BMD Watch: Boeing wins new HEL laser deal

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- Boeing has won a new $36 million U.S. Army contract to push ahead with its work on creating a new mobile, high-energy laser weapon system to knock out incoming rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds.

Boeing said in a statement last week that on Aug. 15 the Pentagon approved Phase II of the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator contract, under which the company will finish designing and go on to construct a rugged beam control system on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck. The company said it would then go ahead with checking out and assessing the new system.

After this, Boeing said it would "develop the system-engineering requirements for the entire HEL TD laser weapon system." The company said it had finished preliminary design work on the project's beam control system a few weeks ago.

"This contract award is an important win for Boeing because it supports a cornerstone of the Army's high-energy laser program," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of Boeing Missile Defense Systems. "HEL TD will give war fighters a transformational capability to counter the difficult threats posed by rockets, artillery shells and mortar projectiles."

"Boeing spent the past year developing the preliminary design of the HEL TD beam control system, and we appreciate the confidence the Army has shown in our efforts by awarding us these contract options to continue working on the program," said Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing Directed Energy Systems.

Boeing said the HEL TD program would show that a mobile, solid-state laser weapon system would have the capability to defend forces against rocket, artillery and mortar fire.

The current contract will also fund the resources necessary to eventually transform the research and development project into "a full-fledged Army acquisition program," the company said.

Boeing said it brings to the project unrivaled expertise in the creation of high-energy laser systems. Boeing already develops the Airborne Laser, the Advanced Tactical Laser, the Tactical Relay Mirror System and the Laser Avenger.

Raytheon wins Patriot upgrade deal extension

Raytheon announced earlier this month that it had won a $34.4 million U.S. Army contract to continue providing upgrades for the Patriot "Pure Fleet" program.

The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command approved the deal under a more general $310 million "Pure Fleet" deal it approved with the company in December 2007. Raytheon therefore will go on doing modernization work to boost the capabilities of Army Patriot equipment to what the company described as "state-of-the-art Patriot Configuration 3 status."

"Upgrading Patriot fire units from Configuration 2 to Configuration 3 enhances the system's capabilities to meet current and emerging threats," said Sanjay Kapoor, vice president of Patriot Programs at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems.

"As the prime contractor for the Patriot system, Raytheon is committed to ensuring our Patriot systems continue to provide superior, affordable and reliable air and missile defense capability to meet the Army's mission," Kapoor said. "The U.S. Army's upgrade to Configuration 3 is leading the way, as many of our international Patriot partners around the globe are similarly upgrading the Patriot system as a key component in their air and missile defenses."

Raytheon said that under the terms of the new add-on contract it would go on making "hardware upgrades to Patriot radars, engagement control stations and launchers as well as enhanced logistics capability through support to a common configuration." The modernization program will be implemented at Raytheon's Integrated Air Defense Center in Andover, Mass., the company said.

Raytheon said its Integrated Defense Systems unit remained the prime contractor for the Patriot program and also served as the system integrator for the Guidance Enhanced Missile-T as well as the PAC-3.