR, including the continental United States, the Caribbean, Africa and Europe (35 percent).  Work is expected to be completed by December 2016.  Contract funds in the amount of $67,077 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with 22 proposals received.  The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N62470-12-D-2003).

            Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., McLean, Va., is being awarded a $6,835,187 firm-fixed-price contract for financial management data and systems support services for the Department of the Navy, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED).  Services to be provided by the contractor will include the following major tasks:  financial management data system support services; data quality and cost accounting; automated system operations and maintenance; FASTDATA project management; logistical financial analysis; and metrics reporting for more than 200 Naval medical and dental facilities worldwide throughout the BUMED Navy Medicine Enterprise.  This contract contains three one-year option provisions, which, if exercised, will bring the contract value to $19,695,950.  Work will be performed in McLean, Va., and is expected to be completed Jan. 31, 2013.  With all options exercised, work will continue through Sept. 30, 2015.  Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year.  This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online and Federal Business Opportunities websites, with two offers received.  The NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Support Center Norfolk, Va., Philadelphia office, is the contracting activity (N00189-12-C-Z013).

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
            Jianas Brothers Packaging Co.*, Kansas City, Mo., was awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum $18,198,573 for beverage base component items used in the MRE Program.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies.  There were six responses to the 17 proposals.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2012 Defense Working Capital Funds.  The date of performance completion is Dec. 20, 2012.  The Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPM3S1-12-D-Z120).

            World Fuel Services, Miami, Fla., was awarded a fixed-price with economic price adjustment contract with a minimum $10,874,050 for aviation jet fuel.  Other locations of performance are Soto Cano and Puerto Castilla, Honduras.  Using service is Air Force.  There were two responses to the Web proposal.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2015 stock funds.  The date of performance completion is Dec. 31, 2014.  The Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity (SP0600-12-D-1251).

            Bell Boeing Joint Project Office, Amarillo, Texas, was awarded a firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract with a maximum $8,514,318 for hub assemblies.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using service is Navy.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2012/2013/2014/2015 BP 85 procurement.  The date of performance completion is January 30, 2015.  The Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPRPA1-09-G-004Y-5870).

            AAI Corp., Hunt Valley, Md., was awarded a firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract with a maximum $7,713,184 procurement of advanced boresight equipment.  There are no other locations of performance.  Using service is Air Force.  Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 APN SOCOM Air Force funding.  The date of performance completion is May 4, 2013.  The Defense Logistics Agency Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (SPRPA1-09-G-005Y-0001).
*Small business

*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - PHILIPPINES DEFENSE NEWS: Philippines Seeks 12 F-16 Fighter Jets, Coast Guard Ship From US Amid Territorial Row

Asian Defense News: DTN News - PHILIPPINES DEFENSE NEWS: Philippines Seeks 12 F-16 Fighter Jets, Coast Guard Ship From US Amid Territorial Row
Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources WP - Washington Post
 (NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada / MANILA, Philippines - December 22, 2011:  The Philippines will seek a squadron of F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard ship from longtime ally Washington amid simmering territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said Wednesday that he and the country’s defense chief will meet their U.S. counterparts in Washington next year to discuss the requests. The Philippines has turned to the U.S., a defense treaty ally, for warships and planes to patrol South China Sea areas it claims.

Del Rosario said the requests for 12 F-16 fighter jets and a third coast guard cutter have already been relayed to American officials and their initial response was encouraging.

“We are getting good signals,” Del Rosario told reporters.

The Philippines wants to build “a minimum credible defense posture and the U.S. has expressed their willingness to help us,” del Rosario said.

Washington has provided a Coast Guard cutter and agreed to send another one next year to the Philippines, which is locked in territorial disputes with China and four other governments.

The Philippine military, one of Asia’s weakest, only has about six aging fighter jets. It relaunched the first U.S. Coast Guard cutter it acquired from Washington as the local navy’s biggest and most modern warship in an austere ceremony led by President Benigno Aquino III last week.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources WP
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS

DTN News - OMAN DEFENSE NEWS: Oman Orders Second Squadron Of F-16s

Asian Defense News: DTN News - OMAN DEFENSE NEWS: Oman Orders Second Squadron Of  F-16s

Source: DTN News - - This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources F-16.net
(NSI News Source Info) TORONTO, Canada - December 22, 2011: The US Department of Defense on December 14th, has announced that Lockheed Martin have been awarded $600M fixed-price contract for a Foreign Military Sales program that will provide the government of Oman 12 additional F-16 C/D block 50 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft.

The exact verbiage of US DoD released - 1021/11 on December 14, 2011 is as " Lockheed Martin Corp., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $600,000,000 dollar firm-fixed-price, time-and-material and cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for a Foreign Military Sales program that will provide the government of Oman with following:  12 F-16 C/D Block 50 Multi-Role Fighter Aircraft (10 C models, two D models); support equipment; technical orders; and integrated logistics support.  The location of the performance is Fort Worth, Texas.  Work is expected to be completed Nov. 30, 2016.  This was a sole-source acquisition.  Therefore, one proposal was received.  ASC/WWMK, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity (FA8615-12-C-6011)."

The order consists of 10 single seater 'C-Models' and 2 'D-Models' and in addition to assembling the aircraft at its Fort Worth site in Texas, Lockheed will also provide associated support equipment and logistics services, the DoD said. Work under the deal should be concluded by November 2016.

The F-16 production line at Fort Worth seems to have improved as this is the second order to come in matter of weeks after Iraq also placed a follow on order for 18 additional F-16s. Just six months ago, Lockheed officials were warning that F-16 production could come to a halt by the end of 2013. With these new orders that same line will extend production to well into 2015.

Oman's surprise selection appears to have dashed the UK's hopes of selling Eurofighter Typhoons to the nation.

The Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) currently has 12 F-16C/D block 50 aircraft (8 'C-models' & 4 'D-Models'), delivered as part of Peace A'sama A'safiya Program, thus making the country the 23rd customer for the F-16 and the 5th Arab airforce F-16 customer.

Privately, senior Eurofighter sources seemed sanguine about the F-16 order. “Oman always intended to buy a further squadron of F-16s, so this is no surprise, and is entirely consistent with its ambitions to expand and modernise its air force. The Typhoon negotiations continue to make great progress,” a source said.

It is not even certain that the F-16 deal will alter Omani plans to keep its ageing Jaguars (which were recently re-winged) in service as long as support from India is available.

The Omani F-16 order comes only weeks after Iraq placed a follow-on order for 18 additional F-16s. These new orders will ensure F-16 production out to 2015.

*Link for This article compiled by Roger Smith from reliable sources 
*Speaking Image - Creation of DTN News ~ Defense Technology News 
*This article is being posted from Toronto, Canada By DTN News ~ Defense-Technology News Contact:dtnnews@ymail.com 
©COPYRIGHT (C) DTN NEWS DEFENSE-TECHNOLOGY NEWS